STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Life Day 21852: Sedentary in Salt Lake City

May 11, 2007 on 9:04 am | In On The Road, Travelblogue |

I know, I know, it’s been forever since I posted anything. This is due to connectivity problems. I have been traveling on “the roads less traveled” recently. Every time I have the time to update the BLOG, i’m stuck in some remote village where my wireless card won’t connect; every time I can get a connection, I don’t have time to post anything. Currently, i’m in Salt Lake City. I finally recieved a PrePlan going to Las Vegas, after sitting all day yesterday. Freight is still dismal here in the west. The New Years slump seems to be lasting longer every year.
Anyway, on with the chronicles.

Friday, April 27th:
I finally left Las Vegas about 1300 after picking up the Grandview, WA load. I drove to Ely, NV via US-93 north. I had dinner here, then walked the MMM. At 1930, I drove to Jackpot, NV, still on US-93 north, at the Nevada/Idaho border. I stopped here for the night. I drove about 500 miles.

Saturday:
I left Jackpot at 0900. Before I left, I stopped by a small market and bought a few things to cook in my microwave and Crock Pot. I drove to Ontario, OR where I took a break for lunch. I microwaved some Fetucine Alferdo. Yum Yum!! I then drove to Stanfield, OR where I took a short MMM break. next, I drove to the consignee in Grandview and did the drop/hook delivery. Being a weekend, there was no freight, so I drove the 8 miles to Prosser, WA to wait.

Sunday:
I sat all day today. Boredom set in quickly. I was staying in a Rest Area, but it bordered a truckstop with a ’strip mall’ across the street.
 
I chose the Rest Area because of the grassy area for the MMM.
About 1000, I put on some Kraut, Taters, Wieners, & Pork Chops in the Crock Pot. I walked across to the ’strip mall’ and browsed around for a while. In conversation with one of the store clerks, I found out about a winery that was about 1/2 mile away. I had some Pepermint Gelato and a couple of cookies for breakfast (hey, it contained most of the basic food groups recommended by the Government).   :>}   I then gathered up the MMM and we set off for the winery. We had a nice stroll taking about 1/2 an hour to cover the distance because of all the “investigation” along the route by the MMM. I was disappointed when we got there. I was expecting a Chateau on groomed grounds similar to those in northern California. What I got was a PreFab building, barely landscaped at all.

Much to their chagrin, I tethered the MMM to a decorative wagon outside the winery and went inside.

The tasting room was in full swing, but I didn’t partake.

There was a small Home and Garden Center across the street that was landscaped. 


After about an hour, we headed back toward the Rest Area. Along the route, the MMM tried to make friends with some horses in a field, but they (the horses) wouldn’t come near. Farther along, the MMM were taunted by some squirrels.

It was a nice outing. The MMM were exhausted after their walk. They aren’t accustomed to walking so far. The excursion killed a couple of hours. I vegged and geeked until my delicious dinner was ready. The aroma drove me crazy while I was waiting.
Later in the evening, I recieved and accepted a PrePlan which picked up in Wapato, WA and delivered in Nogales, AZ. It didn’t pick up until tomorrow, so I vegged and geeked a while longer and went to bed about 2300.

Monday:
I arrived at the shipper in Wapato at 1100 and spotted my trailer in the dock. I didn’t take long to load and I was en route again by noon. I drove to Stanfield, OR. I had lunch and walked the MMM. I then drove to Ontario, OR. I took a quick MMM break here. At 1845, I drove to the last Rest Area in Idaho on I-84 at mm-268 where I stopped for the night. I drove 11 hours today.

Tuesday (May Day):
I had no distress on this May Day. I left the Rest Area at 0900 and drove to our terminal in Salt Lake City for fuel and a break. At 1215, I drove to the MMM’s favorite Rest Area on I-15 at mm-88. They enjoyed a nice untethered romp and I re-heated some of my left-over Kraut and Pork. After this lunch/dinner, I drove to Las Vegas, NV. I took another break here, then drove to Kingman, AZ where I stopped for the night. Another 11 hour day today, this time covering 677 miles.

Wednesday:
I left Kingman about 1100. I drove to our terminal in Phoenix, AZ. I walked the MMM, had lunch, fueled, then left for Nogales about 1600. I arrived at 1915. I geeked for a while then went to bed.

Thursday:
Today was a “long” short day. I arrived at the consignee at the appointment time of 0900. I spotted my trailer for the ‘live’ unload. It didn’t take long. After I left, I drove a couple of blocks to an IHOP which had limited truck parking. I went inside for breakfast since I was utilizing their parking area. I had Stuffed Strawberry French Toast as part of their Sampler Breakfast which included 2 Eggs to order, Hash Browns, 2 Sausage Links, 2 strips of Bacon, and a strip of Ham. I had OJ and hot tea to drink. It was good and reasonably priced. I then retired to the truck to wait for a load. At long last, about 1700, I recieved and accepted a PrePlan which picked up in Miami, AZ and delivered in Coffeyville KS. I called the shipper and they said that I could park at their facility for the night. I left Nogales at 1745 and arrived in Miami at 2100. I settled in for the night.

