Lawrence & Ann's Blog

Trip #2124 Sanger, TX > Paris, TX > Neenah, WI [via Lincoln, NE

2006-09-04T21:17:00.000-07:00

When the Q/C finally beeped, it contained a single offer of a load going 2 Neenah, WI—over a 1,000 mi 2 the northeast. Further, it didn’t load until 1800-2359 that nite, 115 east of Sanger. Sanger was 585 mi south of our home terminal in Lincoln, NE. Going over to Paris, TX 4 a WI load obviously wasn’t going 2 get us home by the 14th!Q/C msgs via the satellite were unusually slow that afternoon & TX dispatch was being swamped w/ msgs & calls fr frustrated drvrs due 2 the shortage of freight by that time.

On top of that, it was nearing the end of the business day, when r fleet mgr would b going home. When no response was forthcoming fr dispatch, we gave r fleet mgr a quick call. We explained r dilemma. He listened carefully & said 2 “sit tight” & he would look in2 the matter 4 us.

Talk about some1 “going 2 bat 4 U! Shortly after the day dispatchers & r fleet mgr had gone home, we got a msg fr the incoming evening dispatcher covering the TX desk, saying r fleet mgr had authorized r bringing the single remaining load of the day—the Wisconsin load—up to Lincoln & T-calling it. Another drvr would re-power it & dlv it to WI! We could hardly believe they would run it that far out-of-route [1384 mi instead of 1124]-- in order 2 get us home on time 2 start r vacation! Especially considering the price of diesel fuel & it making 4 a very tight run 4 the drvr who would b re-powering the load.

We headed directly over 2 Paris, in hopes of getting loaded early @ Kimberly Clark. We arvd in Paris by 2000. However, any hopes of getting loaded early were dashed when they told us that their robots, that loaded the trlrs were malfunctioning that nite & r load of Huggie’s was not yet ready.

Actually, it would have been fascinating 2 had seen these robots. Kimberly Clark had added huge new warehouse 2 their large facility. This bldg was entirely staffed by robots!

The shipping office said they would come & get us the minute r load was ready. By midnite, they admitted that it would b morning b4 it would b ready, suggesting we go 2 bed, assuring us they would come & wrap on r door the minute it was ready. It was 5:45 a.m. b4 we were able 2 get under way. By then, we not only needed 2 get back 2 start r vacation, make several appts we had made 4 the following day, but also 2 get the load up 2 Lincoln so the re-powering drvr would still b able 2 dlv the load WI on time b4 midnite on the 14th!We had the load in Lincoln by 8 a.m. on the 14th, & made it home by 7:30 that eve, 2 begin r vacation!

Note: We will return 2 the rd on July 25 & will post Trip #2125 ASAP following r vacation.

Trip #2123 Harrisonville, MO > Sanger, TX

2006-09-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

Upon dropping r load on July 11th, dispatch sent us 2 load offers, both out of Church & Dwight there in Harrisonville, MO—1 to WI, the other 2 TX. As we had requested being back in Lincoln, NE 4 a business apt on Fri, the 14th, we asked CCC’s advice which load would make it easiest 4 them 2 work us back to NE 4 the apt & 2 begin r 2-wk vacation. They said there should b ample loads down in TX when we got there.

Consequently we opted 4 the TX load, which was 2 dlv @ Wal-Mart anytime on the 13th . However, we hustled right down 2 Sanger, TX, arrving there by 3:00 p.m. the following day, a day early.

After we had dropped r load @ the Wal-Mart Distrib Ctr, we picked up an mt trlr & stopped @ a nearby trk stp 2 Transflo the manifest & r log sheets while awaiting r anticipated dispatch 2ward home.

Trip #2122 Elk Grove, IL > Chicago, IL > Harrisonville, MO

2006-09-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

After we dlvd in Elk Grove, IL on July 10th, we drv 26 mi back in2 the heart of Chicago to pk up a load @ Graham Packaging that was 2 b dlvd to Church & Dwight in Harrisonville, MO anytime the following day. It was a short run of only 565 mi. They live-loaded us by 2 p.m. w/ 7,744 cases of Huggies diapers. As u may have guessed, it was a very light load—weighing only 3,244#s.

Having ample time in which 2 make this dlvy, we drove only as far as Williamsville, IL that evening & stopped 4 the nite. We dropped the load @ Church & Dwight Distrib. @ 4 p.m. the following day, & pked up an mt trlr & awaited r next dispatch.

Trip #2121 Grand Prairie, TX > Ennis, TX > Chicago, IL > Gurnee, IL > Elk Grove, IL

2006-07-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

As soon as we dropped & hooked @ Grand Prairie, TX on Fri, dispatch sent us 3 load offers; a 3 drop load to Chicago; 1 for Rochester, NY & 1 to NJ. We cked when the NY load was due 2 unload & realized that we would need 2 have a pre-plan in order 2 make it back 2 Lincoln in time 4 a business appt on the following Fri afternoon. It was defiantly the most productive load. However, when we cked w/ dispatch, they suggested we take the Chicago load in order 2 assure r getting back on time.

It was the sort of load that few drvrs would have opted 4, if given a choice, both because it was a multi-drop load & all the consignees were in the Chicago area, a challenging place 4 any drvr. Still, it was a means-2-an end sort of matter.

R load was preloaded down in Ennis, TX—50 mi s of Grand Prairie. We lucked out in not having 2 put r mt trlr in a dock 4 Ennis Extruded Products, as is normally the case. Their dock area has very tight quarters & spotting a trlr there is far more challenging there than @ most shprs.

Since it was a fairly unproductive load, as far as miles per day were concerned, & none of r consignees were open over the wknd, we didn’t need 2 drive very far on either Fri or Sat. We r paid extra 4 each extra stop [Chicago & Gurnee]. Elk Grove was considered the consignee & was covered simply by what we r paid per mi, as is normally the case.

Consequently, we only drove as far as Sulphur Springs, TX on Fri, the 7th; 2 Matthew, MO Sat nite; finally, 2 Monee, IL, Sun nite. We had called the 1st consignee on Fri b4 closing 2 ask if they had over-nite pking available. We were told that the only place was on the st & that would not b safe. He said that he would b there already @ 0630 & we were welcome 2 come in @ that time. He said if he didn’t have 2 load customers/contractors, that he would start unloading us early. If he did, he could let us back in their inside dock & unload us @ r 0800 appt time. R Q/C direc already warned us that it would b tight quarters & that we’d need 2 drive up on the sidewalk x the narrow st in order 2 get backed in.

We cked r exit bk 2 find the last t/s on I-57 b4 entering Chicago & found it 2 b @ Monee, IL, where there were both a Pilot & a Petro. Though we arvd mid afternoon, both trk stps were filled 2 capacity already. We drove thru the Pilot twice, but none of the drvrs appeared 2 b planning 2 lv. We then drove around the Petro lot. Several trkrs had “made” themselves a spot, & no possibilities remained. We decided 2 drv thru a couple more times, in hopes that some1 may have only stopped 2 eat @ their restaurant b4 continuing on their way. On r 3rd pass, I happened 2 c a Shaffer drvr (1 of r sister companies) reach 4 his CB mike as he motioned 2 us. I quickly turned up r CB, telling Lawrence 2 stop. The drv said a trk had just pulled out of a spot on the e side of the lot! What a stroke of luck! Being the 1st trk in a line of trks looking 4 a parking spot, we were able 2 quickly back in the vacated spot. It was the last movement we saw until drvrs began lving @ dawn. We thanked the Shaffer drvr 4 his helpfulness!

We spent a relaxing evening & shared a good meal b4 heading 2 bed early. They had nice grass behind the trks which provided a nice place 4 Smidgen 2 stretch his legs, as well.
We got up @ dawn, knowing it would b slow-going 2 r 1st stop, despite it only being 36 mi away. It took an 1 ½ hrs even @ that hr. Lawrence backed in while I spotted 4 him. It would have been a tough back 4 a single drvr! The recvr started unloading the 157 long boxes of siding weighing 13, 814# that we had brought him. Even w/ several interruptions as bldg contractors came in 4 supplies, he & his crew off 3 were able 2 get their product off by 0900. It took a little doing 2 get back out of the dock & headed out. A # of vehicles waited while we pulled out w/o hitting the tree x the st, nor any of the cars parked along the st by then. Thankfully, all the motorists were patient & considerate.

We were due up in Gurnee, IL, on the northern edge of Chicago by 1000. We managed 2 arv w/ 4 mins 2 spare. This dealer had a smaller order; only 31 pieces weighing 2,691#s. They had only assigned 1 person 2 unload us, so it took about the same amt of time, despite the young man staying well on task.

We were able 2 then head back down 2 Elk Grove, where we were due 2 “drop & hook” the remaining product @ noon. We advised CCC that we doubted if we could quite make it by noon. We arvd @ 1206, despite the heavy traffic on the Tri-State & the other hwys, on the way down.

This Allside dealer reserves 1 of their docks just 4 CCC trailers, but has no available place 2 pk the trlr when mt. As a result, it was necessary 4 us 2 drop r loaded trlr, then pull the mt trlr out of the dock; rehook the loaded trlr, which still contained 151 long boxes weighing 14,536#s & put it in the vacated dock. Finally, we were able 2 re-hook 2 the mt trlr. There was barely enough rm 2 accomplish the tasks.By the time we sent in r mt call, we had driven 110 mi around Chicago & had successfully dlvd Allside siding 2 all 3 dealers. We felt like we had put in a full day already, not a ½ day!

Trip #2120 Lincoln, NE > Grand Prairie, TX

2006-07-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

When we sent in r mt call on Thurs the 6th, dispatch indicated they were short of frght that day, so we headed over 2 the terminal 2 await dispatch. When Todd come on duty @ 0700, he advised us that we were #18 in line 4 a load!! So we went 4 breakfast @ the CCC cafeteria, then cked w/ Todd 2 c if there would b time 4 us 2 take the 1000 class being offered r drvrs 2 review the Hrs of Service rules. He confirmed that we most likely could.

Crete has asked all their drvrs 2 take this class sometime in the next month or 6 wks & will pay each of us $50 2 do so, assuming u passed the test upon completion.

Actually the video was well done & it was an informative review, & afterwards there was opportunity 2 clarify any ?s drvrs had. The new Hrs of Ser Rules has been the source of a great deal of confusion & debate over interpretations among not only CDL drvrs, but also DOT officers, weigh scale officers & patrolmen alike.

The federal hours-of-service rules say that you must stop driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) upon reaching certain limits, including the 11-hour driving limit, the 14-consecutive-hour limit, & the 70-hr in 8 days limit. Team drvrs no longer have the split-sleeper option that worked so well 4 every1 4 a #of yrs. Fr teams’ pt of view, the latter rule chg has served 2 increase safety concerns, rather than help. Though a # of law suits have been filed in an effort 2 get the federal rules changed back 4 teams, so far nothing has been done 2 correct the matter. This has not seriously affected us, as we really do not want 2 drive that hard anymore, anyway. It remains a serious matter 4 younger teams, especially those who represent 2 different households.

By the time class was over, we had moved up to 13th in line 4 a load, while 1 of r classmates had moved up fr 28th to 23rd in line. An unusual situation, frustrating for drvrs & dispatch alike. We sent Todd a msg offering 2 run home w/ r car, 2 avoid idling the trk so long on a hot Nebraska day & 2 permit non-resident drvrs 2 get rolling sooner. Though this would have been permitted, we would have lost r place in line & would have been in the same fix come the next morning, so we advised Todd we would stick it out.

