Texas

So as soon as we were repaired we got a trip that was picking up in Illinois and was going to San Antonio, TX. I just love any trip going to Texas, but I guess you already know that. I'm sure that it wouldn't feel like Fall weather down there.
So we traveled for a few hours to our pickup and got loaded. Then I drove while Pops slept. I drove us down through Illinois, past the Arch at St. Louis, all through Missouri and then stopped just a little before entering Oklahoma at a rest area. We have stopped at this rest area before. It is one of my favorites. It is on Route 44 near Springfield. The sidewalks are painted to look like highways and all the pavillions are painted to look like little shops you might see along the famous Route 66. The inside of the rest area is a tribute to Route 66 also.
It was just before dark so we spent a little time here. I took the dogs out and they got some exercise. Then we, (this is a she,we; or actually a me,we) made something for us to eat and fresh coffee for us and for the thermos. Then Pops started to drive. I went to sleep.
I woke up when we were stopping and starting in backed up traffic in Austin, Tx. Pops was down to just a few minutes left to legally drive. So we switched off while in traffic on the computer and then pulled off as soon as we could so that I could drive.
After we got through all the Austin traffic things went smoothly. Our delivery was on the north side of San Antonio so when I reached the exit ramp I pulled over to take the dogs out. They had to go real bad. While we were waiting for Lucy to pee a cop pulled up behind us to see why we were sitting there. Once he saw that I was waiting for Lucy, he just waved and drove away.
We found our delivery address and got unloaded. Next we drove to the opposite side of San Antonio. We had an appointment to get some other stuff done to our truck at a place that Tate goes to a lot. They are a tire business. And they all are mexican looking and spanish speaking. Pops told me that now I could practice my spanish. No Way! Can you imagine the goofy white woman saying elementary spanish words trying to talk to them. Hah. They would think I was the biggest joke.
But I am very happy with my own progress. There are 50 levels on this game and I am only on level 7 so far, but I already know all the numbers up to 101, the colors, the months, the days, , some greetings, some family names, body parts, not too shabby. But still I couldn't imagine the guys at that shop wanting to talk to me about colors or numbers.
So we were there for a couple of hours. They even removed the non-working reefer from our truck. This will take away some weight from our truck and also allow us to now haul explosives too. We have had training to do that but never did because they won't load them onto a truck with a reefer. And don't you know that before the workers even had the last bolt loosened from the reefer we got a load offer for  an explosive load.
So we accepted the load which picked up early the next morning near Ft. Worth and was going to PA.
Picking up the explosive load wasn't so bad at all. Of course there are a lot of restrictions inside the place and extra caution has to be used when handling. But we got it loaded and then placarded our truck and  was on our way.
I was driving first and drove us through Ft. Worth, Dallas, Texarkana and into Arkansas. I drove almost through Arkansas and just before Memphis Pops started to drive. So while I slept, he drove us through Nashville, Louisville, KY and past Cinncinati, OH, Columbus, OH and into West Virginia. When I woke up I started to drive again. We delivered in the southwest corner of the state of PA and then went to Pittsburgh area for layover. It was Friday morning and we said that if we didn't get a load by 6:30pm we would go home. But we got a load shortly after fueling our truck. I didn't even have to time to write a couple of checks and pay some bills.
We were picking up that evening in Olean, NY and taking the load to western Michigan.
It was starting to rain and get drizzly. But the leaves were still so pretty and Lake Erie was clear and beautiful looking.
The place in Olean is a place that we have been to several times and we know the drill there. We got loaded and that was that. It was Friday evening and we don't have to be in Michigan until 7am on Sunday. It is only a 500 mile trip so we had plenty of time now.
We drove to a rest area only about 20 miles from where we picked up and stayed for the night. It is always nice to sleep in a still truck. But the weather is chilly so we had to turn the heater on.
The next morning Pops drove us to Michigan which gave me the day off. Yippee.
We got to our destination by 9pm even after stopping for some groceries at Walmart and wasting some time along the way. We slept in the parking lot.
We werehoping to get unloaded right away and then go to South Bend, Indiana for our layover. There is a church near there that we wanted to attend. A very good friend of ours is the evangelist there. His name is Terry Strickler. We are friends with him on Facebook and have been for a couple of years although we haven't ever met him face to face.  So if everything worked out that is where we will be worshipping.