Anniversary

Our anniversary finally fell on the correct day (The Saturday after Thanksgiving); but I alas was in Milford,CT instead of at home.  People in MA really needed to eat there beef.  If all goes well I should be out of this area before the main part of the storm hits.  Getting south of here will not protect me completely from the storm, but it should warm up faster than it will around here.

Arriving to Milford was a challenge.  You take I95 from NJ, drive across the Geo. Washington Bridge into NY, and stay on 95.  That seems simple.  Until you remember the narrow passages, 70 feet of truck/trailer, toll booths with less than 8" of clearance and the road keeps shifting to the left.  Cutting across lanes of traffic is always the joy of driving a big rig.  Jesse called just as I entered the bridge.  I told him to call back.  Now is not the time to converse!

There were Canadian geese on a grassy patch in NY.  It looked funny to see wildlife in the concrete jungle.

Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving, Dallas time as it is 12:05 AM.  It does not feel like Thanksgiving.  Not that I do not have plenty to be thankful about; however, I am in the small confines of truck 5748, I will not be home and the best food sampling I can hope for will be at the buffet line at the TA later today.

I received a card from my parents while I was in Dallas.  My mother mailed it on the 13th.  I will need to send her a letter explaining my new life.  Traveled through OK and AR in route to TN (I am in Denmark,TN), it was slow going in sections since I was on the back roads leaving TX.  The distance traveled today was not to bad, about 472 miles, great things to look at, but it still wore me out.  I have 321 miles to travel tomorrow.  Need to be in Louisville,KY before 7 PM

Yes I have plenty to be thankful. I saw hitchhikers looking very ragged. I see people in their cars looking lost.  The Lord has taken care of me and mine so much this year, yes I have of reasons to be thankful.  I still think of home.

Going to Dallas

My grad 2 status will end tomorrow in Dallas.  I hope this is good news because they have directed me to Dallas.  Most of the other drivers tell you to avoid Dallas so one is always a little leery. 

They announced on the QC if you sign up with Alliance in the month of December there will be no truck payments until January 09.  That could be good news.  Hopefully there is still the cash bonus being offered as investment capital. I have driven over 22000 miles in those 60 days, including taking 5 days off.  But I shall not count my chicks before they are hatched.

When I arrived in San Antonio this morning I got to a point where I knew I did not belong.  So pull my 70 feet over to the curb in a small residential neighborhood and begin the frantic pleasure of finding out where you are and where you need to be. The first Google maps had me on the wrong end of town.  When the QC sent corrected information, then it was a matter of about 15 minutes to the location.  I drove across one small bridge that said "Load Limited Bridge", but it did not state what the limit was, so I drove.  Just on the other side was a police officer.  He did not pull me over so I kept going!

What a concept in prayer.  Stop praying all about me and instead seek how the Lord may use you in his service.  Thank you Randy.

One more area of thought tonight.  Jean had warned me about being alone with my thoughts to much.  Usually I can handle what all is going on in my head, driving a truck keeps me very engaged most every moment; however, I still have attacks of extreme negativism.  I would love to listen to my iPod, but since it plugs into my hearing aids, it wipes out the hearing aid batteries a little faster than desired, so that will need a better solution.  There are many hours I drive without any other sounds, but sometimes I need great input to counter the garbage in my head.

Wash

I love it when a word means two really different things. Let us take WASH.  While driving in various parts I come upon areas marked ____ wash. Now if you take the first definition of the word and sub for the one listed, you have fun.  You learn where you can wash your peacock, your twins, rattlesnake, and Aster; however, can you wash your aster in public?

I am back in Fort Stockton, TX for the night before I head off to San Antonio in the early morning, about 3:30.  Spoke with former partner who has now decided to stay with Stevens.  He really needs a mentor, (don't we all!) who will get him to think.  I bought a quart of milk today and only drink part of it. Saving it for breakfast in the trailer.  Milk at 28 degrees.  AWW.

Will find out tomorrow where to next; hopefully back to California.  That would finish my miles of 20,000 in less than 60 days.  Life would be good.

Eloy,AZ

I reread the last blog titled "Trains", funny thing is I forgot to talk about them!  We were parked next to the railroad tracks in Gallup. They would blow the whistle just behind my truck as they past by.  With the hearing aids off, 53' of trailer at by back, I never heard them all night long.

