From School to Superior Carriers

Congrats! That sounds like a pretty good local gig

 

Sunday 4/20-Friday 4/25

Had a run from NC to Sturtivant Wi that delivered Tues AM. Left Sunday afternoon and drove to Charleston Wva and shut it down at the pilot for 10 hours. Had my first encounter with a lot lizard that morning. About 5:00 AM she woke me up banging on the passenger door. I just ignored it but peaked out of the curtain without pulling it back and could see her shadow slinking across the lot. I doubt if I will stay at that pilot again. Its a pain in the butt since I couldn't get back to sleep after that and still had a couple of hours before I could leave.

The rest of this trip was uneventful. The guy unloading me was real nice. It was a big plant and they handle everything. Tank Wash was back to the Markham terminal often referred to as the black hole by drivers because of how often you sit there. I was lucky and got one for the next day that loaded literally 5 miles from the terminal. Only problem was it loaded at 1300 and was going to New Haven Ct. That left me sitting from 1500 to 1300 the next day. I called dispatch and was told no problem just go over about 9:30 AM and they would probably be able to take me early.

The next morning I get over there and they have a truck ahead of me that is late and they told me to come back after noon. Screwed me a little since I had started my 14 hour clock 4 hours earlier than I needed to and would not be able to make it as far as I wanted. It all worked out in the end because on my way I got a Qualcom to drop this load at our Karns City terminal and they had a load for me back to High Point. I had asked to be home on Monday because My wife had some Springsteen tickets. They didn't have anything out of Ct that could do that so they changed me up. That seems to happen a lot. Several times I have been sent dispatch qualcoms that have been changed. Its to the point that I don't even call my wife and tell here where I am going the first time I get a message.

I drove 11 hours and shut it down at a Pilot about 90 miles from the Karns City Exit off I-80. The next day I set out for the terminal. All went well until I came off the exit. It was a narrow 2 lane road that wound around and follows the Alleghaney River. About a mile off the interstate It dropped down to the river at a 9% grade with switchbacks and a 15 MPH speed limit. Fortunately I wasn't going very fast and the hill wasn't but about a mile or so long. I will never do that hill again loaded. I found an alternate route that avoids that hill by talking to some drivers.

The Karns City Terminal is in a real small town in what would be a really pretty mountainous area if there weren't so many chemical plants around. I love the outdoors and took a walk around a park next to the terminal and into town for lunch. I got there around Noon and didn't load until 9:30 Thursday morning one mile away. It didn't deliver until Monday 4/28 but the consignee is inly 90 miles from my home terminal. There was a sign in the drivers room warning about bear sightings on the terminal property
Thats how rural this place is.

The next day went without a hitch and i made it all the way back to my home terminal with 15 minutes to spare on my 11 hours and had the weekend off.