Apparently, a # of loads came in about 45 mins later & he advised us that we had moved up to #2 in line. Not long afterwards, he sent us a load offer. The load picked up there in Lincoln @ the Kawasaki Motors plant, was on a pre-loaded trlr, bound 4 Grand Prairie, TX, the following day—July 7th, anytime between 0730 & 1400. We hustled right over 2 pk it up. In the meantime we gave r family a call 2 say we would be coming thru town en rt & were going 2 stop 4 a bite 2 eat & @ the p.o. 2 pk up r mail, saying any1 who could join us on the spur of the moment, were welcome 2 meet us. 1 of r granddaughters was about 2 go 2 work & 1 of r grandsons was ready 2 head 4 swim team practice. Both drove in 2 join us though declined 2 eat anything, it being the middle of the afternoon. We had a fun visit w/ them. Afterwards, we pked up r mail & headed s, driving as far as Falls Valley, OK b4 stopping 4 some shut-eye. We dlvd the 10 green Kawasaki’s by 1230 , Fri, 2 GATX Logistics, a Kawasaki warehouse in Grand Prairie, TX.

Trip #2119 Prairie du Chien, WI > Eau Claire, WI > Lincoln, NE

2006-07-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

When we sent r mt call @ Cabelas, dispatch sent us a msg saying they were out of loads 4 the day in that area. We were parked in the customer lot @ Cabelas, alongside some nice grass & trees & it was a beautiful day. Smidgen enjoyed alternately running & cooling his tummy on the grass. Some1 was giving his hunting dog obedience training about 150 ft further away. Much 2 Smidgen’s great disappointment, the dog never came over 2 visit him. We walked in 2 look around Cabelas 4 a while.

Upon r return, we cked w/ dispatch 2 c if they might dispatch us on 1 of the next day’s loads so we could head toward that shpr b4 the returning holiday traffic got heavy & 2 c if they might have 1 coming out of the Madison area, where my brother & his wife happened 2 b. No luck on the latter request, but they did have several loads coming out of Menards up in Eau Claire, WI the next day. He started reading off the list—Ft. Wayne, IN; Lincoln, NE… I didn’t wait 2 hear what the 3rd 1 was, interrupting 2 ask “How about that Lincoln 1?!” Sure, he said, & promptly sent us the load info.

When we looked over the suggested routing, we suddenly realized that none of the rds would b illegal 4 us pulling a 53’ trlr. We got r Randy McNally Truck Atlas out 2 c how we could get there legally, & discovered all the hwys leading out of Prairie du Chien 2 the N,E & S were illegal 4 trks pulling 53’ trlrs! They were, however fine 4 those pulling 48’ trlrs! We knew that state policies may not deny access 2 over-length rigs in reasonable distance of theNat’l Network of hwys; i.e. a distance of 1 mi is assured. However, we were faced w/ a distance of 147 mi! We cked w/ Crete 2 c if they would cover any fines we might incur. We were told that we should “do what u have 2 do” & that they would cover us. So we headed n along the Mississippi River on WI 35 as far as La Crosse, WI. The shortest rt would have been 2 have then taken WI 93 on up 2 Eau Claire however there being no trk/stps along that rt, we elected 2 continue on up 2 Ossco, WI (@ jt of I-94) where we stayed overnite @ the Golden Rule T/S.
After breakfast we gave Menards a call 2 c r load might b ready early. Indeed, it was, so we PDQ’d right up there; dropped r mt trlr & pked up r loaded trlr & headed 2ward Lincoln, NE.
R load consisted of 26,000#s of gen merchandise 4 Menards South. Though it could b dlvd in Lincoln anytime between 0800-1800, we went straight down there, stopping only 4 meals. We arv @ 2300 & discovered another drvr already parked @ the entrance, shut down 4 the nite, assured being 1st in line! We knew that Menard’s actually open @ 0500 4 the convenience of builders & contractors, so we set r Screaming Meanie accordingly, in hopes the other drvr might not know that.

However, when I took Smidgen out 4 a walk the next morning, the other drvr was already up, waiting 4 them 2 open! We visited 2gether & I found he had 4 or 5 drops that day & wouldn’t b in the dock very long anyway. As it turned out, they left us both in @ 0500 & were both unloaded promptly.

Trip #2118 Fullerton, CA > Fontana, CA > Redlands, CA > South El Monte, CA

2006-07-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

When we dropped r load @ Kimberly Clark in Fullerton, we found there were no available mt CCC trlrs. Their shag drvr had been most helpful, zooming fr lot 2 lot w/ his “goat” looking 4 an mt 4 us, even cking the cameras in the docks on the side of the bldg that was inaccessible 2 us. None of the trlrs in the unloading docks happened 2 b Crete’s, so there was no pt in waiting around.

CA dispatch suggested r cking r drop yard up in Fontana, 42 mi to the NE. By that time, Lawrence was nearly out of time on his log bk & had barely enough time left 2 get up there & b able 2 do his post-inspection. Upon r arrl the security guard cked his records & found he showed 1 mt. We did a search of the lot & discovered another CCC drvr had already nabbed it, backed up 2 it & shut down 4 the nite.

Since r next load was not scheduled 2 b ready until noon the following day anyway, we decided 2 do likewise, knowing there was a possibility that another mt might b dropped during the nite.

However, none came in & when we got up, still another CCC drvr was already searching up & down the lines of trlrs & found, as we had, that all the CCC trlrs had seals & locks on them. He told us that he had dropped an mt there earlier the previous eve & had not thought 2 put his lock on it 2 save it 4 his return in the a.m.

We advised dispatch that we were still w/o an mt trlr. This time they suggested running over to Becton Dickinson, a pharmaceutical facility in Redlands, CA –18 mi W, 2 C if they had 1. As we approached their facility, I noted there was 1 CCC trlr w/ open doors. However, as I pulled up 2 the guardhouse, I saw a CCC bobtail had just backed up 2 it! Sure enough, it was the drvr we had talked w/ a little bit earlier back in Fontana!

The guard, however, said they had 2 of r trlrs in the receiving docks that were due 2 b unloaded that evening. She said there was a possibility that they would unload them early. When she inquired, they said they would b glad 2 unload 1 of them, estim it would b about an hr. We were welcome 2 back up 2 it. 15 mins later, they came out & announced that we were “good 2 go, ” even offering 2 remove the safety stand under the front of the trlr & kick the chock out from under the tandems 4 me! Impressive & most appreciated. Lawrence quickly raised the landing gears, hooked up the air & electric cables while I advised dispatched we had finally secured a mt trlr. After cking the trlr lites, we headed back toward the heart of LA & down 2 South El Monte 4 r load. R deadhead had increased fr 25 mi to 116 mi driving around the LA basin in heavy traffic.

The dir provided on the QualComm warned that it would b necessary 2 back in @ the shpr 2 b live-loaded. This turned out 2 b far more difficult than 1 might imagine.

The 1st challenge was doing a 360 in the cal-de-sac @ the end of the st, which normally would have been relatively easy. However, some1 had chosen 2 park in the already tight circle. Fr that pt on, it required a true “togetherness project!”

Initially, Lawrence drove while I spotted 4 him as he worked the rig within inches of the car. This process required jacking the trk several times. R red paint would certainly not have matched the white car! After finally being able 2 get the end of the trlr headed in2 the entrance 2 the Peca facility, he began backing in. Not being as skilled @ giving the hand signals 2 indicate when to “cut” & when 2 “follow” as Lawrence, he soon gave up & suggested I do the backing, while he gave me the signals as is normally r approach 2 especially difficult backs. This 1 was really a dozzy! The entrance drv was lined w/ shrubbery, flowers, a fancy jt mailbox, & cars parked on both sides of the S shaped st, leaving almost no room 4 maneuvering a trk & 53’ trlr! The shpr supervisor, a very nice Japanese gentleman, positioned himself @ the rear-drvr’s side of the trlr , providing mostly helpful hand-signals of encouragement 2 keep coming back. However, when his 4-wheeler type hand signals conflicted w/ those of Lawrence, I deferred 2 Lawrence’s. 2gether we managed 2 get worked back in 2 the warehouse door area, amid many racks of hanging waders.

Just I was ready 2 set the air-brakes, a Chinese gentleman, who had been waiting patiently on the st extension 2 my left, pulled up & parked beside me. He congratulated me, in Chinese, on my backing skills & gave me a beaming smile & a “thumbs up!” I thanked him in English, though what he didn’t realize was that I could not have accomplished the feat as quickly, had it not been 4 Lawrence’s capable hand signals on the far side! It turned out that I was only the 2nd woman drvr who had managed 2 do so, so I was a bit of curiosity 2 all the Hispanic, Japanese & Chinese on-lookers.

Lawrence later conferred with a close friend & fellow CCC drvr re the experience. R friend had also picked up a load fr this shpr a couple yrs ago & he declared it had taken him 4ever 2 get backed in, not having another knowledgeable drvr 2 assist him. We admit that r doing this semi-retirement job together has many advantages over that of the single/solo drivers. We have the highest respect & admiration 4 solo-drvrs’ skills in backing & navigating, especially in the huge metropolitan areas. We do it the easy way, in comparison.

Peca had a group of men hired who floor-loaded 544 boxes of neoprene waders. We were 2 take the load 2 Cabelas up in Prairie du Chien, WI for anglers who enjoy fishing, while standing, chest-deep, cold mountain streams. 1 of the workers would bring a stack of boxes out 2 the end of r trlr, raise them up 2 the workers inside the hot trlr, who in turn stacked them in the front of the trlr. It was a time-consuming & very hot job. None of the loaders knew a word of English.

Since it clearly was going 2 b a good while until we were loaded, I decided 2 c what the fellow working under an open tent was doing. There was a large, sq vat, filled w/ water, having a rack over the top, which could b raised up & down. His job, I discovered, was 2 test each pair of waders 2 b certain they were water tight. He would raise the rack, lower a pr of waders in2 the water, then place the bib & shoulder straps over the front edge of the vat, lower the rack 2 hold them in place, then insert an air hose into the waders, inflating them somewhat b4 lowering the waders in2 the water bath. He would then ck 4 any telltale air bubbles. Cing none, he would hang the tested waders, by the shoulder snaps, on2 a tall, rolling rack. When the rack was full, he would roll it out in the hot sunshine 2 dry thoroughly b4 being placed in boxes 4 the next outgoing shipment.

As his work permitted him 2 visit some while he worked, I took the opportunity 2 visit w/ him. His 1st name was Santiago, & he spoke surprisingly good English already. This 50 yr old man told me that he had never had the opportunity 2 attend school, though his wife had had 5 yrs of school. By 1970 the Mexican economy had nosedived, he struggled 2 support his wife & 2 children on meager wages. He turned, in his discouragement, 2 drinking & smoking, as did many others. Eventually, his drinking caused him 2 b fired fr job after job. When he hit bottom, he said he turned 2 his faith in God, making a deal w/ Him if the Lord would help him quit drinking & smoking so he could find a good job. The Lord has been faithful in helping him, as he immigrated 2 the USA 2 find work 2 provide 4 his family back in Mexico. He decided 2 learn English by carefully listening 2 English-speaking people he met in CA & worked w/ these last couple of yrs. He is in hopes of getting his US citizenship in the next couple of yrs. He was happy & proud 2 have turned his life around, rightfully so. When he returns to visit his wife & children, they can hardly believe what he has accomplished thus far. He said that he has tried, unsuccessfully, 2 encourage the other Hispanics that work @ Peca, 2 also learn English. I suspect, that he will, as time goes on b given more responsibility & the men who load the trks may reconsider the advantage of being able 2 speak English & b able 2 better communicate.

Lawrence & I have observed a great many changes over the yrs we have traveled throughout the USA. R nation has evolved fr a primarily white population of European descent in2 a truly multicultural population, reflecting every continent on earth, becoming the 3rd most populous country, having grown by 100 million people since 1967. Over ½ of this growth is the result of immigration, both legal & illegal, they r arving @ the rate of one immigrant every 31 seconds. R population is expected 2 hit 300-million in October 2006!

