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

Just landed at the homestead. Will be home on medical leave for the next 3 weeks.

I left Groveport yesterday morning at 0600 with 3 stops. Mabelton Ga, Forest Park Ga and Longwood Fl.

This was quite the load. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, poop pops up that has you scratching your head. I left Groveport with a fresh clock. Drove the 565 miles straight to my first stop and only stopped once for my 30 minute break. Got to the 75/285 junction and it all came to a screaming halt. I knew it was going to be rush hour, but I had time on my side and was only 13 miles to my first drop. Been to this drop a few times. Great place to bump the dock and get a quiet peaceful sleep. Set the brakes at 6:30 and camped out. About 9:30 I hit the sack. 0400 was my unload time. About 11:30 another truck showed up. All I heard was the air brake, over and over and over. Then I hear a boom. I get dressed and go investigate and see the driver hit the corner of the building and knocked a few bricks off. Ok, not my damage, not my building and not my truck. I help him get backed in, then go back to sleep. About 1:45 this morning, I get woke up by a pounding on my door. I get dressed and open the curtain to blue lights. There’s about 4 LEO’s standing around with guns drawn. I’m asked some questions along the lines of how long have I been there, have I seen anyone and my name. Come to find out, the silent alarm went off which summoned the cavalry. After exchanging pleasantries, I was allowed to go to bed for the third time. About 3am, my phone rings. It’s my final drop in Longwood that wanted to know if I could deliver early. I’ve been to this particular distributor about 6 times over the years. They’re real easy to work with. I was due to drop Friday at noon, and was planning on dropping at 0600. He wanted to know if I could drop today in the afternoon. I told him yes I could, but my next stop was the new Kroger DC in Forest Park and it all depended on how long it took them to take off 2 pallets. We agreed that I would call him at 10am. I got empty at my first drop and left there at 0500. I drove the 22 miles to Kroger and got there at 0545. I checked in, got a door and was getting checked out at 0700.

It was 445 miles down to Longwood. I figured with a fuel stop, my 30 minute break and a stop to make a sammich, I would be there at 3:30. At 3:15 the final stop called me. I told them I just got off I-4 and I’d be there in 10 minutes. Now, this particular distributor has what can only be described as the hardest place to back into. Off a narrow industrial street, on the blind side, through a fence, down to the dock. Oh, you cannot use the driveway/parking lot in front of you to pull-up. Basically, they’ll come out with guns blazing. But, because I only had 64 cases on 1 pallet, he was waiting for me at the driveway with a forklift and pallet jack to take his product off on the street. It all worked out.

What I accomplished was 3 drops off, drove 465 miles pedaling my freight, then drove 195 mikes home. And, delivered my last drop a day early. And what do I get as an attaboy? A phone call from safety telling me I was caught doing 65 in a 55 in Tennessee yesterday by the new safety program they have. After I was finished listening to the speech and agreeing to sign the infraction, I asked her how are we going to address these accidents as seen in these pictures. No response.

 

Thanks Brother. Just had to read and sign a bunch of paperwork for the hospital and Dr’s. For a rather simple procedure, this paperwork has me shaking in my flip flops.