We got our wish; we're heading home.
This load is going from southern New Jersey to Mira Loma, just up the street from the house. It doesn't deliver until Monday morning but we should be there by Saturday so we're hoping to leave the trailer in Prime's yard in Ontario and spend the rest of the weekend at home.
We won't mind being in warmer weather, either.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
October surprise
What a difference six weeks makes!
We stopped last night at a rest area in the Poconos that we had stopped at back in September. Here's the photo I took back then.
We stopped last night at a rest area in the Poconos that we had stopped at back in September. Here's the photo I took back then.
We woke up this morning to find the ground covered with 2 inches of snow.
Fortunately, we missed the worst of the storm, which had closed highways in Pennsylvania and New Jersey yesterday. By the time we got down into the city, there was no more snow on the ground, though we did get a few flurries while we waited to get unloaded.
We hope this isn't an indication of the kind of winter we're going to have this year.
We're waiting at a service plaza on the New Jersey Turnpike for our next load assignment. Would love to go somewhere out west or south where it's warm.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Back to Jersey
We spent most of the day Monday having our QualComm messaging system fixed. It wasn’t a total loss, however, as we got to enjoy lunch at an authentic Chicago hot dog stand across the street from the repair shop.
We were hoping we’d be done in time to pickup a load going to Fresno but no such luck. Instead we were assigned a load of beef going from Forest Park, IL (more about this city in the following post) to Woodbridge, NJ (just south of NYC).
The weather turned very cold and windy. We even saw a few snow flurries in Chicago and as we drove across Indiana today. We’re hoping the bad weather in New Jersey clears up before we get there tomorrow morning.
Our route took us by Grandpa’s Cheese Barn in Ohio so I got to experience the aisles of cheese, meats, canned veggies and relishes, and candy for myself. We picked up a variety of cheese and meats for dinner along with a jar of peaches and some sweets, including chocolate-covered Fritos, which are surprisingly good! We would have bought more but our refrigerator isn’t big enough to hold everything we wanted to get.
We were hoping we’d be done in time to pickup a load going to Fresno but no such luck. Instead we were assigned a load of beef going from Forest Park, IL (more about this city in the following post) to Woodbridge, NJ (just south of NYC).
The weather turned very cold and windy. We even saw a few snow flurries in Chicago and as we drove across Indiana today. We’re hoping the bad weather in New Jersey clears up before we get there tomorrow morning.
Our route took us by Grandpa’s Cheese Barn in Ohio so I got to experience the aisles of cheese, meats, canned veggies and relishes, and candy for myself. We picked up a variety of cheese and meats for dinner along with a jar of peaches and some sweets, including chocolate-covered Fritos, which are surprisingly good! We would have bought more but our refrigerator isn’t big enough to hold everything we wanted to get.
The old neighborhood
Our pickup this morning was in Forest Park, IL just on the edge of downtown Chicago. We arrived at night so we couldn’t really see what the neighborhood around Weinstein Wholesale Meats was like. In the morning, we realized this was just the right place for a business named Weinstein.
Apparently, Forest Park has been the Jewish center of Chicago for a number of years. Leaving the shipper, we drove past a row of Jewish cemeteries, several dating from the mid-1800’s. Many of the area businesses also had Jewish names. Growing up in the suburbs, we never experienced the type of ethnic neighborhoods that were – and remain – an integral part of many urban areas.
The scene changed quite suddenly as we crossed into Oak Park, IL. This was a community of quaint older homes, one of which was the home and original studio of the great architect Frank Lloyd Wright around the turn of the century. The community embraces its favorite son with street signs and banners reflecting Wright’s distinctive style.
(PERSONAL SIDE NOTE - Mike’s daughters are related to Wright on their mom’s side of the family, the Lloyd-Joneses. The extended family meets for periodic reunions near Wright’s Taliesin property in Wisconsin.)
We’re sure that many of the dynamics that created these ethnic neighborhoods in the 1800’s are also at work in creating the Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Korean neighborhoods that have sprung up in many suburbs today. Our hope is that these new communities will evolve in the same way as their predecessors, eventually assimilating their culture into the overall fabric of America.
