Maine to The Carolinas & Washington D.C.

I’m sitting along an off-ramp at Dandridge, Tennessee about 30 miles or so east of Knoxville. There are no open spaces at the nearby truck stop, so I make my home here tonight on I-81. This is my second pass through the state in just ten days and among that growing number of states I had never visited before ... until just recently. Tomorrow morning I pick up a load at Chestnut Hill and head to Chambersburg, Pa. just a short distance from Gettysburg.

Since I last wrote I’ve been as far north as Skowhagen, Maine and down to Greer, South Carolina. Then it was back to Front Royal, Virginia, about a 90 minute drive from Washington, D.C. After my drop of Sterilite products in Front Royal at a Family Dollar Warehouse on the 18th I spent the next 8 days in the Washington D.C. area visiting with Mercedes. She treated me to a great time and chauffered me around to visit the sights and a few of the old neighborhoods where I lived as a young boy in nearby Maryland.

One night we drove into the city from Virginia passing on our left the John F. Kennedy Center and the nearby Watergate complex. To our right we could see the Lincoln Memorial and Memorial Bridge connecting the city with the main entrance into Arlington Cemetery. In the distance ahead was the Washington Monument. All were brightly lit.

Within a couple of blocks of the White House we parked the car and walked the short distance to the front of the “Executive Mansion" on Pennsylvania Avenue. I thought how small the President’s home looks when seen in person. Not as big I’m sure as many people imagine, but impressive none-the-less. A few people gazed through the large iron fence while others took pictures. A single protestor stood vigil across the street, sitting in a make-shift tent covered in a large clear plastic sheeting for protection from the weather. His cause I failed to note. Watching us close by was a "Secret Service" police officer. I knew he was Secret Service as that's what it said on the back of his jacket. I was struck by the number of uniformed police seen at nearly every street corner along the route from the Capitol building to the White House.

A few days later we would return to the city and spend several hours visiting Arlington Cemetery. Among our stops was President Kennedy’s grave and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. While there we watched the head of Russia’s Navy place a wreath at the tomb with an American Navy Admiral. Just before, a Navy band played the Russian Anthem and then our own Star Spangled Banner. After the wreath was placed a female Naval bugler played “Taps” while a large contingent of Navy Honor Guard and flag bearers stood by and then silently but precisely marched away. Within a few minutes we watched the popular “Changing of the Guard.” We also took a few moments to visit briefly the grave of Audie Murphy. In 27 months of combat, Murphy became the most decorated U.S. combat soldier of World War II. Later he would become a successful Hollywood actor and played himself in the highly acclaimed autobiographical movie "To Hell and Back."

Later in the day it was on to the memorials of World War II, the Korean War as well as the long black Vietnam War Memorial. Frankly I wasn’t as impressed with the Vietnam "Wall" as I had expected. I can understand those who were critical of it's design. The new WW II Memorial (pictured above) however was quite impressive and spacious with a large fountain in it’s center. It’s in a beautiful setting -- midway between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. At the end of our visit we stood at the base of the large seated Abraham Lincoln in the beautiful “temple” that honors him. As we left we rehearsed the scene from the movie “Forrest Gump” when Forrest spoke from the same steps we stood on.

After having been gone for so long (the last time I was in D.C. was in 1980), and especially growing up there as a boy, I had forgotten how beautiful a city Washington really is. Many of the government buildings are simply magnificent in their design and architecture. I was pleasantly surprised that the weather there wasn’t as humid and hot as it normally is. In fact I was reminded of the unpredictable weather we often experienced in Seattle. Rainy and a bit cold it was, despite it being August. That’s certainly not the “norm” for Washington D.C, but you won't hear me complain.

A Week in Willard One Night

I sit this morning in Willard, Ohio, about an hour or so drive west of Akron. I arrived last night at 7 p.m. eastern time after driving with only one short fueling and bathroom break for a straight twelve hours. My driver Manager phoned me along the way indicating the “consignee” was “chomping at the bit” to receive this load of 12 large paper rolls weighing in at more than 42-thousand pounds. But, When I arrived I found out I had an appointment time of 5:30 the following afternoon. To say the least I’m not a happy camper, especially in light of the fact that I could have stopped at one of two truck stops some 40 miles east of here. Instead I’m stuck here in a dirt lot among other disgruntled and waiting truckers next to the delivery docks. On top of all this my Qualcomm communication keyboard hasn’t worked for several days and there is no cell phone service here in Willard. But I suppose things could be worse.