Having lived in Nebr 4 the past 50+ years, where the population density is only 22.7 per sq mi, it was a real eye-opener 2 us as we began 2 criss-cross r great country, & go in2 the more densely populated areas. We have observed the subtle changes taking place as the country has grew fr 70.3 per sq mi when we began driving 4 Crete, to over 83 persons. Only 18% of that growth has been fr those of European descent. It has been amazing 2 observe the changes that have been taking place in the makeup of r country, cing places that r simply running out of space r beginning 2 grow up rather than spreading out, listening 2 the many different languages spoken in the workplace, conversations, radio & TV, as well cing newspapers & publications, cing signs & billboards in various languages. We have been in places where u can run through 15-20 radio stations b4 finding 1 in English! What an incredible mix of different races, ethnic & cultures.

Getting out of the LA area [via I-15N] was very slow going due 2 rush hr traffic it being a holiday wknd & there being a couple bad accidents over Cajon Pass. We had planned 2 fuel @ Hesperia but that ex was blocked due to 1 of the accidents, so ended up fueling in Barstow instead. As we passed the Hesperia Pilot, we remarked that it was the 1st time we had seen lots of available pking places @ huge t/s. Predictably, trks were waiting in long lines @ both of the Barstow t/s’s.

On the 1st, as we were going thru Richland, UT, we had a call fr some good friends of r’s—owner-operators/team drvrs, who were heading W to LA as we were heading E out of LA. They were xing IA @ the time & we when we realized r paths would x, decided 2 try 2 meet 4 a late supper. The most likely spot would come @ Downieville, CO—about ½ way down the mt. There is a state weigh scale & a Subway w/ trk pking there. Though we arvd 1st, they came down the wb-ramp less than 10 mins later, just as we were finishing doing r log bks! Smidgen was delighted 2 b invited over 2 their trk condo 2 visit their dog , Makayla, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, while the 4 of us went in 4 a Subway & a nice visit. This special opportunity is a good example of what cellular communication makes possible!

When we reached Lincoln, NE, we decided we had enough time available 2 permit r taking r car, run home 2 pk up mail & stay overnite b4 continuing on r way 2 WI. Lawrence wanted 2 c if there was word fr the Transportation Security Administration re renew his HazMat endorsement after having been fingerprinted. Indeed there was, saying they had reviewed his application & had determined that Lawrence posed no security threat, & that he could present the letter 2 the DMV exam office where he had taken & passed his exams, 2 get his, fully loaded, renewed CDL. He did just that the next a.m., b4 we headed on 2 WI.

We drove as far as Altoona, IA the evening of July 3rd & were amazed 2 find Bosselman’s Pilot T/S filled 2 near capacity. While eating supper @ Grandma Max’s, all the sudden a # of the patrons got up hurriedly & went outside, leaving partly eaten meals behind them. Some of the help also joined them. Just then, we looked out the window beside r booth & saw the 1st fireworks going up. We had an ideal vantage pt fr which 2 enjoy the show. It was 1 of the most incredible shows we have ever seen & it was little wonder that parking @ I-80 ex 142 was @ a premium that evening! Had we gone outside, we could have heard the accompanying music & sounds of the display that was set off electronically.

We had 2 think of all the beautiful displays we have enjoyed seeing over 4th of July weekends in r travels. Places as varied as Conneaut Lake, PA; Chicago; NYC; Nebraska; SLC; KCMO, Montana & even once, while sitting on blankets w/ 1 of r son’s & his family, on the grassy mt-side in Chickamauga Nat’l Military Park, listening 2 the patriotic strains of the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, as they played, in formal attire, a little higher up the slope.

It has been 230 years since Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence [July 4, 1776] During that time, US President John Adams, predicated/suggested, in a letter to his wife, of this turning point in history, that “…will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance…with pomp and parade, with…guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other…” Indeed, that has been the case! Such special occasions never cease 2 bring pride in being citizens of this great country & 2 b thankful 4 the freedoms we enjoy!

When we got up on the 4th of July, we left the interstate, & angled x eastern IA via US & state hwys that r part of the national network legal 4 trks pulling 53’ trlrs. These secondary state hwys were mostly 2-lane, though some of the US hwys had sections of 4 lanes. Though u don’t make as good time on such rds as u do on the interstate system, it is enjoyable & interesting. After having spent the majority of r lives on the farm, we love watching the growing crops & cing the farmsteads & livestock. These hwys provided an unending panorama of beautiful farm country 2 enjoy as we made r way 2ward the WI border & Prairie du Chien.

When we did r trip planning, we had noted in the ’06 Nat’l Trk Stp Directory that the Git & Go Trk Stp had a café on site @ jct of US 30 & IA 14 in Marshalltown, IA (about 40 mi NE of Altoona). We decided 2 stop there 4 breakfast. It was quickly apparent 2 us that Cecil’s Café was a popular spot for locals & truckers alike. There were a # of novel signs, newspaper articles & pictures on the walls of the café. U may enjoy reading a sample of a couple signs I copied down:

COFFEE PRICES Effective Yesterday
1 cup 1 refill 60 cents
1 hour – same chair 70 cents
½ the morning – includes one table move $1
½ the morning – includes one table move $1
All morning – includes one restroom visit $1.50
All day – bring your own lunch $3
1 hour allowance for lunch at home $2.50
Spoon Knockers, Fanny Pinchers, Cup Wavers, Liars – All Pay Double
Ask our Waitress about Weekly Rates
========================================
Road Kill
You Kill It - We Grill it
Featuring Some of Our Highway’s Finest
Eating Food is More Fun,
When You Know it Was
Hit on the Run.
Entrees:
Center Line Bovine……………$4.95
The Chicken (that didn’t cross the road)……..$3.95
Flat Cat………………………………….$2.95
A Taste of the Wild Side:
Chunk of Skunk…………….$1.95
Smidgen of Pigeon…………$1.95
Road Toad a la Mode………$1.65

We, however, elected to try Gordie’s Everything 3-egg Omelet………$4.95, instead.

After breakfast, we continued N/E, going thru Waterloo, IA & a series of small farming communities, eventually xing the Mississippi River @ Marquette, IA and in2 Prairie du Chien, WI. There we turned N 4 a couple mi on WI 35 to r consignee—Cabelas--where we dropped r load & pked up an mt CCC trlr 2 use 4 r next trip assig’t.

Trip #2117 Yakima, WA > Everett, WA > Fullerton, OR

2006-06-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in r previous blog [#2116], fright up in the NW was very slow on June 26. There were about 150 trks pked @ the Gear Jammer T/S in Union Gap, WA during the day already. Normally a t/s doesn’t start 2 fill up until eve, however this time it remained near capacity throughout the day, confirming that there a great many drvrs waiting 4 a load. If the wheels aren’t turning, u aren’t making anything, in fact loosing $ as u still need 2 eat & it being a terribly hot day [103 degrees] , it was necessary 4 every1 to idle their trks & run A/C’s, which is no small matter, especially considering the price of diesel fuel 2 day [$2.99 per gal]. 4 the single [solo] drvrs, their 14=consecutive hr limit continued 2 run whether they were drving or not, so even if a load came thru late in the day, they may well not have enough hrs left 2 b able 2 pk it up & once their 14 hrs was up, they will be required to have a minimum of 8 hrs in the bunk plus another 2 hrs, either in the bunk or off duty. It matters not that many of them slept during their wait.

This is 1 place where we, as team drvrs, have an advantage over the single drvrs. I was the 1 who was logged @ the beginning of r day, & even though my day was almost done by the time we were finally dispatched, Lawrence had not yet started his day & could have pked up a load & run w/ it. Though I had only put in 1 .75 hrs 4 the day—legally, I was “out of hrs” by the time r load offer came thru.

As it turned out, the load Mike finally found us wasn’t due 2 b pked up until the following day, a little N of Seattle. It was pointless 2 give up a good pking place & try 2 head over there, knowing that all the trk stps would b full as well. So I did my post-trip inspection & we both just called it a day. When we sent in r hrs over the Q/C Lawrence 0 hrs 4 the day, which we couldn’t remember ever having happened b4.

We found a grassy place 4 Smidgen 2 stretch his legs & lv & read msgs @ leisure while we sat on a large rock & visited. We took him back 2 the trk, left him “on guard duty” while we ambled over 2 The Outback 4 a nice supper. We rewarded Smidgen, upon r return, w/ a couple bites of r pork chops.

We got up soon after sunrise & headed up 2 Ellensburg, WA, xing the 3 high ridges between Yakima & Ellensburg. The Manastash Ridge provides a spectacular view of Ellensburg, the expansive valley in which it lays & the jct of I-82 & I-90 as u make the 5 mi, 5-6% grade descent in2 this small Washington city.

It may b of interest 2 note that the word city large center of population organized as a community. By the way, he word “city” comes fr the Latin word civitas, which denotes a community that administers the affairs of a larger population ctr.

We took on fuel @ the Pilot in Ellensburg, shared a breakfast sandwich, read the paper & cked r in-coming mail b4 heading west on I-90 toward Seattle. It was nice 2 make this run during daylight hrs, as it is particularly scenic.

The weigh station @ mm 80, predictably, was open. As we pulled x the scale w/ r mt trlr, we were asked 2 go 2 the inspection bay 4 a fuel inspection. IRS Officer, James A. Olson, took a fuel sample fr both tanks & found its color & composition 2 b just fine, saying we were free 2 continue on r way. The IRS may fine any1 who misuses dyed fuel. U often c signs @ weigh stations urging people 2 turn in people who do.

The drive x the Wenatchee Mts in the Cascade Range is a joy 2 behold during any season. Though the outside temps on the 27th were 79 degrees as we made the gradual pull up 2 the summit, we were in site of a # of snow-covered peaks—Mt. Rainier 2 the S, Mt. Baker 2 the N, et al. The towering forest trees are breath-taking. They are even more beautiful when laden in heavy snow during the winter months.

Snoqualmie Pass [3,022’], east of North Bend, WA begins a steep. 6% grade, 4 the 1st 4.5 mi, followed by another 4.75 mi of grades varying fr 5% down to 2-3%.

Upon reaching Seattle, we took I-504 up 2 the N edge of Seattle, where we pked up I-5N up 2 Everett, WA, where we turned off on WA 529W 2 Kimberley-Clark’s facility along Possession Bay. Ocean going freighters lined the shores.

Having been here b4, we weren’t surprised 2 find the lot nearly full. The security guard has clearly gotten out on the wrong side of the bed that a.m. He told us he had no more room mt trlrs, r load was not yet ready—perhaps by 4 p.m. PDT, & that we must lv . He did, @ least, albeit begrudgingly, advise us where the nearest t/s was located—10 mi N on I-5. As we turned a 180 on the lot we noted that there were a couple mt slots. Hmm… Then, as we were heading back up the service rd, we met another in-coming drvr. We talked briefly in passing & he told us that they had called him, telling him 2 take an mt trlr up o Kimberley Clark as they were running short of mt trlrs. Go figure!!

A while later, this same drvr bobtailed in2 Donna’s Travel Plaza, saying that his load wasn’t ready either. As the afternoon went on there was a fair amount of misery-loves-company visiting. All agreed that we would not venture back until we had called the guard shack 2 ck whether r loads actually were ready @ the time he had given each of us. Not 2 r surprise, when we called @ re r own load, we were advised that they were working on it but 2 ck again @ 6. The fact that Crete had provided the # 4 the guard shack confirmed this sort of thing occurs on a regular basis.

When we called the next time, we were told they had just finished load r trlr. A shift change had taken place by that time, and we found the gentleman in the guard shack 2 b both helpful & pleasant. When we pulled up, Lawrence gave him the B/L # we were 2 pk up, he responded, w/ a smile, “The 1 u have been calling about the last 2 days?!”

When r load info had come thru, it said that the wgt of r load would b 40,999#s & that there would b 40,999 pieces. These figures were immediately suspect, especially the # of pieces. We were already debating where we might scale the load b4 xing a state scale. We asked the guard about it & he explained the Kimberly Clark uses “dummy figures” 4 both the wgt & piece ct 2 the trucking companies that haul their frght. The actual figures r provided on the B/L that accompanies the load & given 2 the drvr. That is a most unique way of doing it.
As it turned out, we need not have worried cking the wght of the load b4 reaching the 1st state weigh scale, as the actual wght was only 18,678#s. Further, the piece count was only 18,678 cases. The contents of r load: Kimberly Clark extra soft, tissue-wrapping paper!

