August 8, 2009
Welcome
A warm welcome to Lauren at The House of Fletcher. She just joined as a follower. Lauren's blog is very humerous. Check it out!
August 7, 2009
De Witt, AR
After unloading on Thursday in Pendleton, we drove north about 15 miles to De Witt, AR, stopping at a little truck stop until we heard from Mark about our load. He had lined up a load from West Memphis, AR to Buhl, ID for a Monday delivery, but was waiting for confirmation.
By 5:00 he still hadn't heard anything definite, but felt he "had it in the bag." We waited to hear something in the morning. He was going to be out of the office, but his assistant would let us know. So we spent Friday evening in De Witt. For dinner we walked across the street to a little Mexican joint, and for after dinner entertainment, we browsed through the Dollar General store next door, then walked on over to Sonic for an ice cream cone.
We were tired so we turned in early and slept like the dead for almost 12 hours!
Friday morning around 8:00 Malcolm called into the office. Chas, the assistant, hadn't heard anything yet. Malcolm went back to bed, and I proceeded to get online and play my stupid face book farm game that I'm now addicted to (thank you Angela!). I pretty much played it all day long. Around noon, we started to consider lunch options: walk to the Mexican joint across the road or to Sonic across the road. Malcolm asked a couple guys at the gas station we were parked at if there was any BBQ restaurants around. We get a hankerin' for it when we're down south! And they directed us to one down the road that had room to park the truck in the old hotel across the street (which turned out to be currently used as a church, the Praise and Grace Tabernacle). I didn't get a picture of the little BBQ place because of all the cars in the parking lot, a good sign actually. It was, lets say, a hole in the wall, but I've found they hold treasures, and this one did. Real sweet tea and yummy food. I had the sandwich and Malcolm had the plate.
Pretty good for cell phone pictures!
Back to our little truck stop and more farm game. We let the girls run around in the yard. Eventually dinner time rolled around and we found ourselves back at Sonic.
It is so muggy and sticky down here! Pretty miserable if you move any faster than a turtle. Here's the little truck stop we parked at, as seen from the Sonic.
Discussing our options for the weekend, realizing this was just Friday evening and Monday was a long way away, and really not relishing having every meal at Sonic or the Mexican joint, we asked the little girl working there if the next town west had a Walmart. She enthusiastically answered, "yes, and its open all night!" Oh dear!
Pondered browsing the Dollar General again, but opted not to. Instead we walked back to the truck and admitted we'd pretty much exhausted our entertainment resources in DeWitt, AR. We, instead, drove to Stattgart, AR, the "rice and duck capital of the world" where the all night Walmart is. We went in and walked around a bit, talked to the photo development guy who apparently also works for the town newspaper, and then went back to the truck. We stayed there about an hour while Malcolm talked to his parents on the phone about something we were considering doing. And after a little Google Earth work, we decided to go for it. So we pulled back out on the road and drove 30 miles further west to Pine Bluff, AR where we parked at yet another all night Walmart, this one much bigger, and with other trucks.
In the morning we hope to rent a car and we're going to drive about 200 miles south to Longstreet, LA. Malcolm's grandfather grew up there, and he's mentioned wanting to see it off and on over the years. When he mentioned it this afternoon, I told him we ought to do it. We may never have the opportunity again. So we're packing us and the girls up, plan to spend the day down there tomorrow, and stop at a hotel on our way back to Pine Bluff. I am excited about it, and glad we're getting to go, even if we should be working. Might as well make use of the time instead of sitting in De Witt eating at the Sonic over and over again, sleeping the weekend away and playing farm town.
Interesting observation: I never really considered Arkansas to be that southern, but you shoudl hear these people talk! They accents are STRONG, and I don't mean that as an insult. I love it! Funny thing is, and I find this really funny. They are having an aweful time understanding Malcolm. Just about everyone asks him to repeat half of what he says. But they are so polite about it. "Hun, I didn't understand. I'm so sorry. Can you repeat that, hun?"
I'll have the scoop about Longstreet on Monday. Have a great weekend!
Parting shot: My co-pilot/navigator hard at work. A lot of help she is!
Oops!
Aleisethefunny,
You made a comment on my last post and I accidently hit "reject" instead of "publish." I just wanted to appologize for that. I did read it, and appreciate your comments. If you want to make your comment again I'll make sure I hit the right button this time. Or if not, that's fine. Maybe I should wait till I'm more awake to moderate my comments? lol
Hope you all have a great Friday!
Sarah
You made a comment on my last post and I accidently hit "reject" instead of "publish." I just wanted to appologize for that. I did read it, and appreciate your comments. If you want to make your comment again I'll make sure I hit the right button this time. Or if not, that's fine. Maybe I should wait till I'm more awake to moderate my comments? lol
Hope you all have a great Friday!
