Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

RebelChick · Jun 8, 2019

ExtremeUnction said: ↑

That was me.
Click to expand...

ExtremeUnction said: ↑

Got a load going to New Orleans and then to Dallas. Will be driving through my old stomping grounds, and I should be able to see both my brother and my mom on the way.

However, it doesn't deliver until Monday at noon, so I have a fair amount of time on the load. No rush. Drove about 8 hours today and then pulled into Davy Crockett. Usually when I park here, I have to park on the edge of the lot, in the dirt-and-gravel bits with all the mud and potholes. Today, though, there was a spot right up front, on the asphalt and close to the building. Score! So I swung the truck around and started to back in.

But then a couple of other trucks pulled in the driveway, and since I'm a nice guy I let 'em pull through the gap between the back of my trailer and the front of the row of parked trucks so they could go about their business instead of waiting on me to get out of their way.

And apparently my courtesy was a mistake, because as I started to back in to the spot, a PTL truck started pulling through from the other side.

Welp.

So I'm not about to give up this spot, right? I continue to back in. Meanwhile, the other guy is equally determined to take the spot and continues to pull forward. And we eventually met in the middle, with the front half of my truck sticking out the front of the row of trucks and the back half of his truck sticking out the back.

I sat there with my blinkers on. He didn't move. I didn't move. I set my parking brake. He set his parking brake. Time passed.

Then I got out of the truck to walk back and talk to the dude. Because there's no use having both of us sit there like d**n.ed fools, and this clearly wasn't going to get resolved without some kind of parley.

Turns out, he had the same idea, because he was coming up to meet me at the same time I was heading back to meet him.

"Hey, how's it going?" I said.

"Well that's kinda what I want to know," he replied.

I held out my hand. "I'm Mike, btw."

He seemed surprised, but he shook my hand. "I'm Robert."

"Well Robert, I saw this spot here, and I swung around to back in. But I stopped to let a couple of guys go past me. If I hadn't done that, I woulda already been completely in this spot before you rolled up on it. And from the angle you came in, you had to have seen me stretched out and angling for that spot before you even turned into the lot. So you knew I was going there."

"Well that may be how you see it," he replied, "But I saw this spot before you got here, but I didn't want to do a U-turn like you did. So I drove around to the other side to pull straight through. I've been here since yesterday, taking a 34, and was just trying to get a better parking space."

Well, I've been in his shoes too, right? I've been on both sides of this situation. It was just one of those situations where nobody's really at fault, and there isn't a clear wrong or right. Just a conflict that needed to be solved by everybody acting like a grown-up.

"Tell you what, my man," I said. "I'll flip you for it. Winner gets the spot, loser has to find another spot."

And then he surprised me. "Don't look around," he said, "but there are a lot of dudes watching us right now. And they want to see us throw down. They want a show. And I don't want to give them one. So I'm gonna back out and find another place to park. You can have the spot."

"You sure?" I asked. "I'm willing to move if I lose a coin toss. No hard feelings."

"Yeah man, it's cool."

And sure enough, he moved his truck.

After I got parked, I went and found his truck. "Look, man, let me at least buy you a soda or a cup of coffee or something."

He laughed. "I was just going to come make you the same offer!"

And to make an already long story slightly shorter, we went into the truck stop and ate dinner together and had a great conversation. Turns out he's a brand new trucker, only been on the road 7 months (which probably explains why he wasn't stubborn about the parking spot). Like me, it was a late-in-life career change (he's 57), and we had a lot of other things in common besides.

He had started driving for CRST and hated them, so moved to PTL and doesn't like them either. So I told him maybe he oughtta give Abilene a try. He'd start off getting paid the same cents-per-mile he's getting now, but at least he'd be working for a much better company.

I think he's gonna give Trish a call come Monday.
Click to expand...

Sounds like trucker tales to me! LOL if it was you, thanks! And good job with the dude at the Davy Crockett. I’ll bet that in the years to come, just maybe this day will stick in his mind and help be the change so desperately needed out here.