After we finally were able 2 head toward the consignee—KC Global Sales, Inc. in Fullerton, CA—it was already late in the day. We drove only as far as Lacey, WA where we knew there was ample trk parking @ the Hawk’s Prairie Restaurant on the E side of I-5 x 111. We have stopped here b4 & have always found their meals 2 b excellent, their employees very nice. We lucked out in getting there b4 closing time. We enjoyed a very good meal & good service. By the time we headed back 2 the trk, it was midnite r time (CDT), so we decided 2 just call it a day, since we would have ample time in which 2 dlv the load 1,196 mi S of Everett. Smidgen even had an enjoyable late nite walk/run along the nice grass-lined sidewalks b4 we all 3 “hit the hay.”

As always the drv down I-5 was lovely, and very scenic .

Wednesday we fueled @ both Brooks, OR & Corning, CA. We remained in Corning 2 shower, eat supper & stay over night, b4 completing this trip. We have a 7-hr window of time in which 2 dlv the load on Fri, June 30th.

Trip #2116 Flagstaff, AZ > Bellemont, AZ > Yakima, WA

2006-06-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

After we dropped r load, pked up an mt trlr, & sent in r mt call over the QualComm, David—the dispatcher for AZ—sent us a msg saying he was short of freight Fri (6/23) & would get back 2 us. We sent a msg back saying we would go back n on US 89 a couple mi 2 the Conoco Trk/Stp in the meantime. Not long after we got parked, David sent us a load offer. Noting that it was out of Bellemont, AZ—just 11 w of Flagstaff-- & that it would not b ready until early eve, we decided 2 eat a leisurely breakfast @ the adjourning Mary’s Café.

Shortly after noon, we puttered on down 2 the shpr, on the slim chance it might b ready early. Alas, we had no luck on that score, though they said we were welcome 2 drop r trlr b4 going over 2 the nearby Bellemont Travel Ctr [I-40 ex 185] to wait. They thought r preloaded trlr would b ready late afternoon.

This was a large trk stop which offered a # of amenities, including a barbershop, etc. We did r trip planning, noting that the 1st authorized fuel stop wouldn’t b until we reached SLC—517 mi n of us. R trip info had indicated that we should ck w/ r fleet mgr re fueling, as the computerized fuel program had not automatically generated a proposed fuel stp 4 us, as is usually the case. We already knew that r load would weigh well over 34,000#s, that we would b pulling mts & that r tanks were less than ½ full. Not a safe bet 2 head up thru the scenic Painted Desert (a little E of the Grand Canyon), the Vermillon Cliffs, the valley that lays between the Zion & Bryce Nat’l Parks, Fishlake Nat’l Forest, & the Provo area 2 SLC w/ that little fuel. When we cked w/ CCC, they said they would open r fuel card @ any trk stp that took ComData we would like. Since the trk stp there in Bellemont did accept ComData, we elected 2 take on enough fuel 2 assure r reaching Sapp Bros, giving them some business since we were spending the afternoon @ their facility.

The wait did provide an opportunity 4 both of us 2 take an afternoon siesta. It being “Nat’l Take Ur Dog 2 Work Day,” Smidgen thought he would join us in taking a break, resting @ the end of r bed, his chin on the window sill, watching 4 anything of special interest 2 go by the truck, namely a fellow canine cousin.

Later on we drove back over 2 r shpr—SLA Tissue North America Tissue LLC—2 c if they had r load ready 4 us. We were pleased 2 find that it was! R trlr was full of paper napkins, towels, toilet paper & dispensers such r used in public restrooms. If u happen 2 c a towel or toilet paper dispenser w/ the letters SLA on it, u will now know that it originated from this plant in Bellemont, AZ.

As u might guess, these rolls of towels & toilet paper r far heavier than those used in homes. There were 1,106 cases of product, on 26 pallets, weighing 34,527#s. We stopped back @ the Bellemont Travel Ctr 2 scale r load & were pleased 2 find that the fork-lift drvr really knew what he or she was doing. The wgt couldn’t have been more equally distributed! No need 2 slide the tandems this time!

We drove back E over 2 Flagstaff, where we turned n on US 89. Since we were not due 2 unload in Yakima, WA until Monday—June 26th—a.m., we could travel @ a fairly leisurely pace.

Fri nite we stopped b4 sundown @ the new Walker Trk/Stp in the Coral Cliffs area on the w edge of Kanab, UT. The setting was beautiful, & they had done an outstanding job of landscaping the property, w/ unusual attention 2 making their trk/stp “driver friendly”, even 2 the point of making the drv-thru , fast-food, [Wendy’s] window accessible 2 semis!! Everything was neat & very clean, the employees friendly & accommodating.

This 1,219 mi trip, by the way, took us thru the states of AZ. UT, ID, OR & WA via US 89, I-15, I-84, US 395, I-82, then taking a shortcut via Patterson via WA 14, & back on2 I-82. In addition 2 the above mentioned places, we enjoyed cing the great variety of growing crops, including potatoes, onions, hay, vineyards, hops, & orchards. We had not been over these particular rts 4 a while & it was fun cing all the changes that had taken place in the meantime.
We stopped in SLC to fill r 200 gal tanks, shower & eat supper. It was immediately apparent that we would NOT have made it 2 SLC had we not taken the precaution of taking on some fuel down in AZ!

We drove as far as Heyburn/Burley/Rupert, ID [I-84 x 211], where we stopped 4 nite @ the new Loves Trk/Stp. In the a.m., we stopped @ Jerome, ID @1 of r favorite Subway’s, where they make their breakfast sandwiches “fr scratch.”

We made another stop in Ontario, OR 2 ck e-mails, do some on-line banking & share an Arby’s chicken salad wrap. 2 tide us over until we reached Yakima.

Upon lving Ontario, we began the long, 150 mi, slow climb 2 the top of “Cabbage Hill” [also known as Emigrant Hill, Deadmans Pass, or Meacham Summit] @ mm 241—the 4,193’ summit of the Blue Mts.

A couple mi S of North Powder, OR [@ mm 287 ½] we passed the sign marking the 45th parallel—advising that we were exactly ½ between the equator & the North Pole.

We stopped at the rest area @ Deadman Pass. If u ever travel OR I-84W, it is well worth ur time 2 stop there & look @ the paintings & text re the incredible story of the Oregon Trail.
On May 22, 1843, a mere 163 yrs ago, 1,000 adventurous Americans left MO 2 follow the incredibly difficult, 2,000 mi, “Pathway to the Garden of the World” 2 seek new lives. Over the next 2 decades 50,000 immigrants were 2 make the same journey.

Xing Emigrant Hill/Deadman Pass was especially arduous as they & their livestock were near starvation, wagons battered. As they reached the Meacham Summit, or what trkrs usually call “Cabbage [Hill]” the view they beheld as they looked down at the beautiful valley must have been as breathtaking as it is 4 travelers & truckers 2day !

Tragically, many people & livestock were killed as they attempted the arduous trip down the 6% downgrade 2 the rich valley 6 mi below. Weakened oxen were often unable 2 hold back the heavy wagons, were run over, as the wagons hurtled down the mt out of control. Many lives were lost in the last legs of the grueling 4-6 month long journey.

Despite the fine 4-lane interstate that now provides xing this formable mt comparatively easy, it does require good driving skills 2 safely traverse, especially during inclement weather. U often find urself in or above the clouds, creating very limited visibility. During the winter months presents challenges of black-ice, solid ice & heavy snow & the chain law is often “up.” It is not all that uncommon 4 the hwy 2 b shut-down completely, due 2 impossible conditions or accidents. @ mm 226 ½ there is a guideline 4 trkrs which provides excellent guidelines on long, steep descents anywhere 4 vehicles having 5 axles or more. It reads:
Weight Speed limit
60,000 to 65,000………………37 mph
65,000 to 70,000……………....26 mph
70,000 to 75,000……………….22 mph
75,000 to 80,000……………… 18 mph

Accordingly, Lawrence dropped 2 gears, set r flashers & let r 4-cycle Jake Brake control r descent, w/o so much as touching the brake pedal. Lighter loads passed us & soon were out of sight, around the next curve. 1 drvr passed us, apparently having failed 2 gear-down properly, & very soon was riding his brakes. About 3 mi down his brakes began 2 smoke seriously. Luckily he did make it down safely but we noted recent tracks in the escape ramp @ mm 220 that some1 had not.

We also noted a trk pulled off on the eastbound side due 2 overheating his engine cooling system, no doubt thinking he could lv his A/C on 2 ascent the 12-mi pull on that side. Not a wise idea!

We have xed Cabbage more times than we can count, in all kinds of conditions & w/ both light & heavy loads, thankfully always safely. We have enjoyed the beauty of the forests & streams on the eastern slopes, & the incredible view fr the top on clear days—as was the case this trip—as we look down on the vast patchwork of fields of varying colors, far below.
We continued past Pendleton, over thru Hermiston, 2 the edge of the beautiful Columbia River, xing it @ Umatilla, OR on I-82. We turned off @ the 1st ex, taking the shorter rt WA 14 over thru Paterson, WA 2 Prosser, where we again pked up I-82W.

We couldn’t help but smile when we turned N @ Paterson & went by a large dog-house, w/ a large cut-out of Snoopy, sporting a police officer’s cap. A sign over the door of the doghouse marked it as being the Paterson Police Department!

We followed OR 14, within sight of the Columbia River, until we reached Paterson. There we began the steep pull up past vast orchards 2 the E lush vineyards 2 the W. Huge turbines draw water up the steep sides on the N side of the Columbia 2 the agriculturial fields above 2 provide water 4 irrigation.

The view, as u begin the steep descent down in2 Prosser, is another impressive sight both the day or @ nite! A view area is provided @ the top.

We went as far as Union Gap, WA Sun nite, where we stopped @ the Gear Jammer T/S 4 the nite. We went in 4 a mid-nite snack but were disappointed that r favorite waitress was not on duty @ the time. 1 of the 1st times we stopped there happened 2 B on our 40th wedding anniver & we had elected 2 order a pie of cherry pie al le mode 2 celebrate the occasion. The waitress had been so impressed 2 find that we had shared 40 yrs of 2getherness, that she had insisted on the pie being her treat. We had hoped 2 assure her that we have now passed r 50th!

Monday a.m.—June 26th-- we drove 4 mi up 2 Yakima 2 unload @ r consignee. After sending in r mt call, Mike—Crete’s dispatcher 2 WA—sent us an apologetic msg saying he was short of freight & 2 ck back w/ him in 3 hrs. We advised him we would go back down 2 The Gear Jammer 2 await dispatch. It was not encouraging 2 note that their large lot was nearly full of other waiting trks. We lucked out on getting a good pking spot, @ least. In the event we have 2 lay-over until 2morrow, I may have 2 lobby 4 supper @ The Outback, conveniently located right next 2 The Gear Jammer!

Trip #2115 Lincoln, NE > Flagstaff, AZ

2006-06-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

Not having a legitimate excuse 3 extend r home further, we contacted dispatch Tues eve 2 advise we were ready 4 a load 1st thing Weds morning, June 21st.

In talking w/ them, we discovered that a load had just been dropped @ the Lincoln terminal that needed 2 have a ride down 2 Flagstaff, AZ by Fri, the 23rd. There were also loads available Wed a.m. going 2 the southeast but the Flagstaff load would eliminate the need 2 round up a mt trlr & go 2 the shpr 2 have them loaded. This load was ready 2 go, so we didn’t 2 accept that dispatch already Tues nite.

This load had come out of Iowa & was a load of pet food going down to Nestle Purina Pet Care in Flagstaff. It was a fairly heavy load (40,058#s) so we took the precaution of running it over a certified scale b4 setting out w/ it.

