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.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

The last times


We were a little worried on Monday morning because we did not have a dispatch and there were a dozen or more trucks just like ours at the same truckstop. But by noon we had accepted a load, had it loaded and was now on our way to Mississippi. 
Yay, we would drive across Interstate 10 the whole way. Ever since we gave our notice, We have been getting to travel all the major east/west interstates and after this trip we just need a trip across I-90 yet. We have been getting to see and revisit a lot of our favorite things.
But it makes us sad to leave a place knowing that it is probably the last time.
We drove out of California and into Arizona. We enjoyed the desert driving and then passing through Phoenix and Tucson. 
Pops drove throughout the night and when I woke up we were already through El Paso, TX. We were passing through the widest part of Texas, over 900 miles. I began to drive.
We had a little extra time on this drive and we got to San Antonio in time that I got to meet up with My friend and former truck owner, Shirley. I made plans to meet her at the truckstop.
We had a nice 2 hour visit. Man, I have missed her. It sure was nice catching up. But then it was time to go. I gave her a big hug and then we went our separate ways.
While driving through Texas I saw a full grown dead deer with spots. Back home only fawns have spots. Then I saw a live one, another dead one and 2 fawns. What kind of deer are they? 
When I stopped at a rest area I checked the Internet and found out that they are Axis deer. They started out as ranch deer, raised for hunting ranches. Then over time some escaped and bred and now they are in abundance in the wild.


Discovery center in California

Texas sunrise










Axis deer

Shirley



Houston at night

Magnolia. Mississippi is the Magnolia State









After meeting up with Shirley and leaving, I kept driving until we reached Katy, Tx. We walked there and then Pops drove. I tried to get some pictures of Houston as we came through. It was all lit up with blue lights. But since it was dark and the buildings were lit, I couldn't get good pictures while moving.
Right before driving out of Texas, I went to bed.
I woke up in the morning at our delivery we were at a space center. We had to get checked in, get badges and go through inspection. Then the load was off and we were now headed back to east Texas for another pickup.
I was driving and Pops was sleeping. I got to drive through Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I drove across the Mississippi River across the big huge bridge that scared me so very bad the first time I saw it and realized that I had to cross it. I will never forget that day. I just drove off the exit and decided that I would find another route, but then ended up in downtown Baton Rouge. And then I still had to cross that big, wide river anyway.
I got to drive through the wonderfully, mysterious bayou. There were many fishing that day. 
Then joy of all joys, I stopped at Peto's and got boudin balls and andouille sausage. Yum! I got some to take home too.
I hate all these very last time things. And honestly, as it dawned on me, that it was the last time, I cried silent tears as I drove.
I truly love this job so much. 




Can't wait to hold this little guy again.

Our grandson, Zachary, on his field trip.

I am having second thoughts about quitting, and third thoughts. But Pops says, we're done.

Oh wait, this is my job now.

Our pickup was in Lufkin, Texas. It is the home of Chick-O-Sticks candy. It is near a town called called Nacogdoches. Can you pronounce that? It's funny to hear all the ways that people say it.
After our pickup we were headed to Little Rock, AR. On the way there we stopped at a Walmart in Springhill, LA to walk and get some groceries. 
While here we met a man named Sammy S. He loved our truck and he came over to talk to us. We talked for about 45 minutes. What a nice man. It is great to meet people like him.
We drove on to our delivery in Arkansas. It was a secure load and had to be checked in and then locked behind a gate to wait until morning. 
When morning came we had the truck unloaded in less then 20 minutes.

We did have another dispatch. We were doing the same thing all over again, Lufkin to Little Rock. So we deadheaded to Lufkin. We got to enjoy the back country roads of Arkansas, through Shreveport, Louisiana, and then country roads of east Texas.
We had to wait at our pickup. The load wasn't quite ready. But then it was on. This time it wasn't a secure load so we didn't have to hurry or be locked behind a fence.
In fact we parked near our destination at a local donut shop. You see they sell kolaches in Arkansas and Texas. Kolaches are sausages rolled up inside of sweet bread dough then baked. Yum yum. And to get a fresh, hot one at 5am is pretty great. So that's just exactly what we did, plus a donut each. The Kolaches are another last. Boo hoo.
This time there was not another dispatch waiting but we were being paid to deadhead us to Memphis.
So we headed there hoping for a load. But none came until Monday.
So we spent part of the weekend in Memphis and got our truck washed. Then we moved to Southaven, Mississippi which is just across the state line to stay. 
We got to attend Christview Christian Church, one of our very favorite, home away from home, churches. 
It was a nice weekend. We got to walk twice in a very nice industrial park. Then we got to go to Olive Garden on Sunday after church. We had a gift card from Christmas and that was nice.
The truck got cleaned, the groceries restocked and now only two more weeks until we're done.
I am carrying a little anxiety about what job I will do and readjusting to home life again. Please pray for us.






























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