In an attempt on foot to find a pay phone to make some calls, and finding none of three that would work for me, I happened along a local ice cream store. In an effort to relieve my frustration I decided to buy a large chocolate cone. When I saw how tall they had stacked the ice cream (a good 6 or more inches) I had expected a charge of three to four dollars and was pleasantly surprised to pay only $1.75. With my frustration only mildly tempered that was the highlight of my evening as I feel asleep early and woke at about 6:30 a.m.

The drive here past Akron on highway 244 was interesting as I passed through several small towns and, among the Ohio Amish people. Along the way I passed a make-shift Amish outdoor market. There sat dozens of their wagons hitched to horses with the hatted and bonneted men and women and their similarly dressed children busily milling about. The wagons loaded with fruits and vegetables. On the opposite side of the lot were the cars and trucks of the non-believers there to buy their goods. A couple of times I had to slow for a horse-drawn buggy along the way and passed others going in the opposite direction.

Since my last entry I’ve been to Oklahoma City and then went on to New Milford, Connecticut. I spent one of my best days ever visiting with a gorgeous latin girl who drove up from the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C. (350 miles) just to see me! (Who would have thought!). "Mercedes," who is unquestionably the new love of my life, or even more commonly referred to as my "girlfriend," and I spent most of our time visiting nearby Waterbury, Ct.

Waterbury is a beautiful and typical old New England town with it’s tree-shaded homes, narrow streets, a sprawling downtown park with a statue honoring it’s Civil War soldiers. An attached plaque contained the following inscription: “In honor of the patriotism and to perpetuate the memory of the 900 brave men who went forth from this town to fight the war for the Union. This monument has been erected by their townsmen that all who come after them may be mindful of their deeds and fail not in the day of trial to emulate their example. 1861-1865” Waterbury has become one of my all-time favorite towns and Mercedes and I hope to visit there again soon.

Eight days ago, as I passed through Akron on my first trip in many years to the northeast, I spent an evening with my cousin Judy and visited her mom and dad, my aunt Mary and Uncle Eli. It was a pleasant but brief reunion with those I hadn’t seen in about a dozen years. Then, just this past Tuesday, I spent a similar afternoon and evening visiting a number of my cousins who I hadn’t seen for 20 years or longer in Clearfield, Pa. Clearfield is where I was born and the source of many fond childhood memories with my large family of aunts, uncles and cousins. While there I visited the cemetery where my father, grandfather, great grandparents and many of my other relatives are buried.

I had hoped this job would allow me to see the country and to visit friends and relatives I hadn't seen in years. So far, so good!

Wal-Mart Country

I’m parked at a Pilot Truck Stop in Springdale, Arkansas, just down the road from Bentonville and the Wal-Mart Distribution Center where I make my next delivery tomorrow morning. My load is nearly 37,000 pounds of mens and ladies watches. A "high value load" as they're sometimes called. Bentonville also happens to be where Sam Walton opened his first Wal-Mart store in 1962 and where the world's largest retailer is headquartered. The original "five and dime" store pictured above now serves as a Wal-Mart "Visitor Center" in Bentonville.

I arrived here at 1:30 this afternoon. After an hour or so visiting the truck stop store, updating my log and a bit of tidying up my small surroundings I laid down for a nap and just woke. Matt Drudge talks on the radio.

The last several days have come pretty early for me with not as much sleep as I should have overnight. Last night I watched a DVD on my laptop. It’s the first time I’ve done that since my truck driving career began. I’ve either been too tired, didn’t have enough time, or just plain not interested to do so previously. I bought “The Legend of Bagger Vance” several weeks ago and had never seen it. It’s unlike me to buy a movie unseen but I’d always thought it to be my kind of movie and I wasn’t disappointed.

