Friday, October 9, 2009

A Crazy and Confusing Day!

What a day today! I woke up around 3:00 AM this morning because the truck was idling really rough and I couldn't get back to sleep. Since I was parked at the T/A, at about 3:45 I gave up and drove it over to their shop bays to have them take a look at it. Plus the fuel filters were due to be changed anyway.

Well they changed the filters but the roughness was caused by the primer pump leaking. That problem they are not able to fix. I needed to take it to a Kenworth Dealer. OK, not a problem. I thought my next load wasn't until tonight, so I'll get it fixed this afternoon once I unload this morning.

Now that I'm wide awake and it's only 5AM, I decided to get my laundry washed. I had planned on doing it this afternoon, but now I'll be sitting at Kenworth instead.

Around 9:30, I drive 2 miles down the road to deliver my load. I dropped my loaded trailer and picked up an empty. By 10:15, I'm now driving into Nashville to get the truck fixed.

While I'm driving they send me all the load info for my next assignment. I get to Kenworth, drop my empty trailer in the yard and drive around to the shop entrance. There I check my messages with all the load info. I read that I'm due at the shipper on 10/08 at 2100 which I assume 9PM tonight. Then the last message I get says they changed the appt time to 1300. It's now Noon.

So I send a message back that I like the earlier pickup time, but I'm at Kenworth to get the truck fixed and will get to the shipper as soon as possible. And to please call me on the phone if anything changes because the truck may be inside the shop and the satellite will obviously not work. Then I walk inside the service dept to check in.

Within a few minutes I get a phone call from Joplin, MO. He asks if I was having a problem picking up the load. I explained that it shouldn't be a problem picking it up by the 2100 appt time or sooner depending upon Kenworth. He then says to me; "NO, that was 2100 LAST NIGHT, 10/08!, Today is 10/09! It picks up in two hours and you're 30 miles away."

I hate it when they do that! Send me a pickup time the day before my delivery appt for my current load. That always confuses me! So I said not a problem and left the shop to go and pickup the load of appliances.

I get to the shipper in Springfield at 11:45 and within a few minutes, torrential downpour! By the time I drop my empty and hook to the loaded trailer I am SOAKED! Pull it around to the security gate and it starts to let up. A mile down the road and the rain is over. Figures!

I head south on I-24 for an hour where I stop in Murfreesboro, TN for fuel and food. A quick McDonald's burger, fries, and sweet tea.

Still continuing south on I-24 about 15 miles out from Chattanooga, I encounter a 15 mile bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic jamb caused by several accidents. At least that's what's being reported over the CB by those going westbound. I didn't see anything by the time I got there about an hour later.

Once I get to I-75 southbound, it's all up to speed. Around the I-285 Atlanta bypass and return to I-75 southbound. I finally stopped tonight at 9PM at a truck stop in Patillo, GA, which is about halfway between Atlanta and Macon.

I'm just glad this day is over. Good night and see ya tomorrow!