Year 2, Day 34 (Farewell, Lou)

This morning Lou and I left Joplin, MO at about 0845 and made our way to the customer in Bentonville, AR (yes, Walmart). On the way there we had received a pre-plan for our next load, but that was soon afterward taken off. Once we were unloaded, I took us to a little fuel stop right off of I-540... which just so happens to be a block away from a Starbucks, to which I paid a visit. We had waited a couple hours when we were dispatched on a load coming out of Russellville, AR. The load is scheduled to ship on Sunday, but since we have some dropped trailers at that Tyson, it will be a drop & hook.

I've already called in to check on the load, which they are presently working on. I am dearly hoping they have it loaded within the next 2 hours, this way I can get it and head to our North Little Rock terminal. When I get there, Lou will be logging off and getting his final evaluation on Monday afternoon. I will stay there, get a re-start on my logbook, and head out Sunday, to deliver Monday at 1715 (ET) in London, KY. I only have a few more days to go then I will be heading home for some time off.

As the Sabbath approaches, I pray you all will have a joyous weekend.

Year 2, Day 33 (Shutting Down In Joplin)

After a couple changes yesterday, Lou and I had our next dispatch sorted out, which loaded this morning in Wabash, IN (about 30 miles from Gas City, where we unloaded), and delivers tomorrow at 1100 in Bentonville, AR. This load does buy us some time, since our original dispatch had the same pick-up & delivery locations, but the delivery time was for 0600 tomorrow (which, at 638 miles, would have been a hard push). I am grateful and blessed that we were able to find a parking spot at the Flying J in Joplin when we did... as I compose this, the lot is filling up rather quickly. I did, however, get us both started on the right track... with some fresh coffee.

It's a little cool outside right now, though last night in Wabash was the coolest I've felt the weather in the past couple of weeks. With the way the weather has been fluctuating this Winter, it tends to make me wonder if we can expect snow this August.

On another topic, picture, if you will, the days of when in school, and part of our required reading was to take on the classic literature that we, at the time detested, but now we embrace - even discuss with friends. For example, a friend (whom also works for the same employer as I) were discussing a few of the classics. One that he had never read was 1984 by George Orwell. I had explained that within the story, was a society with a language known as "Newspeak". A language which has removed any negative syntax or connotation (for example, instead of exclaiming that somebody just had a "terrible idea", the proper term would thus be, "an idea that is double-plus un-good"). If you think about it, our own society has embraced this "newspeak", also commonly referred to as "politically correct" - a fine example is that we no longer call them "illegal aliens", they should be referred as "undocumented immigrants". Perhaps if we all went back and read some of the classics, we may have our eyes opened to the atrocities that have been foisted upon our culture beneath our very noses. But if you want some of those classics in your personal library, you need to act fast... when schools start banning Shakespeare, it's only a matter of time when we may not find them in print any longer. With the recent resurgence of book burning ceremonies (reminiscent of the practices in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury), our society is devolving - with a not-so-subtle nudge by our "elected cockroaches - into one of a dystopian culture.

Just some food for thought.

Year 2, Day 32 (Heading To Georgia... Maybe)

We shut down in Daleville, IN, which is just north on I-69 from Indianapolis. The delivery appointment is for 1745 (ET) at a Walmart Distribution Center. However, the load we were pre-planned on picks up at 1945, and about 53 miles away. The problem therein is that Walmart has a 2 hour window (from the appointment time) in which to unload... providing you're not late. Regardless of if you have 24 pallets of product or 2 pallets, they use the entire 2 hours to unload. Therefore (and the next load's pick-up - hopefully - is being worked out) we will not be able to make 1945 on time.

This next load is going to Union City, GA to be delivered on Friday at 1115 (also ET). If this load still goes as planned (and I hope they work out the pick-up), that will get us coming out on Friday, probably heading back towards Arkansas. Which will work out nicely, as I will be releasing Lou for him to take his final evaluation, then he can get his own truck. I will also be heading home a week from today and take a few days off, which (I think) are well deserved, since I've been out for about 5 weeks this time (for more details, or to refresh your memory, you can refer to Year 2, Day 13 for some info).

Now that I have put this post to bed, I will now sit back, enjoy my coffee, and read some more from the book, Our Father Abraham by Marvin R. Wilson - at least before we head up to Gas City, IN to deliver.

Year 2, Day 31 (This Day - And Trip - Are Almost Over)

We arrived in Springfield, MO yesterday evening relatively early, even after making a stop at the grocery store for a few things. We arrived at the customer where we were to load, and were fortunate to find they had overnight parking. Lou got us parked and we checked in, even though our window to load wasn't until 0700-1200 today. They did call us in early to load... too early - about 0300 this morning. They had us finished at around 0730, to which we just started rolling. It's not due to deliver until 1745 (ET) tomorrow, so there is still plenty of time.

To my recollection, Winter is supposed to be still lingering around, but the weather certainly has NOT felt like it the past few weeks. It was chilly - even cold - when we were up north (Michigan and Canada) a couple weeks ago... but now... 65° - in the end of January - in Indiana? Really?!?! For me (since I do rather enjoy the colder temperatures) this has been a very disappointing Winter. What I think really stinks is the fact that the American economy is so bad, we can't even afford a real Winter!

As it's looking, we will get close to the customer tonight (it's only a total of 522 loaded miles), and just kick back for most of the day tomorrow, and hopefully before then we will know what we'll be doing next. Lou will be on my truck for just a few more days, as I've scheduled for him to be released for his final evaluation next Monday.

Now I will put this post to bed, enjoy my Starbucks, and dream in anticipation of when Tikvah & I will be moving back to California (can you tell I'm excited about it?).

Year 2, Day 30 (Another Day, Another Load)

Lou and I made it to the customer last night, in Kansas City, MO before we shut down. We were unloaded before our appointment time, so I drove us down the road a little to the Flying J truck stop, where we waited.

...and waited...

... and waited some more.

As I had figured, the freight was a little slow... then again, this is all part of the job. We were dispatched this afternoon to pick up tomorrow in Springfield, MO, a load going to Gas City, IN for Wednesday afternoon. The weather has been pretty mild up here in the K.C. area, probably upper 60's to lower 70's. Seeing as it's close to rush hour (and where we are - on the outskirts of the city), I'm hoping we will be able to avoid some of the traffic... but we will know for sure once we get south of here.

This load we will be picking up in a facility that has been built into a hill, a.k.a. a cave. Therefore, Lou will get some experience with loading in a cave. He should do well, especially since he knows this will be his final week with me. Next Monday he is scheduled to be released from me. He then takes his final evaluation test, and, surmising he passes (which I'm sure he will), gets his own truck

Now it's coffee time!

Year 2, Day 29 (On Route To Kansas City)

Lou and I left out from the North Little Rock, AR terminal this morning and made our way to Pine Bluff to load. We have one of the recently acquired lease trailers that our employer have (since we are a little low in our trailer availability, and are still waiting for some on order), and, as it turns out, these are heavier than our regular trailers... by about 2,000 lbs. Once we were loaded at the customer, we went to scale it out only to find we were over the gross weight limits by 1180 lbs. (our limit is 80,000). We went back to the customer to have a roll of paper taken off, and waited 45 minutes. It turns out, the customer had to wait on a phone call to be returned giving them the ok to cut one roll from the order.

After all was (finally) said and done, we had some valuable time lost, and the chance that delivery could be late, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. The god news is I had some coffee this morning, and I'm getting ready to finish off the left-overs from my dinner at Carino's the other night.

Mmmm, Mmmm, GOOD!!

Year 2, Day 28 (Getting Loaded Tomorrow)

Last night my employer got a motel room for Lou and I, since my truck was in the shop and would be sent to Freightliner for some warranty work. When we returned to the terminal this morning, I checked in at the shop on the status of the truck. The shop foreman said that Freightliner was predicting the truck wouldn't be ready until 2000 tomorrow, which would not be helpful for the load we have to pick up in Pine Bluff, AR going to Kansas City, MO.

Fortunately, I went down there earlier to pull my laundry out and discovered that the truck was ready to go. This has definitely been a blessing from HaShem!

I may head over to Starbucks a little later for my signature coffee drink (I am kinda jonesin' for it). Then again, I may have to cut back on it a little, since my wife, Tikvah, and I are planning to move out to California in 2 years. I'm hoping during that time that my company gets a solid travel lane out there, so I don't have to leave. This company I drive for is a GREAT employer... I'm treated well, and I get some pretty good runs. In the meantime, I'll just have to wait and see what the next two years will bring.

Year 2, Day 27 (Looks Like Another Re-Start)

Lou and I left from West Memphis, AR today at just past noon. When we loaded yesterday, I informed the broker that we would not be able to make the appointment (0800 in Searcy, AR) on time, but that I would call again later when I could give an accurate ETA. When I called again at 0200, I told the brokerage that we could get there by 1430 this afternoon. I called again this morning before we left to make sure everything was still good. The word from the representative was to head on in, and the customer would take us but we would be a work-in.

