Imma Survivor
Well I finally went to see a Dr. about my ailing health situation. He said I'll survive. I suppose that should be enough to make me jump for joy... but I still don't feel 100% and can't really celebrate a victory I've yet to actually accomplish.
But I do feel a lot better than I did before!
Let see... my 3 stop load got relayed and I spent nearly 48 hours sitting at the Sadler's TS in Dunn, NC resting and working on getting well. I couldn't take it anymore and made myself available for a load and ended up having to drive over to the coastal area of NC to the port in Morehead City. First stopping in New Bern to acquire an empty trailer.
I didn't know heading into Morehead City that it was going to be at the actual ports, since none of my assignment macros indicated as much. So I was driving along, following my directions and ended up at the port entrance and thought to myself... "well crap. I don't have a TWIC card."
The officer at the gate approached my truck and knew right away that I wasn't prepared to enter the ports (ie. TWIC-less) and gave me a sheet of paper with names and numbers of "escort" companies that would happily exchange their services for cash.
Yay. So I had to back up, park and call a company to come escort me around. I called the first company on the list and the guy said he'd be there in 15 minutes. And sure enough, within 15 minutes he was knocking on my door ready to roll.
I didn't realize that I would also have this strange man in my truck with me the whole time I was at the ports. But he was nice enough and we had a fun time chasing sea gulls and talking about big boats and wild horses, while standing outside on the dock supervising the loading of my trailer in the pouring rain.
After the loading was done we headed for the scales and he kept commenting on how impressed he was that I could actually drive that "big ol' thang" so well. After the scale he commented more about how super surprising it was that I was the first driver he's ever escorted that could make it onto the scale on the first try, without having to back up and realign.
He must've been along with some really horrible drivers because the scale was very simple to get onto and there was plenty of room for a perfect set up. But I digress.
So I was loaded, scaled and ready to roll. I dropped him off at the gate where I acquired him initially and I was on my way. The loads final destination was up in Ontario but I was grateful to have received more messages that guided me to our Carlisle PA terminal where I would swap the load with a Canadian driver who was bringing a load to Charlotte.
So that's what happened. I ended up spending the night in Kenly, NC again at the TA before making the rest of the trip to Carlisle. As I was approaching the exit to go to the company terminal I was passed by the Canadian I was to be swapping loads with. We arrived, dropped and swapped and I was on my way again.
I spent that night at the Wilco/Hess in Toms Brook, VA and then delivered the load in Charlotte yesterday morning. The place I delivered to was interesting. Well rather the experience I had at the place was interesting. I arrived and buzzed in at the gate and was allowed access. I drove in and watched the gate close behind me as I wondered where I was supposed to go to actually check in.
I got out of my truck and followed a set of signs for Receiving to a door on the nearest end of the building only to find it locked tight when I tried to open it. Defeated, I continued following the building along past about 6 docks and never saw another actual foot entrance. So I knocked on a door of a truck being unloaded and asked the driver where we were supposed to check in.
He directed me to a small precarious ladder on the side of the docks between two bay doors and told me once on the platform to go left towards some windows. I did just that and found the Receiving Office. I was checked in and informed to pull into which ever bay opened up first. There were only two trucks being unloaded and so my pick would be one of those two slots.
After about 30 minutes one of the trucks pulled out and left. So I set up to take his place, realizing how tough it was gonna be with a fifty-three foot trailer. You see, all of the bays were occupied by containers, small containers. Even the guy that pulled out of the spot I was about to back into was a small chassis container. So I started to panic a little wondering if I could even get into the hole.
After about 15 minutes of back up, get out and look, pull up, back up, get out and look... I finally landed perfectly in the hole. I set the brakes, chocked the wheels and settled in for a sammich.
Only to have one of the workers come out and inform me that they didn't realize that my freight was not what they initially thought it was and that it needed to be unloaded at the other end of the building.
Bastards. haha
So I pulled out and turned around and parked in a much easier space to be unloaded. After that.. I was in and out in about a half hour and on my way to our Charlotte terminal where I would break and go see the doctor.
I spent the evening chatting with another driver I've sat and chatted with before and retired to my truck at about 7:30 when I was starting to get tired of talking. I then called my sweetie and then went to sleep.
I woke up this morning at about 7am, not really expecting to get a load assignment anytime soon to find that my suspicions were correct. So I rolled back over and snoozed some more, having some very strange truck driving dreams and then woke up again at 9am.
I did start receiving a load assignment at about 9:30, but I'll still be sitting here till tomorrow morning since the load they've assigned to me isn't going to be here until about 8am. I will be able to deliver it same day though, since it's just going to the Richmond, VA area. Yay. At least it's something!
But I do feel a lot better than I did before!
