Calex Express....My New Home!

Hey there Larry, no I was on my way out to California. Last Friday night I was in Gary Indiana sleeping. How are things going for you?

 

Well I got up around 4am local time, showered, fueled and left Santa Nella for my 190 mile drive to Grimmway Farms in Lamont for my pickup. I loaded there once before about 15 years ago, it's south of Bruce's T/S off Weed Patch Hwy. I got there around 9am, got checked in and went to the staging area with about 50 of my fellow truck drivers waiting for the carrots to be picked. I finally got loaded about 5pm local time with just enough time left on my clock to get to Bruce's. I scaled the truck out and wasn't surprised to see I was grossing 79,200, but I was surprised to see that I didn't need to move any axle's. The Cat Scale said I was perfect!

I got a parking spot and settled in for my 10 hours. Let me tell you about this area of Bakersfield, with these 3 truck stops here this place is a magnet for every possible degenerate that breathes. This place reminds me of Ontario in the 80's when the T/A was just built, the 76 was the local whorehouse, and the Bingo fuel stop was the local crack house. I can't imagine the local LEO allows this, and this has supposedly been cleaned up.

Garylobo called and said he was delayed loading his Cantaloupe's in Firebaugh and that he was going to take his 10 right there. I woke up and was going over Tehachapi exactly 5am local time. I stopped at Peggy Sue's Diner outside of Barstow for breakfast, spoke to Gary and realized he would be 4 hours behind me the whole trip. I left Barstow, made it to Kingman AZ for fuel, then ended my day at Gallup NM. I put in 668 miles yesterday. Today I got up in Gallup at 7am local time, showered, fueled and made it to OKC, OK where I'm at right now taking my 10 after doing 688 miles today.

One last thing, Louie called yesterday right at the end of the day to ask me if Gary and I would be able to turn right around to go back west, apparently he is short on coast trucks. I told him that I can go but I can't speak for Gary, but that I would call him and ask. He said to call him on Monday. He thanked me and told me that me saying yes and Gary saying yes takes a ton of pressure off him. I don't mind doing my part and helping out, especially when it's appreciated by my dispatcher. This really works out good for me, I'm on vacation starting the 31st of October so this will get me back east, then home with the truck the week before my vacation. I also have to be home on the 29th of October to give my deposition in a lawsuit I'm involved in. That's it for now, time for bed.

 

No doubt. I figure with the holidays fast approaching, and Calex's ability to get me home for a week at a time like last year, an extra trip out west won't hurt.

 

I'm at the motel up the street from the terminal, courtesy of Calex. I got my truck back late this afternoon, and with the help from Gary moved but again into my new truck. I wrote the loaner truck up with everything I could find wrong with it thinking I was going back west with it.

The shop put new tires on it, serviced the apu and truck, fixed some little issues and I was ready to leave when Jim came running out telling me my truck was ready to be picked up at the dealer. I was talking with the President of the company about the new trucks we got in when he offered me a chance to drive one down to the dealer. All I can say is what a ride! I like the way the super singles ride and the way the Volvo transmission shifts.

When I got back we continued our conversation and he told me that both Gary and I would have gotten one of these new ones, but because we aren't regular west coast drivers, they had to give them to those drivers first. I told him I fully understood and I was quite happy with what I have, as long as I could at least make it out of the yard this week.

I saw Louie this morning and was told to see him tomorrow afternoon for my load information. So right now I'm in my room and Gary is in his room, our resets are finished tomorrow night then we'll load Thursday to do it all over again.

I pulled into the produce receiving department at 7:35 this morning and there was 3 other Calex trucks at the dock, Gary, and then me. They backed us in as soon as we got there so there was 5 Calex trucks getting unloaded. We were all done by 9am and headed back to Pittston. I don't know where I'm headed to, but when I find out I'll let you all know. Be safe all, God Bless!

 

I was in talking to Mort when you called and heard his part of the conversation. Absolutely take that as good news. I understand that he is waiting on a driver to quit in the next week or so. I would suggest that you call early next week and keep in touch with him. Good luck!