I'm Back!! Well after a month without posting, I decided to start up again. I'll try it daily, but I may miss one here or there.
Today I started out in Lake Village, AR. It's a small town in Southeast Arkansas along the Mississippi River. Just a few miles north of Louisiana and west of Mississippi. There was a small truck stop there and that's where I finished up last night with a load coming up from Houston, TX.
A nice cold morning at 34 degrees, but clear skies. The sun was just starting to rise up from beyond the horizon when I crossed the US82 bridge over the muddy river.
Just a few miles into Mississippi, I turned north onto US61 all the way into Memphis, TN. Instead of heading east at Memphis towards Ohio, I crossed the river back into West Memphis, AR. I wanted to stop in to our terminal there and talk to the dispatcher.
I was thinking of swapping this load with another who may be needing to get to Ohio and I would take theirs south towards Florida. Just wanting to make sure that I get home for Christmas! After a brief discussion, she concluded that I shouldn't have a problem getting home in time. We'll see next week!
Back across the Mighty Muddy River into Tennessee and headed east on I-40. I stopped at exit 85 in Jackson, TN to grab a geocache, fuel, and lunch at Denny's. By 2PM, I'm back on the highway.
East on I-40 into Nashville, then north on I-65 to Louisville, KY, and then east on I-71. I finally decided to pull over into a Love's Travel Center near Carson, KY for the night around 8PM.
While the day started out clear and cold, it ended WET and cold! Chance of snow tomorrow in Ohio. YUK! Hopefully it will have passed by the time I get there.
That's it for now. See ya again next time.
Showing posts with label mississippi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mississippi. Show all posts
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
A Visit With An Old Friend
Welcome back friends. And speaking of friends, one of the advantages of being a truck driver is having an occasion to visit with friends who may have moved on to other parts of the country. Today was one of those occasions.
I woke this morning in Independence, MS, which is about 30 miles east of Jackson. I drove the short distance to Jackson and parked over at the Pilot Travel Center about 7:30 where I was finally able to get a shower. I was hoping to get here last night but my clock ran out.
After my shower I drove across the highway to the Flying J for some breakfast. There I was to meet an old friend whom I hadn't seen in 17-18 years. She showed up around 10:00 and we chatted over coffee and sweet tea. I had the sweet tea of course. It was good catching up, but we both had to get back to work. We said our goodbye's around 11:30 and I continued on I-20 westbound.
A quick stop in Shady Grove, TX at a Pilot with a McDonald's around 4:30 so I can get a sweet tea to go. My intentions were to go back to the truck and make a sandwich, but I couldn't resist the aroma of a burger so I got one of their 1/3 pounder Angus burgers too.
Then by 6:45 I am in downtown Dallas at the Sear's Distribution Center dropping my trailer. Picked up an empty and proceeded down I-35E south 11 miles to Lancaster where we have a terminal. That is where I sit now and will probably be until tomorrow.
So until then, thanks for stopping by and I'll see you out on the highways.
I woke this morning in Independence, MS, which is about 30 miles east of Jackson. I drove the short distance to Jackson and parked over at the Pilot Travel Center about 7:30 where I was finally able to get a shower. I was hoping to get here last night but my clock ran out.
After my shower I drove across the highway to the Flying J for some breakfast. There I was to meet an old friend whom I hadn't seen in 17-18 years. She showed up around 10:00 and we chatted over coffee and sweet tea. I had the sweet tea of course. It was good catching up, but we both had to get back to work. We said our goodbye's around 11:30 and I continued on I-20 westbound.
A quick stop in Shady Grove, TX at a Pilot with a McDonald's around 4:30 so I can get a sweet tea to go. My intentions were to go back to the truck and make a sandwich, but I couldn't resist the aroma of a burger so I got one of their 1/3 pounder Angus burgers too.
Then by 6:45 I am in downtown Dallas at the Sear's Distribution Center dropping my trailer. Picked up an empty and proceeded down I-35E south 11 miles to Lancaster where we have a terminal. That is where I sit now and will probably be until tomorrow.
So until then, thanks for stopping by and I'll see you out on the highways.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
From South Carolina to Mississippi
What a long day! I woke up this morning in Florence, SC and waited about 2 hours for the receiver to start unloading my trailer. After that I quickly received my next load assignment and by 9:00 AM, I'm heading south on I-95.
I get down to US301 westbound over to I-26 west to Orangeburg, SC to pick up my next load. I get there at 10:45 and at 11:30 I'm back heading up I-26 to I-20 westbound. I got me a decent long run this time all the way to Dallas.
At 1:00 PM, I make a quick stop in Augusta, GA for fuel and lunch. I'm trying to eat in a little more, so it's just a ham and cheese sandwich today. By 1:45 it's back on the I-20 heading west. Then it's NON-STOP ALL THE WAY to Independence, MS. I arrived here at a rest area at 9:45, just as my clock expired. And I'm tired!
A good day today, right at about 700 miles. Tomorrow I only have 432 to go to the consignee.
That's it for now. Good night!
I get down to US301 westbound over to I-26 west to Orangeburg, SC to pick up my next load. I get there at 10:45 and at 11:30 I'm back heading up I-26 to I-20 westbound. I got me a decent long run this time all the way to Dallas.
At 1:00 PM, I make a quick stop in Augusta, GA for fuel and lunch. I'm trying to eat in a little more, so it's just a ham and cheese sandwich today. By 1:45 it's back on the I-20 heading west. Then it's NON-STOP ALL THE WAY to Independence, MS. I arrived here at a rest area at 9:45, just as my clock expired. And I'm tired!
A good day today, right at about 700 miles. Tomorrow I only have 432 to go to the consignee.
That's it for now. Good night!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
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!
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!
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