Sarah
August 6, 2009
Back in the South
Well, we're back in the good Ole South! We arrived in Tennessee yesterday around 5:00pm, and met my sister Meagan and her boyfriend for dinner. They drove from Murfreesboro to Lebanon, where we were delivering, picked us up at the truck stop, and we went to Outback Steakhouse. We had a really good time visiting, laughing, and remembering, and Meagan, your new car is beautiful! It was Meagan and Chris's first day back to work. They are both teachers at the same school. So we didn't stay too late as they had to be up bright and early for another inservice meeting and we still had to unload at the Nutro Pet Products plant.
When we got back to the plant we discovered that there were now 4 trucks in front of us. I don't think we finished unloading until sometime after midnight, and then Malcolm had to get back up at 4:30am to drive into Nashville to reload. So much for a long nights sleep. But the visit was worth the sacrifice!
We loaded in Nashville bright and early this morning, and its something I never dreamed we'd be hauling. When Mark first gave us the load information I read the name of the shipper. Tell me what this makes you think of, or what it sounds like, "Metro Water and Biosolids."
I don't know about you but I told Malcolm, "That sounds like a water treatment place?"
This was a little foreboding to me because we were picking up fertilizer. Hmmm....
As it turns out, I was absolutely correct! We loaded at Nashville's water treatment facility. And what we loaded was fertilizer, or what they scientifically have labeled "heat dried anaerobically digested sewage solids," or as Malcolm put it, "We're haulin' S**T," literally!
I guess now that I'm over the shock, its really rather brilliant. I mean they've treated it and cleaned it, and its in these little tiny pellets. Really, what else are you going to do with it? Dump it in the landfill or the river? But at the same time its just totally gross! We just delivered it a little while ago in Pendleton, Arkansas. The guy at the plant in Nashville says a lot of places use it on golf courses (so don't golf bare foot!). But down here its rural. There aren't any golf courses that I've seen. Where we dumped it off, at an fertilizer plant on the river, they are growing rice and millet. So maybe that's what they are using it for.
I was wondering, is it a competitive market? Is one city's s*** more expensive than another's? Who knows? So its been one of the most unique, more disgusting, and most brilliant and environmentally friendly loads we've ever hauled. And for the record, I don't care how much you clean it...s**** stinks in southern heat and humidity!
(Excuse all the uses of the "s" word, but in this story, it's just what it is!)
When we got back to the plant we discovered that there were now 4 trucks in front of us. I don't think we finished unloading until sometime after midnight, and then Malcolm had to get back up at 4:30am to drive into Nashville to reload. So much for a long nights sleep. But the visit was worth the sacrifice!
We loaded in Nashville bright and early this morning, and its something I never dreamed we'd be hauling. When Mark first gave us the load information I read the name of the shipper. Tell me what this makes you think of, or what it sounds like, "Metro Water and Biosolids."
I don't know about you but I told Malcolm, "That sounds like a water treatment place?"
This was a little foreboding to me because we were picking up fertilizer. Hmmm....
As it turns out, I was absolutely correct! We loaded at Nashville's water treatment facility. And what we loaded was fertilizer, or what they scientifically have labeled "heat dried anaerobically digested sewage solids," or as Malcolm put it, "We're haulin' S**T," literally!
I guess now that I'm over the shock, its really rather brilliant. I mean they've treated it and cleaned it, and its in these little tiny pellets. Really, what else are you going to do with it? Dump it in the landfill or the river? But at the same time its just totally gross! We just delivered it a little while ago in Pendleton, Arkansas. The guy at the plant in Nashville says a lot of places use it on golf courses (so don't golf bare foot!). But down here its rural. There aren't any golf courses that I've seen. Where we dumped it off, at an fertilizer plant on the river, they are growing rice and millet. So maybe that's what they are using it for.
I was wondering, is it a competitive market? Is one city's s*** more expensive than another's? Who knows? So its been one of the most unique, more disgusting, and most brilliant and environmentally friendly loads we've ever hauled. And for the record, I don't care how much you clean it...s**** stinks in southern heat and humidity!
(Excuse all the uses of the "s" word, but in this story, it's just what it is!)
August 4, 2009
Eastbound and Down
Ever since I found out we were headed to Tennessee, I've had the lyrics to "Eastbound and Down" in my head. If your not sure what I'm talking about, then you need to go find a copy of "Smokey and the Bandit" to watch. Classic truckin' movie, and Burt Reynolds to boot, along with a fun song. Sorry, but some things trucking have infiltrated my heart and mind, even though I've resisted many parts of it. I'm not a trucker at heart, but I still have pride in our business, and tons of respect and heart for the industry.
