414 Miles to Go!

Yuppers my dear truckers, we have drove 2100 miles since Wednesday and we should be on time with our load tomorrow afternoon.  I had to call dispatch as I am down to 4.5 hours on my 70 and needed to make sure I will have enough hours tomorrow.  I did find out, there is an extended time frame on this load so if I did have to take a 34 hour restart, it wouldn't be an issue........except to me!  My money does not have the value it use to in Canada and when we were there earlier this week, they didn't want my cash!

Gonja has finally accepted that it is OK to sit on the furniture (the passenger seat) and has been happy to do so most of the day.  The only down side, it is too small for him to try and sleep in.  Poor boy still has to sleep on the floor.  All and all, he seems to be enjoying himself and enjoyed a good grooming at a rest stop...he did that on the back wiggle with all four legs in the air and was just a smiling, must to the amusement of others as they walked by!

The cheap little hand vac does what I want it to do and that is it.......pick up dog hair, except on his chair.  I might have to get one of those sticky tape rollers for that.  And, if I can get this cheap CD player in the truck to work tomorrow, we will begin our spanish lessons.  We are going to have a full weekend of adventures, even if most of it is in this truck ;)

And.........I am going to have a GRANDSON!

It is good to be back in Montana!

Good sunny morning from the Pilot Truck Stop in Missoula, Montana!  Yuppers, I finally got an awesome load from Seattle to Detroit!  We are talking about 2500 miles of beautiful northern country that I have never seen before so I will be milking those extra three hours a day to enjoy the full 14 hours that this truck can move in. 

It has been a great ride so far with a load weighing less than 30,000 pounds so the mountain passes are a breeze!  Gonja is still trying to figure out what to do with his time in the truck but he sure knows what to do with his time out of the truck!  We will be taking a 1.5 hour lunch today so we can run a bit and shake the dust off our ole bones. 

Enjoy your breakfast and some coffee.  We will be heading out in 30 minutes!

My first snow drive!

Good evening from Mile City, Montana!  We did not make it all the way across the state before our hours ran out.  Gonja is feeling good after that nice run for lunch and a nap.  He is finally relaxed enough to enjoy his rawhide.  He is learning that when we get out of the truck, he better do his duty or wait!  As long as I throw in a little play time, he seems to be adjusting well.  Need to grab some toys the next time I hit Wal-Mart.

My food supplies are holding well but I did pack for nearly three weeks.  The frozen food is still frozen and the rest is sweet and cold.  I had chicken breast with steamed cauliflower and broccoli topped with cheese; all made from the contents of my cooler and the truck stop microwave was my lil oven.  This round of road trip is so much more organized and efficient with the bonus of my beloved lab with me.  I may be poor but at the moment, quite blessed.  Sweet dreams truckers!

We love our walks  :)

Wonder what is wrapped in there!

Dinner companions........they let me do all the talking!

The flooding Clark River

Told the company my bumper needed repair, they told me they would need to pull my load..........I fixed it, MONTANA style!

6/14 and checking in from Canada!

Good Sunday morning from the shop lot of Freightliner!  I was on the road at 5 AM, at the shop at 6 AM, lost my load to New York and it is now 9:00 AM and not allowed to leave as the company has not yet paid the vendor for the mechanical repairs.  I ate breakfast, took Gonja for a walk and now just sitting.  I could have done this at home!  If they keep the truck here overnight, I am going to be a very mean person and insist on leaving after my tooth is repaired first thing Tuesday morning.  This is ridiculous.

Oh, I talked to Kel and Jim yesterday!  Kel is quite happy as he is with Josie and they just did a recovery of a truck that they were thrilled to be out of!  Poor Jim on the other hand, is ready to hang up the towel.   Between breakdowns, bad loads, lack of company communication and fender benders, he is going to turn in his keys when he returns to Portland.  I will call him again today and see how he is doing.

I am going to be calling a friend soon to pick me up.  Later!

Good evening from the Smokey Point Rest Stop off I-5 North.  I am on my way to Canada after two days of shags and very little pay for the hours spent.  I waved at my dentist today as I drove by on my way north while she was holding that precious gold crown for me.  I am hoping I might be able to stop tomorrow but nothing is promised in this company!  I am sitting at the rest stop because I have two tires that need replaced and it didn’t dawn on me when I requested the repairs that they would head me east and not north.  So, when I pulled in for a break here, I realized I was now 80 miles past the shop.  So now I sit for road assistance and by the way, it is the quickest way to get new tires!  I still have a feeling I will run out of hours and spend the night here.

