10/01/2009

I got up fired up the coffee maker. While I waited for it I did my pretrip and as soon as the coffee maker was done I started rolling. They are redoing hwy35 through WV and with the fog adjusting to the new traffic pattern was a bit challenging. Once they get that area completed it will be a nice ride through there 4 lane and all that.

This cold is steadly kick my arse. So I made it to Brintle's in NC and pulled in to grab an hour nap. Woke up feeling slightly better and drove the rest of the way to Laurinburg NC. Had on one hand hoped for another load that would close this week but with this week being my home time and there being only 4 loads on the yard. I consider myself lucky to get a load at all.

At any rate I grabbed my load that is scheduled for Ottawa, IL Monday @ 11:59. Take it to the house and leave out on Sunday to make my way there.

Have a nice weekend

Bookerz out

09/30/2009

Day went well. Consignee signaled me to pull in at 3:50 am an hour and 45 mins later I was empty and headed down the road. Quick and easy pass through the border and on my way to Carleton, MI. On my way I got a qualcomm msg. I got to swap trailers at Carleton and bring this one down to Laurinburg, Nc so they replace some equipment. So no live load SWEET!!!. A light and easy haul 800 with an empty trailer very good for MPG. Topped the fuel tanks off in Monroe, MI and grabbed some grub at Arby's for the belly and away we go. HWY 23 through to hwy35 in Ohio in a nice drive 4 lane and not very busy except around Columbus, OH make for an easy drive. Only made it to Harrisburg, OH a cold seems to be nipping at my heels. So its off to bed with a Nyquil bracer hoping I feel better in the am.

Should pull into Laurinburg about noon and see whats available. Perhaps I get something that closes this week and perhaps not. Here's the results for the week so far.....

09/29/2009

Weellll. Last night there were 2 other trucks when I got there. Walk in talk to security. Security says "They'll take care of you on 3rd shift". OK my appointment wasn't until 1am no harm, no foul. Set my alarm for 11pm. Gotta use a "Screamin Meanie" no wimpy cell phone alarms for me. There's a DGL (takes about 2 hrs from start to finish) and a Step deck (2.5-2.75 hrs) in front of me. Set my alarm for 3:30. About 4:45 the step deck rolls out and I back into the bay. Not sure who was slow, but someone was. One of the dock worker walks by and ask me if I was their 1am load. I said "Yes and that I was a bit late". This would come back to haunt me. Why I said I was late is beyond me. Maybe I was trying to hard to be a nice guy or something. All I know is as soon as the truck in front of me pulled out I pulled in. The dock worker said it was no problem. I'm thinking I didn't have a choice in the matter, so it was a good thing it wasn't a problem.

Apparently some big cheese didn't get his latte served fast enough or the mocha wasn't creamy enough. He ask the dock worker why they were still unloading a truck at 6am in the morning. He (the dock worker) then proceeds to throw me under the bus because I said "I was late". Knowing full well that I pulled in as soon as the previous truck pulled out. Somehow there was overtime involved and the big cheese wasn't pleased and being a truck driver and not at that facility everyday I got a big red bullseye painted on my back. It perked through their system and then over to our system. And about noon I'm trying to explain to my boss why I was late. Which after explaining it all it was determined I wasn't late, but that I shouldn't have admitted fault.

Anyway it didn't effect my service record in the end. But it did serve to remind me that the ass I'm getting ready to kiss could actually be a big greyhound bus.

Enough with the negativity.

Grabbed my load from the drop yard about 11am. It weights in at a hefty 46600 which is very close to the upper limits of this trailer. So off to the scale I go. Over on the drives 260lbs and the rears are over 120lbs. Slide the fifth wheel time. This is only the second time I've every had to do this and the first time was over 10 months ago. It had to be funny at least to driver sitting in his cab watching me. It broke free easily enough it was trying to get the pins into the right set of holes that provided the comedic relief. Back and forth over and over again. Finally got them into the holes I wanted. Re-wiegh steer good, drives good, and the rears were upto 180 over but I was authorized that much so all is good and away I go.

Made it through Joilet and Chicagoland without a hiccup (sweet). And the rest of the journey proved just as painless. Entering Canada especially compared to getting back into the states was especially easy today. Pull into the consignee at 8pm and off to bed 3:30 am comes early

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

9/28/2009

Bucked a head wind it seemed all day other than that no weather or bad traffic to complain about. 650 miles later sitting in the consignee's partking lot for a 1am delivery with 3 other trucks gonna be a long night. Best grab me a nap so I'm gonna keep it short. Already got a preplan for a pick up here and delivery in St. Thomas ON for WED @ 3:30am only 442 miles so it should be a problem but I got a feeling my arse will be dragging after making that delivery.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

09/27/2009

Still working on my reset. Went in to have some breakfast, it was amazingly good (or I was extremely hungry) for a Huddle House. About 9:30 called my folks they live about an hour from here and just thought I touch base and say hi. I don't call nearly enough. Anyway once they figured out where I was they were on the way so we could spend the day together and have a nice time. I had left the cell phone and didn't think to call and let my wife know so there was hell to pay once I got back. Having smoothed those choppy waters a little bit it was time to goto bed. Over slept about an hour but no worries there wasn't anyway I could be late.

Have a nice day

Bookerz Out

9/26/2009

Lets see we left off at that crappy truckstop at x76 on I95 in GA El Cheapo Fuel. I guess there actually is a great deal in a name.

I took off and stop shortly for fuel it still dark 30 in the am. Top off my tanks. Went inside to trans-flo some paperwork. This place had a Sub-way and a Mcdonalds. Now its about 4am and the MickyDs was closed and the Subway open I thought that was wierd but who am I. So much for getting something to eat.

Made it to Laurinburg dropped my trailer and grabbed a shower. Decided to bob tail into town to restock at Walmart and return the Linksys NIC. It wasn't doing any better than the built in NIC and beside I got an ATT nic which can also receive regular wifi signals. So with $70 more than I planned (thought they would put the money back on my bankcard) I proceeded to purchase some supplies.

Have restocked the truck it was time to grab my load and see how far I could get with the pityful few hours I had left on my 70 hour clock. Made it up by Flecther Home, NC before I had to shut it down. There just inst a real good way to go through Charlotte when traveling east-west or west-east, but it being Saturday helped alot. The whole day was heavily overcast and misty or light rain from Laurinburg to here but It wasn't heavy enough to drive the 4 wheelers crazy. So it turned out to be a nice drive overall.

Tonights culinary choices include (drumroll please) Huddle House (greasy spoon on a regional scale) or Bojangles (all things chicken) hmmmm. Think I'll wait till I'm hungier then decide.

Have a good day

Bookerz out