STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Life Day 22419: Peregrination to Palo Alto

I found a few minutes to relax and get out of the kitchen, so I’ll try to bring you up to date on my travels since my last post. I’ll be doing it from memory, so I can’t guarantee total accuracy (they say that the memory is the second thing to go). You’ll be able to get the gist anyway. I’m currently in Palo Alto, CA visiting my brother and family for Thanksgiving.

I left off in Bishop,CA on the 18th, so that’s where I’ll begin again. I left Bishop about 1100 and drove to Sparks, NV. Along the way, I stopped to take these pictures. The first stop was a Rest Area about 60 miles north of Bishop on US-395.

My next stop was for some pictures of Mono Lake just north of Lee Vining.

After this stop, I decided it was time to go to work and finish this load. It seemed to take forever to get through Carson City and into Reno. There are too many traffic lights. They should really build a bypass freeway around all that mess. I arrived in Sparks about 1700 and did the drop hook delivery. I had to wait about 45 minutes for an empty trailer. It really didn’t matter because as it turned out, I was done for the day. DRAT!! Had I known that, I would have stopped a few more times for more pictures. I passed right by Topaz Lake, and some other “Kodak Moment” scenery, but didn’t stop because I was in a hurry to get to the customer. I settled in for the night at the Petro truck stop.

On the 19th, I accepted a load to Minnesota. Since I was trying to get to Vegas on the 24th, I was allowed to T-call the load at our terminal in Salt Lake City. I made the drive without incident. It was boring. The drive on I-80 between Reno and Salt Lake City is among the most desolate drives on on the entire Interstate highway system.

The 20th brought me a load to Saint George, UT, with a back-up load to Prewitt, NM. Since the Prewitt load wasn’t scheduled to deliver until Dec 1st, I was told to T-call it at our terminal in Albuquerque. After I made the St. George delivery at 2000, I was told to take my empty trailer to a customer in Cedar City, then bobtail to the customer in Hurricane, UT and pick up the Prewitt load. By the time all this was done, it was midnight, so I decided to call it a day (night).

I drove to Albuquerque on the 21st. It’s a nice drive, but not if you are loaded heavy like I was. I stopped in Jacob Lake, AZ and overpaid for Cheeseburger and Fries. It was pretty good though. I stopped again in Winslow, AZ before I got to Albuquerque about 2200.

On Saturday, the 22nd, I was told to deadhead to our terminal in Lathrop, CA. That’s over 1000 miles empty. Since the route would take me through Kingman, AZ anyway, I suggested that I just head to Vegas from there. I wanted to arrive there by the 24th anyway, and that wasn’t going to happen if I drove all the way to Lathrop first. The DM du jour made it happen. I left Albuquerque about 1030, and arrived in Vegas about 2100. Since I was going to be taking off for a week, I gave my empty trailer to another Swift driver who was desperately in need of one.

The 23rd and 24th were spent preparing for my trip. The MMM were groomed. My car was washed, fueled, and serviced all at the same place. That was convenient. I did a little sorting in my storage shed as well.

On the 25th, I left Vegas about 1130. The WWW was giving away free Apple pies to VIP’s so I waited until I got mine before I left. I had dinner at Bill Lee’s in Bakersfield, then drove on to Palo Alto, arriving about 2130. The traffic wasn’t too bad, but it was noticeably heavier than usual. Shortly after I arrived, we cut into that Apple pie. It was delicious. Then a brief chat, then off to bed.

The 26th was a busy day. I started of by doing my laundry. In between loads, I planned the menu for my stay, and made a shopping list. After the laundry was done, Donald and I went grocery shopping. The stores weren’t too awfully crowded. I made Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes and Sour Cream Green Beans for dinner. It was well received.

Thanksgiving Day.  Click to the left, or scroll down to the next entry below for  todays activities.
 