I drove across the Oklahoma/Arkansas state line early this afternoon. It’s the first time I’ve visited the state. No Clinton signs anywhere but I was greeted in the border town of Siloam Springs with American flags displayed on every light post along the south side of the street spaced about 30 feet apart. I’m guessing I drove for four or five miles along highway 412 through the entire town with not one light post missed. Businesses along the route also with their own flag poles, displayed state and other flags along with "Old Glory." It was quite an impressive sight. I’d like to write the city council a note of appreciation and thanks for their display of patriotism.

I loved the large billboard I saw as I crossed into Oklahoma from Texas, “Welcome to Tulsa Time” You’d have to be a country music fan to appreciate that.

Just North of the Border

Hard to believe that August is already upon us and summer is about to wind down and give way to cooler temperatures, at least in many parts of the country. But let's not be too premature, there’s still the next 30 days as well as September and maybe part of October to enjoy. Maybe I can stay down in the southern part of the country and not see any snow or temps below 60 all winter long! I doubt it though.

I’m in Mexico! At least it feels that way. Everywhere I go I see signs in Spanish and everyone I hear seems to be speaking the same as I await another assignment. I just completed a 340 mile trip from Phoenix to the “Otay Mesa” area south of San Diego. Even further south yet of National City and Chula Vista! Heck I’m so close to Mexico even the Border Patrol checks me out as they pass. I saw a border patrolman on a four wheeler a few hours ago arrayed in a camouflage helmet and combatish green outfit with holster ready to do battle. He passed my parked truck seeming to be on the lookout for something or someone outside Swift’s Otay Mesa Terminal on Calle de Linea (that’s the name of the street).

So, here I am back in California again and only about a mile and a half from the Mexican border. Tijuana lies only slightly further. As I drove through southwest California I saw quite a few Border Patrol vehicles (cars and pickups) and even a few helicopters skimming the desert border. Out in the middle of nowhere along Interstate 8 I slowed to a near-stop but was passed on through at a “Border Patrol Check Station.” All of this no doubt part of Homeland Security and immigration control. I’m in the “thick of it” here! The photo above is a section of border fence not far from where I sit.

My cargo that brought me to the southern-most reaches of California? Nearly 850 fifty pound bags of “Pizza Flour!” With the pallets and packing material the total load came in at 43,645 lbs. When I opened the doors on the trailer to make the delivery they were all still neatly stacked on their 17 pallets just as they were when I closed the doors adding the lock and seal at their origin. It was a smooth drive all the way.

I spent the night last night about 70 miles north of my destination along I-8 at the “Golden Acorn” Casino and Truck Stop in Live Oak Springs, Ca. courtesy of the La Posta Indian tribe. I’ve never heard of them and it’s likely they’ve never heard of me. Since they didn’t have a Craps table, and especially since I didn’t have the money, I didn’t play. I looked at the one wall full of pictures of their big winners and admittedly envied the California man who a couple of years ago won a cool $1,950,000 on one of the Casino “Wheels of Fortune” machines. Why couldn’t that be me? One reason, I don’t play the slots!

After looking around the truck stop store in the connected facility I stood by watching a few hands of Blackjack before venturing back to my parked truck. Once cozied up inside with the “privacy curtains” drawn (just like they are now) I made some bologna sandwiches with a fruit cup and enjoyed a few bites from a chocolate bar washed down with Lemon-Lime Gatorade. Man! This is living!

I thought late this afternoon my next assignment would be a “High Value” load destined to a Wal-Mart facility at their home town of Bentonville, Arkansas. But all of a sudden it wasn’t to be. A 1670 mile trip here one minute, along with feelings of ecstasy, and then an hour later ... gone! A long story, good for telling in person. Life’s not fair, but who ever said it would be?

I had planned to be on the road by 9:00 tonight after sitting here since 11:00 this morning, but now it looks like I might be spending the night on a street outside the terminal. I won’t be alone though as I’m in good company with about a half dozen other trucks, with and without trailers, parked in the same area. Ask me too about making the wrong turn less than a half-mile from today’s destination. Thank goodness, tomorrows another day.

Sign of the Day: “Caution: People Crossing On Road” (Along California’s 8-Lane Interstate 805 - Southbound near the Mexico border).

By The Time I Get To Phoenix

Well here I am finally in the "Valley of the Sun," Phoenix, Arizona and my tractor parked at the company headquarters. I have once again learned that it isn’t always “what” you know but rather “who” you know when it comes to getting what you want. This truism was evident in my more than three-week effort to get down this way with several near-misses.

