Chicago, the dirty version of Seattle!

3/8/11

Good morning from just west of Greenville, IL, taking a back road to I-70.  We got turned around due to construction and ended up heading north instead of east.  It is a nice country road that had recently been flooded.

We drove through some beat up country today in MO and IL.  You see flooded rivers and farmland and remaining hints of a few tornadoes such as building siding in fields and in trees.  Buildings missing parts of their ceilings and down trees.  I would have loved to have been in the middle of it as I have never seen a tornado except on television.  I know, I would change my tune if I did see one……maybe!

We had a fun time late last night at a pick up site.  I got to practice backing, much to the surprise of a trucker as he watched my trailer get a little too close for comfort.  I just laughed and told the poor man I was checking to see if he was awake!  He was not too amused ;)  Once I got the trailer docked, Marie, the guard lady and I did the “I get it” dance!  It is a little thing that I started when backing up successfully, then Marie joined me…..and last night we had a small chorus line when the guard lady joined us!  I am sure the other truckers were shaking their heads in disbelief!  But guess what, we were loaded and out of there before they were.  I think the guard lady liked us!

Enjoy your coffee and we will chat soon fellow truckers!

Good evening from a shipper in south Indianapolis.  We have been sitting here for an hour waiting on dispatch to figure out what we are going to do with this load of water that is suppose to go to Chicago.  Our trip to New York was given to someone else and they wanted us to do a smaller trip with Marie out of hours, and me, too tired to finish the trip and a tad too short on hours left on my clock.  I have had only one decent break and that was breakfast.  They are trying to coordinate with another driver to pick up this load as it is time sensitive.  So….now we sit and wait!  Again, the trucking industry is not logical!

Body is stiff as running has yet to be an option.  But I have been keeping the calories down and haven’t gained.  Your butt begins to feel like one with the seat and that is what causes those butts to move to the stomach and I won’t allow that to happen!  I had chicken noodle soup here in the truck while waiting on dispatch and now I am sleepy.  Catch you all later!

We ended up getting locked in!  Dispatch never contacted us back so we both took naps and woke up with the staff gone and the gates locked.  Marie ended up finding someone to let us out and we ended up spending the night with the load of water that was time sensitive.  Hah! 

After this drop, we are off to Rockford IL.  Hopefully I will be able to get this uploaded today before it becomes a book!

3/9/11

Good morning from west side of Chicago!  I woke to Marie driving like a woman heading to a 50% off shopping spree at the mall!  It is raining and we are hauling 45,000 pounds of bottled water.   Mix the weight with the wet roads, Marie can drive to her heart’s content!

Let’s talk about Marie!  She has been driving for Werner for eleven months.  Before BW, she ran a B&B for 12 years.  She had a cute homestead with 22 horses, and rented out barn stalls for those that visited and brought horses….every type of horse from family pets to the Budweiser clydales.  Her husband, Kevin, found work in California so they sold the B&B and moved to 20 acres in Porterville.  Just two years with the new company, Kevin had a serious stroke in 1999 and their whole world quickly changed.  He was no longer able to work and faces serious therapy with an unknown life span due to brain damage. 

When Kevin’s Cobra insurance ran out, Marie had to find employment quickly that offered insurance just as quickly and hello BW!  When Marie is asked about BW, she just smiles and states they have great insurance!

Pre-trip Inspection!

I would have never dreamed that we could fit 49 boats in a 53 ft trailer!