Calling a time out

Wow.  That was a heck of a trip.  Finally, it's over and I can get a quick respite before getting my next assignment, or so I hope.  I got the multiple pounds of paperwork sent in to the office so hopefully I can get paid on it by the end of the week.  That, and I still have a trip that I'm waiting to get paid for, so at least there's some money coming my way soonish.

Since I'm still in the training phase, I consider this part of my final exams.  The challenge was to keep everything in order, plan out a good working route, make all of your deliveries on time, and keep it within the hours-of-service regulations.  The variance on my miles (actual miles vs. what they will actually pay me for) was just a tad over , but it wasn't any major number and I explained it on the trip sheet I submitted, so hopefully there shouldn't be any problems.  Everything else -- spot on.  Yay me.

Another reason I'm hoping for a break, at least for today, is that I seem to have developed a little case of the sniffles, and I'm hoping it's just because I'm venturing into areas where more pollens are being released.  The last thing I need is to come down with a full-blown cold, or heaven forbid, the dreaded flu.

The rain held off until I finished today (yay) and it's sort of a spotty showery ... thingy out there.  I'll get some more work caught up, try to relax a bit because I've been up since about 3 this morning, and see where my travels take me next.  Oh, and the picture above is from the current trip, when I stopped in between deliveries in Shorter, Alabama, just east of Montgomery.

So, until the next update, take care.

Do The Hustle

I have a big load.  It's being spread out over seven stops, of which my first is in Mississippi tomorrow afternoon.  I left my shipper early this morning and made it to Arkansas by noon, which is where I'm writing this post.  I guess the naps I had over the course of the day yesterday right up until it was time to leave weren't enough, because as soon as I got back to the truck after lunch, I crashed for a couple of hours.

My income tax refund came through earlier this week, and I got paid for the partial Arizona run I did, so after I got bills paid (couple of credit cards needed tending to) I splurged for a small vacuum for the truck and over the past couple of days I've been restocking my pantry with ramen soups, snacky-type foods, drinks, water (for the soups, of course), and whatever else I have the chance to get.  I must remember the next time I go back to the truck from home time, I need to pack some other spices.  Salt and pepper are fine, but the ramen needs more of a kick to it.  Oh darn, I guess I'll have to go to Penzey's and get some small jars of stuff.

Restocking is usually done when I have the money to do so, and lately that's been tough to manage.  In addition to personal things, I also have to buy things for the truck, like oil, coolant, antigel for the fuel in the colder parts of the country, and scale tickets (when I weigh on a certified scale away from the shipper to insure the load is of legal weight and distributed properly).  I get reimbursed for these things, but not until I am able to submit the paperwork and receipts, and after that there's usually a three-day lag until I get paid.  It makes managing things a bit tricky, and at times it's downright frustrating.

In contrast to the last time I was in these parts, today was a beautiful day.  The winds were a little fierce but it wasn't too cold and the sun was out.  I took this picture right around sunset.  I'm in the same truck stop I was in the last time I was here, because it has two things I look for in a stopping place:

• Plenty of parking, so even a tired, strung-out idiot like me can park the truck without hitting anything; and
• A restaurant that serves things other than disc-shaped patties of ground beef between buns with fries and sodas.

I'm feeling a little bit of a headache tonight, and I'm guessing it's because I had no coffee today and my caffeine level is getting low.  I've had food, so I'm sure that's not the cause.  I'll take some pain relievers before I go to bed and I should be okay in the morning after I have some coffee.  It's about four hours to my first stop on this load, so I don;t have to rush off right away and can actually get a decent breakfast in the morning.  If I'm lucky, I might be able to get a shower.  I only say that because they're remodeling the showers and don't have a lot available like they usually do, so even though I'll be up early, I won;t be rushing right out to the highway.

Have a great weekend, in case I can't get back online then, and be well until next time.

Changing seasons, changing moods

Today was a terrific day, weatherwise.  The sun was shining, and it warmed up nicely.  By the time I parked, I'm sure the temperature was in the upper 70s, maybe even the low 80s.  I saw greening along the sides of the road, and landscapers out mowing the grass at a few local businesses.

Not bad for the end of February.

