STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Life Day 21272: Off To The Sticker Patch

October 8, 2005 on 9:45 am | In On The Road | No Comments

On the 5th, fully rested from my overnight run on the 3rd/4th, I left Phoenix at 1100 (I didn’t make it all the way to Kingman as originally planned. Either way, the arrival time in Las Vegas would have been basically the same). I drove to Kingman and took a break for an hour or so. I left there at 1545, drove to Henderson where the Recieving clerk was waiting just for ‘lil ole me’. The load wasn’t scheduled to deliver until tomorrow, but it was a load of cabinets destined for construction sites in the area, so they were more than happy to have them arrive early. After the unload I drove to the TA in Vegas and began my much needed TIME OFF.
On the 8th, I awoke at 0800 with a Pre-Plan waiting on my QualCom. The load picks up here in Vegas (CB Radio terminology: Sin City) and goes to Phoenix, AZ (CB Radio terminology: Stiker Patch) (12 miles empty and 309 miles loaded). I accepted it and am waiting for the load to be ready. It is scheduled for a 1500 pick-up, but will in all probability be ready much before that. This is a ‘Trade Show” load and they are usually quite punctual because of the JIT (Just In Time) nature of these types of loads. It delivers tomorrow at 0600. I did absolutely nothing of interest on my days off. Just basically ‘vegged’ and ‘geeked’ on the computer (for a change the WiFi connection was excellent here at the TA Truckstop). Oh yeah, I did get a room at the La Quinta on Thursday just to give the MMM and I a break from the cab of my truck. They enjoy their stays in motels even if all we do is ‘veg out’. It’s quality time with “daddy”. I was sorting my music files in Window Media Player, eliminating duplicate songs and arranging them into ‘genres’. I’ll wind up with about 3500 songs (the majority from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s) when I’m done with what I currently have. But then, I’ll never really be done. I still have all of my cassette tapes to ‘input’ and some ‘vinyl’ as well. A daunting task to be sure.

Life Day 21268: El Paso Encore

October 4, 2005 on 12:04 pm | In On The Road | No Comments

I finally managed to ‘nod off’ on the 3rd for a couple of hours before my load was ready at 1900. After picking up my load, I departed San Antonio at 1930. I drove to Fort Stockton, TX. I arrived just after the ‘witching hour’. Those 2 or so hours of rest gave me a ’second wind’. I took a long break, swilling copious amounts of hot tea and having a BLT on sourdough w/ Cottage Cheese in lieu of Fries. Sometimes nothing else will do but a BLT. I left Ft. Stockton at about 0300 and arrived in El Paso just as I detected Sol edging over the horizion in my mirrors. All along the route from San Antonio, I noticed ‘oddities’. First, there was a County Sherriff “working way too hard” around Junction. He was just releasing a truck driver when he did a U-turn and immediately went after a ‘four wheeler’. I stopped here briefly (less than 10 minutes) to walk the MMM. As I was re-entering the freeway, he was already after another driver. It’s refreshing to see such dedication among Civil Servants. Next, around Ozona, I encountered a small (Toyota type) pickup driving along the shoulder of the freeway with his left turn signal on, hugging the ‘fog line’. I had no idea what his intentions were, so I slowed down looking for a break in the line of trucks that were passing me in the left lane. The last truck in line noticed him as he was beside me and started slowing down too. Geeeze, I had to slow to 35 mph as I went past. The driver in the left lane should have accelerted instead of slowing down to clear the lane for me to move over. Lastly, there were too many deer. Deer make me nervous when I see them late at night. They are too unpredictable. Not being anywhere close to the upper echelon of mammilian intelect, they are just as apt to jump directly in front of you as they are stay in place or move farther out of danger. One in particular was just standing in the left lane. Fortunately he didn’t cross my path. Anyway, immediately after arriving in El Paso, I took the MMM for a ‘quickie’, then “crashed”. I’ll leave here later this afternoon after my manditory 10 hour rest period and drive to Kingman, AZ. I can’t quite make it all the way to Henderson legally, so I’ll drop the load tomorrow about noonish and take ‘time off’ until Saturday AM.

