Brad Pittrose And The Neon 228

Before I left the house last Sunday I made arrangements for Brad Pittrose and his other son, Texrose, to go down to AMX and bring my Neon back up to Mother. Well, actually, Mother called E.F. Hutton and asked if he thought Brad Pittrose would be interested in doing it - for pay, of course. E.F. Hutton talked to Brad Pittrose who said he would be glad to do it. Mother really needs my little car at the house so she won't be dependant on Abbie or Disabro to take her everywhere.

She's paying the insurance on it anyway, but that's because the Neon was supposed to already be at the house. Remember The Captain Is Free and Handyman's Elevator Don't Go To The Top? In that post, on 4/15/09, I said,

It's 7:15pm now, and Mother just told me about calling Handyman to confirm departure time in the morning. (Handyman was gonna drive me and Mother to AMX's terminal then drive back so Mother could keep my car.) She said he asked, "What time will we be back - about 10:00 or 10:30 in the morning?" And Mother bewilderingly said, "No Handyman. Don't you remember the last time we went down there? I told you it'd be an all day thing." Long story short, Handyman cancelled, so I'll be taking my car with me back to the terminal.

I haven't spoken to Handyman since; although I see him at E.F. Hutton's shop from time to time. Anyway, Brad Pittrose will never know how grateful I am to him - because while I was rushing to get on my way to Indiana, I could say to him, "Will you just take care of it?" and he understood how helpless I was to get anything like this done. (I hope that makes sense. I've got a headache, and my words aren't coming together....) And bless his heart, he's got some vacation days he'll lose if he don't use them, so he'll just use one day to go get my car. What a nice guy

In other news, this is the trip I'm under now:



I got inspected at the Seymour IN scale a few hours back. Everything was good, except I got another ticket for not having on my seatbelt. I found out that our tickets contribute to AMX's "Safety Rating". (One day I'm gonna have to research "Safety Rating", because this was the first time I'd ever heard of it.) I called Whatagreatguy and told him about it, explaining that I didn't realize my tickets affected the whole company, and that I'd never be caught without the seatbelt on again. I told him that I thought he was getting on to me about it simply because I'd have to pay the tickets.

And finally, I'm posting from the Flying J in Franklin KY where I'm taking my 10 hour break.

Filing The BCBS Drug Claims 227

Remember when I said, "I learned how to file drug claims on BCBS's website, but I don't have the required authorization numbers ....CVS [will] give me a printout of all that stuff, ... So, I'll have to wait until I get home ...." in From Wildwood FL?

I got the 3 page printout Friday afternoon. The print was tiny and confusing so I spent an hour with a ruler marking off and separating the pertinent info. To make matters worse, each store can only print it's own records; i.e. I had to contact CVS in Clewiston FL; Meridian MS; Berea OH; and Jacksonville FL, and ask each of them to fax my records to the CVS here. I haven't picked them up yet, but when I do, I'll work them into a Word Document I created to organize the material. Then I'll finally be able to file the claims online with BCBS.

From what I can tell, I've spent $3,046.25 on prescription thus far in 2009. If I get even 1/2 of that back, that's over $1500.00!


In other news, I've got 713 miles to go from here, at the house. That's 13 hrs at 55mph, so that means 1 ten hour break, = 23 hours all together. I've got to be there at 2:30PM tomorrow, so if I leave the house by 3:30 this afternoon I should be ok.

Fighting The Knights 226

Continuing from I've Been Rejected! - Our shop fixed my trailer in 15 minutes; I went back over to GA Pacific; the guard shack told me to come on down; and I was filling out the form (mentioned in the last post) where I was sitting according to the following diagram:



2 docks were open, and as soon as I finished filling out the form for the lift driver, I was going to back into one of them. My trailer doors were open and my tandems were slid; i.e., there could be no misunderstanding that I was ready to get loaded. Suddenly, a Knight Transportation truck whizzed past and took one of the docks. Seconds later, another one did the same thing. What was going on? Why were they breaking in line?

Interjection: My opinion of Knight is that it's a "fresh meat" company. Swift, Werner, and Schneider are in the same category. They're happy to get all the trainees and less experienced drivers they can, because they can more easily exploit those drivers. Less pay; less home time; preplanning them into next month; pushing them beyond the point of exhaustion for extended periods of time; etc., ... all of which is called "paying your dues" if you want to get enough experience to move on to a good driving job.

Having said that, a lot of these drivers could care less about following rules or etiquette. A lot of them are simply unaware.... After I'd put on my long pants, hard hat, and safety glasses, none of which the Knight drivers wore, I went inside and asked them, "Y'all don't load here often, do you?" They were young men, nice enough when they said, "No, why?" I said, "Because you broke in front of me." One of them said, "Well, we're on a tight schedule, you know."

That's what did it for me. I was absolutely livid! My eyes got big and I said, "You think I'm not?!" Then the other one, a bald, fat young man in shorts, started saying things that were sort-of pertinent, but missing the mark of the argument, and that's when it happened: I called them a few choice curse words, and walked towards the lift driver to flag him down. The lift driver said, "The Knight trucks have priority over everybody else here."

Maybe they did have priority, but did that mean they didn't have to follow any of GA Pacific's safety rules either? Frankly, I think the rules (hard hat, glasses, long pants, etc,) are silly, and whether or not you have to comply depends on the lift driver. Some lift drivers don't care and some won't load you until you're properly dressed. A lot of companies have rules similar to GA Pacific's, and to save time, most drivers try to do what the company asks before they get to the docks.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I apologized to the first driver and explained why I reacted they way I did. I was still mad, but something about the whole situation just didn't seem right - like these young drivers didn't have a clue as to what they'd done to offend me. The fat one in shorts even helped me sweep out my trailer.

As it turns out (according to the lift driver,) the Knight drivers have to meet a ship in Panama City FL, so they're given loading priority. The lift driver said it wasn't the first time there'd been arguments about the Knight drivers jumping in line, and we agreed that everyone else should be made aware of Knight's situation - and why they seem to have so little regard for all the other drivers waiting to be loaded.

As I was checking out, I made an appeal to the ladies in the guard shack (contracted security workers) and filed a statement. A GA Pacific representative came out to talk to me as I was writing the statement, and I explained what happened. I told him that if I'd (and other drivers) only known.... I said, "It's like meeting a plane with air mail - we all understand that ...." And I told him I'd cussed the drivers - something I never, ever do - simply because of the lack of communication, and it had been so unnecessary.

I felt better about it after another AMX driver and the lift driver said they would'ave cussed the Knights too, but still .... When it was all over, I felt like I'd been beaten. I haven't been that justifiably upset in ages.

And that's my story of how I fought the knights.

I've Been Rejected! 225

The Qualcomm beeped on the way up from Wildwood. I'd been dispatched on this load:



It was a Georgia Pacific paper load. More of those huge rolls of paper we haul so many of. They're called "Roll Stock" within the industry.

