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...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
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Finally ... work. We need to work. So based on the weather and traffic we were planning on leaving our house about 8 AM. As I open our garage door I see our nice shiny driveway ... shiny because of ice. But we can't get our suite cases in the car in the garage so we had to do it on the ice. Slower, but no damage done. I just kept it slow, most of the time 45 mph until we get out of town. We stop at the first rest area south of town. I wait in the car and am watching the care next to me pull in ... I'm watching to see if they slide because of the ice. No. But they do hit curb so hard that the passenger's head goes halfway to the windshield. And both people acted like nothing had happened, might be the way they always drive. A ways from the border, the highway says "Jack-knifed semi ahead, all lanes blocked." BB looks for other routes but none look logical. So we decide to follow the map routing, but when we get to where the map showed stopped traffic, there wasn't any traffic. So we stayed on the road, past the exit, the bridge ... and stop. We were stopped/slow and go for about a half hour. When we finally did start to move and pass the accident, two trucks were getting towed and a third one was facing the wrong direction on the freeway. One car that had been riding my bumper in the slow and go, pulls out to pass as soon as we cleared the accident ... then pulled in behind me even though I was only going about 45. Quite a while later when I had left too much room between me and the next car the guy finally does pass me ... only to pull right in in front of me. Must have decided that being in a rush wasn't really worth it. We eat, we sit, we hit refresh sometimes a few times a minute and sometimes a few minutes between. Still nothing we want or can make money on. We go past our usual exit and get to Clear Lake and fuel at the Pilot. Then we sit and wait again. We are looking at motel options when finally they put three VA orders on the board. We don't call right away, we still want something better ... A few minutes later we finally back the call and get them. It took a few minutes to decide as my/our plan was to stay south of the 'snow line.' about NC to southern CA. VA was not included. But is less than a 100 miles from NC ... so we did take them. Out of practice, they had more questions than we had answers, so it took a few extra minutes. Half hour later we are at the lot. We get our paperwork, get dressed for the cold, chat a few seconds with a guy going to Portland. These are smaller RV's and we actually got done in less than an hour ... in the cold. Our lot is still mostly empty, but the company is parking their overflow in more places, just not giving them to us yet. On the twenty miles back to Clear Lake we likely saw a half dozen or more cops. One cop hits the breaks and looks like he is going to make a U-turn ... but he pulls into a little used 'nature center.' Whew. It is freezing cold back at the Pilot to fuel our RV's ... as I'm swiping my credit card I remember we just fueled here with car. But no issue ... for me. BB has to had to use another card, her's gets declined. It must be limited to two uses within so many hours. We had made reservations at the Microtel as soon as we checked our RV's. The motel is about two blocks from Pilot, Culver's is just across the parking lot. We were not going to walk any further than that. When we get to the motel, some gal is filling her RV with DEF, all bundled up. BB wasn't wanting to wait for me, after standing outside fueling the cold has taken it's toll. We notice when we walk in to our room it is cold, temp is set at 64 and the heat doesn't kick on after we set it at 76. Fan runs but ... We walk to Culvers. Place is empty and over staffed. We get our food and eat it there. Back at the hotel the room is still cold. We didn't unpack anything or use anything so we take our stuff back to the front desk to get a different room. No issues, new keys. The room next door. It has been months since we have gone this way so need to look at maps to decide stops. This is the fun trip where we drive out into the bay at water level ... then drop into a tunnel to pass under the ships. We've been to this location a few years ago. IF, IF we had been on the west coast, there has been lots of trips to the east coast. 