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>>> THIS WRITE-UP WAS OVER TWO WEEKS
AFTER THE TRIP WAS TAKEN <<<
USED IH REFER TO CIN
USED IH REFER FROM CIN
Thursday - 5/26/11
HOT
HOT
HOT
After failing to get out of Canada a day early, dispatch had
called me back a few minutes later (on my way to the motel) with this run. It's
hard for me to understand how dispatch cannot find drivers to do these short
round trips … but I'm not complaining.
I had hoped to be back
Friday night ;) or early Saturday AM. But that was before I found out that I
couldn't swap until 2 PM on Friday. I had understood this truck was going to
Columbus OH and it turns out it was going to Cincinnati.Not a big difference
but it did make the time I spent looking for motels a waste of time. And it
turns out to be a few miles less? Just a few miles more than I can make in two
days.
I'm in no hurry so I wait until 9 AM to leave, I'm in the two
miles between our office and our truck lot when dispatch calls and asks what
time I'll be to Milwaukee … I tell them I don't go through Milwaukee on
this trip … long pause … "OK, thanks." ???
I had a good idea
that someone was looking for a ride but I didn't ask any questions.
I'm a couple of hours down the road when dispatch calls again "Can you go
through Milwaukee and what time could you be there?"
The only problem
with going through MLW is that it'll delay me enough that I'll be going through
Chicago during rush hour instead of past Chicago before rush hour. My hours
aren't an issue this trip. I just did a re-set yesterday flying home from
Montreal and will be taking Sunday off when I get home.
I do have to
make an extra stop to get a map of the other drivers drop … I didn't ask
what was in it for me, so there was nothing in it for me except a 'Thanks' from
the driver. I find the place without a problem … thought I was lost but
turns out that is just the way the roads are laid out.
This driver had
left at 8 AM without any idea how he was getting out of there. It was about two
miles off the freeway to pick him up and another two off the freeway to drop
him at the airport. Never did look to see how many extra miles I drove. Turns
out that at the MLW airport you can drive a truck right up to the passenger
drop off doors, just make sure you stay in the correct lane, some lanes have
height restrictions. I got him there with plenty of time to spare.
Turns out I have plenty of fuel to get past Chicago without stopping in MLW or
Racine. Traffic isn't bad until I get south of where I-290 splits off. I opted
to stay on I-90, not sure if that was a good idea or not … it was rush
hour. Heading into Chicago was worse than once I got past downtown and headed
out.
Did see one thing I won't soon forget. Two cars on the side of
the road … two adults and two kids standing by a memorial of a recent car
crash … the site likely only hours or days old … one a was boy, young
teens facing with his back do the memorial … head hung down … the
other a pre-teen girl, likely too young to understand …
Haven't
spent much time IN Chicago so I wasn't sure the best way to get out. I could
stay on I-90 but was looking for I-65, ended up on I-294 down to I-80 and over
to I-65. Did save some on the tolls that way, could have saved one toll on the
north end by stay on a US highway that might have also saved a mile, up where
I-290 splits off of I-90.
Still doing OK on fuel but stop at the first
Pilot on I-65, I've got hours to go but I had planned on staying East of Indy
and now I'll be short of Indy. I know there are motels next to a Flying J so
I'm not totally lost. Could make it into Indy but then I'd be tight against the
clock.
I end up an exit before the Flying J where there is a Motel 6,
Super 8, Ecno Lodge … tonight it's the '6.' I've been here before. Lights
are going out at the fast food places as I pull in … It's the end of May
and as I stare straight up in the sky, the mist is down like … SNOW.
I eat at the Steak and Shake across the street. Food and service were
good, not listed on trip advisor so I didn't do a review.
>>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - Motel 6, Lebonon, IN
<<<<<<<<<<<<<
"Not your average
Motel 6"
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 30, 2011
Doing a quick Google
search it looks like this place used to be a Days Inn, that would explain the
large rooms, large bed. Not the usual compact '6.'
This place met my
basics, room clean, warm and quiet.
But there were a few little things
that I noticed that should have been caught before anyone got in the room.
1) The micro cord couldn't reach the outlet
2) The fridge was running, but
the door wouldn't close
3) The table was in the opposite corner from any
light and power outlets
* Stayed May 2011, traveled on business
o
3 of 5 stars Value
o 3 of 5 stars Location
o 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Friday - 5/27/11
No reason to get rolling this AM, but
with no reason to save my hours I decide I may as well sit at the customer and
wait as sit at the motel.
