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

Got empty early Saturday morning in Groveport. Took a 10 hour break there then was given a load that picked up in Lithia Springs Ga, 566 dead head miles, Sunday morning. That went to Indianola MS for 5am this morning. I loaded at APL logistics, I say this because as big as they are, and as many trucks that they load, apparently no one knows how to add, subtract or load a trailer correctly. I was 80,480 with 0 fuel on the truck. My route took me onto US 82 and I had 2 scales to avoid. When I first started driving, the weight limit was 80,000 in all but 3 states. MS, IL and Ar, they were 73,280. Nothing has changed in MS the last 36 years, so my old times running around those scales came right back to me. It being Mothers Day and a Sunday, I was quite sure it was a non-issue. It was. There was another Abilene truck there with the same issue, he elected to go scale, wait to get it reworked then rescale again. He wound up being 6 hours late and was a work in. I was done in an hour and had my reload in hand.

I'm now running on recap, today was a little short, but starting at midnight I pick up strong hours the rest of this week. I load in Decatur Al going to Manassas Va. I'm only dropping it in Wytheville. I need to get home for a 10 hour break/reset to get my clothes and things ready for this wedding in Boston my wife and I are going to in 2 weeks. Right now I have the luxury of spending the night at the Pilot in Birmingham, I'm pretty sure this is my payback for the rotten attitude I've had the last few days/.

 

Believe me, this diversion I don't need. If it was up to me I'd be on a cruise instead.

 

Sitting here at 24 Rock St in Brooklyn in the bullpen waiting another 1.5 hours for my break to be over. I dropped my load in Wytheville Tuesday night and had 15 minutes left on my clock. After spending the night there and taking a shower yesterday morning I find my load info sitting on my qualcomm when I came out.

A driver was coming in from Forrest City Ar at 3pm and I had to take it the rest of the way. I got here at 2am, was backed right in, (nice when they need the product) and empty at 3:15 am. Tucked myself into the last spot here in the bullpen and went right to sleep. Right now I'm waiting on a deadhead move back to Richmond. I have a load at the yard going to South Florida for Monday. This works out nicely, I'll deliver Monday and leave right out to get back to Richmond and do some local stuff until Thursday then fly up to Boston for this wedding for my wife's cousin, You would think that after 45 years of age, never been married, she would just bag the marriage deal. I told her to buy a dog.

 

Got home last night about 6pm. I have a load that delivers tonight in Deerfield Beach at 6pm 18 miles from the house. I also have my reload for tomorrow picking up in South Bay going to Jessup MD. I packed my suit and whatever else I need for this wedding my wife and I are going to in Boston. I'm taking my stuff with me on the truck to make life a little easier for my wife when she fly's out on Friday. Hope this whirlwind weekend in Boston for this wedding is stress free. I might be cynical about this wedding, but actually, my wife's cousin is truly a special person. She's a Doctor, in charge of the ER at Mass General and was the first person in line helping all the casualties from the Boston Marathon bombing 2 years ago. She also was very helpful when my mother in law passed away and my wifes uncle when he passed also.

I am getting involved with training again. I need to pick up a trainee that quit because of his last trainer. After loading I need to pick him up in Punta Gorda Fl. I'll keep him until he's ready to go solo. He will be kept busy from Friday to Monday when I get back.