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TRASHTRUCK CUSTOM BUILT - NEW - TO SAN
FRANCISCO, CA3
Earlier last week, I had turned down a run leaving out
on Sunday because I was hoping to be already gone on a trip by then. Didn't
happen, only had two days local work last week. Our company has had the
contract with this company since I've been there, but I don't remember every
moving one of these trucks other than back to the office. But I need to work so
I said yes.
But as soon as I started thinking about it I wished I hadn't,
I even went as far as calling other drivers who I knew had moved them. The
first said "Call in sick," the second said "Are you crazy?" And as soon as I
checked the weather, I saw that Donner's Pass west of Reno was getting hit with
three days of snow. It would get a break and then three more days when I was to
be there. I told dispatch I would give up my flight, my expense if they could
find someone else.
And there was the chain issue. We can't use them, my
route doesn't require them but dispatch said I needed to take them. I thought I
would get out of it by saying they had to fit, but they have one size that
fits, seems someone else made an issue of that also.
On Wednesday,
dispatch briefly thought I could go get my truck on Thursday instead of 6 AM
Monday but that fell through.
Sunday I get a call from dispatch, our 6
AM dispatch is on hold, we could be getting up to two feet of snow depending on
where it tracks. (I need to be back for the weekend, I may get out of this yet)
Monday - 2/21/11
6 AM, I'm up and shoveling. My wife and
I had shoveled yesterday as well so this AM wasn't as bad, except the snowplow
had dumped anywhere from a waist to shoulder high bank across the end of the
driveway. By 7:15 we had a path to get my wife out, later our neighbor came
over and did some of the bank for us, plus went down to a different neighbors
and snow blew a path wide enough for a car. I kept at the rest of ours
By 8 AM dispatch said we could go, I said I needed more time to dig out. Then
my shuttle driver calls and has the same problem so we set 10 AM as our
dispatch. Shuttle driver cancels and the new guy can't get to the office until
10:30. Good news is it is someone one I know and he's willing ot pick me up so
that saves me an hour in the car and a half hour on my log.
11 AM we
are rolling. We have now used five of my six 'spare hours' for me to make my
flight. Roads were anywhere from clear (breifly) to snow/ice packed for the
first four hours. We weren't the fastest car on the road but still doing 45,
but mostly 50 mph on ice. Not a big fan of how this guy drives but as far as I
know he hasn't had an accident (just don't want to be with him for his first).
We likely made it in an hour less than with the usual shuttle driver, I would
have liked it more if it had been at 6 AM on a clear day, I wanted those extra
hours.
About 15 miles from our drop we get a detour and then we get off
track and the driver has to plug in his GPS, a couple of minutes later I see
where we are and could have found it from there.
The customer is
closed when we get there, they had said the truck would be inside because they
are having issues and it needs to be kept warm or running. Thanks to a speedy
trip here, it is still daylight when I do my inspection. That always helps,
especially trying to find all the controls in these custom built units. It
takes a while to find the wiper switch I finally see it from the passenger
side.
This unit can be driven from either side, either standing or
sitting. Down side is this one does not have a plate to protect the break/gas
peddles so I have to stack my stuff so it cannot fall on the controls. Could be
a little dangerous if something fell on the breaks or the gas.
Good
news, this truck has an 80 gallon fuel tank, one of the drivers had said they
only had 40 gallon tanks and only made 4 mpg, so I'd be stopping every two
hours. I do plan on stopping every two hours anyhow, I'm expecting a rough
ride.
Rolling, I'm not to the end of their driveway and my right knee
hurts, the gas peddles for standing and sitting are tied together and the
pressure is set for standing. If this thing didn't have cruise, I might have
just taken it back to the office and called in sick. I'm also not the right
size for driving this thing sitting. I can't sit all the way back and still
reach the peddles and even without sitting all the way back the steering wheel
is at my knees.
