Life Day 21439: Sampling the South Coast
March 24, 2006 on 11:32 pm | In On The Road | No CommentsFriday, March 24th, 2006: I spent today malingering around the Wild, Wild West and surfing the net. I decided to try the South Coast Hotel and Casino for dinner. It is the newest Casino on ‘The Strip’. I was impressed. I arrived at about 1930. I went first to the Garden Buffet. On a scale of 1 to 10 with the buffet at the Rio being a 10, I rate this one as a 9. They had four stations; Bar B Q, Italian, Mexican, and Oriental, plus Desert and Soup/Salad stations. There is enough variety at each station to make a meal out of any of them. After eating entirely too much (I tried a little from all the stations), I walked around the Casino. Being Friday night, the stakes at the tables were too rich for my wallet ($5.00 to $10.00 minimum bets). I’m not a ‘high-roller’. Bets of $2.00 to $3.00 are about my limit. I choose an amount to gamble, usually $40.00. When it’s gone, i’m gone. When I double my money, i’m gone. After the walking tour, I went to the Del Mar lounge. The free floor show “Deuling Pianos” takes place here from 2130 to 0130. I found a seat along the back wall. The show started 45 minutes late because the Del Mar Lounge does double duty as a Sports Bar, and the NCAA Basketball Playoffs were on. The show is not for children. There are 3 piano players, with 2 playing at a time while the 3rd is on break. The show is big on audience participation, and is very ribald, but still a lot of fun.
I’ll be back for more.
Life Day 21438: Lingering in Las Vegas
March 23, 2006 on 10:49 am | In On The Road | No CommentsThursday March 23rd, 2006: After finishing up with my lollygagging tomorrow, I can begin lingering for an extra day. My PTA (projected time available) is set for 1200 noon tomorrow, so at 1200, lollygagging officially ends and lingering begins. Since freight in this area (and Phoenix and LA as well) has been so abysmal lately, I thought it prudent to contact my DM today to check out the situation. I was correct. There was absolutely no freight available here tomorrow worth taking. All loads were going to either Phoenix or LA, where in all probability, I would have to sit around for a day or more before getting a (probably short) load. A vicious cycle with which I don’t want to deal if at all possible. Hollie, my DM (tour coordinator), looked into her ‘crystal ball’ and found a load which picks up in North Las Vegas on the 25th and delivers ASAP on Monday in Ft. Worth, TX (2 miles empty and 1201 miles loaded). Hence the lingering. Actually since this load is a pre-loaded drop/hook, there is a possibility that the load will be ready tomorrow evening. I’ll just have to check with the Shipper before I make the trek to NLV.
I checked with the MMM and they have no definite plans for the remainder of their ‘home time’ other than ‘hangin with daddy’, so it looks like laundry is the first order of business on the agenda for today. After that, a little more ‘geeking’, then dinner.
Addendum: After laundry and additional ‘geeking’, I decided to try the Palms Hotel and Casino for dinner. It is just west of the Rio on Flamingo Rd. A lot of ‘celebrities’ hang out there. It is where Brittany Spears was staying when she had her famous 24-hour marriage. Anyway, I ate at the 24 hour Cafe because the buffet was closed. I had Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Mixed Vegetables. It was fairly good, but not otherwise noteworthy. I’ll have to try the buffet, and a few more menu selections before I render my final judgement. It was a bit ‘pricy’.
Life Day 21437: Lollygagging in Las Vegas
March 22, 2006 on 9:05 pm | In On The Road | No CommentsSunday, March 19th, was a day of leisure spent geeking on the computer, relaxing and recuperating from my cold. I returned Pea Soup Anderson’s for breakfast. I helped them dispose of their leftover Corned Beef from St. Patrick’s day by having Corned Beef Hash & Eggs, mainly because it was “the real McCoy” instead of the canned stuff (which more closely resembles Alpo). When I dined there yesterday with brother Donald and family, Corned Beef & Cabbage was among their Daily Specials, although none of us opted for it. I hope that they finally got rid of it.