Life Day 21267: Sedentary In San Antonio

October 3, 2005 on 4:37 pm | In On The Road | No Comments

On the 2nd, I left El Paso at 1000 with a fresh 70 hours to work. I drove to Ozona, TX. I took a short break here to walk the MMM. I then drove to Junction, TX. I had dinner here at Cooper’s Family Bar B Q and Grill. I had Pork Ribs, Potato Salad, Ranch Beans, and Peach Cobbler for desert. I’ve eaten here before and it is consistantly good if one is in the mood for Bar B Q. I enjoyed my meal immensly, but not as much as the MMM enjoyed their bones. After dinner and a break for the MMM, I drove to Schertz, TX where I deliver in the AM. I arrived at 2030. I worked 9.25 hours and drove 536 miles in 9 hours.
Today, the 3rd, I delivered the load at 0800. The Planner had already sent me a Pre-Plan which picks up in San Antonio and delivers in Henderson, NV (23 miles empty and 1251 miles loaded). Naturally, I accepted it. It doesn’t pick up until 2100 tonight, so I’ve had to kill most of the day sitting idle at the TA Truckstop. I’ve tried to ‘doze’, but it’s not working. I’ll probably start getting tired about the time the load is ready. I’ll have enough ‘idle’ time to be able to show the 8 manditory hours in the sleeper and the 2 hours off duty before the load is ready, so I’ll have a ‘fresh’ driving cycle when I do pick up the load. I don’t know how far I’ll be able to drive, but I want to get out of San Antonio and past Kerrville before I stop.

Life Day 21265: El Paso Encampment

October 1, 2005 on 11:29 am | In On The Road, Travelblogue | No Comments

To continue with the daily travelogue, on the 26th, I left Stanfield at 1845 and drove to the Swift Terminal in Sumner, WA, which is about 1/4 mi. from the Consignee. I arrived at 2345 and went to bed. Of the 5.25 hours worked today, 5 were spent driving 270 miles.
The 27th, I arose at 0730 and walked the MMM. I had a Fruit & Walnut salad left over from yesterdays McDonalds breakfast, so I had that for breakfast today. I showered, then drove to the Consignee for my 1200 appointment. The unload took 1.5 hours, then I retreated to the Terminal to wait for a Pre-Plan. At about 1500, the Planner offered me a load that picked up at the same Customer where I had just delivered and went to Aloha, OR (0 miles empty and 165 miles loaded). I immediately called my DM and asked if that was the only load available, and if so, where my “back up” Plan was. Soon another Pre-Plan arrived on my QualCom which picked up in Portland, OR and delivers in San Antonio, TX (12 miles empty and 2060 miles loaded). NOW THAT’S MORE LIKE IT!!! I accepted both and went to pick up the 1st load. I left Sumner at 1700 and drove directly to the Consignee in Aloha arriving at 2000. I had to wait until my appointment time of 2130 because the store (COSTCO) was still open. I went into the store to ‘brouse’ and ate a couple of their delicious hot dogs for dinner. After the unload, I drove to Jubitz Truckstop in Portland because it is close to where I need to pick-up in the AM. Jubitz is another of the “old fashioned” Truckstops and has been in business for decades. Every ‘trucker’ knows about Jubitz. There is even a sign on I-80 somewhere in the middle of Wyoming that says “only 1023 miles to Jubitz”. ;>} I stop in occasionally, but usually when I’m in the Portland Area, I go to Troutdale because Swift has a Terminal there. There are 2 huge truckstops as well (a TA and a Flying J). I worked 6 hours expending 3.5 driving 172 miles.
On the 28th, I awoke at 0800 (the MMM let me sleep in). There was a message waiting on my QualCom saying that my load to San Antionio would not be ready until after 1300, so after taking th MMM on their morning constitutional, I went inside for a leisurely breakfast. Oregon is one of those Neo-Facist Nanny States which has banned smoking in Restaurants. They did, however, knowingly or not, offer a solution for this. They allow smoking in Bars. Jubitz just started serving a full restaurant menu in the bar. Problem Solved. I went into the ‘bar’ and ordered breakfast. I had Eggs Benedict, Hash Browns, and hot tea. After breakfast, I took the following photos.

