11/20/2009

IF I had looked at what the weather was going to be I would have stayed up last night and tightened the ropes and bungeed this load. But, I didn't so there I was this morning doing just that in the rain. The mud in the yard turn into glue on my shoes and I tracked it into my truck. If I had had my thinking cap on and it was entirely to early for that to happen I would have shucked my shoes prior to climbing in the truck. Live and learn and clean I say.

Corsicana, Tx is an hour south of the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area and there is no good way to avoid it and I was going to traverse the area during morning rush hour on a Friday and it is raining. I had check the weather to see how far it extended and it reached just to the northwest of DFW area. So with considerable dread I head out. Amazingly the dunder heads stayed home today (must have called in sick). I averaged 50mph or better through out the area. I get just a little northwest of Fort Worth and the rain dissipates. Even the weather channel had it right what are the chances of that.

The only other planned stop today was to top of the fuel tnks in Amarillo, TX. Made it there only 15mins later that planned all is going good.

Pulled the pull on the day at Tucumcari, NM at the Flying J. Going to do a 34 hr reset here and take off Sunday morning. So the only question now is buffet tonight or in the morning. Feeling more like eating breakfast stuff so tomorrow morning it is.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/19/2009

Got up to Grenada, MS about 8:30am 1.5 hrs early. They told me to pull along side the building, where I would unload and untarp the load. Sometimes I would double check that there were sure they wanted me to untarp outside, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky so good enough. As I untarped the load I realized it could be monsoon season raining cats and dogs and this glass wouldn't get wet.

First, there was the tarp on the outside. There always is

Second, there was a sheet of visqueen (plastic). It was the nice and thick kind. Draped over each set of glass rack and glass. Laurinburg does this as well. Maybe the plastic isn't as thick but still a layer of protection.

Third, around each 2-3 stocces of glass was another thick layer of plastic sealing them up as tight as a well wrapped christmas present.

Forth. and I'm not sure the purpose of this. Each strip of stryphome used to seperate the stocces and up against the racks themselves, was in a plastic bag designed for just that purpose.

It was a bit of overkill and created a ton of extra garbage, but that glass wasn't going to get wet.

Once I was unloaded I still had 450 miles to go to get to Corsicana, TX. It was going to be tight getting over there before my legal drive/work time ran out. I was forced to ignore trying to get good fuel mileage and stand in the pedal the entire way. I got there and they were working on the trailer. It was initially suppose to load on a step deck, they didn't have any. Then they tried to load it on a flat bed but the glass with the crates around it was to tall. So........ fortunately for me they ended up having to put the load on a DGL trailer. The only one they had. The yard dog came over and said that this load screwed up about 2 or 3 other loads because of the trailer changes. Let me take a moment to explain why I like DGLs. I get about .5 more miles to the gallon of fuel, between better aerodynamics and the tandoms on the trailer being together at the rear. They are easier trailers to drive/pull as well. Another point is they are only good for hauling glass. Which means I'll either get a backhaul of glass (very easy load to tarp and secure) or they will deadhead me back to the middle of the country empty to get my next load.

Once I got the news that I would be pulling a DGL and it would be ready in the morning off to bed I went whistling a happy tune.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/18/2009

Made it to Kentwood, LA just before I ran out of drive time. There are two Kanagroo express here both clain to be truck stops. The back of one looks like it used as a drop yard and there is an 8-10 inch dropoff from the paved area into the parking area. Didn't want to traverse the drop with a load of glass, empty maybe. The other really didn't have any truck parking but I made a spot.

Preplan came across the qualcomm. Picking up in Corsicanna, TX to Kingsburg, CA. My second CA run. It's be tight on the log, but I can make it. Trying to make sure it's a preloaded trailer that will help with loosing up the log.

Still have 3.5 hrs to make it to Grenada, MS then off to Corsicanna, TX. Going to have to run as fast as possible today to stay legal.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/17/2009

At 6:15 the customer knocks on the cab. I was awake, so I think I startled him a bit when I hopped out of the bunk.and cheerily said "Good morning". He asked if I was ready to pull it in and pull it in I did. It was a nice pull thru bay, no backing skills required. Nice way to start the day. Wasn't ready to pull out of the bay till 8:30, but I imagine that I was still an hour to an hour and a half ahead of schedule.

