to PA

We took the repaired trailer, loaded with diapers, to Tunkhannock PA.  Schneider said to go I-15 I-70 I-76 I-80 I-81, but that would take us through big mountains and big Cities like Denver and Chicagoland.  Instead we took I-15 I-40 I-81.  It was 100+ miles longer, but took about the same time, and was still within the 10% of paid miles they require we stay.  I tried adding pictures of our route.

LA reprise

After picking up an broken MT trailer in Fresno, I drove it as far as Bakersfield. I pulled into the Flying J, and Lori drove us the rest of the way to the Fontana OC.
From there, she was told to drop it and bobtail over to the Central Los Angeles OC. Wonderful.
The loaded trailer we were s'posed to pick up there had a hole in it, missing clearance lights and a bald tire. It was dropped there on the 18th, and we were suprised (not) that it had not been repaired in the interim.

20030919

What a day. I drove in to the Fontana OC (Operating Center) around 0330 eastern. This is usually around the time Lori and I switch out driving.
Since our delivery appointment wasn't until 1030, I put 123 gallons of #2 diesel into 35902's thirsty tanks, found a parking spot (not an easy task) and shut down. I got to go to sleep without the truck moving, which was a very strange feeling. I slept solid for seven hours!
Lori took the down time opportunity to do laundry at the OC. The OC provides free washers & dryers.
Then she signed out the company car (another benefit), a relatively new Dodge Intrepid, and drove to our consignee (the place we were to deliver at 1030) to scope out the place so she would not have to worry about missing a turn in the big truck..
At around 1230 eastern, 0930 California (cal-ee-FOR-nee-ya) time, we drove over in the big truck, were assigned a dock, and backed in.
Since unloading was to take 3 hours or so, we decided to drop the trailer, put on the kingpin lock so nobody would take it, and bobtail over to Wal-Mart.
I don't know why California builds everything so teeny tiney small, especially with all this open desert around them, but they do. I couldn't figure out how the Wal-Mart took deliveries, 'cuz I sure wouldn't want to drive a semi in there!
Once we were unloaded, Schneider told us to drop the empty trailer (MT) at the OC.
Then, they told us to bobtail up to Fresno to pick up a different MT. That's where I am now.
Trailer number A430893. I think we pulled this one from Cincinatti to Washington state somewhere.
I remember this because the tandem sliders are broken in exactly the same way.
I had to hammer in the right rear retaining pin in order to re-attach it to the retracting arm.
That was the load from JMSmucker... vegetable oil, I think it was. 45,000 pounds of it. We had to weigh & reweigh seven times to get the axle weights legal (even then, we had to keep less

Michelin in Ontario

Here we sit, waiting for TNT Logistics, where the Michelin distributor is located, to unload us. Rather than just sit around, we dropped the trailer, put on the kingpin lock, and bobtailed up to Wal-Mart to do some shopping.
I will add more later, when I am not using my Sprint PCS "anytime" minutes.

After the flying brick

It is now midnight Eastern time, 2300 Dallas time. We got a motel room at Red Roof Inn, 1401 North Beckley, Desoto TX 75115. This is the place Schneider contracts with. It cost us $32.95. The company shop in Dallas says the windshield won't be replaced until 10 or 11, and that it has to sit for three hours after that for the seal to cure, so we are just kicking back until then. Unfortunately, I usually drive at night now, so I am staying up on the computer to stay on schedule.
(By the way, I am posting this entry by means of AOL Instant Messenger, connected to the internet using Sprint PCS Wireless Web with my Kyocera 6035 plugged into the COM port.)

Windshield smashed

At about 2030 (8:30pm for you day weenies), one of the local cockroaches in Dallas found the goodness in his heart to heft a large rock or brick at my windshield.  Luckily, it did not penetrate the safety glass, but I did get sprayed with sand-sized glass pieces.  This happened at about mile marker 478 (just east of Exit 477) on I-20, the LBJ Freeway on the southeast side of Dallas.  All I saw was the object coming up from the grass out of the dark and BAM! I was covered in glass powder!  If the @$$h01E who threw it were a bit stronger, or the object a bit larger, or I were to have been driving faster than the 60mph speed limit, my head would have been splattered across the back of the driver's seat.  Luckily, Lori had gone back to the sleeper about a half hour before this.  I'll try to get a picture.

9/11

Listen to the song at Amazon.com. (Click the link below, and scrool down the page.) 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008S6C7/ref=pd_sbs_m_1/104-9046753-3589565?v=glance&s=music  And remember, don't pirate music.

Read the lyrics at
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2003-02-25-anthem-lyrics_x.htm

The start of another two weeks out

   It is 09/11/2003 at 0330. Lori is sleeping, while I am filling out my expense report from last week. We will show as available at 0800. We usually get a load around 0900.
   We have been staying out over the weekends, getting home during the week. This has worked well for us as our paychecks have been slightly higher.
   I am sorting through 10 toll receipts, trying to figure out how to enter them on the 9 lines provided on the expense report. Wow! $36.40 in tolls on three loads.

Entry from home via AIM

This entry was made from the house via TW Cable internet connection using AOL Instant Messenger. I am not signed on to AOL.
I hope this goes as well while on the road. Until then, have several nice days!
Dave

my first entry

I found a way to document our journeys while travelling. AOL lets me "post" to this "blog" by sending an IM to "AOLJournals". It automatically posts the entries! Way cool.
I am writing this from Deerfield OH now, but should be able to make future entries on the road by using AIM while connected via Sprint PCS's Wireless Web.
I will quit for now to make sure this works. Look for more in the future.
Dave