Load #3

Saturday, December 5

Thought I could make it all the way, Anticipated getting there by 0300 Saturday morning. At about 2350, I got tired. I stopped at a TA at New Braunfels something and went in to walk around a bit. It was COLD outside. Upper 20’s. Walked around a bit to try to wake up, but it didn’t help.

I called the dispatcher and asked for the delivery time. It was 0800 Saturday. So, I shut down for about4 hrs and took a nap.

Got up and back on the road hoping to arrive around 0730. When I got to the address on the paperwork, the street ended at around 10140. The address was 14670, TILT!!!!

Called the dispatcher back and verify. He had a different address. New address wasn’t on paperwork at all, but I was only about 6 blocks off. Got to the location at 0810. There were dozens of trucks everywhere. There was a line going in. I was truck #6. Waited about an hour, then I got to go in. Got unloaded and had to go back about 10 miles to a Flying J to fax to the dispatcher. Got paperwork faxed and called the dispatcher and went available. He said hopefully I could get a load soon. However, by 1400, I check with him again and he said the loads had dried up.

So, thinking I was to be stuck there for the weekend, I found a Walmart, and got a few things, picked up a couple of movies from Red Box. I stopped and got Pizza Hut pizza and headed back to the J. Just before I got back, dispatcher calls and says he has a run. It has some deadhead, but he got the truck some extra pay for it. Load is picking up in Los Indios, TX. And going to El Paso.

However, when I put in the address he gave me, the GPS didn’t have a match. Called him back to confirm, and he told me it may be a new road that isn’t in the GPS. I went into the J to get online to research it more. Found nothing.

I was able to pull up the town on the GPS, and verified that route with the Atlas and mapquest. Thought if I could get down there in town, I can try to get better directions. Pick up was at 8 am, and I had 4 hours, so I rested a little.

Got up and made it to Los Indios by 6:30 am. Started calling the dispatcher for help. He gave me a contact number, but when I tried it, I got a automatic phone system that I couldn’t get past the “Please enter your 4 digit extension…”

So, (Unlike a man, like my wife would say.) I went into the store where I just fueled and asked about the road. The pickup location was across the field behind where I parked. I had found it. But with GOD’S doing, cause I was praying about it all the way.

Went to the guard and told him I was picking up. He said it won’t be ready until 10 AM. Says I can park across the street. I was there by myself, so while I was waiting, I went to the back of the truck to give myself a little bird bath, Laid down and rested a little, then at 10, I went back over.

Got loaded and headed to El Paso. Made it as far as Ft. Stockton, and I decided I had earned a hotel stay. I had pushed myself pretty hard on this run. Stayed at a Motel 6. The shower was little weak, but the bed was great. Got to bed about midnight.

Got up at 5 am and was on the road by 0530, with 3.5 hrs left to drive, with an appointment at 10 am. Got to the delivery site at 0935, checked into the guard house and was unloaded right away.

Came back to the Flying J and faxed paperwork. I was available again by noon. Finally got internet working properly in the truck, and as of 2008, 12/7/09, no load yet. Looks like a night off.

I got a couple movies to watch. Just watched “Pink Panther 2” with Steve Martin. F-U-N-N-Y!!! Now going to watch “Mall Cop”.