I hit the road in my new and improved winter travel rig.

I hit the road today at around 7:15 AM — just a few minutes after my intended departure time. I took this shot of my new and improved winter travel rig before leaving:

You’re looking at a 2012 Ford F350 SuperDuty Diesel with 4WD carrying a fully-equipped 2007 Lance slide-in truck camper, and towing a 12-foot 2011 Continental cargo trailer. In straight driving, I can neither see nor feel the trailer behind me.

The weather on departure was as it appears in the photo: foggy and cold with snow on the ground. The 2 miles of gravel road to get to pavement was slick in spots but I took it slow in 4WD all the way.

Sadly, I got about 2-1/2 miles from home when I realized I’d forgotten my winter jacket. My excellent neighbors, the Ts, very kindly agreed to fetch it for me to save me a round trip down that slippery road. (If my house-sitter had arrived before my departure, I’m sure he would have brought it.)

After stopping for breakfast along the way, I was southbound shortly after 8:30 AM with my first destination nearly 500 miles away in Idaho.