12/5/08

Damn the board. Damn it all to hell. I was #1 for the better portion of the day yesterday, but had to come off the board once my 14 hours ran out and I could no longer drive anywhere legally. When I got up this morning, I sent in my form to put myself back on duty. Then I was #3 on the board. Damn the board.

It only took until noon for me to get an assignment so I guess that wasn't so bad. The assignment itself... not so good. I had to deadhead eighty miles to the south and grab a load heading for Massachusetts. For those keeping score at home, this week winds up at 1,825 miles (yeah, seriously), plus $35 in stop pay and $33 in northeast pay. Total gross - $761.50. Ouch. That's unfortunate. My spending in November could easily be described as profligate. I have some catching up to do, so sub-$800 pay weeks are not what I hope to see. Oh well, maybe next week the manufacturers will have shaken off the Thanksgiving hangover and gotten their shit together.

The trip down to the shipper was quick and easy. I got to watch a really groovy safety video after I checked in. Then the people there completely disregarded every rule espoused by the safety video. What can you do? Just go with the flow, I say. I was loaded with three boxes weighing in at a combined total of 4,700 pounds. That's pretty sweet.

Then it was time to trudge back up I-95 for a while. I was planning to stop in Colonial Heights for the night and then split the trip into two short legs from there. The damn drivers down there weren't cooperative with respect to my wishes, so I never made it over to that exit. I guess it was just as well to go ahead and get through Richmond tonight anyway. By the time I fought through the rush hour traffic down there, I had reached the T/A in Ashland. And that closes the book on another delightful day on the road.

I'm due in Holden, Massachusetts on Monday morning. Since the schedule for this weekend will be so light, I'll probably try to get some driving done early tomorrow and then settle in for some football. I'm too poor to get a motel room though. Hopefully I can find a place with a fast internet connection and watch some video streams. Alabama plus the points and Oklahoma minus the points would be my plays if I were inclined to make a wager or two. I'm usually wrong though, so Florida and Missouri fans should be smiling by the time tomorrow is over.