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NEW REFER TO LA
New Orleans, never
been there before, been past it on I-12 a couple of times. Dispatch got me
early on this one Tues or Weds last week. Only a 1,200 mile run, not sure why I
didn't hold out for something longer … likely because I hadn't been to New
Orleans before.
Due to close and flight times it's a two day run done
in three days, those are the ones that don't pay so well. Dispatch had
originally called for a different run but by the time I got back to them they
had given those away. (I'll find out on Monday that those were going to Newark,
NJ … glad I missed it)
I took the run on Tues-Weds and then never
heard back from dispatch to confirm the dispatch time. So I called the shuttle
driver and then one of the other drivers over the weekend. 6 AM is dispatch.
I had emailed dispatch on Friday to see if they wanted us to re-route
our trip because of the flooding. They were OK with that, if needed.
Monday - 5/9/11
6 AM dispatch again, but a couple of
guys are late. That is why I don't like cutting it close on my flights, never
know where / when you are going to lose time.
It looks like a nasty
storm coming in from the west, hope we can stay ahead of it. We do.
At
the staging lot there is still about 30 trucks so that means we have to sort
through 30 keys to find ours. Last time I was lucky, mine was one of the first
couple I grabbed. This time I think there were about five keys that I didn't
look at before finding mine. Thanks to the shuttle driver, he found my truck
for me by the time I found the key.
A quick once over and I'm in my
truck and it starts to rain. Just for a couple of minutes, and then I do a
quick check with the other drivers. By the time I'm back to my truck the rain
is coming down in buckets.
A couple of other drivers drove trucks to
the lot instead of riding the shuttle. They had to stop and fuel their trucks
before parking them and they were just pulling into the lot when I was leaving,
so I'm guessing they were a little soaked.
I have most of a tank of
fuel so I'm able to get a few hours down the road before stopping. The Kwik
Trip in Tomah will be my first stop today. See a gal wearing chaps inside
waiting for the rain to let up, not a good day for riding a Harley.
A
couple miles down the road I pass the other driver going to New Orleans, my
truck is governed at 65, and his must have been at 63. Most for this customer
are at 63. Never do see the two drivers heading to NJ again.
Off and
on rain most of the day through WI and IL. Dispatch called in the AM again
about the flooding, and will call back in the PM. I need to know by the time I
get to Bloomington, IL. The alternate route adds about two hours and will cost
about $80 more in fuel so I'm not going to take it without an OK from dispatch.
During the day I hear on the radio that the river should crest in
Memphis yet tonight instead of Tuesday or Wednesday and not as high. That gives
me some re-assurance. I've spent the weekend trying to find out at what level
they would close the interstate in Memphis but don't find anything. AND the DOT
has had all the traffic camera's shut off so I can't see what is going on.
I call dispatch when I hit the north end of Bloomington and they have
just checked, stay on route, go through St Louis and Memphis.
Opps,
hadn't looked at mileage or motels this route. So I'm not sure how far I can
make it. I remember where motels are just north of STL but I still have two
hours left when I get there so I roll on. I would have had more time, but a
huge backup just north of STL, I'm guessing it cost me about a half an hour,
roughly.
Another thing I didn't check on is where the fuel stations
are. So I have to use my 'truckstop guide.' I pick one that should work, no
major brand stops anywhere close.
REALLY BIG OPPS! I get to my
truckstop and notice that a few of the pumps have plastic over the nozzles so I
pick one that doesn't. Then I notice the first two doors I try are locked, and
the shelves are mostly empty. Finally on the far side of the building facing
the road is an open door but … "Sorry, we are out of diesel right now."
Shelves are mostly empty, the gas pumps aren't working either, it seems that
the sub shop and large parking lot are the only reason this place is open.
I ask where the closest fuel is, "North or South?" He asks.
"I don't care, where is the closest fuel?"
"North or South?" he asks
again, (English is not his first language.)
"South." I say.
"10 miles." I hope I can make it. When I get back to my truck the gauge doesn't
move off of 'E.' 10 miles? More like 15, but I make it. And I don't get to fill
my truck, this is a convenience store and they have a $75 limit at the pump.
That's OK, I'm over my hours.
I was to the station legal, but didn't
want to risk re-starting the truck on 'E,' so I fueled 'over hours.' Only put
in $75 of fuel because that is when the pump stopped. I parked the truck in a
shared motel lot so I didn't drive over hours on any highway. Not sure if this
was the cheapest motel, but I couldn't be choosy tonight.
