EPES TRANSPORT-Greensboro, NC

I used apple juice as a spray on, last butt I had. haha It turned out REALLY GOOD! I'm learning this summer as I've only had this grill since May. I am picking up quickly! I had tried a boneless and bone-in....there's just something about than dang bone that gives it ALL THAT FLAVOR! hahahaha Tonite is the only smoking session I have this weekend....St. Louis style spare ribs! Good thing the neighbor is in the mountains til tomorrow! We usually go in half and half on meat....but these babies will be ALL MINE! Muahahahahahaha! As far as losers go.....the people you're with actually had a better life than some of these guys at my school! No, it wasn't a C-1. But, seriously...there was a kid there that had been on his 5th week and STILL couldn't do a PTI! I did it and passed my test at the end of week 2. But, you know, some people learn faster than others. Turns out the kid went to USA and I ran into him up in Vandalia, OH when I was still at USA. He had just gone solo for about 2 weeks before he was let go for causing a major accident, luckily nobody died! Mind you, this kid, he was like 23-24 years old, was out with a trainer for 8 WEEKS and barely passed upgrade. That was his exact words. Kinda shows you what "bottom feeders" REALLY care about! I did really feel bad for him...but either he was just unteachable, or he just had some REALLY BAD TRAINERS? Who knows?

 

I use my own dry rub and I like to get a good bark so that's why I don't spray anything on the Butts. I do spray ribs though.

We have some younger guys too. Not everyone has gone to get their permit so we might lose one or two if they can't pass but I don't see that happening.

 

I think that just shows alot of these schools are more interested in the revenue than the actual success of the students. why would you even allow anyone to begn classes WITHOUT a permit in hand and a background/drug screen already complete? the school i went to we had to have permit in hand and pass a background/drug screen as part of the registration process. fail one part, you didn't show up for day one. even after starting class, day ONE we were put into the trucks and put on the road to determine if it really was something we thought we were interested in and given the opportunity to drop after a day in the truck and at least recoup some of our admission fee.....some got into the truck and found out they were scared to death of it and left. every time i read some of these accounts of these other "schools" and the processes and procedures, it makes me even more glad i went where i did.

productive week even if only out 4 days....and have to amend my milage for the last period......got my check and it shows 3797 for the 7 days out....thought i missed a trip adding it up last post but had to get the check to confirm.....i could really get used to those checks for 1300 hehehehe....not the first check i've had in 4 figures by any means but the best one so far......how many at the bottom feeders and into the first year+ can say they're pulling that in? this company has been a good choice all the way around......this week went out monday night and in by friday 1500 and still turned 1890 with a 750 to Ma lined up going out sunday night so that will be a good one as well.......

fairly uneventful week but ran hard and to the last minute several days.....the short one i was worried about for tuesday AM wasn't too bad....no issues other than not being planned out after it like i was told i would be....had to wait around 2hrs for the next one and got one up to minersville to the lowes....then preplanned out of camp hill with the wilson run back down to richmond....i always cringe when i get that one because it's a must deliver run straight and i always have JUST enough time to get it there when they give it to me.....this time was no different.....5:19 there and i had 5:40 when i picked up......2 traffic delays on the way and i got to richmond with 0:04 on the clock...they were cool at wilson and let me park on the yard there for my 10......then IP up to ridgefield, nj....ugh.....so close to nyc i could have thrown a rock across the hudson and hit the empire state building lol.....and you know it's going to be fun when the directions say watch the right turns going in they're very tight......no #### lol.....i had to swing all the way to the left curb wide just to get the trailer around the last 4 right handers into the customer....and going up 95 towards the gw at 730am is always fun......at least i got off on 46 before i actually got there......hit the wrong side of the cash box at the split before the gw exit and had to squirt through the cones to get back onto the right side of the highway.....caused a few odd looks but got it between the cones without even touching one......every time i do an in-town in that area it just makes me have more respect for those local guys up there that do it every day......it's gotta be a pain even in a daycab with a 53 because it's almost undoable on some of thsoe streets with a sleeper and a 53.....you really gotta be on your game and have your head on a swivel up there once you leave the big road......

heading up there was a BIG mess on 95 south at the 14 on the ramp to 78.....JB rolled one on the ramp and it was 7am and traffic was backed up all the way to the cash box.....what a mess.....and what a spot to lay one over and especially there and that time of morning....luckily by the time i got unloaded and got back down there it was cleared enough that we all took the left lane and got through pretty easily....good thing too because i had another short on time run down to hamilton to load at colgate going to salisbury......been there before and they don't get in any hurry at all....checked in with 3;30 on the clock and dropped in the door and pulled to parking and wait. and wait. and wait. and wait. finally saw them pull the air lock and cone and didn't wait to be called just went on in.....got out of there with 0:20 on the clock and the petro was 14 minutes away....by the time i got out of the gate and pulled into the petro at bordentown the clock said 0:00 when i hit sleeper and creeped on into a parking spot.....of course the loves there was full so ante up $20 to park. what a ####### racket as they know they're the only game for miles around besides that tiny loves nextdoor

get on down to salisbury and drop friday with 2:04 left and my DM is off so i know i'm going to get something screwed up.....