As it was only 1,146 loaded mi, we were not pushed 7 could stop 4 good nites of non-moving sleep en route. This load took us via NE; Dodge City & Liberal, KS; Guyman, OK; Dalhart, TX, Tucumcari, Albuquerque, & Gallup, NM & x eastern AZ on I-40.

We arvd in Flagstaff already Thurs nite but elected not 2 dlv it early but rather got a good nite of rest b4 taking it over to Purina.

Trip #2114 Longmont, CO > Golden, CO > Lincoln, NE > [Cold Spring, MN]

2006-06-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

We had earlier requested being home by Thurs eve, the 15th, 4 a long wknd. In the process of arranging this, dispatch had preplanned us a load out of Golden, CO that was due in Cold Spring, MN by Fri @ 5 a.m. They granted us permission 2 drop the load in Lincoln, NE, where another Crete driver would re-power it on 2 MN.

The only “fly in the ointment” was that we would not b permitted 2 arv @ the shpr more than 15 mins prior 2 r appt, due 2 their very limited space. We had 44 mi, thru the tail-end of morning rush hr traffic in the Denver area, so it took a bit of planning in order 2 arv @ the proper time.

We pulled in @ Ball Metal Container precisely @ 9:45 a.m. MDT, right behind another Crete. All their docks were full but 1. The receiver approached the Crete drvr ahead of us 2 ck his assigned bill of lading/pick-up#. After doing so, we were surprised 2 c the CCC trk do a 180 turn & lv the facility.

We pulled 4ward & gave the recvr r dispatched b/l #51004556. He promptly told us that we must lv, as well, as r load appt was not until 1 p.m. rather than 10 a.m.! He said that Crete had loads ending in 55-59 that day, & that the fellow ahead of us wasn’t due until 3:00 p.m.
We immediately notified Crete dispatch 4 clarification. They promised 2 ck in2 the matter right away, but it soon became evident the mix-up was going 2 take some time 2 unravel. Ball Metal, anticipating the arrival of the 10 a.m. appt @ any minute, said we must lv the property. He was nice about it but firm. He further said that we dared not park along the st as the police would ticket us.

While I handled Q/C & cell phone msgs, Lawrence drove out. A couple blks up the st we spotted another business facility that appeared 2 have ample room 2 permit r parking there 4 a short time until we had definitive word back fr Crete.

Having been pre-planned over a day b4 on this load, we were convinced that WE were the 10 a.m./51004555 trk that Ball Metal Container was expecting. We were @ a vantage pt where we were able 2 observe that no other Crete had arrived 2 pk up the 10 a.m. load. It was most frustrating, knowing that if no 1 picked up that load, Crete would miss out on 1 of their loads since Ball Meta; had their entire day scheduled w/ incoming trks.

@ long last, we got a call back fr Crete saying that 1 of the dispatchers had inadvertedly given us the wrong #--confirming exactly what we had thought, that we were, indeed, the trk that was 2 pk up the “55” load, not the 1 p.m. “56” load. We returned 2 the shpr w/o delay, in hopes that we could still get loaded.

Though it was nearly 10:30 by the time we got in2 a dock, they were still willing 2 load us, despite other truckers were arv @ a steady pace. The receiver was really very nice about it, explaining that they loaded per assigned & scheduled b/l #s.

This was a light load, weighing only 7,335#, despite the fact that the 53’ trlr was filled 2 capacity. We were taking 102,050 mt 24-0z alluminun cans for high energy drinks. They would b filled @ Gluek Brewing up in Cold Spring, MN.

High energy drinks seem 2 b the current rage, especially with students who feel they need 2 stay up very late @ night 2 prepare 4 an exam the next a.m. Most likely, many vehicle drivers also drink them in an attempt 2 remain alert during long drives. These high-energy drinks are loaded w/ tons of sugar & caffienc. The latter would b highly unadvisable 4 any1 having high blood pressure. Nonetheless, convenience stores r x the country heavily stocked w/ a great variety of these popular drinks.

We stopped in Denver on r way 2 eat lunch, ck r e-mail & scan r trip b4 heading up I-76 to pk up I-80 over 2 Lincoln. We pulled in2 the terminal @ 10:30 that eve, & advised dispatch we had arrived & were ready 2 T-call [terminate] the load. There was a couple clearance lites out on the trlr, so we took it over 2 the inspection bay 2 have them fixed in readiness 4 the next drvr. Lawrence also made arrangements 2 have r trk serviced 1st thing in the morning b4 we headed home 4 the wknd.

While the trk was being worked on in the morning, he went down 2 the Lancaster Co. testing offices 2 renew his CDL. Since we had had no accidents, he did not need 2 take all 5 of the tests he has endorsements for—only the HazMat exam. Understandably, this is the most difficult exam & he had been studying quite a bit in preparation. Not 2 my surprise but 2 his great relief, he passed the exam just fine.

As of the 1st of Jan 2006, any1 having a CDL w/ a HazMat endorsement, must also be finger-printed. This new rule came about as a result of the 9-11 attack on America. There r only certain cities in the state where this can b done & neither Lincoln, nor r hometown, was included on the list.

As we had Fri thru Sun fully scheduled already, we decided 2 take an extra day off so he would have this done on Mon up in Omaha, since it takes nearly 6 wks 4 the FBI 2 do a thorough background check on each drvr. Further, it costs $94 to have it done, though Crete does reimburse u upon completion & the new fully loaded CDL is issued. I had renewed my own, fully loaded CDL last yr, b4 this new rule went in2 effect, so did not have 2 b fingerprinted yet. U must have a current CDL w/ HazMat endorsements in order 2 drive 4 Crete & haul any loads requiring this qualification. We never haul explosives or anything like that, but do often haul such things as batteries, paint, etc. that does require a HazMat license.

After a great wknd @ home, we headed up 2 Omaha on Monday, the 20th 4 this purpose. When we arvd @ the site, Lawrence was told that their fancy, computerized finger-printing equipment was “down” & would not b available until Tues!!!

All was not lost, however, as we were able 2 visit 1 of r granddaughters over @ the U of O Med-Center, where she is serving an internship this summer & take her out 4 supper b4 returning home.

We advised r flight mgr of the problem & were granted permission 2 extend r time off still another day. This time, Lawrence drove 2 Tecumseh, NE to have it done, their office being open only on Tues. That office does it the old-fashioned way & so there was no worry of a computer breakdown. Though we were delayed in returning 2 the road, it did provide us opportunity 2 do a few extra things while we were home this time, which was most welcome.

Trip #2113 Ottawa, KS > North Kansas City, MO > Longmont, CO

2006-06-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

After dlving r load 2 Ottawa, KS, we drove 57 mi NE 2 General Mills’ Metro Park Warehouse in North Kansas City, MO, where we pked up a 11,893# load of granola bars, popcorn & party mix that we were 2 take out 2 McLane Distrib. in Longmont, CO. We pked it up @ noon on Monday, June 12th, & had only 637 mi 2 cover by Wed, 1 a.m.

We welcomed the slower pace after the harder runs the previous wk. We stopped in Colby, KS 4 a delicious supper @ the City Limits Steak House b4 shutting down 4 the nite @ Oasis Travel Plaza next door. We slept in & then went in 2 explore the gift shop & antique shop located on the 2nd floor of Oasis T/P. We always enjoy stopping @ this nice travel plaza.

We then drove on over 2 the Denver area & on up 2 McLane Distrib in Longmont 2 c if there would b any possibility of getting unloaded @ an earlier hr. We knew they loaded their own trks during the day & did not start recving until evening. Nevertheless, we drove up 2 the guard house already @ 4:30 p.m. MDT 2 ck on the possibility. The officer was very nice & said that he would let us drive thru & back out so we could re-enter the facility & wait on the entrance rd 4 him 2 give us a call over the CB as soon as he was able 2 work us in. He said he could not promise but did think there was a good possibility of his getting us in earlier.

The gates opened @ 7 & he began calling trks that had lined up behind us per their appt times. We waited patiently, listening 4 his call. Not long after the initial group of trks entered, he did call us in, directed us 2 the holding area & the recving office. In no time, we had r dock assignment & were backed in. This was a live unload that required a great deal of “break-down” as their “lumpers”/unloaders separated the 808 cases of General Mills products per outgoing orders 2 McLane customers 4 the next day.

Despite the time-consuming process, we were unloaded in a reasonable amount of time & were able 2 drive back over 2 I-25 & go down 1 exit to a trk-stp in Dacono, CO by 11:15 p.m., where we shut down for the nite. They had, what appeared 2 b, a nice restaurant but it had closed already 4 the nite. We noticed the McDonald’s x the st still had their arches lit when we drove in, so just as soon as we were parked, we walked over there 4 a midnite snack. Just as we started x the st their sign lite went off & 1 of the girls turned the key in the door. Lawrence started 2 turn around but I hurried over & tapped on the door 2 c if they might consider letting us in yet since they still had some customers sitting @ tables. We were most grateful when they agreed 2 do so as we had not eaten since morning & r rations in the trk were limited to crackers. We offered 2 take r food back 2 the trk but they said we were welcome 2 sit down & take r time 2 eat, as they were going 2 b busy cleaning up 4 a while anyway. We appreciated their consideration. Smidgen did as well, as we saved him a few morsels of r sandwiches. He faithfully awaits r return in eager anticipation of what treats we will bring him. Dog food is a last resort 4 him, only when all possibilities of “people food “ have been exhausted.

Trip #2112 Dallas, TX > Wilmer, TX > Ottawa, KS

2006-06-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

R next trip assignment dead-headed us fr Dallas down 2 Wilmer, TX, where we re-powered a load that had been dropped @ the terminal there.

It consisted of 25,067#s of general merchandise that we were 2 drop @Wal-Mart Distribution in Ottawa, KS. We pked it up early on Sunday, June 11 & delvd it that evening—it being a relatively short run of 517 mi.

Trip #2111 West Columbia, SC > Orangeburg, SC > Dallas, TX

2006-06-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

The minute we mted out, shortly after noon on 6/9 in West Columbia, SC, dispatch sent us a single load offer 2 a TX load, which was—2 all extent & purposes--a straight-thru run again, since the load was due in Dallas the very next day, no later than midnite on the 10th.
We were 2 pk up a pre-loaded trlr down in Orangeburg, SC, 42 mi se of Columbia, @ Electrolux Home Products. We scanned the previous trip manifest @ the Pilot in West Columbia, grabbed a bite 2 eat & headed down 4 r load.

This load was relatively lite—21,685#s—consisting of 43 Kohl lawn & garden tractors. We were 2 dlv them 2 the Sears Distribution Ctr in the heart of Dallas, 1,029 loaded mi.
This trip took us thru the states of SC, GA, AL, MS, LA & TX & such cities as Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Jackson & Shreveport.

Initially, we took US 301 down to Bamberg, where we picked up US 78 over 2 SC 19 up to I-20, which we would then follow the rest of the way in2 Dallas.

After looking over the rt, & the limited time available b4 we needed 2 b in Dallas, we decided 2 go as far as r fuel stop in Birmingham, AL, & perhaps get a few hrs of non-moving rest b2 sunup the next a.m.

We arv @ the fuel stop during the wee morning hrs of June 10th. We entered the turn-lane in2 the trk/stp, behind 2 other waiting trks @ the red lite. We noted there was a semi stopped in the entrance, w/ the door open & that there appeared 2 big flashing lights ahead of him, near the fuel bays.

