STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

CINCO DE MAYO (Life Day 21116)

Yesterday, the 4th, I left Barstow and drove to Lancaster, CA for my delivery appointment. I spent 3 hours being unloaded. My next load picks up in Oxnard, CA and delivers in Ogden UT (95 miles empty and 794 miles loaded). It has extra delivery stops in Salt Lake City and Sandy UT beginning at 3:00 AM on the 6th. I left Lancaster and drove to Oxnard. This is a ‘drop & hook’ Customer, so I was finished there in about 1/2 an hour including a BCC walk. I left there and drove to Baker, CA where I stopped for the night. I arrived there at 10:30 PM and drove a total of 410 miles in 8.25 hours.
Today, the 5th, I left Baker at 8:45 AM and drove to Las Vegas. I arrived at 10:15 AM, and immediately fueled. I’ll take some time here today to check mail, shower, and run a few personal errands. I can’t spend too much time because I have to start making my deliveries at 3:00 AM in Salt Lake City. I finally got out of Vegas at about 3:00 PM and drove to Salt Lake City. I stopped at the Rest Area in Utah at MM 88. They have a fenced-in dog walk, so the BCC can go off-leash. Getting such a late start out of Las Vegas is going to seriously diminish my sleep time tonight. I drove 482 miles in 7.75 hours.

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, the 5th of May, is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually September 16. Cinco De Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some recognition in other parts of the Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population.

TRES DE MAYO

Life Day 21114, May 3rd, 2005, I left Amarillo under threatening skies at about noon. MOTHER NATURE seems undecided as to what SHE wants to happen. Snow, Rain, Fog, Sunshine??? Jeeze Lady, just pick one and let me deal with it!! (UH OH, did I just MESS with MOTHER NATURE?) After about an hour, Walter began showing his little “Dad, I have to GO” signs, so I stopped as soon as I could (the Rest Area at the Texas/New Mexico border). YEP, he had developed some Intestinal Issues. I had to stop THRICE more before we got to our Terminal in Albuquerque. After I fueled, I pulled around back by the fence to the area where I normally walk them. They both jumped out as soon as I opened the door. Walter (poor little guy) left a little brown trail on the steps of the Cab. WHEW, that was CLOSE!! After I had cleaned the mess, I let them roam for quite a while, then we stayed for a couple of more hours before I felt SAFE enough to continue. I left at about 8:00 PM and drove to Gallup. I had to stop once more before I arrived there, and again IMMEDIATELY upon arrival. I went in to eat and, just to be safe, walked them again before retiring for the night. I fully expected to be awakened by Walter during the night, but I wasn’t. I managed to drive 403 miles in 6.5 hours.
This morning, the 3rd, all is back to NORMAL. Walter is REGULAR again. YEAH!!! I just went through the same thing with Wolfie last weekend. After breakfast, I left Gallup at about 9:00 AM. I drove to Flagstaff, AZ and took a break. I left there and drove to Kingman, AZ. After a long break there, I drove to Lake Havasu City. A short break here, strictly for logging purposes, then on to Barstow. I stopped here for the night. I’ll hang around here until about Noon tomorrow because my load doesn’t deliver in Lancaster until 3:30 PM. The Planners already have a PrePlan for me. It picks up in Oxnard and delivers in Ogden, UT with extra stops for delivery enroute in Salt Lake City and Sandy, UT. I may T-Call it in Henderson and take some ‘home time’. If not, I’ll get a load home from Utah. I drove 521 miles in 9 hours.

MAYDAY MAYDAY (UNO DE MAYO)

LIFE DAY 21112, May 1st, 2005, I got an early start and drove from Chouteau, OK to Jenks (Tulsa), OK. Things went much “smoother” than my last visit to the Tulsa area (ref: April 16th to the 18th in the APRIL 2005 posting on this BLOG). This Customer is a ‘drop & hook’ location, so I was in and out of there in about 1/2 an hour. I left there at 8:00 AM and drove to our Terminal in Oklahoma City for fuel and a BCC break, then drove to the TA truckstop for Lunch. I left OKC at about 2:00PM and drove to Amarillo, TX. I arrived at about 6:00 PM. I went inside for dinner and when I walked out, THIS is what greeted me.


If I were a Las Vegas ‘odds maker’ and had to predict where in the United States it would be SNOWING on the 1st of May, I would have “Lost the Farm” on this one. Amarillo, TX wouldn’t even have made my LIST. When I went in to eat, the weather was cloudy, but it wasn’t that cold. This took EVERYONE by surprise!! Fortunately, I have some time on this load, so I have the LUXURY of opting to not drive in this MUCK!! Let everyone else deal with this. I shut down for the day. I drove 400 miles in 6.5 hours.