Running With Watkins & Shepard

OK, since it appears I have some time.....The delivery.....LOL

So I get to this SP Newsprint in Newberg. Stop at the gate and inform the girl there this is my first time here. She says, OK, I'll give you the five minute speech. She hands me a FIVE page set of instructions that looks like it was scribbled by a pre-schooler.... I chuckled and said you're kidding...right? LOL

This place is a BIG plant that obviously processes all the things we recycle in life. Including paper obviously which they turn back into pulp. The place is a maze, a mess and I guess short staffed. Here's why....

the guard tells me what I have to do and where I have to go. I have to drive up on the scale, then go inside the scale shack, type into their computer the product, authorization number, trailer number, carrier and client names and the release number so it can print out 3 copies of an "inbound ticket". Then I get on the CB in the shack and call them to get the dock number. OK, that's all done and the tell me dock # 7. OK??....where be that? ...I get no answer. So on the first sheet of this FIVE page coloring book is a map. Well, they call it a map...LOL It kind of, sort of, "almost" tells me very loosely where I have to go. So I get back in the truck and start driving around this place. Winding here and weaving there, through mud, over RR tracks, between buildings being careful to keep an eye on the equipment running around in high gear...LOL

I come to a T with a sign that says doors 1 through 1??? Yep, 1 through 1 to the left. But it also says "loose bulk deliveries". Well, I have bound bails. I figured it meant like a container truck or something. I see a yard jock so I set the brakes to go ask him. With quite the degrading attitude he points at the sign and says..."What does the sign say?" I said it it says doors 1 through 1, loose bulk deliveries. He says it says doors 1 through 10 AND loose bulk deliveries. But it's missing a chunk that had the zero and they never put the word AND on it....

I'm like well that's really helpful for a guy who's never been here...LOL Anyway, get to the dock, give the forklift operator the paper work and she unloads me fast. Now I have to sweep out the trailer (that waste paper makes a MESS and leaves a LOT behind...LOL). Drive back out through the maze which I was told was "one way" but in fact isn't. Well, not all of it and it's up to you to figure that out. Back to the outbound scale, weigh and go inside and scan the bar code on the inbound ticket to get 4 copies of the Outbound ticket. Take one inbound ticket, 3 outbound tickets and one copy of the BOL, staple them together and put them in the inbound box....WHEW!!

I'm sure glad I have nothing much to do as a driver and can now add the RECEIVER'S clerical work to my list of duties!! ....

The truck was unloaded in 15 minutes. I was there almost two hours!

By the way brothers and sisters of WS (or anyone else), if you ever go there, bring hip waders....LOL

 

If you take them up on the offer to use the air to blow the trailer out, YES.

I chose to just sweep it out. Didn't want to get my clean clothes covered in dust....LOL

So you're looking to get home buddy?

 

Hey Babydoll!! I was beginning to wonder where you went...LOL

Yea I've learned a lot about winter driving on the last few runs. Oh you mean like facial creams and nail polish removers I'm sure...right? ....LOL

 

So I got up early this morning for my usual Cup O Joe and decided to walk around this Jubitz travel center. It's big and took about an hour to just walk around and briefly take a look at all it has. I'll tell ya, this is a NICE place. The people are very nice, the place is spotless clean and it has some very interesting features like a couple restaurants, a motel, a small truck museum, a nice drivers lounge with TV's, showers, Internet, those coin operated heated vibrating leather recliners (I'll have to check one of those out with my back...LOL), a couple delis, doctors, hair salons and of course, gift and souvenir shops. As truck stops go, this one is world class!

Had I known I'd walk around it, I'd have brought my camera. I think I'll go back with it and grab a few shots.

So if you're headed to or through the Portland area and have the time, it's worth the stop in my Log Book....LOL

 

So I'm in Troutdale OR with Highway Preacher at the Loves. Waiting to grab our loads in the morning in Longview WA. We have exactly the same the run to Pomona CA so we're gonna roll together on this one. COOL!

We met some time ago in Helena and got along right off the bat. It'll be great to have some time to hang and get to know one another better. He's been showing me his set up in the truck and has given me some really good, helpful ideas.

Now it's a matter of Time and money....Time and money....LOL

 

Yep, I pretty much figured that"s what it was. I can't wait to get to that "more normal life" as well.

Alas, I didn't get pictures as I rolled out quicker than I thought I would. I had to swap trailers for this next run and Highway Preacher and I wanted to meet up at this loves to roll out together.

I KNEW it was the nail polish remover! That's STRONG stuff!!

Love Ya Darlin and give Dave my best! Tell him he's not off the hook for making saw dust this spring and summer....LOL

XOXOXO