12/7/09, Milwaukee WI Back To Chicago Then to Los Angeles CA

We arrived in Chicago at about 1215 Sunday afternoon. We took a call on the way into Chicago and they asked to pull a load out of Chicago to Memphis then an empty trailer to St. Louis and a load, on Tuesday morning to Atlanta. We agreed, to get a little further south and somewhat warmer. The load out of Chicago was to be ready about 2330 on Sunday evening.

We went to bed early to get a nap before we had to leave, it was about 1800 or so when we laid down. The phone rang at about 2130 and the load to Memphis had canceled. They asked us to pull a load to Cleveland Oh and I declined that one due to the ability for us to get into that facility so they had us pull a load to Paw Paw Mi, meet another truck, swap trailers with another driver from Detroit MI, and pull his empty back to Chicago. I agreed to make that move.

Our load to Paw Paw was ready about 0001 and we hooked to the loaded trailer, performed our inspection and headed to Paw Paw. We arrived there about 0315 and the other driver arrived about 15 minutes or so later. We made our trailer switch and turned back towards Chicago.

Once again, before we even got out out of Michigan, we were contacted and given a sob story about needing someone to pull a load to Milwaukee WI and an empty right back to Chicago. The load would be ready about 0500, by the time we got back to the Chicago terminal and we could leave right away. Dispatch told me that they had three other trucks accept the load and then give it back. Two of the drivers put their trucks down for maintenance and the third, according to dispatch, said he was out of hours. Again, we accepted the load.

The snow was falling pretty hard by the time we got into Indiana and the roads were getting slick. I was beginning to regret the fact that we had accepted the load, but oh well, we gave our word. By the time we got back to our Chicago terminal there was about 1 1/2"-2" of snow on the street and they were getting feeling pretty greasy. It was about 0630 when we got there and the load wasn't ready. I laid down for a nap and the call came at about 1130 that the load was ready...5 hours late.

We hooked the loaded trailer and headed north. When we got here we took another call from dispatch and were advised that if we would hang here, for a little while, and wait for a load back to Chicago, instead of hooking an empty trailer and going right back, that they would give a a load to Los Angeles, out of Chicago, tonight. We agreed to wait and they sent the load information. The load, out of here, Milwaukee, is to be ready at 2200.

We will leave here about 2230 or so, assuming the load is ready on time, head back to the Chicago terminal and, if the load to Los Angeles is ready on time at 0200 like they predict, we will head that way at about 0230. We shall see.

I have placed a map below so that you can see the route to Los Angeles out of Chicago. You'll notice that the route takes us south and west to I-40 rather than I-80 east to Salt Lake City then I-15 south to Los Angeles. The reason for this is weather. Dispatch runs us out of route like this, and pays us for the miles, to keep freight moving and not stuck in transit due to poor weather and or road conditions.


View Larger Map

From what I can see, the weather, and roads, in Flagstaff AZ is pretty nasty right now but I am hoping that it will have moved north east by the time we get there.


Hey, don't forget Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls. Just in time for Christmas. They are available now at Conservabid.com at the bargain price of $6.95 as an introductory offer and that even includes shipping to the continental United States of America. Check out the video.

For those of you that would rather have something other than a doll for Christmas or to give as a gift for Christmas, check out our T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at the links below.We have launched into a couple of apparel stores so that everyone can show their support of the 912 Truck. Click here to show your support, or go to www.printfection.com/912truck. For those of you that would rather have a hat or mug we have another outlet at cafepress.com/912 Truck. You can also use any of the donate buttons on this page to make a contribution directly to our endeavor to Waking up America.
Thanks for your support.


In God I Trust
Have a Great Day and a Better Tomorrow
ADW

To Atlanta, Then Back to Dallas, Then Chicago Tonight.

We arrived, as expected, at our DFW terminal in Irving at about 0130. We went to bed, promptly, after arriving and got a great nap. Nice and cool outside, no trucks or generators running, just quiet.

We got up about 0900 or so, got cleaned up and decided we'd have breakfast at Cracker Barrel. We are lucky enough to have one located just about 4 miles or so from our terminal and they are in an area with plenty of parking.

After breakfast, we went back to the terminal and just kinda relaxed. It was way too cold outside to do much so we just vegged inside the truck.

We took a call from dispatch at about 1600 or so and they offered us a Sacramento load and an Atlanta load, our choice. We chose Atlanta so that we could stay out of California. They hate trucks and when I left there I brought everything with me to Florida so I really don't have any reason to go back unless it is for a load when nothing else is available.

