Well, we've been together 19 days, 24/7 and he hasn't threatened to put me out yet.
We left the yard around 12:30 a.m. and went to North Little Rock to pick up a trailer. Dale asked me to wake him at 11:00 p.m. since I was up watching tv. I got sleepy so I set the alarm. Only problem was, I had turned the sound down earlier so it wouldn't wake him. Oops!!
I stayed in bed. We traveled thru Arizona and into Tennessee. My first time in Memphis and Nashville.
Now we're sitting in the truck yard in Nashville, Tn. waiting for another driver to pick up this trailer from us. We don't have the hours to make the delivery.
We'll rest and then wait for our next assignment.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Road Trip Day 18
We are going to Irvin, Texas to pick up some fork lift parts going to Bera, Kentucky. I didn't stay up long, maybe an hour. I went back to bed. It is still dark out and my nights are still my nights.
Dale would wake me at the truck stops for restroom breaks. Then I'd sit for awhile before going back to bed.
Finally daybreak and I could stay awake.
We are back in dusty, hot Arkansas. It's 10:45 a.m. and our day is over. Dale goes to bed, but I can't sleep. I slept at night. I guess we'll just be on different schedules.
We stop at a truck stop and another driver comes to get the trailer. We'll be here til midnight, then wait for our next assignment.
Dale would wake me at the truck stops for restroom breaks. Then I'd sit for awhile before going back to bed.
Finally daybreak and I could stay awake.
We are back in dusty, hot Arkansas. It's 10:45 a.m. and our day is over. Dale goes to bed, but I can't sleep. I slept at night. I guess we'll just be on different schedules.
We stop at a truck stop and another driver comes to get the trailer. We'll be here til midnight, then wait for our next assignment.
Road Trip Day 17
I woke around 2:30 a.m. and we were in Mississippi picking up the rice. We stopped for coffee afterwards (not at one of our usual places) and it was awful. I couldn't drink it. I sat up for awhile, but sleep was calling my name.
An hour and half later, I'm up and we travel into Louisiana. There are casinos everywhere.
We crossed into Texas. They have crepe myrtles at their ramps and down the median. Very nice!
Delivered the Uncle Bens rice to Buckner, Texas.
Around 2:00 p.m., we take our break.
I immediately fall asleep. Wake at 11:00 p.m., take a shower, get a drink and hit the road.
An hour and half later, I'm up and we travel into Louisiana. There are casinos everywhere.
We crossed into Texas. They have crepe myrtles at their ramps and down the median. Very nice!
Delivered the Uncle Bens rice to Buckner, Texas.
Around 2:00 p.m., we take our break.
I immediately fall asleep. Wake at 11:00 p.m., take a shower, get a drink and hit the road.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Road Trip Day 16
We're starting early today. We have to deliver at 7:00 a.m. It's going to L'oreal. Too bad they don't give out samples. The guard was sooo nice. He reminded me of a man that I used to work with, Francis Guy.
11:40 a.m. We're looking for an empty trailer at the yard. We go back to L'Oreal and pick up an empty. It's the one that we dropped fully loaded earlier. We are headed to Mississippi for rice to deliver to Dallas, Texas.
And I just saw my first rice field. In Arkansas. But their cornfields are not as lush and green. They look burnt. It is like a dustbowl here. A hot dustbowl.
We stop in Dumas, Arkansas for the afternoon and evening. We can't pick up til around midnight, so we'll try to sleep a little and drive thru the night.
11:40 a.m. We're looking for an empty trailer at the yard. We go back to L'Oreal and pick up an empty. It's the one that we dropped fully loaded earlier. We are headed to Mississippi for rice to deliver to Dallas, Texas.
And I just saw my first rice field. In Arkansas. But their cornfields are not as lush and green. They look burnt. It is like a dustbowl here. A hot dustbowl.
We stop in Dumas, Arkansas for the afternoon and evening. We can't pick up til around midnight, so we'll try to sleep a little and drive thru the night.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Road Trip Day 15
Woke up in N. Little Rock, Arkansas.