This was the main reason I moved to Texas in the first place.   I spent enough of my life in places that had actual winter that I had really reached the point of not being able to withstand another spell of freezing cold and snow.  Worse yet, my travels had brought me to the Upper Midwest, which has even more winter than I had ever experienced.  

With the job I have now, I've had to venture into areas of the country that are still having winter.  I consider myself lucky that my experiences with winter haven't been too horrible thus far, and we're in the waning days of the season.  The daylight hours are growing longer and eventually the threat of snow will cease for a little while anyway.

It was warm days like this that fueled a wanderlust when I was younger.  Usually, at the first signs of warm weather, I would hop in the car and take an aimless ride, windows down if it was warm enough for that, just enjoying the return of warmer weather after the onslaught of bitter cold and icy roads.  I would just pick a road and follow it, turning whenever I felt the urge to do so, until eventually I would turn toward home, just glad to be able to be out and revel in the return of more temperate weather.

Today, I didn't feel that.  I haven't felt that for quite a while, actually.  Maybe it's the advancing age, maybe it's the fact that I spend most of my time on the road anyway, there was just no thrill to the springlike feel to the day.  In fact, I felt a little melancholy at times, not really sure of the cause.

I'll still be glad when winter is over completely, everywhere, and I no longer have to worry about icy highways, snowy mountain passes, or the threat of dropping temperatures.  I've always said I can cool down quicker than I can warm up.  With the air conditioning running in The Cave (my cutesy nickname for the sleeper compartment of the truck), I'm keeping quite cool and comfortable.  I plan to enjoy the weather as long as I'm able, because before I know it, I could be back in the northern part of the country where winter still maintains it's icy grip.

Let's all hope it won't hold on too much longer.

Working from sun to sun

My day started in Phoenix, right around sunrise, when I went to fetch my load.  I was pleasantly surprised to find it all ready, so all I had to do is hook up, weigh out to make sure everything was legal (needed a minor correction but overall was fine), and down the highway I went.  I missed the bulk of Phoenix traffic leaving when I did, fortunately, and made good time to my fuel stop in Willcox, and from there I headed to my stopping point in Van Horn, TX.

I wasn't sure if I would be able to grab a decent picture when I stopped this evening, so I took this one before I left Willcox.  You may have noticed that I like taking pictures of the mountains when I'm in that area of the country.  Maybe it's just me, but there's just something about seeing them rise up over the landscape, watching the sun rise and set over them, I just find it awe-inspiring.  And, the different lighting angles at times produce amazing colors on the rocks.

Timewise, I was cutting it close getting to Van Horn, but this was the only place I could stop that had a) actual facilities like restrooms and a place to grab some food and other supplies, and b) anything else would have been too far away to be of any use in saving as much time prior to departure, so after making sure I would be legal on my times, I rolled, just catching the beginnings of El Paso traffic as I was leaving the city (yay for my planning [yes I planned it, don't be silly]), and got parked just as the sun was beginning to set.

Tomorrow should be an easier day, as I can stop a short distance from my receiver and rest up, preparing to roll early in the morning from wherever it is I decide to camp.  There's some places nearby, but before I say for sure where I will be, I want to do some more research.  Luckily, I can do that at my fuel stop, and if worse comes to worse, I just stay where I fuel.  No big loss either way.

Also, because I know you all might be getting tired of the landscapes, and because I've been reading blogs about other people's cats, here's a photo I shot last night at the truck stop in Phoenix.  I don't know where this cat came from, but it seemed to have the right attitude for hanging out at a truck stop.  I watched as some of the truckers and other customers tried to gt the cat to come over to them, but each time kitty side-stepped and moved back to a more secure location.  Pretty cat, though, and I wonder if it lived nearby or was truly a stray.  Looks a little too healthy to be a stray, I think.

Tomorrow, up bright and early yet again to roll to my next stopping point, and delivery on Thursday morning.  Depending on where I end up, I may be able to blog, so I guess we'll see what happens, or even if I have anything to write about.

Have a good night.

