It all started last Thursday while I was sitting just a couple hundred miles away from home. Thought I would be going to the house, but NOOOOOO. I was surprised with a load I had to pick up in Jacksonville, FL & have in Longview, TX the next morning.

I knew I could run the load in the time frame, but I also knew that meant I wouldn't be getting home last weekend. Not much of a problem though, I have friends in Louisianna that have there home open to me any time I feel like stopping. No advance notice or reservations required, So out of courtesy I called them & said "Hey, I'm on my way". They never got my message though, until they came home late Friday night & saw my PETER sitting in their driveway.

Last weekend was uneventful, just bought my friends little girl some School clothes that she needed badly. & I left their house Sunday evening to head to get my butt to St. Louis.

Monday is when everything started happening, not good stuff either.

Got caught in that nasty storn on I-44 in Misouri.
Traffic jam in Misouri on I-44 because of a big truck layed across the road & on fire.
Then to top monday off, I smacked up the front right side of my PETER & blew out 2 tires on the right side in Welch, OK late monday night.

Tuesday got be fixed up (except for my turn signal housing) & back into Arkansas.

Wednesday I found myself on in the Little Rock Air Force Base (I was suppose to be there) but got lost trying to get out. Man, did the MP's get upset with me. Finally got out of there & headed towards Charlotte, NC.

Wednesday night I found myself sleeping in Lebanon, TN (what a coincidence). I guess the woman that was working the counter @ thhe Pilot didn't have a sence of humour since her & I had a few words.

Thurday got me into NC. But that was a adventure on it's own. Fighting rain the whole way & then a jack-knifed truck & mm #5 & another in the Jersey Wall & mm #7, both in the gorge. Perfect for me, since I was fighting the clock & trying to figure out how to turn back time. I almost called Cher, seems like she turned back time about 15 years ago & I thought she could give me some pointers.

Finally got into Charlotte. What a relief, there at noon with plenty of time to get unloaded & back into SC to get reloaded. Guess what, it was a fight to get unloaded. Finally left Charlotte @ 3pm & I was suppose to be in York, SC before 3pm to get loaded.
Yeah, it's fun driving a 75 foot vehicle 70 mph though 35-45 mph zones on narrow 2 lane roads. I was thinking that I would have to sit overnight in York, but thankfully they were waiting for me & another truck to get there before they locked up & went home.
Thursday night was OK except for the Thunderstorm in Asheville, NC & the Fedex truck I about hit because I guess he didn't associate darkness & headlights go hand in hand.

Thursday night I found myself sleeping in Lebanon, TN again (do you see a patern?) Got myself up this morning & into Watertown, TN to unload. I wish I would have known about that drive-in theater. I would have been there last night watching Dukes Of Hazzard for free, but I didn't so I didn't.
Today was cool, got loaded in K-town & now am home. Gonna have a good week next week though. I know this because I have to be in Alberqurque, NM Tuesday Morning. Oh yes, the home of NO frieght.

 

So, do you get to run a bobtail rig on the company dime?

Seems to me Albaquerque is in the middle of a big hole in the desert with one truck stop and I-40 running right around the edge of it...

The first time I went through there, i stopped to eat a can of refries at a scenic overlook. It sort of characterized the times I went through after it...

Get fuel, and fire back up again!

 

I-40 & I-25 go through Alberqurque. Don't get me wrong, Alberqurque is a gorgous city. They just don't have the freight being shipped out like I normally get.

They have 2 or maybe 3 truckstops. The TA is right in the center of town & is riddled with drugs & prostitution (hurray), & then the flying J is on the west side of town. I think they have a Pilot also, but my memory seems to fade.

I use to live there for awhile when I was growing up. Sad thing is that I can't remember any of the girls names that I use to play with. And knowing my luck even if I was able to remember & track them down, they wouldn't want to play anymore.

 

They would play alright - but it would be for keeps, and to get outta town!

The FJ must be the one I stopped at the last two trips. I don't remember finding a Pilot stop.

I have a rule - if I can't see the place from the road before I exit - the danged place DON'T EXIST!!! I've driven for miles looking for BS advertised gas stations, and don't cotton to running out of fuel way off on a side road....

 

Had to be the J. The TA can't be found unless your looking for it & even then it is dificult to find. Last 2 times I was there, I circled the TA looking for it for what seems like hours before I realized I was already there.

I don't do flying J's unless it is a absolute need. They have crappy customer service skills & the food always puts me in the crapper.

 

Can't be there and steer....

Check this out as a possible t-shirt back!
(still working it up)


http://tennesseefte.tripod.com/tennesseelogo7.gif

I think spread it out some, make the truck and the lettering bigger, and make the truck the center of the picture......