When we arrived, not only did the customer not take us, but the crew that did the unloading was gone for the day. Obviously we were misinformed by the broker (sometimes that's almost expected). We are at the terminal in North Little Rock, AR where we dropped the loaded trailer, and I've got the truck going through the shop. After getting some things taken care of, Lou and I went to grab a bite to eat... which turned out to be Carino's. I had never been there before, but it was rather delicious. Most of all, it was quite filling.

Our next load will pick up on Sunday in Pine Bluff, AR and bound for Kansas City, KS on Monday.

It is the Sabbath... I hope you are all blessed on this day!

Year 2, Day 26 (Two Years And Counting)

This morning Lou and I unloaded in Atlanta, GA (with a 65° temperature), but couldn't leave right away, as we had to finish our 10 hour break. Once 1230 rolled around, and we had our break finished, as well as the pre trip inspection, we made our way up to Gainesville, GA to pick up our next load. When we were pre-planned on it yesterday, it was already predicted that we would be late for the loading appointment (which was for 1300 ET). The broker had it re-scheduled for 1500, but we arrived at 1415. It took a while for us to get in, but once they put us in a door, they were pretty quick in getting us loaded. Due to the aforementioned delay, more than likely we won't make it for the 0800 appointment tomorrow in Searcy, AR... but it will get there.

On another note, my wife, Tikvah, and I have been doing some talking and have decided that when our youngest son, Nathan, graduates high school, we will be selling the house and moving back to California, to which this news I'm rather excited about. I think I've had enough of living in Arkansas, besides, two of our sons already live there, and the two younger ones want to move out there as well (Nathan because he wants to go to college out there... probably UCLA). I'm originally from Florida, but ever since I was stationed out there in the Marine Corps, I absolutely adored it. Therefore, in about 2 more years, we will be California bound... no more dreamin'.

Year 2, Day 25 (This Will Be Short)

I hope you will forgive my lack of content, but I didn't leave from Dayton, NJ until 0030 (ET), and I am just now lying down to get some much needed sleep.

More tomorrow... with coffee.

Year 2, Day 24 (This Day Is Starting Off Slow... And Not Good)

Lou and I unloaded this morning in Elizabeth, NJ (which, by the way, Lou did a real good job backing into a difficult spot). Yesterday we received a pre-plan picking up in Dayton, NJ, about 30 miles south of Elizabeth. This is product from a customer we have based in Tulsa, but the logistics (a.k.a. the shipping & receiving) are handled at an independent warehouse by an outside contractor, so they're not as friendly, and we - the truck drivers - have to yeild to their schedule of loading. In other words, we may not be getting out of here until 2300 (ET)... or later. If that's the case, we would still need to make our appointment in Atlanta (over 800 miles away) by 0700 Thursday morning.

On the upside, we made a stop at the Starbucks in the Thomas Edison Service Plaza on the turnpike. Heading back, Lou, carrying two bananas (one in each pocket of his waist-tied sweat pants), an Italian Roast coffee in one hand, and a double espresso in the other, placed his drinks on the bumper of a truck in order to re-adjust/re-tie his sweats. A funny thought occurred to me then, one that had him re-adjusting his sweats, then the truck pulling away, leaving him to run after it to retrieve his coffee all the while his sweats (still not fully re-adjusted) work their way down.

He also found my thought humorous too.

Year 2, Day 23 (This Has Been A Hard Run)

Lou and I shut down at 0415 this morning in Raphine, VA, more than half way across I-81. When we started rolling this afternoon, we only had about 350 miles left to go. Our next load, which I was pre-planned on, will re-load in New Jersey, and deliver friday morning in Atlanta, GA. I'm none too enthused about that load, because I've been to that customer before, and it's a very challenging task getting into their dock (it requires the blind-side backing technique).

Once that load is delivered, I will have about 2,200 miles for this week... which isn't too shabby. The down-side about this load is I caught a bit of a cold, which I'm presently trying to battle.

Orange juice and Halls to the rescue.

... and coffee.

Year 2, Day 22 (A Long Day)

The customer Lou and I loaded at (a paper mill in Pine Bluff, AR) - even though we arrived last night - didn't get us loaded until about 0115 this morning. Lou drove us all the way to Jackson, Tn where we shut down at 0645 this morning... a total of about 260 miles. Since this load is due Tuesday morning at 0830, today and tomorrow will be kind of rough. Had we waited until early this morning to head down there, that would have been even harder on us.

As many of you already know (even if you aren't football fans... like me), today holds the final two games of the playoffs for the Super Bowl. Right now, the New England Patriots are leading the Baltimore Ravens in the 3rd quarter, 16-10. After this game will be the NY Giants against the SF 49ers. As I mentioned, I'm not a big football fan, but my prediction for the Super Bowl will be a Patriots/49ers game.

What say you?

Year 2, Day 21 (I Will Be Heading To New Jersey)

Now that both Lou and I have a full re-start on our logbooks, we (hopefully) will be fresh to go for the coming week or so. The load we were dispatched on loads tomorrow, but we are heading down to Pine Bluff, AR and hopefully will get loaded tonight. If that happens, that will help us as we can cover some miles tonight, and it will be easier to get to Elizabeth, NJ by Tuesday morning. If we have to wait until tomorrow, then that could make it a little more difficult to deliver on time.

This has been a beautiful, albeit brisk, Sabbath. I was blessed to run into another of our drivers here at our North Little Rock terminal that took me out to Golden Corral for lunch. The two of us had a good conversation before lunch, but when we left, there were 7 of us then took one of the company vans to the restaurant. We will be leaving out pretty soon, and I apologize about the delay in this posting. To be honest, I lost track of time. Let's see what adventures lie ahead this next week.

Year 2, Day 20 (Restart, Refresh)

Yesterday, as I mentioned, Lou and I picked up a lease trailer to bring to our North Little Rock terminal, where we shut down for the rest of the night. I checked in with my Fleet Manager (Monica) this morning to let her know that Lou and I were low on hours on our 70. I wrote the truck up for a few minor repairs, and periodically checked back with Monica. She allowed us to stay here to get a re-start on our logbooks.

Before she left for the day, she had us dispatched on a load that picks up in Pine Bluff, AR on Sunday on will have us heading to Elizabeth, NJ for Tuesday morning. That will be a good run for us to start the week off with. On another note, I was able to get my signature coffee drink from Starbucks, though my wife, Tikvah, made a trip to an IHOP... which was just about as cool.

Have a peaceful and joyous Sabbath... may you all be blessed!

Year 2, Day 19 (I'll Be Chillin' Tonight)

Lou and I shut down in Ellsinore, MO last night, even though he still had 1 1/2 hours left on his logbook, but along U.S. 60 in that area, truck parking is not too common. We arrived in Rogers, AR at 1230 and dropped the trailer there. After about an hour, I got a phone call from my Fleet Manager, Monica. She had Lou & I (and Chris, another driver with the company) head to Mulberry, AR - bobtailing - to pick up a couple trailers that our company is leasing. She wanted to make sure that we inspected it "with a fine-toothed comb." After that write-up I did, I came pretty close to getting writer's cramp.

Now that we have inspected the trailers, we are heading to the terminal in North Little Rock, check them into the shop, then I will get myself a shower, do my laundry, and perhaps make a run to Starbucks.

Year 2, Day 18 (This Could Be A Long Night)

We left this morning from Haubstadt, IN, which is just north of Evansville, and about 25 miles from the customer we were delivering to. Lou and I arrived at 1030, where we waited nearly 1 1/2 hours before they put us in a door. Once we were unloaded, I called the broker to close this load out, then we made our way to Robards, KY to pick up a Tyson load. The load shows to deliver at 0800 tomorrow in Rogers, AR, but since this is going from one Tyson plant to another (and because Lou, nor I, will have the hours to get there by then), then it will get there when it gets there. Last night, when we shut down, the weather was fairly cool, but the wind added some bite to the temperature.

There was also a bit of a situation that arose last night. My son, Sean-Patrick, was on something of a road trip with his roommate, Brooke. I'm still a bit unsure of all the details, but what it comes down to is she gat arrested, and he was, therefore, stranded in Raton, NM. My wife, Tikvah, got him a bus ticket to Las Vegas, and I made a call, so he will be staying with my brother there for a few days... until we figure out what's next. The ticket: $140?! It turns out the bus goes from Raton (which, by the way, is just south of the Colorado state line), to Denver, then to Salt Lake City, then to Vegas.

Sean-Patrick is 19, and no longer lives with us, which explains why he went on the road trip (from hell, as it turns out). I did suggest to him that perhaps he can open up a restaurant in Santa Fe.