By the time I'm on the road it is mostly dark, I end
up missing one of my first turns and have to go a few extra blocks to get to
the main highway. Plus the detour twice, these all likely cost me between a
half and a full hour of driving time today. The first 10 miles I have a hard
job keeping the speed up over 45. Finally I give up and decide to stand and end
up standing the next six hours. I don't want to use the cruise because of the
roads.
I do get about an hour down the road before the roads become an
issue, the customer was north of this storm but I'll have to get through it,
luckily I-80 is south of the storm. The next couple of hours the roads are bad,
but gradually the left lane becomes a challenge and then all but unusable.
I had only planned on driving until 9 PM but the roads are passable so
I keep going. I see a billboard for a truckstop so that is where I'm planning
on stopping. But I never find the truckstop and end up in Milwaukee on 'E.'
Finally south of town I see a sign for a Kwik Trip, I can't see it from the
freeway but at this point I don't have a choice. Usually my motto is 'If I
can't see it (from the freeway), it ain't here.'
This was actually a
real truckstop, separate diesel pumps and they even had a latter so I could
reach my fuel tank. And 'anti-gel' so I'm set. I ask the clerk where the next
motel is and they don't know. There are a bunch at this exit but not in my
price range.
By now it is snowing again and sticking to the road, I've
got about 80 miles until a $29 Motel 6 but the roads keep getting worse. I'm
now driving based on the tail lights ahead of me, as long as I don't catch up
to them and they are not in the ditch. Then they pull off and I'm down to 35
mph and the only guide I have are the 1/10 of a mile markers on the side of the
road. I finally see a billboard for a Super 8, at this point it doesn't matter
the cost. I've been up for almost 18 hours, driving standing for the last six,
I'm stopping.
The price is about $60, twice my goal, and is right next
to a Mc D's that is open for another few minutes, it's almost midnight. The
motel does make me move my truck so it doesn't bother the guests as I'll be
leaving it run all night.
>>>>>>>> TRIP
ADVISOR - Super 8, Delavan, WI
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
". It is at the
top end of the Super 8's I've stayed at"
3 of 5 stars
Date of review:
Mar 27, 2011
The guy at the desk talks non-stop about all the perks of
the motel. I'm here, I ain't going anywhere else (and I'm too tired to be
really listening to him). The place is clean and warm, heat is already on. Bed
is comffy. It is at the top end of the Super 8's I've stayed at. I guess I was
too tired to remember much more.
Plenty of breakfast, waffles plus the
usual cereal, toast and rolls.
* Reviewer ratings for this hotel:
o 3 of 5 stars Value
o 3 of 5 stars Rooms
o 3 of 5 stars Location
o
3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
o 3 of 5 stars Service
o 3 of 5 stars Sleep
Quality
* Date of stay: March 2011
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tuesday -
2/22/11
9:30 AM, 10 hours is finally up. I don't like driving after
dark, especially when it comes at the cost of not driving after sun up.
Roads are clear but wet this AM and it's sunny. Much easier drive than
last night. Only another 40 miles and I would have saved $30 on my motel, today
it seems like a much better idea than it did last night.
The truck
idled all night but it doesn't look like the fuel gauge moved at all. This is
one of those fuel tanks where I can do 150 miles on the top half of the tank
and then only 50 on the second half. Or almost that bad.
I don't
notice the truck bouncing that much but placards don't want to stay up. I stop
at the first toll booth and then again at the second toll booth. I finally have
to wedge something between the signs and a brace and that will hold them the
rest of the trip.
Originally had hoped to make it to Davenport the
first night, but that was almost 200 miles from where I stopped. It would have
taken the last hour and a half I didn't use plus time lost from the weather. No
way to make those hours up that I can see. Top speed is 55+, but that was
another thing one of the drivers had told me.
On my first call to
dispatch I find out they do not want me to re-route via Kansas City. I had run
the mileage and it is within 50 miles going either via Salt Lake City, then
down through Las Vegas or going via Kansas City and Flagstaff. Dispatch is not
convinced that the storm is coming in so they don't want me to re-route.