Gonja is slowly getting use to being in the truck and REALLY enjoys getting out and smelling a world of dogs away from the forest.  We need to build him a little extension to the passenger seat so he can sit and stare out the window as it keeps him better entertained than staring at tree tops!  We are off to walk the rest stop while we wait on service.  Enjoy your evening!

OH!  Brian is now going to quit and Jim is not!  Go figure!

Good morning from Canada!  It is the 14^th and I have been sitting in Canada for nearly two hours trying to get back to the other side of the border.  Dispatch is looking for a load and I am unsure if it is here or on my way back into the US.  So……..here we wait and see!

I went through Customs very easy this morning.  They didn’t even notice Gonja as he just laid as quiet as a mouse on his bed.  Papers were ready for just in case.  I was told it is harder to leave Canada than to enter and wonder what to expect, especially if they give me a load to take home.  They did ask about mace and weapons………..which of course I responded with….Nope!

I want to do a “in the street” interview but hate to be away from the truck too long.  So, since I have been up since 3 AM, I think I will take a nap instead…..that is what Gonja is doing!

Oh!  And by the way, this little Coleman cooler is awesome!  I did a little homemade changes and insulated a small section near the air unit and all the frozen food I prepared before I left is still FROZEN!  I actually had to place the produce at the very end as the carrots were getting a touch frosty.  For $88........will worth the savings of eating out!

And this post was provided by of some Canadian with Wi-Fi!

Lovely morning in Duvall!

Good morning from my lil tin can in Duvall.  I received a phone call from dispatch regarding the truck this morning and as of 7 AM; the truck had not been approved for repairs!  Now remember folks, I dropped the truck off at 7 AM yesterday, the quote was faxed to the company at 3 PM and I in turn, bunted the ball to dispatch to kick at repairs!  So, at 9 AM, approval was granted but the mechanic on duty could not promise the truck would get repaired until this evening. 

Dispatch has a load from Renton to New York waiting on me, an excellent run and a nice paycheck.  As we all know, the lead time is way more than dispatch tells us (I have sat on two loads because of this) so the shop promised to have the truck ready at 6 AM tomorrow.  Now let’s see if I will get that load…….and then head back west as I have that crown waiting for me!

I spoke briefly with Jim, he is in Nevada on his way to California and Brian is finally leaving the Omaha terminal with a load heading to Colorado…and he seemed to have a smile on his face.  As for Kel, no word yet. 

I am heading to town for coffee with friends and then heading to Everett to spend time with the kids.  I might get a call for that New York load or lose it……which could possibly mean that I will be home for the full weekend.  That gold tooth is getting closer.  Have a great weekend and stay out of Arizona……..that smoke is a killer!

Back in the Shop but not in it!

Good morning my virtual truckers!  Yes, today, I am officially back on the road, the road to the Freightliner Shop in Pacific!  Per my FM’s recommendation, I took the truck to the shop and left it there.  The shop stated they could not get to my truck until later this afternoon which means…..back to Duvall for me!  Of course, I did mention it would not bother me at all if the truck had to spend the weekend in the shop (still hoping to get that gold crown on Tuesday).  We could be heading out first thing tomorrow morning so the truck is ready to go except for bedding, food, clothing and Gonja.  Jack Sr. will drive us to the shop in my S10; we will load up and hit the road, whether it is tomorrow or Monday.

The truck has new seat covers, plastic bins in the shelves for easy access, a small flat screen TV for streaming movies online and I removed the top bunk mattress so I can use that space for clothing storage.  I can now be on the road for three months without having to worry about buying new clothes!  Got everything I need except a kitchen sink and a small vacuum.  We will check out vacuums the next time we are at Wal-Mart as I am sure, Gonja’s fur is going to drive me nuts for a bit!

