Time off goes by just way too fast. We didn't actually accomplish anything on these 3 days off really. We cleaned up the house a bit, enjoyed a feast and watched the Arizona Cardinals lose badly to the Saints, watched my beloved Detroit Red Wings lose in a shootout with the Chicago Blackhawks game, and caught up on sleep. Mary started school this week so that took her away for a few hours on Tuesday, but I think that was about it.
Wednesday morning started early. I think I was up by 600am and Mary and I were out the door by 645am, arriving at the Pilot where I parked the truck by 700am. It took a bit to bring the truck to operating temperature and I finally rolled out around 730am. The Costco distribution center in Tolleson was just around the corner so I took the backroads and got there shortly after. I was directed to a parking area with a pager type thing, the kind you would get at the Olive Garden or Texas Roadhouse, and when it buzzed I was to report to my assigned door. Fair enough. Being early a bit early I kinda expected it and did as I was told.
Well, after 1.5 hours waiting it finally went off. I expected a wait but damn. I parked in my assigned door and waited another 1.5 hours before I got the go ahead to pull out. After, I headed home where Mary and I went to lunch at our new local favorite establishment for lunch and went home to hang out. During such time I got a preplan after dropping in Mira Loma, CA.... I was going to head down to the Santa Fe Springs, CA yard and take a load to Phoenix, AZ. At least i'll be able to take a 10 hour break at home provided I get a decently long weekend pull.
I think I finally shipped out somewhere around 330pm or so. The drive across I-10 was rather uneventful. Around Palm Springs, CA I noticed truck stops were full to the brim so after some thought I decided to stop at the rest area outside Palm Springs for the night, leaving me about 52 miles left to go. I was up and on the road right at as my 10 hour break was finished. I got about 20 miles down the road and was pulled into the scales there for a Level II inspection. The guy checked all the lights, thumped the tires, did a quick lookover of the trailer, did a checkover of my paperwork, and let me go. It kinda worked out 'cuz I was running ahead of schedule and needed to burn some time, but i'd rather have stopped somewhere other than the state run scales!
I think I finally got there at 615am and was given a door right away. 1.5 hours later I was on my way to the T/A in Ontario, CA to refuel the truck.... great mpg on this load as the last refuel was done in Van Horn, TX, almost 1,000 miles away with all my stops.
Wednesday morning started early. I think I was up by 600am and Mary and I were out the door by 645am, arriving at the Pilot where I parked the truck by 700am. It took a bit to bring the truck to operating temperature and I finally rolled out around 730am. The Costco distribution center in Tolleson was just around the corner so I took the backroads and got there shortly after. I was directed to a parking area with a pager type thing, the kind you would get at the Olive Garden or Texas Roadhouse, and when it buzzed I was to report to my assigned door. Fair enough. Being early a bit early I kinda expected it and did as I was told.
Well, after 1.5 hours waiting it finally went off. I expected a wait but damn. I parked in my assigned door and waited another 1.5 hours before I got the go ahead to pull out. After, I headed home where Mary and I went to lunch at our new local favorite establishment for lunch and went home to hang out. During such time I got a preplan after dropping in Mira Loma, CA.... I was going to head down to the Santa Fe Springs, CA yard and take a load to Phoenix, AZ. At least i'll be able to take a 10 hour break at home provided I get a decently long weekend pull.
I think I finally shipped out somewhere around 330pm or so. The drive across I-10 was rather uneventful. Around Palm Springs, CA I noticed truck stops were full to the brim so after some thought I decided to stop at the rest area outside Palm Springs for the night, leaving me about 52 miles left to go. I was up and on the road right at as my 10 hour break was finished. I got about 20 miles down the road and was pulled into the scales there for a Level II inspection. The guy checked all the lights, thumped the tires, did a quick lookover of the trailer, did a checkover of my paperwork, and let me go. It kinda worked out 'cuz I was running ahead of schedule and needed to burn some time, but i'd rather have stopped somewhere other than the state run scales!
I think I finally got there at 615am and was given a door right away. 1.5 hours later I was on my way to the T/A in Ontario, CA to refuel the truck.... great mpg on this load as the last refuel was done in Van Horn, TX, almost 1,000 miles away with all my stops.