STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Life Day 21837: Sedate in “Sin City” (with my sibling)

Monday, April 23rd:
I awoke about 0700. After walking the MMM, I called PetSmart grooming for an appointment for the guys. They are long over due for baths and haircuts. I was fortunate that they had an opening for 1000. I contacted Don & Lou and arranged to meet them at PetSmart. After I dropped off the MMM, I waited outside for D&L to show up. We then went to the Black Bear Diner. After a leisurely breakfast, we went to check my mail. I was anticipating some packages of some CD’s I had ordered while on the road last week. They were there, Yeah!! We then went to the new Wally World next to the PetSmart where the MMM were being groomed. I bought and installed a headlight for the Jeep. we then went next door to PetSmart to wait for the MMM. They were just finishing up when we arrived. We rescued them, then let them “shop” for treats. Outside, we went our sepatate ways for the afternoon. I went to my storage shed for a few things. I swapped out some winter clothes for some summer clothes, and got my 2500 watt inverter for my truck. We hooked up later in the evening for dinner at The Hofbrauhaus. It was delicious as always. After dinner, we went to the Rio for one of their free Shows in the Sky, then to Sam’s Town for the lightshow. After that, they dropped me off at the WWW where I went to bed after one more MMM walk.

Tuesday:
I had to deliver the load from Lathrop this AM. I drove over to the consignee, arriving a little before my 0900 appointment time. Since I didn’t know how long the delivery would take, I told D&L that we would connect this evening for dinner. I was through with the delivery about noon and returned to the WWW. D&L had purchased all day bus passes and were out and about. I just loitered around the WWW until they arrived a little after 1900. We went to the Bootlegger Bistro for dinner. Lou and I had Spaghetti & Meatballs and Don had Ravioli. It was delicious. We dined alfresco (outside on the patio). This way I could smoke. The evening was pleasant. After that, I returned to the WWW and went to bed.

Wednesday:
D&L picked me up this AM and we went to Sam’s Town for the $4.99 breakfast buffet. It was good, especially for the price. After breakfast, we returned to the WWW. Lou took the car and went shopping. Don & I installed the 2500 watt inverter in my truck. It took most of the day. We had to buy some hardware and connectors. We installed it in a “cubby hole” behind the drivers seat. It was a cramped space, and it took some doing, but we eventually emerged victorious. There was some dis-assembly and re-assembly of some outer fairings on the truck as well. Lou returned just as we were finishing. Don & I were filthy after crawling all over the truck all day, so they went back to their RV for showers. I spruced up as well. They returned about 1900. We decided to just have dinner at the WWW. It was good. I had the T-Bone Steak, Lou had a Dinner Salad, and Donald had Spare Ribs. Don and I had the “Complete Meal Deal” for 10.99, so drink and desert were included. I donated my desert to them, which they ordered “to go”. I was exhausted, so I bade them farewell and went back to the truck for some “quality time” with the MMM.

Thursday, April 26th:
I made myself available at 0700. Par for the course, there was no freight available. I finally settled for a load which picked up in Las Vegas and delivered in Grandview, WA, but not until tomorrow. Don & Lou left this AM. I called Don to wish him Happy 58th. Later in the day, I went to my storage shed and retrieved my Crock Pot and Microwave. Now that I have the 2500 watt inverter installed, I can use them. The rest of the day I spent geeking and vegging.

Life Day 21832: (Lack of freight) Lament in Lathrop, CA

Friday, April 20th:
I left Santa Nella at 0930 and drove to our terminal in Lathrop, CA. I fueled, walked the MMM, then left at 1115. I drove to McCarran, NV. I did the drop/hook delivery, then drove to our terminal in Sparks, NV. I consulted with Dispatch and accepted a load which picked up at our terminal in Lathrop, CA and delivered in Las Vegas, NV. It was scheduled to be TCalled there tomorrow. This area has never recovered from the “after Christmas slump”. There seems to always be a 1 to 2 day layover for freight when ever you come to this area. I left Sparks about 1930 after a good dinner and MMM walk. I drove to Lathrop and settled in for the night.

Saturday:
When I woke up this AM, I checked with Dispatch to find out the status of my load (about 0800). I was coming out of Portland, OR. They said that it was in the process of being loaded. The ETA was about 2200. Armed with this information, I decided to take the day off and leave  tomorrow. I dropped my empty trailer in the yard, then drove to the Wally World in Manteca to do some shopping. I then drove to Ripon, CA for lunch. I ate at the Sonic adjacent to the Loves truckstop. I was disappointed to discover that they had taken their chicken fried steak sandwich off the menu. I settled for a couple of hot dogs and a root beer float. I then drove back to Lathrop to wait. Brother Donald called to say that he was in the Las Vegas area. I told him my plans and he said that they would be in their usual ‘haunt’ at the Rio.

Sunday:
I left Lathrop at 1000. I drove to Bakersfield, CA. I had lunch at Bill Lee’s, then drove on to Vegas. I arrived at the WWW about 2130. I called Don & Lou. I loaded the MMM into the Jeep and drove over to the Rio. I stayed about an hour, then drove back to the WWW and went to bed.

