It looks like a little over two hours from here to Lansing in the morning. Then I already have my trip home assigned, so I'll probably have lots of time to do some... uhh... community service or something tomorrow night.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
1/21/09
The new age of enlightenment has continued for at least another day. Most of this route has always been easy though. I ran up I-55 and I-57, then across the south side of Chicago and up into Michigan. In point of fact, even that stretch in Illinois and Indiana has gone pretty well the last few times. Nah, to hell with that. I'm going to stick with the narrative. My world has changed! But has it really? Yes, yes it has!
It looks like a little over two hours from here to Lansing in the morning. Then I already have my trip home assigned, so I'll probably have lots of time to do some... uhh... community service or something tomorrow night.
It looks like a little over two hours from here to Lansing in the morning. Then I already have my trip home assigned, so I'll probably have lots of time to do some... uhh... community service or something tomorrow night.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
1/20/09
I have exorcised the demons! Satan's Driveway has been tamed. I've had good trips up I-35 and I've had bad trips up I-35. Until last night, I don't think I've ever gone the whole way without dropping below the speed limit. My first instinct would be to say that I got lucky with my timing, but I think we all know the real reason. When I got tired and pulled into the rest area north of Austin, I saw an empty space. It was blocked by a truck parked behind the trucks in the actual parking spaces. After the morning's blindside backing escapades, it somehow seemed awfully easy to pass up the parking area and then back my way into the open spot on my right.
After a ten hour break there, it was back onto Satan's Driveway for more pedal to the metal driving. No slowdowns at all, not even in the construction zones. I stopped at our terminal in West Memphis for tonight's break. After ten hours here I'll head north. I've heard that global warming has finally been solved in the Midwest. A new era indeed.
I do poke fun at all of the idol worship for the new messiah whenever I get the chance, but I am starting to wonder just a little. When forty of the bad guys die from plague... could it really be?
After a ten hour break there, it was back onto Satan's Driveway for more pedal to the metal driving. No slowdowns at all, not even in the construction zones. I stopped at our terminal in West Memphis for tonight's break. After ten hours here I'll head north. I've heard that global warming has finally been solved in the Midwest. A new era indeed.
I do poke fun at all of the idol worship for the new messiah whenever I get the chance, but I am starting to wonder just a little. When forty of the bad guys die from plague... could it really be?
Monday, January 19, 2009
1/19/09
If you've ever wondered just how dumb people can be, you should flip on a CB radio in a crowded area on the day before the first black president is to be sworn in. Wow. There is always a bit of the typical racist drivel bouncing around the CB airwaves, but wow. That was something.
I was thinking for a little while that the local drop/hook routine was a nice break from the long days on the highway. Then I got to my third broker. No English was spoken there, at least none that I could understand. We were eventually able to communicate well enough to figure out where I was to drop my trailer. Holy smokes. I got one of those spots that would be decent for a 28-foot pup with a day cab. Maybe that local routine isn't so fun.
Then the last drop came around. For those of my colleagues here at CTL, I imagine that you've been to the broker on Sara Road with the El Gato Road address, at least once or twice. The usual routine there is to go through the trailer inspection and then check in with the guys on the dock. They show you where they want the trailer and then you make the drop and go on your merry way. As I sat at the guard shack today, I saw one of our local drivers backing to his blind side around a pretty tight corner. I thought to myself, "Damn that looks tough. I'm glad I don't have to do that." I pulled around to the docks and checked with the receiving guy. He walked out to the yard and tried to find a spot for me. The place was overflowing with trailers. After speaking with the yard dog, he showed me where I would need to drop my trailer. Shit. Yeah, I had to make the same maneuver that the local driver had made, with a bigger truck and no window on the back of my cab. I had to turn to the blind side into a narrow opening between two trailers. Then after passing through the narrow opening, I had to make an even sharper blindside turn to get lined up with the drop spot. In the tight quarters, there was a whole lot of inching forward and inching backward involved. The guys who showed up after I did were directed to drop their trailers alongside mine... without having gone toward the docks first. In other words, they had it even easier than usual. You're welcome guys. Glad to be the Guinea pig for you.
Back at the yard it was time to hit the mechanics' bay for my annual truck inspection. Everything checked out okay there. I was up to #34 on the board once I got settled in to relax for a while. The four drops this morning took a little over three hours in total. The bulk of the three hours was spent waiting to get into the first broker and then doing that 180-degree blindside at the last. I guess that's not the worst way to make $75. I don't think I would want to deal with those brokers' lots on a daily basis though. The open highway didn't sound so bad by the time I was done.
My assignment just came through a few minutes ago. They have me headed for Lansing, so home will be a short hop from there. I think I'm going to head out in a little while once I've had ten hours off. I haven't given the timeline of this run much thought yet, but I'm tired of being in Laredo. I'll head up Satan's Driveway for a while and hope that I don't get too sleepy. This thing is due in Lansing on Thursday morning. Sounds like I'll be doing some driving for the next few days.
After seeing this picture on the internet today, I had a sneaking suspicion that women's golf was trying to attract a more robust male audience. Then again, it is just a trophy. I don't know what you were thinking.
