STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Life Day 21184: Las Vegas Levity

July 12, 2005 on 10:13 am | In On The Road |

On the 11th, I arose at 0730. I was already at the Consignee because I drove directly here after leaving Barstow last evening. After I arrived, I remembered that I had been to this customer about 3 years ago. Only the name had been changed (to protect the innocent). There was a place to park directly across the street. After the morning MMM frolic, I checked in with the Recieving clerk for a door assignment. I was pleased to discover that this was now a drop/hook customer. I was in and out in 15 minutes. In the interum, the Planner had offered me a load which picked up in Oxnard, CA and delivered in Las Vegas, NV (93 miles empty and 327 miles loaded), with an additional stop for delivery, also in Las Vegas. After accepting it, while waiting for the Dispatch, I availed myself of their facilities for my AM toilette, and made a couple of P.B.J. sandwiches. I wanted to kill some time to let traffic subside. At 0930 I departed for Oxnard. Traffic was moderately heavy, but flowing smoothly except for the junctures with major freeways (ie: Ca-91 & I-5, I-5 & I-605, et al). The Shipper was a drop/hook as well. All went smoothly. They even had a place for the MMM to briefly play off-leash. I departed at 1230 and drove to Hesparia, CA (the junction of I-15 and US-395). I stopped here for lunch and, of course, a MMM break. Once again, the traffic co-operated. I left Hesparia at 1545 and drove to Las Vegas. I arrived at the Wild, Wild, West at 1930. After another MMM walk, I decided to go check my mail. It was still ‘blistering’ hot, so I decided to let the MMM stay in the truck while I got into the Jeep, and stalwartly braved the elements ‘mano e mano’. Upon my return, I went inside for dinner. After that, I decided to drive to the 1st Consignee to ‘jump-start’ my delivery in the AM (anything to alleviate part of the HORRIBLE morning commute). Serendipity intervened. As I was entering the parking lot, ( it was under construction, and a ‘bear’ to navigate), another truck was just leaving. I drove around to the recieving area and parked. Just as I was preparing for bed to await my 0800 delivery appointment, they came out and asked if I wanted to unload now. I jumped at the chance and backed into the assigned door. (Now, I’ll be able to avoid 100% of the morning commuter traffic, because I’ll already be at my final delivery location in the AM). I left at 0100 and drove to the 2nd Consignee. From the 1st to the 2nd customer was 10 miles (all surface streets) and the drive would have been HELL in the AM ‘rush’. I arrived at 0130 and went to bed. I worked 8.5 hours and drove 415 miles in 8 hours.
Today, the 12th, I arose at 0600. I wanted to see if the luck which I had last night was still holding (they begin recieving at 0600). I checked in with the reciever, but she said that it would be a while, as they had to first clear their recieving dock of the remnants of yesterday’s goods, and to allow those with appointments prior to mine to show up, so I guess not. At 0800, they said that they were ready for me (still 2 hours ahead of my 1000 appointment time). I backed into the door, brought my Log Book up to date (quite a feat considering the early delivery of Stop 1 last night), and cleared up some “odds ‘n ends” like calling the TA Truckstop headquarters to find out why a transaction that I made on the 5th (fuel in Lamar, PA) had not been credited to my account. I’m a member of the Road King Club (a frequent fuel program), and am supposed to recieve a 1 cent per gallon credit to my account every time I fuel, and a free shower credit if the transaction exccced 50 gallons. I can then use the accumulated credits (in $5.00 increments) to make purchases in the store or restaurant by using the Road King kiosk in any TA and printing out a coupon. Anyway, I digress. I was unloaded in 20 minutes. I left at 0900 and drove to the TA Truckstop. Ahh, home-time!! Now I can plan what I’m going to do until Friday at 0800. That’s when I set my PTA (projected time available). Doggie baths and trims, laundry, computer time, errands (like getting my *%#@ CD drive working and finding a WiFi card for my (Windows 98) Sony VAIO desktop, and oh yes, CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY!!