Parked Here for the Night

Looks like I'll miss you by a few hours, although might have to stop there for fuel some time in the wee hours. I'm in Rockingham and have to be west of ATL at 1000 tomorrow, and will probably get a pay space at the Petro just to be close when I shut down and not deal with rush hour traffic. Haven't started loading yet, so still waffling on making the rezzy since I may not get to use the paid space anyway at the rate I'm going. If I get in there after about 0400, odds are some early riser solar powered driver will open a not-quite-free space, and save me a few bucks. Well, at least spend $20 on something else besides a parking place, since they do have that preferred parking thing there. Sleeping at a truck stop close to home because of traffic just sucks LOL.

 

Like 'olhand says, I slept like a baby last night... was the only one here...

And... as I was suspecting... no load today either... This place where I am is kinda "in the middle of nowhere" for loads... and with my hometime coming... I thought it would be very difficult for DSP to find me anything...
So, I just relaxed in the truck today...
And DSP sent me msg at the end of her shift to tell me to go "home" as she couldn't find anything, after calling all the brokers' agents that she knows...
Well... since I don't want to catch Atlanta rush hr traffic jam and can't check in hotel at night, I decided to leave here around 2 am or so...
And... for the first time will have to take a hotel room on the second floor.... no elevator... with all the things that I will have to carry with me... it's going to be a freaking PAIN on my BACK... with all the problems that I have with my back... it's not going to be fun... AT ALL... I'll be VERY careful... don't want to come back on the road with more back problems than I already have... Ooohh.... how I dislike "hometime".... And will need to rush cause will have A LOT to do...

HEY! Talking about accidents.... there was an accident not far from here today which caused HUGE congestion on highway...

and despite of this road here being closed at this exit where I am, lots of vehicles started going around the barrels to escape from the traffic jam during afternoon rush hr... Police cars had to come here and block it again...
I walked to highway and all I could see was congestion...

 

Actually got me some of that last night too. Rare thing with a reefer. After delivering 20 tons of Krispy Kreme goodness, I had nowhere to go and no hours to do so, so I camped in an adjacent lot. I think I woke up twice because it was too quiet.



Then this afternoon, a dash down to Rockingham. About 50+ miles of backroads. I think I went thru Mayberry. Who needs a road with shoulders anyway?

 

Yeah Mr. Red, I unloaded in Forest Park Tuesday morning then relaxed at that Petro for the evening, wasn't but 4 1/2 hours from the house but had a short load to get so figured that was as good a place as any. I took another load back down to Savannah and unloaded today then went up to Warrenton for one our customers. Ran skinny roads up, not too bad, but like your pics, no shoulders! Makes for fun driving with an empty wagon and 20 MPH winds! Anyway hope they get you rolling soon. Have a good one sir!

 

Hey... but wasn't that lot a much better place to sleep than a loud, congested and unsafe truck stop?
Some of those back roads are very nice... and if there's not much traffic there, no need for shoulders... Well.... as long as you don't need to make an emergency stop...

 

Peelot in Lodi, Oh. I had wanted to finish my trip to Ashtabula today but couple of construction zones and Cincinatti rush hour had other ideas so I'm 80 miles short. It's a d&h that dosent have to be there till tomorrw so no biggie. The reloading and heading to Edison. Will put the truck in the shop over the weekend for some minor repairs (I hope) and spend the weekend with my folks. They see me more since I started trucking then they have most of my adult life. They are probably sick of me but they haven't said anything yet.

 

That reminds me of one not fun at all run that I did empty from Williamstown, VT to Queensbury, NY in the late afternoon, under snow on ice and snow packed back roads... A trip that would normally take about 2 hrs took almost 4.... Some of those skinny roads had no shoulder... and sooooo many times I felt trailer "pulling" to the edge of the road as if it was going to roll over or jackknife... It was a very scary trip... I was so nervous... prayed during the whole trip and drove for many many miles at 30 mph with flashers on and a line of vehicles behind me... Folks might have been calling me whatever they wanted... I didn't give a crap... Just wanted to arrive sound and safe... Yes... I am a "chicken" when it comes to snow and ice...

This is where I was when I left Williamstown, VT...



Arrived at shipper in the little town of Queensbury, NY at night and the office was closed and nobody knew nothing about my load... I told them I was going to find a little corner to park in their trailers' yard no matter what... I wasn't going anywhere AT ALL till morning... after "surviving" that trip, all I wanted was to relax some...

 

Mr. FatDaddy, I don't think your kids are "sick" of you... I bet they enjoy your presence a lot... How many other kids would like to have their dads with them more often but can't...? You guys are very fortunate... Enjoy those PRECIOUS moments as much as you can.... once they are grown, everything changes and you and your kids will treasure those moments FOREVER...

 

Had the kids last weekend. This weekend is with the parents. So I'm the kid.

But it thankfully my kids can't get enough of me. Lol

 

Yeah. Some of the best trucking is on those back roads but I get paranoid I'm going to break down with no shoulder available. Especially at night