Memphis South to Mississippi

Woke up this morning after a great nights sleep. I was so tired by the time I was able to lay down. I stayed overnight at one of our company terminals in West Memphis. Before leaving this morning to cross the Mississippi River and deliver my load to the receiver, I checked in with the local dispatch to try and get an idea what was next for me. I still had a couple of hours before my delivery was due.

Anyway, because I am highlighted to go home this weekend she looked up the available loads headed to Florida. After I unload this morning in Memphis, TN, I go just a few miles away to pickup my next load at 3:00 PM. It's a short 212 mile run down to Jackson, MS. After that she sets me up with another pre-planned load going from Jackson to Marianna, FL. WOHOO! Closer to home! Normally I wouldn't be too happy with the back to back short trips (remember I get paid by the mile), but when I'm trying to get home it's to be expected.

So I leave the terminal and head out. I stop at the McDonald's there in West Memphis for you guessed it; a # 2 combo sausage egg and cheese McMuffin with a large sweet tea! Then I crossed the river, looped around the I-240 south and deliver my load. Here I was able to drop my loaded trailer and hook up to an empty. This is always a lot quicker. I send in my empty message over the Qualcomm (kinda like an onboard computer that most trucks have) and get back the info for my next load. I program the addresses into my laptop, send a copy of the map to my lovely wife via email, and drive the couple of miles around the corner to the next shipper.

While waiting there for a few hours, I look up some geocaches but there's nothing close. The nearest was 2.7 miles away and that's in a straight line! Using the roads, probably more like 3.5-4 miles away. I didn't want to ride my bike this time because it may be tomorrow before I get to a shower again. But at that shipper, I was able to drop my trailer upon arrival. So I checked the satellite image and it looks as though there could be parking nearby. So I bobtailed over there and found the cache. Hmmm. I didn't know there was a government earthquake research center in Tennessee. But that's where this cache was hidden. That's one of the things that make geocaching fun, finding interesting places. Anyway, back to the shipper.

They get my load ready at 3:00 PM. I hook up to the new trailer and head south on I-55. A straight shot on down to Jackson, MS 212 miles away. I arrived here about 6:30 PM. I dropped the trailer and went inside to turn in the paperwork. I'll be picking up my next load here also at 5:00 AM tomorrow so this is where I'll be sleeping.

First I go about a mile back up the road where there was a Flying J Travel Center. Order me an ice cream sundae to eat and drive back after I finish. That's about it for me today. See ya tomorrow over in Florida!