I’ve spent the weekend here in the Phoenix “burbs” having arrived early Friday evening amidst all the news about the two T.V. news helicopters that collided here earlier in the day. Rather than deal with the unknown parking situation at the terminal on a weekend night, and wanting to make the trip to pick me up as easy as possible on my various hosts, I chose to drive beyond the headquarters facility to the nearest Rest Area some 30+ miles further down I-10, half-way it seemed to Tucson.

Since arriving, with more than two days to spare before my scheduled delivery, I’ve visited with friends and family and spent two nights sleeping in a regular bed, although my niece Zoe’s was a little short. I also managed to get a much-needed haircut. I’ve seen some relatives I haven’t seen in more than a dozen years, many of them just young kids the last time I saw them. Now they’re married with young families of their own. Clearly the next generation has a firm foothold and is about to take over.

Last night I stayed in my truck and after resting only three hours was on my way to a five a.m. delivery of my 45,600 pound load of bottled water. The shipment originated in Stockton, Ca., and was picked up Thursday morning at nine a.m. with the final destination a local “Sparkletts” distributor here in Phoenix. The more than 700 mile trip was uneventful but I did enjoy some more unique sights and experiences along the way. Among them, crossing the treacherous “Grapevine” a mountain pass along I-5 100 miles or so south of Bakersfield. A major route between northern and southern California the pass is located at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley. Along the way there were plenty of trucks, lines of them traveling in both directions. As we neared the bottom of the long, steep downhill grade semis were limited to a speed of 40 mph. Finally and suddenly at the bottom, you find yourself in the community of Valencia and the "Magic Mountain" amusement park a short distance to the west and just 26 miles from Los Angeles. Time to change the radio to my favorite oldies station, K-EARTH One-Oh-One!

The company headquarters is everything I had imagined. A complex of 11 modern buildings. A “Driver’s Center,” 9 or 10 lanes for fueling up, and of course “Building 1,” where the “Administration” hangs out. I spent a wad at the company store this morning, buying several shirts and also a number of tools to help me in my job.

The weather here has been just as expected ... HOT! Although “cooler” than recent temperatures it was still in the high 90’s and up to 104 degrees during the day, “not bad” the locals say. On Saturday I saw a distant dust storm in the area and was glad that we weren’t in the midst of it. Onerous looking to say the least!

I’ve now driven more than 21,000 miles since hitting the road with my mentor and more than 7500 miles since going solo 32 days ago. Where I’m headed next? Who knows?

Stuck in Sumner

Well it could be worse, I suppose. I could be stuck in Lodi as “Creedence” sings about. I’ve been through Lodi, California recently and no offense, but there’s nicer places. The song however seems to closely fit my situation, ‘cept the Lodi part.

"Just about a year ago, I set out on the road,
Seekin’ my fame and fortune, lookin’ for a pot of gold.
Things got bad, and things got worse, I guess you will know the tune.
Oh Lord, Stuck in Lodi again."

Having just recently received my own truck I’d noted with my driver manager before I left Lewiston that it appeared to be near it’s required 30,000 mile periodic servicing. She put it off saying to let her know when it was past the 120-thousand mile mark. She couldn’t set up an appointment, I was told, until it had reached that magic number. (At the time it had just over 118-thousand on it’s odometer). So with the passage of time as well as a number of miles I finally had an opportunity this past Friday to have the work done when I arrived here at the Sumner, Washington terminal for a log book class, required of all new drivers.

I checked in with the service department and after they scanned the records on their computer system, it turned out the truck is more than 6,000 miles past due for servicing. The service writer told me they couldn’t allow me another trip until the truck had been serviced, and initially indicated it probably wouldn’t be done until Sunday. Bottom line, we should have had the truck serviced when I initially brought it up with my DM. The reality ... they didn’t get it finished until this afternoon ... it’s now Monday. So, here I was ... stuck in Sumner for the weekend. I did spend some time with both my youngest boys on Thursday night and Friday, but their busy lives along with wants and needs has limited our time together. Meanwhile on Saturday and Sunday a couple of different friends came and picked me up for eats, refreshment and company. Now with Monday evening fast approaching I’m without an assignment and not sure when I’ll get one. If not late this afternoon, no doubt tomorrow morning sometime. So, here I am, still stuck in Sumner.