Friday, May 4th:
After a smooth loading experience, I left Miami at 1030. This was a copper mine, so I had to watch a video about OSHA regulations, Emergency Procedures, and general Safety, and take a short test, before I could enter their facility. My route took me over US-60 east to Show Low, then US-77 north to Holbrook. It was a steady climb out of Miami, then a steep downgrade. Since I was hauling 45000 lbs plus, it was a gruelling trip until I got to Show Low. At the bottom of the hill in Salt River Canyon just as you enter the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, there is a Rest Area. I stopped there even though I had only traveled about 45 miles, to give the truck a rest and walk the MMM. I took them down by the river on their walk so they could swim (splash). Wolfie waded around, but Walter just stuck his front paws in the water to drink. After their walk, I took these pictures. 

Since it is on the Reservation, local Native Americans were allowed to sell their wares in the Rest Area. The bridge was built in 1931.

The river facing west is full of rapids, but is calm by the time it reaches the bridge.

There were 2 primary species of cactus here, neither of which I can identify with certainty.

The Pinion Pine i’m fairly sure, are native to the region. I doubtful about the Palm trees though.
After this pleasant interlude, I drove to our terminal in Albuquerque, NM where I fueled and walked the MMM. At 1830, I drove to Amarillo, TX where I stopped for the night.

Saturday:
I took today off. My load doesn’t deliver until Monday, and i’m only about 7 hours away from Coffeyville. I’d rather kill the time here than in Oklahoma City or Coffeyville. I don’t even know for sure if there is a place to wait in Coffeyville. Anyway, i’m rambling. I used my time off to get a PM service on my truck, then give it a bath. After that, I just vegged and geeked for the rest of the day.

Sunday:
I left Amarillo at 0900. I drove to Oklahoma City, OK. It was cheaper to fuel at the Pilot truckstop than at the terminal, so that’s what I did. I also had lunch and walked the MMM. At 1415, I drove on to Coffeyville, KS. I arrived at 1730. There was a miniscule truckstop here. Room for about 6 trucks. When I arrived, there were two others plus myself. The weather was overcast when I arrived. I vegged for a while in the truck, then inquired in the convenience store about a place to eat. The said there was a nice restaurant about 2 blocks away. I decided to walk over there for dinner. I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak, which wasn’t bad, but a far cry from Harris Ranch or Black Bear Diner. In the 45 minutes I was there the weather deteriorated rapidly. By the time I was ready to leave, there were Tornado warnings in the area, and there was a deluge outside. Just as I was paying my check, the power went out. Fortunately, I had exact change, so that wasn’t a problem. My second problem (walking back to the truck in the deluge) was solved when I was offered a ride by the bus boy. When I arrived back at the truck, it was still raining hard. I waited for a break in the weather to walk the MMM. I had to wait almost 2 hours, but the rain finally died down enough. I then went to bed.

Monday:
I arrived at the shipper a little before the appointment time of 0700. There were 3 trucks ahead of me, but it didn’t take long to be unloaded. While I was waiting, i recieved and accepted a PrePlan which picked up in Springfield, MO and delivered in Grantsville, UT. I left about 0830, and drove to Mount Vernon, MO. I stopped here for lunch. I called the shipper and they said that they were pretty much sticking to appointment times. I drove the rest of the way to Springfield, arriving about 1230. There were about 4 hours before my appointment time so I took a nap for a while. About 1800, I was ready to go. I drove to our terminal in Edwardsville, KS and stopped for the night. My 14-hour window had slammed shut. I stopped briefly along the way in a very peculiar place for a Flying J, Peculiar, MO, for some snacks to munch on later.

Tuesday:
I left Edwardsville about 1100. I drove to Percival, IA and took a break for lunch. At 1500, I drove to Big Springs, NE. I took a quick break here for the MMM. then drove to Cheyenne, WY where I stopped for the night.

Wednesday:
I left Cheyenne at 0930. I drove to Fort Bridger, WY. I had lunch and walked the MMM. At 1600, I drove to Grantsville, UT. I did the drop/hook delivery, then drove to our terminal in Salt Lake City. It was too crowded there, so I drove to the Sapp Brothers truckstop. It wasn’t much better there, but I did manage to secure a parking spot for the night.

Thursday:
I waited to no avail, for a load. I vegged and geeked all day.

Friday:
I finally recieved a PrePlan about 0945. It picks up here in SLC and delivers in Henderson, NV on Sunday. You have been reading what I did most of the day until my load was ready. At 1700, I left SLC and drove to the MMM’s favorite Rest Area at mm-88 and took a break. I then drove to Las Vegas where I stopped for the night.