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - China Buffet, Perryville, MO
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
"Food was fresh,
even if it was slow" 3 of 5 stars Date of review: May 20, 2011 - New
I
got there 30 minutes before close so some of the trays were empty. A guy who
came in behind me looked at the selection and walked out. An employee asked him
what else he wanted but he kept walking.
Plate one - Mongolian pork, sweet
and sour chicken, thin noodle lo mein, BBQ chicken on a stick, ham wrapped in
bacon. Plate two - Sweet and sour chicken, generals (?) chicken, wide noodle lo
mein. Plate three - Mongolian pork, sweet and sour chicken.
(I might have
tried more, it was two days ago.) Even though it was close to closing time, all
the food was still good. Thin noodles might have been there a while, but didn't
notice it on anything else. And it did cross my mind that the ham (wrapped in
bacon) might have been spam … :)
And lots of food that I didn't
try
* Reviewer ratings for this restaurant:
o 3 of 5 stars
Value
o 3 of 5 stars Service
* Date of visit: May 2011 * Member
since: November 28, 2010
* Would you recommend this restaurant to a
friend? Yes
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - Americas
Best Value Inn, Perryville, MO
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
"Priced right"
3 of 5 stars
Date of review: May 11, 2011
Big sign on the
building says $54, I try but can't get it for much less than that.
No
problems, only the 2nd time I've noticed how thick the towels are at a motel
under $100. In this room at least, the towels were thick and soft. Water is
hot, room is clean and quiet.
Lots of truck parking, the basics for
breakfast, lots of people taking advantage of it, I'm not one of them.
No
pictures for this one, (too lazy to walk back to the truck to get the camera).
C-store and buffet share parking lot.
* 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: May 2011
* Visit was for:
Business
* Solo Traveler
* Member since: November 28, 2010
*
Recommended by this reviewer? Yes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tuesday - 5/10/11
I take an extra 15 minutes off this
AM, just in case (just in case some cop reads the rules differently on my
logging over 14 hours on-duty)
It's hot … 72 degrees at 6 AM. And
sticky. I don't like running the air but by 10 AM I have it on and it stays on
for the rest of the day.
Rolling, no issues this AM. But just before I
get to my fuel stop south of Sikeston the road narrows to one lane. For a mile
or less, there are sand bags on both sides of the freeway and water running
into the median, which is being pumped back out with tractors. The highway east
of the TA / freeway is closed, one very big lake.
Did notice a lot of
trashy places (In MO ??), then I remembered all the tornado's that had gone
through recently.
Most trips I stick with the major truckstops for the
perk points. This trip isn't working out that way, it would have added a whole
lot of extra fuel stops.
Don't see much more for high water until I
get south of I-40 almost to the Mississippi bridge. Water is about four foot
from pavement which means any and all highways going under the freeway are
under water. Railroad bed is about a foot above the water level, doubt they are
running trains on it.
Once past the bridge I don't see any more signs
of high water. Not paying as close attention, I don't see a sign (or there
wasn't one) that I-55 is an exit and some other highway becomes the main road.
And in about 10 miles I am in Mississippi.
I call dispatch to give
them the 'all clear' and then start calling my drop … no answer and the
voicemail is full. Finally after three calls I get a call back, no issues with
dropping tomorrow.
I forget to ask about how to find the place and
city bus service, I've looked on line and don't see the building I'm looking
for. (Yahoo 360 was working, then later it was not)
These trucks do
have radios, but the signals don't seem to last for long so I leave it off most
of the time. Did pick up a good bluegrass station out of Birmingham (or was it
Jackson?) Also a lot of religious stations, some interesting (to me), but most
… not so much.
I stop somewhere for fuel and then stop again when
I get to the LA welcome center for motel coupons. (Later I will realize I
should have also looked at them). A few miles down the road, I get to the joint
MS/LA scale … it's open. I expected a 'joint' one would be. This will be
one of only two scales that I cross in 1,200 miles.
My plan was to
stay about 30 miles out of New Orleans but I never bothered to look at a map to
see where that would be. Once I cross I-12 I realize I may have gone too far
already, and I'm running lower on fuel than I thought I'd be. So next exit I
pull off on the ramp and look at coupons … nothing. Unless I see a sign,
it looks like I'll be at the Super 8 Airport. That was my backup plan if I
delivered today.