Anyway, I made my way up to Cedar Springs GA (it's only about 18 miles from the terminal) and checked in. Checking in and loading at this place means:
a.) parking in the "staging area", which is an area away from the main operations where all the trucks wait to be loaded. Lots of companies call it a "staging area";
b.) walking to a tiny little building where there's a house phone that connects to security - the guard shack. It's always called the 'guard shack' whether it's a shack or The Ritz;
c.)the guard shack answers and you give them your pick up number. If you don't have a CB, they'll send somebody up to get you or call your cell phone when they're ready for you;
d.) several hours later it's finally your turn to actually go to the guard shack, where they lend you a hard hat and safety glasses, tell you to put on some long pants, and send you around the corner to one of three loading docks where you;
e.) slide your tandems to the rear, lower your landing gear, turn your truck off, and then you;
f.) put on the hard hat and take the form you filled out when you first got there (forms are in the tiny little building next to the house phone) to the forklift operator. The form declares your pickup number; customer; destination city; that your trailer has a current DOT inspection; that you've slid your tandems; that you've chocked your wheels; that you've lowered the landing gear; then
g.) the lift operator come out and inspects your trailer on the outside and;
voila! he rejects mine because of this:

Inside:


Outside:


It seems real picky to me, but it's possible water could get in there and damage the last roll. And when you look at this, ROLL STOCK COMPLAINT PROCEDURES, from GA Pacific's website, it's easier to see why they're becoming so picky.

So now I'm at the Flying J in Dothan, 12 miles from the terminal, waiting for the rest of the world to come back to life in morning - the broker, dispatch, the shop, etc.

If they keep me on this load, it'll take me by the house for a while.

By the way Mom, I resized the load information so it'll print bigger.

Goodnight.

Start Heading Up 224

Just got the message (via Qualcomm) to "start heading up". That means no freight in the area, so start heading towards the terminal in Ashford (Dothan) AL. So....

Just a quick note: My little AdSense account is up to $3.79 now. Thanks so much to everybody who's checked out the Truckalogue and found an ad or two that interested you.

From Wildwood FL 223

007 didn't have a load for me after I got rid of the Hazmat stuff in Ocoee FL this afternoon, so I drove to the TA in Wildwood FL to spend the night.

I learned how to file drug claims on BCBS's website, but I don't have the required authorization numbers issued by the CVS. I called CVS just now; they'll give me a printout of all that stuff, but there's no way to get the information online. So, I'll have to wait until I get home again to file my claims. Not sure when that'll be, but I know I'll be home October 5th. That's when I do another stress test so I can get my medical certification extended again. The current extension expires October 13th. (Hope I don't have to go through this every three months from now on.)

Ordinarily, Medical Certifications are good for two years; However, according to the FMCSA's webpage, Cardiovascular Advisory Panel Guidelines for the Medical Examination of Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers, under 'Frequency of Re-certification Examinations':

Under the FMCSRs, the Medical Examiners Certificate is not valid for more than two years. The driver can be certified for three months, six months, one year, or another length of time decided on by the examiner, not to exceed two years.

It's funny how this post seems so short, and yet I've spent so much time researching and writing it. Goodnight.

Somebody Slap Me - BCBS Will Pay 80% 222

I finally called the number on the back of my Blue Cross insurance card to see why my insurance didn't cover more of my prescriptions. I have a $500 yearly deductible and 80% coverage of approved prescriptions, BUT, I have to file the claims myself! I can't believe it! I'm so stupid!

AND the absolutely fantastic news is that I can retro file, online if I want to, for up to 2 years. I can't believe it! The lady said BCBS will mail me a check, or I can have the money direct deposited
I'm gonna be rich!

Seriously, God is so good to me .... I love Him all the time, but sometimes I feel like just saying it out loud.

I haven't gone to BCBS's website yet to try it - don't have time to. But you can bet your life I will ASAP.

I'm posting from a little BP fuel stop near Witakers NC - and I'm picking up free wifi from somewhere This is where I finally stopped last night just after midnight. My 10 hour break is up now and I've got to run.

The trip I'm under now:



First Hazmat load I've pulled in ages. Got to be there as soon as I can legally get it there tomorrow. From here I have 639 miles to go. Later.

Truck Drivers And Depression 221

I saw one of the free trucking magazines a few months back that had a big write-up about truck drivers and depression. I glanced at it long enough to see the words "... no control over their schedule"; "... lonliness"; "... long hours"; etc. I don't have the magazine anymore, but this is what I could find on the internet:

From EzineArticles.com; Depression and the Long Haul Trucker
"... The constant attitude of many motor carriers of "you've got to get the freight there," is an enormous stress on the long haul trucker....Twenty eight hours of sleep in an entire week, and to add to the problem, a great deal of long haul trucking is done at night....Though statistics vary, it is believed that depression in long haul truck drivers is as high as 30-40 percent...."

From an ABC News (Australia) website called "PM" (a radio news show I think), The [Australian Trucking Association] has research which shows that drivers suffering from severe depression are up to six times more likely to have an accident on the roads.... The work is exhausting, lonely and stressful so it's little wonder that a recent report into the mental health of truck drivers found that the transport industry takes a heavy toll on its employees....Heavy vehicle drivers were under considerable pressure to meet deadlines. They had to drive for long hours and they often had to try and be at a certain point within a certain timeframe. It seems to be a occupation which carried a significant amount of inherent psychological stress in it...."

Several months after I first started driving I told Dr. Feelgood that sometimes I felt like running over all the 4wheelers - if I could go faster. Back then, Swift trucks would only go 57mph. I'd never do it of course, but I still feel that way sometimes - like when a 4wheeler cuts me off, etc. Anyway, I thought it was anxiety, but he thought it was depression. I've been taking an antidepressant ever since. It was Paxil for years; and I've been taking Effexor for about 2 years.

Please note that I think a lot of employees in any sort of industry suffer from depression simply because they have to work for a living. However, according to an article from PubMed.gov, "...Truck drivers are at increased risk for depression when compared to the general population...." The only reason I'm pointing truck driving out is because it's so different than most other jobs - and because I am one.

And I take Effexor.

Ahh CVS Pharmacy - 220

This has been on my brain since last Friday.

This post is related to WalMart Pharmacy Stinks. The only important prescription WalMart filled was my Effexor, so that's the only thing I had to transfer back to CVS. Now all my prescriptions are 'home' again, and it's a warm, fuzzy feeling. Silly I know, but nevertheless....

Since I'm keeping a record of it:

I bought 30 Lisinopril (blood pressure) tablets on 9/18 for $5.19 at my hometown CVS. I won't need to refill this for a while.

(Refilling on the road is relatively easy when I need to, but it's a pain finding a CVS I can get to with my ... 80 feet?? of 13'6" high equipment.)

I bought 30 Aspirin [325 mg] tablets on 9/18 for $1.89 ... I won't need to refill this for a while.

I bought 30 Plavix on 9/18 for $156.83 ... I won't need to refill this for a while.

I bought 15 Crestor on 9/18 for $59.83 ... 15 because I only bought 15 last time. If I can afford it, I can by all 30 around 9/27.