2,500 plus miles. Multiple units to the same location ... but we aren't there. We will be less than 200 mile from a frequent shipper ... but it's not a daily shipper so won't know until we get there if we will have a paid way out. Doesn't look like they put anything new on the board after we grabbed ours. 190205 - IA-VA Needed the alarm to wake us up. This is a MicroTel so not the same breakfast we are used to. That was OK by me, I was still stuffed from last night. One cup of yogurt was enough. All that was missing here was the hot food, eggs and sausage. Other than that, a full spread. We got going by 7 AM, just as it was getting light. The 'crew' people were gone ahead of us. 1st stop is the Road Ranger, sign on the door says they no longer take Pilot/Flying J cards. We had gotten a notice from our company about that. Road Ranger is now owned by a company out of Chile. Road Ranger alone is the 4th largest truckstop chain. The Boss Shops are really getting spread out. They started out just as the former Flying J repair shops. Then when Pilot and Flying J merged, they had to sell off some of their locations. So Loves ended up with a few Boss Shops, at some point Road Ranger changed their shops to Boss Shops. 1st scale in IA is open, we have to cross and leave. Someone else was getting a detailed inspection, the officer was busy checking under a guys hood when we went by. A few crashed cars left in the ditch. One place later was a semi trailer in the median, The top was split open and the trailer had been emptied ... and they left the skidsteer from the cleanup parked in the trailer. The former Clarion in Cedar Rapids is now the Ramada. We haven't been this way since the change so we haven't stopped there. Likely will if the timing works out. New Pilot just south of Cedar Rapids since the last time we were through. There is a Casey's and Kwik Trip at the same exit. At the intersection of 380 and 80 it looks like they are going to get rid of the clover leafs and do the up and over style intersection. That is what is needed in Woodbury where 94, 494 and 694 come together. 2nd stop was the TA/I80 truckstop. We went for the buffet, should have gone for fast food. Besides the buffet and restaurant this place also has 4 fast food places and a sub shop where you pay for the diesel. Food was just getting set up, buffet doesn't start until 11:15 so we ended up taking 45 minutes instead of a half hour. Then we fueled at the TA, gas was a few cents cheaper. Didn't waste the time to use my BP discount. I only get the discount on the first 20 gallons, then the pump shuts off and I have to swipe a different card or it locks me out for suspicious usage. Couldn't get my card in to swipe, I was starting to think I had to tell it what type of charge it was before I could swipe ... then I realized that someone had left their credit card in the pump. I called the fuel desk and they sent someone out to get the card. This was moving their gas pumps the last times we were here. Now they have an area just for RV's and trailers ... good to know. Scale at the IA/IL line was open today too, but we are under 8 ton so we by passed. Lots of little changes along the road, without looking I'd say it's been over a year since we've been this way. Next stop is Morton at a Mobil station. It as a few parking spots and wasn't too busy today. The next stop was going to be the Pilot, then we changed it to the welcome center. Then saw that gas was still cheap at a Loves at that exit ... price had gone up 25 cents vs what was showing online. Still stopped and fueled at Pilot. Good we did as it has gone up in Lebanon also. Also bad that we did ... between that fueling and taking the extra 15 minutes for lunch we are going to be driving in the dark. Before we left, BB made the reservation. She got nervous when she saw the Comfort Inn in Crawfordsville was full. That was to be our stop if we couldn't make it to Lebanon. We made it at last light. Hard to make 500 miles on these short days. If the ice hadn't been coming behind us, we would have waited and picked up this AM and had an extra day to deliver. BB was watching the weather all day. We were staying just ahead of the storm and then we finally dropped south enough that we were out of the warning area. All we had was mist, never had the wipers on full. Once at the Econo Lodge they didn't have our reservation, BB had forgotten to hit the final 'CONFIRM.' But when we pulled there wasn't any cars on one side of the building and only one truck out back. So lots of rooms. Speaking of lots of rooms, when we left the motel this AM, the motel across the street from where we stayed didn't have any, -0- cars in the lot other that the one for the desk clerk. The closest food was Subway, Taco Bell across from that, that is where we went. I usually walk across the street to the Steak and Shake but BB didn't want to cross the street. There is also a Arbey's next to the Steak and Shake. It'll be another push to make 500 miles tomorrow. No big numbers on the IA board yet. But CA has been putting out long runs. Today 6 - 2,800 mile runs from CA to FL. And no one grabbed them right away ... and we are still heading east. 190206 - IA-VA That didn't take long, I had planned on writing reviews for our meals and stays starting in January. Already running out of time to keep up. I guess it will have to be as time allows. That was the reason I