I got a bout of nostalgia this run. On Saturday I had a little 4-Runner pass me, and through the back window I could see a little arm pumping aggressively wanting me to honk my airhorn. This thrust me back to my youth, from age 5 to maybe 10 or 11. I remember being taught by someone, not really sure who, that if you pump your arm up and down a non-distracted truck driver might honk his horn at you.. at which time I was instructed to always give the trucker a thumbs up. For some reason that is one of the few memories I have of my extreme youth and it always stuck with me.
After that, I remember everytime we as a family took a trip from Detroit, MI to my grandmothers in Cincinatti, OH and various other small trips around the state my brother and I would see how many trucks we could get to honk their airhorns. In most cases we would get about 90% to do it. And, to top it off most of my friends did the same thing getting about the same success rate. And, that brings me to todays times. Since i've been in this job i've had maybe half a dozen try and get me to honk the horn. Mary hasn't had much better odds either and it makes me wonder if fathers are teaching their kids these days to play the same games. I suspect with cell phones, IPOD's, laptops, mobile DVD players, and all the other crap to keep kids preoccupied such silly games are not necessary to keep them busy. But then, theres the drivers. I try to get my kids to do the same thing and my son won't have anything to do with it while my daughter will try like crazy and most won't even partake. I find both sides of the coin interesting.
After leaving the Budweiser distribution center in Salt Lake City, UT I was directed to head over to the Con-way yard to pick up a relay bound for Tooele, UT. It only took me about 30 minutes total to get to the yard, hook, and leave for the distribution center.
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It took me about 30 minutes to get over to the DC where I found it was a drop and hook. The woman that took my paperwork was relieved because apparently there were about 20 drivers waiting to unload. Thank god I didn't have to partake in that excitement. Once I grabbed the empty I was sent my next load. I was to head over to Magna, UT to pick up copper coils and take it to Kimberly, WI. Not bad... 1483 miles for an awsome weekend pull.
Upon arrival I found there were about 7 other trucks waiting for the same thing I was. After being in line and having checked in with security I got a call from someone at, what I thought was, the company. Apparently someone (I can only assume a scheduler) was on the line looking to speak with the driver (me), just to make sure I was there. I assured her I was and was in line. But, I did find out I didn't have my pickup number so she was gracious to give that to me. That would probably simplify my life considerably. I finally bumped the dock around 200pm, checked in, and was loaded around 230pm. A quick check with the security office and I was outta there. At that point it was a mad rush to get as far as I could. I had less than 2.5 days to go near 1500 miles. A quick stop back at the Con-way yard to scale out and I was off. This trailer, when I picked her up, pulled really well but with 43,000lbs directly over each set of axles it pulled like a bitch. The beer load was 46,000lbs in a trailer that pulled about the same way and I had no problems at all. This load had problems even starting out in first gear. It gave me problems the entire way... go figure.. the load I have to push and half the time I could barely start out after a start. Anyways, I ended up stopping at a rest area just outside of Fort Bridger.
My goal was to wake up around 500am on Saturday and take off. The intent was to be able to drive on my 11 as far as I could, stop early, repeat the process on Sunday, and leave myself with about 50 miles or so left on Monday to make, which would leave me plenty on my hours for the day to pick up a new load. Come Saturday morning I think I reset the alarm for 1.5 hours later. That wasn't scheduled but I got up way too early too many times this week. I think I was finally rolling around 715am or so.
I pressed out across I-80 making it to Grand Island, NE and Sunday made it to somewhere about 80 miles outside of the consignee near Appleton, WI. I was suprised to see, however, the amount of vehicles still stuck from the storms last week. I think I witnessed some dozen cars spun out or flipped over, a truck with a horse trailer overturned, a u-Haul trailer overturned but misssing the tow vehicle, 2 trucks wiped out in the center median, and one completely overturned. I knew people didn't know how to drive but damn.
Anyways, Monday morning I got going somewhere around 345am and finished the 80 miles, arriving about 30 minutes earlier than my appointment time. The guy was nice and allowed me to be unloaded early though.. giving me much more opportunity to have a load out later today. After 45 minutes. or around 0645am I was on my way and found myself a decent truck stop north of where I was to wait out my next load. I put in for home this time around so I hope to be back sometime by Sunday. 4 days off should put me coming back Thursday for a few short runs before any long weekend runs provided I can get home then.
