4:30.   This is way too early to get up but our load is ready to go and time is up.   We are sleepy this morning because we were up late doing videos with mom, Lindsey and Jake.  Too funny.  
We are loaded and headed toward Illinois with 42,000 pounds of paper.  It’s on 13 big rolls that look like news paper rolls.   This place was a huge paper factory but we noticed there was no smell.  We always used to go through South Carolina and talk about the smell of the paper factories.   I guess that’s being regulated now too.  

Going through western North Carolina this morning.   Looking a lot like winter is coming.  

Some pictures around Asheville.    
    
 

The kids are carving pumpkins today.  Sara Childers is helping.   She came over from Orlando to see the kids and meet Alex.  

   
 
Trick or treat! 

OMG.   Abby and Lindsey sent some Dubsmash videos from moms house.   Too funny.  

DG: Did I tell you I like fried chicken? Well I do. With bacon. 

So it’s Halloween and here we are as far from any tricker treaters as we could possibly be. How depressing.  

So tomorrow we will get to our delivery location two days ahead of schedule. Please pray that someone will be there to take our load. 

We sit and wait. We wait for the world to catch up. So much is lost to inefficiency and apathy. 

Dignity is a thing of the past. Self respect has left the building. Being in public these days is akin to being in an insane asylum. Civilization has taken a hike. But we will get it back. Come quickly Lord. 

Good night and God bless. 

Up at 5:30.  Make the hike to the bathroom and since Greg is asleep and the alarm isn’t set to go off for an hour or so I stay and watch a bit of TV.  There are some stragglers coming in and out of the lounge.  Everybody looks so tired.  Do I look that tired?   You gotta be tough to do this job I tell ya.  

6:30 Greg texts and wants to know where I went.  Guess he’s awake.  So I head back to the truck and Greg says if we leave now we are going to get in the Atlanta am traffic so why don’t we wait a bit.   Hmmmm.  Sounds like a good excuse to go back to bed to me.  So back to sleep.  Only this time we don’t get up until 9.  Guess we needed that plus now we shouldn’t have to worry so much about am traffic.   

We are headed to Catawba, South Carolina to pick up a load to take to Rochelle, Illinois.   It’s a gorgeous sunny day but a bit cool at 55.   

We stopped for fuel in South Carolina and the comdata card for KLLM wouldn’t work.   Weird.   Tried again.  Still no go.   Greg called his dispatch who said this happens , no big deal, he can reset it.   Ok great. My go back through and card still doesn’t work.   Call again.  Reset again. Still not working.   We need to call another department now.  Great, out to lunch.   We might as well go to lunch too I guess.  This particular Loves has a McDonald’s so we have the southwest salad and wait.   No call yet so Greg calls them back.   Dispatcher didn’t reset card right.   Good grief!   Now it’s reset and we can get fuel.   Finally!! 

Only an hour and a half left to pick up. Supposed to be a drop and hook but surprise! It’s not. We are picking up paper and apparently there is some condensation on the inside of the walls of the trailer so we have to turn reefer on and let it dry for an hour and then they will come and get it and load it. Oh lovely! So now we sit in the row of other trucks waiting for their loads. And of course, no bathroom. Yikes! 

Greg walked over and talked to the guy at the guard shack and was told our order wouldn’t be ready for “quite a while” so we decided to go a few miles to the Loves so we would have a bathroom and dinner.  

Of course they had the usual Subway and Chesters Chicken. I opted for peanut butter and crackers. Just can’t do the other two. Greg and Precious had chicken.  
When we pulled in you could see this in the subway window. Isn’t it just Halloween tonight? What the heck? They have Christmas presents and now holiday candy in the truck stops. Wish they wouldn’t rush the holidays.  
    

Sadie had a little thing at school today where they got to wear their costumes.  So cute!  She’s Ariel the mermaid.  

Maddi had to get a filling today.  This picture makes me cry.   Poor thing. 

Well we have to get up early to go see if load is ready.   Night y’all. 
 

Good morning Arkansas.   There is fog on the ground.  Not sure if you can see it in the pictures or not.  
   
   

He is getting so big! 

Well, we made it back to Atlanta early which is a good thing.   We have a trip out in the morning to go to South Carolina and pick up load to take to Illinois.   

Got a shower and did some laundry tonight at the terminal.  We also ordered some curry delivered which was yummy.  I told them extra spicy and boy was it!  

Well, turning in.   Goodnight y’all. 

Up at 6:30.   Time to finish this leg of the trip to Arkansas.   Still rainy this morning but it’s warmer so that’s good.  

The sun finally came out around noon and it’s gotten a lot warmer.   Thank Goodness.  

Well, we made it to our stop but we are way early.  It’s not due until tomorrow but dispatch said go ahead and try.   Well, here we sit.  They can’t unload us until tomorrow but if we can get an empty trailer they will load it and we can get going. 

Found the one sole empty trailer on the lot.   Taking load back to Georgia but at least we will be moving when they get it loaded.   I wasn’t happy about sitting here until tomorrow.  