Spoke with Kel a few days ago, he should have his truck by now and traveling with Josie as his passenger.  Jim seems to be fairing well with Schneider considering he has spent more time in the shop than the road.  Now Brian, he is a bomb waiting to explode!  He has a serious love/hate relationship with our company and HATES his FM.  If he could muster a way to get all his belongings off that truck and get home…….he would have left a week ago!  He is going on his sixth week away from home and he is ready to “bring it on”!  I think our phone calls to each other have been our saving grace but I believe he is near his breaking point.  I will keep you informed on that one!

Oh, the Eagle recruiter finally called me after I emailed my resume to her.  She left a voice mail, and I did the same in return yesterday and today.  Again, I will keep you informed of this one as well.

So enjoy today and your weekend!

What I wish I could be doing this weekend! 

Rain! Where is that Laredo sunshine???

Happy Tuesday from a cold and wet Duvall!  It is always good to go home but to return to the same ole weather of rain and forbidden sunshine after nearly two months of hot sun, bright blue skies and pool perfect heat; you almost want to climb back in the truck and hit the highway!  And in full honesty, I am ready to do just that!

I thought I would fight tooth and nail to get those ten days off that I feel are rightly mine after being on the road for three months but after being away for so long; I found there really isn’t anything holding me here except for my black lab.  I actually spent more money at home in three days than I did on the road for two months.  I had to replace the truck battery, I paid over $500 for dental work, I had to pay a loan off that I said I would three months ago, I paid to have Gonja all updated on his shots and a purchased a $250 money order in case I am asked to pay a pet deposit while he rides with me, etc.  Ouch!

On a good note, I won’t be able to retreat the trailer top due to wet weather and I decided to wait on replacing the shed at the end of the summer.    Saved myself $400 ………. For now!

I did get to spend some time with Pix and James on Saturday as you saw with the previous post.  I enjoyed breakfast and a few short conversations with my Duvall family as they are all busy with their own schedules and that my dear truckers, is pretty much my life here in the sticks of Duvall!  Two days of catching up with the few individuals that are active in my life and I am ready to hit the road again.  I did try to get an extension until Wednesday so I can get my new crown from the dentist but was denied with the promised I would be kept on the west coast and home in two weeks to finish the dental work.  It still might happen as I have to take the truck into the shop on Friday and who knows, they might need to order parts that could hold me for over the weekend.

I am off to finish organizing the truck and then off to cook/freeze meals in preparation for the road!

James and Pix wedding day.....

My  handsome Gonja

Sunset in the woods......

Waves from my other tin can, the one that don't move!

Good evening my virtual truckers from the comfort of my little trailer in the woods outside of Duvall.  It feels so good to be home!  I am still exhausted, my body doesn’t know what time zone I am in and the pain pills are working wonders on that cracked rib.  I certainly will need more than five days at home to get everything ready and updated for my return trip home in the near future.

In regards to that last load that had me spending the night in Chehalis, it wasn’t accepted the following morning by the receiver as it was due until 3 AM that evening!  The fleet manager knew this and even wanted me to use “I need to get home” card to see if they would accept the load early.  Can you believe that!  I was so close to home but not home and my fleet manager wanted me to bring the load all the way to Duvall (the receiver being in Puyallup) and return at 2 AM to deliver the load.  I ended up spending the night at a dear friend’s place in Kent that had room for the truck and trailer.

At 6 AM, I can finally leave the receiver, dropped the trailer at a drop yard seven miles away and drove straight to my Doctor’s office to get something to take the edge off the pain.  Between my cold, the coughing and terrible sleep, it was time to use the insurance I have been paying for in the last few months.  I will be seeing the dentist tomorrow for a teeth cleaning and scheduling two possible roots canals.  Then there are my finger nails that are in need of repair, making an appointment for new glasses, renting a pressure washer to clean the trailer, replacing the peeling seal on the trailer roof, replacing the battery in the truck (it was dead when I got home), getting the tractor organized for my next trip and I decided to hold off on the new shed until fall.  As you can tell, my plate is full and the company gave me 5 days off……..not!  I will be taking 10 in order to get all this stuff done!

And, I need to contact my fleet manager as I was not paid for three trips.  Augh!

Touch base with you all soon…….enjoy the down time!

Somebody was happy to see me home and enjoy his new seat!

My son.......James

My lovely daughter in law.....Pix

And........me.  It is good to be home! (Mom took this picture!)