switched to taking pictures of the places we ate, I can just hold on to the pictures and post them when I have time. With a review, if I don't do it the same day, most of it is lost. OPPS ... BB had set the alarm last night and didn't realize that her phone/alarm, hadn't switched to eastern time. Luckily she woke up just about the time we were supposed to get up. Not much for breakfast, we are used to the spreads at the higher end motels. This is the Econo Lodge. I had two mini-muffin's and juice, BB had toast and fruit ... so not much different for her. Still dark when we were ready to leave ... and raining. When we were ready to pull out of the lot we had to wait for traffic, and then I saw a truck coming down the cross street and decided I better wait. That semi driver blew threw the red light and took a right turn as fast as he could without rolling it. Yep, good thing I waited. Not a fun morning, or day. Rain, rain. Did have the wipers on intermediate for a little while but mostly on normal. While it was still dark we had to merge into traffic from the left where two freeways come together and then try to get to the right lanes. I looked, drove another mile, looked again then started to pull over and someone had been hiding in my blind spot the whole time. Lucky for me I always watch the mirror more than the windshield when I am changing lanes. No harm done. Traffic wasn't bad around Indy this AM, some slow and go but no stop and go. Within a few miles of the beltway traffic started thinning. 1st stop was in New Paris, last exit in IN but the building is in OH. Petro, it was supposed to be a restroom break but gas was cheap so we filled up. A Bennett tow-away driver was just backing out of the pumps when we got there. Found out there is one credit card that has it's chip in a different place on the card so it has to be swiped differently ... ? Scale sign said closed, looked like the last of the line was just crossing the scale so another minute and we'd have had to cross. We had planned on fueling in Chillicothe but once we fueled in New Paris there was no reason to this quick. GasBuddy still said gas was $2.04 but everywhere else had gone up to $2.35 <> Couldn't see a sign from the freeway so don't know if it was accurate or not. Drove around the Pilot once before finding a place to park. It was easier to park in the car lot than the trucks so we did. This Pilot has a Moe's, never eaten at one before? I can't remember. Food was good, Mexican laid out like a Subway. In and out in a half hour plus ... the plus being I needed to call our drop. No one has cared about my calls for so long I wasn't ready for questions. This guy a had a few questions, but he accepted the little I could give him without looking it up. Still raining. South of Gallipolis, OH there is still a stretch of two lane road, but this time I could see the road bed was graded and the bridges were in. Last time we were through they were still cutting trees. When I first started going this route, the whole 40 miles was two lane. Today I saw an example of why it needs to get done. This is a two lane highway, heavily traveled by trucks ... and school buses. Trucks come flying down the road over the speed limit and there is a bus with it's flashers on ... not a good mix. I guess I need to read the whole sign ... I saw the white speed limit sign that said 55 mph. People are flying past like they always do in construction zones. After we stopped for fuel, BB asked if I saw the "WHEN FLASHING" part of the sign (they weren't flashing today) Fueld in Cross Lanes at a Sheetz. Gas was a little more than at the Pilot but much easier to get in and out. This not being our usual route, we discuss where our next stop should be, we finally decide to push it 130 miles to the VA welcome center. We also decide not to use our I-pass for the toll road. Both of these RV's have a huge overhang above the cab and lots of times the scanners don't pick them up. Not must time spent going the speed limit this next leg, hills and curves. Quick stop at the welcome center near Covington. We decide to drive through the Sleep Inn first to see if they have enough parking. If not we will go across the street to the Best Western. ... at last light again when we get off the freeway, then I loose BB at a stop light, doesn't make it easy for her. Yes, Sleep Inn has parking so we make a reservation from the lot. After we check in I call the Best Western, their restaurant is closed. Closest food is the Waffle House a quarter mile down the street. In the dark, in the rain, no sidewalk. We turn around and order Papa John's delivery. Food gets there in about an hour. No decision on tomorrow yet. IA is putting work out but nothing good. Nothing good here either. Granddaughter is having a 18'th birthday party Saturday. Not sure if we can make it back if we push it or not. Down under the water tomorrow ... 