First fuel stop of the day is at a Pilot with a Church's Chicken.
First time I've had it, I only got a sandwich to save time. This location also
had BBQ. This stop took a half hour plus, this has the making of another 14
hour day.
I did do a non-fuel stop after two hours. A little more than
two hours as I didn't want to cross the freeway to get to a station. All I need
is another bottle of juice and a couple of minutes to stretch my legs. Roads
have been clear so I have been using the cruise most of the day. Once I get the
truck up to 40 mph, I hit resume. That's about as long as I want to hold down
the gas pedal.
Clear sailing to Omaha, Flying J. By now it is dark, it
looks like Grand Island is all I'm going to make. That 40 miles I didn't make
last night would have gotten me to Kearney. Grand Island has a Bosselmans with
a Motel 6. I had this trip laid out for cheap motels, now it is just get 'er
done.
At Grand Island I top off the tank so it can idle all night. I
had thought about parking at the truck stop and walking to the Motel 6 but then
I see a truck that might be ours so I pull over to the '6. It's not ours. Motel
6? Full?? On a Tuesday night in the middle of nowhere?
I have a coupon
for the USA motel but decide against it, it's been another 13 hour day and I
need a good bed. There is a Days in a mile away, so I log another half hour and
head there.
"$77?"
"$65?" I keep walking to the door.
"$54" I turn around. It's still $12 more than the USA but it's been a
long day. I ask where any place is to eat, now that it is after 10 PM again.
Grandma Max's or Subway, both at Bosselmans. I ask how the food is there, and
the clerk says that is where they go when family is in town and on Sundays.
I check the room out and then head back to the Bosselmans truck stop
>>>>>>>> NO REVIEW - NOT POSTED BY TRIP
ADVISOR
>>>>>>>> Grandma Max's, Grand Island NE
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I have eaten at
two other locations of Grandma Maxs about three years ago and was not
impressed. Not impressed to the point I would not have tried this one if the
hotel clerk had not said this is where they meet family and have Sunday Brunch.
It was after 10 PM so I did not want a big meal so I ordered breakfast,
eggs scrambled, bacon, hash browns and wheat toast. Food was more than enough,
service was prompt, place was clean. Not a whole lot that can make my meal a
'wow,' and it wasn't. It was just basic good food. If in the area, I will be
back, if I have another good meal here I might even try one of their other
locations again.
Only down side was the rest rooms were lacking. The
restrooms are laid out to be a 'high class' place, if kept up the room would
shine. Isn't, so it doesn't.
>>>>>>>> TRIP
ADVISOR - Days Inn, Grand Island NE
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
"If you are
willing to pay more than $29 ..."
3 of 5 stars
Date of review: Mar 27,
2011
Another good nice motel, for those who haven't read my other
reviews, I tend to stay at $29 motels, just to put this into context.
Tonight's room was $50+, no complaints. Staff was helpful, room was clean, bed
was sleepable, quiet and warm. It is much nicer when you can walk into a room
and not have to wait an hour to take your coat off.
I didn't have
breakfast but took a quick look, four kinds of dry cereal, bread, rolls, the
basics for those that look for those things. Great motel for the price.
(these reviews don't get as long when there is nothing to complain about)
* Reviewer ratings for this hotel:
o 3 of 5 stars Value
o 3
of 5 stars Rooms
o 3 of 5 stars Location
o 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
o 3 of 5 stars Service
o 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
" Date of
stay: March 2011
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Wednesday - 2/23/11
8:30 AM … not used to running
13-14 hour days and late starts. I had told dispatch when I took this run that
I didn't want to get going too early as I usually only run 11-12 hour days so
I'm up two hours early each day, plus the two time zone changes this trip.
