Come along for the Ride!

I am so glad you are here. Stay with us as we travel everywhere. I hope you will enjoy the ride.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Moon and sunrises

On Monday we we were offered a load picking up Tuesday but it would require us to deadhead to Lynchburg, VA. We got moving about 4 pm and headed east. It was about a six hour drive. Pops drove it and I stayed upfront, keeping him company. We didn't rush and we still got there by 11pm. 
It was a radioactive load so it was in a remote location. We knew of a big wide abandoned lot near our pickup location so we parked there to sleep. 
We woke up early because getting into the plant requires a lot of security checks and very inspections of our truck, inside and out. Eventually we were loaded and cleared to go. Now we were headed to Baltimore and then a follow up load after that.
We scrambled as quickly as the small town roads would allow to make our delivery so we could get to our next pickup ASAP. We didn't want it to bump over until tomorrow.





We made record time to Baltimore even after getting stopped by DOT for a roadside inspection. Oh man, I just hate these especially with radioactive or explosive loads. You got to hope and pray that every bit of paperwork, packaging, labeling, mechanics, logbooks, everything is a-ok or they will hang you out to dry. But after noticing my radioactive placards the officer told me drive on out that he wasn't qualified to inspect radioactive loads, whew. And then at destination, once again several checks just to get in and then in not so rapid time, we got unloaded. Now a quick jaunt up to Newark, NJ. 
We made it. In time. However when Pops grabbed the clipboard and went to the door to get in,.........we were early.........by 24 hours! Ugh, and after hurrying around so much too. Now what?
We drove to a Walmart that was kind of inner city. Sometimes they don't allow overnight parking. This one was really nice. It was in a giant grouping of other stores with parks and benches and walking trails and duck ponds and inner courtyards. Wowwee, fancy! We didn't see any no overnight parking signs so we parked there at Walmart near the lawn and garden side. 
We did our walking just around the Walmart lot that evening. The weather was mild. And a big, full moon was rising.




Sunset in Pennsylvania


We slept well.
In the morning after breakfast we walked again. This time we walked all around the walking trails past the courtyards and duck ponds. We had to watch our every steps. There was goose droppings everywhere. It was a little gross.
That afternoon we returned to our pickup location right on time, this time. We were loaded with a whole load of pig skins. The temperatures had to be monitored very carefully. These pig skins were for medical purposes, mostly for skin grafting of burn patients.
We drove those to a big place in Kentucky and then had the whole day free until evening. So we parked at the industrial park and walked the employee trails around the factories.
The factory beside us had a large screen tv mounted outside their building. They had just manufactured a k-cup attachment for your refrigerator that would brew a cup of coffee right from the water of your refrigerator door. Pretty cool.
Next we had a pickup in Louisville, KY. It was due to pickup at 4pm. Well, 8pm we were still sitting empty. We weren't even sure that it wasn't going to cancel. Oh my goodness, this job lately is getting on our last nerves. And it sure doesn't help that we haven't been home, sleeping in our own bed, since the day after Christmas. It's been a long stretch. 
But we have talked with many other drivers doing the same thing as us. They are as frustrated and weary as we are. It is just not a good time in the economy for expedited truckers.
We did get our load on and get moving. Pops drove all night to get us to our destination the next morning. Now we were empty near Raleigh, NC. And it was Friday. So we just hoped for a good load to start out with on Monday.
By noon on Friday we had a pretty good Monday/Tuesday load. So we decided to take the opportunity in our down time to get all of our oil changes and other maintenance to both our truck and the generator. It took all afternoon, but now it's done.
We walked there at the truckstop Friday evening and then again Saturday morning. Then we moved on closer to our Monday load.
We got in touch with a preacher friend that told us about a good church in the area where we would be. Great. It was Resurrection Sunday weekend. I contacted the church and got hold of the preacher. I had heard of him and had heard him speak at a family camp once but had never met him. His name is D. J. Maxey. He is the evangelist of Eastern Pines Church of Christ in Greenville, NC. 
He told us to park in the grass near their church van. 
We got there late Saturday night, parked and slept.
They were having a Sonrise service besides the other two services, with a breakfast in between. 
We got up early, before dawn. It was a little chilly but the service was held outside under the pavilion. It was good to be part of. Then we went in with them to breakfast. Everyone was so friendly and D. j. Was like an old friend.
After that we went back to the truck to have a cup of coffee and to warm up a little. 
Then we went back inside to attend the first service at Eastern Pines.
After church I spoke with each of our kids, either by text, phone or video chat. I miss them so much especially on holidays. 
Pops and I went out to dinner. It was a nice day. A glorious day. 









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