Good night from...

I'm so sorry ...

 

I was on my way to pick up a load in the middle of Washington state, when I got a message that the load was voided-- not even a kiss or sorry 'bout that.

So I immediately did Mac 30 and there was another load offer not too far away but hours away from pick up time-- I had already started my clock so this load was going to be tight for a 1000 mile run down to the heart of Lost Angeles.

I've been under massive amounts of stress and started having an outbreak of shingles on my hands,fingers, forearms , neck, forehead. My eye was itchy too then I saw it was turning red and the shingles was happening there too. I looked on wikipedia and google about that, if it gets in your eyes it can blind you.

It has already started clearing up with a good night's rest and extreme discipline not to touch rub or scratch the blisters which itch like crazy. They typically just blister up, oooze out then crust over and heal underneath. Pretty nasty stuff, I look like a freakshow. It should be all gone within a couple of days.

About 10 years ago on a construction job, we were handling 4 x 12 timbers all day that were treated with new fangled chemicals to prevent rot. I had a terrible reaction to the chemicals-- massive blisters on my hand, arms and torso where the wood touched me while I carried it. Doctor just said 'ride it out, it will go away on its own'... Every so often I have these blisters reappear and wonder if it's shingles or the wood or a combo of both, just living in my nervous system waiting to pop up any time.

Typically people don't get shingles til in their 60's (only if you've had chickenpox). I understand there is a shot for it to mitigate the pain and suffering, will be asking my doctor if I'm too young for it.

Lost Angeles tonight, just like I figured, 540 miles to final is a bad idea at 1600 downtown LA from Redding CA early this morning, ended up 19 miles from final with 12 minutes to spare so pulled the plug and mac 22'd it in.

 

About 10 years ago on a construction job, we were handling 4 x 12 timbers all day that were treated with new fangled chemicals to prevent rot. I had a terrible reaction to the chemicals-

Wow , I was in construction ( Florida ) before and after the formulas were changed and
you're the only person I'm aware of that had a reaction like the one you described .
Mind you the lumber we were using was yellow pine treated for either above , or below ground
and usually had a yellow sticker stapled on the end of the board.

Hope you get well real soon.

 

Thanx .
Already starting to find out what I don't know lol.

 

After seeing the weather later today, glad that I did stop here. Bad storms moving up through Dallas heading towards the East. Think that I will just stay behind it and take my time. Tomorrow get as far as Dallas and shut it down again.

 

Scottie, one of the reasons I became a trim carpenter years ago was a similar bad reaction to pressure treated lumber.

Back in Troutdale from Portland with a load that delivers 730am. Three shorties in two days because they are trying to get me to my hometime they missed a week ago that I've been trying to cancel.
Frank

 

I'm back. Been away for a while, old laptop crapped out and finally decided to pick up a new one. Still going strong though. I did become a mentor a few months ago and boy is that rough. I'm on my 3rd student and the 1st two just didn't work out. The first one decided trucking was not his thing after about a week, he thought all we have to do is wake up and drive all day, kind of a shame too cause he was not too bad of a driver and actually could back pretty well. Student 2 was a good driver, drove class B before he got his A but his fear of heights got the best of him once we got to Colorado. I drove Raton pass going sb into NM and he just started freaking out saying there was no way he could drive in the mountains. I even drove super nice down it, geared down to 7th, kept it at 50 and it still just scared the hell outta him. I tried talking him into giving it a shot but he just didn't want to, and well I can't make him. Called up his DD person and they got us back to Lancaster and they pretty much told him if you ever get over that fear of heights give us a call.

Student number 3 is proving to be quite the challenge. He drove for 8 weeks at another company and picked up many bad habits from pretty much being thrown on a truck by himself while his CDL was still warm. He also seems to think he knows a thing or two but doesn't even know enough to realize what he doesn't know. I broke him of his little tailgating habit so far and have got him in the habit now of looking way down the road instead of just focusing on what is right in front of you. He also had this habit of starting in too high a gear and giving it fuel while letting off the clutch to make it work, thats just lazy if you ask me and bad for the equipment. Think he got tired of me ######## about it cause he doesn't do it anymore. Backing has also been an issue, he likes to way oversteer but he has got much better in the last few days. He also has trouble setting up in tighter spots, wants to get too much of an angle on it then doesn't have the room to get back in front of the trailer. All in all he has come a long way in the 80 hours he has done so far but boy what a lot of work for me this has been. I seriously wanted to bring him back at one point but after having a little talk with him and explaining I am not here to pick on you but to try and help you so if I see something you are doing wrong I am going to point it out and keep doing so until you stop doing it he has gotten better.

Currently in Wilton, NY at Scotties, picking up in a little at the paper mill up here and tcalling at Gary for 4 days of much needed hometime. After that it should be balls to the wall to get his 240 then take a few more days off.

 

Weatherford, TX. Thought that shut down early. Have 2.5 days to go 854 miles. Still taking it easy. Was thinking about Dallas, but who knows on a Friday what the parking would be like at the Peelot and Flying Hook at 1600. If it was Saturday, probably would have

 

At the Edwardsville terminal waiting to pick up a t-called load. Just t-called a beer load that was supposed to deliver in Joplin, MO this afternoon. Problem was I was 540 lbs over on the drives and out of adjustment, took Coors over 4 1/2 hours to rework it. New delivery time of Monday morning so my DM had me t-call it here.

 

Neal, its interesting you had a student bail over a fear of heights. One of the cool things about driving is being up where I can look over bridge barriers and such. On the other hand some of those bridges are so high if I screwed up and went over the last words I would hear would be, "Out of route."

Back in Lewiston after running the identical paper pulp load from Troutdale I ran day before yesterday. I was going to complain but I have over 1,000 miles with 5 days to go til Wednesday night. If I don't have a pplan by morning I'm going to ask for more shorties.
Frank