STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Life Day 21251: Breezing Through Barstow

September 17, 2005 on 5:04 pm | In On The Road |

To update the daily ‘diary’, I began the 13th at 0400 by performing the Daily Safety Inspection on my truck & trailer, then leaving the Denver Terminal & driving to the Shipper (also in Denver, but about 10 miles away). I arrived at 0430 did the drop/hook pick-up and departed Denver at 0500. I drove to Cheyenne, WY where I stopped for breakfast. According to “The Plan”, I encountered no traffic leaving Denver. As I was walking the MMM, I noticed a small herd of Antelope in a field by the Love’s Truckstop. Fortunately, the MMM did not notice them, so I hurried them back to the truck grabbed my ever-ready camera and took these pictures.

By the time I returned with my camera, they were already disappearing over the hill (evidently, they did notice the MMM and I). The Antelope in the center of the far right picture is the leader.
I left Cheyenne at 0715 and drove to Buffalo, WY. Buffalo is the town where my father was born, but it is now a ‘thriving metropolis’. He left in 1925. I personally, am forever greatful. I left Buffalo at 1245 and drove to Billings, MT where I stopped for the night. I’m still 4 1/2 hours from my destination in Havre, but this is the closest “civilization”. I’ll be able to leave about 0700 in the AM and still arrive on time for my Noon appointment. I worked 9.25 hours of which 8.75 were expended driving 547 miles.
On the 14th, I left Billings at 0700 and drove the 239 miles to Havre. I arrived at 1/2 hour early at 1130. As it turned out, the Customer wasn’t able to begin the unload until 1300 because 2 of the unloaders were out on a delivery and the other (the store manager) was at a Civic Luncheon. I used the extra time to eat lunch (Taco John’s), walk the MMM, and do some shopping. I bough some new “cold weather” insulated Coveralls. I bought a 2 piece set this time (bib overall pants and a jacket). My old winter gear “mysteriously” shrank since last worn (probably due to temperature variations in the truck) :>} I also bought a cresent wrench set and a pipe wrench. The Planner offered me a load which picked up in Great falls, MT and delivered in Fontana, CA (115 miles empty and 1199 miles loaded). The unload complete, at 1430 I left Havre and drove to Great Falls. I arrived at 1630. I had to wait over an hour for a door, then the ‘live’ load took another 1.5 hours. After loading, I weighed the load at the Shipper and discovered that I had enough “room” for 100 gallons of fuel. YEAH! I drove to the Flying J and fueled. By this time, it was 1930 and I had worked/driven 9.75 hours, so I decided to stop here for the night and get another early start in the AM. I drove 359 miles in 6.75 hours today.
On the 15th, I left Great Falls at 0645 and drove to Idaho Falls, ID. I took a 15 minute break here, then drove to our Terminal in Salt Lake City, UT where I stopped for the night. I took on enough fuel to get into California legally, then decided to attend the class for the changes to the “hours of service” rules which go into effect on October 1st. They mainly concern “splitting” Sleeper Berth time. The old rules allowed the manditory 10 hours off duty time to be split between “Off Duty” and “Sleeper Berth” in any combination. The new rules require at least 8 consecutive hours of the 10 to be logged in the “Sleeper Berth”. Of the 10 hours I worked today, I used 9.5 driving 554 miles.
I left Salt Lake City at 0815 on the 16th with only 9.75 hours available for the day. This means that I won’t be able to deliver this load until Saturday the 17th. Oh well, it’s an ‘open’ drop/hook delivery anyway. I drove to the MMM’s favorite ‘off-leash’ Rest Area at MM 88 on I-15 south. I took a short break here, then drove to North Las Vegas, NV where I had dinner. At 1600, I drove to Barstow, CA where I stopped for the night. I expended all of my available 9.75 hours and used 9.5 driving 562 miles.
I left Barstow this AM, the 17th, at o830 and drove the 72 miles to the Consignee in Fontana, CA. I did the drop/hook delivery and drove to Farmer Boy’s for breakfast. The MMM and I shared 2 Bacon & Egg Sandwiches with the ‘lions share’ going to me, of course. They are huge. Each Sandwich contains 2 eggs and 4 pieces of bacon. The Planner offered me a load which picked up in Ontario, CA and delivers Monday AM in Layton, UT. At 1300, I drove to Ontario, did the drop/hook pick-up then drove to our Terminal in Fontana for fuel. This load only weighs 27,000 lbs so I filled my tanks. After a leisurely stroll with the MMM, I left Fontana at 1500 and drove back to Barstow. I’ll drive to Las Vegas, NV later today and stop there for the night.