You get brownie points if you caught my reference in the previous sentence... or at least some coffee.

Year 2, Day 17 (Heading To Kentucky)

Yesterday evening, Lou and I shut down at a Pilot truck stop on the north end of Monroe, MI. The load we were dispatched on (via broker) did not pick up until 1300 today in Adrian, MI. I called the broker last night to get all the necessary information, and was told that the customer with which I was picking up from, did not allow passengers on the property. I asked about that "passenger" being a student. They were unable to get an answer, due to the fact that the customer was closed for the night, but they (the broker) would get back with me this morning. I also informed our night dispatch crew of the situation. When we got up this morning, I called Monica (my Fleet Manager) to fill her in on what was going on, to which she replied, "That is unacceptable! How can a student receive training when they can't get inside!" She further went on to investigate the matter further. A short while later she sent me a message telling me that all was ok, and I could take Lou into the customer's facility.

We arrived at the customer just before out appointment time, only to find out that the load wasn't ready. It took about an hour before we were called in. Once Lou backed into the door that we were assigned to, they made short order of getting us loaded. So I guess that made up for the wait. We are currently heading through Indiana, on I-69 south to Indianapolis. Hopefully we will get tot the customer tonight before we shut down, but only time - and traffic - will tell.

I really need some coffee right now.

Year 2, Day 16 (I'm Back In The U. S. of A.)

It took a while, but Lou and I finally got out of Canada. It wasn't too bad really, just waiting for 4 hours that was no fun. Though over the weekend we did listen to the NFL playoff games. N.Y. Giants, S.F. 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and N.E. Patriots are the only ones left standing. Next Sunday will knock the survivors down to two... for the Super Bowl. Who are your picks?

The day has been fairly uneventful, so I'll close for now.

I. NEED. COFFEE!

Year 2, Day 15 (A Late Post, Due To Being In Canada)

*Author's Note* This post was composed on the day stated within the title, but was not posted until the following day (Monday) due to being in Canada... and the author did NOT find it prudent, nor feasible to pay $15.36/MB for data usage.


Today was rather interesting. Nothing spectacular, mind you, but interesting. For one thing, the electronic logbook portion of the Qualcomm (on-board communication device, which allows me to send & receive messages to our home terminal dispatchers) decided to go on the fritz. Therefore, I got in contact with the weekend dispatch crew, was forwarded to the IT guy, finally our maintenance shop, and had them send out a reboot message to the truck's computer. That was finally sorted out, then Lou and I (I did the driving for the stretch into Canada, and on to Brampton) set out to finish this run.

The weather has been quite chilled, showing a temperature at one point of 12° (yes, that's still in fahrenheit). We will be unloading this in the morning, and where we go from here... well, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out. After some coffee, of course.

Year 2, Day 14 (771 Miles To Go)

Lou and I arrived at our Madison, IL terminal this morning about 0330 this morning, and finally got a good night's sleep. When we woke up, I had to get myself motivated, but finally went in to get a shower and do my laundry. I try to plan things in advance in order to make the best use of my time. Unfortunately, as it so happens, there were also other drivers that decided to do their laundry as well, which put a delay on my schedule. To top it off, one of the three dryers in the driver's lounge went on the fritz. After about 45 minutes, I finally got my clothes in to dry. I usually plan accordingly so that when I do laundry, I only have one load, thereby occupying only one washer, then one dryer. Sadly, there are drivers (even in this company) that do not share this same consideration for others, as they will accumulate about 3-4 loads worth of laundry... thereby occupying all the washers and dryers for at least an hour.

My clothes are drying now, so I should quit kvetching. Besides, it's been a peaceful - and quite brisk - Sabbath day. Temperatures are in the mid-30's here just outside of St. Louis, and several drivers (Lou being one of them) are in the tv room watching the Saints vs 49ers game, which has just begun. As soon as one of the company vehicles return, I just may make a Starbucks run before we head out.

When we do head out, there will be a sumptuous aroma emanating with the confines of the truck cab, as I am cooking a roast in the crock pot for tonight's dinner. A roast with some soy sauce & liquid smoke, pepper, chipotle seasoning, garlic, and onions. A little later I'll add the powdered gravy mix and potatoes, then put in the fresh mushrooms & green beans for the last hour.

I'm getting hungry just blogging about it.

Year 2, Day 13 (A Full Weekend)

First, allow me to apologize for this post going live so late... this has been a busy 24 hours. Last night I picked up Lou (my new student) in North Little Rock around 2045. We loaded up his things, then I continued on the road to Ponca City, OK. We made a stop in Conway, AR (yeah, I made it to Starbucks before they closed) for about 15 minutes, then pushed on. Once we crossed the state line into Oklahoma, I pulled into the Welcome Center to do (and show Lou the procedure for) the required load check: 2-3 minutes, back on the road.
I drove us into Tulsa, where - because my hours had become scant - I had Lou get a little time behind the wheel. I had him drive the remaining 100+ miles into Ponca City, where we shut down for the night, arriving at 0440 this morning.

Just before lunch, I received a pre-plan which had us going to pick up a load in Tulsa (which is what I wanted) delivering Monday in Brampton, ON (which is Canada, just not the part of Canada I wanted to go. Oh well. We got unloaded, fueled and re-loaded in Tulsa (also making a stop at a Super Target), then Lou took over when I pulled off into the service plaza in Vinita, OK. He is going to try to get us to our employer's terminal in Madison, IL (just outside St. Louis) before we call it a night. Tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, we are hoping to make it all the way to Brampton, ON by tomorrow night, which means I will have to do a double post, as I won't have any cellular access while in Canada. I will keep you posted.

Have a blessed and joyous Sabbath!

Year 2, Day 12 (Onward To Oklahoma)

I made it to my final drop this morning at about 0100, then checked in at about 0700. They didn't take too long to unload me, but once I finished, I still had to wait for the CSR to find my next load. The only problem is, though the customer is only 5 miles from where I delivered, the appointment is not until 1700. I'm hoping - may HaShem be blessed - that I'll get loaded earlier. Once I do get out of here, I'll make a stop at the North Little Rock terminal, then proceed on to Ponca City, OK for tomorrow.

It has been snowing off & on here, which has been pretty, but still not enough to satisfy me. There is no telling (as of just yet) where I will go next, but I am really hoping it will be from Tulsa, OK to Woodinville, WA, then to Burnaby, BC. I'm hoping I'll be able to stop long enough to get some laundry done... or at least some Starbucks.

Year 2, Day 11 (This Day Is Kinda Jacked Up)

I arrived at my first stop yesterday evening in Goodlettsville, TN (just north of Nashville) at around 1900 or so. I had trouble getting to sleep, probably because my body was still a bit whacked out from this past weekend... you know, leaving from Livonia, MI at zero-dark-thirty (0230 to be precise) in the morning, then driving through the night to make my first drop on time. I was up at 0530 this morning, checked in at 0540 (old Marine habits die hard) for a 0600 appointment. The thing I don't understand - and it annoys me to no end - is when a customer makes a delivery appointment for a delivery... then can't keep their own appointment schedule. It has been some time since I've been to this customer, and I had since forgotten their lack of efficiency, but to continually show such a lack of efficiency is beyond comprehension.

They finally put me in a door at about 0715, then took about 2 hours just to pull off and break down 5 pallets. Had my employer not been so strict about their "no driver unloading" policy, I would have pulled it off and done the breakdown myself, pocketed the $100, plus had taken less time than the lumper service the customer used. I finally got out of there, made a stop in Fairview - about 30 miles west of Nashville -
(I was craving for some Boston Creme doughnuts):

then one other stop in Jackson (time for Starbucks):

then finally up here to Humboldt, where my appointment for this drop isn't until 2215. Once I'm done here, it's off to Southaven, MS - just south of the Memphis area, and just across the state line - for my final drop tomorrow morning. Hopefully this afternoon will bring me a pre-plan that can get me to the Little Rock terminal so I can finally pick up Louie, thus begin his training. He has been waiting for nearly a week now, though not due to any fault of mine.

Now I think a nap is in order... after I finish my coffee.

Wait... strike that... reverse it.

Year 2, Day 10 (Cruising Through Tennessee)

I made it into Tennessee last night, stopping for the night at the Tennessee Welcome Center, just across the state line from Virginia, on I-81. Since the past few days have wreaked havoc on my sleep schedule, I decided to sleep in this morning, leaving out about 1030 (CT). Once I made it into the Knoxville area, I pulled off to the Turkey Creek Shopping Center, where I parked behind the Super Target there. I picked up a few things inside the Super Target, then (instead of going to the Starbucks in S.T.) I walked across the parking lot to the free-standing Starbucks.