Gallup to Sacramento/Modesto. Spent the night at home while truck windshield was repaired.  Then it was off to Salinas area.  I love some things about picking up in the salad bowl.  I think it is the fact it is close to home; however, what I hate about it is the really slow loading.  I was supposed to be loaded on the 20th but they did not finish loading me until the 21. LATE on the 21st.  Rather than take that load to Houston, which was due on the 23 at 7:30 AM, it was repowered from me in Gila Bend, AZ.  I took an empty trailer, traveled back to CA and picked up a beef load bound for TX.  Yes you read that right. Beef from CA going to TX. In reality I think it is beef from Mexico, processed in the US, going to TX.  So I am to be in San Antonio on Monday.  I have to drive 614 miles tomorrow, then 316 miles early Monday morning to arrive at HE Butt by 10:30 AM

Can anyone who reads this please email me any questions I should ask before signing the owner/operator agreement at Stevens.  Yes it is a business and therefore some risk, but they have structured the deal in such a way to reduce the risk as much as possible.  Anyone's thoughtful input would be appreciated.

Trains

I waited in Vega,TX for a repower.  The other driver did not look at the map, so he drove from Liberal,KS to Tucumcari,NM then back on I40 to Vega.  He arrived around 1AM.  So knocking on my door, get up, get dressed, drive forward, connect to the other trailer, turn it around, back into a tight corner and finally go back to sleep. 

The cold in the high country is driving animals south.  Along I-40 I observed something I had seen pictures, but never ones in life.  They are in groups along the fence line of the freeway.  That is great protection.  They cannot be hunted along the fence line of the freeway!

Two people, two different ways of conducting life.  The first was David Chontosh.  The most friendly, helpful, driver from Stevens I have ever come across.  He invited me into his truck for a moment, it was almost brand new with the latest toys on it.  What got me next was his statement, "Call me if you need any help, God has blessed me with the ability to help others and I love using that gift." WOW.  The second Stevens driver I meet in Gallup,NM.  Friendly, helpful; however, he started discussing how he falsifies his log book.  "Oh they don't monitor that, just the fuel stops..." I thanked him for his assistance and then fled.  He may have 9 months of driving on me; however, I have 30 years of life on him.  Falsifying your log book and then have an accident is a great way to go to prison.  I think I like David's idea better.

Skunk

Not really. Entering the small community of Genoa,CO there is a welcome to the community sign.  They also have sculpture work representing the wild game in the area.  It was snowing in this part of CO today, so the sculpture that was to look like a deer ended up with a large patch of snow on the back.  At first look, it was a skunk.

Alarm rang at 6, but it was just to dark and cold to go anywhere.  I waited until 7 (6 local time) and went into the diner to eat a hot breakfast.  I should have ordered steak and eggs or maybe an omelet, but I wanted pancakes.  I was disappointed in the quality once again.  It had not snowed a lot during the night/early morning hours; however, it was very cold and the snow was staying attached.  I have had a crack in my windshield for a couple of weeks near the right wiper, but after defrosting the window it is all the way across the windshield! The camera on the computer reverses which direction something is happening. You get the drift, the crack expanded 47" in about 1 second!

Chasing clouds

I left Fort Bridger late, (it was after son rise!) so Dallas got nervous; however, I sit here in Watkins, CO right where I need to be located.  With time to spare!  Anyway, as I am driving east on I-80 the clouds are casting a hard shadow on the freeway.  They are moving faster than I am so it appears that I am chasing the clouds.  I believe my mother would tell it is not the first time!

In the emptiness of Wyoming I observed ravens, but all the little birds were gone until I got to Cheyenne when I saw a few at the truck stop.  The wind was WOW today, even apparently blowing over a truck.  

QC sent me a message that I would be charged $50 per week because of an accident I had.  What accident? I called Dallas quickly to discover the information.  "You hit a dumpster while backing up to the dock in Livingston,CA"  I was in Livingston, but I did not back to the dock, nor did I hit anything.  Several minutes of this conversation later, ended with you have the right to appeal to the review board.  About 10 minutes later Dallas called back.  It could have been while you were picking up the load in Dodge City.  Oh wait you did not pick up the load in Dodge City.  I will need to investigate this further.  So at the moment... the penalty will not accessed pending further review.  I need to purchase a new digital camera to take photos frequently of my truck!

My load to Cleburne is going away and I am repowering a load to California.  Hope to have more time with family this time.