After that, I remember everytime we as a family took a trip from Detroit, MI to my grandmothers in Cincinatti, OH and various other small trips around the state my brother and I would see how many trucks we could get to honk their airhorns. In most cases we would get about 90% to do it. And, to top it off most of my friends did the same thing getting about the same success rate. And, that brings me to todays times. Since i've been in this job i've had maybe half a dozen try and get me to honk the horn. Mary hasn't had much better odds either and it makes me wonder if fathers are teaching their kids these days to play the same games. I suspect with cell phones, IPOD's, laptops, mobile DVD players, and all the other crap to keep kids preoccupied such silly games are not necessary to keep them busy. But then, theres the drivers. I try to get my kids to do the same thing and my son won't have anything to do with it while my daughter will try like crazy and most won't even partake. I find both sides of the coin interesting.
After leaving the Budweiser distribution center in Salt Lake City, UT I was directed to head over to the Con-way yard to pick up a relay bound for Tooele, UT. It only took me about 30 minutes total to get to the yard, hook, and leave for the distribution center.
View Larger Map
It took me about 30 minutes to get over to the DC where I found it was a drop and hook. The woman that took my paperwork was relieved because apparently there were about 20 drivers waiting to unload. Thank god I didn't have to partake in that excitement. Once I grabbed the empty I was sent my next load. I was to head over to Magna, UT to pick up copper coils and take it to Kimberly, WI. Not bad... 1483 miles for an awsome weekend pull.
Upon arrival I found there were about 7 other trucks waiting for the same thing I was. After being in line and having checked in with security I got a call from someone at, what I thought was, the company. Apparently someone (I can only assume a scheduler) was on the line looking to speak with the driver (me), just to make sure I was there. I assured her I was and was in line. But, I did find out I didn't have my pickup number so she was gracious to give that to me. That would probably simplify my life considerably. I finally bumped the dock around 200pm, checked in, and was loaded around 230pm. A quick check with the security office and I was outta there. At that point it was a mad rush to get as far as I could. I had less than 2.5 days to go near 1500 miles. A quick stop back at the Con-way yard to scale out and I was off. This trailer, when I picked her up, pulled really well but with 43,000lbs directly over each set of axles it pulled like a bitch. The beer load was 46,000lbs in a trailer that pulled about the same way and I had no problems at all. This load had problems even starting out in first gear. It gave me problems the entire way... go figure.. the load I have to push and half the time I could barely start out after a start. Anyways, I ended up stopping at a rest area just outside of Fort Bridger.
My goal was to wake up around 500am on Saturday and take off. The intent was to be able to drive on my 11 as far as I could, stop early, repeat the process on Sunday, and leave myself with about 50 miles or so left on Monday to make, which would leave me plenty on my hours for the day to pick up a new load. Come Saturday morning I think I reset the alarm for 1.5 hours later. That wasn't scheduled but I got up way too early too many times this week. I think I was finally rolling around 715am or so.
I pressed out across I-80 making it to Grand Island, NE and Sunday made it to somewhere about 80 miles outside of the consignee near Appleton, WI. I was suprised to see, however, the amount of vehicles still stuck from the storms last week. I think I witnessed some dozen cars spun out or flipped over, a truck with a horse trailer overturned, a u-Haul trailer overturned but misssing the tow vehicle, 2 trucks wiped out in the center median, and one completely overturned. I knew people didn't know how to drive but damn.
Anyways, Monday morning I got going somewhere around 345am and finished the 80 miles, arriving about 30 minutes earlier than my appointment time. The guy was nice and allowed me to be unloaded early though.. giving me much more opportunity to have a load out later today. After 45 minutes. or around 0645am I was on my way and found myself a decent truck stop north of where I was to wait out my next load. I put in for home this time around so I hope to be back sometime by Sunday. 4 days off should put me coming back Thursday for a few short runs before any long weekend runs provided I can get home then.