Solid Gold

I prefer that the medal I receive for the last load I hauled before I went home to be made of solid gold. Pure solid gold. For I deserve it.

I was nervous going into the load, knowing fairly well how potentially horrendous the route I had to take was going to be in a big truck. I was in for a lot more than I'd bargained for.

My load wasn't exactly excessively heavy, but on 9% grades, up and down, it was a bit much.
But let me start at the beginning.

Aquiring the load was no problem and the first stretch of the trip, not too bad. It was when I had made the stoopid decision to forego the provided directions for getting off the main interstate onto US-33 in Virginia that I made my first mistake.

I figured, why go all these back roads and streets when I can just hop on US-33 from the I-81 at Harrisonburg?! HA! At first, it wasn't too bad, although I missed a turn for "Truck Route" and kept on going. No turning back, I figured.

Little did I know I would end up taking the scenic downtown tour of Harrisonburg, VA that day. Complete with tight turns and a weaving matrix through the heart of town. Thankfully, at the last turn to freedom, there was a cop on a bicycle that held up traffic so I could make the right turn at the very tight intersection (that was not meant for 65 feet of Gi-Gi). I rolled my window down and claimed "lost" and kept going at his smile, headshake and signal. I was actually pretty embarassed at my own lack of good judgement. But we live and learn, right?

So after I survived downtown, I was finally on the road towards WV. Most of it wasn't too bad in VA. My top speed actually hit 55 at one point, for maybe a quarter of a mile! haha But it could've been worse.

And it did get worse.

But not until I went thru a lovely stretch of US-33 through a National Forest that was mostly straight. It was a dream drive and I thought to myself as I cruised along that maybe I'd judged US-33 too harshly.

I didn't....

It didn't take long for the lanes to narrow and the zig-zags to start creeping into the foreground. Before I knew it I had a line of cars behind me, surely cursing the day I was born, as I putted along at about 20 MPH for most of the journey. I was heavy enough that the steep grades kept me moving slow even when I wasn't creeping through a kiss your ass turn.

A lot of the turns I had to take at or below 15 MPH because my load was fairly top heavy and could shift and cause me to roll over easier than usual. And since the turns were not only tight, but alsot heavily banked, I had to take extra caution.

It was truly madness. Lovely madness, but madness nonetheless.

I survived it though. By sheer will and a strong will not to throw up all over myself. I was very scared at a few points, only for fear that I would meet someone head on in a blind turn where I had to take up half of the oncoming lane.

I don't like drives like that. My knuckles ached all evening and the gray patches on my head got a little thicker that night. But I came, I saw, and I conquered.

After delivering my load that night in WV, I parked on the property of the plant and shut 'er down till sunrise. I wasn't about to go driving in those tight and curvy's after dark, and after I was already pooped from a fully days' worth of skillful driving. It was nice to sleep out there, though. Peaceful and almost painfully quiet. I loved it.

And slept like a baby.

The next morning I was to deadhead home for my time off. I hadn't planned on getting up at any certain time. So I'd given my sweetie the heads up that I probably wouldn't be home until around noon or one in the afternoon.

But my body, the pain in the butt that it can be, decided 6 am was the best time to get up and be revved to go.

I wasn't pleased, but I was awake and alive and anxious to finally get home.

And thankfully the drive home was not nearly as treacherous as the drive in the day before. I made good time and had a pleasant trip home.

My time off was spent with my sweetie, our friend who is visiting for a while (Ron), and various other friends and family. I also got inked, rode around on the back of my sweeties motorcycle and had a grand ol' time! It was much needed and much appreciated.

But honestly... when it was time to go back on the road, sad as I was to leave my sweetie behind again, I was ready for some change of scenery.

So here I am, in CT for the night, picking up a load in the morning headed for Mississippi and then who knows where from there.

Till next time...

PS: I'm really gonna work on trying to post some new pictures in the next couple of days. So bear with me! I promise it'll be worth the wait... (wow does that make me sound cocky or what?)

PPS: I corrected my stoopidity in saying US-30 to the correct US-33. DUH!