I bought 15 Effexor on 9/18 for $71.61 ... 15 because I only bought 15 last time. If I can afford it, I can by all 30 around 9/27.

And I will be out of Gemfibrozil around 9/27.

I'd like to get back to refilling all of them on the same day, but spending $437.00 with one swipe of the debit card just knocks too much breath out of me.

Trip Planning? What's That? 219

A lot of drivers know exactly when and where they're going to stop because they plan their trips so well. I'm not one of them. That's why I wound up driving my full 11 hours straight through today, which is unheard of for me.

North of Wytheville VA I began to thinking about where I could stop for a 10 hour break. Raphine maybe? No, I don't really like White's or the Wilco; and besides, I wanted to get a little further up the road. My little pocket truck stop guide (which I can read in the daylight but need granny glasses for at night) said there was a Flying J in Winchester VA at exit 323, and I decided that would be perfect.

But then I started seeing signs for I66, the highway that cuts over to the Washington D.C. area, and the way I needed to go. It was at exit 300. I thought, "Well crap!" because there aren't any truck stops on I66, and the closer you get to D.C., the worse traffic gets. Then you get on I495 to go around D.C. on the north side - no place to stop and traffic was squirrely like always. On around to I95 towards Baltimore.

What about the TA at Jessup MD? NO WAY. Well, there's the TA in Baltimore.... NO WAY. Tick tock, tick tock - time's running out. You gotta stop at 8:15PM or you'll be in violation of the 11 hour rule.

I can make it to the Flying J in Elkton, can't I?

And so I did - with no time to spare. That's where I am now. Only about 50 miles from delivery. I'm too pooped to say much else, except "Goodnight" to my Facebook readers, if any of you clicked through to here.

(Molly, you gotta get a Facebook deal. It's the coolest thing since sliced bread!)

Welcome Facebook Readers 218

Yesterday I became "friends" with several Facebook members who are interested in trucking. This is the message I sent to each of them along with my friend request:

Hi! Are you a driver? I'm a 48 yr old female driver who's been at it for 12+ years now - mostly OTR in the US. I keep a little blog that feeds to my "Wall" and "Notes" pages here at Facebook. Quite frankly, I'm looking for people to follow the links to the original posts (at amx1047.blogspot.com ), and maybe read my posts. I try to make 50% of them interesting and informative, while the other 50% is simply my diary.

My ulterior motive is to get people to check out the Google AdSense Ads that appear on my blog. For those who don't know, AdSense is a free service offered by Google that allows people/companies/etc. to advertise on my blog, and I get to collect a tiny little fee for the space - for legitimate clicks, that it. I earn a fraction of a cent for every legitimate click. My little AdSense account is up to $3.78 now, and when I get to $100.00, Google will mail me a check.

I'm new to Facebook, but I love the way it operates! With one glance you can see what all your "friends" are doing. Very cool the way it's set up. So I'd be grateful if you'd approve me as a friend - especially if you're a driver. Trucking is the only thing I know anymore.

Thanks much,
Sherry Collum

So hopefully there are a few more readers - who see just what they've been looking for in the ads

For those just tuning in, I'm on my way to Bellmawr NJ with 6 huge rolls of paper from International Paper in Pine Hill AL. Home is on the way, so that's where I am now - Bessemer, AL. My delivery appointment is for 1:00PM Monday, but I'm willing to bet IP in Bellmawr will take it off early if I'm there.

I don't have a PC card for wireless internet acess, so I use truckstop wifi whenever I have access and time. Sometimes it's a couple or three days before I have the opportunity to update the blog.

In the sidebar is a list of Characters, so if you're reading a post and don't know who I'm talking about, just glance to the the left. Under that is a section of ads. Next is the Table of Contents. And finally there's a section called "Tags I list under my posts in alfa order." All of those are links back to their respective posts, with an indication of how many times that tag is used in the blog. I try to include as many tags as possible with a post without them being trivial. I use the tags for reference just as you can.

Feeling Poorly 217

I haven't been feeling well lately, so yesterday reordered all my expensive drugs - namely the Plavix and Crestor. I don't know if going without them is causing me to feel so bad, but I can't take any chances on not being able to work. So no matter how much they cost, I guess I've got to have them.

This feels more like a bad head cold. The side effects of the generic cholesterol medicine, Pravastatin (the one Dr. Feelgood prescribed on 9/11/09) include:

mild stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea;

heartburn, gas, bloating, upset stomach;

tired feeling;

headache, dizziness;

stuffy nose, cold or flu symptoms;

skin rash; or

general pain.

I have almost all of these symptoms - feel worse than I have in ages. I'm going to quit taking it, and get back on the Crestor.

On a related note: When I was a kid I remember thinking that once a person reaches a certain age, somewhere around 40, they don't/won't/can't change much. I'm no exception. All my bright ideas for healthier living were just good ideas, and I'm accepting the fact that I'm not going to change much.

On a daily basis, what matters the most is doing my job within the limits of the Federally imposed time constraints - whatever it takes. Eating food that's bad for me, smoking incessantly, whatever. It's bad for the long run, but if there's no short run.... You get the idea.

I'm going to have to rely on the expensive medicines to keep me healthy enough to work.

About Molly McGee's Illness 216

Molly, I'm gonna make a stab at your whole story for the record. A lot of it will be inaccurate, or incomplete, so you'll have to fill me in. I'll correct the post when we get everything down in print.

Back in 2003 Molly started having severe pain in her legs. There was no pulse in one leg and only a faint pulse in the other; i.e. no blood was circulating in her legs. She had to have aortobifemoral bypasses, which looks like this:

Aortobifemoral bypass surgery is used to bypass a blocked part of the large blood vessels in the abdomen and groin.

To bypass the blocked part of the blood vessel, blood is redirected through a graft. The graft is made of man-made material. This graft is sewn above and below the blocked vessel so that blood flows through the graft and around the blockage. The graft looks like an upside-down Y shape. The single end of the Y is sewn on the aorta. The two split ends of the Y are sewn below the blocked or narrowed areas of the femoral arteries.

But, from what I understand, the synthetic stuff was defective, and it caused a bunch of big hernias to form in Molly's midsection. I've seen and felt them - bigger than softballs.

I know Molly went back to work after the surgery, but the pain was unbearable. Nothing worked to ease the pain she felt ... where, Molly?

Eventually her doctor told her she would have to quit work if she was going to have any sort of quality life. How long did it take to get disability started?

How and when did the lung problem become evident? And what's causing it?

Is the pain that caused the disability the same pain that's being caused by the tangling of the hernia and your stomach?

I'm pooped Molly. Please don't feel pressed to answer any of this. Just type/write a little at a time, and we'll get it put together in a post that explains what's going on.

Jersey Bound Again 215

Posting from the house.

From Alachua (Gainsville) FL I did this:



And this is the one I'm under now:



This one got me by the house for a couple of days. From here I've got 925 miles to go - at 55mph=17hours divided by 11=1.5 ten hour breaks .... So that's 17hours + 15hours = 32hours total. But figuring it the way I want to do it, it looks like this:







So if I leave the house by 3pm Saturday afternoon I'll have plenty of time to sleep at night on the way up there.

