8/18/08

Yep, that security guy's voice was the first one that I heard again today. I woke up at 5:20am and saw the truck ahead of me leaving the dock. So I backed in. Once I got settled into the door, I started to update my hours in the CTL computer system. Then my phone rang. Homeboy told me that my door was available and I could go ahead and back in. Dumbass. I was in the first door, right outside his window.

So they got me unloaded quickly, charging me ten dollars more than they did the last time. It was a chick the last time and a fella this time. Maybe a coincidence or maybe not. Anyhow, before I was empty I received my next planned load information. I had to go down to the ConWay yard on the north edge of Charlotte and grab a load headed to Pittsburgh.

Once I was rolling, it was a pretty smooth trip to Charlotte. My loaded trailer was sitting on the yard with the paperwork in the nose of the trailer. Beauty. You see, I'm not what you would call a 'people person.' Any time I can skip the whole checking in and out process, that's a plus. Any time I have to haul a wicked heavy load through West Virginia, however, that's a minus. 45,000 pounds of sugar = big minus.

If trucks had civil rights, I would be getting sued for brutality right now. I can't recall a single hill from the Virginia line to Pittsburgh that didn't require at least one downshift. That was an absolutely miserable ride. Way too much work. I took a nap and got some lunch in Wytheville, hoping to improve my attitude, but that didn't work. The stretch of US-19 cutting the corner from I-77 to I-79 was at least a little amusing though. Robert Byrd Highway over the Robert Byrd Bridge and through the Robert Byrd intersection near the Robert Byrd Mall adjacent to the Robert Byrd Parking Lot... you get the point. Who says Americans don't love their pork projects?

Since both Presidential candidates are hellbent on taxing the coal industry out of business, what use will we have for West Virginia after this year? Sorry, I digress...

I don't have any mapping software on my new computer just yet. Streets & Trips was a casualty of the changeover and I haven't gotten around to replacing it. Ergo, I was relying on CTL's directions to my consignee right down on the waterfront in Pittsburgh. I have a passing familiarity with the area on account of a past romantic interest, but I don't know all of the streets well. When I took the prescribed exits, all was good. I got to the first light and started to turn left and things looked awfully bad. Some skinny ass little driveway/street thing leading to an apartment building. Then I had to take the next right. Crazy tight, but the cars weren't parked all the way to the corner so I got around there. Then down along the river. So the directions say to go to the far end of the building and enter the gate with the guard shack. I got to the end of the building. There was a gate. There was a guard shack. There were some loading docks. Okay then.

I turned into the driveway and started looking for some kind of intercom. As I was looking, the gate opened. I hopped in the truck and drove inside before anyone could change their minds and lock me out again. A fella in there told me that I needed to be at the far end of the next building. Okay then, no worries. We'll just spin her around and head back out. Then things got weird...

A guy in a personal vehicle came barrel-assing into the lot and jumped out. "Get that Goddamn thing out of here and get to the other end of the fucking building! Can't any of you guys follow Goddamn directions !?!" (I guess you could say he was a little worked up.)

I couldn't help but laugh, given that the alternative would definitely cost me my job and also likely win me a trip to the clink. I told him that I came to the end of the building and saw a gate with a guard shack, just like my directions said. Sorry fella, I'll be gone in a minute. No problemo.

"What about the directions I gave you when you were at the Goddamn gas station?" Dude, you got the wrong guy.

So I pulled back out and went to the far end of the next building, where I've settled in for the night. A short time later, the guy who was yelling at me escorted a coworker of mine into the lot. The angry old dude came over toward my truck as the other CTL guy was parking. Great, what now? "I just wanted to apologize for what happened over there. This guy was lost and I told him to wait there for me. When I got there, he was gone, so I thought you were him. He just said he was a CFI driver. I'm really sorry about that. It just pissed me off when I went to help him and he didn't listen to me." No sweat buddy. We're all good.

I am not entirely sure if I'll be able to get out of town the way I came in. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If there are any cars around, it could get ugly.

So... one last thing...

[Workout B]
One-arm Row - Added ten pounds to each set, maintained reps
Curl - Weights and reps stayed the same
Front Lateral - Added two and a half pounds to each set, maintained reps
Stiff-legged Deadlift - Added ten pounds to each set, maintained reps
Hammer Curl - Weight and reps stayed the same

That's some small progress in most areas, but damnit, chicks dig the biceps. They didn't go anywhere from last week to this week. The Cable of Death is up to 1:30, but I wheeze and gasp like a sicko every time I use it. Plus my ankle is killing me. I may have to go back to walking pretty soon here. Jumping rope is a kickass way to get my heart rate up though. Oh well, we'll play it by ear.