Fort Bridger,WY

Crazy days between blogs.  I was in Stockton on Sunday; however, I was hoping to be in Lodi on Saturday so I could spend time with Paula.  Instead we spent 30 minutes.  I am supposed to be home around Thanksgiving, so we shall see.  Delivered a load of frozen bread dough from Fresno to Portland.  Now I am going from Albany, OR to Cleburne, TX.  Traveling I-84 from Portland was a beautiful drive.  The weather was great in that it was raining slightly BUT NOT SNOWING! I  passed snow on the drive into Pendleton and one could see snow on the peaks driving from Utah to Wyoming; however, tomorrow it is off to Laramie with a peak of 8500 on I80.  I pray that the weather report is correct that calls for wind and rain.

In my reading, not as daily as I desire, I read EC 12:12. Part B is most interesting: "People are always writing books, and too much study will make you tired." Shelves and shelves of books, several of which were actually read, but the hard part was applying all that instruction/wisdom.  It is so much easier to read about someone else's achievement, someone else's great thoughts rather than actually put it to work yourself. A radio commercial by Kaiser talks about living and thriving.  How many of us settle for living, getting by, surviving; rather than thriving in a life with Christ.  

Observed a presumed homeless man with a dog at a rest stop while traveling north.  He had the usual cardboard sign; however, what crushed my heart was his face.  I could see tattoos on his legs through the hole in his pants, but as you got closer you realized he had a large mask tattoo on his face.  I cannot fathom the self talk to create that image of yourself.  It truly breaks the heart.

Dancing with tumble weeds

While driving from Fort Stockton to Willcox, AZ; the wind was rather intense at times.  Tumble weeds were blowing across the road one at a time; however, in one location there was a large grouping.  One in particular was interesting in that group since it was picked up by the wind and danced about 25 feet off the ground.  It then settled into the median and was blown further across the plains.  I will make it to California tomorrow, but I will not make it to my stop on Friday.  When I park tomorrow in Coachella there are still about 440 miles to Patterson.  I only have about 7 hours on my clock.  7*55 does not = 440.  In fact I will be one hour shy of the math to get me to Patterson.  Dallas has been informed, but I have not heard back from then yet.  So at 5AM I will be heading off to Coachella. I hope to avoid the morning rush hour in Phoenix.  

It is post election day.  The sun still rose, the sky was still lovely in the parts I was in today.  May it continue to be until the day of His return.

Stupid hinnie

"God you are awesome, thank you for protecting my stupid hinnie." Probably not a prayer you will find in a great book of prayers; however, I did not know what else to say at 60 mph while traveling down I-35.  The alarm rang on my phone.  I thought that was strange since it was 3:20 in the afternoon.  But when I looked at the time closely on the phone the AM/PM was wrong.  I had needed to get up at 3:20 in the morning to make from Segovia to Austin.  I had woke up and had gotten dressed, ate breakfast and made it to Austin with 15 minutes to spare.  

I will go to bed without the benefit (?) of knowing who is the president.  I am in Fort Stockton,TX and will probably turn on the computer in the morning to find out.  I do not think it will matter who wins, I feel in my heart my faith will be tested more in the next few years than in a long time.

Slow Fade, a song by Casting Crowns, is a great song because it makes me think.  "People never crumble in a day, it's a slow fade." The choices I have made over the years, were they from spiritual enlightenment, or crumbling?  And on this, the eve before the results of the election, is the direction of the country over all a slow fade to crumbling or on the verge of greatness in God?  I may not know the future, but I know who holds it.  

Reefer Madness

Received notice via the QC that "pets will no longer be aloud due to security issues for the food supply."  Use any reason you wish, "we have now established a no pet policy..." whatever, but do not wrap your new ideas around "security."  I know I work for a refrigerated carrier, we haul reefer units; however, someone has been out in the trailer with the doors a little to tight.

I am in Segovia, TX tonight.  For some reason I keep thinking of Princess Diary, the Kingdom of Genovia.  Will leave here around 4AM to head for Austin.  As I look out the truck window the grackles are preparing to roost for the night.  They are circling a field across the freeway with scrub oaks and small bushes.  They make noise all night long; however, it is not just one noise, it is an entire conversation.  If I had great hearing they would drive me nuts (to late isn't it?), but since I only hear less than 1/2 normal, I find them entertaining. 

I had a shower Friday in N. Palm Springs, CA, knew I would not be able to take one on Saturday in Deming, so I was looking forward to filling up in Van Horn,TX at the Loves where I could take a free shower. WRONG! "We are sorry but our restrooms and showers are out of order.  We have porta potties at the west side of the building."   Yes I needed to use the indoor plumbing by the time I got to Van Horn (or in this case the outdoor plumbing), but I really wanted a shower.  I get the privilege of discovery here in Segovia.  Shower and Laundry maybe?