04/01/2010

Well today was about as easy as they come. I took off about 5am so I could make my projected eta to Wichita Falls, TX by 11am. I stopped off in Hewitt, Tx before the sun came up to grab a longgggggggggggg hot shower. Hot coffee and a hot shower what a way to start the day. I received my next work assignment about an hour prior to getting to Wichita Falls, TX.

I am to deliver a load of glass to the Montreal, PQ area on Tuesday morning at 10am. Now I could grab the load and dash up the highway and grab a reset somewhere along the way or I can opt to take my reset right here in Texas. Being that I am feeling lazy I decided to opt for Texas. So Saturday morning before the chickens get up I plan to grab the load and take off. I haven't quite decided to run over to Champlain, NY and enter there or proceed thru Port Heron in Michigan. I got a couple of days to make up my mind so we will see.

I moved over the the Walmart on the southwest side of town. There is a mall and quite a few eateries within walking distance. In fact there is a Texas Roadhouse just down the street and I am debating whether to make that tomorrow nights dinner or not. I will just have to wait and see how that plays out. For today there is a chinese buffet over by the mall everytime I went to stand up and go to the buffet she wanted to give me the check. Perhaps she thought I was eating to much or she was just trying to be nice. Not quite sure. Anyway it was about a mile from the truck so the way back to the truck was quite the challenge. I did fail to mention it was very good.

So for the rest of the day. I'll split my time between reading watching movies and perhaps a nap.

Life is good

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

03/31/2010

I've been genetically blessed. Even though I am closer to 50 than 40 and my physique considering my age has not failed me. But you will never find me in public without a shirt on.

This all leads into the premise that I found Billy Bob redneck tonight and I was disgusted. A man a decade or 2 younger than I and his genetics have totally failed him. While I don't hold the genetic failure against him. The fact that it had to paraded around the parking lot in Bib overalls (without a shirt) I will hold against him. Just like the idiot that runs around in a speedo. If your belly is larger than your waist you have no business in a speedo. If your man tits are larger than even a small portion of the female population you have absolutely no business running around without a shirt. On another note the wife beater t-shirts are tainted and should be avoided. The nick name should say it all.

Enough P.S.A. Message. And for those without total indoctrination in government speak that public service announcement.

Back to our regularly scheduled blog.

After I took off I made it to Grosse Tete, LA (please don't ask me to pronounce it, especially if a lady is around). Anyway next door to the truck stop was a place called “ Big head Barbq”. I ordered my old stand-by chicken fried steak. It was good! Admittedly it is hard to screw up chicken fried steak but I've seen it done. I got rolling as early as possible to make it to San Antonio a bit early in the hope I might get unloaded early, but it was not destined to be. I arrived 2 hours early for my appointment and they unloaded me exactly when the appointment time was. I can't and won't complain. It beats the hell out of getting unloaded late.

Once unloaded I got a dead head move to Wichita Falls, TX. Just in time for rush hour in not 1 but 2 cities. Both San Antonio and Austin, TX although admittedly I should have figured Austin as well and should have stopped short of Austin. So far my experience with Austin has not revealed a good time to hit Austin. So I'll be in Wichita Falls some time between 9-11am tomorrow morning. Until then …...

Have a good day

Bookerz out

03/29/2010

Today. What can I say about today without a long line of expletives.

Well unloading the glass went well. It was a small mom and pop operation and other than the drive area in front of the door I was to back in being to small (a little less than a truck length). They were extremely nice so the unloading process was pleasant.

After pulling out I broke down the racks figuring that my next load would a system load. My suspicion was confirmed when I was dispatched to GP in Throsby, Al for a load of lumber. I get there and the load is a preload. So all I have to do is secure and tarp the load and away I can go. After doing that I sent off my loaded macro. And I get back a bad trailer location message “call dispatch”. I called and that is when the pain started. We (meaning the specialized division) do not back haul system freight out of Texas. What that means to me is they can't send me with this load into Texas. So the final decision was for me to untarp and unsecure this load and return it to the factory. Not in that order by the way. Return to the factory was first in the list of things to do.

Somewhere along the line I lost my reading glasses. And I can't read the messages bouncing back and forth. So I am calling dispatch everytime to find out what is going on.

Well after returning the load I received a new work assignment. I am going back up to Birmingham (where I started my day) and pick up a load of steel. Along the way up there I found a place where I could pull over and go in and get several pairs of reading glass. I determined it is good to have back ups just in case this happens again.

I finally get upto Birmingham and this has to be the worst steel mill I've been to so far at least as far as getting you in and out of the plant. I get there about 7:30 and after everything was said and down it was 12:30 cst.

Not fun. So now I am just waiting for my 10 break to be over to start this days adventure. After yesterday today will seem like a breeze.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

03/26/2010 - 03/28/2010

As I was headed to the customer I got my next work assignment. I am to go to Laurinburg and pick up a load to Bessemer, Al for Monday.

So no sooner do I get unloaded I headed to Laurinburg grabbed my load and headed for the house. There was a bit of a hold up at the plant but I still got home by 7pm.

I'll be leaving the house Sunday at 2pm. I googled the place and it looks like I'll be able to park over night at the customer. So I plan to head straight to the customer. I am pulling a flatbed so the possibilities for tomorrow are pretty much endless. At any rate it should be easier to find a load for me.

Have a nice day
Bookerz out