Our load doesn't have to be delivered until Monday, so we have today off.
We went shopping at Wal-Mart. They have a huge store and it was so clean. Bought some fruit and veggies. Afterwards, we ate at a chinese buffet. I ate my first mussel. Not really crazy about it; a little too fishy tasting for me.
We did laundry today. As we were folding clothes, I was giving Dale a little advice on laundry. A man walked in to take his clothes out of the washer. Dale asked him if he needed help doing laundry. The man looked at him a little funny. Dale asked again, " Do you need help doing laundry? If you do, I can leave her here with you" and looked at me and laughed. The nerve of the man.
It is 102 degrees here, and feels like 110 degrees. I believe it. It is so, so hot!!
Our load doesn't have to be delivered until Monday, so we have today off.
We went shopping at Wal-Mart. They have a huge store and it was so clean. Bought some fruit and veggies. Afterwards, we ate at a chinese buffet. I ate my first mussel. Not really crazy about it; a little too fishy tasting for me.
We did laundry today. As we were folding clothes, I was giving Dale a little advice on laundry. A man walked in to take his clothes out of the washer. Dale asked him if he needed help doing laundry. The man looked at him a little funny. Dale asked again, " Do you need help doing laundry? If you do, I can leave her here with you" and looked at me and laughed. The nerve of the man.
It is 102 degrees here, and feels like 110 degrees. I believe it. It is so, so hot!!
Road Trip Day 14
There are so many cornfields in Indiana and Illinois. They are everywhere. Behind businesses, shopping malls, and between the houses. So much farmland. And the tractors have their own lanes on the roads. Passed several John Deere in our travels.
Sitting here waiting for something. At noon, Dale suggests we do some laundry while we're waiting. He calls dispatch to let them know. Nope, they have something for us. We're going to Raymond, Illinois to pick up a trailer on a ramp. Sounds weird. It turns out that the other driver's truck is broke down, so we're gonna finish his delivery. It's going to Little Rock, Arkansas.
Into Missouri, more cornfields. Kept seeing signs "Thrown Rolls". Dale says they throw rolls at you. I never saw it.
Missouri must have had money that they had to spend, because they have mile markers every .2 miles. And their county roads have letters instead of numbers. Like "K" or "DD".
We made it to Arkansas, but I had already gone to bed. I was so tired.
Sitting here waiting for something. At noon, Dale suggests we do some laundry while we're waiting. He calls dispatch to let them know. Nope, they have something for us. We're going to Raymond, Illinois to pick up a trailer on a ramp. Sounds weird. It turns out that the other driver's truck is broke down, so we're gonna finish his delivery. It's going to Little Rock, Arkansas.
Into Missouri, more cornfields. Kept seeing signs "Thrown Rolls". Dale says they throw rolls at you. I never saw it.
Missouri must have had money that they had to spend, because they have mile markers every .2 miles. And their county roads have letters instead of numbers. Like "K" or "DD".
We made it to Arkansas, but I had already gone to bed. I was so tired.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Road Trip Day 13
Left Flatwoods, West Virginia early. After drinking my morning coffee, I went back to bed for a couple more hours of sleep. This kind of living screws up your days and nights. I wake to find it raining in Kentucky. But I never saw any blue grass. It was as green as ours. :)
Traveled into Indiana and these are some serious farmers. Dropped off some of our load here and on to Illinois. We will run out of driving time before we can deliver anymore today, so another driver will pick it up from us. We'll stay in Mt. Vernon, Illinois tonight.
Some points to ponder. Does anyone ponder anymore??
What is a "boro"? In New Jersey there were many boros. Paulsboro and such. Signs would say "entering the boro of Paulsboro". Why didn't the sign just say "entering Paulsboro"? That would save many letters and then they could afford to put them on twp to spell out township. I had no idea what a twp was? And what is a township?
Guess I'll be googling these.
