Running With Watkins & Shepard

OK, so I did get them to take this load early. 24 hours early in fact and I was even 2 hours ahead of that. Dispatch even pre-planned another run for me after I was empty with this one. All was great until I tried to find this place...LOL

It had no sign of course and when I got to the "address", all I saw was a bunch of little shops in a row on the side of the street. Nothing that even remotely looked liked a place for a 70 foot truck. So I went passed it. BIG MISTAKE. I pulled over, called the reciever and asked him if I was even close to the place. He says "yep, you're right there but you'll need to turn around as you're about a 1/4 mile passed it". I'm thinking..........turn around?? Yeah right.....

Now the funny part is, I could have pulled a U turn on that 4 lane street but this guy gives me "directions" to essentially take a long "around the block" approach. I should have done the U turn. His directions led me into the Sutter Collage parking lot!!!........ Folks, this is NOT the place you want to be with a big TRUCK!

After getting in further and further it became painfully obvious I was getting into a situation that just got tighter and tighter as I went. After about 2 hours of trying every possible manuver I could think of to get "turned around" without tearing anything up...or down....lol I finally had to back all the way out the way I came in. Roughly a half mile of tight twisty road with...yep...you guessed it, all the kiddies getting out and in quite the hurry to "get around" this BIG TRUCK. And they did as if I wasn't there....ZOOM...BEEP...ZOOM....LOL

So I finally got out far enough to cut a pretty tight blindside into a side street and get turned around. I get to this reciever and I kid you not, the building (and hence, fence surrounded parking lot) was "almost" as long as the truck....LOL But I got it in and unloaded...WHEW!!

Unfortuately, I had to give up the pre-planned load. I could have made it but it would have been so close that dispatch didn't feel comfortable with it. So, I sat for the rest of the day for another one. My fault really as I should have STOPPED when I saw where I was headed in that school and backed out then. But I hoped for a spot to turn around.

Anyway, I'm back on the road with a load of wine out of Lodi CA bound for Littleton CO. I'm in Larmie WY now and once again, way ahead of schedule. Even after a rather dicey run over the Great Divide (Elk Mountain) through roughly 50 miles of ice covered road. They had the speed limit cranked down to 45 and there were wrecks (cars and trucks) all over the place....

But I just eased my way along keeping the drive tires neither pushing or pulling. Just sort of kept it "rolling" with no pressure either way. Real soft on the brakes at times and actually, I'm quite impressed with how Ole Betsy handles in these conditions. Really quite stable when approached with caution and common sense.

I have to admit, I'm glad to be sitting still at this point.

EDIT: Oh yea, I remember several folks laughing at me when I said I brought all my mechanics tools AND my 18 volt Dewalt Drill. Glad I did as today I had to fix the mud flap on this old Great Dane trailer. It was hanging on by one bolt and I was afraid it would come off and go through someones winshield or grill. So I pulled over, took it off, DRILLED new holes in it and put it back on.....LOL About a 10 minute fix.

 

LOL...now now, we must have patience with the elderly........ and it's BETSY, not Bessy. Geezzzz don't let her hear you call her Bessy, I'll have a lot of splaining to do if she does.....LOL

You of all people (in your proffession) should understand that fixing things can take several visits. I'm gaining on it at this point (I think...) and I'm pleased with how she's running now. A few more tweaks and she'll be good as ...ummmm...New?

Rememeber, I'm doing this between runs and I'm not exactly the only driver with a truck that needs attention. The folks at the Helena shop are GREAT and work thier butts off!! I'm a patient guy too and also help twist wrenches whenever I can....

 

Your Favorite Sweetie!

 

I really enjoyed hanging out with you and Corky. And oh, that bunk heater? The inlet for the air is "between" the cabinet and bunk frame. Not inside the cabinet. There was so much JUNK that fell down in that little space from previous drivers, the inlet was almost completely plugged. I cleaned it all out and the heater works great! Thanks for showing me that too buddy!

(I didn't even know I had a bunk heater)....LOL....

 

Yea it really is great to have when it works. My first night with it (before I fixed it) was really bad though. It was at the Helena shop and about 20 degrees. It kept quiting all night so about every hour I woke up freezing to turn it back on....LOL

Didn't get much sleep that night....