I was thinking for a little while that the local drop/hook routine was a nice break from the long days on the highway. Then I got to my third broker. No English was spoken there, at least none that I could understand. We were eventually able to communicate well enough to figure out where I was to drop my trailer. Holy smokes. I got one of those spots that would be decent for a 28-foot pup with a day cab. Maybe that local routine isn't so fun.
Then the last drop came around. For those of my colleagues here at CTL, I imagine that you've been to the broker on Sara Road with the El Gato Road address, at least once or twice. The usual routine there is to go through the trailer inspection and then check in with the guys on the dock. They show you where they want the trailer and then you make the drop and go on your merry way. As I sat at the guard shack today, I saw one of our local drivers backing to his blind side around a pretty tight corner. I thought to myself, "Damn that looks tough. I'm glad I don't have to do that." I pulled around to the docks and checked with the receiving guy. He walked out to the yard and tried to find a spot for me. The place was overflowing with trailers. After speaking with the yard dog, he showed me where I would need to drop my trailer. Shit. Yeah, I had to make the same maneuver that the local driver had made, with a bigger truck and no window on the back of my cab. I had to turn to the blind side into a narrow opening between two trailers. Then after passing through the narrow opening, I had to make an even sharper blindside turn to get lined up with the drop spot. In the tight quarters, there was a whole lot of inching forward and inching backward involved. The guys who showed up after I did were directed to drop their trailers alongside mine... without having gone toward the docks first. In other words, they had it even easier than usual. You're welcome guys. Glad to be the Guinea pig for you.
Back at the yard it was time to hit the mechanics' bay for my annual truck inspection. Everything checked out okay there. I was up to #34 on the board once I got settled in to relax for a while. The four drops this morning took a little over three hours in total. The bulk of the three hours was spent waiting to get into the first broker and then doing that 180-degree blindside at the last. I guess that's not the worst way to make $75. I don't think I would want to deal with those brokers' lots on a daily basis though. The open highway didn't sound so bad by the time I was done.
My assignment just came through a few minutes ago. They have me headed for Lansing, so home will be a short hop from there. I think I'm going to head out in a little while once I've had ten hours off. I haven't given the timeline of this run much thought yet, but I'm tired of being in Laredo. I'll head up Satan's Driveway for a while and hope that I don't get too sleepy. This thing is due in Lansing on Thursday morning. Sounds like I'll be doing some driving for the next few days.
After seeing this picture on the internet today, I had a sneaking suspicion that women's golf was trying to attract a more robust male audience. Then again, it is just a trophy. I don't know what you were thinking.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
1/18/09
Damn dude. I was up late last night. Really, really late. So when I rolled out of bed around noon today I expected to have moved up the board a little bit. I was #64. Damn dude.
After hanging around all morning and not seeing any movement, I headed into town to bum around and kill some time. With my belly full of Monterey Jack and chorizo I rolled back to the terminal and checked the board again. #63. Damn dude.
I connected to the IdleAire signal across the street and watched some football for a while. The NFL isn't all that interesting to me when I have nomoney rooting interest involved, but it's better than nothing. After a few hours I was up to #56. Damn dude.
I received a message from the local dispatcher asking if I wanted to run some local stuff for tomorrow. Sure, might as well. I headed in to see what they had for me and he said that I could take up to three deliveries. I wouldn't have minded a few more, but I guess they have to spread the work around a little. You know, brotherhood of man and all that good stuff. The broker for the load that I brought here from Florida is about four miles away. The three others to which I'll be delivering are all within two miles. I guess, as long as there are no major issues, I should be able to knock them out within a couple of hours and earn my $75. That sounds better than sitting around all day and waiting for my turn to come around.
It's probably safe to conclude at this point that the hundreds of trailers on the yard this weekend are not in fact headed north. Something will hopefully come across tonight or tomorrow, headed toward home. I think it's getting to be time for a couple dozen beers and I to get together down at Kelly's Pub.
After hanging around all morning and not seeing any movement, I headed into town to bum around and kill some time. With my belly full of Monterey Jack and chorizo I rolled back to the terminal and checked the board again. #63. Damn dude.
I connected to the IdleAire signal across the street and watched some football for a while. The NFL isn't all that interesting to me when I have no
I received a message from the local dispatcher asking if I wanted to run some local stuff for tomorrow. Sure, might as well. I headed in to see what they had for me and he said that I could take up to three deliveries. I wouldn't have minded a few more, but I guess they have to spread the work around a little. You know, brotherhood of man and all that good stuff. The broker for the load that I brought here from Florida is about four miles away. The three others to which I'll be delivering are all within two miles. I guess, as long as there are no major issues, I should be able to knock them out within a couple of hours and earn my $75. That sounds better than sitting around all day and waiting for my turn to come around.
It's probably safe to conclude at this point that the hundreds of trailers on the yard this weekend are not in fact headed north. Something will hopefully come across tonight or tomorrow, headed toward home. I think it's getting to be time for a couple dozen beers and I to get together down at Kelly's Pub.
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