Early call from dispatch, they finally agree that Donner's Pass is not
the way to go, I've told them that any change will make this a Saturday
delivery and require changing my flight. Because up to this point they had said
stay on course to Salt Lake City, today they say drop down to Denver. I don't
like that idea, I seldom run through Denver because nine months out of the year
you can get snow in the passes. And there is a 30% chance today.
But
when I stop to call them back, I see the weather forecast and see that the
first 1/3 of Wyoming has travel advisories … I can't win. Good thing I
took the chains, I-70 west of Denver is a 'must carry' area. Blahhh.
Weather is still good, cruise is on. Cozad, another $29 motel I didn't make it
to because I came up 40 miles short on Monday … it's haunting me.
First fuel stop of the day is Bosselmans Pilot in Big Springs, I need to check
my perks card, I should be just about there for being able to start the pump
without going in. Meal time, I'm actually taking time to eat on this trip.
Subway, they talk me into a foot long as it is only a quarter or so more. Nor
sure where I'm going to keep it cold, should not have gotten Mayo on it, the
rest I'm not worried about going bad.
Quick stop in Bush, CO for more
juice and a leg stretch, this truck is not doing me any favors. I have to sit
twisted in the seat in order not to hunch over to reach the steering wheel, and
my legs hurt from hanging there. I finally realized that I could use the gas
pedal for a foot rest, it's so stiff it's not going anywhere. Still not
comfortable but it helps.
Scale One: I've been through here three
times before and have lucked out, I used to get flagged in every trip. Today I
do get flagged in, I see that I am 220# overweight so I expect that is the
issue, that and the sign says to bring in "paperwork, permit and CDL." I tell
him I don't have a permit and he says he'll let me go. I ask how much wait I
can be over and he says I'm at it, but I might not be so lucky down the road. I
ask a couple of more questions without getting direct answers and then I see
there is someone in the office behind him. I thank him and I'm on my way.
Another extra break to cut into my day. I call dispatch and let them
know that it's a good thing they didn't' send any of their heavy hitters/big
drivers or they would have had to get a permit.
I debate stopping at
the Loves 30 miles before Denver but want to be sure I can make it to Glenwood
City, the next truckstop listed in my guide. So I go to one of my least
favorite truck stops, the TA in Denver. And now it's worse, they have changed
the traffic pattern. I didn't like it before because it could take a half hour
to get in and out. Could before, will now. And it shows, when I was done
fueling there was not a truck in the fuel islands, they used to be backed up to
the highway.
I see my handy little truckstop guide has two new
additions, the first one added the mile marker numbers for rest area's and the
newest one now has Canadian truck stops listed.
http://www.truckandtravel.com/
The boss has done the math and found
that IF I keep averaging 55 I can still make Friday delivery. Yes, I know that.
IF, but I will now be hitting the mountains. I've dropped below 45 mph on the
hills in IA. Yep, 25 mph going up the hill west of Denver, that means I'll have
to add 35 mph on the downhill side to average 55
: )
Scale
Two: This time I see I am only over 160 but still get flagged in again, same
message. The guy says I need a permit, but it is now after hours so I'll have
to wait (here) until tomorrow. When he's done talking, I tell him that it was
the guy at the first scale that said I didn't need to buy one. He thinks about
it and offers to let me re-weight. I want to drive around but he says I'm OK to
back up, by now a truck is coming so I have to wait.
He has me sit on
the scale a couple of minutes for each axle to make sure it's not rocking, 160#
over. I go back in, by now he has looked at all my other paperwork that I had
brought in, he asked to see the same things the first scale did. I'm cleared to
go, he thinks I might have rocked the scale the first time over. Whew …
again.
I debate (with myself) if I should eat the second ½ of
my Subway, I do. It does keep me thinking of how I feel.
It looks like
I should be OK, for as long as it is light out, I can't see any rain/snow
clouds. But I would still rather not be going through the mountains after dark
in the winter, never know when you'll hit ice. Later I'll have a local trucker
tell me the same thing. And it is also a waste to go through Glenwood Canyon in
the dark. Too much to see, but I need to drive 11 hours every day, max 'em out.