I Couldn't Wait For Success, 214

I stopped to get a cup of coffee at a truck stop a while back. As I was walking to the counter to pay for it, I glanced at a bunch of little plaques sitting in the middle of the isle. This one,

I Couldn't Wait For Success, So I Went Ahead Without It
caught my eye and made me laugh out loud

Just checking in from the Flying J in Brunswick GA. I've only got 150 more miles to go to get to the Dollar General DC in Alachua. Then I can go to bed and get a full 10 hour break in - so I can work all day tomorrow.

Hauling For Jews 213

Posting from the Flying J in Kenly NC.

This is the trip I'm under now:



The place where I picked this load up is run by an very nice older Jewish man. I wouldn't have know he was Jewish except for the contrast between him and his nice young warehouse manager, an Orthodox Jew. The following picture isn't either of these men; it's simply the closest one I could find that depicts the young man's head covering and sideburns:



I've seen Orthodox Jews walking on the streets in NYCity and other cities in the upper northest, but I've never been close enough to ask about the long sideburns until this trip.

The older man was walking into the building at the same time I was, and he inquired about who I was picking up for (what brokerage) and where the load was going. He had an air about him .... It's hard to explain, but I just knew he was the owner of the place. He was sort-of mild mannered and domineering at the same time. Very polite and dignified; and he knew about his customers and the loads he was sending out to them. I guess that's the thing that struck me the most about him.

Anyway, he stood in the doorway of the little office (inside the warehouse) with me while his young manager gathered my paperwork. When business was taken care of, I asked the young man about his sideburns, and emphasized that I meant no offense. Before he could answer, the older man said, "He didn't take offense. He is Jewish, and I am Jewish. The difference is that he is Orthodox." I said, "Yes sir, I understand that, but...." The older one cut me off, "Do you really?" I said, "Well, yes sir. It's like the differences in Christianity." He said, "Ahh - you do understand then." (There was more to the conversation, but these are the highlights.) The young man spoke up then, saying "We are not allowed to shave the corners of our heads."

As I signed my paperwork and was walking away the older man said, "Thank you for being so observant. He's really a nice guy." I grinned and said, "He's cute too." the old man said, "Why don't you take him home with you?" and we laughed as I walked out the door.

I did a little research on the sideburns - called peyos - just now. From this reference:
Question 11.1.5: Dress: Why do many Jewish men sport beards and/or long sideburns?
Answer: The Torah, the Five Books of Moses, has a commandment not to shave the corners of the head. [Specifically, Leviticus 19:27 says, "Do not round the corner of your head."] The Torah also forbids a male Jew from removing hair from one's sideburns and temple are (known as pei'ot ha-rosh). Actually, the sideburns merely have to be long enough that one can pull on the hair, and the beard area can be shaved with something other than a sharp blade (many people accept the use of electric shavers). But specifically within the Chassidic community, there is a custom not to shave (and frequently not even to trim) the beard, and to permit the sideburn area (all the way up to the top of the ear) to grow long as well (the long sideburns are called peyot). Some tuck the hair up under their kipot/skullcaps, while others curl the hair. Many Orthodox say the payes (a.k.a. earlocks/sidelocks) begin right at the temple, to just behind the ear, and must grow no shorter than the top of the cheekbone. Then they are to be worn pushedforward of the ear so as to be visible. Many, following Rabbi Nachman, grow them long because he said he could "pull them by their payess out of hell" once he was in Paradise!

WalMart Pharmacy Stinks 212

Posting from the Flying J in Wytheville VA.

Years ago I had a prescription filled at WalMart. Now I remember why I never used them again. Suffice it to say they're still the idgets they were back then, with the cashier holding several slips of paper in one hand and several little bags in the other, trying to match the slips to the bags - which were stapled closed with their contents inside. When I asked, "What is this one?" she studied the slip for a moment and said, "Oh, I might have missed that one...."

When God was handing out patience, I was at the end of the line. Stuff like this irritates me to no end - especially when I'm in a hurry. The line started backing up down an isle, and finally I said, "Why don't you let me take these things over here and see what I'm getting while you wait on some of these other people?" She obliged.

I was expecting to pick up 4 prescriptions - Effexor, Lisinopril, Aspirin, and the new cholesterol medicine phoned in by Cinderella. WalMart had the Effexor, the new medicine, and Gemfibrozil ready. Apparently Cinderella phoned in Gemfibrozil too - I've always taken it in conjunction with Crestor, and she thought it was $4.00 at WalMart. Cinderella was trying to help me save some money....

But CVS had arranged (without my knowledge) for more refills on the Gemfibrozil several days ago; called the house to see if I still wanted it; Mother, in turn, called to tell me about it; I called CVS Friday and told them to hold it since they'd refilled it anyway; and I picked it up yesterday. It's the same price at WalMart and CVS, so I told the WalMart cashier I didn't want it. (Just a note to myself: This is a Dr. Feelgood prescription, and I have 3 refills on it.)

I only got 15 Effexor because that's what I got last time. At WalMart it's $73.23. At CVS (Jacksonville, FL) it's $72.92. I have 2 refills on this, so when I have it transferred back to CVS there should be no problems. (This is a Dr. Feelgood prescription.)

WalMart probably didn't have the Aspirin ready because I had it filled last at CVS Jacksonville. I just wish I'd known, instead of trusting WalMart when they said, "We'll have them ready in an hour." But WalMart didn't have my phone number, so.... I'm glad in a way - one less rx I'll have to transfer back to CVS. I have 1 refill on this. This is a Dr. Crowthong prescription.) I will need this by Friday morning, and can get it refilled on the road.

WalMart probably didn't have the Lisinopril (blood pressure) ready because I had it filled last at CVS Jacksonville too. (This is a Dr. Feelgood prescription, and I have 7 refills on it.) I will need this by Friday morning, and can get it refilled on the road.

I also take Metoprolol Tartrate (beta blocker). (This is a Dr. Feelgood prescription, and I have 2 refills on it.)

I said yesterday that Dr. Feelgood was prescribing Sivastatin to replace Crestor, but I was wrong. The new cholesterol medicine is Pravastatin 40mg.

90 Day Medical Card Expires Soon - Again 211

Remember Medical Card Extended Another 90 Days from July 9th? This particular extension expires 10/13/09, so I called to make an appointment for another stress test yesterday. Cinderella called me back late in the afternoon and said there was some confusion as to why I needed one.

I told her the AMX doctor, Dr. Flagman, had only extended my medical certificate for another 90 days after the last test/letter. So I have an appointment on October 5th at 7:00AM with the x-ray department at UAB West. Dr. Feelgood (or another doctor if he can't make it) will have to be there during the exercise part to make sure I don't croak.

And remember It's Cheaper To Be Healthy from August 27th - where I sent the fax to Dr. Feelgood/Cinderella informing them of my decision to quit taking Plavix and Crestor because I couldn't afford them? I never heard back from them, but Cinderella acknowledged it yesterday.

