Post Holiday Bloggy
Well I certainly believe I made out like a bandit this year. In more than just the gift giving/receiving department too!
It all started with getting out of New Hampshire safe and sound. I have to admit that I missed the soft shimmery snow that I left behind in the northeast when Christmas Day finally arrived. But only a little. I was in NH during the brunt of the storm that hit early last week, which dumped about 18 inches of snow on the ground in parts of the state.... you know, the parts I was in! haha
When I left NH the roads were mostly good to go. A few icy patches lingered in the shady spots, but for the most part they were just wet. Really really wet. I had to drive from basically Manchester, NH to Boston, MA with an empty trailer to pick up a load, too. It could've only been worse had I been bob tailing it! But I made it safely and that's what matters.
Once my trailer was laden with 540 chep pallets from a warehouse on the south side of Boston, I was south bound and down, headed towards Virginia. I stopped in Clinton, NJ... at the Pilot Station where my first Holiday Miracle took place. I pulled in, late in the evening to get fuel. My hope was to make it to our Carlisle, PA terminal for the night, but I was starting to feel really tired and figured I'd better consider finding a place to shut down for the night. From what I could tell from the perspective from the fuel islands, the Pilot was packed already. So I finished fueling, pulled forward and went inside to use the restroom before I hit the road.
When I came back outside to head back to my truck I saw that a parking spot directly in front of me had opened up while I was inside. So I scuttled as quickly as I could without falling along the icy parking lot to my truck so I could properly and promptly swipe the parking spot. And it worked out perfectly! Miracles do happen!
The next day I made it to my delivery point and made my drop. I then headed to pick up the empty I was assigned to pick up to take to get loaded up in Big Island, VA at the Georgia Pacific in the boonies. I was running close on time by the time I arrived at the Ga.Pac. facility and figured that since I was supposed to get live loaded, I'd end up having to break there for the night. Which, by the way, I hate doing because you can't get a cell signal out there and can barely get a Qualcomm signal!
So anyway... when I got there I checked in at the guard shack and that's when Miracle Numero 2 occurred. I gave the clerk my pick up number and she pulled out some paperwork and typed something on her keyboard and then gave me a red strip of "caution" tape. I looked at her funny and asked her if I was supposed to wear it on my person. She laughed and explained that it was to be placed in the electrical outlet on the empty trailer that I was going to drop, to signal to the yard jockeys that it was indeed an empty trailer. I was then going to bobtail to my pre-loaded trailer, hook up and get the hell outta there "and have a Merry Christmas".
I have been to this facility enough times now to know that this is in fact a rarity. I've either brought in a load which had to be live unloaded or picked up a load which was also live. And generally neither of those events take less than a couple of hours. So I was thrilled and quickly on my way out to take care of business.
I ended up making it to the TA truck stop on I-81 just north of Roanoke, VA for the night where I snuggled up to the comfort of IdleAire. The next morning, Christmas Eve, I was homeward bound. I made it home on a beautifully warm and sunny day. I was able to take my time, not feeling rushed and knowing that I was going to be home for nearly two whole days to spend time with my loved ones for Christmas.
The time I had off was spent with my family, friends and my sweetheart. I gave and received great gifts, including my two new road companions, the XM Radio and Mio Pup my sweetheart bought me. The best gift of course, was spending time with my family. I had a great visit with my Pawpaw and with my lil' brother, big sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew and of course my Daddy and step mom.
As Christmas came and went so did my brief time off. I was back out on the road Friday morning headed to our Akron, OH terminal to drop the load from Ga. Pac. and to pick up my next load going to Minooka, IL. I will deliver that one in the morning and then hopefully be headed back towards home for New Years. I've requested three days off, which we'll probably be spending most of with my sweeties' family that we didn't get to see on Christmas.
So... there you have it. I probably won't be blogging again until next year. So I want to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!
It all started with getting out of New Hampshire safe and sound. I have to admit that I missed the soft shimmery snow that I left behind in the northeast when Christmas Day finally arrived. But only a little. I was in NH during the brunt of the storm that hit early last week, which dumped about 18 inches of snow on the ground in parts of the state.... you know, the parts I was in! haha
When I left NH the roads were mostly good to go. A few icy patches lingered in the shady spots, but for the most part they were just wet. Really really wet. I had to drive from basically Manchester, NH to Boston, MA with an empty trailer to pick up a load, too. It could've only been worse had I been bob tailing it! But I made it safely and that's what matters.
Once my trailer was laden with 540 chep pallets from a warehouse on the south side of Boston, I was south bound and down, headed towards Virginia. I stopped in Clinton, NJ... at the Pilot Station where my first Holiday Miracle took place. I pulled in, late in the evening to get fuel. My hope was to make it to our Carlisle, PA terminal for the night, but I was starting to feel really tired and figured I'd better consider finding a place to shut down for the night. From what I could tell from the perspective from the fuel islands, the Pilot was packed already. So I finished fueling, pulled forward and went inside to use the restroom before I hit the road.
When I came back outside to head back to my truck I saw that a parking spot directly in front of me had opened up while I was inside. So I scuttled as quickly as I could without falling along the icy parking lot to my truck so I could properly and promptly swipe the parking spot. And it worked out perfectly! Miracles do happen!
The next day I made it to my delivery point and made my drop. I then headed to pick up the empty I was assigned to pick up to take to get loaded up in Big Island, VA at the Georgia Pacific in the boonies. I was running close on time by the time I arrived at the Ga.Pac. facility and figured that since I was supposed to get live loaded, I'd end up having to break there for the night. Which, by the way, I hate doing because you can't get a cell signal out there and can barely get a Qualcomm signal!
So anyway... when I got there I checked in at the guard shack and that's when Miracle Numero 2 occurred. I gave the clerk my pick up number and she pulled out some paperwork and typed something on her keyboard and then gave me a red strip of "caution" tape. I looked at her funny and asked her if I was supposed to wear it on my person. She laughed and explained that it was to be placed in the electrical outlet on the empty trailer that I was going to drop, to signal to the yard jockeys that it was indeed an empty trailer. I was then going to bobtail to my pre-loaded trailer, hook up and get the hell outta there "and have a Merry Christmas".
I have been to this facility enough times now to know that this is in fact a rarity. I've either brought in a load which had to be live unloaded or picked up a load which was also live. And generally neither of those events take less than a couple of hours. So I was thrilled and quickly on my way out to take care of business.
I ended up making it to the TA truck stop on I-81 just north of Roanoke, VA for the night where I snuggled up to the comfort of IdleAire. The next morning, Christmas Eve, I was homeward bound. I made it home on a beautifully warm and sunny day. I was able to take my time, not feeling rushed and knowing that I was going to be home for nearly two whole days to spend time with my loved ones for Christmas.
The time I had off was spent with my family, friends and my sweetheart. I gave and received great gifts, including my two new road companions, the XM Radio and Mio Pup my sweetheart bought me. The best gift of course, was spending time with my family. I had a great visit with my Pawpaw and with my lil' brother, big sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew and of course my Daddy and step mom.
As Christmas came and went so did my brief time off. I was back out on the road Friday morning headed to our Akron, OH terminal to drop the load from Ga. Pac. and to pick up my next load going to Minooka, IL. I will deliver that one in the morning and then hopefully be headed back towards home for New Years. I've requested three days off, which we'll probably be spending most of with my sweeties' family that we didn't get to see on Christmas.
So... there you have it. I probably won't be blogging again until next year. So I want to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!
Comments
Best wishes to you and your family.
Steve C.
Ontario, Canada