5/5/10

I've come to expect that the other shoe will drop at any moment when it comes to this job of mine, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.  For today though, I think we're back on track.  I got a new assignment at some unholy hour this morning, saw that it picked up in Phoenix this afternoon, and went back to bed.  By the time the sun started to cook my truck I had gotten plenty of sleep.  Beauty.

A nice and easy trip up I-10 had me on the south side of Phoenix two hours ahead of schedule.  I figured I would take a shot at getting loaded early so I might make it out into the wilderness before the afternoon traffic set in.  Of course, I would need to get to the shipper first.  Details are pesky things sometimes.  It turns out that "last driveway on the left" actually means "nowhere remotely close to the last driveway on the left."  Gotta love trucking directions.  After circling the block, passing the place a second time, and backing up a hundred yards, I found the shipper's driveway and got settled into a loading dock.  45 minutes later I was on my way.  In the process of losing last weekend's run to Texas and picking up this run to Texas, I've managed to trade a 13,000 pound payload for a 44,000 pound one.  Story of life.

My layover pay came through in a timely manner and the traffic leaving Arizona was reasonably light.  Definitely can't complain about that.  I received my dispatch to deliver in the Houston area on Friday afternoon.  That's a nice and workable schedule but my paperwork says that the delivery date is tomorrow.  I sent an 'FYI' message letting my fleet manager know about the discrepancy and received a reply confirming that Friday is the day.  Good enough for me. 

I haven't decided whether or not I'll have to employ my 'Texas = Go Home' policy or not.  Most loads that I've gotten out of the Houston area have gone to the Midwest and not toward Waco.  This would make me inclined to avoid the home time request and try to stay in the flow of freight.  My recollection seems to be that recent weekends in the Houston area have involved some sitting and waiting though.  This would make me inclined to request a day at home and get myself to the front of the line for a new assignment.  Oh well, I suppose I've got a couple of days to sort it out.  We'll just play it by ear.

As I rolled through New Mexico this evening I started trying to think of where I would park for the night.  I had enough hours to get somewhere around Van Horn, but I wasn't sure exactly how far I felt like driving.  The final decision was made once I reconciled myself to an unfortunate reality.  I just spent four days in a motel, separated from my damned weight bench.  Then I spent last night in a grubby dirt parking area where it wasn't really practical to have a workout.  So tonight was basically a mandatory workout night.  Our drop yard on the east side of El Paso always has a lot of room, so here we are.  I've been hoping that the temperature would drop a little further, but it looks like things have settled in at 80°.  Yeah, that sucks.  Here goes nothing...