OVC 3SM -SN. Temp -12C. Wind light northerly. 3 cm fresh snow overnight.

After a restful night at the Mirage we headed out on the road headed for Edmonton at 0815. For the first  90 minutes it's 'driving by braille' following a big rig. Snow from yesterday's system still lingers on the road and each passing rig brings it to life. Passing is not an option for us unless we have X ray vision, which, apparently some drivers have as evidenced by their actions on the road.

Rounding a curve the forest opens up into a field and miraculously the blowing snow disappears. I hit 5th gear and put the big rig in the rear view mirror. The road is clear now with nothing but Alberta's open spaces and blue skies. 

On a trip like this after you've spent so much time in the front seat, the truck becomes an extension of you. You get accustomed to its motion, you know what gear works best for what terrain, you get accustomed to the sounds, the creaks and groans and so on. So when it gets to -40C outside you start to hear all sorts of sounds it doesn't usually make and you realize how hard it's working to get you where you want to go. So when we descended the mighty Peace river valley, we decided to stop into the Lube Shop for an oil change. Three technicians gave the Tacoma check-up then it was off in less than twenty minutes turn around time. Talk about service!

As the GPS ticks down on the latitude the sun climbs higher and with it, the temperature. It's now -6C and for the first time in 8 days the roads are slushy. Descending the long hill into Whitecourt we pass a couple of big rigs towing a pump housing that's the size of a small house. one rig pulling and one pushing. Never seen that before. 

We're most of the way to Edmonton now. Arriving at Gibbons, the snow banks are 8' high in places and the roads ice covered. We should be used to this by now, but it's still slow going. We're staying with Russ's inlaws for the night.