In due time, the drv returned 2 his trk, started backing out of the drive, assisted by 3 or 4 patrolmen, who stopped traffic 4 him 2 do so. As soon as he got back far enough, he made a U-turn & came back past those of waiting & left. We had not turned on 4 CB or we would perhaps have known the reason 4 his doing so, obviously w/ permission fr the officers. Then the drvr @ the head of the line preceded 2 do a U-turn as well, while the officers continued 2 hold traffic. By the time we got up 2 the light it had turned green & we could see that the drive had been blocked off 4 some reason & the officers had gone back 2 the trk/stp lot.
We put r flashers on & waited 4 the traffic 2 clear & continued on around 2 the n entrance of the trk/stp. As we entered, we noted that the lot appeared 2 b full of trks parked 4 the nite, however, as we neared the fuel bays we discovered that all but 1 of the bays had been partitioned off w/ yellow crime scene tape. The tape extended fr either end of the fuel bays, down to the center double row of parked trks, fanning out 2 include the front of the e row of trks. There were at least 5 police cars, w/ their lights flashing, as well as some emergency equipment. Puzzled, Lawrence xed under the tape 2 the nearest police car/officer who was visiting w/ another drvr, 2 ask if we could fuel.

The officer said we could do so, if we went around 2 the fuel bay closest 2 the bldg, though we would need 2 back back out of the bay in 2 get back out. The officer also explained that a young women had just been run over & killed by a departing trk!

While Lawrence was fueling, a young fellow w/ long hair came by, crying, saying he knew the girl well & had warned her “not 2 go in there [the trk/stp]” as he made his way over 2 a group of officers, apparently having been called by some1 2 help identify the body.

Though this large trk stop is located in a rather seedy part of Birmingham, we have never hesitated 2 stay there 4 the nite, as they provide security both inside the trk stp, as well as out on the lot. Further it is fenced in, & the premises kept neat & clean, despite the homes & businesses around it having bars on their windows.

We did, however, already associate this trl/stp w/ great sadness, as we had been there some yrs back, when my sister called us 2 say that r mother was near death. We had been en route 2 Atlanta @ the time w/ a load & Crete promptly put the wheels in motion 2 get us up 2 western Penna as soon as possible.

The tragic event that had just taken place here further increased r association, as we, w/ grim horror, watched them lift the girl onto the gurney & take numerous pix b4 taking the body away. Most of the drvrs in the lot were fast asleep, unaware of what had just happened. Those who were up, stood in small groups, stunned, visiting quietly 2gether.

We backed out of the fuel back & int2 an mt stall, 2 spend the remainder of the nite. Lawrence visited w/ a nearby group of drvrs who had pieced 2gether what had occurred.

The girl apparently was a prostitute/”lot lizard”, who had dared 2 try 2 ply her trade 2 a number of drvrs during the evening. Several of the men said she had approached their trks @ some pt during the evening,while carefully watching 4 security making rounds. They had all declined her offers. It was not clear if she had gotten in the trk in ? or not, as witnesses were not agreed, nor was it agreed if she was had been 15 or 22 yrs of age. In any case, whether she had simply been on the running board or had gotten in the trk, she suddenly spotted the security officer & had quickly gotten down from the trk & fled 2 the rear of the trk, crawling under the trlr, out of sight of the officer. The drvr she had most recently approached, having no idea that this is where she had gone, had pulled out. Having a load near the max legal limit of 80,000#s, he would not have felt his rears duals driving over the girl’s head & apparently had not had his CD turned on so that 1 of the drvrs who had witnessed what had happened, could call 2 him.

Witnesses gave the authorizes a description of the trk, driver’s license plate or trk #. He was 84 mi out of Birmingham when he was stopped by troopers & brought back 4 questioning.
For those of us who had witnessed all, or part of this change of events, there was little sleep, @ least w/o having nightmares. So many tragic aspects; why the girl felt it necessary 2 engage in an immoral & illegal way of making a living, 1 which already was risking her health/life fr danger of getting aids or other such diseases; had she no family that cared enough 2 help her find honorable, legal employment. The drv, who had unknowingly run over her, whether he had rejected her offer or not, how his life would forever b affected. If he has a wife & family, would they believe him if, indeed, he had done like the other drvrs & told her “no thanks” & had left, disgusted that security had slipped up on keeping “lot lizards” out of a good trk/stp who had thought they were taking enough precautions 2 keep their t/s free of “trash”? What had been the young man’s in tears relationship 2 the dead girl? The understandable affect on each of the drvrs who witnessed what had taken place that nite. So many sad & troubling ramifications…

After a very short, fretful nite of limited sleep, we headed on toward Dallas. Though the Sears Distrib is located right in the heart of Dallas, traffic was @ a reasonable level by then. We arvd already by 9:30 p.m. Sat nite (June 10th) w/ 2 ½ hrs 2 spare.

This was a drop & hook situation, which made delv reasonably simp;e. Their drop yard was well-lit & secure & there were ample mt CCC trlrs from which 2 choose. As there r no trk stops in that area, so we drove the 17 mi down 2 Wilmer (where CCC has a terminal) 4 some non-moving sleep. We had, earlier, advised Crete that we were willing 2 accept dispatch that nite but did not want 2 run w/ it until we had some good sleep. They obliged us, which we appreciated.

Trip #2110 Raymond, NH > Jay, ME > West Columbia, SC

2006-06-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

As we were nearing Raymond, NH, Cory—r New England dispatcher—sent us a preplan, asking if we could run up 2 Jay, Maine 2 pk up a load by midnite on Wed, the 7th? We said we’d do r best, though the heavy rain & 143 mi dead-head , part of which would b via 2-lane rds, would make it very tight

.
He sent us r load info the minute we mted out & we headed n. We were 2 take on fuel in Greenland, NH either on the way up or back. After cking the fuel level, which was roughly ¼ of a tank, we decided we should have enough 2 make it, knowing there would b no chance of making the pkup time if we took time 2 fuel on the way up.

Even so, it soon became evident being in Jay by midnite EST was going 2 b impossible @ safe driving speeds. After seeing several people hydroplane off the interstate, we sent CCC a msg, asking that they advise r shpr that we would b late. They came back & assured us that it would b no problem as the load was ready 2 hook on2 whenever we arvd.

It was still pouring rain when we pulled in @ Wausau Papers/Otis Mills. After cking in & pking up r paperwork @ the shipping office, we drove down the steep grade 2 their lot along the Androscoggin River. Thankfully, we had been @ this facility b4, @ was familiar w/ the layout. Even so, the semi-dark lot & the driving rain made it most difficult. There was only 1 slot left where we could drop r mt trlr & it was very narrow. It called 4 a real 2getherness project. I was 2 do the backing while Lawrence braved the elements. It was raining so hard that I could not c the trlrs on either side, & could barely make out Lawrence’s flashlite signals. Despite having had a rain poncho on, Lawrence’s jeans & shoes—which were SUPPOSED 2 b waterproof, were soaked. He had the tough part, being out in the wind, rain & cold, working in a muddy lot.

Wausau Papers is located s of the town of Jay, actually on the north edge of Livermore Falls & north of Shy Corners & is about 90 mi s of Quebec. We would b taking 20 large rolls of paper , weighing 39.219#s, down 2 Standard Corp. in West Columbia, SC.

We stopped in Turner, ME 2 scale r load, catching a few winks during what remained of the nite, until the little t/s opened 4 their day’s business.

As we headed down ME4 to pk up the ME Turnpike, we noted r fuel gauge was dropping steadily until the peg hit the bottom line & were still @ least 20 mi n of r Greenland, NH fuel stop. I happened 2 b driving @ the time & we both were regretting r decision not 2 full on r way up 2 Jay!

We turned off the Turnpike @ Ex. 3a, on2 ME33. As luck would have it, we hit a very long red-lite on the 4-lane, about a ½ blk from the T/A Trk/Stp, after which it was necessary 2 pull upgrade in2 t/s, & wait in line b4 finally reaching the fuel bay! We made it! Needless 2 say, r Peterbilt was in need of a very long drink of fuel!

This was a 12-state+District of Columbia, 2-day run down the eastern seaboard via I-95. R rt took us by or thru such familiar cities as Portsmouth, Newbury, Boston, Providence, New Haven, Bridgeport & right thru USA’s largest city—NYC. Most drvrs opt 2 avoid doing so, preferring 2 bi-pass—which we had been given the option of doing--the heavy vehicular traffic of this fascinating city. We have even met drivers who declare, tongue in cheek, they had ripped the NYC map out of their Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas & flatly refuse any loads taking them in2 or thru NYC. To deal w/ the increasing # of drvrs who don’t want 2 hassle w/ the traffic & exhoribant bridge tolls assoc w/ such loads, CCC now pays their drvrs extra 2 deliver a load in2 or out of any of the 5 NYC boroughs (counties).

It has been a while since we have dlvd in NYC . During the 7 yrs we ran on CCC’s dedicated Pozzi fleet, we often took up-scale, custom-built, windows out on2 Long Island. We have also taken swimming pool supplies out on Long Island, & wrist watches down 2 the docks in Brooklyn 4 export.

R 1st trips in2 the city were a bit intimidating, especially when dir 2 the customer took us under overpasses marked LESS than the 13’ 6” height of r semi, until we learned that they build-in a cushion of 3-4” for snow pak!

Then, 1 day, we met a drvr who had grown up in Brooklyn & had loved The Big Apple. He told us that NYC is simply a series of little villages, all very personal & close-knit. After that, we began paying more attention 2 details we had missed b4, noting how each family made extra efforts 2 make their tiny space special. Even in the high rise apartment bldgs in the slum areas, we noted special efforts. 1 time while driving thru the Bronx during the Christmas season, we saw where some1 had precariously leaned out of their apartment window, many stories up & had managed 2 string lites on 1 of the top branches of a huge old tree that had survived the urban decay in the area. Since then, when it is a shorter rt & we have sufficient time, we often opt 2 go thru NYC westbound & we can x the GW (George Washington Bridge) toll-free.

As we came in2 the n edge of the Bronx—the only borough on the mainland—we marveled how much the trees along I-95 have grown during the past 13 yrs we have been drving. As always, the heavy traffic moved @ a snails pace as we neared the GW. Since 9-11, truck traffic must now take the upper deck of the GW. We always preferred the top level anyway, as u have a much better view up & down the Hudson River. It is especially neat 2 c @ nite, when the lites along the shore reflect on the water & the suspension cables connecting the tall towers of the GW r lit. It is indeed an incredible sight! On clear days, u can even catch a glimpse of the stately Statue of Liberty down stream. Sadly, picture taking is no longer permitted on or from the bridge, though we do have pix we took prior to 9-11.

After xing in2 NJ, we continued on s thru the Garden State, b4 xing the Delaware River in2 Wilmington, & down thru Baltimore & taking the e beltway around Washington D.C. , still driving in rain. By the time we stopped 2 fuel again in Ruther Glen, VA @ 2:30 a.m., we were, @ long last, out of the rain.

We then continued on down thru Richmond & Fayetteville 2 the n edge of Florence, where turned w on I-20, toward Columbia. We arvd @ Standard Corp in West Columbia 2 hrs ahead of schedule. Mission accomplished!

Trip #2109 Harrisonville, MO > Greenfield, MO > Raymond, NH

2006-06-12T22:27:00.000-07:00

When we sent in r mt call, after delivering early in Harrisonville, MO, no load offer was forthcoming 4 an unusually long time. Knowing there is not a full crew of dispatchers on Sunday, we figured they were simply busy trying 2 respond 2 all the incoming QualComm msgs. During the wk we generally r sent r next load offer in minutes, however, after nearly an hr had gone by, we gave them a call over r cell phone 2 ck. When we finally reached a dispatcher, she confirmed that they had been swamped, but also were having a hard time finding us a load. All the wknd loads had been dispatched already & they were already were delving in2 Monday’s loads. The best she was able 2 come up w/ was a 600 mi load down South, 4 dlv on Wed! We declined the load, that being totally unproductive 4 a team. What was worse, it did not load until late Mon p.m. We said we would simply call it a day & drive a few mi up the rd to the Flying J in Peculiar, MO & hope something better would b available in the a.m.

This turned out 2 b a good decision, 4 when James, the KS/MO dispatcher, came in he promptly sent us a load that was more than productive. We were 2 pk up a load that had been missed on Fri, which now required a team 2 dlv it on time. The shpr was closed over the wknd, & knowing that we were coming in2 Harrisonville sometime Sun--unknown 2 the wknd dispatchers--he had earmarked it 4 us.