Almost always do.
Up and down, and round, and through tunnels. At one
point I might have had the breaks smoking, I had been keeping it 10 under the
posted for trucks, Counting out every second the breaks were on. Finally I just
let it go, didn't want to chance running the breaks anymore, by that time I was
past where the posted truck speeds are. Once I was finally off the decline I
pulled into a Scenic View area and checked the breaks. The exit before had
signs "TRUCKERS, IF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR BREAKS DO NOT EXIT HERE." Breaks did
smell hot but I'm smelled hotter sitting at truckstops.
Glenwood City,
there is supposed to be a Tomahawk truckstop but I don't' find it so I stop at
the far end of town, Turns out this Towahawk is a Phillips 66, not a Shell like
the others. And it just has two pumps next to the gas ones. So not a 'real'
truck stop. Right under the 66 sign is a Greyhound sign, and the bus was there
but ready to leave so that didn't slow me down. I stopped at the first pump but
even though it said 'Diesel' on the front, it said 'Unleaded' on the side and
no-where did it say 'ultra low sulphur,' so I pulled ahead to the next pump.
Had to leave my credit card with the guy, I'm getting used to that at
the big places but my 'trust level' wasn't as high at this location. Also
bought more juice, I open it up once I'm down the road and realize it wasn't
sealed so I decide not to chance it.
I had thought I was only going to
make it to Glenwood City but my hours show I can make it to Grand Junction. I
drive and debate (and always win). :
There were two other towns I
could have stopped at, but kept an eye on the time and went for it. I was in
Grand Junction and at the motel in under my 14 hours, but too close. Room is
going to be over $50 again tonight. They don't have a problem with leaving my
truck running, but I have to face it away from the building.
I
wouldn't really need to eat anything tonight, but I go next door to the A &
W and get Onion Rings, then I see their malts … mmmm. So I get a
strawberry one, then I see Beef Jerky, or what I have been looking for, Ham
Jerky. And some chicken jerky so I get one of each … WHAT $8 for the
chicken jerky I ask. Yep. I should have put it back and gotten two Ham Jerky
instead, they were only the usual price of $6. Wow, $15 bucks, not sure it's
worth it. But I've been out this trip.
I spend my hour before bed
trying to do the math as to how far I will get tomorrow and if I can make it.
Again … another 40 miles and I'd be in Barstow, but I'll have to hold up
100 miles short in Primm, but that is where the cheaper motels are. There is
one town between with two 'Ma-Pa' motels, one with terrible reviews on Trip
Advisor and no way of knowing if they have truck parking, OK, I could call. Bed
time.
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - West Gate Inn,
Grand Junction CO <<<<<<<<<<<<<
"What else do I need?" 3 of 5 stars Date of review: Mar 27, 2011
I've
stayed here a couple of times before, it's away from the other motels, is next
door to the truckstop and has plenty of truck parking. Clerk was helpful on the
price, my CDL price would be the best deal. Room was warm, yes! I turned the
heat on, and then realized that in addition to the heater I could control there
was also a baseboard heater. Room was clean, bed was good. Bathroom was clean,
no sign of mold, plenty of thick towels. Didn't notice the trucks from the
truckstop or the highway. What else do I need?
(Due to a breakdown, I
ended coming back for a second night)
* Reviewer ratings for this
hotel:
o 3 of 5 stars Value
o 3 of 5 stars Rooms
o 3 of 5 stars
Location
o 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
o 3 of 5 stars Service
o 3 of 5
stars Sleep Quality
* Date of stay: March 2011
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thursday - 2/24/11
Yuck. A half hour before my alarm goes
off, I'm wide awake and running for the bathroom. Could have been the Subway
that sat in my truck half the day yesterday, but my money is on the A & W
malt, dairy does not always agree with this farm boy anymore. Either way, once
it was out of my system I was good to go.
