9/16/07

Today was a lazy day, but it didn't bother me. That's unusual. Most of the time I just want to keep moving, but for whatever reason I wasn't feeling too ambitious today. I was sleeping this morning when they beeped me with my next load assignment. It picks up tomorrow morning at 6am, about a hundred miles from here, so I had a bunch of time to kill.

I decided to place a few wagers (for entertainment purposes only) and watch some football. For some reason, the only way the NFL is watchable for me anymore is with a little added rooting interest. I enjoy catching the Redskins when I can, but the rest of the games bore me to death. Tie a few (theoretical, of course) bucks to a game and suddenly it's more intriguing. I went 7-5-1 today, so I can't complain there. If Minnesota's kicker hadn't hit the upright with his shot at a game winner, I'd have been 8-5 and thinking it was a pretty good day.

Anyway, I have to head up to Frederick, Maryland and pick up a load going to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Once I'm in Indiana, I'll be three days into my request for time off so the focus will be squarely on getting me routed for home. The run up to Indiana accomplishes the bulk of the job, so maybe something in the midwest will be bound for Canada to finish the deal. I guess we'll see.

I've spent most of the day absolutely not looking forward to picking up at this customer for a few reasons. First is the fact that it's an absolute madhouse. We get moved ahead of most of the flatbed drivers so I don't have it as bad as they do in terms of waiting, but it's a freaking zoo nonetheless. Second is the fact that, since I went the no-CB route, I haven't really needed a CB. Sure, customers say they want you to use your CB, but I haven't really needed one. At this customer, it's a different story. The first time I went there last fall, they were calling to me on the CB and asking for information before I even got completely into their driveway. I'll have to find a place to pull aside and walk to the scalehouse, I guess. The third, and biggest, reason I don't like the place is the loading docks. They have the docks cutout so that they can drive forklifts up to the side of flatbeds and put stuff on them. That means that we have to back in with two or three inches on either side of the entire length of the trailer. It's not terribly difficult, but when you spend 99% of your time having at least a little room for error, you get used to it. At this place, there is no room for error.

I took a nap earlier and then found myself in the unfamiliar position of rooting for the Red Sox. As far as baseball franchises go, I've always found the Yankees to be far more classy and respectable. They say that politics makes strange bedfellows. I guess baseball does as well. To get my Tigers into the playoffs, I need the Yanks to lose. Alas, Derek Jeter didn't see it my way. It was an exciting game anyhow.

I'm going to head up to Maryland in a few minutes here and get checked in. My appointment is for 6am but, like I said, the place is a zoo. Getting settled in a few hours early should be a good thing. Maybe I'll get lucky and get rolling early.