Double Yellow's Company Driver to Independent Thread

Still alive & kickin -- I've just been so busy with Christmas freight that I haven't had long enough blocks of time to make a thoughtful post. I do have lots of topics though: the trials and tribulations of setting up a solo 401k with checkbook control, a broker going out of business before I could collect the $5,000 they owed, how quickly paradigms can shift (2 weeks ago $2.35/mile was a good rate -- today I'm bummed out if I don't get at least $3+), how CHP's timing couldn't be worse (they've given me a week to get back to California to have my BIT inspection -- calling me for the first time yesterday while in North Carolina -- and making me lose out on 2 critical weeks of Christmas freight), etc.

But to tide you over until things slow down, here are the loads since that $4/mile Thanksgiving run:

30 mile dh
Dallas to South Bend $1800 (950 miles 39,000 lb)
45 mile dh
St. Joseph MI to Marion OH $975 (260 miles, 30,000 lb)
50 mile dh
Columbus OH to Buffalo, NY $1500 (342 miles, 6,000 lb)
30 mile dh
Dunkirk NY to New Stanton, PA $875 (205 miles 40,000 lb)
200 mile dh
Columbus OH to Buffalo, NY $1500 (342 miles, 5,000 lb)
342 mile dh
Columbus OH to Buffalo, NY $1500 (342 miles, 8,000 lb)
30 mile dh
Dunkirk, NY to Greenville, SC $2200 (710 miles, 45,000 lb)
Greenville, SC to Johnson City, TN & Buffalo, MO $1800 (840 miles, 7,000 lb)
45 mile dh
Springfield MO to Albuquerque NM $1950 (830 miles, 30,000 lb)

The load back to Missouri felt "cheap" but it put me back in a pretty hot freight area (within a 200 mile deadhead). Unfortunately I've gotta be back in Sacramento for that #### CHP terminal inspection hence the "cheap" run to Albuquerque & what will probably be even cheaper the farther west I go. Funny how $2.35 feels cheap now...