Am I dreaming??? Gads, please don't let it start all over again!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Good morning from the very same place where I started this emotional rollercoaster thirteen weeks ago!  Yes my fellow truckers, we are back in Phoenix, at the same hotel, at the same terminal, with the same pool that I plan to actually use this time! 

I dropped my load in Mesa and was tickled to finally get a load to get me home, or close to it.  The next drop was in Lacy, Washington and considering the miles, a good run to end my thirteen weeks.  BUT………….I insisted on the truck getting a full inspection and intentionally had it red tag for mechanical and safety issues.  My hope was to get a new truck since this one is past its prime but if not, with my life being more valuable than this truck; at least getting the Seattle Rust Bucket safe for more road trips.  And in this case, this is what happened.  Heck, I have been gone for so long, a few more days won't kill us!

So relax, enjoy the pool and the sun as we won’t be heading home quite yet.  Hopefully we will be on our way, at the earliest Tuesday morning.  Besides………..I have a date tonight ;)  Yeehaw!

Places and "in the street" interview!

Ardmore, Oklahoma

On April 22, 1966, eighty-one men and women died in an airplane crash near the Ardmore Air Park.  I found this memorial while out for a morning run while waiting for a load.  Here is their story: 1966 Plane Crash

Turkey, Texas

While driving through some very RURAL Texas, I found Turkey, Texas off Highway 70.  I stopped at the Allsup’s Convenience store to talk to Sonja and Lupe about this little town.  With a population of roughly  970 (the girls think it is less as it seems quite a few folks have died off recently), there is only two things that make this town stick out on the map, its wild turkeys and Bob Wills Give me a song and a drum stick!!  Bob use to be quite a famous musician and they still celebrate Bob Wills Day every year for a weekend in May with live music including Bob’s daughter, pancake breakfast, dances, parade and good ole country fun.

Sonja and Lupe did state that at one time, there were over two thousand people in this sand filled landscape.  I wonder where they all went!  They probably disappeared with the turkeys as I didn’t see a single one!  Thank you girls for your time and your smiles!

Parked at Wal-Mart in Mesa, AZ!

5/18/11

Good evening from MM# 333, I40 W, in New Mexico, just less than a mile from the famous Hwy 66!  Well my fellow truckers, I am beat and bruised.  They have been running me hard and for what I get paid between drive time and non-drive time, it is only averaging $10 per hour so when dispatch tells me I can make that full eleven hours so I can deliver a load that I know will not get there on time, they can kiss my…………..  ;)

And…….I won’t be home for another week!  I was given this load in Dallas that was due in 24 hrs after pickup.  I notified my fleet manager that I would deliver two days late.  She then got on the ball and found another driver to swap loads so I can head north with their load to Colorado.   As soon as she walked out the office, the night dispatch cancelled the swap (which I was only 16 miles from) and told me to head back to the drop off in California……stating that if I push my 11 hour clock, I could be there in two days.  Well folks, even if I did push it, I would still be in three days as my hours currently show me this evening.  Dispatch does not think about mountains, rush hour traffic, road construction, etc.

And, if they would have kept me on the original route, I could have spent time with Mom and Charlie!

As for the bruised part, I fell out of my truck this morning!  There is a three point contact system you learn in school, that you must be in contact with three parts of the truck when entering and exiting.  I broke the rule and did just two.  I miss that bottom step and did a face plant with the concrete!  Broke my glasses and now have a light cheek bruise but I am lucky, it could have been a lot worse!

That being said, those young wanna be truckers that are spending between $4000 and $8500 to get their CDLs and drive…….for 26 cents a mile.  Word of advice, you better have a GOOD savings account!

Good evening from Mesa, AZ, from the tight parking lot of Wal-Mart as my drop is only a few blocks from this location.  I could have spent the night in Flagstaff but that is 2.5 hours away and I didn’t want to wake up at 4 in the morning to drive up and down a mountain grade for the very first time in the dark.  So, here I sit with approval of the security company until early morning.  As this is a tight lot, it will be easier to get out with the cars gone!

And……I scored free internet!  Updates in just a minute....fingers crossed as it is slow.  Oh!  I did an "on the street" interview in Turkey, Texas!  Once I get a good connection, I will share what I learned!

My first truck repair......and more to come I am sure!

Good morning from Troy, IL, at Truck Centers, Inc.  I decided to spend one more night in Pacific instead of parking here and it was a wise decision.  There isn’t much here to do and see as it is in an industrial park.  Besides, I would have started my 14 hour clock last night which means that I might have been expected to drive an all nighter once the truck was repaired.  Starting my clock in the morning means my day ends in the evening.  It does sound as though we might be back on the road mid afternoon so we should get in a 4 to 5 hours of drive time in.

Nothing else to report except I will be able to watch the season finale of SURVIVOR, get my laundry done for free and enjoy that free hotdog for lunch.  I could run but I am washing my running clothes ;)

Everybody check back in after lunch as I don’t want to leave any of my road crew behind!

It has been a while since I snapped a nice flower shot!

This is what those teenages should have told me about!  Pacific had a part in the Civil War!

Home is where your heart is!

Good Sunday morning!  I had the best night’s sleep since taking over the Rust Bucket!  Between last night’s activities and a good blanket, I am very well rested and ready to do NOTHING.

I had a nice walk into town, met a few locals, got a few pictures and was given a ride back to my truck last night.  There are four bars in this little town (I was told there was more bars than churches) and each one had a live band last night.  The crowd as well as the music was a mix and everyone had a smile (Alcohol induced?). 

