PENDLETON The megaload is parked until road and weather conditions improve, the Oregon Department of Transportation said today.

The load made the first leg of its journey from Umatilla through Pendleton Monday night.

It was scheduled to continue south on Highway 395 toward Mt. Vernon, but the weather didnt cooperate. A cold front brought snow and ice to the regions highways.

The load, now parked off the highway just south of Pendleton, is the first of three scheduled to make the trip through Eastern Oregon to Homedale, Idaho, this winter.

Industrial hauler Omega Morgan is moving the equipment to its eventual destination in the tar sands region of Alberta, Canada.

It can travel only at night, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to the terms of the ODOT permit.

Omega Morgan spokeswoman Holly Zander said she couldnt say when the load would reach the John Day Valley. From the current location just south of Pendleton, it could take one or two nights, she said.

However, that depends on the weather and road conditions.

Zander said the crew on the ground makes daily evaluations of the road and weather conditions before deciding whether to proceed.

The total transport vehicle measures 380 feet long and 19 feet tall; the cargo alone is 96 feet long and is an empty tanklike vessel. Officials said the cargo has no hazardous materials, fuels or liquids.