I pull back on the freeway and it soon becomes a 20
mile bridge, no services but a couple of exits to the water below. Interesting
if someone was with to take pictures. Some 'homes' quite modern and others look
straight from a red-neck calendar. Houses on stilts, docks falling into the
water, boats half sunk in the water.
If there were 'services' signs
for Exit 1, I missed them. As I pass I see a truck stop, then realize that is
where my truckstop guide said there was fuel, oh well, I'll just make a U-turn
at the next exit … NOPE. I'm back on another 10 mile bridge and by the
time I hit land I'm three exits/miles from my motel. I don't see any fuel so I
keep going. I had hoped I could make it to my drop, there are two fueling spots
there, but I'm not sure I can make it.
So once I check in at the motel
I go across the freeway to fuel, small C-Store and I can only get to one of the
pumps, and to do that I have to go around the building and out on the street
and back in. And I wait … the person ahead of me has gone in to buy
slushies for their passengers. Fuel cuts off at $100 and then won't re-start or
give me a receipt, I have to go inside. The clerk tells me I'll need to leave
my credit card to re-start the pump … No thanks, I'll pass.
That
took an extra 45 minutes over fueling 10 miles back, oh well. I have plenty of
time. I only need to take 10 hours off but have 15 hours before the guy wants
his truck.
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - Shoney's,
Metairie, LA <<<<<<<<<<<<<
"Good food, good service, fair price" 4 of 5 stars
Date of review: May 11,
2011
I take a quick look at the buffet, ask what kind of soup they
have and go for the buffet, never look at the menu.
Plate 1 - Meatloaf,
deep fried chicken, creamed corn, potato soup Plate 2 - Meatloaf, creamed corn,
baked potato, cole slaw Plate 3 - Salad, potato soup
I could have added
steak for $2 more but I knew I could fill up on what was here. Ann older guy
seemed to be in charge of the buffet and seemed to take it seriously. Even
though I only saw six other people eating when I was there, I didn't see
anything that looked like it had been sitting there too long. The only thing I
didn't finish was the baked potato, I knew I wouldn't, but they don't serve
halves.
Good food, good service, fair price.
* Reviewer ratings
for this restaurant:
o 4 of 5 stars Value
o 3 of 5 stars Service
* Date of visit: May 2011 * Member since: November 28, 2010
*
Would you recommend this restaurant to a friend? Yes
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - Days Inn, Metairie, LA
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
"I notice a
mostly 'higher class clientele' than at most of the places I stay" 3 of 5 stars
Date of review: May 11, 2011
I had planned on staying somewhere
cheaper, but this location was my backup plan. I didn't find anywhere cheaper
and this place had great reviews (something rare for the places I stay at). I
also notice a mostly 'higher class clientele' than at most of the places I stay
???
Check in was quick, not a lot of room for truck parking but enough for
me. WiFi worked. Water was hot, very hot. Pool was open. Place looks like it
used to be a Shoney's before they got out of the motel business (just checked,
Shoney's still has two locations open). The WiFi even still says 'Showny's'
instead of Super 8.
No airport shuttle, so that might be an issue for me
in the future although it looked like the city bus service was close by. Three
other places to eat beside Shoney's next door.
* 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: May 2011
* Visit was
for: Business
* Solo Traveler
* Member since: November 28, 2010
* Recommended by this reviewer? Yes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I've left a message with the other driver earlier and he calls back,
he's now about five hours behind me. So sharing a ride isn't going to work. But
he does say there will be someone at the drop at 5 AM so my plans have just
changed. Looks like I'll be on the city bus in the AM.
Not sure if
it's the heat or what but I'm tired. I go to bed 9-1/2 hours before the alarm
is set for, usually it is an even 8 hours.
Wednesday - 5/11/11
AC was on last night when I got to the motel and I left it on, too
cold part of the night, too hot other parts … hot flashes? Even though I
had slept over nine hours I was still tempted to hit snooze when the alarm went
off. Don't need to be there this early, there is a later bus.
I notice
my paperwork seems a little soggy when I pick it up, so soggy that my trip
envelope has sealed itself, and this is with the AC on.
I did spend
some time looking at maps last night, the frontage road only goes one way at
the intersection. That is when I found that Mapquest 360 quit working, I'll try
it again later and see if / when it works again. The side streets here look
like the ones in Europe, built before they needed to fit two lanes of traffic.