The Atlanta load was to be ready at about 2330. As usual, the load was late. It ended up being about 0045 before we got notification of the load being ready to go. I hooked and inspected the loaded trailer and went for my paperwork. Then I had to pull around to the fuel island and get fuel. I had planned to buy 205 gallons. I pumped the first 53 gallons, like the brainless wizard I seem to be at 0100, in the generator tank. I didn't want to do that but oh well. After I woke up and realized what I had just done, I pumped the other 153 gallons, in the correct tanks and then promptly dropped the fuel hose, in the on position, handled locked, on the ground and proceeded to pump another 4 1/2 gallons on the ground. Okay, so I'll take the d/a of the week award. so what?

I happened to have 20 lbs of oil dry in my tool box on the back of the truck, that I usually carry during the winter, for getting unstuck on icy parking lots. I used the 20 lbs of oil dry to clean up my unbelievably careless mistake and off we were, to Atlanta, but only after ruining a pair of boots, a pair of gloves and drenching my jacket and jeans with diesel fuel, and wasting 20lbs of oil dry. What a way to start a day.

We drove straight through, other than a driver change in Vicksburg MS, and arrived in Atlanta at about 1500 on Friday afternoon. It was cold in Atlanta too. Down to about 50 degrees of so and as far as I am concerned, anything below 68 is cold and below 60 might as well be freezing. I had chores though, so I put my insulated coveralls on and went to work. I just had to grease the truck is all but the ground is cold.

Dispatch contacted us before we arrived in Atlanta about pulling a load back to Dallas for another company. The load would be ready about 0400 and we had to go north of Atlanta to get the loaded trailer. We went to bed early and got up about 0130. I found an empty trailer to take to the customer facility and headed that way. by the time we got there, dropped our empty and hooked the loaded trailer it was about 0345 and we were on our way back to Dallas. Hutchins really is where we are going with this load. We will drop the loaded trailer and grab an empty trailer that is parked at the customer and head for our terminal in Iriving, about 22 miles to the north.

Again, before we ever got to Jackson Ms, dispatch contacted us and wanted to know if we'd pull a load to Chicago out of Dallas tonight. I didn't see a problem with that, other than the nasty weather, so we accepted the load.

We should be in Dallas about 1730 or so and the load to Chicago is to be ready at about 1700, so that should work out well. Our route out of Dallas and to Chicago will be US 75 to US 69 north to I-44E to St. Louis area where we will get onto I-55N and take that all the way into Chicago. There is a map posted here to show the route.
View Larger Map

Given the distance and the route, and if we leave Irving by about 1830,we should be in the St Louis Area at about 0630 tomorrow, Springfield Il by about 0800 and then in Chicago, if we don't make any stops along the way, by about 1200-1230 tomorrow afternoon.

We don't expect to get a dispatch out of Chicago for tomorrow but stranger things have happened. Our freight volume, despite the liberals obvious attempts to destroy our economy, has been unexpectedly high, so who knows what might happen.

Hey, by the way, did I mention Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls. Just in time for Christmas. They are available now at Conservabid.com at the bargain price of $6.95 as an introductory offer and that even includes shipping to the continental United States of America. Check out the video.

For those of you that would rather have something other than a doll for Christmas or to give as a gift for Christmas, check out our T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at the links below.We have launched into a couple of apparel stores so that everyone can show their support of the 912 Truck. Click here to show your support, or go to www.printfection.com/912truck. For those of you that would rather have a hat or mug we have another outlet at cafepress.com/912 Truck. You can also use any of the donate buttons on this page to make a contribution directly to our endeavor to Waking up America.
Thanks for your support.


In God I Trust
Have a Great Day and a Better Tomorrow
ADW

Off to Sterling Tonight

Well, we took a call, actually a message by Qualcomm, a bit ago from dispatch and it seem that they need someone to run to Sterling VA tonight. The load is to be ready about 2000. We'll see.

We accepted the load, more for something to do, rather than just sit around here. The Sterling facility is pretty slow for freight too though. My guess is that we will be sitting when we get there as well.

We will travel up I-85 north out of Atlanta to Charlotte and get onto I-77 North to I-81 and then take I-66 east to 28 N to the terminal off highways 606 and 28.

We should be there about 0800 and then who know what from there. I'll let you know when I know.

In the mean time be sure and check out Conservabid.com for our new Scream-n-Fling dolls. Released just in time for Christmas. Below is the infomercial for the dolls.