The results of my last blood test on 8/24/09 were bad - 246 bad and 36 good cholesterol, or something like that. So Dr. Feelgood is prescribing Simvastatin, a generic Zocor, I think. Cinderella said it's $4.00 at WalMart, so that's where she phoned it in to. She sort-of doubtfully said, "Maybe it'll work for you."

An Anonymous commenter stated, in Angiogram Showed 99% Blockage In LAD he/she went through the same thing 1.5 years ago and Sivastatin was his/her generic for Crestor.

Since I'm using WalMart pharmacy now, I had my Effexor, Lisinopril, and Aspirin transferred there from CVS. Hopefully they didn't have any problems with the transfer, because I'm planning on picking all of them up when I leave for New Jersey this morning.

And finally, I have decided to leave Buddy here this trip. I'll be in kind-of a hurry to get to New Jersey because I want to get up there in time to get in a 10 hour break before I unload. That way I'll be able to legally work all day Monday. But I'll pick her up again the next time I come through the house. I need my exercise machine and navigator.

Eigth Anniversary Of Terrorist Attacks 210

September 11, 2001 - Let us never, ever forget:

They Need Water Heaters In Elizabeth NJ 209

More catching up. I went by the AMX yard on the way to Meigs GA, trip 198, to get the truck serviced. When nobody in the office wanted to see me about anything, that's when I knew I didn't have to worry about losing my job anymore.

My next trip from Meigs:


My next trip, the one I'm under now:



This trip brought me by the house for a while. From here I have 977 miles to go, but I'm calling it 1000 just to be sure. 1000/55mph = 18hours/11 = 1.63 (say 2) ten hour breaks = 18hours + 20hours = 38hours to get there legally. If I leave Bessemer by 10am tomorrow ... I can be there by midnight Sunday. Maybe I will leave Buddy here ....

I can't leave until after 9AM in the morning because Dr. Feelgood has phoned in some prescriptions to WalMart late this afternoon, and their pharmacy doesn't open until 9AM. I had some of my prescriptions from CVS transferred to WallyWorld too, but I'll tell about all this in another post. I'm pooped now.

Trucking Can Be A Nasty Business 208

Trucking Can Be A Nasty Business 
My Truckalogue


I "blog" about about my little life because someday I might write a book. Hey - it could happen.

Catching thing up: Two or three posts ago I'd decided I was going to bring Buddy home because I was so depressed/worried/anxious, etc. I don't feel this way anymore, so I'm going to keep her with me. She's wonderful company, and forces me to get out of the truck and walk around some - even when I don't want to.

We haven't done much fast walking since Houston because my legs and feet have been sore from the same, but even a slow walk is better than nothing. 15 or 20 minutes every 3 or 4 hours - if we have the time. Good for lots of reasons.

Mother and I started talking again last Monday night. It's good to put that particular rift behind us and move towards the next one - which will happen the next time she calls me "arrogant". I'm lots of bad things, but arrogant is not one of them.

While we were stuck in Houston without a load, I was sweating the next few days wondering if I was going to be fired because of the situation over the Labor Day weekend. I'm not worried about that anymore.

Off on a tangent for a minute. Here's a little insight into why trucking can be a nasty business on both ends: Some drivers, when they've decided to quit a company, are just as liable to leave the truck/trailer in the middle of nowhere as they are to return the truck/trailer to the company. Sometimes the trailer is still loaded. The company has to locate and go get it's property. Hopefully it's still in driveable.

Drivers will sell fuel from the truck's tanks - fuel paid for by the company. If they work for a flatbed outfit, they'll sell the tarps, chains, and binders.

Some drivers are a few sandwiches short of a picnic. I worked for a company that flew me to Reno NV to pick up a truck that had been in the shop for several weeks. Some driver had tried to wire a "kicker" (a linear amplifier) for his cb radio to the little positive/negative posts on the dash of the truck, and caught the truck on fire. It had to be totally rewired. I'm not sure, but I think big amplifiers like that are illegal for use with a cb radio. It cost the company several thousand dollars to have the truck fixed. (The driver was fired on the spot.)

But sometimes, the companies screw the drivers. For example, I started my driving career with Swift Transportation (a huge company) back in 1996. I was based out of Swift's terminal in Decatur AL. When I decided to change companies, I turned in a two week notice at Greer SC, the southeastern division headquarters, and asked to work my way back to Decatur during my notice. I was trying to do the right thing. Little did I know ....

Swift made me give up the truck then and there. Another driver drove me and all my stuff to the nearest truck stop and kicked me out. I had to beg a ride home from SC. I've had other real bad experiences since '96, but the Swift thing forever burned an impression in my mind. A company can and will fire a driver for no good or legitimate reason - no questions asked.

That's why, when I have a situation like what happened in Houston, and they route me in towards the terminal, I get nervous. Like I told Fillinguy, I couldn't help that both of my reloads fell through. What I was guilty of was being happy about it.

I have to say though, AMX is the most fair, straight forward, honest company I've ever worked for. It's part of the reason I like them so much.

Handy Dandy Little Nitro Carrier 207

I bought one of these little pill carriers to put on my key chain a minute ago. My favorite color - and only $0.99! Now I'm sure to have a couple of nitro pills with me at all times. Sometimes I can pretty breathy when I'm seriously walking....

A Cool Old Scale 206

Everybody coming into the place I loaded today has to weigh in (empty weight) and weigh out once they're loaded.

This is a picture of the scale platform:


And this is the old beam ... what do you call that part?



I hope you can see it good enough to tell how it works - kinda like the scales at the doctor's office, where they slide the doohickeys on the balance beams. The Scale Master said they've been using it for about 25 years. They tried a couple of digital ones, but they kept breaking down. So he told his bosses, "You can't take this one out until I'm gone." I thought it was so cool!

I've only seen one other scale like this. Can't remember where it was, but the only time anybody ever used it was if a driver wanted to weigh his/herself. It was in a tiny little shack by itself, with a few cobwebs hanging here and there.

Anyway, we're at the Flying J in Gulfport MS for the night.

Headed to Meigs GA 205

This is my next trip:

It's Too Hot To Walk In Houston 204

Today is Labor Day.

Checking in from the Flying J in Houston. We're still here. It's another one of those bright, yucky, depressing days. We've only been able to walk around the parking lot once today because it got too hot for me. Right now it's 93 degrees (heat index 98); but the wind is stirring a little, so maybe it'll cool off before long.

I've just about decided to take Buddy back home - if I still have a job next week, that it. It's not fair to her when I get depressed like this. I don't want to neglect her, and yet all I want to do is sleep when stuff like this happens. All this walking probably isn't going to change anything anyway.

I can't believe how the time has flown by. It's already late Monday afternoon, and tomorrow I'll get dispatched again. It'll probably be back towards the east, and I'll sweat the next few days wondering when/if they'll bring me in to the terminal. Actually, I need to get to the terminal anyway because the truck is due service, but ....