Traveled into Indiana and these are some serious farmers. Dropped off some of our load here and on to Illinois. We will run out of driving time before we can deliver anymore today, so another driver will pick it up from us. We'll stay in Mt. Vernon, Illinois tonight.
Some points to ponder. Does anyone ponder anymore??
What is a "boro"? In New Jersey there were many boros. Paulsboro and such. Signs would say "entering the boro of Paulsboro". Why didn't the sign just say "entering Paulsboro"? That would save many letters and then they could afford to put them on twp to spell out township. I had no idea what a twp was? And what is a township?
Guess I'll be googling these.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Road Trip Day 12
What a day so far!!
Woke around 2:00 a.m. with what I thought was night sweats. It was night sweats alright. The truck had shut off and there was no air. I didn't realize it at the time, because trucks all around us were running. I just thought something was wrong with the air, so I just laid there thinking, hoping, praying that it would kick back on; sort of like your home air conditioner. That didn't happen. I didn't want to wake Dale, because he was snoring, I mean sleeping, so soundly. And I do mean soundly. So I got up and sat in the truck seat. It was a little better, I think. I was soooo sleepy. So I lay back down, hoping I could sleep just a little while longer. I was back up at 3:30 a.m. Back in the truck seat. Played games on my I-Phone to pass the time and take my mind off the stuffiness. I couldn't let the window down, because it was electric. I didn't want to open the door, because bright lights would have come on; and, also, because I was scared. At 4:00 a.m., I couldn't take it any longer. I woke Dale. He didn't know why the truck shut down. But he proceeded to crank it and we were cool within minutes.
Received call from guy; the trailer was ready for pickup. Headed on over, stopping for coffee on the way. We back up to the trailer and jump the 5th wheel, which isn't good. Dale has to manually crank the trailer up, so we can pull the tractor forward. We get it hooked and leave out at 9:30 a.m. I forgot to mention that we had to circle the lot 3 times before finding the trailer. It wasn't where they said it was.
We drove into Delaware and was only there about 20 - 30 minutes before we crossed into Maryland. We traveled the northern part of Maryland, up and down, up and down. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if we had a lighter load. Going up was under 45mph, then downhill was like an amusement park ride. Only I wasn't amused. I recently watched a show that had a scene about an 18-wheeler whose brakes were cut and they had to use a runaway truck road. This was before I had decided to ride with Dale. I hadn't thought anymore about it....until today, when Dale showed me a runaway truck road. YIKES!!
Well, we made it into West Virginia and stopped in Flatwoods, W. Va. for the night. An early morning again tomorrow.
Goodnight!
Woke around 2:00 a.m. with what I thought was night sweats. It was night sweats alright. The truck had shut off and there was no air. I didn't realize it at the time, because trucks all around us were running. I just thought something was wrong with the air, so I just laid there thinking, hoping, praying that it would kick back on; sort of like your home air conditioner. That didn't happen. I didn't want to wake Dale, because he was snoring, I mean sleeping, so soundly. And I do mean soundly. So I got up and sat in the truck seat. It was a little better, I think. I was soooo sleepy. So I lay back down, hoping I could sleep just a little while longer. I was back up at 3:30 a.m. Back in the truck seat. Played games on my I-Phone to pass the time and take my mind off the stuffiness. I couldn't let the window down, because it was electric. I didn't want to open the door, because bright lights would have come on; and, also, because I was scared. At 4:00 a.m., I couldn't take it any longer. I woke Dale. He didn't know why the truck shut down. But he proceeded to crank it and we were cool within minutes.
Received call from guy; the trailer was ready for pickup. Headed on over, stopping for coffee on the way. We back up to the trailer and jump the 5th wheel, which isn't good. Dale has to manually crank the trailer up, so we can pull the tractor forward. We get it hooked and leave out at 9:30 a.m. I forgot to mention that we had to circle the lot 3 times before finding the trailer. It wasn't where they said it was.