I decided to remain in place in Santa Nella rather than move any closer to my destination. I could have moved to our terminal in Lathrop, but there are few places to eat in the immediate vacinity, and it would have served little purpose otherwise. There are no “safe” places to park that I know of anywhere near Richmond.
Monday, the 20th, I began my day early, with a fresh 70-hour clock. I left Santa Nella at 0530 and drove to the Consignee in Richmond. Traffic was lighter than I expected so I arrived about 1/2 an hour early. There were 2 other trucks there waiting. At 0800 when they opened the door, I was the first one there, so I was the first to get assigned a dock. If you snooze, you lose. While I was being unloaded it began to rain, so I quickly walked the MMM before it got too bad. I was right by a wharf, so I took these pictures after the doggie walk.
Top left: I got the first dock assignment, so I had it easy. The driver in the left of the photograph trying to back in had a hard time. The driver next to him had to unhook to protect his tractor. It really wasn’t that hard, he just wouldn’t listen to anyone. After all, HE had been driving for 6 months and didn’t need any help. What a ‘bonehead’. It took him almost 1/2 an hour. The rest of the pictures are self explanatory. I really liked the flowers in the photo top right.
When I was unloaded, I recieved a Pre-Plan which picked up in Crockett, CA and delivered in Industry, CA (19 miles empty and 398 miles loaded). I accepted it and departed Richmond at 1030. I arrived at 1100 and did the drop/hook. This was an extremely heavy load (44, 626#). I asked the shipper where the nearest public scale was because I needed to weigh the load before I went through a State Weigh Station. They had a real ‘attitude’ and offered no help. I next contacted my DM for help. She couldn’t offer any help either and contacted the Lathrop terminal. They couldn’t help either. Finally, I was told to exit the property. I told my DM that if I recieved an overweight ticket, Swift was going to pay for it, plus any time I lost in getting the load legal. I left at 1330. My route took me past 2 different State Weigh Stations before I got to the Lathrop terminal, one on I-680 and the other on I-580. Fortunately, both were closed because when I arrived at Lathrop and weighed the load, I was 500# over on the tandem (trailer) axle. I made the necessary adjustments, then put on 90 galloons of fuel. That was all I could manage and still be legal. I left Lathrop at 1530 and drove to Buttonwillow, CA where I stopped for the night. I made a dinner stop at Harris Ranch for one of their superb Chicken Fried Steaks. I drove 417 miles in 8.25 hours. I worked a total of 10 hours using 13.75 hours of my 14 hour window.
Tuesday the 21st I left Buttonwillow at 0730. I drove to Consignee in Industry. After being unloaded, I waited about an hour for a load. I called my DM and she said that there was no freight until tomorrow. She knew that I wanted to get home for a couple of days. She asked if I wanted to wait until tomorrow and hope for a load to Vegas, or just go to Vegas empty and start my time off. I opted for the later. I left Industry at noon and drove to our terminal in Fontana for fuel. I left at 1345 and drove to Vegas. I worked 9.5 hours and drove 397 miles in 8 hours. I used 11.25 hours of my 14.
Today the 22nd was another day of leisure. I took the MMM to the groomers in the afternoon. Walter has now been tonsured. He is no longer the ’shaggy dog’.
The Palm tree in the photo to the right make him look like a “punk rocker” doggie. Maybe for his next trim :>}
They both enjoyed their obligatory ’shopping’ excursion through Petsmart after leaving the groomers. Tomorrow, laundry. Fun, fun, fun. No sense exerting myself too much.
Life Day 21433: Santa Nella Social Call
March 18, 2006 on 8:42 pm | In On The Road | No CommentsSunday, the 12th, I’m still sick. I was given a Deadhead/Equipment re-location Trip to our terminal in Greer, SC. There was evidently no freight available where I was. I left at 1015 and drove to Brunswick, GA. I took a long break here for dinner, then drove on to Greer. I’m still not feeling 100%, so I called it a day. I drove 514 miles in 8.75 hours.