Thawing out

It was a good thing I took yesterday's picture when I did, because the snow came in not long after.  We had waves of snow all through the day, which caused me concern because I had to run all night to make my first stop in Arizona and icy roads really tend to hamper progress. The roads were the worst through New Mexico and a little bit into Arizona, but they gradually got better and drier the further I went.  One more little ice patch in the mountains outside Flagstaff, and all after that was smooth sailing to this morning's delivery.

I'm spending today in Phoenix, since my available hours are up and I can't go anywhere until tomorrow.  Compared to what I was in for the past week, I'm really enjoying the warm weather.  I'll be staying more south on my run back to Texas, away from the ice and snow for at least a little while.

I took the opportunity to get a shower and I'll take advantage of the nice weather to get my truck cleaned up a little bit.  Granted, I've been up since 8 pm yesterday, but I need to get back into a "normal" sleeping pattern for this next run.  Tomorrow looks to be a hard-running day, slightly better Wednesday, and delivery Thursday.

I don't foresee any more chances to get internet tonight as this is a very busy truck stop and the signal at the truck leave a lot to be desired.  Next update will be when I have the chance to connect once again, probably tomorrow night at my rest stop.  Have a great day.

More idiotic ramblings and a serious answer

As many of my long-time followers know, I am an idiot.

I make no secret of this fact.  However, yesterday I did something that falls on the borderline of idiotic and accidental, so this time I am an accidental idiot.

Much to my surprise, I picked up some new blog followers.  I know, I was shocked, too.  One of these followers is the wonderful Sonya, who had left a comment on my blog yesterday.  I got the notification in my email, and went to hit the Publish link.  I think we can see where this is going.

Either my fat thumb hit the wrong mark, or the touchscreen placed the touch in the wrong spot, but -- I'm sure you've figured it out -- the Delete link activated.

In my defense, Blogger should have a window that appears whenever you attempt to delete a comment that says something along the lines of:

"You are attempting to delete a comment.  It is quite possible that you may want this comment published after all, and deleting it now would make you look like a total idiot.  Are you absolutely SURE you want to send this comment off to comment oblivion? And make sure you hit the right button this time, idiot."

However, all is not completely lost, because I had the good sense to save the comment email.  Here's the question Sonya asked in her comment:

Has to be exciting waiting for the next dispatch. Do you usually have an idea where it might be (repeats) or is it always a complete surprise? 

 All of my dispatches are a surprise, and I never know from one moment to the next where I may be going.  So far, I've never been to the same place twice as far as a shipper or receiver, but I have traveled the same highways in the same parts of the country.  It is a bit exciting getting sent to an area I've never been to before, and in a way it's nerve-wracking, mostly from trying to figure out how to best get the load picked up and delivered.

I hope this answers your question and I apologize for being an idiot.

So, my load finally was ready last night, and I rolled all night to my stopping point in western New Mexico.  The load has two drops.  I will not be able to make the last one since my hours for that day will be up before  I even get close.  No problem I'll just have to have the load repowered and someone else will have to make the final stop.

I will close with a picture of the view from where I am.  Have a great day.

Kinda ready to get rolling

Today's the day I should be receiving a dispatch and heading out once again.  I don't know when that will happen, so I'm getting some last-minute stuff done beforehand.

I was going through some of the pictures I had taken on my last trip out, and decided to share this one.  I had stopped for the night in North Little Rock, Arkansas, at the truck stop you see in the picture.  It was a dreary, rainy day, and I had to conduct some business at the truck stop across the street.  This is what I saw when I came back outside.

I need to pick up some more traveling supplies, and perhaps get some breakfast.  I have no idea which direction I'll be headed, or even if I'll get out of here today.  No matter, I'll just have to take it as it comes.

I'll write more when I'm able to do so.  Enjoy your day.

Trying something new (to me)

So, how stupid am I that I had absolutely no idea I could post the pictures from my phone's camera to the blog?  To think of all the wonderful stuff I could have had here.  Oh well, at least I'm using my down time to actually learn something.

This is a picture of the sunrise over the mountains near Albuquerque.  This is actually the better of the ones I took.  When possible, I try to take a picture a day, mostly because it's cheaper than buying postcards, and not a lot of truck stops offer postcards for sale.  It also provides a way of keeping those at home posted as to my whereabouts and allows me to share some of the things I see on a daily basis.