It was not scheduled 2 live-load until 1630 down in Greenfield, MO. When I did r trip planning I discovered there were no less than 3 Greenfield’s in MO, so I did sent a Q/C #8 msg 2 c if direc were in Crete’s database in order 2 b sure we went 2 the correct Greenfield. They were, which eliminated the need 2 call them 4 dirc. It turned out it was the 1 in Dade County, 118 SE of Harrisonville.

We decided 2 drv right on down, in hopes Penn Pak II—Pennington’s Bird Seed Division--might load us early. When we drove in, however, we found a line of waiting trks & we knew it would b highly unlikely that we would get loaded early. It was a good opportunity 2 visit w/ other drvrs, read & relax.

When r appt time came, we were loaded promptly. When Lawrence went back 2 get the paperwork & secure the load, he asked if they ever gave the drivers a small bag of the wild bird feed we were hauling? The fork-lift drvr said they really did not have any small bags that could b given out but he thought he might something that we might have.

2 Lawrence’s amazement, he came back shortly w/ a damaged 50# bag of wild bird feed! Their bags r double wrapped & this bag was 1 that the outer paper had been torn badly in several places, however the inner bag was still in tact. I was really surprised when Lawrence returned 2 the trk & carefully placed the huge bag on r bed.

I promptly set about mending the tears w/ some Scotch shipping tape, knowing if its contents spilled in the trk, we would really have a mess! As the next trk was waiting 2 get in2 the dock the minute we pulled out, there was no time 2 deal w/ the matter just then.

R load consisted of 792 of these 50# bags on 17 pallets, making a total wgt of 40,152#s, enough 2 delight a great many wild birds up in the New England states. We were 2 b dlv the load 2 the Wal-Mart Distribution Ctr in Raymond, NH no later than midnite on Wed, June 7th.

Since a bridge was out on US 160 between Greenfield & I-44, it was necessary 4 us 2 detour 24 mi s 2 Mt. Vernon, MO 2 both scale r load & access I-44E. Once we scaled the load & slide the tandems 2 distribute the wgt properly, we gave r attention 2 the generous gift we had been given. We solved the matter by unloading r winter sheets, etc. out of a covered “under the bed” plastic container that we had stored under the bunk, & carefully placing the bag in it. It JUST fit, & we slid it back in place thru a side compartment door. R own residential wild birds back home in NE will b most pleased. We always fill their feeder every time we go thru home.
It may b of interest 2 the reader 2 know what this vitamin enriched, wild bird feed includes: red millet, white millet, milo, wheat, sunflower seeds, thistle, safflower, sun chips, cardinal cherries, raisins, peanuts. & calcium. When I inquired how they added the vitamins, they explained that the calcium is actually crushed rock coated with vitamin-enriched oil.

This trip covered 1,497 loaded mi, taking us via Interstates 44; 55; 70; 270; 71; 76; 80; 81; 84; 90; 290; & 495 ,thru 9 states—MO, IL, IN, OH,PA,NY, CT, MA & NH. As forecast, we headed right in2 the Nor’easter that was coming on shore up in the New England states.

Normally, we associate Nor’easter’s with fierce winter snow storms up in the New England states, but this June storm lived up 2 full expectations, w/ very heavy rain, wind & cold temps. Driving this time in MA & NH was really challenging, as the sheets of rain blew x the interstates made it almost impossible 2 c lane markings & traffic ahead & 2 either side. As we carefully made r way up 2 Raymond, NH, British novelist & cleric, Charles Kingsley’s well known "Ode to the North-East Wind" came 2 mind.

New England has essentially been having rain ever since the beginning of May already & this additional storm only added 2 the very serious flooding problems they have been contending w/ of late. The National Weather Service ch was busy giving out warnings 4 the area as we approached the Boston area.

In spite of the slow going, we arv safely, Wed eve @ the Distribution Center in Raymond, NH w/ 4 hrs 2 spare!

Trip #2108 Wharton, NJ > North Brunswick, NJ >Harrisonville, MO

2006-06-05T17:27:00.001-07:00

After dlv the load off vitamin-enhanced water 2 Wharton, NJ, we were sent a load offering for a NJ > MO load. The intermittent rain had caught up w/ us again & really cut loose as we headed SE toward the Brunswick, NJ area via I-80, I-287 & the NJ Turnpike! Even w/ the wipers on high, it was terribly difficult 2 see the lane lines on 6-lane I-287.

It wasn’t long b4 we began cing evidence of people hydroplaning off the interstate. A car had plummeted down over a steep embankment on 1 side, then a few mi later SB semi had shot off 2 the other side, jack-knifed, the drvr –side coming 2 rest [heading back NB] against a solid rock wall! We hoped there were no serious injuries! Traffic slowed noticeably after we passed these 2 accidents which had obviously happened mins b4, as emergency crews had not yet arvd on the scene.

R guess is that they had not had rain recently in that area & the road surfaces most likely had a thin, invisible, layer of oil fr car & trk emissions. Every time we R back E, we always have a film of oil on r windows & trk surfaces afterwards. This smog can quickly dull a recent wash job &/or b a mess the 1st time u need 2 turn on ur windshield wipers after being in the more heavily populated areas of the country.

We had been assigned 2 pk up a load @ Church & Dwight in North Brunswick, NJ. It was still

raining hard when we parked in the holding area, near the shipping offices, so Lawrence donned a rain poncho & went 2 ck in. He was told that r load should b ready by the time we dropped r mt in the drop yd a few blks 2 the n.

It was 1 of those very dark, rainy nites, & the lot was already nearly full w/ mt trlrs in rows, 4 deep, fr # of different trking companies. Clearly, this presented a 2getherness project! Lawrence “spotted” 4 me as I backed in a remaining, tight spot. It was difficult 2 even c his flashlite in the downpour of rain. By the time we got the trlr in place we were both frustrated, 2 put it mildly. In the middle of backing r cell phone had rung, on top of matters. I paused in my backing 2 quickly answer the call & tell the caller we’d call back in a few minutes! Being a good friend & seasoned drvr himself, he could instantly relate.

Once the landing gear was wound down, the air & electric cables unhooked & I had pulled away, Lawrence returned the call, as I bobtailed the ½ mi or so back 2 where they were loading r trlr. It was still raining hard, making it difficult 2 c trlr & dock #s. Upon locating the right 1, I backed up 2 it, noting the green lite had already come on—indicating it was loaded & ready 2 go. Lawrence bid r friend goodbye & got back out 2 hook up, secure the load, slide the tandems, put the seal & enforcer-lock in place. We drove back 2 the shping office 2 pk up r paper work & were on r way. This time we took US 1 up 2 I-287, then turned back w on I-87, towards r fuel stop in Bloomsbury, NJ.

The rain began 2 let up a little bit as we headed over to Bloomsbury. As per usual both the Pilot & TA lots were filled nearly 2 capacity. However, just as we were finishing fueling, the rain let up & a place opened up behind & over a little fr us. It was @ a difficult back but by again combining r efforts, we made it in. What a relief—as we were both tired & ready 2 call it a day. We celebrated r good fortune by going in and sharing a breakfast sandwich @ Subway in the wee hrs of the nite b4 hitting the hay.

After a good nite of sleep, we headed towards the Harrisburg area. As we passed thru the EZ Pass toll booth 4 the Delaware River Bridge, on the border of NJ & PA just e of Easton, PA, I had 2 reflect on the many changes that have taken place over the last 230 yrs re modes of transportation! Here we were xing, high above the Delaware River on 18 wheels/5 axles, as the electronic scanner read the EZ Pass card mounted in the bottom ctr of r windshield, charging Crete $2.75 per axle [a total of $13.75] 4 the privilege of r doing so.

As I glanced down @ the river below, the famous painting of “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by artist, Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, came to mind. Washington is standing in the helm of a heavily loaded boat as his flag-bearer officer was holding high the newly designed, 13-star American flag that General George Washington, as head of a committee, had asked Betsy Ross to make earlier that yr.

[Note: It wasn’t until June 14, 1777 until Congress passed the resolution “The flag of the United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white on a blue field ...”]

The painting depicted General Washington xing the choppy waters of the Delaware, about 50 mi downstream fr r position, as he led his troops on a cold Christmas night in 1776 in a surprise attack to defeat the British troops settled in their winter quarters in Trenton & Princeton.

But, coming back to June 2, ‘06, here we were, hauling a 21,840#s of Sno-Bol, Arrid deodorant, and—of all things—condoms! Scads of them! In fact, they made up 13,159#s of the load—27 white pallets of Trojan condoms--Magnum Twisters; ENZ Lubs; Vibrat Ring & Cons. & Twisted Pleasure! Good grief!

I am quite certain the 1st president of r country would have been both aghast & bewildered!
We delvd the load, 4 hrs ahead of schedule, in Harrisonville, MO on Sunday afternoon, June 4th. Other than the security guard’s car, there was a single car in either of the workman’s pking lots. After dropping r trlr in the loaded trlr area, we went over 2 the mt trlr lot, where we selected an air-ride CCC trlr, hooked up, cked the lites & drove over 2 the shipping office. I could hear music coming fr inside the warehouse, so took the papers in. The door was unlocked, but the shipping office was dark & all the fork lifts were parked neatly in a row & not a creature was stirring in the main warehouse. Still hearing music & voices, I figured every1 was in the break room. Remembering where that & the rest rooms were located, I went on in2 the main part, used their facilities, & walked up the gleaming & spotless hallway 2 the employee & trucker’s large break room. The sounds I had heard were coming fr turned out 2 b 3 big TV’s suspended fr the ceiling @ various pts in the rm, still turned on! Again, not a soul around! It gave u a bit of a pause, wondering if the Second Coming had taken place or something & we & the guard had been left behind! That couldn’t b…

As it was shorter 2 return 2 the trk by continuing up the hall 2 the main office door, I continued on. However, all the rest of the doors were locked. Apparently, some1 had slipped up on locking the dr where I had entered. I would need 2 advise the security officer @ the guard house on r way out.

Upon closer inspection of r paperwork, we noted that the security officer had already signed r manifest & had kept their copy fr the original 4 sets of the paper work. We made r mt call & were good 2 go!

Trip #2108 Wharton, NJ > North Brunswick, NJ >Harrisonville, MO

2006-06-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

We had been assigned 2 pk up a load @ Church & Dwight in North Brunswick, NJ. It was still

Trip #2107 Muncie, IN > Plainfield, IN > Wharton, NJ

2006-06-03T23:40:00.000-07:00

When we sent in r mt msg after unloading was completed on June 1st @ the Muncie, IN Menards, we recvd a single load offer ,which we suspected may well have been a load that had not gotten covered the on the 31st & now was in need of a team 2 get it delvd on time.
We were asked 2 run 80 mi down 2 Plainfield, IN, on the SW corner of Indy, 2 be live-loaded w/ Propell Berry, a Pepsi vitamin enhanced water. The shpr was Logisco, was located in 1 of the relatively new Airtech Bldgs in the industrial pk area that has been developed along the expanded I-70 on the SW edge of Indy.

We will delv this load 2 Customized Dist. Services in Wharton, NJ late afternoon on the 2nd. R rt will take us via interstates 70, 71, 76 & 80. More than likely, we will also b taking the rain along w/ us that we have been driving in since central MO.

Crops in the Indiana area r already saturated w/ more than ample rainfall. Some of the fields have little lakes forming that threaten 2 drown out some of the soybeans. The corn fields, having been planted somewhat earlier, & r further along, should survive if this front is followed by wind & sunshine soon. It seems mind-boggling that the black fields that had been freshly tilled & planted such a short time ago, r now a sea of dark green!

