CDL in hand... Now What ? Decision time, that's what...

Sorry to hear that Doc. Everything happens for a reason though and someday you might learn what that reason is. In the meantime, best wishes for you as you pursue an alternate path.

 

Came right into the northern side of the city today and delivered by the airport near the intersection of I-35 & I-410, so didn't really need a truck stop until after the delivery. Went around to the truck stop mecca at I-410 & I-10... Pilot, Petro, TA, Flying J...

 

Got up about an hour later than I intended and was in Dallas during morning rush hour. Oddly enough the traffic was not that bad, not nearly like it was when I lived there. Guess all those new highways and towering interchanges help. What a trip down memory lane it was to drive through there... Powerboating on Lake Texoma... Used to have a house in McKinney - that place looks like Plano used to. Lived in several rental houses near I-635 & US-75 when I worked at Texas Instruments on Forest Lane. Driving down Central Exwy thinking about Greenville Avenue, the M streets, the West End... some good times for sure...

Then on down I-35... road trips to Waco: the drag boat races on the Brazos River... Lake Travis in Austin for the poker runs... floating down the Guadalupe River on inner-tubes in New Braunfels... The riverwalk in San Antonio...

Anyway...

Made it to the consignee in San Antonio at about 1345 and was out of there by 1520, even with 4 trucks in front of me. The forklift guy was friendly and quite the jokester. He looked at my load and said, "Are you sure you're in the right place?" I said, "Heck I'd better be...I came all the way from Wisconsin!"

Went to the Flying J over on I-10 to scan the paperwork and expected to be there for the night. However, I received a load assignment to pick up in Beaumont, TX (east of Houston) and deliver to Van Buren, AR (northwest corner of Arkansas off I-40). So, with ~2 hours left on the drive clock I went ahead and made some tracks to the east. Now in Flatonia, TX (I-10 exit 661 about 80 miles east of San Antonio) at an independent truck stop. Had dinner at San Jose Mexican Restaurant - muy autentico y delicioso.

 

Back on the slinky circuit. Southern version this time...

Made it to the shipper in Beaumont, TX at about 1000, got right in and picked up a load of 11 steel slinkys. No other trucks in front of me when I got there. When I was leaving there were seven waiting, so my timing was very good.

Now at a side lot near the Flying J off I-30 in Texarkana, AR with about 4 hours to go to the consignee in Van Buren. No appointment; they unload first come first served between 0700 and 1600.

US 96 in Texas was very enjoyable. Mostly divided 4-lane highway through rural areas; lots of pine trees and a few mild, rolling grades. And, except for in the middle of towns (not very many), the speed limit is 70 - even in some parts where it necks down to 2-lanes undivided.

 

Many new drivers are getting ProStar's. The company has bought quite a few and will buy more from what I hear...

 

Catching up on photos....

This is the load of aluminum slinky's.