Many of you recall my beverage of choice (grande triple Marble Mocha Machiatto), but I've never really elaborated as to what exactly is in it. With the latest app that Starbucks had put out a few months, you can build (or create) your own drinks. I have done just that for my drink which I, for some strange reason, have named it "The Road Scholar":

Once all my business was tended to at Turkey Creek Shopping Center, I drove about 5 miles down the road and topped off my fuel at the Flying J, on the west end of Knoxville. The shower felt very refreshing, now I am on my way to finish this leg, stopping for the night at the customer in Goodlettsville, TN... on the north side of Nashville.

Oh yeah... my drink from Starbucks was (to coin a term so frequently used by my friend, Lauri Rottmayer) Fabu!!

Year 2, Day 9 (On The Road With A Light 3-Stopper)

I was up this morning at 0500 (ET), and my body was reminding me that it was 0400. I made my delivery, then - once my 10 hour break was over - made my way to Marysville, PA for my next load. This load was actually pre-planned on me yesterday (which came as a surprise), and has 3 drops on it: Goodlettsville, TN (just north of Nashville), Humboldt, TN (just north of Jackson), and Southaven, MS (just south of Memphis, TN). This load turned out to be light... really light... less than 11,000 lbs. All of it is baked good... pies, etc. I did go to their outlet store before they began loading me, and got quite a deal... all of this for just $7.65:

Though before I went to the customer, I made a few stops. My first was to get the trailer washed out, then up the road about 1 1/2 miles to scan my paperwork in from the previous load, and finally, to the grocery store - Giant Food Stores, to be exact (to whom I had delivered to this morning) - and, for the first time in a little over a year, splurged on a treat:

Because Boar's Head is a little pricey ($11.99/lb) I don't get it very often. Actually, this is the first time I've bought some since I've started working for my current employer, in who's service I have been for nearly 2 years. Over the years I have tried many different brands of deli meats from many different delis, and Boar's Head is - by far - the best I have tasted (Walmart's brand being the worst).

As I make my way to my first two drops (for Wednesday), then finish this load off on Thursday, I wonder where the roads will take me beyond that. So far I have (finally) driven through some snow, in Virginia. Not very much, but enough to keep me on my toes (light loads and slick roads DO NOT mix). Don't get me wrong, the roads aren't treacherous in any way, but as long as I respect the road/weather, I'll be just fine.

You know what would go great with my Boar's Head roast beef sandwich? An ice cold coke (you probably thought I was going to say a grande triple Marble Mocha Machiatto from Starbucks... but that's for dessert).

Year 2, Day 8 (One Down, One To Go)

This has turned out to be a load I hope to NOT get dispatched on again. The customer in Livonia, MI had this as a 2300 appointment time last night, of which I didn't get out of there until 0230 (Both times being of the Eastern Time Zone), with my first drop being due at 0700 this morning in Cleveland, OH. I made the delivery on time and, fortunately, they allowed me to park in their drop lot to take an 8 hour break, so, A) I could catch a little nap, and, B) that aforementioned break also allowed me to, more or less, put a "freeze" on my 14 Hour clock.

I did, however, make some coffee last night before I left, and re-heated it after my nap. My next - and final - stop for this load is to the Giant Foods Distribution Center in Carlisle, PA. I'm already familiar with where it is, as I have been there a few times in the past. That appointment is for 0530... I so detest those early morning deliveries. Hopefully tomorrow morning, there will be a load dispatched on me right away that will get me to Little Rock, AR, so I can pick up Louie so he can get his training started. On another note, something that goes very well with coffee: Almond Rocha (which is another treat I received from Tikvah for Chanukah) -

Year 2, Day 7 (A Cool And Peaceful Day, And A Late Night To Follow)

The load I re-powered yesterday was unloaded with great efficiency last night. However, since I am re-loading at the same customer (and my appointment isn't until 2300), I don't think I can get lucky twice. I am, therefore, taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the Sabbath. It's been pretty cool today, weather-wise. Tomorrow may start off a little hectic, but once I deliver the first drop, I should be able to get back in sync... hopefully.

This week's Sabbath portion (for those who may be following and/or interested) brought the end of the book of Bereishis (Genesis) and saw the end of the lives of Yaakov & Yosef (Jacob & Joseph). There is much that can be learned from the Torah, though I sometimes find myself disagreeing with some of the commentary of the Sages. As a Rabbi friend once told me, "it sometimes makes you wonder what they were smoking in their hookah pipe."

May the rest of your day be blessed!

Year 2, Day 6 (No Telling What Lies Ahead... Yet)

I mentioned yesterday that I re-powered a load going to Livonia, MI, only to pass it off to another driver, who would then deliver it. I arrived in Daleville, IN (just south of Muncie) at about 0300 this morning (0400 local time). After my 10 hour break is up, I am to head up to Fremont, IN and re-power another load (this one I will be delivering) to Livonia, MI. I am hoping to get something that will get me through Little Rock, AR so I can stop by the terminal and pick up my student.

This new student I know very little - practically nothing - about, other than his name is Louie, and he's from Tennessee. We spoke briefly on the phone, just to touch bases with him and fill him in on what is going on (which is still a little unclear to me at this point). Once I find out more, I'll let him know... and once I found out more about him, I'll let you know.

On another note, as practically everyone knows, the Iowa Caucus was held just the other day, and the results showed the 3 leading contenders for the Republican Presidential Candidacy are (in this order) Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul. One thing I've learned from the Iowa Caucus is... you can learn nothing from the Iowa Caucus. In the past it was speculated that the leading contender would garner the Party Nomination in the upcoming Presidential race. However, we have seen from the last go-around in Iowa... that is no necessarily true. If you recall, 4 years ago Hillary Clinton led the polls coming out of the Iowa Caucus. We see how that helped her. As it is right now, the Republican Party (of which I do NOT affiliate myself, nor do I align with the Democrat party) doesn't not have a lot to choose from. Let's hope a LEADER (NOT a politician) comes out of the woodwork soon.


May you all have a good Sabbath! If you don't keep the Sabbath, then may you have a blessed day!

Year 2, Day 5 (Quite The Busy Day)

I parked this morning at about 0130 just south of Harrison, AR. It wasn't as far as I had hoped to go, but it was quite a push since I had been up since 0700 yesterday. I didn't leave out until about 1400, because Monica had me wait until she found out when the other driver would make it to Springfield, MO, the other driver she wanted me to swap with. Him and I just finished swapping trailers and now I am heading up to do another swap in Muncie, IN. Where I go from there is what I will probably find out tomorrow.

Now that the holidays are over, the CSR's are trying to get us back in the swing of things, and getting some good freight to haul. It looks as though it may be another long day, as Muncie is still another 500 miles away.

Busy, busy, busy... and I still need some coffee.

Year 2, Day 4 (Not Very Productive, But I'm Rolling)

This morning I treated myself (if you could call it a treat) to a raisin bagel with butter, and a coffee with cocoa mix, compliments of the motel I stayed at last night. Today, my truck was getting worked on, but since it wasn't expected to come back from Freightliner, I was put in a loaner truck. However, since I had a bad experience with a previous company (I was in a "loaner" for 2 weeks... and my belongings with me were minimal), I decided to just move all my things into this truck. I was originally going to pick up a Tyson load in Dardenelle, AR going to Pennsylvania, but 2 hours before my appointment, the load was changed. I am now picking up in Pine Bluff, AR and delivering tomorrow in Kansas City, MO.

I will make tonight's post a bit brief, so I can make some sort of attempt to organize this truck. I'll try to have some more eloquent prose on the morrow.

Year 2, Day 3 (I Need A "Do-Over")

Today has turned out to be very unproductive and uneventful. This morning when I called Monica (my Fleet Manager) to find out if I had a load yet, I also let her know that I needed to get into the shop. When I turned on the truck, the "Check Transmission" light started flashing on the dash. I didn't have these problems when I parked for vacation. Monica just had me head to the North Little Rock terminal and made an appointment for 1100. When I arrived and checked in, I wandered around for a bit to try and kill some time before I checked on the status.

A few hours later I went to the shop and they told me that the transmission issue (since the truck was still under warranty) had to be taken care of by Freightliner. Needless to say, I'm staying in a motel tonight. Hopefully the problem will be taken care of in the morning and I can get on the road. Especially since I found out earlier that our company is beginning to take loads to the southwest. One of the other drivers in the division picked up a load today in Russellville, AR going to Riverside, CA, and another driver was sent to pick up a load in Nogales, AZ. Slowly, but surely, our traffic lanes are increasing.

At least I was able to get a coffee from Starbucks... so there was a positive from today.