I keep the pictures confined to my Google Plus account for the most part, but if I think there's something fairly interesting to those of you that follow this blog (and that fact still amazes me), I will put it here so as not to overwhelm you all.

Have a great day, everyone.

Taking the left turn

Once again, it's time for a reset of my clock, which means I get to sit and relax for about a day and a half.  Sometimes I get some wonderful views, other times I don't get to see anything other than the parking area of the truck stop.

The truck stop I'm spending my time at is on top of a hill, and below me the city of Albuquerque is laid out, row upon row of lighted streets, and in the distance, what I believe could be some of the downtown buildings.  I stood for a few minutes after dinner, just looking down at the lights below, another American city I've had the chance to spend a little time in, even if it was just on the fringes.

I've encountered many cities like that in my travels.  Boston, San Diego, Tucson, Philadelphia ... there's many others, but the story is the same for each of them.  I was only there because I had a job to do, no time for sightseeing or exploring.  Still, I consider myself lucky to have been there, as I consider myself lucky to see sights that up until now I could have only seen in a television show or movie.  I never for a moment dreamed that I would pass through the southwestern deserts of Arizona, Nevada, and California.  Nor did I even imagine I would see the sand dunes in southern California, or see mountain passes and open prairies up close and personal.

One of these days, I might get to actually put my feet in the Pacific Ocean instead of gazing upon it as I drive past enroute to pick up or deliver another load to parts unknown.  Or, perhaps I might be able to sit down to a lobster dinner in New England again, instead of having to be satisfied with the standard truckers' fare at the truck stop.  There's a lot of things that I would like to do, but the realities of the job won't allow it to happen.  And vacation? Please.

I can barely afford to sit and reset my clock.

No matter.  For now, I relax.  Work will return soon enough, and the frustrations and stresses along with it.  Where do I go from here?  Only my dispatcher knows for sure.

Westward, snow!

I can't begin to tell you just how much of a thrill it is to be back on the road yet again.  I can't tell you, mainly because I don't find it thrilling at all. I find no thrill in spending two full nights without heat in some quite cold areas, racing to make as much time as possible before any potential ice shuts down your travel route prior to delivery, or eating in restaurants that offer buffet items such as mashed "potatoes" and brown creamy "gravy."  (true story, saw it this evening at the place I stopped at in New Mexico.  At least the salad bar looked better than most of the ones I've encountered.)

As is typical of this time of the year, especially in the mountain areas, there's some snow in the forecast.  Looks like it will be a quick storm, and I'm hoping I can get moving at a decent hour tomorrow.  Moving west makes it a little bit easier, as the time zone changes make things earlier in that part of the world, and thus easier to find a parking spot.  And you know I'm all about the convenience.

I don't foresee any delays as far as my delivery date, so that's one ray of good news.

Although, if I had my druthers, I'd be with the one I truly love today, instead of in a truck that FINALLY HAS WORKING HEAT THANKS A BUNCH YOU JERKHEADS FOR MAKING ME WAIT TWO WHOLE DAYS TO GET THE DAMN THING FIXED, a bunch of miles from home, lonely as hell, with no entertainment other than "Life and Love, Redneck Style" enacted live in the restaurant a scant two tables diagonally away from me.  Special Guest Appearance by The Lyin' Drunk!

I'm offending myself, so it's off to the showers with me.  More when I am able, as usual.

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels

I know, I tend to use a lot of song lyrics.  Do you know why? Because they fit.  Thank you.

So, as you can probably guess, The One Shot ... shot down.  It's not so much the "why" of it all, but more of the "how" that has me in a mood.  Pull up a seat and I shall explain.

I interviewed with this place on Monday afternoon.  I thought things were going fairly well, and I told them flat out that I was due to report back on Thursday to begin another stretch.  I was told by them that they would have an answer for me before then, on Wednesday.  That was fine by me, we shook hands and off I went.

Wednesday rolled around, and I had received no word.  I figured they were busy (small office, ya know) so I waited until later in the afternoon to call them.  I got what was best termed a "non-answer."  It went along the lines of they were very busy, they would be interviewing for the rest of the week, how long would I be gone for, yadda yadda evade doubletalk tapdance yadda.  I thanked them for the update and resigned myself to yet another fun-filled trek across this great country of ours.