Silverdriver · Jun 8, 2019

Got home yesterday and the adventure of moving started today. Every muscle in my body is in painful agoooooony!
I know that by tomorrow for me to get out of bed it will only be possible with a towing truck!

JoeyJunk · Jun 8, 2019

ExtremeUnction said: ↑

Got a load going to New Orleans and then to Dallas. Will be driving through my old stomping grounds, and I should be able to see both my brother and my mom on the way.

However, it doesn't deliver until Monday at noon, so I have a fair amount of time on the load. No rush. Drove about 8 hours today and then pulled into Davy Crockett. Usually when I park here, I have to park on the edge of the lot, in the dirt-and-gravel bits with all the mud and potholes. Today, though, there was a spot right up front, on the asphalt and close to the building. Score! So I swung the truck around and started to back in.

But then a couple of other trucks pulled in the driveway, and since I'm a nice guy I let 'em pull through the gap between the back of my trailer and the front of the row of parked trucks so they could go about their business instead of waiting on me to get out of their way.

And apparently my courtesy was a mistake, because as I started to back in to the spot, a PTL truck started pulling through from the other side.

Welp.

So I'm not about to give up this spot, right? I continue to back in. Meanwhile, the other guy is equally determined to take the spot and continues to pull forward. And we eventually met in the middle, with the front half of my truck sticking out the front of the row of trucks and the back half of his truck sticking out the back.

I sat there with my blinkers on. He didn't move. I didn't move. I set my parking brake. He set his parking brake. Time passed.

Then I got out of the truck to walk back and talk to the dude. Because there's no use having both of us sit there like d**n.ed fools, and this clearly wasn't going to get resolved without some kind of parley.

Turns out, he had the same idea, because he was coming up to meet me at the same time I was heading back to meet him.

"Hey, how's it going?" I said.

"Well that's kinda what I want to know," he replied.

I held out my hand. "I'm Mike, btw."

He seemed surprised, but he shook my hand. "I'm Robert."

"Well Robert, I saw this spot here, and I swung around to back in. But I stopped to let a couple of guys go past me. If I hadn't done that, I woulda already been completely in this spot before you rolled up on it. And from the angle you came in, you had to have seen me stretched out and angling for that spot before you even turned into the lot. So you knew I was going there."

"Well that may be how you see it," he replied, "But I saw this spot before you got here, but I didn't want to do a U-turn like you did. So I drove around to the other side to pull straight through. I've been here since yesterday, taking a 34, and was just trying to get a better parking space."

Well, I've been in his shoes too, right? I've been on both sides of this situation. It was just one of those situations where nobody's really at fault, and there isn't a clear wrong or right. Just a conflict that needed to be solved by everybody acting like a grown-up.

"Tell you what, my man," I said. "I'll flip you for it. Winner gets the spot, loser has to find another spot."

And then he surprised me. "Don't look around," he said, "but there are a lot of dudes watching us right now. And they want to see us throw down. They want a show. And I don't want to give them one. So I'm gonna back out and find another place to park. You can have the spot."

"You sure?" I asked. "I'm willing to move if I lose a coin toss. No hard feelings."

"Yeah man, it's cool."

And sure enough, he moved his truck.

After I got parked, I went and found his truck. "Look, man, let me at least buy you a soda or a cup of coffee or something."

He laughed. "I was just going to come make you the same offer!"

And to make an already long story slightly shorter, we went into the truck stop and ate dinner together and had a great conversation. Turns out he's a brand new trucker, only been on the road 7 months (which probably explains why he wasn't stubborn about the parking spot). Like me, it was a late-in-life career change (he's 57), and we had a lot of other things in common besides.

He had started driving for CRST and hated them, so moved to PTL and doesn't like them either. So I told him maybe he oughtta give Abilene a try. He'd start off getting paid the same cents-per-mile he's getting now, but at least he'd be working for a much better company.