sure enough, get a high value pickup in charlotte must deliver in sandstone, va by 8pm and it's 1300 and i have 2hrs left. wtf? what was THAT planner thinking? didn't even send it as a preplan for me to turn down just put it on me. sent in the message and asked if the planner was drunk and starting his holiday early? no i won't be taking that one cannot deliver on time and ran last weekend. going home this weekend. find something else and advise please. normally i don't flat out refuse a load but that one i did, for no other reason than i couldn't make it on time but secondarily, i ran last weekend and i'm going home. the lesson here for the students reading the posts is DON'T let them shove a load on you that you know you can't make delivery on. the delivery failure will go on you for taking it if you do. sometimes you just have to stand up and say no, i can't get it done in the time alotted with the time i have left. no issues from it and he said nothing else available in the area come on in for the weekend. checked with him when i got in and got the run out to Mass for delivery by tuesday 6am.....

so, relaxing with the doggies and momma and going to get some much needed yardwork done and fire up the grill later......and watch the couple of races i've got recorded and haven't been able to watch last 2 weeks since i've been rolling so much....

 

we must not have missed each other by much i was through there and fueled there twice this week.....i ran into HUGE black butterflies both times through the area.....like to never got those things cleaned off the windshield....they sure made a big #### mess....even on my side windows.......got into a big swarm of bumblebees in ohio like that once too....they were popping the winshield so hard and so many time it sounded like rocks hitting the windshield....was actually a little concerned it might crack the windshield they were hitting so hard and so many over and over....there were thousands of them....but yeah, those butterflies in and around harrisburg were something else...they made on hell of a mess....the squegee at the TA didn't do it....had to get out with the windex and the paper towels and the elbow grease to get rid of that mess

 

Here's a recap of yesterday at CDL School...

We continued driving on the range with the course a little tighter than the day before. We also started backing! That was fun!! I first got in to do a straight line back and nailed it first time. Then I got in another truck and started running laps and one of the instructors had us start doing 45 degree backing as we came around to that area of the range. He started telling me what to do as I was backing and even though he was telling me correctly what to do, I needed him to be quiet so I could think. I was trying to listen to him but also to myself. I started my cut to soon and then didn't follow the trailer quick enough to recover. Result...hit the left side cone. Pulled up and tried a couple more times with the same result. AARRRRGGGG!! So I pulled out and made another lap.

Second attempt went a little better but I was consistent in my mistakes. I finally got it in but it wasn't pretty. I got in with another guy who was doing a really good job and leaned over his shoulder, looking at his mirror to get a visual of his backing. He nailed it! That helped me along with the fact the instructor wasn't talking.

So, Around again and then my third attempt. I pulled up getting into a good position where I could see the left side of my trailer and started to back up slowly. I held that line longer this time and then quickly turned the wheel to the right to start cutting it in. Then I quickly started turning back to the left to follow the trailer. That started taking me away from that left cone but a little to much so I countered back to the right just a little bit to stay tight on that cone. Got it where I wanted it so kept it on that line until I knew I had it going where I wanted. Last move was back to the left and the bumper was in the box and the trailer was straight!!! That was the first thing that I found challenging up to this point and I needed a challenge!

Got back in the truck for another attempt on the straight line backing and no problems. Now I'm ready to call it a day!!

 

here's something you guys should try. Even though we do this for a living...I found a computer game at wal-mart for $15 called Big Rig USA. It's a turcking simulator. Pretty neat....but just to have fun I do everything YOU DON'T DO! Had a run of 48,000 of logs and ran down the OPPOSITE side of the road going DOWN Donner's Pass! Man, I took out cars.....even got my breaks to catch fire! hahahaha then, for fun....I ran her off the mountain! hahahaha It actually is a fun simulator.....just for ##### and giggles...you know do stuff NOBODY would do, or even the criminally insane wouldn't do!

 

You mean we are not to do fun stuff like that? I been doing it wrong for 21 years! Just go back and make sure not to leave any witnesses! Dead men tell no tells! Mooohahahaaa! Quess next no killing lotlizzards? Going to make it boring out here! Jk! Could not help myself!

 

I get to run over orange cones and blue barrels.

 

Feelin like a rockstar.got home yesterday after my weekly farm run. Trying out the one weekend out thing, working pretty good. I like running down south because i know its going to come to an end when the snow hits north. no one likes the northeast. i dont care for it much,but it helps when your miles are short.

 

what's up with all the container trailers on the lot? I've been meaning to ask...when I pulled in Saturday...there was atleast 20? or so blue container trailers on the back lot and still about 10 or so left this morning. I'd like to haul one of those, just to say I have. Up in Paulsboro for the night/afternoon guess I'll be doing GW Bridge around 0400 in the am! that 287 route is LONG!!!!!!!!! lol