I've been reworking the tags in the sidebar here. I use them for reference when I want to find something in the past. And I've been clicking around Facebook some.

I turned my phone off Friday night and haven't turned it on since - except to make necessary calls. I haven't talked to Mother since then. That's depressing too, but I don't need the browbeating I'd get over something she knows nothing about. I miss not talking to her, but ....

Not much else to say for now.

A Big Hug From/To Fillinguy 203

I'm still at the Flying J in Houston (Baytown, really) TX.

A short while ago I had to call the guard at AMX to get authorization to buy some fuel. (Idling a truck uses about a gallon per hour, and I haven't shut it off since I've been here.) I was pleasantly surprised to hear Fillinguy's voice on the other end. He's like a big teddy bear to me. Anyway, I talked to him a few minutes about what happened with the CHR loads.

After I fueled I sent this message to him:

9/6/09: ME: 19:59
Thanks Fillinguy. Regardless of how I felt about that last CHR load, it fell through. I woulda picked it up, but it fell through. That's not my fault. But I was glad it fell through.

Fillinguy: 20:29 I know

ME: 20:49: ... that's what I'm guilty of - being happy about it. No need to reply. It helps just to talk about it. So for being my sounding board, thanks so much.

Fillinguy: 21:03: ... U is welcome-- always do the right thing.

It made me feel a lot better to just talk about it, so I feel like I've just been given a big hug - whether I was right or wrong. Fillinguy used to be a driver, and he's been around this business a long time. He understands how I feel about the situation.

In other news: Remember how happy I was that the electronic cigarettes actually worked? I spoke too soon. The replacement cartridges are "hit and miss" in their quality. The last box I bought weren't as good as the first ones, so I haven't used the NJoy cig much at all lately. And another thing - these cartridges make me cough on the exhale.

I'm still chain smoking, and I don't think it's going to be possible for me to cut down, much less quit. I was going to try to watch what I eat too, but that's not working out either. So I guess I'm going to have to rely on the expensive prescriptions to keep me in good enough shape to work. It's funny how I can afford to die, but I can't afford to be sick.

Buddy and I have been walking though. At least that's something positive.

It's Only This Far On The Map 202

This is about the work related problems I've had over the last few days. It's necessarily long. For some, it may be enough to know that two Houston reloads fell through, so I'm stuck at the TA here until Tuesday. I'm a little worried (isn't everybody) that I may lose my job over this thing. I might as well be honest - I'm a lot worried. But I won't know if I've made it through this, my umpteenth work crisis, until next week. We'll see. Until then, I going to try not to worry.

This is what happened:

I had problems with trip 197, Salem VA to Houston, from the beginning.

From the QualComm on 09/02/09:

ME: 14:47
This freight is 55 gal drums of stuff on pallets held together with only shrinkwrap. They put a "rope" of shrinkwrap at the top of the drums, and the guy said that was stronger than anything else they could use.

Said that to say this: The woman who brought my bills out said I needed to put a strap or load bar on the stuff. She wasn't around by the time I got on the dock with my load lock, but that guy was. I said, "Why does this need a load lock?" He said, "You don't have a strap?" I said no. He tried to help me put the bar up, but the sides of the trailer are so bowed out it wouldn't stretch across, and we couldn't make it reach a rib.

I said, "Well, if anything happens, I've done my part." and I told him, "just between you and me, y'all ought to use something better than shrinkwrap to hold these things together."

Will try CHR again in a minute.

A few notes here: CHR = C.H. Robinson, the broker. I've talked about CHR before - look over in the sidebar; find the tag "C.H. Robinson"; and click on it if you want to see what I've said in previous posts. When CHR dispatched me, they only asked if I had load locks, not straps.

Putting a load lock in the trailer wasn't a problem, but when I saw the load was low and solid, I wondered why they wanted me to secure it. Most of the shippers I deal with don't ask for securement, and we don't haul much freight where it's needed. But there've been times when I secured a load anyway - just to be sure. Take the load of 12 packs of Dr. Pepper the other day, for instance. Using a load lock was my choice, and I decided to put one up - just to be sure.

Anyway, at the time, I didn't think about this being a liquid load. It meant that the stuff would slosh around in the drums, and maybe cause the last pallet to "walk" around some - if the shrink wrap held. Still, the guy on the dock said, "If the drivers have straps, ok. If they don't, we don't use anything."

AMX provides us with load locks - we carry them in a rack on the back of our tractors. AMX doesn't provide straps.

This is how a load lock works:



And this is how a strap works:






ME: 14:52
...we left the load lock on the floor and he didn't seem to think it was a big deal that we couldn't secure them.

007: 15:14
YOU MAY NEED TO GO BUY SOME STRAPS TO SECURE THE LOAD NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT

Note: 007 never uses any kind of punctuation in her messages, and all incoming messages are in capital letters. Sometmes it's hard to figure it out at first glance.

ME: 15:22
So are you telling me to buy some straps for this load? BTW - I may not be able to make it by 3:00pm Friday, but will do my best.

Note: Trip 197 paid 1147 loaded miles, but actual miles are closer to 1175.
No dispatcher ever figures trip time by actual miles.
No dispatcher ever considers the fact that a heavy load in mountainous terrain will slow a driver down considerably.
No dispatcher ever considers that a curving, twisting, or winding highway will slow a driver down considerably - not to mention that kind of driving is real work.
No dispatcher ever considers the possibility that we may have to wait in line for fuel for 45 minutes.
No dispatcher ever considers the fatigue factor - that a driver may need a little extra time simply because he/she is worn out.
No dispatcher ever considers waiting to load or unload is not a "rest" period.
No dispatcher ever considers that sweeping a trailer out, or other equipment issues, involves physical labor.
I could go on and on.

It's not just 007 either. All dispatchers are this way. It's their job. See this post - 14 Hour Violation

In orientation at AMX, when I first hired on, Nolielauri said trips were figured at 55mph, and in the next breath said 50mph. This isn't always so.

I usually figure actual miles at 55, which is what I really do average most of the time.

So, Trip 197, 1175 miles at 55mph = 21.36 hours. 11 hours of driving requires a 10 hour break. So 21.36 divided by 11 = two 10 hour breaks. Now the trip's up to 43.5 hours.

And at 2:45pm, about the time I finally got loaded, I had 48 hours to get there. Logging it legally, that left 4.5 extra hours for whatever might come up. It was doable on paper, but it meant driving 10 hours straight from Salem - and I'd already been working since 8:00am. I had unloaded in Danville VA, and driven 97 miles on one of the curviest highways in the America.

When I called CHR to tell them I was loaded, I mentioned the load lock problem, and the girl blew it off. I also told her I might not be able to make it by 3:00pm. After some checking and being put on hold a couple of times, the girl came back and told me it had to deliver by 3:00pm. I didn't realize Monday was a holiday yet.

ME: 15:34
... come on somebody - b4 I get to fuel stop - u want me to buy straps for this load?

