10/21/09

Just a quick warning: If today is any indication, I may not be long for this trucking gig. A future on a NASCAR pit crew might be my next calling. Yeah, that's right, I used a couple of adjustable wrenches and a pocket knife this afternoon. I noticed a few days ago that I had a busted mud flap on my trailer. From that point forward though, either I was in no position to deal with it (Monday) or I simply forgot to deal with it (Sunday & yesterday). I was making a drop/hook today though, so I made sure to stop and buy a new mud flap instead of leaving the problem for the next driver. My highly skilled cutting of the bolt holes and precise turning of the wrenches were quite beautiful to behold.

Then I got down past Atlanta before the afternoon rush got heavy. That's always nice. After dropping off my loaded trailer, I was directed to another lot down the street where I would find an empty. There was no gate to this second lot so I just hooked to my empty trailer and then stayed there. After an hour and a half or so, I hadn't received an assignment. I was parked outside a JC Penney outlet store so I headed in to see what sorts of deals I might find. After grabbing a few items, I called the automated 800 number to check on my board status. Assigned to a load. Of course. So I cut my shopping excursion short and paid for my goods, then headed back outside.

BOO! NEW ASSIGNMENT! BOO!

The good: I'll have a decent day of work for tomorrow and I'm not going anywhere cold.

The bad: I got 12 miles for today.

The ugly: Tomorrow's load is a relay setting out from our Atlanta drop yard.

My 'reflects poorly' disclaimer is permanently up there at the top now, so I'm just gonna say it. This place is a fucking disgrace. A handful of large trucking companies use this yard and each of them should be ashamed. The location, along bullshit skinny roads with blind turns and steep hills, is entirely inappropriate for truck traffic. The yard itself, small and irregular, gets crowded and difficult to navigate far too easily. The nearest place to get something to eat or drink is over a mile away, along a road that doesn't lend itself to a leisurely walk. And, according to a message board conversation from a while back, there is an ant problem. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of ants, but my summary judgment on this place is that it sucks balls.

I made the quick trip over to the yard and dropped my empty trailer a little while ago, so that was that for today. My relay is due here by 11am tomorrow, at which time I'll be heading for Tampa. We'll have to see how screwed I am vis a vis parking after my drop tomorrow night, but at least the 456 loaded miles will get me over 1,600 for the week with Friday and Saturday still to come. Nice solid run for the weekend and some time to unwind at a Corleone estate on Saturday? We can hope, my friends. We can hope.