Anyway, we're loaded and rolling east, across the great plains of Wyoming. I just finished my shift, and after we stop in Laramie to grab a bite to eat, I'm hitting the sack so I can drive again later. These cross country treks are hard for us. We've gotten kind of used to the piddly 500-600 mile trips and sleeping at night in a parked truck.
We finally got loaded last night around 7:00pm or so, and I drove out of CA. After all my complaining about the horribly bumpy interstates in CA, they've finally started doing something about it. I-80 is a mad house of construction all the way across the Sierra Nevada Mtns, ending with a grand finale of a 5 mile stretch driving between two concrete barriers with just inches to spare, on coming headlights blinding me, and ruts in the road trying to yank my rig into the walls. I looked in my mirror once, a dangerous thing since every time I glance I tend to drift that direction, and saw the rear end of my trailer a hairs width away from destruction. It was nerve wracking. I'm trying to decide if perhaps the jolting and jarring of the road was better than the construction. I'll just be happy when winter arrives and they all wrap up their projects and open the roads. And then all I have to deal with is icy, snow, and gail force winter winds trying to move me around! Anyway, I was glad to hit Nevada and the empty open nothingness of that state. What a relief!
Found out which Lebanon we're going to, and it IS the one just east of Nashville so hopefully we can hook up with my sister, and maybe even see other loved ones, depending on which direction we go to reload.
Announcement!!!!!
The new truck is here! It arrived in Billings yesterday, and Kenworth is running some road tests, checking things, and then the graphics shop is going to get to work. We just got off the phone with the designer and I think what we've finally come up with is going to look great. She's supposed to be sending us a proof before they start printing/cutting, or whatever it is they do. So I better go check my email. We told Mark, our broker to get us headed that way from TN so that we could get the truck next week when its ready. How exciting! I have pictures, but I'm not sharing until its done and has the graphics and everything. You'll just have to wait in suspense till then.
Change of plans:
Now instead of driving 65 for good fuel mileage, we're driving like a bat out of h*** (80 on 80) to meet Boyd, a cow haulin' buddy and long time family friend for dinner in Sidney, NE, about 150 miles away. He'll be returning from CO and droppin' off some cows, and we ought to get there about the same time. He and his family live in Bayard, NE, just east of Scott's Bluff, where Malcolm did some of his growing up, and when we got into haulin' cows a few years ago, he and Malcolm reconnected and now chat on the phone frequently. Super nice people, really love both he and his wife and all three of their teen age boys, so it will be fun to visit over lunch, even if it does cut into my sleep time. Oh well...I'm not that tired anyway....yet!
Anyway, we're loaded and rolling east, across the great plains of Wyoming. I just finished my shift, and after we stop in Laramie to grab a bite to eat, I'm hitting the sack so I can drive again later. These cross country treks are hard for us. We've gotten kind of used to the piddly 500-600 mile trips and sleeping at night in a parked truck.
We finally got loaded last night around 7:00pm or so, and I drove out of CA. After all my complaining about the horribly bumpy interstates in CA, they've finally started doing something about it. I-80 is a mad house of construction all the way across the Sierra Nevada Mtns, ending with a grand finale of a 5 mile stretch driving between two concrete barriers with just inches to spare, on coming headlights blinding me, and ruts in the road trying to yank my rig into the walls. I looked in my mirror once, a dangerous thing since every time I glance I tend to drift that direction, and saw the rear end of my trailer a hairs width away from destruction. It was nerve wracking. I'm trying to decide if perhaps the jolting and jarring of the road was better than the construction. I'll just be happy when winter arrives and they all wrap up their projects and open the roads. And then all I have to deal with is icy, snow, and gail force winter winds trying to move me around! Anyway, I was glad to hit Nevada and the empty open nothingness of that state. What a relief!
Found out which Lebanon we're going to, and it IS the one just east of Nashville so hopefully we can hook up with my sister, and maybe even see other loved ones, depending on which direction we go to reload.
Announcement!!!!!
The new truck is here! It arrived in Billings yesterday, and Kenworth is running some road tests, checking things, and then the graphics shop is going to get to work. We just got off the phone with the designer and I think what we've finally come up with is going to look great. She's supposed to be sending us a proof before they start printing/cutting, or whatever it is they do. So I better go check my email. We told Mark, our broker to get us headed that way from TN so that we could get the truck next week when its ready. How exciting! I have pictures, but I'm not sharing until its done and has the graphics and everything. You'll just have to wait in suspense till then.
