Calex Express....My New Home!

I am at the Petro. I'll be moving into yet another loaner tomorrow. I'll put you stuff together and leave it with Mort.

 

Well here we go......

I was empty in LA right at 2pm last Friday. Jason sent over my reload info during the day and I was going to reload Saturday in Aromas at Driscolls with a straight load of berries going to Pottsville for 8am Thursday. The only thing was we were waiting on an appt time for my load. I was done in Montebello and headed north on the 5 to Bakersfield for another shower. Of course, being Friday afternoon, coming out of LA is a horror show. It took me 3.5 hours to get there. On my way up Jason sent me my appt time for Saturday, midnight.....urgh. I showered then headed up the 5 to 46 then up the 101. I got to Salinas and found a parking spot at the Pilot. I spent all day in Salinas on Saturday then headed up the 20 miles to Aromas. I got there with the intentions of taking my 10 hour break there then leaving the next morning right at 6am so I could be on my regular schedule for driving the whole trip back. I got to the shipper and checked in at 4pm local time. I no sooner got back into my truck then my phone rang telling me to back into door number 6. I did then spent the next 6 hours waiting for my berries to come out of the cooler. After loading I pulled back into the staging area and finished my 10 hours. At 5:45 am Sunday morning I woke up and left. I decided to run back down to Bakersfield and across 58 to Barstow.

I stopped off at the Pilot in Salinas, washed up, got some coffee then left. I love driving at this time of morning. It's quiet, no traffic and all the CB Rambo's are still sleeping. I knew as soon as I left that I was not going to be able to make my 8am appt on Thursday. Jason had sent over a message on Friday telling us if we are not going to be able and meet the delivery appt for this particular customer, to call in ASAP and let him know. I made it to Bakersfield right as the sun was coming up, stopped to use the little boys room, got another coffee then started the climb up Tehachapi. It was a relatively easy climb then the heat got turned on. I didn't stop until I got to Kingman for fuel. On my way across the desert it got up to 115 degrees in Needles. By the time I got to Kingman it was still 112. I had enough time to get to the 66 mm and take my 10 hour break at the Petro.

On Monday morning at 8am I called Jason and told him that 8am on Thursday was out and 12:30 was in. He laughed and said only Chris (The Rookie) and myself give him 4 days notice and that everyone else gives him about 2 hours notice. Left Kingman at 5am and planned to make it to Amarillo that night. As soon as I started to climb up to Flagstaff the temp was getting real nice. It lasted to about Santa Rosa then started getting hotter and hotter until it was 107 in Amarillo when I stopped for the night. I woke up early Tuesday, showered and had Sullivan Mo on my radar. I left and made it to OKC for fuel and saw I had a flat on my trailer. 6 hours later I finally leave with a new tire and 106 degree temp. Instead of Sullivan I made it to Strafford instead and called it a night. I woke up Wednesday morning and planned on making it to Zanesville OH for my break. I did and left at 6am this morning in the pouring rain. It rained all the way to Pottsville. I was given a 3pm appt after it was rescheduled and made it there at 1:30. They backed me right in and I was empty in an hour.

I stopped at the yard an dropped my empty, fueled and went in to ask Mort about my truck. I was told they are still working on it, which they are as I saw it in the shop all torn apart. 2 weeks to the day I left, our shop and Volvo have had this truck and no one can fix it. Says alot about the quality of these trucks. Like I've said numerous times, I am not sold on Volvo. I have no idea what truck I'll be put in as this loaner truck has a whole laundry list of issues that I wrote up. My wife and I are going on a 10 day cruise Sept 29th. Maybe I should take off until then while they try and fix my truck. Time for supper, be safe all.

 

That's what was said at 4pm. You know how that place is at that time, everyone is on their way home. I'll find out from Ray in the morning. They put 4 new trucks on the road yesterday and today. Mort said I should be in a permanent truck tomorrow. We'll see. I take it you got home.

 

Carlo, I put your remaining belongings in your sea bag and gave it to Brian. I did remove your Military tags from the front and put them in the bag also. The truck is in the shop with a laundry list of things that need to be addressed. Ray said it should be done by the end of the day. My truck was last seen going out the gate this morning on it's way to Volvo......again. All I want is a truck that does what it was designed to do.