However, the further E we went, we began seeing more & more fields that have not yet been planted due to the wet spring. These heavy rains will present further delays & worries 4 farmers in those areas. It will b a long time b4 they will b able 2 get in2 their fields.
By the time we reached eastern OH, the thunderstorms had increased in intensity & even included tornado warnings. We finally get ahead of the front by the time we got thru Akron & into the edge of PA. We stopped 4 the nite in Mercer, PA.

As my sister & her husband were traveling wb on I-80 fr Jersey Shore, PA as we were heading eb toward NJ, we arranged a rendezvous in Brookville, PA 4 brunch 2gether.

We had ample time remaining 2 make r dlv as we headed on toward r NJ destination. However, as we got in2 E Penna, I suddenly felt an attack of diverticulitis coming on & made a quick search of r Exit Guide 4 the nearest rest area or t/s. B4 the attack was over, it was necessary 2 ask Lawrence 2 make, not just 1, but 3 emergency stops on my behalf. I had eaten 2 many salads of late, & what’s worse, 1 large scoop of delicious black walnut ice cream during the previous wk & such ill-advised indulgences had caught up w/ me—big time. I can assure u that getting sick on the rd & then having 2 endure bumpy rds is not fun! Further, the resulting delays placed us in real danger of not making r delv appt on time. Crete prides themselves in maintaining a 98% or better record of being on time 2 their customers, a record all we drvrs strive 2 safegaurd.

I share this experience w/ the reader 2 help people realize some of the challenges drvrs must deal w/ while far fr home & the appealing option of crawling in bed until ur feeling more up 2 par. Out here on the rd, drvrs do not have that luxury & usually feel keep on going, if @ all possible, driven by the age-old adage that “the mail must go through!”

Thankfully, we did not have 2 alert CCC nor r consignee that we were in danger of running late. We arvd 20 mins b4 r appt time, w/o speeding, & the day was saved!

Trip #2106 Livingston, CA > Willows, CA > Avon, IN > Muncie, IN

2006-06-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

After shagging the load down 2 Livingston on 5/26/, Bob—r CA dispatcher—sent us the perfect holiday wknd load. It had long mi, the weather was ideal, & it provided the possibility of going thru home w/o adding any out-of-rt mi nor making any changes in where we were 2 fuel.
The latter factor is an important consideration during these days of high fuel prices. Crete’s computer program automatically picks the trk stops that have the lowest fuel prices along the suggested route(s) as of the day u r dispatched. This capability 2 select the best places 2 fuel & the best rt is a major factor in Crete’s continuing 2 b a debt-free trucking company & pay their drvrs well.

When we did r trip planning we discovered that we actually could save a few mi by angling down x SE Nebr on secondary legal rds & go via US 36, I-72, I-57, & I-74 Indy rather than taking the suggested northern rt via I-80 thru the Quad Cities & angling down to Indianapolis on I-74. From past experience we knew it would not b as easy driving however we could run thru home & get in on 2 of r grandchildren’s b.d. celebration. Further, if we drove it straight thru fr CA 2 home, we would b able 2 spend 2 full days @ home AND save idling time 4 Crete in doing so. It took careful planning 2 b certain we both stayed legal, of course.

The only snafu in r assumed ideal load came just before starting the 40-mi pull back up 2 top of Donner Pass. Lawrence suddenly exclaimed “Would u look @ that!?!” I glanced up just in time 2 c the large lighted sign over I-80 that said “Snowing on top. Carry chains.” Here we were in balmy weather amid lovely flowers along the rd & none of the descending vehicles showed any evidence of having been in a snow storm. This made Lawrence quite skeptical but I reminded him that the snow would have melted up reaching the warmer temps in the lower elevations.

When we neared Soda Springs & the summit, it was indeed snowing, & the tall forest trees were already turning white w/ the 2 inches of snow that had already fallen! The road surface was still warm, melting the snow as it fell. The water in the lake near the summit was apparently also warmer than the outside temps, as the steam rising above its surface nearly obscured Lake van Nordan. Later, as we were xing WY, we heard on the weather channel that Donner had 5” before the storm waned! More than likely that amt would have caused DOT to put up the chain law once it got dark. We were lucky 2 have xed when we did.
We both drove in intermit snow storms as we xed the higher elevations of NV, UT & western WY. In NV the back of the mirrors were coated w/ ice & snow & we had trouble keeping the windows cleared. In the valleys, it turned 2 rain. So much for the “ideal weather” we had thought we’d have! Having a very light load made it more challenging as we xed in & out of frontal passages.

R load consisted of John Manville 703 insulation batts, that we were taking 2 Menard stores in Avon & Muncie, IN. Their total wgt was only 12,292#s.

The plan worked well, in spite of the snow & rain & we even able 2 delv the load several hrs ahead of appt times @ both Avon & Muncie, IN consignees on June 1.

Trip #2105 Livermore, CA > Stockton, CA > Livingston, CA

2006-05-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

R Calif dispatcher had apparently taken note of r heading in 2 Livermore, CA (re Trip #2104) & sent us a shag load the minute we mted out, asking us how soon we could delv this “hot” load?! We noted that the dlv time was already past but that we would do so ASAP.

It was a medical supply load that had come out of Green River, WY & had been dropped @ the CCC yard in Stockman the previous wk, which had gotten overlooked. When Bob discovered the slip up, he was in urgent need of some1 that might get it pked up & down 2 Livingston, CA b4 closing/holiday wknd. He knew that we should have time 2 help him out & still b able 2 cover the load he already had in mind 4 us.

We headed right over 2 Stockton (39 mi w) but found it very slow going on I-580, I-205 & I-5 due 2 the vast #s of people heading out early 4 Memorial Wknd. Trk traffic, however, was much lighter than usual, as most truckers ask 4 home-time over holiday wknds. Once we turned off the interstate, & headed x thru Stockman, it was somewhat better.

The Stocckton drop yd, which is shared by several trking companies, was a hubbub of activity in tight quarters. Fortunately the shag drvr had just pulled a trlr out, freeing up the last available spot where we could drop r mt trlr, & the trlr we were looking 4 was in a front row, in easy access. It was simply a matter of waiting r turn 2 maneuver around the crowded lot after 3 or 4 others drvrs ahead of us finished hooking up.

As we left we sent Bob a note over the QualComm asking if he would like us 2 skip r fuel stop in Lodi until after we dlvd the load 2 gain some time? He didn’t get back 2 us b4 we reached Lodi, so we made a quick stop there. His response came back just as we were pulling out of the fuel bay, 2 late 2 save the time. He had called the consignee w/ r ETA , however, which helped matters.

Traffic on the 4 lane CA 99S was moving somewhat better than it had on the larger interstates, so we were able 2 cover the remaining 54 mi down 2 Livingston in fairly good time.
Having several good friends whose very lives were/are dependent on kidney dialysis treatments, we knew full well how important r load of Dialysis #1.5 & sodium bicarbonate was. There were 17 pallets, wghing 43,631#s of product.

We arvd @ Fresenius Medical Care ½ hr b4 closing, though after the original dlv time. When Lawrence went in2 the rec’ving office the clerk announced “Sorry! U’r late!” then laughed good naturedly, telling him what dock 2 back in2. The unloader was standing in the door already as we backed in & said he’d have us off in a short ½ hr. He was true 2 his word, & he was able 2 go home on time, & we cwere able 2 head out 2 get r next load.

U might want 2 arrow down 2 the spot between Trip #s 2103 & #2102 2 view a current picture of Lawrence, Smidgen & urs truly, standing in front of r Peterbilt. I have not yet figured out how 2 replace the older pix on r blog w/ this newer 1. : )

Trip #2104 Omaha, NE > Beatrice, NE > Livermore, CA

2006-05-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

The 2nd preplan dispatch sent us turned out 2 b a load out of Beatrice, NE going 2 Livermore, CA! It permitted r pking up r mail & even spending a nite @ home w/o going out of rt!
It was a live-load, anytime between 0800 & no0n on Tues, the 23rd, @ Husqvarna Turf, & was due in Livermore, CA (47 mi SE of San Francisco, CA by Fri noon--5/26.

This 27,907#s load was made up of 53 lawn & turf products, including lawnmowers for Bee Tee Equipment. After we were loaded, we drove by the Beatrice Post Office 2 pk up nearly a month’s accumulation of mail b4 heading toward home. We were able 2 stay home overnite b4 taking off early the following a.m. A great opportunity 2 do laundry & give Smidgen a bath.
R rt took x NE, WY, UT, NV 2 northern CA. Near Imlay, NV (I-80 mm 145) we passed the exceedingly strange Thunder Mountain Monument. No where else in the USA have we ever seen a stranger group of structures. These weird, skeleton-like buildings were created over a period of 21 yrs by a man who called himself Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder. His given name was Frank Sidney van Zant b. 1921 d. 1989. It was proclaimed a Nat’l Monument after Rolling Mountain Thunder’s suicide, & enteredNV’s registry of historic sites in 1992. The reader can “google” for Imlay or Thunder Mountain Monument 2 c pix of this very unique place.

We stopped on top of Donner Pass—27 mi W of the CA/NV state line (elevation 7.239) on the 25th for some shut-eye. Later, we were 2 discover that 1 of the airbags protecting the load burst when we went over the pass. No harm was done, as the pallets had been nailed 2 the floor of the trlr 2 further prevent shifting of the loads.

It is not all that unusual to have airbags expand while xing high elevations, making trailers appear 2 b pregnant. DOT were fined about 10 yrs ago, while xing the Rockies W of Denver 4 being over-width. It was necessary 2 secure permission fr the shpr 2 break the seal on the trlr, so that we could lv some of the air out of the airbags b4 DOT would permit us 2 continue.
At dawn, we began the 40 mi downgrade to Auburn, CA, leaving the spectacular forests, solid granite & snow of the Sierras behind us as we dropped in2 the warm temps in the valley below.

There r 33 truck advisory signs along the descent & 2 runaway trks ramps 4 trkr’s guidance.
We arvd @ r consignee @ of the ft of Patterson Pass about 4 hrs b4 r delv time, & were pleased 2 find that they could unload us right away.

Trip #2103 Westland, MI > Battle Creek, MI > Omaha, NE

2006-05-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

After spending a wonderful weekend w/r Michigan family, we were dispatched on another Kellogg’s load. We bobtailed back to Westland 2 pk up r mt trlr, then continued W over to Battle Creek, MI 2 pk up a load of Cocoa Krispies.

R load info indicated that it would not b ready until 0500 on May 22nd but we figured there would b a good chance that it would b ready early. It was!

This load wghd 27,300#s & was loaded on 28 slip-sheets. We actually had all kinds of time 2 delv it to Kellogg’s USA Inc. in Omaha, as it was not due until the 24th. We stopped 4 nite not far W of Battle Creek. The trk/stp had an all-nite restaurant, so we went in 4 a bite 2 eat b4 hitting the hay. By then it was the wee hrs of the nite, so it was debatable whether it was supper or breakfast.

After a good nite of rest, we headed on 2ward Omaha, stopping @ the CCC terminal in Ottawa, IL 2 fuel & have 1 of Shaker’s outstanding hamburgers. Since it was only 622 mi fr Battle Creek 2 Omaha, we decided 2 dlv the load a couple days early, knowing we could go in early. We advised dispatch of r intentions & asked if they might have a load that would permit r going continuing on W or SW so that we could slip home & pick up nearly a month of accumulated mail.

After cking available loads 4 the 23rd, they said they could pre-plan us on a BMS Management Inc. load out of Lincoln, NE that was going 2 Red Bluff, CA. We said that would work fine, as we had r car @ the terminal & could run home over-nite, & still easily dlvr the load to Red Bluff Wal Mart on time.

As we neared Omaha, 1 of the nite dispatchers, Toby, sent us another msg, saying he had found another load that might work even better & said he was sending a 2nd pre-plan 4 us 2 look over. Indeed, it was better, & further would permit us going thru home w/o going out of rt. Ck Trip #2104 for those details.

Lawrence, Ann & Smidgen w/ Peterbilt Unit #28691

2006-05-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

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

2006-05-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

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!