Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

The next step with the Wisconsin trucks...
--Have DOT inspection on at least one of them
--Pink's Automotive behind Krachey's Truck Stop in Prairie's
--My first choice; logistics how to get it there a problem
--Owner says he could just drive it over but
--Has a Cat mechanic (works at Cat) who might come over
--Do the inspection and check out the truck same time
--Mechanic at Pink's sort of grew up on these engines
--Shop does not have a dyno, could do cylinder test
--Not sure if WI has trip permits if unplated rig
--Inspection and check out of truck's on my nickel
--Guy says, "So if I do that, you'll buy my truck, right?"
Well, I'm not buying it without, that's for sure.

 

Mack a little late this morning, not much...
--First impression a slightly slimmed Santa puffing a cigarette
--Second impression 1/2 Yosemite Sam, 1/2 smokin' Santa
--Gary the Mechanic likes him, means he's an okay guy right there
--Under orders from Yard Boss not talk politics with Mack. Wha????
--We pulled out 7:30 am, Hell, could have left at 11 am for all that
--Should have seen his eyes widen when told him got 4 years on him!!
--Funnee!! Got headset: No, don't use anything like that, no cell phone
--I'm thinking, well, hope Mack at least uses cruise control
--Took our 30 at Maquoketa (Muh-Coke-ita) Kwik Star at 1 pm EST
--Arrived Prairie 3:30 EST (2:30 Central), can't PU 'til tomorrow
--Mack'll probably stay here at Krachey's, dunno why
--Krachey's said okay to drop trailer, so who knows what I'll do
--Definitely park the tractor over at Wal-Mart tonight, though
--At Huckleberry's, not hungry enough to really eat, maybe later
--Mack's timepiece's a clamshell, gear-driven pocket watch
--'Most common type watch from development in 16th century to World War I'
--Hope is Mack likes the Prairie run, then does Mondays; I'll do Thursdays


//Hi joker41568! Hi Bankrobba99! Hi mike-v! Thx for visiting!

 

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!! Goldenfan!
--While we chatted at Huckleberry's, Pete's Hamburgers was O-O-O-Pen!!
--My opportunity to have a Pete's Hamburger, gone!! Missed!!
--Drove over to the Tourism Center after Huckleberry's
--In search of someone walking a pooch for a furry critter fix...
--Then thought I'd walk up to Pete's; they were closing
--Usually open only Friday, Saturday and Sunday, undeclared hours
--Founded in 1909, Jill has worked there 30 years, since their 75-year celeb
--Building's 8x30 (stepped it off), and that's the expansion, original smaller
--Mack's back over at Krachey's, in his truck next to my trailer
--Can't PU until tomorrow morning, Mack wants me to roust him, no alarm ?
--Krachey's was nice enough to let me drop trailer, no questions asked
--My neighbor next door at Wal-Mart's from Bulgaria, thick, thick accent
--Could hardly understand him, asked where from: "Chicago," he says.
--Just shook my head, 'no'. "Oh," he says, "You mean, originally..."
--Red volvo and reefer. No one blocking the parking lot tonight... just yet
--Truck's shutdown for the night, Bohemia Clasica on special
--Burrito's a little cold and could use some more salsa
Darn good all the same

 

A little before 6:30 am Central
--Left Wal-Mart to hook trailer, roust Mack, he's already up.
--That figures. Mack has a 3 am Eastern start tomorrow in Indy
--I know Yard Boss thinks he can get Mack's schedule changed some
--Get him more Tuesdays off, more Thursdays, less Wednesdays
--Mack runs USPS from Indy out to Ohio, pretty darn good $$
--Has a great run, 12 hours @ $24 something, $4 held back
--For medical insurance and 401K, in hand $240 a run
--"This ain't gonna work," Mack says about the Prairie run
--"Unless I could get your guys' insurance, cancel ours."
--Doubtful possible, but would save Mack $400/month
--Go into his 401K. Guard shack wasn't open yet, phoned in
--Getting loaded now at 'Door C'; Mack's still at gate
--(Well, they've got a new yard goat, fancy that!)
--Wondered where Mack was, new guard sent him to wrong door.
--Mack crybabies about it, typical 5-year-old trucker
--Says hates factories, funnee!! Better that than 12-hour
--Run starts 3 am and fart and you're late, get USPS '5500'
--"You're just trying to build this up," he retorts.
Sure. Sure. But think about it... Starts to rain.