Looking at the maps of my drop this AM I
think I've been there before, years ago. Memorable trip.Another driver was
leading, he ran out of gas so I did a U-turn on the freeway and went back to
the last town, filled so I didn't run out. Then brought him fuel. After the
shop told us how much it was going to cost the driver for roadside, we got
someone to walk us through getting it started. Then after we dropped one truck
we went to pick up a used beverage truck that was sitting out in someones
pasture. He drove it about two miles, then had me drive it the two miles back
to the pick-up. Neither of us was going to drive that one. Once dispatch agreed
to cover his half of the rental car, I got one and we headed home. Another
thing about running with that driver, he had to have the TV on all night (I
couldn't sleep) and and had to have the radio on to keep him awake in the
rental car (I couldn't sleep.) This was back when everyone share rooms on
trips.
By looking at the map I can see there is a Pilot a few miles
past my swap, and a truckstop at my exit. I have time to go to Pilot but I'm
not that desperate for perk points. I stop at the has been truck stop. Big lot,
lots of trucks, restaurant … and then the pump area, a shack about the
size of a Motel 6 room and only a couple of the half dozen pumps still working.
But all I needed was one. Oh yeah, the back side of the pay area looked like a
dispatch office, sitting higher than the rest of the floor, desk computers,
etc.
I get to my drop and have to wait. Once the driver I'm waiting
for gets there he is all in a panic because I'm waiting for him … I almost
tell him I'll go back and park at the truckstop if it makes him feel better.
I waited an hour for him to get there and another hour to get
unloaded, then I'm rolling. No driving hours lost.
Yesterday on the
way down I heard that Rockford was having a big airshow this weekend so now I
have to have time to make it past BOTH Chicago and Rockford or stay in Gary IN.
When I get to Gary it looks like I'll have plenty of time and I do
… I have time to get all the way to Madison. I had a motel picked out here
but as I pull off on the exit I 2nd guess myself and decide I don't want to
stay at that motel and that I 'should have' enough time to get to Mauston.
… Because I also remembered on yesterday that I don't want to
stop at Wisconsin Dells tonight … it's a Friday night … on Memorial
Weekend.
Which was another reason to stay in Madison … traffic.
About 20 miles from WI Dells the traffic comes to a stop … and then
becomes stop and go for the next 20 miles. Even with that delay I am able to
make it to Mauston but with enough time to be picky on motels. I pick the one
I've stayed at before … the Alaskan.
I didn't write it in the
review because it didn't effect the food … but at the restaurant, I saw a
guy walking to the door … then saying 'Sir …' and tapping them on the
arm (I didn't think you could talk when choking???) and then tapping himself on
the back. Both guys were over six foot, with the one doing the heimlich
weighting a few hundred pounds more. He pumped him a couple of times, and it
must have cleared it as he thanked the guy and they both walked out the door.
Turns out they must not have been together as the one who had choked came back
to his table which was right behind me, he had been sitting there with a gal.
Not sure why he walked away from the table, more likely the gal could have told
someone what was wrong ???
>>>>>>>> TRIP
ADVISOR - Hearty Platter Restaurant, Mauston WI
<<<<<<<<<<<
"Truckstop food at a
truckstop"
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 30, 2011
No surprise here.
The name of the restaurant is "Hearty Platter® Restaurant," one of
four locations using this name.
Had breakfast about midnight, scrambled
eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. Eggs well done, bacon was crispy enough it
wasn't limp and the hash browns were dripping with grease ...
Service was
fast and good enough, only one person on at that time of the night. I've eaten
here before when staying next door and will again.
* Visited May
2011
o 3 of 5 stars Value
o 3 of 5 stars Service
>>>>>>> TRIP ADVISOR - Best Value Inn, Mauston WI
<<<<<<<<<<<
"Not a bad price for a
holiday weekend"
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 30, 2011
$39 for a
room, I was glad to get a room. This place isn't the Hilton, so $39 is about
right for this place. I've stayed here before, didn't know it was an "America's
Best Value Inn." I came in the back way and didn't see the sign, not sure how
long they've been with this chain. I know it as the Alaskan Inn ...
"Not a bad price for a holiday weekend"
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 30, 2011
$39 for a room, I was glad to get a room.
This place isn't
the Hilton, so $39 is about right for this place. I've stayed here before,
didn't know it was an "America's Best Value Inn." I came in the back way and
didn't see the sign, not sure how long they've been with this chain. I know it
as the "Alaskan Inn."
Room was clean, warm and quiet. Food (and drinks) in
the same parking lot and across the street.
They do use a real key so
remember to return it and remember to lock the door behind out, they do not
auto lock. I'll let the pictures tell the rest
* Stayed May 2011,
traveled on business
o 3 of 5 stars Value
o 3 of 5 stars Rooms
o 3
of 5 stars Location
o 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Satday - 5/28/11
Had thought of meeting family at a
truck stop enroute, but at pickup the driver said the start had been sounding
funny the last few days. Sounded OK at pickup but it shut off at a truckstop
while I was fueling and didn't sound too healthy so I didn't want to start it
any extra times.
So rolled on home except for fuel stops. |
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