Year 2, Day 2 (Another Day At Home)

This morning I made my final preparations (while drinking coffee) before heading out on the road. Afterwards I called  Monica, my Fleet Manager, only to find her line was being forwarded to the after hours crew. I spoke with one of the guys on the after hours crew and found out that the regular operations people were off today, plus that they really wasn't any freight going out today, as most of the customers were also closed. It turned out to be for the better, since my wife, Tikvah, is feeling a bit under the weather. I made some Matzo Ball soup for her last night, and I think it helped her out a bit. There is some left over, so she will have dinner tomorrow night.

She has been relaxing today, mainly because I've been trying to make her relax, get some rest, and drink some orange juice. That, in itself, is a feat, since she doesn't like orange juice. She is feeling better tonight, because she chose to have pizza for dinner instead of more soup (which has a chicken broth base). Since she has been relaxing, on the couch, in the den, she has found a new show that she likes: Next Great Baker. So we have been watching back-to-back episodes (and it's pretty good, I might add).

Let's see what tomorrow will bring.

Year 2, Day 1 (Back To Work Tomorrow)

This is the first blog of the new year, and I'm rather bummed that my vacation ends tomorrow. It's been nice being home. Today my wife, Tikvah, had a relapse of a flu or cold, so I've been letting her relax and get some rest. Earlier, as she was telling me what she was going to make for dinner, I told her, "how about if I make you some Matzo Ball Soup?" to which her reply was, "Ok, sounds good to me." I've spent most of yesterday and today trying to recover some music that was deleted from my external hard drive. Since what was lost was still on my iPod, I've put off updating it until I've been able to transfer the songs. I've also converted a couple albums from my record collection as well.

I've really enjoyed being at home, and I kind of dread going back to work... but I need to provide for my family, so it's back on the road. I think this new year will bring some good adventures, so I hope you'll come along for the ride.

Day 365 (Goodbye 2011)

I apologize that this post is getting up so late, so I'll explain why. Our son, Sean-Patrick, whom was visiting from Missouri had a ride going back up today, but this morning those plans fell apart. He contacted us this morning ask if we could help him out. Being the parents that we are, we set out this afternoon on a bit of a road trip to Springfield, MO. He (and especially me) kept in touch with his roommate, Brooke. I talked to her a few times to help her with the directions to our rendezvous point (being a truck driver does come in handy sometimes). We finally met up at a Price Cutter grocery store in Springfield where Sean-Patrick moved his things to Brooke's Jeep. We all chatted a bit, then Brooke and Sean-Patrick left to make their way home to Jefferson City, MO, and Tikvah and I went in search of food.


We settled on a nearby Qdoba Mexican Grill. I've been there a couple of times, but Tikvah had never been there. Tikvah had a taco & quesadilla combo plate, while I ordered a Mexican Gumbo:

Before I forget, here is a pic of the pita bread I made yesterday (from a recipe I requisitioned from Lauri Rottmayer):

After eating, Tikvah and I went back to Price Cutter and paid a visit to Starbucks (can't close out the year without at least one more visit), then got back on the road for our 3 1/2 hour drive back. Though it was a long day, it was fun... and it was just Tikvah and I on the way home:

Happy New Year!! Tune in tomorrow for the launch of The Road Scholar, Year 2!

Day 364 (Vacation Can't Be Over Yet?!)

Today has been yet another lazy day. Yesterday wasn't supposed to be lazy, but either allergies kicked in, or Tikvah and I started to feel the onset of a cold. therefore what we wanted to get done yesterday (working on the bathroom), was not done. We didn't work on the bathroom today because Tikvah had already made plans to go to Little Rock with her friend Helen... a "girl's day out" sort of thing.

I also went to SuddenLink to get an issue with our DVR taken care of. It took a while (to include a visit from the technician), but it's now taken care of... I hope. I'm getting some of my vinyl records converted over to my iTunes library, and at the same time I'm also proofing some dough for homemade Pita Bread, from a recipe I got from a blog post by my friend, Lauri Rottmayer. When I read that post the other day, it stuck with me. So much so, I went out and got some more flour (as I was out) so I could try it.

Pictures to come later.

Strategically placed alongside coffee.

Day 363 (It's Nice To Be On Vacation)

Today has been fairly uneventful. My wife, Tikvah, and I did a little bit of running around to include talking to a Social Worker and Parole Officer (I will fill you in on that, in detail, on a later date). We went to a store in the downtown area where we live where she put a Vanity on layaway. Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat. Nothing special nor exciting... except for the fact that our day started (and will end as well) with coffee. Although I did capture a pretty nice photo, which I know my fellow fans of The Doctor will like:

When you live in a small town - but have a big city upbringing - it may be nice at first, but then you start longing for the city again, something you're accustomed to. A small town is nice, but in this area of Arkansas, it tends to take a toll on you. I long for the city, more so for conversations that don't revolve around hunting, fishing, and NASCAR.

Day 362 (Just A Few Days Left Of The Year... And Vacation)

Today has been another one of those lazy days. Got up this morning, enjoyed some coffee with my wife, and basically did nothing. Last night, the meal I made turned out splendid. Everything was delicious: lamb, latkes, Israeli Salad, and of course, the Challah Bread.

It was wonderful to be home for a good portion of Hanukkah, but like all good things, it, too, must come to an end. Even though the Festival Of Lights may be over, I still have a few days left of vacation. Not to mention that last night, Tikvah had the chance to light up all the candles in all of her Hannukia menorahs. 

Tomorrow, I think our plans will be to work on the bathroom... which should be interesting, considering I am far from the handyman type. In fact, I just may post the end results here (providing I'm not too terribly embarrassed at my lack of skills).

Day 360 (Chanukah, Day 8 - The Last Night)

This is the final night of Chanukah. I am working on our dinner: roasted lamb, latkes, and, of course, Challah bread. Today has been fairly productive. My youngest son, Nathan, and I got a haircut, I picked up coffee and lunch for myself and my wife, Tikvah, and Nathan and I went to Arby's to get his check, as well as deposit it in the bank. The weather has been rather unusual. Not only has there not been any snow, but the temperatures have been that for t-shirts and shorts. Weather like this depresses me. In December I expect to be, at the very least, a little bundled up. In fact, the weather is warm enough where I may start off the lamb roast on the grill. Regardless of the weather, at least I have my beautiful wife's company!

Since tonight is the final candle lighting for Chanukah, I'll post one more video to celebrate the miracle known as the Festival Of Lights. This one by Matthew Paul Miller, a.k.a. Matisyahu. Again, I hope you (if you are one of us that celebrate this Festival) have had a joyous and festive Chanukah!

Day 359 (My First Official Vacation Day; Chanukah, Day 7)

As of now, I am officially on vacation. I don't really have any special plans, nor any destination. What I do have, however, are records to convert to iTunes... a lot of records. I doubt that I'll even get half of them converted, but I'll try to get a good chunk done. We have been basically kicking back and watching tv... as a matter of fact, we are currently watching the Being Human marathon. The SyFy channel is having the marathon to gear up for the new season premier in mid-January. Tomorrow I will be making dinner for the last night of Chanukah. Dinner will consist of a nice lamb roast, latkes, and (of course) Challah bread.

On this, the 7th night of Chanukah, I want to share a video that is not only a good song, but from somebody I know personally. Bruce Burger, a.k.a. Rebbe Soul has put out some very good music, and this song is certainly good for spinning a dradle and eating gelt. Enjoy, and Happy Chanukah!!

Day 358 (It Felt nice To Sleep In; Chanukah, Day 6)

Slept in this morning until about 0900-ish. It was nice and quiet this morning, and my wife Tikvah and I were the only ones awake. Though last night we had a surprise. As I mentioned yesterday, we went over to have dinner with some friends, Brett & Helen. For the record, considering Helen had never made latkes (potato pancakes). hummus, and baklava before... she did quite well! All was delicious... to the point where even though we were full, I just wanted "one more bite". On the way home (in fact we were about 5-6 minutes from getting there), we had received a phone call from our security company that they had an alert of a security breach. Tikvah and I suspected what it may have been, so we told the security company there was no need to dispatch a call to the police. When we arrived home, our hunches were correct... our son, Sean-Patrick had come home for a visit.

It turned out to be a nice surprise.

May you all continue to have a blessed and joyous Chanukah!!

Chanukah Jewish Rock of Ages - Official Hanukkah Song (Video)

Courtesy of aish.com

Day 357 (A Chanukah Sabbath, Day 5)

Today has been a peaceful and lovely day. Last night my wife relented and let me open my Chanukah gifts, which turned out to be quite awesome. The big one (that she saved for last) was the recent re-issue of a Miles Davis album:

Today itself was very relaxing. Since tonight we will be having dinner with friends, it was requested that I make some Challah bread, so I've been working on that - in between watching episodes of the NCIS marathon. Since today continues in the joy and remembrance of the miracle of Chanukah, I am going to post a video, which I found to be quite hilarious. So as I close, enjoy this video of Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert:

Happy Chanukah everyone!!

