Why has it taken me so long to secure and tarp? Help!

Flatbeders do it with chains and straps.

 

Door slamers do it with the doors closed,
Tanker yankers like it wet and sloshy
Trash haulers like it dirty
Hot shots do it quick
Hazmat haulers always wear protection
Flatbeders do it in the open with chains and straps
O/S O/W...... well ya know

 

Okay, late to the party as usual but I'll chime in on a couple things.

Securing and tarping, it'll come in time, don't rush and before long you'll be the guy finished up that the others have to move to let out.

Bathrooms, well since I'm no longer a driver and won't be spending my weekends at the Ringgold, GA rest area here we go.
I had unhooked and ran into town for groceries etc for my weekend of camping. While in town I ate at some little local restaurant that seemed good, the parking lot was full. That was about 5:00pm, then right around 11:00pm I bolt upright in bed with those strange noises coming from my digestive tract and that dreaded clinched cheek feeling. I grabbed clothes as I was hitting the door and did the clinched waddle jog all the way to the building a 1/2 mile away. Then as everyone has experienced, began to relax as I was on final approach to the doors. I arrive at the door with a feeling of relief only to find it locked!

I circled the entire building waddling and trying EVERY door but nope, they close this rest area at night. Now I'm looking at my truck a 1/2 mile away and thinking in my head I "might" make it but............. So 1/2 way back to the truck doing the "re-clinched" waddle (which is FAR worse than an initial clinched waddle) I realize this ain't happening, too far away. As I approach the next garbage receptacle I'm realizing the metal top on it looks a lot like a toilet seat so right there 1/2 way between the building and truck I dropped trou, hopped on and blew up that garbage receptacle. Not one of my more shining moments in life but WHO THE **** closes a rest area at night!!!!

So knowing I spend every other weekend camped at that particular rest area AND they close it at night I went to an RV dealer the very next morning and purchased one of those handy little portable chemical toilets that fit perfectly under the bunk. Never once had the need "arise" to use it but just in case it was there. In the past 10 years I can count on 2 hands the number of times I have "ate out" on the road and in this moment of brilliance I decided to let someone else cook for me that night and I paid the price with my dignity setting there on a garbage receptacle with my britches around my knees and I'm sure EVERY driver there wide awake watching me!

 

Now that's just funny. And that welcome center has always closed at night.

 

Thanks for sharing, that was halirous to read, and I'm sure at the time you thought to yourself "wtf am I doing!" But at the same time nature has called and needs a release. My first experience wasn't like this, but it sure made me rethink life lol. My biggest fear was having a cop pull up to my truck on the off ramp and approach me.

Since that fateful night I had gotten me a big ol bucket and some febreeze scented trash bags and since summer isn't here I couldn't find a pool noodle, but I did find copper pipe isolators that fit perfectly around the rim of the bucket and surprisingly it's rather comfortable.

 

As a reefer driver who used to haul flats that made me tired just reading it.

 

I love trucker path. Saved me so much time and frustration.

 

I've seen it where a scale closes for a few minutes to clear the long line of trucks (otherwise it'd back up on the express way). Once the traffic clears they'll open up again. So I can see why sometimes you'll see once closed status in the middle of hours of being open.

 

TMC loaded in front of me today and I left before him. I think it's a first for me.

 

Well Flyer, at least you didnt have to squat along side the frame rail then afterwards burn your arse on the exhaust elbow then drive another 7 hrs into LA & back home & explain how it happened.....