Back out on the Road

We left the house Thursday around 11:30 to go and pick up our truck from the garage, finally. We had wanted to be gone at least a whole day ago, but that doesn't seem to ever work out.

This time it was because our mechanic was waiting for a part to arrive and it seems that UPS had sent it to the wrong address! Huh, imagine, our competition holding us up. Could that really be a coincidence? Anyway, Starla drove us over and waited while we loaded everything up and then we watched her drive away.

I finished putting away our belongings and groceries and then Pops and I waited for a load. We sure didn't have to wait long either. We got two load opportunities right away, one going to Maine and one to Kentucky. One the rate was too low and the other didn't really have enough miles to pay good. So we waited longer. By 3:00 we were on a load picking up in Bedford, PA and going to Atlanta, GA. The pay was pretty good too.

We thought we were going to be about an hour early for our pickup but Gypsy took us to a road that had a locked gate across it. We were 1/4 mile from our destination, we could see it but couldn't get there from here, lol.

A man came up to us from across the street and explained to us how to go to get up there. We had to drive about 8 miles just to get into the place that we were so close to. Gypsy strikes again.

But we made it and while Pops was inside getting our load he talked to some people in there who knew his brother, Juan. It is such a small world. But of course, Bedford is pretty close to our home area.

So we got our load on then hit the highway. I was driving

When we got onto the Pennsylvania turnpike and was leaving the Bedford area, it began to rain. We rounded a curve and right in front us was the most awesome double rainbow. I wish that I had been expecting it or had my camera ready. It was so pretty. It seemed like we were going to drive right under it. And then it was gone, just like that. I am so glad that God allowed us to be in that place at that time.

Pops went to the bunk and tried to sleep. I drove through MD, WV into VA. I listened to the radio, talked on the phone to my sister and said a prayer. Time seemed to pass pretty quickly. There was a lot of road construction.

We stopped for fuel just before crossing the line into North Carolina and Pops decided to drive at that point. The truckstop was pretty busy and full so we elected to stop shortly at a rest area to let the dogs out.

Right after we crossed the stateline we stopped at the NC Welcome Center. I made some coffee for Pops and got us a bite to eat and took the dogs for a walk. When I got back inside I put my pjs on and got ready for bed. It was 1:30 when I climbed into bed and Pops pulled out.

10 seconds later we were pulling right back in and I was getting out of bed.

We blew a headlight and had a DOT checkpoint less than 2 miles ahead. So we gathered tools, a new light and and our flashlight and me, in my pjs, helped Pops change the headlight. Of course it wasn't bright enough and none of the screws matched so we needed 2 wrenches and 3 screwdrivers to do the job. But we did it and when we put it back in, we made sure it had all new bolts and nuts that matched. And it worked! So at 2:15 I was climbing back into bed.

I woke up when we were stopping and starting (and jerking) in a heavy traffic jam near Atlanta. We were 16 miles from our destination.

I helped navigate until we got there. We saw about 6 tractor trailers already lined up and waiting to get in. But because of us being expeditors we were rushed to the front of the line. Hahaha, I love it.

We got unloaded and were driving away in no time. Now to find a Walmart.

We are already dispatched on another load. They hit us up before we even got out of Bedford last night, as a matter of fact, before we even picked up this load.

We didn't know anything about the next load except that it picked up in Atlanta and went to Rochester, NY.

Once we finished up the first dispatch then we details for this load. We are going to the Gwinnett Braves stadium tonight after their game with the Rochester Redwings and picking up all their baseball equipment and taking to Rochester by tomorrow night, because Sunday they start a 3 game series there. How cool is that? Maybe we can score some free tickets. They are both minor league teams.

So while here at the Walmart Plaza I picked up a few things like a spare headlight, and a few other things. Then I noticed an AT & T store here too. I had been wanting a usb air card for my computer so I could have internet without having to be at a truckstop. So I walked over and found a "mifi." It is a mobile hotspot for computers. It will give internet for up to 5 devices at once anywhere there is cell phone coverage. I asked the young man how hard it was to get started and he asked if I by chance had my computer with me. So I came out to the truck and grabbed my computer and within 1/2 hour I am connected and set to go. Well after I charge it for 5 hours. But I am excited. Now there shouldn't be any excuse for not having regular blogs.

Then I got my bagchair out and was sitting in the sun. I tied the dogs out with me so Pops could sleep with no noise or movement in the truck. I had just set up my chair and dialed the house to talk to Starla; she answered and we started a conversation when a man walked around the side of our truck and walked up to me and was looking around as if looking for something. "Are you looking for something?" I asked him.

"Are these dogs for sale?" he wanted to know.

"No, they are mine." and away he went. How weird!

He couldn't possibly have enough money to buy my dogs. Forget about it. I put my chair away and me and the dogs got back into the truck. We'll just sit in here.

So Pops is resting and we wait.