A full day and only 22 miles to show for it!

Good evening from the bottle water manufacturer that I drove to from Glenwood this morning!  It was a pretty drive as the sun was slowly rising bringing the forest and her colors back to life; while little towns of less than five hundred individuals were sipping their coffees over the warmth of their fireplaces while  the children prepared for school.   And then my day went to bust!

As I was pulling away from the loading dock, I looked back to see two tires on the right side of the trailer looking a little low.  This is concerning as these are self regulated tires, they adjust their own air as needed depending on the load and the outside temperature.  I backed into a space out of the way and sure enough, one tire was slowly leaking and I couldn’t tell from where (even with the truck running and sending air to the break chambers).  I notified breakdown at 9:30 AM.

At 4:30 PM, I was notified to drive the truck to a truck stop that was 60 miles away (I gave them two local companies but they never called them).  By this time, the tire lost its air seal around the rim and there was NO WAY was I going to drive it in this condition.  I drove back into town (22 miles and bobtailed) so I could get cell service and contacted my dispatch and breakdown.  It is now 7:30 PM, I am well fed, back at my truck and a service repair truck from that truck stop 60 miles away is in route….should be here but 8 PM!

In the meantime, I had a Shotgun (bake potato covered in baked beans, BBQ pork and coleslaw) for dinner and met Hillbilly Joe outside his 2^nd (3^rd and maybe 4^th) “hand me down” shack or ummm……business.  He was quite the salesman and gave me a tour stating most of his customers are out of towners such as me that stop and take pictures (hmmmm, wonder why that is).  He even smiled when he mentions that the locals even help out as there are times when he arrives at his little location with donations dropped off waiting for him!  I think the Goodwill is a little too far away for these folks to drive to. 

He rents this little side of the mountain for $50 a month and wants to buy it, put up a restaurant named Hillbilly Joes Swill and build an outdoor bandstand for country and bluegrass music.  We will have to check back in a few years and see how that dream is developing.

I am going to watch a movie………see you all in the morning!

Parked for the night in a livestock auction yard in Glenwood, AR!

I am deep into Arkansas country where the county is dry (no alcohol) and the accents thick!  I am in Glenwood, AR for the night and driving 20 miles west in the morning to pick up bottled water (at least that is what the locals think I might be heading and getting).   It is a very rural location but a beautiful drive on a two lane road landscaped with thick trees in multiple colors of autumn.

It was not a money making day but then again, I do work for this company so it is expected!  I arrived at my drop at the Wal-Mart distribution center and my load was turned down as the drop number given to me……..didn’t exist!  I KNEW this was going to take awhile so I parked the truck across the street and we walked to Wal-Mart for supplies.  I am so sick and tired of waiting in the truck for instructions that I told them to call ME when my load can be dropped!

Three hours later, a new drop number was given, I dropped my load and headed to this location 100 miles west (stopped for a shower first), and now we sit until 7 AM.

McDonalds is across the street so I will update the blog in the morning while enjoying my senior coffee (better price and they know better than to question meJ)   We will have a warmer evening so I don’t expect to run the truck later tonight.  I haven’t heard a word about over idle since the weather has cooled and I don’t turn on the truck unless I wake up cold. 

I met another company driver at a distribution center who pulled up to me to see if I had an APU unit.  He is from Jamaica and the over idle from his 10 hour breaks has gotten him written up.  I think he was afraid his skin would turn white from freezer burn (he is after all, born with a natural tan)!  He stated he was going to quit and I gave him a few suggestions that might help him last longer or at least until he finds a replacement job.  When you wake up cold, start the truck; buy an electric blanket that plugs into the lighter and use the word “safety”.  I had to idle my full 10 hour break as it was for my safety, it is too cold not to do so otherwise.

It really stinks when you become a number; a number that could take an extra $33 from the company’s profits in order to stay warm or cool for an evening in this moving tin can that we call home that should stay in the corporate wallet.   So it is easier for the company to use scare tactics or just point blank fire us as there are 20 students waiting at each terminal to fill our driver’s seat………..what a bunch of crap!

I was listening to the radio the other day and they stated that the poor’s income has raised 18% in the past 15 years; the middle class raised 44% and the upper class…….200%.  I am really starting to feel those numbers!  I don’t understand all these protests that are happening across the world as I don’t really see them making a difference but I can understand the frustration with those percentages.  I am not asking for a share of their wealth, just equal taxation/cost of living wage increases……….or something! Why work so hard for so little………I thought I was rich at $45,000 a year.  We can now cut that in half as I will be lucky to make half that much this year.

Good night!  And yes James, I whine too much…………gotta love freedom of speech, at least it is free……for now!

Our host for the evening.......

Bales of cotton.....

Cotton field ready for harvest

My regal Gonja.....loved how the sun defined his face  :)

Not one "trick or treater" stopped by during the night!

Considering my location last night, that is a good thing!  We have stopped in Hayti, MO for breakfast and to watch the sun come up.  We have 4 hours before our drop in AK. 

No grandbaby yet, he decided to stay in the oven for a few more days.  Gonja and I are fighting a cold and winning so far.  The temps are rising and today is going to be a good day.  Why?

