MT. VERNON The second Omega Morgan megaload, which made it to about a mile north of Mt. Vernon Sunday night, was scheduled to move on to John Day on Monday night, past press time.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said the load will park at the weigh scales in west John Day for the required New Years holiday layover.

The megaload is permitted to travel only between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. over most of the route. It is not allowed to travel New years Eve through Jan. 2.

The ODOT permit allows travel in daylight under certain conditions, but only on rural highway stretches and not through communities in the John Day Valley.

If the weather and road conditions are favorable, the load could set out again at 8 p.m. Friday, traveling through Prairie City and east toward Austin Junction.

Drivers can expect delays of up to 20 minutes when the megaload is on the road.

The load is following the same route as the first one from Highway 395 to Highway 26 and east to Ontario and into Idaho. The cargo a large vessel called an evaporator is headed for the tar sands oil field in Alberta, Canada.

This load is shorter than the first one, measuring 350 feet long including pusher and puller trucks, and the weight is 804,000 pounds, compared to 900,000-plus for the first load. A third load, of similar size, is expected to be moved in January.

The shipments have drawn large turnouts of spectators, but also sparked protests from climate activists concerned about the impacts of oil development and use on the planet. Tribal representatives also have expressed concern for the environment and the lack of consultation about the transports through ceded lands.

About 50 activists and Umatilla tribal members gathered last week in Pendleton to sing, pray and protest the second load after it traveled to that city from the Port of Umatilla.

We are contributing and allowing our state to be used to expand one of the most environmentally destructive projects on the planet, said Trip Jennings, of the activist group Portland Rising Tide. Were assuming the risk, and seeing none of the benefit. All were seeing is more carbon coming from the tar sands.

Tribal elder Art McConville said the tribes remain concerned about anything causing damage to the land and ecosystem. Their prayers asked for safety and protection, not only for the environment but everybody involved along the route as well.

Alexandra Amonette of Richland, Wash., said climate change is the most important issue affecting everyone today. People have to learn to stop burning fossil fuels and transition to a clean energy economy, she said.

Meanwhile, the first megaload has entered Idaho, where it became something of a tourist attraction near Marsing.

Boise Weekly reported the rig was drawing gawkers to Idaho Junction, where U.S. Highway 95 and Idaho 55 meet. The paper said the Idaho State Police and Owyhee County Sheriffs Office even cited some sightseers who were parked illegally.

The East Oregonian contributed to this article.