190207 - IA-VA Motel - Breakfast was the usual fair, but hot food could have been warmer, fruit could have been fresher. BB wouldn't eat either the apples or the oranges ... it takes quite a while for fruit to show it's been sitting out, and this did. Up and rolling by 7:30 eastern time. Still dark, but we needed to get delivered today. First stop was at a Exxon in Gordonsville. No major truck stops in the area. This place had twice as much trash outside the cans as in. People had just left their trash bags next to where their trucks had been parked. A couple of big sink holes in the parking lot that were fenced off rather than repaired ... we walked next door to McDonalds instead of going IN the truckstop. Next stop was at a Loves in Providance Forge. New, clean. ... about the drive. We started the day with a half a tank of fuel. When we filled in WV I expected we would have to add another 10+ gallons so I didn't top the tank off. Still some rain, thick fog in places. Went past one scenic view area. Not too scenic today when you can barely see past the end of your hood. A few slow downs today. One crash that was on the overhead signs we had to wait about 5 minutes for, then it was cleared, all lanes open. Later traffic came to a stop and someone ahead of us had a fender bender ... about five cars ahead of us. Never did see the cause of the original cause. Another place it looked like two different vehicles had taken out the median within a few feet, likely the same incident. No major slow down going through any of the towns. Yep, got to drop down under :( It's about a 2 mile tunnel, signs warning to have enough gas to get to the other end. We never did add more fuel today and my low fuel light came on as I was coming up out of the tunnel, still had about 20 miles to go ... a long 20 miles when the low fuel light is on. Where we got off of I-64 was poorly marked, BB had gotten a ways behind me so she didn't see me make my correction and she ended up on 284a instead of 284b. I could have gotten back on the freeway behind her the way the ramps merged but by then I would have been behind her. So she had to find the last two miles on her own, a different route than we had planned. Stopped at Race Way for our final fuel. BB did get there a few minutes after I did. In order to get out of Race Way you either have to wait for an opening in the three lanes of traffic going both directions or take a right and then a U-turn with a 30 ft RV at the next light. I waited last time I was to this customer, this time I did the U-turn. JUST made it without hitting the curb or having to back up. Someone was in the parking lot when I pulled in and they told me where to park. I walked back to the entrance so BB wouldn't miss the driveway and then within a few minutes two people were out to do the inspection. It took about a half hour to inspect both units. No drive damage. Hertz didn't have any help today so no ride. We had to call a taxi, the 1st two numbers were disconnected. The 3rd one said he would be there in about 20 minutes and he was. Him, his wife and his daughter. Nice people but an interesting ride. Yes, he used to be a taxi driver in NYC. That came to $35 that was not in the budget. Enterprise was within walking distance of the drop. We'll have to do the math next time. Plan was 1st check the east coast area for runs, -0-. Then check IA for good runs, -0-. Then enjoy the 70+ degree weather. Instead we decided to head home now. Granddaughter is having her 18th birthday on Saturday but once we were actually leaving we realized we would have to push it long, long days to make it. Not worth it, and we'd likely hit the storm. As soon as we got our rental we stopped at Wendy's for food, 8+ hours since breakfast. Back under ... down the tunnel. Almost the same route back. Tried to stop at a rest area listed in our book but it doesn't look like there was ever one there. Finally got off the freeway and found a gas station. NO rush hour in Richmond today. Did hit heavy fog heading back. Then we dropped out of it, skies were clear and the sun had just set. Think while it lasted, maybe 60 feet in places. Oh, yeah, lots of drivers doing stupid things. Same things different drivers. Ended up getting back to Staunton, about one hour short of where we were last night. Sleep Inn. Then went a few blocks away to Mrs Rowes. We got there at 6:15, sign on the door said they closed at 7 pm. There was still a few dozen people in the place when we left at about 7:30 and followed a group of 20+ people out. I had meat loaf, BB had a BLT. Good food. Board is up around 40 still, all short stuff. They are still putting great runs out of CA on the board. 