Apparently, Forest Park has been the Jewish center of Chicago for a number of years. Leaving the shipper, we drove past a row of Jewish cemeteries, several dating from the mid-1800’s. Many of the area businesses also had Jewish names. Growing up in the suburbs, we never experienced the type of ethnic neighborhoods that were – and remain – an integral part of many urban areas.
The scene changed quite suddenly as we crossed into Oak Park, IL. This was a community of quaint older homes, one of which was the home and original studio of the great architect Frank Lloyd Wright around the turn of the century. The community embraces its favorite son with street signs and banners reflecting Wright’s distinctive style.
(PERSONAL SIDE NOTE - Mike’s daughters are related to Wright on their mom’s side of the family, the Lloyd-Joneses. The extended family meets for periodic reunions near Wright’s Taliesin property in Wisconsin.)
We’re sure that many of the dynamics that created these ethnic neighborhoods in the 1800’s are also at work in creating the Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Korean neighborhoods that have sprung up in many suburbs today. Our hope is that these new communities will evolve in the same way as their predecessors, eventually assimilating their culture into the overall fabric of America.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
This little piggie went to Chic-hog-o
We're on our way to Carpentersville, IL just northwest of Chicago with a load of hams. Obviously, they are going to be processed further as they are literally just piled into giant cardboard bins (much like the ones you're seeing at the grocery stores right now filled with pumpkins) that are lined and covered with plastic.
We picked them up in Smithfield, which is famous for its country hams (along with lots of other pork products). Unlike "city hams" which still have the water in them, country hams are cured and then air dried. They have a very rich, intense taste; I had some for breakfast yesterday.
Anyway, this load is due for delivery on Monday morning at 9:30 so we can take our time, which is good since we're having to lug our way over the Smokey Mountains past lots of coal-mining towns. Not surprisingly, we've seen lots of billboards touting coal as a viable source of alternative energy.
We picked them up in Smithfield, which is famous for its country hams (along with lots of other pork products). Unlike "city hams" which still have the water in them, country hams are cured and then air dried. They have a very rich, intense taste; I had some for breakfast yesterday.
Anyway, this load is due for delivery on Monday morning at 9:30 so we can take our time, which is good since we're having to lug our way over the Smokey Mountains past lots of coal-mining towns. Not surprisingly, we've seen lots of billboards touting coal as a viable source of alternative energy.
Better days
There’s a lot of talk about the demise of “mom and pop” and “family-owned” business these days. Usually, Wal-Mart and other big corporations get the blame. While that may be true in some instances, Lori and I have come to the conclusion that another big reason is the dwindling sense of family tradition and pride.
We’ve seen that theory in action over the past few days. Since there were no large chain truck stops near Suffolk, we waited for our next load assignment at Big Charlie’s Travel Plaza. It had the appearance of having once been a first-class operation but it has now become a bit ragged around the edges. Another trucker, who obviously saw our hesitation as we inspected the showers, said “Charlie’s used to be one of the best truck stops in the country. Then Big Charlie died and his kids took over. It wasn’t too long before they sold it to these people and it became like this.” We can only assume “these people” had no knowledge or appreciation of what Charlie’s used to be.
Last night we witnessed an example of how good an independently-owned business can be. White’s Truck Stop in Raphine, Virginia is owned by Dick White. There’s no doubt this is his place. Though he’s getting on in years, he’s there every day talking to the customers and overseeing the operation. The walls are lined with his gun and knife collection, photos and newspaper clippings reflecting his love of motorcycles, and his personal collection of antique and vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles in a small glass garage by the front door.
There’s an obvious sense of pride about the place, and it flows from the top down. The question is, what will happen when Mr. White is no longer able to watch over the place. We’re not sure if any of his children are involved in the operation or if there is another “heir apparent” that will carry on the tradition of the place. We can only hope so because we’ve seen what can happen to a place that loses the sense of pride that comes with tradition.