On the 13th, I recieved a Pre-Plan which picked up in Jefferson City, TN and Delivered in Mt. Vernon, TX (145 miles empty and 759miles loaded). I accepted it and left Greer at 0830. I arrived in Jefferson City (Knoxville) at 1115, did the drop/hook pick-up, then drove the 6 miles to Dandridge, TN where I took a break for lunch. I had lunch at Perkins restaurant which is similar to Marie Calenders. Very good. At 1345, I left Dandridge and drove to Denmark, TN (about 70 miles east of Memphis) where I stopped for the night. Still not feeling too good. I don’t seem to have any stamina. I drove 509 miles in 8.75 hours.
I left Denmark at 1000 on the 14th and drove to our terminal in Memphis, TN. I fueled and walked the MMM here, then drove to the Flying J in Terxarkana, AR. I had dinner here. This illness is also sapping my appetite. I could only eat about 1/2 my dinner. After dinner, I took a nice, long, hot shower. It didn’t help much. At 1915, I drove to the Consignee in Mt. Vernon. I did the drop delivery (they had no empties), then drove the 3 miles to a Loves truckstop where I stopped for the night. Still a bit “woozy”. I drove 425 miles in 7 hours.
The 15th was a long day given my frail condition. It began with another Deadhead/Equipment re-location trip from Mt. Vernon to our terminal in Lancaster. I left Mt. Vernon at 0915 and arrived in Lancaster at 1115. Along the way, I recieved a Pre-Plan which picked up at the Lancaster terminal, and delivered in Gilbert, AZ (0 miles empty and 989 miles loaded) which I accepted. I hooked to the loaded trailer, then discovered that it had an additional drop in Fort Worth, TX that didn’t deliver until tomorrow AM. My DM called the Customer and got it re-scheduled for 1400. The trailer I picked up was a real “piece o’ crap”. It had some “fresh” damage (a gouge) to the left rear side which I had to report to the Claims Department.
Also, the seal on the ‘hinge’ side of the right side door was missing and had been “fixed” with aluminum tape. I took pictures with the camera in my “accident kit” and filled out the report to “cover my Butt”. After all this folderol, I drove to the 1st Consignee in Ft. Worth. I had a nice nap while my trailer was being unloaded, then, at 1530, I left Ft. Worth and drove to Tye, TX. I had dinner here, then drove to Pecos, TX where I stopped for the night. I worked 11.25 hours using 13 hours of my 14 hour clock, and drove 560 miles in 9.5 driving hours.
On the 16th, I left Pecos at 1015 and drove to El Paso, TX. I fueled here at the Flying J because fuel was 6 cents per gallon cheaper than at our Terminal, and 3 cents per gallon cheaper than the other truckstops in the vacinity. After fueling, lunch, and a good MMM walk, I left El Paso and drove to Willcox, AZ. I stopped just past Lordsburg, NM and took this picture of the sunset.
You’ll have to take my word that it was even more spectacular 5 minutes prior to this, but there was no place to safely pull over and take a picture. The clouds in the top of the picture were tinged with a golden hue.
Anyway, after a short break in Willcox, I drove to Casa Grande, AZ and stopped for the night. I’m getting better, but still am not strong enough to put in a ‘full day’. I am now able to ‘tough it out’ during the day, but I still have to ‘heavily medicate’ in order to sleep at night. I drove 580 miles in 9.25 hours. I used 12 hours of the 14-hour window.