Day 356 (Starting Vacation Early; Chanukah, 4th Day)

This morning brought my departure from the Tyson facility in Union City, TN (sounds better than, "this morning I left from Tyson", ya think?). I performed my required load checks along the way, all the while listening to Live Frogs by Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade on my iPod. Before I made it West Memphis, AR I received a message for a deadhead order. I then called Monica, my Fleet Manager, to inquire about said order. When she answered, we exchanged the usual pleasantries before I asked her where the deadhead order was sending me (since I was unable to read the message while driving... plus it's not too safe). She told me it was sending me home. "But I still have a few more days out" I replied, to which she answered, "true, but there's no freight to haul." So basically, I'm going on vacation a couple days early.

I topped off the fuel in Russellville, AR before dropping the trailer at Tyson. Since there were no empty trailers at the Tyson facility (actually, there were no trailers - period), I was instructed to go next door and get an empty trailer from the cold storage facility. Loaded trailer dropped; hooked up to empty trailer; now I'm getting ready to scan all my paperwork in, make a stop at Starbucks in Conway (on the way home) then to home... for Sabbath, and for Chanukah!

To those who may observe: Happy Chanukah!!

Day 355 (Another Load Done; Chanukah, Day 3)

Last night I picked up the load from the Tyson plant in Nashville, AR, then I shut down and began my 10 hour break. Said break expired at around 1030 this morning, so having done my pre-trip - and coffee in hand - I started a long day to Union City, TN. Making a fuel stop in Benton, AR, as well as the required load checks (first one within 50 miles of loading, then every 150 miles after that), I arrived in Union City at 1830. This afternoon I was pre-planned on my next load. Fortunately, I will be re-loading here in Union City heading to Russellville, AR. As with yesterday, I'll head out in the morning. It's supposed to be due at 1500, but we'll have to wait and see how the unloading process goes first before I predict my time of arrival in Russellville. The computer program utilized by my employer has already predicted that the delivery may be late, due to my hours.

Today is the 3rd night of Chanukah. I wanted to post another video link, but seeing as Union City is still only on the Edge network (and I'm already past my deadline) I just don't have the patience to wait for a video to load so I can watch it. So forgive my lack of content vis a vis video links to commemorate this joyous holiday, both from yesterday and today. I'll try to make it up to you tomorrow.

Have a joy-filled and Happy Chanukah!!

Day 354 (A Tyson Load To Tennessee)

I unloaded this afternoon in Rogers, AR and I am finally done with that load. I did, however, get pre-planned on another load, since I still have a few days before I go on vacation. This one picks up in Nashville, AR and is scheduled to deliver in Union City, TN at noon tomorrow, but knowing this particular Tyson facility, they won't even load me until about 2300 tonight. Therefore, once I get loaded, I'll just get a parking spot on their lot and begin my 10 hour break.

While I was in Rogers, there was another truck driver also delivering there. Him and I had gotten into a spirited discussion on religion... one that he initiated. After the first few minutes, I gathered that he was - more or less - anti-religion, and expressing his distain for the "ignorant masses", as well as their willingness to follow because it's "tradition." Though after about 20 minutes, I think I proved to him that I was rather the worthy intellectual adversary... mainly for the fact that his demeanor and attitude changed from one of bitterness to that which was more respectful - both to the dialogue at hand, and to the debater (though I would never claim to be a master of it). I hope that I proved to him that I am one of those that doesn't follow the beliefs of the status quo, but instead form my own system of beliefs based on what I have studied and not on what I have heard (or been told). I am a follower of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus The Messiah), but I don't observe, nor celebrate, Christmas & Easter.

We may run into each other again someday. When we do, I expect the discussion to be just as lively.

Happy Chanukah - Day 2!!

Day 353 (Westward Bound To Rogers On The First Night Of Chanukah)

I arrived at the customer (in Calhoun, GA) last night and loaded this morning, with product going to Rogers, AR. The trouble is I didn't get out of there until 1000 (CT) and it's due for delivery at 1000 tomorrow. Looking at the map, there were one of three ways to go. The route I chose is longer, but it's mainly interstate, whereas the other two covered some ground on U.S. highways and two-lane state roads - either way would have taken about the same amount of time. Needless to say, I'll be getting to Rogers later than 1000 tomorrow.

With sunset approaching, tonight will see the start of Chanukah. Therefore the festivities will go on for - in the words of Adam Sandler - "eight crazy nights." Naturally, no mention of Chanukah would be complete unless I added a link to Mr. Sandler's now classic (and still epically funny) "Chanukah Song" video. So for all my brothers & sisters in Judaism - Happy Hanukkah! May you all be blessed!!

Day 352 (Loading Tomorrow)

I unloaded today, just after lunch, in Chattanooga, TN, after which I made mt way down to Resaca, GA, just 40 or so miles south of Chattanooga, and just a few miles north of where I load at in the morning in Calhoun, GA. I'm always fortunate when I go to a customer's facility that allows overnight parking. I prefer that for two reasons: A) I don't have to deal with the morning traffic, and, B) it allows me some extra time to try finding the customer's location, which will always revert back to point A. I called the broker concerning this next load, and whether or not I could load it today. Unfortunately the customer won't have the product ready until early in the morning. Therefore that only means that tomorrow could be a long day, since this load is due in Rogers, AR at 1000 on Wednesday.

I like what I do, especially in our current tumultuous economy. That's not to be confused with enjoying what I do. It's a way to support my family. As former pro football player/WWE Superstar Bill Goldberg once said, "if you're not smiling when you go into work every day, then you're in the wrong place." He has a point. There are other things I'd rather be doing, but it always comes down to one essential thing: capital, a.k.a. finances. I would much rather travel the country while playing in a band, or working as an independent DJ (using turntables, also referred to as "old school"), but I'm not. I'm just a truck driver. A vocation that receives much disdain from the general public without so much as the consideration that if it weren't for us, then how would those same people that hold contempt for us get their groceries, clothing, gas, etc. All of these things are transported by truck. We are the mediator between the producers and the retailers. All factors augment one another, and with even one factor missing, the process comes to a screeching halt. Yet producers, retailers, fuel sources continually raise prices, but if the trucking industry stops their operations in protest of rising fuel costs - and no increase in shipping rates - we, as the drivers, are held liable as performing an "act of terrorism".

Something to think about while having a cup of coffee.

Day 351 (I Now Have A Re-Start)

I am currently still in Oak Grove, KY, have just gone through my reading from Daily Dose Of Torah on this week's Torah portion. I have yet to leave, mainly because I'm feeling very relaxed (a.k.a. a bit lazy). I will be heading out a little later to finish this trip to Chattanooga, TN. Though I'm not due to deliver until tomorrow afternoon at 1300 (ET), I'll get there tonight so I don't have to endure the hassles common among the weekday traffic. Once I do get this load finished, I'll head down to Calhoun, GA to wait until Tuesday to pick up my next load. That load (which we attained through a broker) will take me to Rogers, AR to be delivered on Wednesday morning.

What will happen after that is still unknown at this juncture. I still have until The 26th before I have to be home for my vacation. I don't think we will be going anywhere for this vacation, but we will be celebrating Hanukkah... and my wife, Tikvah, will have a "to do" list waiting for me. To be quite honest, my expertise of "home improvement" is like that of Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor: once I'm done, we need a professional to fix my "home improvement". Eventually I'll get the hang of it.

I say: when all else fails - drink more coffee.

Day 350 (A Full Day In "Lively" Oak Grove, KY)

Today was spent mainly in my truck, parked at the Flying J Travel Plaza in Oak Grove, KY, just walking distance from the Ft. Campbell Army base (which has the only Starbucks - which I cannot go to because it's on a military base). This has been a wonderful - and peaceful - Sabbath day. I have been in the truck most of the day doing my Torah study for the week, though I have been able to keep up with the daily reading throughout the week. As I mentioned yesterday, to shut down and completely rest for the Sabbath is a luxury I'm not often afforded being a truck driver, so I take full advantage of it whenever possible.

I was thinking of leaving out tomorrow to head to Chattanooga, TN, but since I'm not expected for delivery until 1300 on Monday, I may just leave out that morning (I'm only 200 miles from the customer), deliver that afternoon, then head to Calhoun, GA to load on Tuesday morning. The only setback about being here (apart from not being able to gain access to the Starbucks) is the incessant fluctuation of cell signal between 3G and Edge networks. But there really is no absolute need to be on the internet... so for now, I'll overlook that minor flaw.

On another note, a few days ago I opined on the blog about whether I would continue my daily offerings on this blog. I haven't had much feedback on the subject (to be quite honest, I've had none), but I have decided to go another year. The reason being, I've rather become accustomed to posting on a daily basis. If I were to just "pull the plug", as it were, I would probably not know what to do with the gap... or my thoughts, for that matter. I may not have very many people whom I can count among my readership, but I do enjoy posting every day, actually. I may not garner the type of following that I see of other acquaintances/fellow bloggers, but I guess I'm content with that... for now. In the mean time I'll just continue to post my thoughts/ramblings/rants and see just what - if anything - comes out of it.