Deep down, I was hoping for an eleventh-hour reprieve, as was Ms. Darkstar.  I was fortunate that I could not leave the yard until Friday afternoon at best, so that day was spent getting done what I needed to be allowed to leave the yard and hoping, praying, and almost begging for the phone call.

It never came.

So here I am in Oklahoma, headed into Colorado, with lots of funtime weather ahead of me.  When I received this assignnment, I did not take it very well.  After about fifteen minutes, I collected myself and got things moving again.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, and I'd be lying even harder if I said that what they did really didn't matter to me all that much, because it should have been obvious from Wednesday's phone call that I was not the one to be chosen.  Although, how hard would it have been to say right then that I wasn't the candidate they were going to hire, in which case I wouldn't have had my hopes raised as high as they were. 

I've also learned that I should wait a few days before listening to music the next time I set out (gods help me), because it gets real tough to see the road ahead with blurry, tear-obscured vision.

And the journey begins anew.

Threadbare tapestry unwinding slow...

I've reached that point in my time at home.  The dreaded halfway point, after which it's all downhill until my return to another couple of months on the road once again.  I'd be lying if I said I was looking forward to going back.

There is a glimmer of hope, however.  It's a faint glimmer, almost a barely glowing ember, but I am hoping it will expand to a bright light that will show me the way out of the darkness I am in.

"This time is different," he said, trying more to convince others than himself, as he was already convinced that this would be The One Shot.  Research was actually done in advance, I know more now of what I want to get myself in to, and I have no doubts or questions forming in my mind as I did when I took the path that led me to where I am now.

Okay, the path previous was a necessary evil, as without it I wouldn't have the critical component to The One Shot that I do now.  I could have done without the past four months, in terms of the isolation and loneliness, but I am grateful for the experience I gained.

I'm hoping to know something more by tomorrow, since I'm due to return on Thursday and jump through several more hoops before I can actually get back out on the road.  And, that's assuming that my truck has been fixed and is not still sitting in the repair bay.

I'm not looking forward to the next stretch of away time.  I'm at the point where I would do anything within my power to make it not happen.  I got this way right before the last time I went out.  And, I'm quite sure it will continue to happen each time I have moments like this.

The One Shot, right now, seems to be the only hope I have left.  And I refuse to give up on it.

I just hope it doesn't give up on me. 

Welcome to the threadbare tapestry that is my mind.

I think the kitchen missed me

One disadvantage to being a truck driver is that your choice of stopping points is severely limited by where your truck is allowed access, and consequently, you will be parking in the most remote areas of town, where a truck stop won't wreck the aesthetic of the quaint little community nearby.  As a result, your choices of cuisine are limited to whatever is nearby, or at the truck stop itself.  This leads to eating a lot of food that is:

1. Disc-shaped,
2. Vaguely beef-flavored, and
3. Served on a bun with fries and a soda.

Or, you may encounter more haute cuisine choices, depending if there's a Denny's or another type of diner-type place at the truck stop. These places get a bit pricey, and much like everything else, it's all the same thing no matter where you go and it gets boring quickly.

This is why, when I do get home, I cook like a madman and eat like a condemned prisoner on his last day.  Last night, we went to our favorite Brazilian restaurant, where we had the rodizio (rotisserie-cooked meats on skewers served - and carved - tableside, what's not to love?); Monday will be a trip to one of the local Vietnamese restaurants, which one we haven't determined yet; and this evening and Wednesday are my turn in the kitchen.

Since I was away for all of the major holidays, we never had a proper feast as we had in the past.  If memory serves, we had a pot roast with homemade stuffing for our late Thanksgiving dinner, so I wanted to do something a little different this time around.  I have a recipe for a maple-mustard-glazed pork roast in one of my Cooking Club of America books (yes, I'm also a life member) that I had made once before to rave reviews.  We opted for my bacon-garlic sauteed potatoes instead of the sauteed apples, and a quickie dessert of mini-cupcakes and boxed pudding.  After dinner yesterday, we did our shopping to prepare for the cooking ahead.

