Just When You Think its Done...

Well I've had enough winters out west to know that March does not mean winter's over. However, one would start to hope that maybe its thrown the worst at you, and indeed, maybe it has!

After a couple of days in California we were loaded up and heading out, on our way to Buhl, ID for Monday. We left Friday late afternoon. The morning's beauty and springlike weather had phased over to cloudy and drizzling light rain by the time we were finished loading.

If you've not had the pleasure of experiencing traffic in California, let me go ahead and clue you in before you head out to do that. Generally speaking (outside of the LA and San Fran areas) its not too bad except for "rush hours," but that can be said for any city really...mostly.

But come Friday afternoon...say around 3:00...you do NOT want to be trying to leave California on I-15 or I-80. Reason being is....in the south, all the Californians who live within the Los Angelas area leave early from work and they ALL go to Las Vegas for the weekend. Further north, everyone who lives around San Francisco and Sacramento make their way across the Sierra Nevadas to the skiing areas or to Reno for some weekend gambling away of their paychecks.

The same can be said for traveling on Sunday evening, because they all have to go back to work on Monday morning. Thus said, you don't want to be trying to enter California on either of those routes on Sunday. Trust me...we've done it too many times. I know. Listen to me...I'll save you many hours of sitting in traffic.

That said...

...so we left our pickup in Lathrop, CA (that's just south of Sacramento) on Friday late afternoon and traffic was of course horrible, and it was raining which put everyone in a bad mood. It seemed heavier than usual for some reason (the traffic not the rain) for a Friday afternoon.

We soon found out why. Despite the wonderful warmth of the valley, the cold still clung to the mountains. It took us a couple hours to get into the lower mountains, but it was still just raining. However, 30 miles ahead of where we were at, everyone was having to chain up, and stay chained for about 40 miles to get across Donner's pass. It was pouring down rain, and that's putting it lightly. The very idea of chaining up was insulting after spending several glorious days in the warmth, even having to break down and use the AC! And then to think of chaining up in the pouring rain...just not interested.

So we joined a group of about 3 trucks who were protesting the chain up and parked it on the side of the road till morning and the end of the storm, which we hoped would bring about the lift of the chain law and maybe also a relief from the traffic.

By 10:00 the next morning...no such luck.

As you can see, traffic was not any lighter. It was crawling even slower than the evening before. I guess everyone heard about the fresh snow, and we overhead on the CB that they usually get their last snow up there around mid-March (thank you Lord!) so maybe they all wanted one last ride down the slopes. I can understand but it sure was aggravating!

The good part about all this traffic...if there was one...was that it held us up long enough that by the time we got to the place where chains were required, all the snow had melted off the road and everyone could roll on through chain free. The only silver lining to a very gray cloud.

Anyway, we made it to Buhl yesterday evening, ate at an Arctic Circle (its like a Dairy Queen type place) which was the only thing we could find open in town on a Sunday evening, and then kicked back to wait for Monday morning.

We are now unloaded, reloaded, wheat tested, and heading to Ogden, UT, a scant 150 miles from here (Pocatello, ID). And then we're loading salt and heading to Billings and home.

Most of you know the routine when we're home, but since I have some new friends on here I'll review it. Our internet signal at home is sketchy at best. I sometimes attempt to log on and post something, depending on how long we're home for, but its usually brief and picturless. So if you don't hear from me for a while, don't write me off for dead! I'll be back!

This trip home, we've discussed it and its almost official...we're thinking a week and a half is justified. Won't that be marvelous! And then the icing on the cake....Malcolm's bulldozer (housed at the in-laws ranch) is supposed to be finished having its tracks repaired today. So we are heading to the ranch for a couple days so he can clean out the lot for his dad before calving starts full swing. That means I get to visit my girls over there (that would be the mom and sis-in-laws) and Rachelle and I are going to take a ride around the place if the weather cooperates. So I have to remember to throw my saddle in the pickup when we leave, as well as my muck boots (spelling??). She said its pretty soupy down there from all the snow melt.