Now it's time for some more coffee.

Day 349 (Finally, A Rest Period)

I was up at 0200 this morning (again) to try and make some headway on this load, unsure of whether it still needed to get there today, or if it could wait until Monday. Fortunately it has been scheduled for 1300 (ET) on Monday. This is good news for me, since now I can slow down a bit... and get some rest. Getting up at 0200 is not an easy task if you're not used to it, as I am not. When I pulled out my percolator pot to brew up some coffee, it even said to me, "At this hour?! Surely you can't be serious!", to which I replied, "I am serious... and don't call me 'Shirley'!" Yes, some strange things - and conversations - happen at those early hours (and you thought inanimate objects only come to life in movies like Toy Story). I've also been given a pre-plan for next week, which picks up Tuesday in Georgia and delivers Wednesday morning in Rogers, AR; I'll be back to a little bit of hard running before my vacation starts the following week.

Since I'm now delivering Monday afternoon, I've decided to shut down in Oak Grove, KY (about 45 minutes west of Nashville, TN), get a re-start on my logbook... and enjoy a completely work-free Sabbath... a luxury I don't often get in this job. I did discover that there is a Starbucks within walking distance from here, but it looks as though it's on the Ft. Campbell Army base. At least I can enjoy the Anniversary Blend I have here on the truck, but no grande triple Marble Mocha Machiatto for me... yet.

Day 348 (Another Long Day Tomorrow)

I was up at 0200 this morning, and it looks like it's going to be that way tomorrow as well. I was originally pre-planned to pick up a load in Batavia, IL to deliver by 1000 tomorrow in Little Rock, AR, but that one was cancelled. After waiting for 1 1/2 hours (while my logbook clock was ticking away) I finally got another load, this one picking up in Janesville, WI... although this one also will be a rough one. I made it up here to Janesville and loaded the trailer, but this is where I will be staying, since I'm out of hours. The CSR is showing this load delivers tomorrow in Chattanooga, TN at 1700 (1600 CT), and at 700 miles - that's NOT going to happen. However, the broker that our CSR booked the load through said I could deliver this either tomorrow at the prescribed time, or Monday.

I would prefer to have delivered this tomorrow, but it looks as though I'm stuck with this until Monday... all because somebody doesn't know how to figure a driver's hours in conjunction with the miles on the load.

At least I had some good coffee this morning, and plan to repeat the process tomorrow morning.

Day 347 (Pushing On To The Chicago Area)

I was up at 0430 this morning, in order to get the Tyson load, then on to our company terminal in North Little Rock, AR to drop Randy off. I took care of some business while I was there, not really wanting to stick around too long as this load is already going to be late... and I don't like to be late. Not only that, but I also wanted to make the best use of my time (especially since my logbook is rather scant on hours). As it is I will have to get up at around 0200 in the morning to get on the road.

Since I'm at a rest area it looks like I'll be making coffee in the morning before I head out. Tomorrow could be a long day, but I'll try to make the best out of it... when life hands you lemons, wait around a bit, then you can have what you need for a nice fruit salad.

Day 346 (Farewell, Randy)

This has been a long day. Leaving from Posotum, IL this morning and making it to Searcy, AR before their 1600 cutoff time. While we were there, I went to see an old acquaintance, Mark. Mark and I used to work together - indirectly, of course - back when I drove for another trucking company. During that time, Mark was a Customer Service Representative (CSR), one who made regular contact with the customers we hauled for, and one who would assign loads to trucks in his area. There were a few times when I was in Mark's area when he needed a "favor" (a.k.a. a load in urgent need of rapid delivery). Mark is now the supervisor over the Traffic Department at Land O Frost, so he's done well for himself.

Before we left Searcy, Randy said he needed to talk to me about something, which I had an idea of what it may be. He decided that perhaps being a truck driver isn't the job for him. He explained to me why he came to that decision: he saw that there are quite a few customers we deal with that aren't as efficient as they could be. His is a very legitimate point, one that I agree with... but I've learned to "improvise, adapt, overcome" (a valuable trait I've kept with me since my Marine Corps days). I sincerely believe that whatever Randy chooses to do from here, he will perform well at. I've seen that he has drive and focus, two keys things essential for success in any field. Be well and be blessed, Randy... you did well!

Day 345 (Farewell, Wisconsin... Until Next Time)

Randy and I were unloaded this morning and headed to the Pilot truck stop just a few miles away. When we arrived there, we topped off the fuel, then found a parking spot. Shortly thereafter we were dispatched. Originally we were going to pick up a load of Tootsie Rolls in Chicago, with a drop in Danville, IL, then finish off tomorrow afternoon in Memphis. While in line to get the trailer washed out at the truck wash, the load cancelled. We didn't wait too long before we were dispatched on another load. Before we left the truck stop, I (of course) made a Starbucks run.

This new load picks up in Lansing, IL, which is just on the south end of the Chicago area. It delivers tomorrow, by 1600, in Searcy, AR. We are running a little low on our hours, so I don't suspect we will be running too hard... unless we get a re-start in sometime soon. Now I don't foresee that happening yet, as I just received a pre-plan. Our next load will have us going to Russellville, AR and taking a Tyson load back up to the Chicago area.

Thus is the continuing saga of a truck driver's life...

Pass the coffee and no one will get hurt!

Day 344 (Wisconsin... On The Final Stretch)

Last night we shut down in a service plaza on the Ohio Turnpike, about 35 miles east of Toledo (the hometown of M*A*S*H character Cpl. Klinger). I had us park there for the night because, a) there may not have been any parking places at the Flying J, and, b) the service plaza had both a Starbucks and an Einstein Bros. Bagels... which I had both for breakfast. From Einstein Bros. I ordered a Lox & Bagel:

Once we left the service plaza, Randy drove us to the Flying J to top off the fuel, and to get a shower... and to wash a few dishes I had dirtied preparing what we will have for dinner tonight. We made a stop in Merrillville, IN so I could pick up a few things (more milk being one of them) at Meijer, then finish this trip. At present, we are less than 130 miles from the customer, and Randy gets his first taste of driving through Chicago, though I don't expect it will be that bad... but tomorrow, well that's another story.

Day 343 (On Our Way To Wisconsin,,, Finally)

Yesterday, we (Randy and I) arrived at the customer to load (in Smithfield, VA) at 1046 (ET). Though our appointment to load wasn't until 2200, I had hoped they would load us early... they didn't. As many other truck drivers know, meat packing facilities, whether it be beef or pork (this one being the latter), are not what one could consider a "pinnacle of efficiency", and we are, basically, at their mercy. By the time we had finally gotten the trailer loaded - and waited for our paperwork to get processed/printed - it was nearly 0230 (ET) before we went to bed. Needless to say, my plan to get to Wisconsin sometime tonight and get a re-start on our logbook has officially been aborted (i.e. it's not going to happen).

We left out this morning at about 0730 (CT), and Randy got some experience driving through some of the backroads of Virginia, West Virginia, and a little of Maryland. As we travel along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I figure we will be shutting down on the Ohio Turnpike somewhere... probably near the Cleveland area. We will be stopping tomorrow outside of Toledo to top off the fuel and get a shower... perhaps even stop at a Meijer in Indiana. All in all, it was still a pleasant Sabbath... all things considered.

There is a picture a snapped along Virginia S.R. 10 this morning, of a town that I don't think is a preferred vacation spot for many of us in the Jewish faith:

Day 342 (Uneventful, Unproductive Day - Thank You Smithfield)

This morning Randy and I unloaded at the customer in Sandston, VA. When we arrived there last night, I discovered that not only do they not allow for overnight parking, (they had their gates locked) but once you go in, you're committed to parking on the (measly excuse for a) shoulder as there is no place to turn around... I guess that's what you expect from a facility that is government run. Once we were empty, I tried calling the broker concerning this Wisconsin load, but they hadn't come into their offices yet (They are based in Utah). Once they did, the lady told me that an appointment hadn't been set up yet (just for the record, the brokerage, England Logistics, is a subsidiary of the trucking company, C. R. England), but she would call me as soon as it was lined out.

Normally I wouldn't give my cell number to a broker, as is our company policy when dealing with brokers, but it was early... I hadn't had coffee yet... and I forget to set my iPhone to block the caller i.d. (as I said, I hadn't had coffee yet). As it turned out, the young lady called back a little later and told me the appointment was set for 2200 tonight. I went ahead and drove down there (Smithfield, VA) in the hopes of getting loaded early. I arrived at 1046 (ET) and have yet to get put in a door - it is now 1746 (ET). Whenever we do get loaded (which will be late), I think I'll just have us park here,and leave in the morning (so much for getting a re-start in Wisconsin).