2,800 miles. But we flights are too much to fly and no work to get us that way. Plan on being home and gone again by Sunday. Not sure if we'll spend a night at home or not. 190208 - VA-CA No alarm this AM. Finally got going by 8:30. Breakfast was a little different. Very small breakfast area. First thing I noticed was no hot food. Instead they had omelette and sandwich's in the fridge and a microwave. Upside with that is you know the food will be hot. I was still stuffed from last night so I just wanted yogurt. Headed down the road and got about an hour to the Love's in Covington to fuel. Then dispatch started putting stuff on the board shipping out of VA. Finally we decided this is what we wanted, we just didn't jump at it right away. It looked like there was a non-CDL so we would have two. And it would only be seven more miles to go via AZ than Donners Pass. So I called … no they are all CDL and someone has one of them on hold. We get a little way down the freeway and we decide to take just one. I call back … we can't go the southern route because we need to stop in Des Moines and pick up a trailer. On Monday because they aren't open over the weekend. I still take it and we make a U-turn and head to the shipper. We take the shortest way. BB is trying to call the rental car place but we are too deep in the hills. Not sure how many miles or how long we were on those first roads, but they seemed to have blacktopped an old cow path. Wish we'd have had a video going. No center line, turns, up and down. NO SEMI's. Some places you could see straight for a ways, but the road turned every time there was a tree. We do a quick stop to fill the rental and grab a bite to eat. We hadn't seen any fast food for a while so BB got a chicken salad sandwich off the shelf and I got a hotdog off the roller. Another few miles and we were at the lot. We had never been there before and couldn't find the lock box for the paperwork. Had to ask someone. Once we had that covered we were on to our next issue. We had a code for the box, but couldn't get it to work. I started calling dispatch a couple of times but then we'd try something else … finally we saw the instructions on the wall … and it worked. Only to find an empty box. Then we went and looked for my truck. No truck. One close but the last two numbers transposed. Called dispatch a couple of times on that and then the customer and got voicemail. Finally someone brought over another truck and I started asking him questions … and BB looks at the newest truck and it's mine. Still no paperwork. Another few calls and I find out it's OK if I just run on what I hand write up. It takes about our usual hour to do the inspection and get our stuff in the truck. Can't get most of the storage doors to open. Finally get two to open, and there are locks on those so that is where our stuff will ride. First time in a long time, or ever for this company. I tape my placards to the outside of my truck. By the time I get going BB has gotten to the airport, returned the car and is waiting. 10 miles later I am there. I have enough fuel to get the 40 miles back to the freeway where fuel is cheaper. The road is mostly four lane divided, but most of the time the white line is mine. There is less than a foot from the solid yellow line to the dirt and sometimes the drop off. When we get to fuel, I first call the place in IA where I need to pick up my trailer. I have been told I don't need a 2nd plate. The truck is under 26,000# so it alone is a non-CDL. But because they are adding the trailer it is now a CDL, but not a class A. I can pickup at 7 am on Monday. We have a 1,000 miles to go in the next two days and I don't think we'd do much better than that so no reason for someone to come in on the weekend. We are VERY un-likely to do much better than that. This thing is as gutless as a Hino. Lots of time running at 40 mph going up the hills ... we won't hit the mountains until we get out in WY and west. To start with I was holding on with both hands but that part got easier. This thing has a huge frame over the cab so I have to watch how close I am getting to things. I can't go by the front bumper. We get about 20 miles of freeway before another 70 of four lane divided. Some places the road was so close to the rock I think I would have taken off my mirror if I had been on the yellow line. I was following a semi so I let him set the pace. There were a few times when he was using both lanes because of the corners and the rock. We made it before dark. No reason to push it. Sleep Inn in Princeton, WV. From there we walked to Chili's. BB had a chicken salad. I had four sliders and a cup of soup. No good runs out of IA so we'd be sitting if we had headed back. CA is still putting good runs on the board. I should deliver on Thursday. A lot can change by then. If there is still trucks out of CA we will both take one, otherwise we will try get a bus and head back to IA. I do not like towing. But I know how these are connected and someone will be there to make sure it gets done and I do not have to un-hook it. I will just be dragging it behind me (where I can't see it because of the truck box) for another almost 2,000 miles. Not sure when we will be home. ... the trip continues HERE |