After a nice breakfast of bacon and blueberry muffins, I puttered around the house before getting the preparation started for dinner.  I mixed up the roasting glaze, which was butter, maple syrup (the real stuff, not that Aunt Jemima corn-syrup crap), Dijon mustard, some balsamic vinegar, and a bit of sage, parsley, salt, and pepper.  This was spread over the roast a few minutes before it went into the oven.

Bacon and garlic was cut up, followed by the potatoes.  This was set aside until the roast was almost done, and the dipping sauce for the pork was prepped (syrup, mustard, and a dash of balsamic vinegar).  Once the roast was about five degrees from done, I heated the pan for the potatoes, rendered down the bacon, and tossed in the potatoes.  The roast came out and was allowed tor rest on the serving platter while the potatoes finished.  The garlic went in at the last moment to avoid overcooking, along with some parsley, salt, and pepper.  The dipping sauce was heated in the microwave right before service, portioned out into smaller bowls, and the whole thing was served with a lovely, sweet moscato.

The pork was very moist and tender, the potatoes came out very well, and Ms. Darkstar was extra-thrilled to have lots of delicious food cooked by me once again.  In a little bit I'll retrieve the desserts and relax with a nice chai.

Coming Wednesday: my attempt at Indian cookery.

Reflections on the recent trip...

... or, "Please Don't Make me Leave Again."

I'm finally home.  I never thought I would get this far, nor did I think I would ever make it back here.  Considering if I hadn't said anything when they tried to route me toward Denver, I'd be sitting there, snowbound, wondering if I would ever make it home.  Or if the damn snow would thaw so I could get the hell out of Denver.

As I tend to do when I have a moment, I reflect on the past trip and all that I have seen over the past nearly two months.  I remember playing Ring Around The Blizzard on my first trip, spending Christmas Day at the only truck stop in Rhode Island, my layover in Houston, the traffic jam from Hell in Virginia that made me go from having three hours to spare on my delivery to being a half hour late, seeing Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, returning to San Diego, and wishing I had enough time to go pet ostriches and see what the big deal was about The Thing.

I am grateful that they allowed me to bring the load I had back to the truck yard, although I think that, when they saw my trip plan and knew I was going to be super-early, that they could have made that decision sooner. I guess they had hope that I could deliver early, although with the runaround I got I had a feeling they were going to make me wait it out for the three days and deliver when I was scheduled.

Once again, I will make the most of the time I have at home, and once again, I will dread the moment when I have to return to the truck and set off on yet another two-month tour.  I dread it because I know it will be more of the same: more trying to work my remaining hours of service so I can make the near-impossible delivery times they set for me; more repowers in the middle of the afternoon that have to deliver early in the morning, meaning I won't get enough sleep but have no choice but to deliver anyway; more aggravation at trying to get hold of someone in the office to answer a question, only to have to sit on hold for close to three hours; and just the feeling of being totally alone and missing home and all that goes with it.

Tomorrow I will do my laundry (along with Ms. Darkstar's), and for the rest of the week we will eat wonderful dinners that I will prepare, eating as if each one is our last.  Only because come Wednesday, it will be.  And then it will be so long home, and hello once again to my tiny rolling office/apartment.

I'm hoping for an out before that day comes.

Very long, definitely strange, and quite the trip

Once again, I'm back in Texas.  This time, I'm heading in the direction of home.  There's only one obstacle standing in my way of a home that doesn't roll and a bed about as big as the entire living area of my sleeper cab.

It's this load I picked up in San Diego.  See, while they were nice enough to give me a load that would point me in the direction of home, they also gave me something with so much time on it that I don't know if I can deliver early or not.  I had called when I parked, but the person I spoke to advised me to call back tomorrow, as they would know for sure if I could be in that afternoon or not.  I'm hoping I can deliver either tomorrow afternoon or on Saturday morning.

I also don't know what my company will do if I can't deliver on either of those days.  I feel it's highly unlikely that they would have me sit on a load for three and a half days, but the way things have been going, you never know.

I have been doing small prep work, cleaning the truck and packing things I know I will not need.  I'll do the bulk of it when I'm ready to roll back to the yard, or even after I get there.

Wish me luck, I'm gong to need it.