Change of plans:
Now instead of driving 65 for good fuel mileage, we're driving like a bat out of h*** (80 on 80) to meet Boyd, a cow haulin' buddy and long time family friend for dinner in Sidney, NE, about 150 miles away. He'll be returning from CO and droppin' off some cows, and we ought to get there about the same time. He and his family live in Bayard, NE, just east of Scott's Bluff, where Malcolm did some of his growing up, and when we got into haulin' cows a few years ago, he and Malcolm reconnected and now chat on the phone frequently. Super nice people, really love both he and his wife and all three of their teen age boys, so it will be fun to visit over lunch, even if it does cut into my sleep time. Oh well...I'm not that tired anyway....yet!
August 3, 2009
Welcome New Friends
I'd like to welcome my four new followers!
Ed at Thoughts from the Road (a fellow truck driving photographer) from Tennessee,
Sonya at My Southern Home in Nashville,
Aleiset at 100 New Things in New York, and
the Laughing Orca Ranch in New Mexico.
So glad y'all could join us, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you.
Make sure you check out their blogs! I already did, and plan to continue!
Ed at Thoughts from the Road (a fellow truck driving photographer) from Tennessee,
Sonya at My Southern Home in Nashville,
Aleiset at 100 New Things in New York, and
the Laughing Orca Ranch in New Mexico.
So glad y'all could join us, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you.
Make sure you check out their blogs! I already did, and plan to continue!
The Three C's: Company, Clouds, and California (in that order)
Got home Thursday night and stopped for a couple days. First thing Friday morning, like at 6:30, Malcolm's sisters showed up. I can't imagine what time they left the house to get there. Its a 4 hour drive from the ranch! Rachelle was picking up a new member of Darling Poodles from the airport around noon, and Justine had come along for the ride. We had smoothies and french toast, visited, and then the us girls went to town for some small shopping errands and to get the puppy while Malcolm worked in his garage.
Justine just turned 17 and will be a senior this year. Isn't she beautiful? She just returned from 6 weeks in Spain, and I am incredibly envious of her Mediterranean tan! She looks incredible.
I call this picture, "Aunt Justine is Home!" Justine is not that fond of our naked babies, but apparently they love her. We were all sitting downstairs, but all three of my girls piled onto the couch with Justine.
Rachelle and I chilling on the porch. Rachelle is the same age as my sister, and we are kindred spirits and bosom buddies as Anne of Green Gables would say. We usually spend our time together talking about our naked dogs and horses, chickens, dog shows, and whatever else strikes our fancy. We are, some would say, partners in crime, when it comes to animals.
Last night as we left Reno, California presented me with some of the most spectacular clouds I've ever seen. I couldn't just pick two or three, so I'm going to present you with a bombardment of cloud pictures now.
see the moon?
This shot is one of my favorite, except at the last minute we hit a bump in the road and I got the tip of the interstate sign in the picture. Oh well!
Justine just turned 17 and will be a senior this year. Isn't she beautiful? She just returned from 6 weeks in Spain, and I am incredibly envious of her Mediterranean tan! She looks incredible.
I call this picture, "Aunt Justine is Home!" Justine is not that fond of our naked babies, but apparently they love her. We were all sitting downstairs, but all three of my girls piled onto the couch with Justine.
Rachelle and I chilling on the porch. Rachelle is the same age as my sister, and we are kindred spirits and bosom buddies as Anne of Green Gables would say. We usually spend our time together talking about our naked dogs and horses, chickens, dog shows, and whatever else strikes our fancy. We are, some would say, partners in crime, when it comes to animals.
Last night as we left Reno, California presented me with some of the most spectacular clouds I've ever seen. I couldn't just pick two or three, so I'm going to present you with a bombardment of cloud pictures now.
see the moon?
This shot is one of my favorite, except at the last minute we hit a bump in the road and I got the tip of the interstate sign in the picture. Oh well! Anyway, we've just unloaded our sunflower seeds and are here in Ripon, CA to grab some breakfast. We're reloading in Sacramento and heading to Lebanon, TN. I got really excited about that and even jumped the gun and texted my sister because she lives in Murfreesboro. But as it turns out.....there are FOUR Lebanon, TN's and only one of them is close to Murfeesboro. There are two near Jackson, TN and apparently one just east of Chattanooga between that city and Cleveland. Now this really disturbs me because I grew up in Ooltewah, also between Chatt and Cleveland, and I've never heard of a Lebanon, TN down there.
Anyway, if there is one, that would be fine. I could go see my parents. If its the one near Nashville that would also be cool, because we can stop and see my sister and her man. The other two....well....we'd at least be in our old home state so that would be cool, and maybe we'd reload closer to "home." We'll find out here shortly, and I'll let you know. Regardless, its about a 2500 mile trip, so sometime around Wednesday night I'll be in good ole Tennessee!
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