I had steak and eggs for breakfast this morning.  I don’t know what it is with these small towns but when you order rare, you get blue rare.   And let me tell you about the grits…instant artery blockage with one bite!  I am now ready to enjoy a show or two; off to take a shower, another walk, and then we will drive back over the Mississippi to spend the night at the Freightliner dealership so work can begin first thing in the morning.  The dealership has showers, free lunch and free laundry!  Hmmmmm, if they are that prepared for repairs to offer such accommodations, one can only wonder if there are a lot of repairs being done!

While eating my breakfast, I was visiting with the young staff asking about the town.  I brought up the caves I walked by.  I could see their eyes roll up as they tried to visualize the location and then the light bulb turned on!  They could offer nothing except that the obvious, it was slowly falling down.  The same happened when asking about this town.  They had nothing to say……it is just another town.  I remember doing the same while living in Twin Falls, Idaho as a young adult.  The only thing famous I can remember is Evil Kenevil jumping the Snake River.  Snake River Jump!  Other than that, it is just a dust bowl in the middle of the desert surrounded by potato fields. 

Thinking back now, now that hurts as it has been quite some time since I was a teenager, I still vision Twin Falls the same.  I have seen the red sands of Australia to the lush forests in Virginia, still have a deep love for Montana and call Seattle my home but no deep connection to the city I spent most of my youth in.   Home is where your heart is ;)

Saturday, May 14, 2011, and broke down at the Pilot, Exit 257, Pacific, MO!

Good morning from Exit 19, off of I-55, in Hayti, MO, the poorest county in the state of Missouri per the local ole boys here at McDonalds.  We had a long day and I took some AWESOME pictures at 65 miles an hour in the driver’s seat.

Our trip to Canada was cancelled as we are to drop our load in Indianapolis at the terminal.  While there, I will see about getting a new mattress as my current setup is leaving me with two restless nights.  And since we could not run this morning (rained cat and dogs all night), enjoy a long breakfast, meet me at the truck in one hour for our pre-trip inspection (I am in log violation for not sending that dang macro last night, but later than never is better than never! ) and we will hit the road.

Ohhh!  Grab your rain gear!  Oh Lorene!  Is it than or then?  LOL

FYI – the blog is down for maintenance and will be up soon so I can update you!

Saturday, May 14, 2011, and broke down at the Pilot, Exit 257, Pacific, MO!

Well, after my pick up in Plainfield, IL yesterday and spending the night just outside of Effingham, I finally  found out why I kept feeling light drops of water while driving at night during a storm.  Driving towards St. Louis, I hit a rain storm and felt that same light drop of water.  Looking around my front window, a small fountain of water was erupting from the bottom of the window, right dab in the middle and looking like a perking coffee pot without the glass spout!  The water was running into the defrost vents and spraying over the dash. 

I pulled over and contacted Breakdown and my fleet manager.  I then continued on my way while waiting for a response.

Of course, they finally contacted me as I was crawling over the Mississippi Bridge into St. Lois.  I contacted the vendor provided and he told me that this leak could cause a potential fire because of wiring behind the dash and to park the rig. Bad news, no shops open until Monday and breakdown pay is worse than my student pay.   Good news, I restocked supplies this morning, have a new blanket, have access to the internet, will be able to catch up on my favorite shows and all tucked away in a beautiful mountain canyon.  You know me, I can make do in any situation!

So now I am enjoying lunch waiting on what is expected of me next and if I might have to give this load to someone else. 

It is nearly three hours later, one restroom break and one lil nap.  Oh, I forgot to tell you about seeing my first LOT LIZARD!  Now if you are under the age of 18, cover your eye and slowly back away from your computer!

It was Thursday afternoon and I was pulling into a crowded rest stop which only offered parallel parking and there was a beat up ole car taking up a truck spot on the left hand side.  As I slowly passed, I looked into my mirror to give the offender an evil glare when my eyes saw this….here is the visual I gave my family.  Imagine two 20 pounds balls of raw pizza dough just plopped over a steering wheel, with NO topping!  OMG, sssppphhhhhlllssst, gagggggg, ewwwww, oh heck no!  Someone toss me the soap to wash out my eyes!  The lot lizard or in this case, rest stop lizard, was too lazy to knock on doors of trucks, so she just let it ALL hang out and was kneading her own dough!  Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

Flooding everywhere!

Someone wasn't paying attention!

The built in shower that has me stuck broke down for the moment!

My view of the Arch while crawling over the bridge.

A slight turn to the right and we will be going swimming!

My first 24 hours on the open road......ALONE!

We are officially truckers my dear friends!  After I finally got the truck all fixed, I had a shag (short pick up and drop off) received my bonus pay and now off Exit 386 on I35 E just east of Dallas.  This is a long trip as we are going to Toronto, Canada.  Due to the fact that I don’t have a clue how to get there, I spent part of my bonus on a Trucker GPS to save us time and hopefully, headaches.

It has been a long day, traveled through another crazy thunderstorm outside of Austin and with still 2.5 hours left on my 14, I decided to call it a night.  Now off to bed with you as we will be up at 7 AM for a run before we stop for fuel and a quick shower in Dallas.  Good night!

Good morning virtual truckers!  We have 45 minutes left in our 10 hour rest and guess what; there is a McDs right where I parked last night so I am enjoying my senior coffee and sausage burrito.  I was up at 7 AM for my first morning run in weeks and then a nice cool shower (which I had to pay for as I don’t have fuel credits established yet).  But that will happen quickly with this trip.  I do have to trip plan a little better as my fuel stop is only 45 minutes away but hey, we are new at this!

Enjoy your break as we have a long day ahead of us……11 hours of driving.  See you on the road!