Actually I was ready a few
minutes early today, had time to take some pictures before I did my inspection
and started rolling. Truck was still running so that was a good thing.
Just a couple of miles down the road and a warning light comes on. Not sure
what it is, but I know that I'm coming up on a sign that will say "No Services
Next 109 Miles," and I think that includes no cell service. It's not a red
light so I keep going to the next exit, there's a rest area there and once I
get past the roundabouts I find my way back to the Rest Area and park. I do a
battery shut down, re-check all the fluids. Light is still on, once the power
is off I can see that the light is a 'check engine' light. The writing on it
does not show when it's on because the bulb is too bright.
I call
dispatch and they have me call the customer directly. We run the code sequence
but mess it up the first time. The other person doesn't follow what I'm doing
and vs. 2nd time through we get the code and find it is a exhaust heat sensor,
something that would shut the engine down if a re-gen is required. Again I
remind people that I am coming up on the 'no services for the next 109 miles.'
The customer sees it my way and sends me the 10 plus miles back to Grand
Junction and the engine shop there. Turns out it is on the back side of the
block across from my motel. It takes them a couple of hours to get time to look
at it and a couple more to decide what it is, and that they don't have the
parts for it. Nor does the manufactures warehouse have parts, but they find one
at a different dealership.
I wait until the other dealership has said
they have shipped the part and the shop can give me a time estimate for Friday.
Parts should be in by noon, installed and tested by 2, then I have to get sand
so that makes it 3 PM. Shop did buy me and the other guy waiting our own pizza,
so that was nice. No WiFi but I kept busy on my laptop anyhow.
Back at
the motel I use Corp Lodging to check in so that I can have 24 hours in the
motel, the night clerk knows nothing about it but I go with it anyhow. Now that
I have WiFi again I start re-planning my trip and realize that I no longer have
enough hours to make it to the customer without a shutdown. Dispatch requires
that we stay on duty while at the shop. At this point dispatch agrees that the
best place to get in and out of is likely Las Vegas so I'm to stay with the
truck … for now.
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR -
Otto's Restaurant, Grand Junction CO
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
"it was just not
to my liking this time but I'll be back." 3 of 5 stars Date of review: Mar 27,
2011
I've eaten at this place a couple of times in the past while
staying at the West Gate Inn and had good food. Not sure how to put it this
time other than the food was not to my liking. For the same reason I seldom eat
meatloaf or lasagna while traveling, I likely should not order fettuccine
alfredo. There are too many ways to make it. I could not find anything wrong
with this food, it seemed to be fresh, well cooked, well presented ... it was
just not to my liking. Will I eat here again? Yes, but will try something else.
* Reviewer ratings for this restaurant: o 3 of 5 stars Value o 3 of 5
stars Service
* Date of visit: February 2011
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Same motel as last night, different room.
Friday -
2/25/11
I knew it was going to likely be a late night tonight so I
stayed up late last night and tried to sleep in this morning. Guess I was awake
by seven something local, back on the computer, what else is there to do?
Should have been checking this yesterday, someone should have. I
couldn't, didn't have internet. Turns out the cheapest place to get out of is
not Las Vegas ($300) or Reno ($900), it's right here, Grand Junction at $264.
So I email my findings to dispatch. I get an email back that I'm to contact the
shipper so that I know how to load sand into the back of the truck.
Boss has gotten nervous that I've gotten stopped twice because I'm over weight
and he doesn't' want a ticket so I'm supposed to add 300# of sand to the back
of the truck so that, acting like a see-saw, it will pull the weight off the
front of the truck. I've found it, they have it, and yes, it's cheaper than
buying permits for each state. That was my first question, why not just buy the
permits.
Five minutes later I get the email to call the customer, then
I get a phone call and dispatch tells me to get to the airport, I'm going home.
Now, today, from here.