We drove into Delaware and was only there about 20 - 30 minutes before we crossed into Maryland. We traveled the northern part of Maryland, up and down, up and down. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if we had a lighter load. Going up was under 45mph, then downhill was like an amusement park ride. Only I wasn't amused. I recently watched a show that had a scene about an 18-wheeler whose brakes were cut and they had to use a runaway truck road. This was before I had decided to ride with Dale. I hadn't thought anymore about it....until today, when Dale showed me a runaway truck road. YIKES!!
Well, we made it into West Virginia and stopped in Flatwoods, W. Va. for the night. An early morning again tomorrow.
Goodnight!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Road Trip Day 11
Left Willington, Conn. early. Very early!! We ran into crazy traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike. Top speed 7.5 mph, then stop. Then move again at 7 mph, then stop. Then just sit. It was horrible.
Four lead cars led 4 lanes of traffic for several miles at a slow speed. Oh, it was a mess.
We dropped the trailer of juice after a 7 hour haul that should have taken only 5 hours.
Now on our way to Westampton, New Jersey for a loaded trailer. We are almost out of time for today after the traffic that we encountered. The trailer is not ready and won't be for a while, so we'll take our break now and they'll call us when it's ready. They know we'll be ready to roll at 2:00a.m.
Well, going to bed earlier tonight.
Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
Four lead cars led 4 lanes of traffic for several miles at a slow speed. Oh, it was a mess.
We dropped the trailer of juice after a 7 hour haul that should have taken only 5 hours.
Now on our way to Westampton, New Jersey for a loaded trailer. We are almost out of time for today after the traffic that we encountered. The trailer is not ready and won't be for a while, so we'll take our break now and they'll call us when it's ready. They know we'll be ready to roll at 2:00a.m.
Well, going to bed earlier tonight.
Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Road Trip Day 10
Left Milford, Conn. around 5:30a.m. I am partially awake. Guess I should have gone to bed earlier. Crossed into Rhode Island around 6:30a.m. and then into Massachusetts.
We've delivered the auto parts and waited for an empty trailer in Mansfield, Mass. We end up waiting around 2 hours. Now that we have it, I wonder where we'll be headed. We're going to Littleton, Mass. Picked up a heavy load of juice and it needs to be delivered to Swedesboro, New Jersey.
We stop for the night in Willington, Conn. Early to rise again tomorrow.
When I decided to ride along with Dale, I had a couple of weeks before it happened. And I guess I sort of romanticized it. You know, like "Smokey and the Bandit". But, I'm not in a Trans Am with Burt Reynolds, so that means I'm not Sally Field. I am in an 18-wheeler, but I'm not driving. So what does that make me?? Cletus' dog?? Hmmmm
Good night.
We've delivered the auto parts and waited for an empty trailer in Mansfield, Mass. We end up waiting around 2 hours. Now that we have it, I wonder where we'll be headed. We're going to Littleton, Mass. Picked up a heavy load of juice and it needs to be delivered to Swedesboro, New Jersey.
We stop for the night in Willington, Conn. Early to rise again tomorrow.
When I decided to ride along with Dale, I had a couple of weeks before it happened. And I guess I sort of romanticized it. You know, like "Smokey and the Bandit". But, I'm not in a Trans Am with Burt Reynolds, so that means I'm not Sally Field. I am in an 18-wheeler, but I'm not driving. So what does that make me?? Cletus' dog?? Hmmmm
Good night.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Road Trip Day 9
Sat in Milford, CT all day today. Ready to get a move on. Will be pulling out early in the morning headed for Boston, MA.
Good night
Good night
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Road Trip Day 8
Rained last night and was still drizzling this morning. Foggy out.
Pulled out again early this morning. Crossed into New Jersey and then into New York. Manhattan and The Bronx. Oh my goodness, so much traffic. Cars parked on every curb. Yuck! Too much traffic for me. I believe I'll stay in Georgia.
We travel on thru New York into Connecticut. We have to do a restart so we'll be hanging out here in Milford, Conn. til midnight on Monday.