007: 15:36
IF IT WILL SECURE THE PRODUCT YES YOU NEED TO ALSO THIS LOAD MUST NO EXCEPTION DELIVER ON FRIDAY THEERE IS NO REASON IN THIS WORLD THAT YOU CANT MAKE THAT IT BY 1500 ON FRIDAY YOU HAVE 46 HRS TO DO IT IN I DONT THINK THAT IS AKING TO MUCH

ME: 15:40 Y'all will reimburse me for straps, right? As for making it by 3 Friday, I won't argue about it.

Note: 007 hadn't specifically told me to buy straps for the load yet, and I wanted to be sure I'd get reimbursed. Straps are not cheap. As for not arguing about the delivery time, I already knew I was going to do whatever it took to make it. By this time I knew Monday was Memorial Day, the reason for the "007 push".

007: 15:43 I SAID YES BUY THEM IF IT WILL HELP SUCURE THE LOAD I SENT YOU A MESSAGE

ME: 15:45 Ok

007: 15:46 YES PUT PER 007 ON THE RECEIPT AND PER WHATAGREATGUY AND KUNG FU LOAD MUST BE THERE ON TIME FRIDAY

ME: 15:51 That's all I needed to hear. If Whatagreatguy and Kung Fu say to get it there regardless, it'll be there. Sometimes I think y'all put your index finger and thumb in the air and say "It's only this far on the map."

Note: 007 didn't respond, so to me this meant Whatagreatguy and Kung Fu knew the circumstances, and I wouldn't get called down for throwing the log book out the window. I had to get some rest, but I'd do it in snatches instead of 10 hours at a time. That way I'd be able to make it on time.

ME: 17:19 ...and y'all never figure things like 45 mins just to get to a fuel pump.... (Sent while I was sitting in line at the pumps. This was where the fuel route on the QualComm told me to stop.)

From the QualComm on 09/04/09:

007: 8:55 PLEASE DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET TO CUSTOMER NEED TO RELOAD BY 15:00

ME: 9:00 Sometime today I've got to take a full 10 hour break to get legal again, but I don't intend to stop again until I get there.

007: 9:02 YOU CAN TAKE A BREAK AFTER U RELOAD YOU ARE RELOADING IN HOUSTIN 800 MILES FROM NOW TO TUESDAY I THINK YOU CAN GET PLENTY OF BREAKS IN

ME: 9:03 Good deal.

ME: 9:04 I'll drive 24/7 as long as Kung Fu and Whatagreatguy approve it.

ME: 9:07 ...2 hour nap here, 5 hours there - I'd rather do it that way anyway.

007: 11:26 ARE U ALMOST AT CUSTOMER

ME: 11:27 Yes

ME: 12:14 unloading now

I sent in my empty call and she sent the next load info to me. It picked up at BASF on the west side of Houston. I drove over there.

ME: 13:51 Guy at BASF says this load has already been picked up

007: 14:00 WE ARE CALLING NOW

007: 14:23 TAKING YOU OFF LOAD UPDATE YOU ASP

ME: 14:24 I'm going back to the east side of town then - to the truck stops.

ME: 15:15 Do you think y'all will be able to get me out of here today?

I was hoping they wouldn't. I was totally exhausted, and I didn't like the shape my log book was in compared to the GPS.

007: 15:38 NOT SURE

ME: 15:39 Ok, thx.

ME: 16:12 Just leave he here. Unless it's across the street, I can't get anywhere by closing time anyway.

Please just leave me here - anything I do will be illegal.

007: 16:44 WE HAVE A LOAD IN HOUSTON TODAY AS SOON AS I GET THE FAX ILL SEN TO YOU SO BE READY THANKS

ME: 16:51 It'll take forever to get there the way traffic is now, but good deal.

I didn't really think it was a good deal, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

And then came the Load Assignment at 17:02:



007: 17:02 CALL BROKER ASAP # IN COMMENTS
...and she was gone. It was after 5:00pm and her day was done. She could walk away and leave it all behind.

When I saw the load assignment my heart sank. No information whatsoever, and the numbers listed were both for C.H. Robinson. And 007 had walked away leaving me holding the bag. I was sick.

I called CHR and the guy told me it was one pallet (seriously, one pallet) of phones. I said, "Aw man, this isn't going to pan out." He said, "It might not, it might not." He told me to sit tight and he'd call me back in 10 minutes - because he didn't want me to go after the one pallet of phone if it wasn't a sure-fire thing. By this time he knew I had log problems, and he knew I was seriously concerned about it.

Me: 17:07 Y'all better not count these chickens yet - this sounds like another fall through

...but nobody was listening. I kept trying though:

Me: 17:28 ... this is not a good deal at all.
Let me stay where I am. It's not worth the risk if anything should happen.

CHR didn't call me 10 minutes later, so I called him. I told him about how I'd never drive again if anything happened in the traffic - not to mention AMX would be sued for everything they had. I told him I couldn't get anybody to answer at AMX. I was almost in tears. I told him I was between a rock and hard place, but I'd go pick it up if it was legitimate.

He told me the shipper hadn't called him back so he thought it wasn't going to work out anyway. I told him, "Let's pray it doesn't". He said he'd call me right back - that he was going to tell the shipper he needed a "yes" or "no". He called back so quickly that I got the impression the shipper didn't answer. After all, it was almost 5:45pm by now - on a 3 day weekend. When he did, he said, "Your praying paid off, so just get some rest, and we'll talk to you Tuesday I guess."

Me: 17:43 CHR just called me back. The deal fell through."

Me: 17:55 I've been trying to call, but I guess everybody's gone home now. I'm not going to worry about it anymore. Maybe something'll turn up tomorrow. Things will be better then anyway.

I didn't know who sent the message at 18:46: CAN YOU CALL ME PLEASE?

ME: 18:52: I've been trying to call. Nobody answers - not even the guard

GUARD: 18:56: THIS IS THE GUARD. I HAVE NOT HAD A CALL FROM YOU.

So I called and talked to a young man I didn't know. CHR had called him, and he wanted to know what was going on. I told him.

From the QualComm on 09/05/09:

ME: 10:00: Dispatch, did you see that my load fell through yesterday?

007: 10:02: SURE DID AND BROKER ALSO INFORMED US THAT YOU WERE GLAD IT DID SO YOU CAN SIT THERE TILL TUESDAY
------------>
ME: 10:23: I don't care if I sit here 'till doom's day. At least everything's legal again, and nobody got hurt.

The broker knew I was worried about my log problem, but I told him I'd go get it if it was a legitimate load. He told me to sit tight while he called the shipper

He was going to tell the shipper to give him a yes or no

He called back almost immediately and said it wasn't a load. I got the impression nobody answered at the shipper.

I was glad because nobody was at risk anymore if anything had happened in the heavy holiday traffic. In fact, I was real glad - for myself and AMX.

The more I thought about it, the more worried I got that something might happen. I was between a rock and a hard place. So yeah, I'm glad it fell through.

So here I sit at the Flying J in Houston - across the street from the TA. Thank goodness it's not like last Christmas was when a "007 push" didn't work out. Everybody knows about that by now though, when Buddy and I spent 4 or 5 days at a Flying J in PA - and I missed a doctor's appointment because of it.

