Calex Express....My New Home!

Hey all, I'm home again. Got here at 3 this afternoon. This is the third Sunday in a row that I've gotten home right at 3pm. I deliver Tuesday in Pahokee which is about 30 miles from the house. This past week had me preplanned the whole week including my reload this Tuesday. It was sent to me Friday at 5pm.

I left the house this past Wednesday and delivered in Fort Lauderdale. I was done at 9am and had my reload info sitting on my computer in my truck. I reloaded in Ocala at 2pm and had a 5am Thursday delivery in North Augusta SC. I got to the Pilot at the 200mm in Ga on 20 and found the last spot thanks to a Swift driver that gave up trying to back into this spot after 20 minutes of trying. He left, I backed in the spot on my first shot and called it a night. When I need to get up real early to deliver I set my alarm. The problem when I know I need to wake up at an off hour is I never really sleep. I toss and turn and am always looking at my clock. The next morning I woke up before the alarm went off, went inside, washed up and got a coffee then went back to my truck and got ready to leave. the problem at this point was I misread my clock, it was really 3am, not 4am. Great, wide awake, ready to go and an hour earlier than I planned. Oh well, I started my clock and left. I had my reload info sitting on my computer and it was a drop and hook in Greenville that was ready since the day before. I drove over to my delivery and pulled in. I parked and was doing paperwork because it looked like they weren't open. About 10 minutes later here comes the dock foreman to tell me to back in and that they would have me unloaded in less than an hour. Unreal, 30 minutes later I had my signed bills in my hand and was leaving the gate. I drove about 2 miles to this little fuel stop that had room for about 5 trucks, found a spot and went back to bed.

I woke up and drove the 100 miles to Greenville and got my trailer. I made it to the TA in Roanoke at 6pm and called it a night. I woke up at 4am, got a cup of coffee then drove the 370 miles to Mountain Top Pa nonstop to drop my trailer off. Louie called me right at 9am and asked me where I was. I told him I was an hour from my delivery. He asked me if I wanted to go to the west coast, I had to remind him that I was going on vacation and that if I did go west my wife would be 2 days into her cruise without me, and that I would then be able to go west every week because I'd be divorced. He laughed then told me to see him after I got done for a reload that was in Lewisburg going to Pahokee. After sending in my empty call my reload info came over the computer. Drop and hook going back home. I bobtailed to the yard and fueled.

As I was fueling Ray came out to tell me that the last 3 trucks that were to be mine are still dead in the water and that he was giving me xx332. Ok, yet another truck to find and hope is ready to go. I found the truck, completely detailed, and ready for me. It's a 2011 with 176k on the clock, Volvo engine with the I-Shift tranny and Super Singles. It was a husband/wife team truck that was put in service last October. The shifting and the ride on this truck is unbelievable. I must say, this is the smoothest, most pleasant truck I have ever driven in all these years. I immediately noticed the difference in handling characteristics with the super singles. It reminds me of the first Volvo I had with air ride front axle. Kinda of like being on water in a boat. I unpacked this loaner truck I've been in the last 15 thousand miles, I didn't have much because I took most of my stuff out when I was home last week. I only had what I could fit in my bag, about 4 changes of clothes and just enough food to put in my cooler to keep on Ice until I got home to buy my fridge.

I threw everything in the new truck and decided to set up house after I get my trailer. I had just enough time to fuel the new truck, get a couple gallons of DEF, stop off at the Pilot for some Ice and go get my load. After picking up my trailer in Lewisburg I had just enough time to get to Greencastle PA and call it a night.

I got to the TA at 7pm and started setting up house. Here's where I finally figure out why my throat is scratchy, my eyes have been watering and I have a headache. The new truck is covered in nicotine and everything is covered with the smell of smoke. I felt like I wanted to throw up. The first thing I did was call my wife and ask for her help. She told me to take anything that was removable and put in plastic garbage bags. I took all the curtains down and put hem in the trailer. Then I went to work trying to get rid of this smell. I did the best i could and called it a night. When I finally got home today with my headache and scratchy throat with watery eyes she got in the truck and wanted to throw up herself. I had to get out of the truck so tomorrow is disinfecting day for the both of us.

 

Thanks for the insight about those ozone air cleaners. My wife and I just got back from Walmart with some cleaning stuff. Tomorrow I will purchase one of those air cleaners. I can't imagine going through any more days like the last 2.

 

No it doesn't. They stopped ordering them with the front air ride last year. I personally didn't like the front air ride. It felt real soft in Ice anf snow, somewhat like the feeling you get when the front end hydro planes on a car. My first truck had it and I can't tell you how many times I had that pucker feeling my first winter. I did work on the smoke smell all morning today. I even took the three sections of curtains out, washed and scrubbed them with a hose and soap detergent and air dried them. It was unreal the amount of smoke and nicotene in this truck. It was worse then my first truck, xx227. And that had 700K when I got it. This one only has 185K on it. I'm glad I was able to save this one. Now It will be taken care of.

As my wife and I were cleaning the inside of my truck, Jason sent over my reload info for when I get empty on Wednesday. As I figured, I will be doing a drop and hook in Greenville at our customer like I did last week for a drop in Mountain Top on Thursday. So now my whole weeks northbound freight is preplanned. I'll be headed back home on Friday to start my vacation.

 

Thanks. We go on a cruise every year so we know what to expect as far as eating and weight goes. Fortunately for me I went on a diet about 2.5 months ago and have lost 25lbs so far. Once I hit that magical 250 number it was time for some changes. I completely changed my eating habits so I hope to continue on our cruise. Last year we went on a 7 night cruise and I only gained 5lbs. 3 years ago we flew to Spain and cruised 14 nights back to Florida and gained nothing. This time I'm hoping to stay the same. My wife? She actually looses some weight because she's always at the gym working out.