Ate a Cinnabon tonight and it wasn't as good as I remembered it being. Disappointed.
I'm enjoying seeing our country state by state. Wish I could stay longer in some of the places to explore. I believe I'll have to plan to bring the boys and do that one day.
Pulled out again early this morning. Crossed into New Jersey and then into New York. Manhattan and The Bronx. Oh my goodness, so much traffic. Cars parked on every curb. Yuck! Too much traffic for me. I believe I'll stay in Georgia.
We travel on thru New York into Connecticut. We have to do a restart so we'll be hanging out here in Milford, Conn. til midnight on Monday.
Ate a Cinnabon tonight and it wasn't as good as I remembered it being. Disappointed.
I'm enjoying seeing our country state by state. Wish I could stay longer in some of the places to explore. I believe I'll have to plan to bring the boys and do that one day.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Road Trip Day 7
Up and at 'em around 5:00 a.m. Coffee, hot and lots of it.
We pull out of Monroe, MI around 6:00 a.m. Stopped for breakfast at a rest stop on the Ohio Turnpike. A Burger King, lol.
Around 10:00 a.m., we fuel up in Youngstown, OH. We've been here before.
We crossed into Pennsylvania and drove across the state. Saw lots of fields, barns, and beautiful countryside, but no Amish yet. But I haven't given up.
I never saw Mayberry in N. Carolina, but saw Pilot Mt. Didn't see Andy, Barney or Goober, but saw Aunt Bea's restaurant. So there's still hope for an Amish carriage. :)
Stopped in Bloomsburg, PA for the night.
We pull out of Monroe, MI around 6:00 a.m. Stopped for breakfast at a rest stop on the Ohio Turnpike. A Burger King, lol.
Around 10:00 a.m., we fuel up in Youngstown, OH. We've been here before.
We crossed into Pennsylvania and drove across the state. Saw lots of fields, barns, and beautiful countryside, but no Amish yet. But I haven't given up.
I never saw Mayberry in N. Carolina, but saw Pilot Mt. Didn't see Andy, Barney or Goober, but saw Aunt Bea's restaurant. So there's still hope for an Amish carriage. :)
Stopped in Bloomsburg, PA for the night.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Road Trip Day 6
Pickles got delivered and was sitting with an empty trailer waiting for an assignment. Didn't have to wait long. Going to Wal-Mart in Coldwater, MI to run deliveries for Wal-Mart stores. Was in Lansing, MI and received a new message. Wal-Mart runs are cancelled. Now we're going to Marysville, Michigan to pick up auto parts to take to Mansfield, Mass. I hear Dale talking under his breath "New York on July 4th weekend, great". It doesn't sound like he thinks it's great.
Stopping in Monroe, Michigan for the evening. Will get an early start in the morning.
Seeing the countryside and enjoying it!!
Stopping in Monroe, Michigan for the evening. Will get an early start in the morning.
Seeing the countryside and enjoying it!!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Road Trip Days 1 - 5
Well, I did it. I finally decided to go out on the road with Dale for a couple of weeks.
We were ready to leave out on Saturday morning, but nothing came thru for us.
We headed out on Sunday morning, picked up an empty trailer in Connally, Ga. and then headed to Fulton Industrial Blvd. and let them fill it up with wine and spirits. Left there on our way to Raleight N. Carolina. Stayed the first night in Graham, N. Carolina. They have huge plots of lilies on the interstate and at the rest stops. They are gorgeous.
Monday: we traveled to Raleigh and waited while one of the slowest fork lift drivers unloaded the alcohol. They were definitely not in a hurry at that warehouse. We went to Brown Summit, N.C. and picked up a trailer of P&G products headed to Warren, Ohio. We ended up back in Graham, N.C. for the night.
Tuesday: We head to Ohio. Dale says it will take most of the day because we'll be going up and down mountains. The countryside is beautiful thru Virginia and W. Virginia. I didn't expect to see a couple of oil wells on the way. Then we start going thru tunnels under mountains. Very interesting. Stayed in Youngstown, Ohio for the night.