Let see... my 3 stop load got relayed and I spent nearly 48 hours sitting at the Sadler's TS in Dunn, NC resting and working on getting well. I couldn't take it anymore and made myself available for a load and ended up having to drive over to the coastal area of NC to the port in Morehead City. First stopping in New Bern to acquire an empty trailer.
I didn't know heading into Morehead City that it was going to be at the actual ports, since none of my assignment macros indicated as much. So I was driving along, following my directions and ended up at the port entrance and thought to myself... "well crap. I don't have a TWIC card."
The officer at the gate approached my truck and knew right away that I wasn't prepared to enter the ports (ie. TWIC-less) and gave me a sheet of paper with names and numbers of "escort" companies that would happily exchange their services for cash.
Yay. So I had to back up, park and call a company to come escort me around. I called the first company on the list and the guy said he'd be there in 15 minutes. And sure enough, within 15 minutes he was knocking on my door ready to roll.
I didn't realize that I would also have this strange man in my truck with me the whole time I was at the ports. But he was nice enough and we had a fun time chasing sea gulls and talking about big boats and wild horses, while standing outside on the dock supervising the loading of my trailer in the pouring rain.
After the loading was done we headed for the scales and he kept commenting on how impressed he was that I could actually drive that "big ol' thang" so well. After the scale he commented more about how super surprising it was that I was the first driver he's ever escorted that could make it onto the scale on the first try, without having to back up and realign.
He must've been along with some really horrible drivers because the scale was very simple to get onto and there was plenty of room for a perfect set up. But I digress.
So I was loaded, scaled and ready to roll. I dropped him off at the gate where I acquired him initially and I was on my way. The loads final destination was up in Ontario but I was grateful to have received more messages that guided me to our Carlisle PA terminal where I would swap the load with a Canadian driver who was bringing a load to Charlotte.
So that's what happened. I ended up spending the night in Kenly, NC again at the TA before making the rest of the trip to Carlisle. As I was approaching the exit to go to the company terminal I was passed by the Canadian I was to be swapping loads with. We arrived, dropped and swapped and I was on my way again.
I spent that night at the Wilco/Hess in Toms Brook, VA and then delivered the load in Charlotte yesterday morning. The place I delivered to was interesting. Well rather the experience I had at the place was interesting. I arrived and buzzed in at the gate and was allowed access. I drove in and watched the gate close behind me as I wondered where I was supposed to go to actually check in.
I got out of my truck and followed a set of signs for Receiving to a door on the nearest end of the building only to find it locked tight when I tried to open it. Defeated, I continued following the building along past about 6 docks and never saw another actual foot entrance. So I knocked on a door of a truck being unloaded and asked the driver where we were supposed to check in.
He directed me to a small precarious ladder on the side of the docks between two bay doors and told me once on the platform to go left towards some windows. I did just that and found the Receiving Office. I was checked in and informed to pull into which ever bay opened up first. There were only two trucks being unloaded and so my pick would be one of those two slots.
After about 30 minutes one of the trucks pulled out and left. So I set up to take his place, realizing how tough it was gonna be with a fifty-three foot trailer. You see, all of the bays were occupied by containers, small containers. Even the guy that pulled out of the spot I was about to back into was a small chassis container. So I started to panic a little wondering if I could even get into the hole.
After about 15 minutes of back up, get out and look, pull up, back up, get out and look... I finally landed perfectly in the hole. I set the brakes, chocked the wheels and settled in for a sammich.
Only to have one of the workers come out and inform me that they didn't realize that my freight was not what they initially thought it was and that it needed to be unloaded at the other end of the building.
Bastards. haha
So I pulled out and turned around and parked in a much easier space to be unloaded. After that.. I was in and out in about a half hour and on my way to our Charlotte terminal where I would break and go see the doctor.
I spent the evening chatting with another driver I've sat and chatted with before and retired to my truck at about 7:30 when I was starting to get tired of talking. I then called my sweetie and then went to sleep.
I woke up this morning at about 7am, not really expecting to get a load assignment anytime soon to find that my suspicions were correct. So I rolled back over and snoozed some more, having some very strange truck driving dreams and then woke up again at 9am.
I did start receiving a load assignment at about 9:30, but I'll still be sitting here till tomorrow morning since the load they've assigned to me isn't going to be here until about 8am. I will be able to deliver it same day though, since it's just going to the Richmond, VA area. Yay. At least it's something!
Comments
You know - I have no qualms about feeding another person - you're welcome to come along anytime. But I'll tell you this - if I feed you, I might pawn off some of my driving time on to you! Especially since you seem to be an expert at backing...that's not one of my strong points! :)
If I have an option however, I'll avoid ports from now on. lol
----Rant, should we ever cross paths one day, I'm coming over to take a shower! haha Oh and I guess I could let you feed me and then back your truck up for you! haha ;o)