We woke up breathing!

Sitting out in the middle of somewhere Kentucky in the dark on SPOOK NIGHT!

My first night out on my own….TOTALLY!    I called what I thought was a truck stop and was told there was truck parking as it is out in the middle of the sticks of Kentucky.   I was informed that there was truck parking and my GPS took over.  The sun has just set and my GPS said we arrived………..to a rundown gas station/shop, a big dirt lot and a burn downed building (restaurant maybe?).  The place is closed and we are the only ones here.  And to think…….it is Halloween!  EEEEEEKKKKKK!

Now is a good time for a fire (didn’t work too well for the building I parked next too), making smores and telling stories!  For some reason, Freddy popped into my mind, what a horror icon of the 80’s or was that the 90’s?  OK, I might not sleep as well as I hope tonight!  So on that note, if you do not read this post, call 911!!!

Good morning from the TA in Mt. Vernon!

Just a short note to let you know I am alive and well.  I am hauling 380 pounds of sample baby wipes to Cincinnati, OH (with the cost of the fuel, that is nearly 50 cents per sample.....go figure, another company  that doesn't make sense).  I am waiting on a hot breakfast and a trailer registration (been on hold for nearly 15 dang nab minutes).  Gonja is chilling outside of the truck this morning as his stomach is not feeling quite right. 

This load is due tomorrow at 7 AM, I am going to see if we can drop it today....once the company  picks up the dang phone!  Oh..........PICTURE time!

This abandoned prison has been in a few movies including the "Green Mile"

A vintage bird house for Charlie!

I thought this lion was kewl!

More fall colors for Mom

Gonja shot!

He was parked outside the grocery store...guess the Amish do need things off the farm!

WHOA! Now slow down little pony.....the mail has been delivered!

Dang nab it!  Today was one of those days where I had no clue where I was going or what I was doing!  I picked up an empty trailer after my drop yesterday that was to be loaded first thing in the morning.  Guess what......oh come on now and guess!  That is right, BAD TIRES!  Off to that wonderful TA that was so kind to fill my cooler with steak and fixings, which they did again and got me out of the shop on the strike of my 14!  I was up and on the road at 6 AM!

We were just 5 blocks from our pick up when I was notified that my 7 AM (it was 8:30 now) was cancelled but I had another load waiting from the same location.  I parked the truck in the turning lane of this little town so I could call the client to only find out...........there was already two trucks there!  Within minutes of the phone call, another message came through telling me that that order was cancelled and I was to head to east an additional 88 miles to pick up a live load that was suppose to be done at 7 AM!  Dang nab it!

I was excited to see that it was heading to Texas but I got message stating it was going to Memphis and then a few minutes later, it was going to Nashville!  I was so flustered that I did not finish reading the rest of the trip info as I had to circle my way out of town to my new destination.

I picked up the load in Portland, IN......and  was loaded at 12:30!  Gads again!  Off I run, no breakfast break, a nice lunch break while waiting on this load (got my bangs cut too), and we are running south as this load is due at 4 AM tomorrow....ain't gonna happen. 

I was about 4 hours from Nashville when I received a message stating my due time was......right now!  I am like.......TRIPLE GADS!  I called my dispatcher to find out all is good and continue.  We stopped at 4:30 for dinner and I responded I could not be at the drop at 4 PM as I am four hours away.

Next message:   Did you pick up that SECOND LOAD? 

WHAT????????  What second load????  A load at FedEx, and they are waiting for me!

When I was getting attacked with all those messages, I didn't realize that there was more to this trip and that second load was 90 miles behind me.  I am running out of GADS here!  I turned that truck around, arrived at 7:00, was loaded at 7:15, and parked at the truck stop at 8:00......the end of my 14.  Deep breath.....eyes burn, head hurts, and I will be five hours late to drop this load but the client and dispatch is happy.  Me.......so damn glad to call it a day!  Good night!

Nice walk produced my favorite morning drink!

And if you know me, you know what that lil drink is!

Gonja and I had a nice evening and got caught up on most of my favorite shows.  Woke this morning at 7 AM with a very busy truck stop/gas station.  This Pilot has only been here a couple of years and is right behind a prison so this place is safe and secure, I can't say that about the other truck stops in this town.  Gonja and I went for our morning walk, stopped at a local fire station and offered to cook breakfast for the crew if I could use their laundry facility (haven't heard back, but hey, you gotta ask!); and returned to the truck with pre-assigned load!  NOT!

Dispatched asked me why NOT!  I stated......hmmmm, 3 hours on the clock, we have pre check, drive to load, load time, pre trip planning, fuel......and I could end up where in????  By golly, they agreed to my 34 hour restart.......AMAZING!

I cleaned the truck yesterday so I will watch a few shows before our mid morning walk.  There is really nothing to see here as it is mainly an industrial park with fuel stations for large tankers, no mall, no grocery, no nothing but hey, I have a job and I have you all!  And.......I woke up breathing!  My spirit sure did pick up since traveling with my lab.......they are good therapy!