We’ve seen that theory in action over the past few days. Since there were no large chain truck stops near Suffolk, we waited for our next load assignment at Big Charlie’s Travel Plaza. It had the appearance of having once been a first-class operation but it has now become a bit ragged around the edges. Another trucker, who obviously saw our hesitation as we inspected the showers, said “Charlie’s used to be one of the best truck stops in the country. Then Big Charlie died and his kids took over. It wasn’t too long before they sold it to these people and it became like this.” We can only assume “these people” had no knowledge or appreciation of what Charlie’s used to be.
Last night we witnessed an example of how good an independently-owned business can be. White’s Truck Stop in Raphine, Virginia is owned by Dick White. There’s no doubt this is his place. Though he’s getting on in years, he’s there every day talking to the customers and overseeing the operation. The walls are lined with his gun and knife collection, photos and newspaper clippings reflecting his love of motorcycles, and his personal collection of antique and vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles in a small glass garage by the front door.
There’s an obvious sense of pride about the place, and it flows from the top down. The question is, what will happen when Mr. White is no longer able to watch over the place. We’re not sure if any of his children are involved in the operation or if there is another “heir apparent” that will carry on the tradition of the place. We can only hope so because we’ve seen what can happen to a place that loses the sense of pride that comes with tradition.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Land of the moose
I think we've now been as far away from home as possible while still being in the continental United States. (It actually made Lori a little homesick.)
We may not get another assignment for awhile since our QualComm message device isn't working properly.
Maine is beautiful but very remote.; thick pine forests and rolling hills. We literally drove for hours without seeing a building. There were also lots of signs warning about moose on the roadway. Unfortunately, we never saw one (though we did stop to have lunch at the Blue Moose Restaurant). The high temperature was somewhere in the low 40s after dropping into the 20s the night before; a brisk autumn day.
The load we picked up was frozen french fries, though this plant makes fries and Tater Tots for a variety of companies (including McDonald's and Ore-Ida; maybe they should change the name of their company to Ore-Ida-Ma).
Fortunately, the load was going to a warmer location; Suffolk, Virginia. We're sitting at the loading dock now waiting to get unloaded.
Our route took us over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel, a 20-mile structure crossing the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Here are some photos of the bridge and the tunnel (though the tunnel picture looks a bit surrealistic).
We may not get another assignment for awhile since our QualComm message device isn't working properly.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Switcheroo
We never made it to Pottsville with our Sara Lee frozen pies. That's because we got a call from headquarters asking us to swap trailers with another driver who didn't have enough driving hours left to make his delivery. So he took our trailer to Pottsville and we took his trailer full of Yoplait yogurt to Haverhill, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston).
Even before we got there we had a pre-planned assignment going from Leominster, Massachusetts to Easton, Maine. Which brings us to today's geography question; where the heck is Easton, Maine? It wasn't listed in our atlas so we had to ask headquarters where it is. Turns out it's on the border of Maine and New Brunswick.
I have decided that 53-foot tractor trailers do not belong in New England. Since many of these towns were originally laid out in the 1700's, (the city limit sign on one town we went through - Lancaster, MA - said it was established in 1683), they didn't leave a lot of room on the roads for trucks this size. Give me the wide open spaces of the west any day!
Lori and I were wondering what the heck we would be taking to Maine and what (if anything) gets shipped out of there. Answer: We're bringing empty cardboard boxes to hold frozen french fries and we're taking out filled boxes of frozen food. It should be a quick turn around; drop the trailer of boxes, pick up the pre-loaded trailer of frozen food, and then hit the road for Suffolk, VA.
Even before we got there we had a pre-planned assignment going from Leominster, Massachusetts to Easton, Maine. Which brings us to today's geography question; where the heck is Easton, Maine? It wasn't listed in our atlas so we had to ask headquarters where it is. Turns out it's on the border of Maine and New Brunswick.
I have decided that 53-foot tractor trailers do not belong in New England. Since many of these towns were originally laid out in the 1700's, (the city limit sign on one town we went through - Lancaster, MA - said it was established in 1683), they didn't leave a lot of room on the roads for trucks this size. Give me the wide open spaces of the west any day!