Its 55 degrees, clear skied, and beautiful. There are a few snow showers predicted for home next week, but maybe they won't amount to anything (fingers crossed).

Till next time...

If You Give A Dog An Apple....

...will she know what to do with it?

Paris and Carlie Jean used to know...but they have since forgotten, or possilbly lost interest, or maybe they just refuse to eat after Ella.

Either way, Ella has watched me with intense interest, and apparently picked up on the proper way to eat an apple. See for yourself.




Ella is like the teenager...with the bottomless stomach. She is beside herself crazy every time food appears, whether its hers or ours. Sometimes I understand how she feels.

Update to the following post

Um, I just reviewed the post I just made about Malcolm's birthday and this last trip (its below)...and its a little lengthy. Sorry! There is one section at the beginning where its just me blabbing about our day (interesting but pictureless)...but if you get through it there are pictures later in the post!

Also, we got unloaded and Mark the Broker did have a load for us. We're heading to reload north of Stockton, CA and going to Buhl, ID for a Monday delivery. And then he's working on a load going from there to Hardin, MT, 45 miles south of home...and then we'll get our week off!!!

YaHoo!!!!

A Very Happy Birthday for Malcolm

Thank you all for your comments about getting rest and having a good day for Malcolm's birthday. I think you were all good luck charms...because it worked.

Our load of feather meal that we loaded on Tuesday morning, didn't have a delivery date, and since Mark, the broker, hadn't found our next load yet, he said he didn't care when we delivered it. Therefore, we told him we'd happily have it in Helm, CA first thing Friday morning...thus allowing us enough time to sleep in a parked truck both nights, and shower, and get decent meals.

Off track a little, but these lovely ladies were the welcoming committee at the dairy in Texas where we delivered the corn hominy from Illinois on Tuesday morning. They were quite eager for us to unload, but disappointed when we didn't dump it in their pasture.

After loading in Mount Pleasant, we drove 30 miles down the interstate to a rest area, parked it, and passed out for about 4 hours.

I actually didn't sleep...I hate sleeping when its a beautiful day outside (and Tuesday it was sunny and 80 degrees)...so I sat in bed and read, and then got up and drove the 120 miles to Benton, TX where there happens to be a Waffle House with parking nearby. If you haven't noticed yet, we have developed an uncanny ability to search out and remember all the various eateries that we can get to that AREN'T truck stops. We lived off Waffle House just about when we were renovating our house in Georgia back in the day, and so when we're down south...or in Texas or Phoenix...we try to stop at one.

Parked in another rest area south of Wichita Falls on Tuesday night and slept till about 6am. Wednesday was beautiful! Another pretty day, though partly cloudy and only around 50-60 degrees, and very windy. We drove to Amarillo, had the truck greased, and then on to Moriarty, NM where we stopped to eat at another favorite place. Do you notice that the highlights of our trips seem to always be meals? Might explain why I've put on a few pounds since starting this career. But there are just so many unique and yummy places that we have discovered, and no matter how many times I promise myself, I just can't make myself live on salad.

We got into traffic in Albuquerque, and so we missed a milestone in the trucks life. I was busy watching the other vehicles, and didn't notice the odometer roll over to 100,000. So sad! We had been watching for it and I wanted a picture! But as I told Malcolm, there will be other milestones...like 200,000 and 300,000 and 400,000 and hopefully not, but possibly 500,000. Anyway, we got this truck in mid August, so we've driven 100,000 miles in a little over 6 months.