That's ok... I won't be doing any driving... it's the Sabbath.

Day 341 (The Final Stretch To Virginia)

Randy and I only made it as far as Leavenworth, IN last night, which is short of where I wanted to be. The delay having been caused by having (what started out as) simple work done on the truck. As we make our way through West Virginia, I'm looking at the distance still yet to be covered and, by the way it's looking, I will have to take over the driving before too long to ensure we make it to the customer tonight. I'll probably have him pull off in the service plaza at Beckley and switch over... not to mention make a sandwich (I have some really good pastrami just waiting to be eaten), and grab some Starbucks (I foresee a grande triple Marble Mocha Machiatto in the near future).

I spoke with the broker of my next load which will be going up to Wisconsin for Monday. We both enjoyed a little chuckle when she lamented that she's waiting on another driver to call, who is picking up a load for them today, and here I am calling about a load I'm picking up tomorrow. I guess that's what helps me to stand out from other drivers: the fact that I plan ahead and take care of the details early on. It also helps to be driven by excellence.

Coffee anyone?

Day 340 (A Slight Delay, But Still On Track... So Far)

Randy and I left Olathe, KS this morning at 0800 and began this trip heading to Sandston, VA. On the way, one of the turn signal lights stopped working, so we went to the terminal in Madison, IL (just outside St. Louis) to have it taken care of. We had planned on stopping there anyway, first to top off the fuel at the Pilot just south of the terminal, and also to get a shower. After the shower, Randy and I - along with another driver in the company - made a run to Starbucks (as if that's at all surprising). Dan (the other driver) works in the flatbed division, whom I haven't seen in a few weeks, is always a character to hang out with. We chatted about whatever came to mind on the trip. He, like myself, is prior military (though he was in the Army, but I won't hold that against him), but he is someone I can look up to... literally... he comes in at 6' 8".

The shop at the terminal fixed the light, but also updated the program in the engine's computer. The delay occurred when they were running the updates and/or diagnostics, when the final one failed to do what it was supposed to do... whatever that is. The mechanic tried closing the system and starting over, but to no avail. He finally called the nearby Freightliner shop and eventually had to reboot the system, then that last item did whatever it was supposed to do... whatever that is. We are now underway finishing our day, and trying to cover as many miles as we can before our 14 hour clock expires for the day.

At least I had Starbucks - twice... one which I got from one of their locations, and the other which I made this morning in my percolator with the ground coffee I purchased from a Starbucks (in Wisconsin, to be exact).

Day 339 (Almost to Kansas, Then To Virginia)

Yesterday was less than enjoyable, at least as far as work goes. After I finished unloading in Searcy, AR, I met up with Randy at our North Little Rock. We got together, I ran him to Walmart (a place I despise) to get a few groceries, then to Starbucks (of course). We chatted a bit then made our way to Pine Bluff, AR to get our load from Tyson. Things went pretty smoothly until I scaled it out at the truck stop, about 2 miles away. The bills were showing that I was hauling just under 42,000 lbs, yet when I weighed it, I was over my legal gross weight limits (80,000).

I explained to the loader that there had to be more weight than what the bills were showing, and told him I have hauled a load that was just under 46,000 lbs - with a full tank of fuel - and was still NOT over gross. Either way, they removed a pallet, got me under the gross weight limits, and I was gone. However, due to running short on hours on my logbook, I shut down in Conway, AR... since that was the last place where I could have found a place to park.

After we fueled in Collins, MO, I had Randy take over the driving, so he can get his skills improved. The weather is getting cooler (about 25° in Collins), which is just what I've been waiting for. We've already been pre-planned to pick up our next load in Olathe, KS (the same Tyson facility this load is going to) and delivering on Friday in Sanderson, VA... wherever that is.

Day 338 (New Student, Another Adventure)

I left out this morning at about 1030 and made my way to Searcy, AR (about 40 miles north of Little Rock) for my delivery. After yesterday, I was beginning to think Arkansas has become a rainforest state with all the rain (it even continued quite a bit today, as well). With a cup of home brewed coffee in hand, I was ready to face the day. After I'm done unloading here, I'll head to our terminal in North Little Rock to meet up with my next student, Randy. I also plan on taking care of my laundry. From what I gather so far, Randy is a retired police officer from the West Memphis, AR area. With that in mind, he's probably in his early 50's... but I'll give you more details about him later.

Our first load together will pick up in Pine Bluff, AR and take us to Olathe, KS. I'll be going on vacation at the end of the month, so - as I understand it - Randy, too, will be on a vacation, of sorts. He will be on my truck for two weeks, then at home while I'm on vacation, then we will re-join up in January and finish his training... and depending on how he does these next two weeks will determine whether he needs just one more week, or two. Being as I have never had a student more than 3 1/2 weeks (one was 4 weeks, but that was beyond either of our control), I don't foresee a problem (I can be a bit of a taskmaster when I need to be).

It was difficult to leave home (as it usually is), but the time I spent there was nothing short of very enjoyable. By the way, the Pico de Gallo I made last night... yeah, I brought it with me:

Day 337 (Another Lazy Day)

Weather-wise, this has been a pretty bleak day. Considering I have spent the entire day with my family, that in itself has made the whole day brighter. After service, Tikvah made an incredible baked chicken breasts for our midday dinner... along with some of her incredible potato salad. I played some Battlefield 3 on Nathan's X-Box. Tikvah and I took a little nap (which is almost a ritual for Sundays).

Once this blog gets posted, I will then go in the kitchen and make some Pico de Gallo, which will be a nice condiment for our tortilla chips while we watch a little "tellie" (on tonight's schedule: Pan Am - since it wasn't on the past 2 weeks, it BETTER be on), and later on have more coffee with the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, that Tikvah made earlier.

Yeah, it's going to be that kind of a chillaxin' evening!

Day 336 (Home Until Monday)

Today turned out to be a good day. I left from Hayti, MO this morning and made it home a little after 1400. Since I don't deliver until Monday afternoon, I figured it's better to spend the time at home than in the truck. When I made it home, my wife and I went to Kroger and picked up a few things (I will be making some Pico De Gallo tomorrow) for our coffee and for dinner. I made my (as my family puts it) "famous" hamburgers, and Tikvah made her potato salad.

While we were making our respective food items, we also listened to some tunes "on wax" - i.e., Duran Duran Rio and Depeche Mode Black Celebration. As you can see, it's been a peaceful and relaxing end to the Sabbath.

Day 335 (A Stop At Home On My Way To Searcy, AR)

I unloaded just around lunch time in Richwood, KY. Once I finished there, I made my way to Cincinnati to pick up my next load - Morton Salt. I was pre-planned on that load, and - to be quite honest - the process took longer than it should have, due to the fact that the broker didn't have everything lined out as they should have. It all worked out pretty well, though. On my way back through Kentucky, I made a stop in Florence, not only for some Starbucks, but also to have a bowl of Matzoh Ball Soup at Izzy's (if you recall, I dedicated an entire post to them several months back... I would post the link here, but unfortunately 3G is being very slow today).

It was good to see John at Izzy's again. The last (albeit, the first) time I saw him, was when he made my Izzy's 110 Reuben - which, by the way, was enough to feed myself and 4 other people, by the time it was completely consumed.

This load isn't due for delivery until 1330 Monday, so I think I will be taking a detour and spending a little bit of time at home. As for my next student (Randy), him and I will be getting together next week. He has some business that he need to tend to on Monday, and, even though I don't like doing this, we will be together for two weeks, then I go on vacation (and he'll go home), then we will resume his training in January. More to come on that later. As Sabbath approaches, I bid you all a good evening... may you all be blessed!

Day 334 (Going To Kentucky; A New Student)

I made the delivery in Hanover Park, IL this morning, then ended up waiting... but not for long. I did, however, get hit with a couple glitches. Originally I was to pick up in Milwaukee, WI and take that product to St. Louis, MO for tomorrow, but when I stopped for fuel (about 25-30 miles from the customer) I received a message to stay there - the load had cancelled. I waited a little while longer, then was dispatched on another load (from the same broker) which picks up in Burlington, WI (about 30 south of where I was) and delivers tomorrow in Richwood, KY... just south of Cincinnati, OH.

Yesterday I was informed that I am scheduled to pick up a new student (Randy from Marion, AR, which, as you may remember from the other day's post, is just north of West Memphis, AR). Delivering tomorrow in Richwood, KY could put a bit of a pinch on Randy's training, as it will delay my picking him up. I'll not worry about it too much, I know that HaShem has it all under control. I am hoping, though, if I do pick up Randy, that I get another load heading up to the northwest. He will then get some good mountain training... and possibly some snow training, as well.