Lori and I were wondering what the heck we would be taking to Maine and what (if anything) gets shipped out of there. Answer: We're bringing empty cardboard boxes to hold frozen french fries and we're taking out filled boxes of frozen food. It should be a quick turn around; drop the trailer of boxes, pick up the pre-loaded trailer of frozen food, and then hit the road for Suffolk, VA.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee
Yep, we've got a load of Sara Lee products going from one Sara Lee plant in Traverse City, Michigan (just across the lake from Michigan's Upper Penisula) to another Sara Lee plant in Pottsville, PA (near Allentown).
It's a fairly short run with lots of time so it should be a bit more relaxed than last trip (crossing fingers).
It's a fairly short run with lots of time so it should be a bit more relaxed than last trip (crossing fingers).
Go, Dog, Go!
What promised to be a lovely trip from the California coast through the Rockies to Detroit turned into a bit like the title of the Dr. Suess book featuring driving dogs.
The delivery instructions were very explicit on this load - do not be late as it needs to arrive between 3 and 5 a.m. to meet the production schedule at the receiver's location (Fresh Pak salad in Detroit). That wouldn't have been a problem except for a four-hour delay leaving Santa Barbara. Add to that the fact that the speed/rpm governor setting on our truck meant that the uphill sections of Utah and the Rockies were spent going about 35 mph and you end up with a trip during which we barely had time to "heed nature's call" if we were going to make the appointment.
With a little luck and putting the accelator to the floor, we managed to arrive at 4:45 a.m. - and then proceeded to wait for 4 1/2 hours! Needless to say, we let our fleet manager know. We'll see if anything comes of it.
We understand why Prime wants to limit the speed on it's company trucks (fuel mileage) and we really don't have a problem running at slower speeds since higher fuel mileage means pay bonuses for us. However, we are going to ask Cheryl, our fleet manager, if we can have the speed on our truck turned up (which Prime will do on your fleet manager's approval) - not because we want to go tearing across the flat lands but because we really need to be able to go faster than 35 mph uphill. Not only do we think it's a problem when it comes to being on time, it can also create a safety hazard as cars and trucks approach us from the rear.
The delivery instructions were very explicit on this load - do not be late as it needs to arrive between 3 and 5 a.m. to meet the production schedule at the receiver's location (Fresh Pak salad in Detroit). That wouldn't have been a problem except for a four-hour delay leaving Santa Barbara. Add to that the fact that the speed/rpm governor setting on our truck meant that the uphill sections of Utah and the Rockies were spent going about 35 mph and you end up with a trip during which we barely had time to "heed nature's call" if we were going to make the appointment.
With a little luck and putting the accelator to the floor, we managed to arrive at 4:45 a.m. - and then proceeded to wait for 4 1/2 hours! Needless to say, we let our fleet manager know. We'll see if anything comes of it.
We understand why Prime wants to limit the speed on it's company trucks (fuel mileage) and we really don't have a problem running at slower speeds since higher fuel mileage means pay bonuses for us. However, we are going to ask Cheryl, our fleet manager, if we can have the speed on our truck turned up (which Prime will do on your fleet manager's approval) - not because we want to go tearing across the flat lands but because we really need to be able to go faster than 35 mph uphill. Not only do we think it's a problem when it comes to being on time, it can also create a safety hazard as cars and trucks approach us from the rear.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Motor City salad
You've heard of America's breadbasket. Well, today we're in America's lettuce bowl - California's Central Coast and Central Valley.
First, we're picking up lettuce in Lompoc, CA, which is on the coast just north of Santa Barbara and west of Santa Ynez, CA. You may know the area as the location of President Reagan's ranch and the Danish town of Solvang.
Driving through the area we've seen fields of lettuce, peppers, and artichokes. The fields sit on a large flat plain between the ocean and the coastal hills.
After we pick up the lettuce, we're going to Arvin (just south of Bakersfield) to pick up fresh carrots. From there, it's onto Detroit by early Monday morning.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Apologies
My apologies to blog reader and Seguin resident, Tron, for my repeated misspellings of his hometown. He, the residents of Seguin, and the town's namesake, Juan Seguin - a hero of Texas' struggle for independence - deserve better.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Deja vu all over again
We're back in Seguin, TX, sitting at the Tyson plant, waiting for a load of fresh chicken headed to - you guessed it - Walnut, CA and Oxnard, CA. Seems like these two Sysco Food Services centers have a standing weekly order for chicken.