Driving on, Malcolm was tired, so he went to bed, and I drove on into Arizona. Amazing how fast weather changes. It had looked stormy over Amarillo, but then cleared. It got stormy looking again at Albuquerque and spit some snow flurries on us, but then cleared. And as I approached the Arizona state line it was almost dark, but I could tell it was looking stormy again. After the days weather though, I thought no big deal. However...it was a little bigger deal this time. In fact, about 45 miles into Arizona, the roads turned real crappy, everyone was crawling along at 35 miles an hour, and it was snowing pretty good and blowing. A car had slid off on our side, there was a jack-knifed truck on the other side, and two trucks stuck and spinning out on an exit ramp, all in about a 2 mile stretch.

It was like that almost all the way to Winslow, then cleared up, but then west of Flagstaff it turned crappy again. At that point it was 10:00, I was tired, and Malcolm had gotten up. So he took over and drove on down the mountain to Kingman where we stopped for the night.

This morning, Thursday and the big birthday day, dawned clear, sunny, and chilly. The puddles in Kingman had a thin sheet of ice over them. After a shower at the Petro truck stop, we drove down the road to the heart of Kingman where we have discovered a Cracker Barrel restaurant with a dirt lot behind it. We are obviously not the first trucks to make use of it, and in fact we had a neighbor this morning when we parked. Malcolm's birthday breakfast was delicious and we both ate way too much. At the end of the meal, he thought he'd be cute and ask the waitress what he got free on his birthday. She got all excited and told him she'd bring him a piece of their chocolate coca cola cake. Well, Mr. Smarty forgot all about restaurants delighting in delivering free dessert with a rousing rendition of the birthday song. Malcolm had a goofy grin on his face, but I didn't see the mass of kitchen staff gathering behind me, so I nearly fell out of my chair when they burst into song. The cake was worth the embarrassment though. It was way too rich...and to die for!

After breakfast, I took over driving and gave Malcolm the day off. He looked at rifles on the internet for a while, took a nap with the girls, and then came back up front to prowl around online some more. He enjoyed all the birthday greeting phone calls too, chatting away for a long time.

Over the Tehachapi Mountains in CA it was beautiful and green, a lovely drive. Once we dropped into Bakersfield, Malcolm said he's give me a break. There were only about 80 miles left to our stopping point. He had just started driving when we past an exit, and on the other side, parked on the entrance ramp, lined up and waiting, were EIGHT DOT vehicles. There was one up ahead on the shoulder with a truck pulled over and another heading back south to rejoin his partners in crime prevention. We were in shock...and briefly terrified. It was obviously some kind of speed trap of something like that. For whatever reason, they let us go. I'm not sure why, but I told Malcolm it was the CA DOT's birthday present to him. We haven't had a full inspection in over a year, and its a wonder we haven't been pulled in yet. Now that I type that, today will be the day, but oh well...we'll just get it over with. Anyway, that was quite a sight, those 8 DOT trucks waiting like wolves on the hunt.

When we reached Traver, CA Malcolm visited with another Montana trucker parked next to us while I walked across the street to this orchard and got a few blossom pictures as the sun was beginning to set. It was so pretty, so much pink! I just had to get some pictures to hold me over till springtime.

And then we walked over to this little place. I had gone in before on another stop, and wanted to show it to Malcolm. Its a restaurant/gift shop/deli, with a beautiful court yard in back with a small petting zoo. I wanted to visit the little goats again.

(I don't know what kind of goat this guy is. Anyone have any ideas? He's neat with his horns and curly hair. Too bad he wouldn't stand still for a good photo, but I wanted to know if anyone knew what he was, so I posted the blury picture anyway.)

They also have two mini-donkeys.

Cute, but I think I prefer the standard size guys.

Also with long ears were the bunnies, who wouldn't cooperate with my and my camera.

This little guy was luckier than the others, except for being in solitary confinement. But at least he got to hop around on grass, and I thought his little mobile home was really neat!

And there were a few kitties, who were shy, but one was brave enough to have his picture made.

The court yard has tables to eat at, and these huge trees in the center that are filled with happily singing sparrows and finches. There must be hundreds and they raise quite a chorus.