When last I was here almost a 1/2 decade ago, they were expanding to include the Hotel and Mini-mall. They did a good job. The battery on my “ever-ready” camera died before I could take pictures of the interior. OOPS!! Anyway, I picked up the load at 1330 and drove to the Terminal in Troutdale to weigh the load, have lunch, and walk the MMM. I left Troutdale at 1430. As I was going through the Inspection Facility in Cascade Locks, OR (about 27 miles east of Troutdale on I-84), I was pulled in for a Level-1 (Vehicle and Credential) Inspection. I passed with ‘flying colors”, and was again on my way at 1700. I drove to La Grande, OR for a quick MMM break, then drove to Ontario, OR to spend the night. I worked 8.5 hours and drove 372 miles.
On the 29th, I departed Ontario, OR at 0945, the earliest possible time I could legally drive. I drove to Eden, ID. I took a 1/2 hour break here, then drove to ou terminal in West Valley, UT. I fueled, then put my truck into the shop for some minor repairs. A wire broke to one of my Marker lights on the front of my cab, and the remnant was too short for me to splice. They had to replace the harness. It took over an hour. Geeeeze, I’m no electrician, but I could do it in 15 minutes. Anyway, I left West Valley at 1515 and drove to a real nice Rest Area about 15 miles south of Moab. It’s small and picturesque, but oddly enough seldom full. I drove 635 miles today and worked 11 hours.
I arose early on the 30th (0630). The MMM & I took a long leisurely stroll around the Rest Area.

These 2 pictures are of the grounds.

These 3 pictures are of the same boulder on the back (north) side of the Rest Area from different perspectives. There are small trails around it.
Because there are lots of trees, shrubs, and grasses as well as associated fauna, the doggies went into “olfactory overload”. I think that between the 2 of them there wasn’t 1 sq. in. of the entire Rest Area left un-sniffed. After the stroll, I had a dry cereal (Crispix w/ no milk) and fruit (a bannana & an apple) breakfast. About 1000, I finally left and drove to Albuquerque, NM for fuel and another MMM walk (it was 6 hours driving time). Along the way, I stopped at Hole N’ The Rock (about 1/4 mile from the Rest Area). Since my last visit about a decade ago, this attraction has greatly expanded. On my last visit, there was just the “hole n’ the rock”, a cave converted to a restaurant and living quarters. The restaurant closed in 1955, but they have tours. No photography is allowed inside the cave, so I don’t have pictures of that. Now there is a “C” store, a Trading Post, a Petting Zoo, and assorted ‘bric-a-brac’ as well. I took a lot of pictures. Here are a baker’s dozen of my favorites.

The 1st 7 pictures are of the “stuff” around the grounds. Top photo: The Hole N’ The Rock (click on photo to see entire picture). Middle row (l to r): a little bit about how “hole n’ the rock” came to be, a weird Jeep, Pet Cemetary. Bottom row (l to r): Calaboose, Rusty Armor (sans knight), Hillbilly Lawnmower.

These 6 photos are of the Petting Zoo. Top row (l to r): Angora Pygmy Goat, American Miniature Horse, Wallaby(s) . Bottom row (l to r): Horned Shetland Sheep, Ostrich, Alpaca.
After leaving the “hole in the wall”, I drove another 15 miles to the Wilson Arch view area. (really blazin’ along today) and took these pictures.

From there, I drove to the Shiprock view area and took these pictures.

Doesn’t look like a ship to me. What I hate is when they tell you it’s a view area, but there are telephone lines that obstruct your view. Spend a couple of extra $$$ and bury the @&%# things so people can take the memory with them without the obsenity of obstructions.
Anyway, I finally left Albuquerque at 1730 and drove to El Paso. I worked 11 hours and drove 635 miles. Not bad for a ‘leisurely’ day.
Today, the 1st, I’m just ‘chillin’ in El Paso. I’m “encamped” here until tomorrow AM so that I can start off with a ‘fresh’ 70 hours. This is as good a place as any to waste time. Sure beats the H___ out of San Antonio. The new Hours of Service rules went into effect at midnight, and judging from what I overheard at breakfast this AM, it’s a good thing that DOT will not start enforcing them until Jan 1st. How can so few simple changes confuse so many people???? Of your mandatory 10 hours off duty rest time after 11 hours driving or 14 hours total “on duty”, at least 8 consecutive MUST be logged in the sleeper berth. HOW HARD IS THAT???? Geeeze!!!