On the 17th, I left Casa Grande at 0815 and drove to the final Consignee in Gilbert. I did the drop/hook delivery. Shortly thereafter, I recieved a Pre-Plan which picked up at our terminal in Phoenix and delivers in Richmond, CA on Monday, the 20th (24 miles empty and 746 miles loaded). I accepted it, then set off for Phoenix. Here, I did the drop & hook, fueled, walked the MMM, then had lunch. The special was Corned Beef & Cabbage, so I naturally had that. I called brother Donald to find out where he was. He and Lou were just leaving Bakersfield heading back to Palo Alto, so I said that I would come and visit them there since I have an ‘extra’ day on this trip. At least we’ll have a short visit. The MMM really enjoy their backyard. I left Phoenix and drove to Ehrenburg, AZ to walk the MMM, and delineate the change in ’speed limits’ between AZ and CA. I left there at 1800 and drove to our terminal in Fontana where I stopped for the night. I used 13.75 hours of the 14-hour window to drive 397 miles in 7.5 hours. Too much ‘messing around’ at the Phoenix terminal. I saw no Shamrocks, and was unable to capture a Leprechaun to obtain his “pot o’ gold”, so I guess i’ll be back at work tomorrow.
On the 18th, as I was leaving the Fontana Terminal about 1000, brother Donald called to say that his back yard was flooded, so our visit had to be postponed. It would be too muddy for the MMM. Instead we arranged to meet at Pea Soup Anderson’s in Santa Nella for dinner. I arrived at 1615. Don, Lou and Dawn arrived about 45 minutes later. We had a nice dinner. I had the Politically incorrect, but ever so delicious Veal Cutlets, Don had Medisterpolse (Danish Sausage), and Lou and Dawn split an order of Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs). We all had copious quantities of delicious Split Pea Soup. After dinner, we retrieved the MMM from the truck and took a short walk around the grounds. We took the following photographs in front of the restaurant.
The MMM are in the photo top left (Wolfie doesn’t look too Hap-Pea, but Walter is always Pea-Wee). Lou and Don are in the photo top right.
Bottom left is Dawn and Don. Bottom right is Don and yours truly.
About 1930, they left and drove back to Palo Alto. I retired to the truck. I’m going to hang out here for a while.
St. Patty’s Day Visit
March 18, 2006 on 8:20 pm | In Family | No CommentsOn the 17th, I left Casa Grande at 0815 and drove to the final Consignee in Gilbert. I did the drop/hook delivery. Shortly thereafter, I recieved a Pre-Plan which picked up at our terminal in Phoenix and delivers in Richmond, CA on Monday, the 20th (24 miles empty and 746 miles loaded). I accepted it, then set off for Phoenix. Here, I did the drop & hook, fueled, walked the MMM, then had lunch. The special was Corned Beef & Cabbage, so I naturally had that. I called brother Donald to find out where he was. He and Lou were just leaving Bakersfield heading back to Palo Alto, so I said that I would come and visit them there since I have an ‘extra’ day on this trip. At least we’ll have a short visit. The MMM really enjoy their backyard. I left Phoenix and drove to Ehrenburg, AZ to walk the MMM, and delineate the change in ’speed limits’ between AZ and CA. I left there at 1800 and drove to our terminal in Fontana where I stopped for the night. I used 13.75 hours of the 14-hour window to drive 397 miles in 7.5 hours. Too much ‘messing around’ at the Phoenix terminal. I saw no Shamrocks, and was unable to capture a Leprechaun to obtain his “pot o’ gold”, so I guess i’ll be back at work tomorrow.
On the 18th, as I was leaving the Fontana Terminal about 1000, brother Donald called to say that his back yard was flooded, so our visit had to be postponed. It would be too muddy for the MMM. Instead we arranged to meet at Pea Soup Anderson’s in Santa Nella for dinner. I arrived at 1615. Don, Lou and Dawn arrived about 45 minutes later. We had a nice dinner. I had the Politically incorrect, but ever so delicious Veal Cutlets, Don had Medisterpolse (Danish Sausage), and Lou and Dawn split an order of Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs). We all had copious quantities of delicious Split Pea Soup. After dinner, we retrieved the MMM from the truck and took a short walk around the grounds. We took the following photographs in front of the restaurant.
The MMM are in the photo top left (Wolfie doesn’t look too Hap-Pea, but Walter is always Pea-Wee). Lou and Don are in the photo top right.
Bottom left is Dawn and Don. Bottom right is Don and yours truly.
About 1930, they left and drove back to Palo Alto. I retired to the truck. I’m going to hang out here for a while.
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