Terminals are places where Swift conducts it’s business with it’s drivers. There are more than thirty of them scattered around the country. There you’ll find terminal and fleet managers, driver managers, safety people, trainers, shops for maintenance and repair, receptionists to greet the public and other support staff. It’s a place for drivers to relax and to park their trucks knowing they’ll be secure. You'll also find lots of trailers, either empty ones or those waiting transfer to other locales. There’s a driver lounge which can vary greatly in size, comfort and amenities with televisions also of varying dimensions depending on the terminal. There’s sinks, coffee pots and microwaves for preparing meals and vending machines as well as coin-operated washers and dryers. In fact I did my laundry (one load of color, one of whites) just last night. There are class rooms and other offices and there are “drop boxes” where drivers leave the paperwork in designated envelopes for their completed trips. Without submitting the paperwork drivers won’t get paid.

The Sumner terminal is one of the nicer ones I’ve had the opportunity to visit (not perfect, but nice none-the-less). It’s a newer facility with a large bathroom and several showers. The required log book class was timely with a good instructor who answered a number of questions I had wondered about since going “solo.” Keeping a legal log book is one of those time-consuming “pains” of being a long-haul trucker. I understand the D.O.T.’s reasoning, but they’re still a major nuisance. Kind of like a diary every quarter-hour of every day has to be accounted for, as it occurs. There are four categories for your entries. “Off Duty,” “Sleeper Berth,” “Driving” and “Off Duty (Not Driving).” If you get stopped by the State Patrol, or at a state Inspection or Weigh Station, and your log book is not up to date it can cost you literally hundreds of dollars in fines. If you find yourself involved in a serious accident, regardless who’s at fault, how you have entered your last “Change of Duty” could be the difference between spending the night a free man, or in jail. It can be that important! So, if you’re like me, and always wondered what those truckers were dutifully doing with pen in hand, as they sat behind the wheel of their stopped truck, wonder no more! They’re no doubt updating their log book.

My latest trip from Tracy, California to nearby Puyallup went fairly well. I actually got to drive the greatest majority of it on the Interstate, northbound on I-5. I drove over, for at least the second time, the “Veterans Memorial Bridge.” It’s a huge high level roadway spanning a section of California’s Lake Shasta. Far below one could see dozens of large houseboats as well as other pleasure craft. It was quite a sight from that high vantage point. Unfortunately it was raining steadily that morning and I could imagine the vacationers weren’t enjoying their time on the water quite as much as they had hoped. Later that afternoon I climbed northern California’s “Anderson Grade Summit” and experienced one of the worse downpours I’d ever witnessed. The storm, less than 20 miles south of the Oregon border, included everything a good rain storm is known for, heavy rain with hail, rolling thunder and lightning. Some cars and vans pulled over to wait it out, while others, like me, crawled ahead with headlights on. In my rearview mirrors I could hardly make out anything except the occasional faint traces of headlights from cars behind. The temperature dropped from the low 80’s to 61 degrees in just a matter of minutes. I don’t believe, that during this short trucking career of mine, I’ve seen daytime temperatures as low. It was pretty nasty, with limited visibility and my wipers running at full throttle, but the truck got a needed washing and I doubt there was a bug to be seen anywhere on the mirrors or front end, where they often congregate, by the thousands!

I spent that evening, Wednesday night the 18th, at the “Seven Feathers Casino, Hotel and Resort” located near Canyonville, Oregon and about 25 miles south of Roseburg. I parked my truck about a mile distant at the Seven Feathers Truck & Travel Center all part of the same complex which included free shuttle service to the casino. The casino and other buildings encompassing the “resort” as well as “RV Park” were first class. Unlike several of the Indian casinos I’ve come across in other recent trips across Oregon this one had a Craps table, and that my friend is my game of choice. Admittedly I couldn’t resist and after several hours I gave back all the winnings -- plus a little more -- of what I had acquired a week or so earlier while spending my 34 hour reset at a Sparks, Nevada truck stop. Easy-come, easy-go as they say, but there’ll be other days! And despite the loss I slept well that night at the truck stop.