Goodbye Daisy - We'll Miss You 201

Harmlessette sent me a message yesterday:

"...I took Daisy to [Dr. Herriot's] at Hope Animal Clinic, just seemed like more was wrong with her than ... her arthritis. They x-rayed her and said all the swollen joints were bone cancer. I kept watching her and she just seemed to be suffering so much. Anyway, they said it was in her lungs, too, and it would be hard to give her anything for the pain so they suggested putting her to sleep. Thats what I did. I let them put her to sleep. It seems so odd here in the house without her. We had her around 10 years...."

I told her, "... I know it was a hard thing to do, but I fully believe dogs go to Heaven just like people do. She's in a much better place now - pain free and healthy. ..."

And I posted on Chesty's Facebook Wall, "...I know she'll be waiting at Heaven's gate wagging her tail when it's my/our turn to go Home. She was like one of the family - just as you and Harmlessette are."

This is the (Source) for the following:

James Herriot "Dog Stories"; chapter: The Card Over the Bed

Responding to a dying old woman's inquiry James Herriot, the late British author/veterinarian noted: "If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans. You've nothing to worry about there." He goes to note regarding animals joining their masters in the afterlife: "I do believe it. With all my heart I believe it."


Pope John Paul II: 'Animals Possess A Soul'

Pope John Paul II declared in a public audience in 1990 that "also the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren". He said, too, that they are the "fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect," and are as near to God as men are."

The Pope went on to say that, "animals have the breath of life and were given it by God. In this respect, man created by the hand of God is identical with all living creatures. ... The existence therefore of all living creatures depends on the living spirit/breath of God that not only creates but also sustains and renews the face of the earth."


"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers, 1897-1935

Buddy Waits Patiently 200

Any time we're sitting still, and it's safe enough, I let Buddy get out of the truck. This is why I'm not afraid to let her out by herself:





These were taken while I was getting unloaded at Danville VA this morning. She never goes very far from the truck; and she acts as if being free is no fun if I don't get out with her. What a great dog! My little Buddy.

She always does this when I'm on the computer too:



Ok. Now for the business at hand:



Legally, I couldn't leave Danville until 10:00AM. Luckily, Danville has a little Pilot that has wifi. That's where I'm posting from, and if I don't get out of here now, I'm might miss the pickup. Yikes!

There's A Bear In The Air 176

Last night as Buddy and I were about to get off I85 in Duncan/Spartanburg SC to get fuel, we saw a helicopter with a search light overhead, and every cop within 20 miles was surrounding a building at our exit. In fact, they had the exit closed off, and we had to flip around at the next exit. As we were passing where we should'ave gotten off, I saw one of the cops holding his shotgun at waist level.

Nobody knew what was happening, but a driver told me the cops had come onto the TA's premises looking for somebody.

This morning I called the Duncan Police Dep't to find out what happened. The girl told me to go to www.goupstate.com, and I should be able to find the article there. She was right. According to the article:

Multiple law enforcement agencies scoured wooded areas near the intersection of I-85 and Highway 290 late Tuesday night looking for a man accused of shooting at authorities after a traffic stop.

Master Deputy Tony Ivey, public information officer for the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, said that officers established a perimeter near Cryovac Inc. at 1502 E. Main St. in Duncan and were using a helicopter and K-9 teams in their search for a black male wearing blue jeans and a dark tank top. Ivey said no one was hit by the shots.

Ivey said officers were conducting a traffic stop as part of the third Operation Rolling Thunder, a multi-jurisdiction patrol of I-85 and I-26 in Spartanburg County this week, near mile marker 63 of I-85 North.

Ivey said the driver jumped from the vehicle and ran, and the officer conducting the stop reported shots had been fired as the suspect ran into a wooded area.

Authorities blocked off the area around Cryovac for the search

And from one of the comments on the story:

Remember Paul Harvey who used to end with "and now you know the rest of the story"? Well, I guess I will fill in the rest of the story the newspaper failed to mention.

The suspect was driving an orange Dodge Charger type vehicle. It was shown on 2 local TV stations. He shot at a Florence County deputy who had him pulled over on the north bound Hwy 290 ramp. It started around 7.30-8.00pm. At 12.48am an officer spotted him around the Jack in the box on Hwy 290. Suspect ran behind a semi truck while crossing 290. They started running him again but could not get helicopters up in the air for the second chase. The dogs lost him.

Law enforcement preformed perfectly. Especially since there were over 10 different agencies involved. It was humorous to watch some young guy driving a Duncan car who had just shown up start barking orders at people standing around while the real professionals were working.

This Is How Crazy I Am.... 175

Remember when I got the traffic ticket in Harrisburg PA and had to pay $109.00? When I came home last time I had a check from the Harrisburg court for $81.50. Yesterday I call to see why.

The girl said, "Your ticket was for $109.50, right?" I said yes. She said, "Well you sent $191.00."

Is that crazy or what?! I don't know what I was thinking.

Ok. Buddy and I are leaving for Danville VA now. Gonna be hard to get her back in the truck.

Flying Hook Pilots? 174

This is the logo for Flying J Travel Plazas. Truck drivers often call the truck stops "Flying Hook" or "Flying Fish Hook" because that's what the logo looks like. I like Flying Hooks, but we don't have very many of them on our fuel list.

I was hooking up to Pilot's wifi the other day and was a little surprised to see the press release "Pilot Enters into Interim Financing Arrangement with Flying J". Flying J declared bankruptcy in December 2008. The following is from their website:

"Even though Flying J has been a successful company, it faced near-term liquidity pressure from an unprecedented combination of factors: the precipitous drop in the price of oil and the lack of available financing from its traditional sources due to disrupted credit markets. With a sudden and unanticipated inability to meet its liquidity needs, the company had no other choice than a Chapter 11 filing to provide the time to work through a solution."

I remember when it happened. Little Buddy and I were laid over at the Flying J in Brookville PA for Christmas last year, and an employee came out and blocked off all the fuel islands. I asked one of the Hook's tanker drivers why, and he said, "Probably because they're out of fuel". He figured what caused the bankruptcy was that Flying Hook stockpiled/bought a whole bunch of oil and then the bottom fell out of oil prices; i.e, they couldn't refine and sell the fuel and get back even what they paid for it.

According to the Pilot press release:

"After a careful and exhaustive review of the alternatives available, we have concluded that a merger with Pilot represents the best possible outcome for Flying J, our creditors, our customers, and our employees," said Crystal Call Maggelet, Chairman of the Board of Flying J. "Over the next few months, we will negotiate definitive agreements to merge our companies. This transaction will allow us to emerge from the bankruptcy process relatively quickly thereafter and to start a new chapter in the Flying J story."

So are we gonna have Flying Hook Pilots now? I doubt it. They'll probably stay exactly like they are, just as the TAs (Travel Centers of America) and Petros did in 2007.

Utahans seem to have bad luck with their investment deals. The Osmond family has had their share of bankruptcies too.