 

Not your fault, Goldenfan...
--Still have Pete's to look forward to, had nice
--Talk with Jill; imagine 30 years at a burger joint
--We (Goldenfan and I) had a good visit again, after all
--Mack just pulled out (from Maquoketa Kwik Star), all smiles
--Dunno why, visibility dropped sometimes to 500 feet or so
--Mack parked skillfully to get BOL signed, like the pro
--He is, the lot's always on the move, mucho truck activity
--Saw him back 3x this morning, each tricky and he nailed each
--Mack's cell, cheapest AT&T ever seen with NO ALARM!!
--Borrowed mine to call Yard Boss as his battery about dead
--Illinois sent a truck with flubbed Postville load from last week
--I already got missed 4 skids that lost us $1500 last week
--Prairie scheduler this morning could not have been nicer
--Email I wrote, affected her, Yard Boss sure it would fire us both
--Our Illinois truck's gonna grab a Thursday load today instead
That's trucking, always chaotic, sometimes more, sometimes less.

 

Got my outbound load for Thursday... I think.
--Diana at TQL had $600, Terre Haute~Davenport, IA
--Not enough $$, PU's 24/hrs but DEL tight 7-1 so passed;
--This load's $800 Indy~Bettendorf; the broker, she's tough.
--Aluminum ingots, 44K, says has loads every day, rate's okay
--300 miles, $2.67/mile, maybe 30 miles off-route to Indy
--They don't have our set up package yet so that's first step
--Last one took a while, not our CFO's first priority I'm afraid
--It's FCFS (First-Come-First-Served) from 7 am, PU Thursday
--DEL's 24/hrs and need DEL same day as PU and empty to Prairie
--Probably can't catch up to Mack now, but finally ready to roll
--While further load details get nailed down and her 'rate sheet'
--Leaving out from Maquoketa Kwik Star finally, rain gone and
Sun's out and bright, switch to sunglasses for sure.


Hi Bumper! Pretty sure I've said 'hi' before. Mostly try to say hi first time see new member name... but thx for visiting!

 

Not trivial pulling own load off board...
--Tied up 3 hours at Maquoketa TS, details, emails, etc
--Then multiple quick stops to check email, progress or lack
--At Farmington Rd exit where I pulled off, truck pulls
--Behind me on side of ramp with tire smoking
--And an Illinois Trooper right behind him, oh, joy!!
--Email checked and calls made, ready to leave, hopefully.
--Called Gary the Mechanic about tandem slide lever that
--Doesn't catch, has been big PIA, often need helper
--Mentions vise grips, why didn't I think of that? Offers
--To leave in truck but I have many at home and
--He'll try fix tomorrow before Thursday load anyway.
--$800 for load is what broker posted for load
--Most don't post $$, Darlene will not budge
--On anything. "Do you want the load?" Okay, fine. Yes.
--Shipper's open 24 hrs, but ships by appt they say
--ANOTHER call to broker, yes, appt's 7 am 'or earlier'
--Makes the drive back to Indiana somewhat a slog
--And still DEL today, now at Farmland Rest Area
--Received broker's emailed rate sheet on load--yes, $800
--Yes, broker received set up package from CFO
Really, really glad he's willing to take the time.

 

The irony is that it didn't take long to select Bettendorf load...
--Less than a half hour for sure, talked to 3 brokers about 3 loads
--The first the TQL $600, too cheap to Davenport, IA
--The second had already been covered, good light load, no rate info
--Indy~Bettendorf had $800 rate posted with load, broker's serious
--Darlene's no-nonsense, though, ya want load or not?? Like take it or...
--First email to her with where to send rate sheet, our typical terms
--$50/wait after 2 on both ends, $250 minimum TONU. She calls back
--Sorry, no can do. Does not try 'sell' load. Does say has this every day...
--Says loads 45 minutes to one hour, DEL's 24 hours will take same day
--Decide to try load on her terms if won't screw up Prairie PU...
--Lack of set up package already with them caused a lot of calls/email.
--Have not lost load yet trying to get set up package approved,
Just greatly increases the yada yada all around.

 

Brought homeless Thomas (TH) over here to Bloomington, IN...
--Volunteers in Medicine, getting meds and checked out
--Stopped by to PU his new, certified birth certificate from Becky
--The CPA this morning. We're still way, way surprised at all this
--The property owner (who has a drivers license) drove TH's RV over
--Property's right across south Spencer bridge over White River
--Of course, the RV's neither registered nor plated...
--Supposedly a written agreement is coming that gives TH 6 months free
--Next stop from here is 10 am appt to start food stamp assistance
--Who knows? Maybe a drivers license for Thomas?
--It could happen, really could. Thomas worked six years at local
--Sawmill, cashed his little checks at Babb's Grocery in town
--Lived on the sawmill property until laid off, new owners
--Didn't want a homeless house guest at their sawmill
--After FSSA (food stamps), take him over to Shalom Center
--Hopefully they can start on getting him square with an ID
Poco a poco (little by little)...