Life Day 21827: On the way to Oxnard

Monday, April 16th:
Today was a long day. I was back at the consignee when they opened at 0800. I found out the hard way about a new Swift policy. Before you can deliver a load to a Broker, you have to first have your trailer inspected at the Swift terminal. When I went in to Recieving, the first thing they asked for was the inspection form. Not having one, I had to drive the 10 miles back to the terminal and obtain one (so much for an early start). If I would have known about this, I could have done it yesterday while I was goofing off at the Flying J. Because of the line for the inspection lane, it took about 2 hours to get the trailer inspected. After I got it, I went back to the consignee. I did the drop/hook delivery, then parked on the street to wait for my next load. About 1430, I recieved a PrePlan which picked up at our terminal here in Laredo and delivered in Oxnard, CA. I drove back to the terminal, fueled, picked up the load, and finally departed Laredo at 1545. I drove to Del Rio, TX. I took a short break, then drove to Fort Stockton, TX where I had to stop for the day. That pesky 14-hour rule strikes again.

Tuesday:
I left Ft. Stockton at 0830. I drove to El Paso, TX. I fueled, and took a nice long break. At 1500, I departed and drove directly to Phoenix, AZ where I stopped for the night. I drove 10.75 hours.

Wednesday:
I left Phoenix at 1100 and drove to Blythe, CA. The reason I stopped here was that between Quartzsite and Ehrenberg, I blew a tire on my trailer, and Blythe was the nearest repair facility. It took about an hour to replace the tire (mostly waiting for the On-Road department to issue the PO for repair). I then drove to our terminal in Fontana. I didn’t yet have a PrePlan, and I didn’t want to get to Oxnard without one. There is no place to park a “big rig” there. I checked with Dispatch after I had parked. They found me a load which picked up at the consignee and delivered in McCarran (just east of Reno), NV. I accepted it, then settled in for the night.

Thursday:
Since the PrePlan didn’t pick up until after 1500, I delayed my departure from Fontana until noon. I arrived in Oxnard at 1445. I did the delivery and pick up, walked the MMM, did the paperwork, and left Oxnard about 1600. I drove to Harris Ranch. I had dinner here (Chicken Fried Steak, naturally). I then drove to Santa Nella, where I decided to stop for the night.

Life Day 21826: Laredo Layabout

Sunday, Apr. 15th:
Today, I left Austin about 0830. I drove to the customer in Laredo to deliver the load. They were closed for the weekend. When I called them on Friday, I was led to understand that they would be open until 1500 for ‘drop’ deliveries, but I guess not. I arrived at 1300. I then drove back to the new Flying J truckstop to wile away the hours. The truckstop was already full when I arrived a little after 1400. Not that unusual for Laredo on a Sunday.
  
I had to park on the street (see my truck on left edge of the picture on the left above). There was a nice grassy area for the MMM to wander in, but I kept them on the leash.


A”wetland” divided the grassy area. Some birds were enjoying it. Even a lowly moth stopped ‘flitting’ to recreate here.

Life Day 21825: Around Austin

Thursday, April 12th:
I woke up at 0330. I walked the MMM, then checked in with recieving. While I was being unloaded, I recieved and accepted a PrePlan which picked up in Wampum, PA and delivered in Laredo, TX. (I know, it’s not in my Atlas either). The directions I got were accurate though. It was about 45 miles north of Pittsburg. I arrived in Wampum at 0630. It was another one of those Industrial Parks inside a mountain like the one I loaded at a few months ago in Kansas City MO.


After I was loaded and outside the mountain again where my QualCom would work again , I did my L-Call and my Log Book. I left about 0745 and drove to our terminal in Columbus, OH. I had lunch and walk the MMM. About noon, I left Columbus and drove to Franklin, KY where I stopped for the night (14 hour rule). It rained most of the day. The temperature never rose above 48 degrees. I was hoping for improvement as I drove south, but it never happened.

Friday:
I left Franklin about 0630. I drove to Hurricane Mills, TN. I fueled here, then decided to have breakfast. I left about 1100 and drove to North Little Rock, AR. I took a 15 minute break here. I finished out my day by driving to Rockwall, TX, just north of Dallas. I finally got out of the rain somewhere around Nashville, but it was still cloudy. Just as I was entering Texas, it began to rain heavily again. I heard on the news of the tornado that hit Ft. Worth. A “light show” was provided by Mother Nature for a while, but by the time I arrived in Rockwall, the rain was gone again. It sprinkled a bit for the rest of the night, but that was it. 

Saturday:
I only have 3.75 hours available, so it will be a short day today. When I woke up, it was still 48 degrees, but there were also constant winds of about 25 mph. That made it seem even colder. I left Rockwall about 0900 and drove the 30 odd miles to our terminal in Lancaster, TX. I fueled and walked the MMM. After that, I drove to Luby’s Cafeteria for an early lunch. I had Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, macaroni & cheese, carrot & raisin salad, a fruit salad, and Key Lime pie for desert. It cost me a little over $14.00. At noon, I left Lancaster and drove to Austin, TX where I ran out of hours for the day. En route from Lancaster to Austin, a mysterious golden orb appeared in the sky, the clouds began to dissipate, and the temperature began to rise. When I arrived in Austin, it was over 60 degrees. It was still windy though.