Today, the 28th, I made Omelets for breakfast along with Fried Potatoes. Donald an I went shopping (ugh!!). I was looking for a particular type of bag called a “locker bag”. We went to the luggage store where I had previously purchased one, but they had changed hands (probably a few times) since then, and they had no idea what I was talking about so I gave up. Next stop was “wally world”. I needed some food storage containers and some dog food. Finding them was a breeze, but checking out was a bit more taxing. While I was there, Donald went to get eggs and bell peppers. The last stop was Safeway for biscuits. When we returned, I started dinner (Porcupine Meatballs in the slow cooker). Little else after that except “geeking” until dinner was ready. I went online and found the exact bag that I was looking for for $52.00 including shipping, so I bought it directly from their site.  The bag I bought from the luggage store previously had cost me about $90.00, and that was at least 5 years ago. I made some fresh Spinach to accompany the meatballs. This meal too was well received. Also, I finally got around to making the Cranberry Sauce as well. It’ll be good with what ever left-overs we have tomorrow for dinner. After dinner, yet more “geeking”. Now you are totally up to date.

Happy Thanksgiving

As is my want when I visit my brother here in Palo Alto, I have been busy all day cooking. I started off by making Deviled Eggs. They, along with stuffed celery (some w/ peanut butter and some w/ cheese), became breakfast. Next, I made 3 pies and a fruit salad. The pies were an Apple/Mincemeat, a Cranberry/Pear (which I gave the nickname of CranPeary) and a tart Apple. The fruit salad consisted of an apple, a pear, pineapple, pecans, almonds and mandarin oranges, marinated in Peach Liqueur. Just before serving, I drained the marinade added a couple of sliced bananas and stirred in some yogurt. Next it was time for the Turkey (breast). I marinated it overnight in Italian dressing (your favorite brand right out of the bottle will do nicely). Lou used her rotisserie (Ron Popiel’s “set it and forget it” type) to do the actual cooking. It only took 2½ hours to cook the 7½ lb turkey breast. I made the mashed potatoes and creamed peas with pearl onions while it was cooking. For a change, everything was ready at about the same time. We ate (too much) about 4:00 pm. All was delicious. The MMM enjoyed cleaning the plates and bowls. Later we all had Pie.

Life Day 22408: Bored in Bishop

Not much to relate regarding travel this time.

On the 11th, I drove to Windsor and made the pick up uneventfully. I then drove to Salt Lake City with stops in Rawlins and Little America, WY along the way for the MMM and munchies. It was a bit windy going through Wyoming (how odd) but the roads were dry so there was no real problem. I hit a teensy bit of “fluffy rain” on the top of the mountain around the Lincoln Statue between Cheyenne and Laramie.

I made the delivery on the 12th at 0800. It took about an hour. I then went to the terminal to wait for my next load. I had a request in for some ‘home time’. About 1400, I accepted a load from Clearfield to Flagstaff, AZ. After I picked it up, I drove to Scipio, UT. I had dinner there and walked the K9 kids. I then drove to Page, AZ where I stopped for the night. My 14 hours was expended. Actually, it was a wide spot in the road just past the Glen Canyon Dam, but Page is a mile away.

On the 13th, I drove to Flagstaff and delivered the load. It was a drop/hook delivery, and the customer didn’t have any empty trailers available. After a while, I was ‘deadheaded’ to Phoenix. I received a load to North Las Vegas, but it was still en route from Laredo. By the time it finally arrived about 2030, it was too late for me to go anywhere. That pesky 14 hour window.

On the 14th, I left Phoenix at 0800. I drove to Kingman, AZ for a break and lunch. I then drove to NLV and made the delivery, arriving about 1400. It took about an hour. After that I drove to the WWW and settled in. I was surprised to find a good parking spot there so late on a Friday afternoon.