I think he's gonna give Trish a call come Monday.
Click to expand...

So when are you two getting married?! LOL. JK of course.

JoeyJunk · Jun 8, 2019

RebelChick said: ↑

View attachment 284419
Cleanest trailer I’ve seen in a while! And it wasn’t me who did it! Can you believe another driver left this on the yard this clean???!!! Color me impressed!!!!
Click to expand...

I’m convinced I’m the only one in my company that sweeps a trailer. I sweep every freaking one. Have gotten a few compliments from shippers like it’s a rare sighting lol

Finfn1372 · Jun 9, 2019

@RebelChick don't get you're hopes up lol.
It just looks like they were left with a semi clean trailer.

MidWest_MacDaddy · Jun 10, 2019

Seems I’m on the Desert Circuit lately... ran out to Colton... then they let me take a Walmart load to Flagstaff to swap with a Team... so I took their Reno Load... plans for my Eastbound Load fell apart as I didn’t have the hours in the correct days to even attempt to pick it up and it would be late already anyway... so I sat in Reno expecting to be there until Monday... nope.., Deadhead back to Colton... still bumping my 70 so I had to stop for the night... then they tell me to divert to Vegas to swap with another Team... yup, another Reno Load on my back... lol

I don’t mind... I didn’t sit too long in any one spot... I’d rather have two light days and let my clocks come around than sit for a 34 in the same darn spot... and it’s rather beautiful out here in these parts... so it’s been a rather nice change from the eastern states...

Oh, and just as an FYI... on US 93/95 (?) we pass by Walkers Lake... there is a State Park Campground there (Sportsman Campground) and you can get into, and more importantly OUT OF with a semi and 53” trailer ... straight road in and a decent sized turn around to the left... or turn right and back into the turn around area... I took the opportunity to stop for a couple hours and just hung out there enjoying the views and walked down to the actual lake... coming back up that Hill was less fun... lol

So if you are ever running to Reno and need to take a 30 and happen to be close to Walkers Lake... and if you like beautiful views with hills and water... I highly recommend it and it’s totally possible with a T/T Combo too.

Oh, and it’s much cheaper than the Alien Cathouse at Area 51... LOL

Finfn1372 · Jun 10, 2019

Where's this Reno and Colton place you speak of?

RebelChick · Jun 10, 2019

Finfn1372 said: ↑

Where's this Reno and Colton place you speak of?
Click to expand...

It’s in a land far, far away.

RebelChick · Jun 10, 2019

Really weird weekend at the RVA yard. Lots of tractors, but still some empty spots due to folks parking all over the place. BUT, lots of empty trailer slots. Usually, it’s a free for all. And still some lazy folks just park their trailer any old place. Asked an older gentleman yesterday why he was parking his loaded trailer 2 out from the first line (near the heavy line) when there was plenty of open slots and he just shrugged and said thank you. Guess he can’t back up? Thought about moving his trailer and putting it in the tightest spot I could find. But that would’ve been mean. And I’m not mean. Well, sometimes, but when I got back to the yard, I was tired and ready to get home.

ExtremeUnction · Jun 10, 2019

Just saw a clean up crew removing a dead alligator carcass from the freeway. It's good to be back home!.

Log in or Sign up

Forums

Find Trucking Jobs

Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

RebelChick Road Train Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Silverdriver Road Train Member

JoeyJunk Road Train Member

JoeyJunk Road Train Member

Finfn1372 Road Train Member

MidWest_MacDaddy Road Train Member

Finfn1372 Road Train Member

RebelChick Road Train Member

RebelChick Road Train Member

ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Find Trucking Jobs

Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

RebelChick Road Train Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Silverdriver Road Train Member

JoeyJunk Road Train Member

JoeyJunk Road Train Member

Finfn1372 Road Train Member

MidWest_MacDaddy Road Train Member

Finfn1372 Road Train Member

RebelChick Road Train Member

RebelChick Road Train Member

ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!