This trip isn't exactly the same as last time, however. This morning we had to swing by Big Rig Truck Accessories in New Braunfels, TX and pick up a new cover and latch kit for our APU generator compartment. It seems we "lost" the old ones somewhere between Deming, NM and San Antonio last week.
I thought it would be a fairly straightforward process to put on the new latches (and being a good "company man" I figured we could save Prime the cost of an installation), so we just picked up the new items and headed for Seguin where I proceeded to undertake the installation while Lori did a load of laundry at the local laundramat.
I don't think my hands will ever be clean again. What I thought would be a relatively quick and simple job ended up requiring my crawling around under the truck to remove the bottom cover of the APU compartment and then squeezing my fingers into two little openings to loosen and re-attach some screws, a process that took a good hour to complete. I'm still on the lookout for a bar of Lava soap to get the grease out from under my fingernails.
Anyway, we're hoping to be back at home again Thursday afternoon/evening.
This trip isn't exactly the same as last time, however. This morning we had to swing by Big Rig Truck Accessories in New Braunfels, TX and pick up a new cover and latch kit for our APU generator compartment. It seems we "lost" the old ones somewhere between Deming, NM and San Antonio last week.
I thought it would be a fairly straightforward process to put on the new latches (and being a good "company man" I figured we could save Prime the cost of an installation), so we just picked up the new items and headed for Seguin where I proceeded to undertake the installation while Lori did a load of laundry at the local laundramat.
I don't think my hands will ever be clean again. What I thought would be a relatively quick and simple job ended up requiring my crawling around under the truck to remove the bottom cover of the APU compartment and then squeezing my fingers into two little openings to loosen and re-attach some screws, a process that took a good hour to complete. I'm still on the lookout for a bar of Lava soap to get the grease out from under my fingernails.
Anyway, we're hoping to be back at home again Thursday afternoon/evening.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Texas history
We made it to San Antonio on Sunday afternoon and spent the rest of the day watching football and the Dodgers' playoff game (since the Angels are already out of the playoffs).
With all day Monday open (since our delivery wasn't scheduled until 8:00 p.m.), we called for a taxi and headed downtown to the Alamo. Being from Southern California, we related to the building's history and architecture as a mission. But after hearing the story of the battle of the Alamo, it become clear why Texans have such pride in their heritage. To those of us not from Texas, "Remember the Alamo" is just a phrase we learned in American history class. From what we can tell, many Texans continue to take it to heart. However, I like the phrase attributed to Davy Crockett (and embroidered, printed, and silk screened on all sorts of souvenirs), "You may all got to hell, and I will go to Texas."
Here are some photos I took while we were there...
The iconic front facade (which is actually the church that was located at the rear of the compound). The characteristic "hump" in the top center of the front was added many years after the battle by the U.S. Army.
With all day Monday open (since our delivery wasn't scheduled until 8:00 p.m.), we called for a taxi and headed downtown to the Alamo. Being from Southern California, we related to the building's history and architecture as a mission. But after hearing the story of the battle of the Alamo, it become clear why Texans have such pride in their heritage. To those of us not from Texas, "Remember the Alamo" is just a phrase we learned in American history class. From what we can tell, many Texans continue to take it to heart. However, I like the phrase attributed to Davy Crockett (and embroidered, printed, and silk screened on all sorts of souvenirs), "You may all got to hell, and I will go to Texas."
Here are some photos I took while we were there...
The iconic front facade (which is actually the church that was located at the rear of the compound). The characteristic "hump" in the top center of the front was added many years after the battle by the U.S. Army.
A well outside the "Long Barracks" which originally housed the priests during the mission period. This section of the compound eventually became part of a large grocery store operation. Over the years, it was forgotten until the grocery store was scheduled to be demolished. That's when a local woman bought the site and led an effort to have the barracks restored.
The Alamo is just a short walk away from the River Walk, a series of restaurants, shops, hotels, and other businesses located along the river that runs through downtown. Actually, river level is about 20 feet lower than street level, which makes it easy to forget you're in the middle of a major metropolitan downtown.