I takes be a few minutes to pack up the last of
my stuff, check out and walk to the customer. They are as confused as I am,
they are still expecting the part 'any time now.' Then we find out their
packages have been delayed by the weather. I get the last of my stuff out of
the truck and they ask if I need a ride. "Sure" I wasn't expecting one as I'm
ditching a truck there but wasn't going to turn it down. Not bad, a free ride
to the airport today and free pizza yesterday … other places won't even
help you find the yellow pages.
Because I need a ticket so close to
flight time, dispatch cannot purchase it online so I'm going to have to do it
at the gate. Three carriers have flights for $264 within an hour of each other.
I try Delta first, $750 ??? It didn't matter what I had seen online, prices
change by the minute. So I go to the next counter which is United, I get the
same ticket agent (no flights are leaving right then and no customers at any
counters), it seems they all sort of share the work here. United's price? $825.
OUCH, the third carrier is US Air but they have a flight leaving so all the
help is at the gate, no one at the ticket counter. I'm nervous now, thinking
I'll likely be heading back to my truck.
I call dispatch and ask them
to try to call US Air for me, they do and start with a '20 minute wait'
message. A half our later the people come back to the counter at US Air and I'm
able to get a ticket for $264, plus a $35 airport fee … dispatch is still
on hold with US Air … thank you.
Because there were no flights
coming in / out at this time, security wasn't really open. I walk up and have
to wait for them to open the area, they let me through. Checking my luggage as
I unpack it, as usual it takes me four buckets. Once I'm through I see the area
is closed off again.
I go to my gate area but find there is not any
WiFi there, there had been outside the gate. But I have enough to do where I
don't need it, so I stay there for a while. Was ready to move for another
reason though, there was a gal in the area who was on her phone. Must have just
come from some company meeting and she was calling people and telling them how
GREAT they were doing, blah, blah blah. That kind of sappy sweetness that makes
me sick. Just tell me the numbers, cut all the sappy stuff.
This
flight is not going to get back home until after midnight so I'll be getting a
rental car. It's cheaper than a taxi. The plan was I was going to be home at
noon Saturday so my wife was going to pick me up, didn't work out that way. Car
and gas come to under $40. A taxi is that price to the office which is about
half way to my house.
Flights are pretty uneventful, the flight to PHX
I didn't have anyone sitting next to me so I moved to the window seat, sat
crossways so that I could use my computer and type. Never did figure out how we
were coming in, I could see I-17 below, south of Flagstaff, but once we got to
PHX we went far enough east that I didn't know the area.
The PHX
airport does not have any maps of where food is. I had to walk through three
areas before I found what I wanted, and it was in the terminal / wing I was
leaving from. Great American Steak and Potato. Good, better than Burger King or
Pizza Hut. And I couldn't find any juice there ??? But I did find that
California Pizza has a chicken sandwich I might try next time.
I had
two seat mates on the second leg and it looked like there were rows with no one
in them so as soon as we were airborne I asked if I could move. I could. Turns
out there were three rows/18 seats in back with no one in them at all, plus
those that only had one or two. Still this flight likely has 120 of the 180
seats filled. The first leg was likely 20 of the 30 seats filled.
Thought I was going to sleep, but once I moved and could work on my computer I
kept busy for about 2-1/2 hours until the batter was close to going dead …
we still had an hour to go. I was confused as I looked out the window, there
should not be this many towns an hour from our airport. There wasn't. A couple
of minutes later the pilot said we would be at the airport, that they had
caught a tailwind and had gained a half hour, seems to happen a bit on this
route.
It still takes me a while to pinpoint where we are, but soon I
pick out a bridge that I only know one like than, soon another bridge to
confirm how we are coming in.
Way in the back of the palne, it takes a
while to get off, but I take a shortcut and get ahead of a bunch of people only
to realize I should have gone the other direction to the rental cars. Two of
the three trams are down tonight making for a longer wait/walk.
Suddenly I'm tired, it's now after midnight, second 18 plus hour day within a
week. I get my car, wishing I had the perks to just walk up and grab one. Used
to with Avis, don't with Hertz … yet. |
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