As I stated previously Melissa came along for a trip, a short one, but a pretty decent one.
After we left the hotel in Dumas, Texas we ran up to Cactus, Texas and picked up our load. It was going to be a good trip and we were going to be able to take our time as it wasn't due till Monday morning in Sioux City, Iowa.
Out trip took us through the Oklahoma Panhandle into Kansas, and we spent the night in Dodge City, Kansas.
I have found out Melissa doesn't like the smell of cattle yards :)
The next morning we took off and headed up through Kansas into Nebraska and stopped in York, Nebraska for a few hours to shower and eat.
Once we were finished in York we ran up to Sioux City and then camped out at a rest area about five miles from the receiver till the delivery time.
Delivery went pretty smoothly and we were able to pickup another load going back to Fort Worth just a few miles away at Sara Lee.
The trip back to Fort Worth took us through Nebraska, Kansas and into Oklahoma again. It was pretty uneventful actually. However, I will note that it rained pretty much all the time once we left Dodge City till we crossed the border into Texas on Tuesday.
Frankie seemed to enjoy the trip though as usual when he comes he just sits and broods as there is nothing for him to really do other than sleep. Usually he plays a bit, but we forgot to bring toys for him.
The trip was short and sweet, not a lot of miles but a good five day stretch for the two of us. And it was time well spent together.
In five days Melissa crossed five states, Texas, Oklahoma (twice), Kansas (Twice), Nebraska, (Twice) and Iowa for a total of 1880 Miles.
She'll probably come out again when she has more time and no pressed schedule.
I'm heading out to Denver tonight, will post again in a few days.
[Miles Driven Since Last Post: 1483]
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Lots of Miles
Well, since I left the Wal-Mart in Irving last week I have been super busy. I got to Terrell on time and delivered my load and then started a six day super drive fest.
It was just me this time around and with it the fact that a holiday was coming up and many drivers had taken off, the promise of good freight was good. And I wasn't to be disappointed.
After unloading in Terrell I was told to deadhead out to Friona, Texas (nearly 500 miles) to pickup a load heading for two stops in Denver. Talk about nice, that long of a deadhead is rare and it is a good thing to have, especially as fuel mileage is so good when empty.
Got to Friona late in the evening and found out my load wasn't ready yet and that I would have to wait till at least 6:00am for it. This was kind of a good thing since I was so tired. Unfortunately, Friona had one of it's heaviest rainstorms in history that night, and in the morning I had to be towed out of the mud in the parking lot at the truckstop. Was embarrassing, however I wasn't the only one.
I picked up the load and made the mad dash for Denver and unloaded both my loads early in the morning and took a nap. Shortly after I got to sleep, I got the call to head out to Fort Morgan to pickup a load heading to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Another good load, however it was hot. The load was running late and if I could they wanted me to try and get it there on time.
So, being the kind of guy I am I did the whole 17 hour stretch in one run, and arrived at the receiver exactly at 5:59am Eastern Time. One minute before the scheduled delivery time. More brownie points :)
Once done there I was told to pickup a load at SaraLee in Zeeland, Michigan about 45 minutes away and then take it back to Fort Worth. It was going to be due anytime on 7/4. Well since it was Tuesday 7/2 I had plenty of time.
I picked up the load and then crashed for about twelve hours in Benton Harbor, Michigan at the Flying J. Was a good sleep too, it rained the entire time I was there, good heavy thunderstorms so I slept like a rock and it was nice and cool in the truck because of all the rain.
I got up around midnight, took a shower and ate at the restaurant then decided I would drive straight through to Texas without stopping if I could. The company was complaining that they had a ton of freight sitting on the yard and no drivers cause everyone decided to take off for the 4th.
So in route I called Melissa and asked her if she wanted to come with me for the weekend since the kids were gone, she said yes so I cleared it with the company.
I got into Fort Worth just after midnight on the 4th and dropped the load at the yard for the local driver to deliver and headed home to sleep.
Friday afternoon I got a load heading from Fort Worth to Cactus, loaded up the wife and the dog and off we went.
Unfortunately, she has to be back early Wednesday morning for class so it is going to be a short trip.
We got up here to Cactus and they told us that Swift was closed for the Holiday and we would have to wait for our next load which is going to Iowa, and then back to Texas.
We stayed at the Dumas Inn last night, and now we are in the truck waiting for the load to be ready.
It was a breakneck week with a ton of miles but was quite a lot of fun. I don't want to do it often but those kinds of weeks are good paydays.
[Miles Driven Since Last Post: 3799]
It was just me this time around and with it the fact that a holiday was coming up and many drivers had taken off, the promise of good freight was good. And I wasn't to be disappointed.
After unloading in Terrell I was told to deadhead out to Friona, Texas (nearly 500 miles) to pickup a load heading for two stops in Denver. Talk about nice, that long of a deadhead is rare and it is a good thing to have, especially as fuel mileage is so good when empty.
Got to Friona late in the evening and found out my load wasn't ready yet and that I would have to wait till at least 6:00am for it. This was kind of a good thing since I was so tired. Unfortunately, Friona had one of it's heaviest rainstorms in history that night, and in the morning I had to be towed out of the mud in the parking lot at the truckstop. Was embarrassing, however I wasn't the only one.
I picked up the load and made the mad dash for Denver and unloaded both my loads early in the morning and took a nap. Shortly after I got to sleep, I got the call to head out to Fort Morgan to pickup a load heading to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Another good load, however it was hot. The load was running late and if I could they wanted me to try and get it there on time.
So, being the kind of guy I am I did the whole 17 hour stretch in one run, and arrived at the receiver exactly at 5:59am Eastern Time. One minute before the scheduled delivery time. More brownie points :)
Once done there I was told to pickup a load at SaraLee in Zeeland, Michigan about 45 minutes away and then take it back to Fort Worth. It was going to be due anytime on 7/4. Well since it was Tuesday 7/2 I had plenty of time.
I picked up the load and then crashed for about twelve hours in Benton Harbor, Michigan at the Flying J. Was a good sleep too, it rained the entire time I was there, good heavy thunderstorms so I slept like a rock and it was nice and cool in the truck because of all the rain.
I got up around midnight, took a shower and ate at the restaurant then decided I would drive straight through to Texas without stopping if I could. The company was complaining that they had a ton of freight sitting on the yard and no drivers cause everyone decided to take off for the 4th.
So in route I called Melissa and asked her if she wanted to come with me for the weekend since the kids were gone, she said yes so I cleared it with the company.
I got into Fort Worth just after midnight on the 4th and dropped the load at the yard for the local driver to deliver and headed home to sleep.
Friday afternoon I got a load heading from Fort Worth to Cactus, loaded up the wife and the dog and off we went.
Unfortunately, she has to be back early Wednesday morning for class so it is going to be a short trip.
We got up here to Cactus and they told us that Swift was closed for the Holiday and we would have to wait for our next load which is going to Iowa, and then back to Texas.
We stayed at the Dumas Inn last night, and now we are in the truck waiting for the load to be ready.
It was a breakneck week with a ton of miles but was quite a lot of fun. I don't want to do it often but those kinds of weeks are good paydays.
[Miles Driven Since Last Post: 3799]
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