The fastest, but not shortest, way to Laredo is to slide down TX Loop 8 to I10w and catch I35 in San Antonio and proceed south. A route I've taken once before. The slower and shorter way is to take some outer road around Houston down to US59 down to Laredo. The route less traveled you might say and never by me. So off I went and a nice ride it was. The hour and a half I had gained earlier in the day was use by taking this route, but it was in it own Texan way more scenic.

I got to the drop yard with about 3-4 hours of driving time left. I decided to at least knock out a 100 or so miles of the journey. With doing that I won't have to get up quite so early on Thursday. I stopped at a picnic area along US59. There are no lights out here except for the occasional vehicle passing by and the stars seem exceptionally bright. Nice, very nice would have been a perfect place to view the metier shower.

Side note: I need to find a blog tool with spell check

Well should be around 600 miles on the agenda tomorrow should put me somewhere in Mississippi.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/16/2009

Started my day at 3:30 central and had a good day save for hitting Baton Rouge, LA at morning rush hour. But even that wasn't all that bad. Stopped at a Casino/Resturant/Truck stop in Crowley, LA for lunch. I usually don't eat in the middle of the day but the hungry monster was in full attack mode. Couldn't smoke in the resturant not that is all that surprising, but it does cut short how long I'm willing to lounge around inside. I could smoke in the casino (weird). Now I didn't do any gambling. They only had machines and for some reason I have something against losing money to a machine. I'll play powerball and megamillions $1 at a time, but I want somebody on the other side of the table if I want to risk real money. Strange I know and logic has absolutely nothing to do with it. You can and will lose as much as you put up no matter what at least in the end.

I want to take a moment at Thank the TEXAS Department of transportation. You get off the wrong exit off an interstate in most other states and you will play hell getting back on the right track. In most places in Texas just follow the access road that parallels the interstate and you will eventually be able to correct your error. Kudos to the state of Texas from the directionally handicapped.

I got a preplan today and from here, at the consignee, after I get unloaded I'll be headed to Laredo, TX and picking up a load that is coming out of Mexico going to Grenada, MS for Thursday morning.

Now it is time to look around and see what kind of vittles I can dig up around here.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/15/2009

What a nice weekend!!

Took the wife our youngest and her boyfriend out to real nice dinner and didn't ravage the account to bad on Friday. Started reloading my computer with audiobooks to listen to as I treverse the highways and byways of America. Saturday we went and Saw the movie "2012". it was very good. Swap out my dvd library, not the entire library next time through the house I'll have to do that. We had some made at home lasgana as opposed to homemade lasgana. The homemade version while tastier is way to expensive and time consuming.

Took off at 7am. Stopped by the Pilot just south of Greenville, SC refilled the fuel tanks and my wallet. Made it down too Bay Minette, AL in what can only be described as an uneventful and pleasant drive. Not sure when I'll take off Monday morning got about 530 miles to go to the consignee. It will be a no alarm clock morning, but I got as feeling that a early start is still in the future.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/12-13/2009

Bout 10am got a load assignment. It doesn't deliver until Tuesday so earning for the week is done. The good news is I get home a day early buttttt I have to leave Sunday to make it there on time. It all balances out in the end. Figured (hoped) that the load would not be finished till just before 2nd shift went home for the day. I took a long nap from 1 till 7 pm so I could drive thru the night and get home in the early morning. The load was in fact finished at 10:30pm when I called to check on it.

The load was missing the rope for the ladder sections on the tarp so I had to go and dig some up. I got under way around midnight and made it to the rest area on I26 west of Columbia, SC before it was necessary to pull over and take a short nap. Those hours just before sun up are almost impossible for me to drive thru. Got home around 7am it is time to start my weekend at home.

Have a good day/weekend!

Bookerz out