And also in the largest tree is this....

...the best tree house ever! Oh if I were a child still, I'd be hounding my Dad to build me one of these!!! Isn't that the most awesome tree house ever? For a quarter, you can go inside. Had we had two quarters in our pockets I'm sure we would have gone in, which makes me wonder about the statistics of its visitors. I imagine just as many adults go in as children...maybe more!

After our tour, we went across the street to eat at a favorite place. We always stop in Traver to eat when we are delivering in Helm. We park there for the night too, because its long about 40 miles from our delivery. This place is very quaint, very simply decorated, and one of our favorites. Its nothing fancy, but the food is spectacular, and the owner, her daughter, and her staff are precious. They always visit with us and fix Malcolm his Carnitas plate that he likes, even though its not on the menu. Last time we were there we had an adventure. The regular ladies were absent, the owner was at home, and the waitress and cook didn't speak a word of english. Malcolm had his heart set on his usual Carnitas, but they couldn't understand him. Finally, the girl got out her cell phone, called the owner, and put Malcolm on the phone with her. Its that kind of casual, enjoyable environment.

And just another reminder that I really ought to learn Spanish. I want to, but I'm no good at those self led language classes. I need to actually go attend a weekly class, but that's hard to do in my situation.

After dinner we bought a little tub of Haagen-Daz Butter Pecan ice cream and took it back to the truck where we took turns dipping our spoons in as I read Malcolm his birthday greetings on Facebook and email, and then he returned a number of birthday phone calls that he had missed while we were at dinner.

It was one of the most enjoyable days we've had in a while, which is kind of strange, since it wasn't that much out of the ordinary. But I heard Malcolm say 3-4 times while on the phone that he was having a great birthday, with such sincerity in his voice, and at the end of the day I asked him if he enjoyed his birthday, and he said it really was a great day. I'm so glad, and also so glad we found ways to make it a little special.

Now, after a nights sleep, its Friday morning and we are almost to our delivery. The sun is rising behind us, and its shaping up to be another beautiful day. Malcolm brought me a vanilla latte from the truck stop and I'm sipping it as we drive past miles of vineyards that are starting to leaf out and orchards that are full of dark purple blossoms. Its beautiful, and fills my heart with sunshine and joy! It makes me feel renewed, and so thankful to God for his amazing love. How he must love us to give us such beauty in this world!

As of yesterday morning, Mark the broker still didn't have our next load figured out. Maybe he will by the time we are unloaded, but if not that's ok. He'll find something by the end of the day I'm sure. And Malcolm told him the other day that we want a full week off at home at the end of the month, so I have that to look forward to and prepare for. Hope you all have a joy filled day, and in case its not going well, I hear is one more picture of spring. I hope it at least brings you a moment of warmth in your heart.

Past Exhaustion

6,376

That is the magic number and also has a lot to do with the title of this post.

I am past the point of being exhausted. I feel like a piece of road kill that has been run over again and again. Is there a term for this level of weariness? I'm not aware of it if there is one. Someone please give it a name though. I need a label for it.

From last Monday morning when we delivered in Granger, WA to this morning when we delivered in Mattoon, IL, we drove 6,376 miles. That pretty much sums up the reason for our exhaustion. Its a lot of miles, and especially a lot of miles when you consider that we have become accustomed to driving around 4000 or so a week.

I feel like my blog has started to be a bit of a log of my gripes, wanting to go home, being tired, going to California and Texas yet again. I sincerely hope I haven't started to be a discouragement to read. Because truthfully, as tired as we are, as much as we wish we were home, we are so blessed. And I am trying hard to remember that, though I have to consciously remind myself on a daily basis just about.