There's down time and I watch tv or use the pc. But I hate that I have missed the Casey Anthony trial this week. Will have to catch up later.
Wednesday: Now we have to try to find an empty trailer. That's fun. NOT! Got a call to pick up a trailer full of pickles in N. Jackson, Ohio and deliver to Corunna, Oh. When we arrived, the trailer was in the shop for repairs. So we had to wait. Finally, the trailer was ready and so were we. We picked up a rider to take with us. Not a hitchhiker. He was a new driver that needed a ride to pick up his truck. Bobby. He needed to go to Willard, Ohio. After dropping Bobby, we received a message that we were preplanned to go to Laredo, Tx. Take the pickles and drop them in the yard in Taylor, Michigan. Then the message came thru...nothing going to Laredo. We've dropped the pickles, now what? We wait.
Thursday: We're still waiting. We decide to go to Tim Horton's for some coffee. My canadian friend, Ron, has mentioned Tim Horton's before and said it was good. And it was!
Still waiting. Our time has started because we drove for the coffee and the clock starts. The dispatcher knows this and says we should have something in an hour. No problem. At 4:30 pm, we get a call to go back to the yard and pick up the pickles to deliver to Corunna, MI. We're going to deliver those danged pickles after all. Dale says some little children are gonna be very happy. They'll have their pickles for the fourth of July. So we are sitting at the pickle warehouse waiting to be unloaded in the morning. Good night.
We were ready to leave out on Saturday morning, but nothing came thru for us.
We headed out on Sunday morning, picked up an empty trailer in Connally, Ga. and then headed to Fulton Industrial Blvd. and let them fill it up with wine and spirits. Left there on our way to Raleight N. Carolina. Stayed the first night in Graham, N. Carolina. They have huge plots of lilies on the interstate and at the rest stops. They are gorgeous.
Monday: we traveled to Raleigh and waited while one of the slowest fork lift drivers unloaded the alcohol. They were definitely not in a hurry at that warehouse. We went to Brown Summit, N.C. and picked up a trailer of P&G products headed to Warren, Ohio. We ended up back in Graham, N.C. for the night.
Tuesday: We head to Ohio. Dale says it will take most of the day because we'll be going up and down mountains. The countryside is beautiful thru Virginia and W. Virginia. I didn't expect to see a couple of oil wells on the way. Then we start going thru tunnels under mountains. Very interesting. Stayed in Youngstown, Ohio for the night.
There's down time and I watch tv or use the pc. But I hate that I have missed the Casey Anthony trial this week. Will have to catch up later.
Wednesday: Now we have to try to find an empty trailer. That's fun. NOT! Got a call to pick up a trailer full of pickles in N. Jackson, Ohio and deliver to Corunna, Oh. When we arrived, the trailer was in the shop for repairs. So we had to wait. Finally, the trailer was ready and so were we. We picked up a rider to take with us. Not a hitchhiker. He was a new driver that needed a ride to pick up his truck. Bobby. He needed to go to Willard, Ohio. After dropping Bobby, we received a message that we were preplanned to go to Laredo, Tx. Take the pickles and drop them in the yard in Taylor, Michigan. Then the message came thru...nothing going to Laredo. We've dropped the pickles, now what? We wait.
Thursday: We're still waiting. We decide to go to Tim Horton's for some coffee. My canadian friend, Ron, has mentioned Tim Horton's before and said it was good. And it was!
Still waiting. Our time has started because we drove for the coffee and the clock starts. The dispatcher knows this and says we should have something in an hour. No problem. At 4:30 pm, we get a call to go back to the yard and pick up the pickles to deliver to Corunna, MI. We're going to deliver those danged pickles after all. Dale says some little children are gonna be very happy. They'll have their pickles for the fourth of July. So we are sitting at the pickle warehouse waiting to be unloaded in the morning. Good night.
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