I find my way out of the motel and down to the right area, I don't see
the building number but know by the building next door that I just missed my
drop. But I still need to go get fuel, due to road construction I won't even
try to get to the WalMart across the street. There is a truckstop down the
street a block or two. I miss it and take the next street, but you can't there
from here so I finally make a big U-turn, as a few blocks and head back.
Strange place, you have to go to the rear of the lot and make a U-turn, then
come into the pumps. Four pumps but no extra room.
In my large U-turn
I found a whole bunch of trucks and travel trailers that said 'Hollywood Truck'
on the side, plus a few lifts. Could have asked someone local what was going on
but didn't.
I know I can't take a left turn into my drop (or could I
have? So I make another big U-turn and kind of get lost, or take turns I
wouldn't have needed to. As I get to my drop, this time I notice the street
number on the fence and a bus stop a ½ a block away.
I find
someone to sign but they are busy so I have to wait a few minutes. It's now
taken an hour to do what I had thought would take a ½ hour. Paperwork
signed and I'm hiking to the bus stop. I'm only ½ way there when the bus
pulls up, I run but they are letting people off so I'm there in plenty of time.
I ask the cost instead of if it is the right bus, by the time I pay I
ask if it's the right bus, it's not. I should have crossed the street and gone
the other direction : That would also explain why the bus was early, wrong bus.
BUT if I want to walk for 15 minutes I can get there from here. I have
3-1/2 hours so I'm OK with that. Bus driver tells me when to get off. I've been
watching the area, every few buildings with bars on the windows. Very few
fences with barbwire on top. Also this town was clearly built before local
ordinances were common. Businesses right in with the houses, especially
restaurants.
I get off at the edge of a field, I can see the airport,
less than a mile away. Narrow street, no center line, no curb, no sidewalk. And
drivers have no respect of the railroad arms, they take turns going around
them. Not sure if people were blowing their horns at people who wouldn't go
around them, by that time I had gone around the arms and was long gone.
It was getting hot. Black shirt, lucky I only had on one shirt today,
usually I wear two. Legs started to tighten up too … I tend to walk to
fast when I'm carrying my backpack. Driver said 15 minutes, I was to the street
by the airport in 10 … but another 20 minutes by the time I was got to the
right side of the building and in.
No issues at check in or security,
free WiFi and they have food past security, but I'm holding out for Charly's.
AirTran … my kind of airline. Sure they can get me on an earlier
flight, no charge … to ATL. But not home, there isn't an early one. Oh
well, I like to get as far as I can as fast as I can. Not sure what was going
on. They kept saying the flight was full, yet I was standby and got an isle
seat with no one next too me.
Either electronics do not interfere with
airplanes or I'm an 'unbreakable.' It seems on ½ my flights that someone
I can see thinks their time spent on their electronic toys is more important
than the lives of the other 100 people on the plane.
It's been too
long since I've been to the ATL, I can't remember where Charly's is so I have
to ask. I ask which wing it is on … "No, we. It doesn't look right but
…
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - Charley's ATL
Airport, Atlanta GA <<<<<<<<<<<<<
"I fly just about every week, and Charley's in ATL is the only 'gotta
have it food' at any airport"
3 of 5 stars
Date of review:
May 20, 2011 - New
It's been a few years since I've been in the ATL
airport for a Charley's, but they are still as good as I remember. I came to
this terminal (as I've done in the past) just to eat at Charley's and then back
to the terminal I'm leaving from. Not sure why but none of the three Charley's
in my hometown can make them like they do here. I have even complained to their
main office about my local Charley's..
I fly just about every week,
and Charley's in ATL is the only 'gotta have it food' at any airport.
Today I had their Regular Cheesesteak, Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Maybe next time I'll get
bacon on it, but this time I wanted to compare it to my local ones … one
more time. Never been to either airport location when there hasn't been a line,
but the line moves fast. People are friendly. (Since eating in ATL, I've eaten
at the one in MSP again ... MSP is just not as good. Good, just not as good)
* Reviewer ratings for this restaurant:
o 3 of 5 stars Value
o 4 of 5 stars Service
* Date of visit: May 2011 * Member since:
November 28, 2010
* Would you recommend this restaurant to a friend?
Yes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
When I get back to my departing terminal, there is a Charly's right
across from my gate … now that looks like the one I remember. ATL boasts
200 retail stores, I was thinking before I saw that sign that this airport may
have more stores than the Mall of America.
ATL charges for WiFi so I
have to call dispatch. My Thursday run has fallen through. |
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