(descending out of Nevada and approaching the flats around the Great Salt Lake)

When I left you last, I was describing how we were being asked to do the impossible, which was get to Washington from New Mexico more or less over night. There were delays in loading, and yet we still made good time, despite the two lane roads making up a good portion of the trip. But then Malcolm hit that winter weather in Utah, and that messed it all up. Fortunately the receiver for that load had agreed to come in early Saturday morning and unload us if we couldn't' make it by Friday at 5:00pm. We pulled into Pasco at 7:30pm, ate dinner, and went to sleep.

(southern Idaho on Friday morning. It was a beautiful day.)

After unloading in Pasco the next morning, we high tailed it over to Clarkston, WA and the guys met us at the mill and poured on the peas. And then it was off again, across US 12 through the ID mountains, where its nearly impossible to make good time, so you just sit back and enjoy the view. That's all there is to do, and I do so enjoy that drive.

We stopped near Bozeman Saturday night and slept 4 hours, then slipped into the house early Sunday morning for a shower and to switch steer tires around as they were getting badly out of round. We need to get into our tire shop badly to get the truck re-aligned, but we just can't seem to get to Billings on a weekday. Which reminds me, Malcolm needs to call them and cancel the appointment we had made for tomorrow morning.

(the hills of eastern Oregon along I-84 on Sunday afternoon. This is somewhere east of Baker City.)

Off again by 8:30am, and drove all night through fog. I am more tired of the fog than I am of the snow! It seems like South Dakota and Illinois have been under a perpetual fog bank the entire winter...or at least every time we're going through, which has been often these last few months.

But, alas, that starts to sound like more griping. Sorry!

Despite being run ragged, I did get a couple of shots for you. Took them while I was driving (shhh...don't tell). I was careful, just held up the camera and punched the button, and took what I could get. If I wasn't' behind the wheel, I was laying in the sleeper trying to go to sleep, so I missed a lot of scenery I could have shared, and I'm sorry for that.

Here we go..something I can say good things about instead of griping. Look what we discovered upon arriving in eastern Montana! YOU CAN SEE THE GROUND AGAIN!!! Isn't it beautiful...alll that lovely brown winter grass? I was so happy to see the ground, instead of all the white! My yard still had a lot of snow in front, but the back yard was bare! It was glorious...except for the muddy paws.

That is basically last week...drive, sleep, drive, sleep, etc.

We are now sitting in Danville, IL, (once again), waiting to load corn hominy, which is going to Texas, (once again), where we will deliver to a dairy there and then go to Mount Pleasant (once again) and load feather meal. You'll NEVER guess where that is going! Or if you've been reading this blog for a couple of weeks, you just might figure it out. Yep...Helm, CA....once again.

Boredom with the repetative loads makes my tiredness feel more tired. (and that is serious bad grammer but, oh well....I'm tired) On the bright side...and I'm one of those annoying people who always finds a bright side (I even annoy myself sometimes), that whole Texas - California thing is going to (once again) keep us out of most of the nasty weather covering the country...once again.

Keep your fingers crossed for me. Malcolm's birthday is Thursday and I'm really hoping we can be on a relaxing run that day, and somewhere where I can get him a good meal, as we've been living off truckstop food for the past several days. That would make a nice birthday for him, but I fear we're going to be sitting in Folwer, CA after unloading, and the only thing to eat there is a not so great Mexican place.

The Impossible...and a Strange Sight

Bright and early on Friday morning...well early for me. I know its almost 11:00, but I just got up.




Remember this little scenario that I had posted...our agenda through next Wednesday?

Well we got the Texas part done, delivered it yesterday morning. The idea was to reload in Carlsbad, NM this morning and deliver in Pasco, WA on Monday morning. A nice three days to get the 1525 miles done, and be sitting in their parking lot first thing Monday morning. Then we would have loaded in Clarkston, WA (those peas again) and headed to Mattoon, IL for Wednesday morning. No problem!

Except Mark, the broker, called as we were unloading yesterday in Texas and switched things up a bit.