I’m hoping they’ll get me down to Phoenix within the next week or so. There I’m planning to spend a few days visiting friends and family and check out the company headquarters. Got to save a little money for my visit to the company store as well. I’m looking forward to it, despite the current temperatures well past 100 degrees. More, as the story unfolds ...

A Day In A New Life

(Here’s an entry written several weeks ago, recently discovered but one I overlooked posting. Just a little something written on my second day out).

It’s 8:30 a.m. Saturday June 30th and I’m 335 miles into my first loaded trip as a solo driver. My rig is a 2007 Volvo VNL 670 with a 400+ horsepower Cummins Diesel engine. My destination is Sparks, Nevada, and I’m about half-way there. I’m just south of the small town of Jordan Valley, Oregon as I slice through the southwest corner of the state. My route takes me from Lewiston south on highway 95 and then west on I-80 at Winnemucka, Nevada. It’s an easy, uncomplicated trip.

After hooking up a trailer late yesterday afternoon at the Lewiston terminal I only have to drop it off at our Sparks terminal outside Reno. A “T-Call” as it’s referred to, meaning another driver will pick up the trailer and deliver it to it’s destination. In this case a Longs Drug Store distribution center in Patterson, Ca. A lot of people will have me to thank when nature calls and they partake of their share of the 21,732 lbs of “Bathroom Tissue” I’m carrying.

I’ve run out of hours per D.O.T. regulations. After taking a “nap” break near Parma, Idaho of 4 1/2 hours I hit the road again only to realize I had just a couple of hours left of the 14 hours of “on duty” time I’m allowed. I had no choice, I would have to take a 10 hour break. I would have been better off had I just stayed where I was in Parma and taken my entire 10 hours there. As it is, the clock starts all over again from this stop. Being a rookie, I’m allowed some mistakes, besides I’ve plenty of time to complete this trip and I can use the time for rest and to relax a bit.

So here I am hidden behind my cab curtains along a wide spot on the road and plenty of time on my hands. I’m out of range for making cell phone calls, which would help wile away the hours. It’s 81 degrees outside and my ACs on with the remote-controlled radio tuned to an oldies station playing the Guess Who’s 70’s hit “No Time.” My laptop is powered through a 450 watt inverter that converts the 12 Volt DC in-cab power to 115 AC for home appliances etc.

I’m driving a less than one year old Volvo tractor with a little more than 100,000 miles. As I get some mileage behind me I’m learning the best way to organize and stay organized in my confined quarters. One things for sure, if you don’t constantly keep straightening after yourself you could quickly get disorganized. Just as Brigham Young once said, “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place.” Reminds me of the small camper trailers I would sleep in with one of my ex brother-in-laws, only my home is even smaller! That same brother-in-law is celebrating his birthday today and I reminded myself last night that I’ll want to give him a caall today. He was born on the exact middle day of the century, so you can figure out his age. I’ll only tell you he’s ALOT older than me!

One disappointment with my new truck is that it doesn’t allow space for a refrigerator. One can adapt by sitting the fridge on the passenger seat using bungee cords to secure it, but that’s not my style. As my son Sean would say, “I don’t roll that way!” But I’ll have to figure out something so I can store at least a small amount of cold foods.

------------------------------

It’s 12:35 in the afternoon now and after some rest in my bunk I’ve woken and visited outside of the rig. My in-dash temperature guage says it’s 85 degrees outside, although I would have thought it maybe a bit warmer. The truck has been idling for the entire morning to keep me cool. I’m not sure how much fuel I’ve used while sleeping, but I’m glad I’m not an owner-operator. I forgot to reset the meter on the readout to give me an idea, but I suspect I’ve burned a couple of gallons. I’ve slept well and maybe woke up momentarily twice the last few hours. My mattress is comfortable but not the quality pillow-mattress my mentor had in his truck. I’m hoping to rectify that in the next few weeks.

I can’t believe I’ve been so lucky to get through these last couple of months fairly unscathed and with a bright, shiny new rig to do my work. In a few more hours I’ll have rested the required ten and I’ll be on my way once again. I expect I’ll arrive at my destination around 1 a.m. in the morning. Where my next assignment will take me, I have no idea...