After picking up the loaded trailer, I headed east on 35 and witnessed a beautiful sunrise.
Later on, I connected with I-64 and rode that through West Virginia and Virginia. Beautiful scenery.
As it was getting dusk, I stop at McDonalds for some cheeseburgers. What is it with fast-food joints? Their service seems to be slowing down (unless you go through the drive-through). I could have unhooked my trailer, drove my tractor through the drive-through and had my order faster than ordering via the counter. I even watched my cheeseburgers sit in the warming tray for 3-minutes before someone finally bagged them up and handed them to me. The only exception to slow fast food service (what an oxymoron!) is if the location just opened. Then everything clips along at a fast pace.
In spite of the fast food hold-up, I managed to get to my delivery appointment with time to spare. The warehouse security team assigned me an empty space to drop my trailer before picking up a new one. However, the yard jockeys were starting to move loaded trailers from the warehouse docks to empty slots without telling security. So, I my "empty" slot was filled with another trailer. So, I had to turn around and spend 3-4 minutes going back to the security compound to get a new assigned drop space. This time the space was empty and I dropped the loaded trailer, picked up my assigned empty trailer and then proceeded to sweep the trailer out once outside the warehouse compound. That's when I discovered that my broom's assembly had in part come undone. A bolt and lock-nut holding the support piece connecting the broom and the broom handle had disappeared probably due to the all the jarring vibration the truck experiences. I'll have to fix the broom once I get back home. So I closed the back trailer doors and headed for a nearby truck stop.
My dispatcher had not assigned me a pre-plan so after-hours support told me to call Mr. K. in the morning. Then after I showered, I discovered that I had a load assignment for tomorrow. I'll be picking up in Suffolk, VA and delivering in Indianapolis, IN. So, I'll probably get back to Marshfield, WI late Friday which means my wife (who will be picking me up) and I won't be getting home until late Friday/early Saturday morning.
miles driven = 627
PostScript: Last night, I discovered I had a message from my son. He had finally lost his first tooth! That thing was hanging on for dear life--he could almost bend it anyway he wished Sunday evening. He wouldn't let my wife nor I pull it for him, so he just kept wiggling it around. He lost it while brushing his teeth. He asked his mom why there was blood in the toothpaste mixture he spit into the sink. Sadly, he lost the tooth--it went down the sink drain. His message was a forlorn one--happy that his tooth came out; sad that he didn't have the tooth. On the bright side, I learned this morning that his sister lent him one of her teeth that had come out last year so that he could get a visit from the tooth fairy (BTW, the tooth fairy almost forgot to pay a visit. If it wasn't for a 4:00 AM trip to the bathroom, she would have.). This morning when I talked with him, he was in an upbeat mood--no worse for the wear in not having his first tooth that fell out. I think he just may let his mom or dad yank...er...pull the next tooth out so that it doesn't go down the drain!
10:25:06 PM
back to top |