Because we are a team, verses solo drivers, people tend to think we are invincible and can get the impossible done...and not to brag, but we almost always do get it done. Seems like we frequently get loads that are, shall we say, challenging to complete on schedule.

So Mark called and it seems someone in IL had under ordered peas, and they were running out of peas fast. So super-team- truckers to the rescue. Mark needed the Carlsbad, NM load to be in Washington today by 5:00pm. We weren't able to get loaded and leave Carlsbad until 5:30pm. Basically what I'm saying is we were being asked to get over 1500 miles done in less than 24 hours.

We're north of Salt Lake City this morning. We almost would have made it to Pasco in time, but Malcolm ran into winter weather out in the mountains of eastern Utah and since we were on two lane roads, it slowed us down a bit. Luckily they are going to unload us first thing Saturday morning, and then we'll get the peas, and shoot for Illinois for Monday morning. Two days ahead of the original schedule and we'll be worn down after its over, but it ought to work out good for the pocketbook.

So that's the story. I'm about to take over and let Malcolm get a nap.

Oh! I almost forgot to tell you the funny story from this morning. I missed it and am so sad that I did! Malcolm was driving, as I said, in the mountains of eastern Utah on US6. He was almost to I-15 and there was a big hill that descends down into the valley. As I mentioned earlier, the weather had turned kind of nasty, and apparently the road was icy. At the top of the hill, in the uphill lanes he counted 4 trucks that had spun out. This usually happens when one spins out and then the others have to slow down to avoid hitting the first, which results in the others loosing traction as well. So there were the four trucks stuck at the top of the hill. Half way down the hill there was a mustang in the middle of the road spinning its tires and not getting anywhere. A little further down the hill he could see flashing lights at the bottom, and as he got nearer there were also orange barrels set up. Thinking "what now" he approached the bottom of the hill and there, pulled over on the shoulder was........are you ready for this......

....an AIRPLANE!

Bet you didn't see that coming! I know I sure didn't! That was a first for us. Oh if I only had a picture!

Rollin'

This was the view last Friday evening in the mountains east of Reno, NV. I didn't get it posted b/c of our visit with Karen and John at the Rough String on Saturday. The picture didn't near so interesting after that visit.

But yesterday, as we left California, the scene was much the same. So rather than try and catch another shot, I'm using this one. I didn't want to be playing with a camera since there were about a million DOT cops sitting in every nook and cranny just watching for someone to pick on. Don't know what was up with Nevada DOT yesterday. They had their feathers rumpled over something though!

Mark, our broker, has us tentatively planned for a number of days. In fact, if it all goes according to how he has it booked out, our week looks something like this, starting yesterday and taking us through next Wednesday.

(our route is the green lines)

As we sat in California yesterday, delivering our meat and bone meal that came out of eastern Washington, I had the windows rolled down enjoying the warmth. It was a beautiful morning, sunny and warm, but just to the west of us dark ominous clouds were rolling in. I love storm clouds and they did not dampen my high spirits or enjoyment of the mornings beauty. In fact they added to it. I think tree branches are such pretty things, and make such neat designs against the sky. The pictures don't quite do it justice, but they were rather striking with the dark clouds behind them, and the hawk in the uppermost branches only added to the scene.

I've always thought trees were lovely, but since moving to Montana three years ago, I have gained a whole new appreciation for them, as they are kind of few and far between in our country.

Rates are down and loads are apparently a bit hard to find. Not a happy bit of news. It makes me think of last March and April when we ran a total of 6 loads in two months time. Its a rather sickening feeling when I think of it. Granted we're in a different line of trucking than we were then, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed and praying that we're not going to see a repeat of last year.


On to happier thoughts...my girls always put a smile on my face. It doesn't matter how warm it is outside, Paris still seeks any heat or sunshine. Yesterday she found both on the floor of the truck, one of her favorite places due to the little window and the floor heater. Nothing gets in her way of soaking it in. Would you call this a head rest, or a foot rest?

I'm not sure.