We walked along some of it and then took a 30-minute guided tour boat ride. Here are some photos of that...
All in all, it was a fun and informative day.
Not sure where we're going next but we'll find out soon enough!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Back to Texas
We did have an opportunity to spend some time at home yesterday, taking care of a few chores around the house, doing the laundry, and sleeping in our own bed (if only for a few hours).
We've just finished unloading the second part of our load of Tyson chicken here in Oxnard and are preparing to head over to our next pickup, which is only about 1 mile away. It's a load of frozen bread going to the HEB Grocery distribution center in San Antonio, TX. The delivery appointment isn't until Monday evening so we're thinking we'll arrive Sunday and be able to spend some time along San Antonio's Riverwalk. I'll be sure to post some photos if we do.
We've just finished unloading the second part of our load of Tyson chicken here in Oxnard and are preparing to head over to our next pickup, which is only about 1 mile away. It's a load of frozen bread going to the HEB Grocery distribution center in San Antonio, TX. The delivery appointment isn't until Monday evening so we're thinking we'll arrive Sunday and be able to spend some time along San Antonio's Riverwalk. I'll be sure to post some photos if we do.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Dinner break
We've just had a nice dinner with our son and daughter, Brent and Christina, in Phoenix. The load from Texas was ready soon enough that we were able to spend a few hours with them and still be able to make our delivery in Walnut, CA tomorrow morning.
Brent has joined with with several other mortgage industry folks to start up a new mortgage company, Lendability. (You can check out their website a www.lendability.com.) They are getting a lot of traffic and inquiries, even with the slow state of the industry. We are confident in both Brent's abilities and the future of the economy, so we are hopeful their business will soon be booming.
We think, however, the heat has affected their senses. Here it is the first week in October and the temperature gauges we saw today were reading well over 100 degrees. When we commented about the heat to Brent and Christina, they said no, the weather was beautiful today. Well, at least it's a "dry heat."
We're hoping to spend a little time at home tomorrow as our first delivery is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 a.m., with the second part of the load not due for delivery until Friday morning at 11:30. We'll have to wait and see, though, as schedules could still change.
Brent has joined with with several other mortgage industry folks to start up a new mortgage company, Lendability. (You can check out their website a www.lendability.com.) They are getting a lot of traffic and inquiries, even with the slow state of the industry. We are confident in both Brent's abilities and the future of the economy, so we are hopeful their business will soon be booming.
We think, however, the heat has affected their senses. Here it is the first week in October and the temperature gauges we saw today were reading well over 100 degrees. When we commented about the heat to Brent and Christina, they said no, the weather was beautiful today. Well, at least it's a "dry heat."
We're hoping to spend a little time at home tomorrow as our first delivery is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 a.m., with the second part of the load not due for delivery until Friday morning at 11:30. We'll have to wait and see, though, as schedules could still change.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Quickie
We're sitting in a dock at a receiver in Austin, Texas.
This is our second delivery of the day after picking up an already loaded trailer at Prime's drop yard in Justin, TX (a small town between Dallas and Fort Worth where they make Justin boots) and making a delivery near downtown Dallas. While it wasn't a particularly heavy load, it was a bit challenging to haul as it was drums of semi-conducter polish.
We have our next assignment; a trip from Saguin, TX (just east of San Antonio) to Walnut, CA. With any luck we'll be able to spend some time at home after making the delivery.
OBSERVATION - People in Texas are REALLY proud of Texas. We have never seen so many state flags anywhere else. And these are BIG flags. Everybody also seems to have a rusted metal Texas Ranger-style star (also big) somewhere on their property
This is our second delivery of the day after picking up an already loaded trailer at Prime's drop yard in Justin, TX (a small town between Dallas and Fort Worth where they make Justin boots) and making a delivery near downtown Dallas. While it wasn't a particularly heavy load, it was a bit challenging to haul as it was drums of semi-conducter polish.
We have our next assignment; a trip from Saguin, TX (just east of San Antonio) to Walnut, CA. With any luck we'll be able to spend some time at home after making the delivery.
