Trip #2102 Carrollton, TX > Ennis, TX > Elkhart, IN > Westland, MI

The final trip assignment toward getting us 2 r son’s home, up in the Detroit area, involved deadheading down to Ennis, TX—which is located about 35 mi SSE of Dallas--2 pk up yet another preloaded trlr @ Ennis Extruded Products (Alside) on Wed, the 17th.
It might b interesting 2 note that TX has the most interstates—17 of them, totaling 3,233.45 mi. We made use of a number of those on this & last trip.

This load included 368 heavy gauge, vinyl soffit, weighing 31, 394 #s. The 1st 10,042#s of soffit (94 pieces) was 2 b delvd @ Markley Enterprise in Elkhart, IN by 0730 on Fri, the 19th. This time, r rt took us via Little Rock, Memphis & Gary. It also permitted a nite of non-moving sleep in Osceolo, AR, which we welcomed.

Toward evening on the 18th, we stopped briefly in Gary, IN to take on fuel. Parking was @ a premium, so we decided 2 eat elsewhere, closer to Elkhart. However, we discovered that the 3 restaurants that had trk pking along r rt, all had closed early. When we got to the South Bend area, we decided to drive up a main drag in search of a fast food place. We soon spotted a nice McDonalds, in what appeared 2 b a decent neighborhood. We drove around the blk 2 determine where we might pk briefly. We opted 4 the side-st between a Rally’s Burger—a favorite of r’s & the McDonalds. The trk JUST fit between the driveways; Lawrence set the flashers & stayed w/ the trk. Noting that Rally’s still had lite, I quickly walked over 2 their walk-up window, only 2 find that they were already closed & were just cleaning up.

I then hurried back x the st 2 McDonalds’ walk-up window—their dining rm already closed. As I placed r order, a nice SUV pulled up 2 the window, the drvr a nice looking fellow, 2 pk up his order. While we both waited 4 r orders, we visited. He was an electrician who took care of the runway lites, etc. @ the airport. As both Lawrence & I r licensed pilots, we immediately had something in common 2 talk about while waiting. When the mgr handed his order out the window 2 him, the drvr told him that he would remain pked @ the window until my order was done & I got safely back 2 r trk ½ blk down the st! He then explained 2 me that I was not in a very safe neighborhood. I was surprised, but very apprec of the gentleman’s thoughtfulness & concern. The drvr followed me out the drv, pausing @ the edge of the st until I had safely gotten back 2 the trk, forcing the line of patrons behind him 2 wait. I quickly explained the situation 2 Lawrence. As we pulled out, we noted the fellow had driven around thru McDonald’s lot 1 extra time 2 make sure we got away w/o incident. A good example of the nice people we meet along the way!

Such experiences, very like fleeting conversations w/ a passing trker on the CB in the nite while xing long stretches of lonely rd, always brings 2 mind Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s quote fr Tales of a Wayside Inn:

“Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing… Only a look and a voice; then darkness again and a silence.”

We arvd in Elkhart by 2200, and enjoyed another quiet nite of rest in their quiet neighborhood. We set the alarm an hr b4 r appointed unload time. 2 r surprise, a few minutes after arising, there was a knock on r door—2 hrs b4 r unload time! R unloader said he & his crew were ready 4 us, offering 2 lead the way 2 the dock where they wanted 2 unload their part of the load!

As a result, we were on r way toward the Detroit area much earlier than we had anticipated—a welcome opportunity. We arv @ r Westland consignee—Alside Supply Center—in good time. We had fully expected it would take them a good 3 hrs or more 2 unload their 21,352#s of soffit. Instead, they told us 2 temporally drop r trlr, pull the mt CCC trlr out of 1 of their docks, then put r loaded trl in that dock, whereupon they signed r B/L & we were free 2 head the last 25 or so mi e 2 r son’s home! Further, they said we were welcome 2 lv the mt trlr there 4 the wknd. After cking w/ Crete, we accepted the offer. We, of course, put r enforcer lock on the trlr, as well as the king-pin lock & airline locks on b4 lving Westland. Bobtailing surely simplified pking while visiting r son & his family!

The whole process is an excellent example of what often goes in2 a trking co “getting a drvr home” or some other special place by a certain time! In this case, it was took 2 the team-like efforts of r fleet mgr, & a number of different dispatchers—NE, PA, GA, TX & MI—and r driving 4,359 practical mi 2 make it possible!