Finished my training and...

..Just got home from a 4 day run, well 2-runs lasting 4 days..
Went out to Irvine, Ca again, and back up to Santa Fe, Ca ( Del Monte ) to get a load of bananas, again.. Usually Del Monte isnt to bad about getting us loaded and gone w/in an hour. Weeelll... this time it took them 5.25hrs and they killed my 14hr big time.. No biggie, I atleast got up to Moreno Valley, then mentor took over..
We split the run this time, as mentor ran us out to Coachilla, Ca and I took over. Yea I ran the late/early shift, but.. the splitting was a lot better, as I got a lil rest before jumping into the drivers seat. Mentor went right into sleeper birth and I ran all stops and such, nothing new there, and should be doing this anyways as long as Ive been on his truck. I enjoy running with him back there, as I get the feel of being independant, yet with the security of knowing is I run into a situation, and or have a question, etc.. he's back there..
I got to my first store, the gates were locked/closed I almost drove by it..lol.. Called store, yada yada.. while waiting 2 other trucks get inline and a few box vans.. Ok, well this is where I USED to get nervous and screw up on backing(s).. I hated others watching me, etc.. Doors open, and Im ready, it's a straight line with a lil blindside to it, nothing major, and I nailed it first time.. score.. backing is getting tremendously better..
Off to 2nd store, Santa Ana, Ca.. OMG.. this doc was horrid, blind side, trash compactor in front of bay, dry storage trailor in the middle and a chewed up guardrail other drivers had taken out, a few times too i might add... I had to wake mentor for this one, as there was no way I could have, and or a Super Trucker for that matter, would have been able to do with out getting out of the truck 100x's.. can you say TIGHT BLINDSIDE.. wow... anyways, we nailed it after 2 resets, and 4 smokes later, lol... Then off to Del Monte.. Nothing special there, just a normal back, n wait...

Around 10pm Im woke up to major CB chatter out on the I10 E, few mile backup, as a motorcycle creamed into something, and by the time we got rolling and passed by the bike... Well lets just say I say yellow garbage bags, no ambulance, mediflight, anything.... just DPS gathering... as a rider myself, it hit home...
Well, about this time mentor let me know we have a turn n burn back to Cali, Indio to be exact, and dockout time is 1am... uhhg.. seriously lacking on sleep at this point and would love a shower, etc.. Bahh, screw it.. went back in sleeper and tried to sleep.. guess I did, as next thing I knew I was in Indio, Ca, mentor saying, yer up bud.. and parked me all jacked up in a culdisac near the store..
I did both deliveries, was told (nicely I might add) by mentor that he wouldnt have approced the doc's and bascked in like I had, but I did well and he was impressed.. Well I turned and burned back home, Phx, AZ.. 3.5hrs later I was home.. yea..

I just calculaed all my 240hrs a while ago, and I'm at 8hrs left, not counting the extra 10hrs mentor wants me to run.. So I'm thinking we have one more run under us then Im DONE !!.. Then it's off to the terminal to get things in order so I can get the ball rolling on getting my truck..
I must say running on this Target fleet, and running constantly wasnt easy, interesting enough I ended up liking the runs, as they were simple, but the sleeping part was a MAJOR factor, I need sleep, not naps..
Thought I wouldnt get enough backing practice on a dedicated run, and would hit same docs all the time.. Not the case, I ran into some simple, hard and pure outright nasty docs.. It all was a learning process, and I must say a fun experience.. Visited a lot of places Ive never been, smashed a ton of lil critters out on the highways, and saw more than my fair share of accidents to last me a lifetime.. All in all... 100% Awesome !
As of right now, Im waiting on mentor to call me for our next/last run as I sit here watching ESPN, having a normal meal and coffee that doesnt taste like diesel fuel... and im betting Target manager will send us on a long run, more like Denver to end my time.. and sorry for the book... I think I drank waay too muuch cooffee..

Till next time,

-=Peace

 

Soon enough you'll be out there cranking in the miles and having a blast !!
Keep an eye out, you never know where I may end up and whatnot

Be safe !!

-=Peace

 

...it's offical ! I'm past my 240.. !!

I'm actually at 243.75hrs, yet still they want me to run once more, understandable 100%.. As I posted earlier, it's to assure that your (meaning mine) log hours are over incase my rookie arse cant count.. lol Anyways...

Last nights run was an odd one, mentor was acting strange. Hardly talked to me for the first 2-3hrs, didnt stop at our usual pre-trip store to stock up on drinks, etc.. He jumped in the drivers seat ran to the DC I did all the hookups, and he did ALL QC entries, and not a word.. Strange.. Not that it really matters, just odd...

We hit Sunny Delight out in Cali this morning, walked up to the driver check in and the ladies first words "NO newbie drivers are allowed to drive here" and mentor had to sign something, and we walked back to the truck.. Pffft, right.. little does she know, I drove OFF the lot, uhh huh, SNAP... lol.. First time I had been treated like that in person, rather than the CB, heh.. which makes me laugh as I was passing a Swift driver (company) out on the 10 this afternoon and some dude was making a comentary about Swifts drag racing, I couldnt help but laugh and add in the commentary, few drivers had a good laugh at that.. was fun..

Well mentor is out on a solo run tonight, as I ran out my hours today, and he mentioned it would be worthless for me to tag along, as I cant drive, and it's only a 1hr drive to new Target store.. Twist my arm, right.. heck yea I'll take a night off..
Maybe he'll stop off and grab some midol on the way... uhhg...

Thanks for listening !!

-= Peace

-Edit-

Just got my LAST preplan for Target fleet today. Heading up to Colorado one last time ! I knew they would send us way up there on my last run.. Atleast when I return I'll know im WAY over on hours, as I usually run 20 or so hours up there n back, so no question about it, I'll be waay over on hours..
I'm just hoping I'll get assigned a truck this week, but more than likely it will be next week sometime, so I'll just sit back and enjoy a few days off and relax before heading back out !
Time to check the weather report n get ready, as I was just given an hour to get over to the terminal and leave. Oh, and the storm that rolled thru Phoenix, AZ lastnight took out 8 trucks. None were ours(swifts), well the ones they showed on the news. No 4-wheelers were involved, all semi's in a chain reaction out near Casa Grande on I-10.. Be safe out there, and see ya in a few days !!

-=Peace