OBSERVATION - People in Texas are REALLY proud of Texas. We have never seen so many state flags anywhere else. And these are BIG flags. Everybody also seems to have a rusted metal Texas Ranger-style star (also big) somewhere on their property
Today, tomorrow, or the day after
Days of the week have become irrelevant.
It really doesn't matter to us if it's Monday, Tuesday, or any other day. The main focus for us has become what are we doing today, where we have to be tomorrow, or if we're on a long run, where we need to be the day after that.
More than once, we've caught ourselves not having any idea what day it was. The only practical reason we even need to remember the day is so we know which radio shows are on Sirius that day. It's also nice to know if it's a Friday afternoon when approaching a big city. Other than that, we've found it doesn't really matter.
It really doesn't matter to us if it's Monday, Tuesday, or any other day. The main focus for us has become what are we doing today, where we have to be tomorrow, or if we're on a long run, where we need to be the day after that.
More than once, we've caught ourselves not having any idea what day it was. The only practical reason we even need to remember the day is so we know which radio shows are on Sirius that day. It's also nice to know if it's a Friday afternoon when approaching a big city. Other than that, we've found it doesn't really matter.
Friday, October 3, 2008
When it absolutely, positively has been there over night, Part II
Well, here's another reason that big overnight carrier always manages to get their packages delivered on time; they use Prime to help deliver them!
We're headed for Newark International Airport tomorrow morning to pick up a trailer full of FedEx packages headed for Dallas/Fort Worth airport and we'll only have 33.5 hours to deliver them once we leave the gate.
Needless to say, it will be a straight-through drive.
Talk to you on the other side...
We're headed for Newark International Airport tomorrow morning to pick up a trailer full of FedEx packages headed for Dallas/Fort Worth airport and we'll only have 33.5 hours to deliver them once we leave the gate.
Needless to say, it will be a straight-through drive.
Talk to you on the other side...
Waiting
We're sitting at a TA Travel Center between Baltimore and Wilmington, Delaware waiting for our next assignment; we're keeping our fingers crossed that we get something out of here before the weekend.
We've been on two loads since we left Springfield. As soon as I finished up at the DMV on Wednesday, they had has take over a load headed for Yorktown, Indiana (just north of Indianapolis), which delivered at midnight that night.
No sooner did we drop that load off that they gave us another assignment; a high value, "top secret" load going from Plainfield, IN to New Castle, Delaware which is why we couldn't say anything about it until now.
We drove through West Virginia, southern Pennsylanvia, and Maryland. It was interesting to see the "hollers" of Appalachia in person. The landscape changed dramatically around Zanesville, Ohio continuing through Wheeling, West Virginia, going from relatively flat farmland to lots of little hills and valleys filled with small houses perched along the hillsides and winding down into the river valleys.
Driving across south central Pennsylvania, we think we came across the residents that Barack had characterized as "clinging to their guns and religions." Not sure if all the McCain signs went up before or after Barack's comment, but they're certainly out there now! We even drove by a small country gas station/market with a sign outside announcing "VP debate viewing party. Free eats." These folks are obviously engaged in the election.
We'll let everybody know where we're heading next as soon as we know!
We've been on two loads since we left Springfield. As soon as I finished up at the DMV on Wednesday, they had has take over a load headed for Yorktown, Indiana (just north of Indianapolis), which delivered at midnight that night.
No sooner did we drop that load off that they gave us another assignment; a high value, "top secret" load going from Plainfield, IN to New Castle, Delaware which is why we couldn't say anything about it until now.
We drove through West Virginia, southern Pennsylanvia, and Maryland. It was interesting to see the "hollers" of Appalachia in person. The landscape changed dramatically around Zanesville, Ohio continuing through Wheeling, West Virginia, going from relatively flat farmland to lots of little hills and valleys filled with small houses perched along the hillsides and winding down into the river valleys.
Driving across south central Pennsylvania, we think we came across the residents that Barack had characterized as "clinging to their guns and religions." Not sure if all the McCain signs went up before or after Barack's comment, but they're certainly out there now! We even drove by a small country gas station/market with a sign outside announcing "VP debate viewing party. Free eats." These folks are obviously engaged in the election.
We'll let everybody know where we're heading next as soon as we know!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