The 15th and 16th were basically spent working in my storage shed sorting through the mess left by the thieves. They just dumped boxes out on the floor. I hauled out about 6 ‘lawn and leaf’ size trash bags full of trash just to clear a path to get started. Then I started sorting through my clothes. I have 3 different piles. Pile #1 is stuff that is still in good condition and that I’m going to keep. Pile #2 is stuff in need of repair (ripped or stained). It will probably be thrown away. Pile #3 is stuff that no longer fits (amazing how clothes ’shrink’ the longer they sit). This pile also includes clothes in the “what was I thinking when I bought that” category. There are more clothes in this category than I like to admit. On Saturday evening, the WWW rewarded it’s VIP’s with a complementary dinner. I selected the Filet Mignon. The other option was Chicken Marseilles. The meal also included French Onion Soup, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans Almondine, and a tasty Bread Pudding with Raisin Sauce for desert. It was delicious, and the price was right. On Sunday evening, I rewarded my efforts with dinner at the Haufbrau Haus restaurant.

Yesterday, Monday the 17th, I was deadheaded with my empty trailer to our terminal in Fontana, CA. Along the way, I received a PrePlan to Sparks, NV that picked up in Mira Loma, CA. After fueling in Fontana, I called the customer and found that my load was ready even though it wasn’t scheduled for pick up until this morning. I drove to the customer, picked up the load, and set off for Sparks. I ran out of hours (the 14) here in Bishop. I stopped once in Pearsonville to walk the MMM.

Today, I’ll finish this load in Sparks (it’s just a drop/hook). My plan is to stay close to home so I can get to Palo Alto for Thanksgiving. So far, so good.

Life Day 22401: Dormant in Denver

I’m going to begin with an update to the last post in this BLOG. I was remiss in not mentioning Wolfie’s “toe woe”. When I took the MMM for a walk after returning to the WWW on Halloween, I noticed that he was favoring his leg again. I thought it was just his joint pain returning, but I then noticed that he was licking his paw. On closer examination, I saw that he too had somehow managed to tear off one of his toenails. I drove to my usual Vet, but he had taken the day off. The assistant left to ‘man the phones’ set me up with a Vet at the Fort Apache store (straight west down Tropicana Ave. from the WWW). They took good care of him. I may transfer their grooming and Vet care to this store because it is more convenient to the WWW.

Now for the day to day drivel. On the 7th, I delivered my load, then drove to the ‘wally world’ to wait for a PrePlan. The MMM and I enjoyed a nice “Mickey D’s” breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancakes. About noonish, I accepted a load that picked up in Monroe, LA and delivered in Golden, CO. It took me 4 hours to drive the 170 odd miles to Monroe, because it was mostly on 2 lane highways with a speed limit of 55 mph (or less) and lots of construction. It was a ‘live load’ that took about 2 hours. I then drove to Longview, TX and parked for the night. My 14 hour driving window was about to expire.

On the 8th, I drove to Amarillo, TX via our Lancaster, TX terminal for fuel. The day was uneventful, and the scenery along the way lackluster.

On the 9th, I drove to Denver. I stopped at our terminal for fuel. I called niece Vickie, but we couldn’t make a connection. We did have a nice chat over the phone though. I then drove out to Golden and spent the night at the customer.

Today, I delivered the load at 0500. It took about an hour. I then drove to the TA truck stop in Wheat Ridge and settled in to wait. I received my first PrePlan about 1000. It picked up in Denver, and delivered in Durango, CO. After I accepted it, they added a stop In Cortez, CO so I had to let it go. With the time I had remaining, I couldn’t make the first delivery in Cortez by the appointment time of 0800 due to starting my 14-hour clock so early this morning. I received a 2nd PrePlan about an hour later. It too picked up in Denver. It delivered in Minneapolis, MN. It was a good load, but it turned out to be too heavy. I couldn’t get it legal with my “nose heavy” tractor, so I had to let it go as well. I received my 3rd and final PrePlan about 1500. I picks up tomorrow in Windsor, CO and delivers in Salt Lake City, UT. I’m comfortable here, so I’ll stay here tonight and leave early in the morning and drive to the shipper. I have some beef stew in the Crock Pot, so dinner will be delicious. My truck is due for a PM Service, so after dinner, I’ll get that done as well.

Life Day 22397: Motionless in Malvern

When was the last time that I updated my travels on this BLOG?

Oh yeah, the 19th of October. I wound up doing a Walmart load, an “overnighter” to St. George, on the promise of another Walmart load to Vegas on my return for a few days off. Freight in SLC was slow as has been the ‘norm’ lately. I did both loads arriving home late on the 21st.

I returned to Corinne on the 24th and got a PrePlan for a load from Ogden to Clackamas, Wilsonville and Salem, OR for pick up on the 25th. I just slept in Corinne after I exchanged the empty Walmart trailer for a Swift empty.

On the 25th, I picked up the load in Ogden and drove to Boise, ID where I stopped for the night. The next day, I drove to the first stop in Clackamas and spent the night there. It is getting a little late in the season to be traveling in this area, but the weather forecast was good.

On the 27th, I finished the load and picked up another load from Albany, OR to Rowley, UT. Rowley is not really a town, but a Magnesium mine out in the hinterlands 50 miles west of Salt Lake City. I drove to Baker, OR and called it a day. The next day, I drove to SLC. I fueled, ate, walked the MMM, then drove out to Rowley and spent the night there.

On the 29th, I delivered the load and accepted another multi-drop load to Fountain Valley, Garden Grove and Cypress, CA. I picked it up and drove to Las Vegas. I spent the night there. The next day, just as I was ready to leave about 1100, I got the call about my storage shed being burgled (ref: previous post). When I got back to my truck there was a message on my QualCom stating that the customer(s) would not accept my load (for reasons unknown to me) and to wait for further instructions. I waited and waited, and waited. They were either going to have me return it to the shipper, or find another customer in the LA area. About 1700, I called to find out what was happening. By this time the CSR had gone home and I was told to take the load to our drop facility in North Las Vegas. When I arrived there I was told that I could not drop the load there because the lot was completely full. GREAT!! I drove back to the WWW. I had to park on the street because while I was gone, the lot there had also filled up. GREATER!! I was apprehensive because I had already been victimized once that day, and the WWW isn’t in the greatest location. I spent a restless night and as soon as feasible, I parked in the lot. Around mid morning, on Halloween, I returned to the drop yard in NLV to find it still full. I called my DM and asked what the H___ I was supposed to do now. She just happened to notice a remark in the comments section of the dispatch that the load was scheduled to deliver at a new customer in Redlands, CA at 2330. Had the CSR done his/her job properly, I would have automatically been re-dispatched with the new consignee, but that seems to be too much to ask of CSR’s lately. I went back to the WWW to hang out until it was time to leave for Redlands. On a brighter note, I collected $46.00 from a Sports Book bet on the World Series, and another $50.00 in the Black Jack tournament. I left about 1800. It turned out that the load was just a drop/hook, so after I was finished, I drove to the Farmer Boy’s restaurant in Fontana and spent the night there.

On Nov 1st, I received a load from Irvine, CA to Cheyenne, WY with a pre-planned T-Call in Salt Lake City due to an extended delivery appointment. I drove to the MMM’s favorite Rest Area in Utah and spent the night there. The next day, I T-Called the load at our terminal and took a local delivery so I would have an empty trailer for my next load.

On the 3rd, I wound up doing a total of 5 local deliveries. I asked for a load to Texas, but all they had was a load in Sumner, WA being picked up by a team and scheduled for T-Call in SLC. I was assured that the team was reliable and would get the load there ASAP. The load was going to Midlothian, TX (20 miles south of Dallas). I did the local deliveries so as to not be idle for the entire day and to make some extra $$$$. When I was finished with the last load about 2130, I was told that the team with my load was in Mountain Home, ID and that it would be there in the AM whenever I was ready to go. I was worried that they would be delayed by the winter storm which was pounding Oregon, but evidently this team lives up to their reputation as reliable.

On the 4th, I left SLC in a moderate rain, trying very hard to turn into snow, about 0930 after a leisurely breakfast at Sapp Brothers truck stop. I drove to Milan, NM and stopped for the night. I encountered a couple of patches of snow along the way, but nothing to really affect anything. Yesterday, I drove to Alvord, TX (about 40 miles north of Ft. Worth on US-287) without incident.

Today, I delivered the load in Midlothian about 1130. I accepted this load to Malvern, AR. It delivers in the tomorrow at 0800.