We made it to Hazen, Arkansas for the night.   We have about 7 hours to go tomorrow to get back to Atlanta.  

DG:  We delivered our cooking sherry and balsamic reduction to ConAgra in Russellville, AR.  When I got off the highway the GPS said “your destination is ahead on the left”.  When I looked up I saw that ConAgra IS Russellville. Huge food processing plant and warehouse. 

So we got a trailer and got loaded all 16 hours before the load I took in was even due. All the while I was thinking we were going to have to wait and feeling the penalty of efficiency.  

As I was pulling out of the truck stop that was just down the street from the plant there was a hawk sitting on a fire hydrant. I snapped a picture of him but just as I did a truck moved into the frame. If you look close you can see him right on top of the hydrant. 

  
When he flew off it looked like he landed on top of my truck but I couldn’t really tell. 

Oh, well, tomorrow we are off to Atlanta, again. God bless. 

Slept until 9 am.  Guess we needed that.   Now just hanging out waiting on the guy to get here with our load for Arkansas.  

Hung around in the lounge for a while until a group was going for food and Walmart so we tagged along.   The white folks wanted Cracker Barrel but the black folks wanted soul food so we went to a soul food buffet.  Only white people in the place for a bit but the food was good.   

Then we went to Walmart.   Got a few snacks but not much else.   I was hoping to make some copies but can’t seem to get them anywhere especially not color ones.   Oh well.   

Got back in the truck and found out our load arrived so we can get on the road.   Yeah!   

Gregory sent a new picture of the baby.  So sweet.   He’s getting so big!  

  
Stopped at a truck stop for dinner that advertised barbecue.   Hens and Hogs!  I had the hen and Greg had the hog.  Haha. Really tasty.   I get tickled by the guy in front of us when he was ordering.   He wanted the chicken but since it was a half chicken he wanted her to cut it up for him. He said he had never eaten a chicken that way.   She explained how tender it was and that it didn’t need cut up but he wanted the pieces all separated, leg, breast and wing.   Takes all kinds.  It was so tender it was easy to pull apart.  Didn’t even need a knife.    I ate the breast and brought the leg and thigh back to Precious.   

Precious and I took a nap.   She loves getting on the pillow and under the blanket.   This dog thinks she’s human.  

  
The rain has slowed down some here in Alabama but it has pretty much rained for two days.   Yesterday was pouring rain.  Today is more like misty nasty rain.   

We have stopped for the night as a rest area outside Tupelo, MS.  It’s quit raining and there is a nice breeze.  I hope it’s finished raining for a while.   
Turning in.  We have about 6 hours to go tomorrow to get to Russellville, Arkansas with our load of cooking wine, sherry and other cooking liqueurs.   

Goodnight y’all.  

DG:  Hang in there. We have had a request for more videos so we are going to attempt one or two for your viewing pleasure.  God bless. 

Up at 7.  Hit the snooze a time or two.   Still sleepy!   Glad the driver is awake and alert though.   We were in a weird mood last night.  Sleepy, tired and just feeling goofy. We got to playing with Dubsmash, an app where you lip sync to whatever and cracked ourselves up so much we couldn’t  quit, especially Greg.   He wanted to do another one this morning.   Haha   He hasn’t yet but it’s early still.   

I apologize to those who we sent these to at midnight last night.  

Stopped in Charleston, TN for fuel.  Only a couple of hours away from our stop.  It has rained almost the whole way.  Looks like the hurricane that hit Mexico is coming up this way.   

Precious seems worried about it.  

Arrived at receiver.   Pouring the rain.   Only have about an hour on our clock so not sure how far we are going to get tonight if at all.  

Well looks like we are staying at the terminal in Atlanta tonight.    Our load isn’t here yet.   The guy who has it is 400 miles out and needs a 10 hour break at 200 miles so he won’t be here until tomorrow afternoon.    Nooooo! 

Well, here I sit, in the drivers lounge with a bunch of men watching football.   Not as ideal as it sounds.    

DG:  Yep, sitting after driving 500+ miles.  I’ll take it. We’ll get out of here tomorrow. May have to do some night driving, but that’s the way it goes. 

Started to do some more dubsmash but couldn’t find anything I liked. Will keep looking. 

Coming around Atlanta traffic was heavy but it kept moving. Now we are in the yard. Apparently there are quite a few of us here. All waiting on loads. 

Well I’ve typed myself right into a stupor. You all have a great Tuesday and God bless. 

Up at 7 to head to New Jersey for some candy to take to Kennesaw Georgia.   It’s a nasty rainy day.   Now it really feels like fall.  Sure would love a fireplace right about now.  If it gets any colder Greg is going to cry.  Haha 

Well, I didn’t get a shower last night. Because we stopped at this truck stop that was weird.  As Greg mentioned yesterday the truck stops or gas stations run by gas station Indians (not casino Indians) are usually nasty.   Their idea of hygiene and clean bathrooms are different than most Americans I believe.   Anyway, the shower I so badly wanted last night didn’t happen because they were not private.   They had 5 shower stalls in a row but the door to each shower only came up about halfway up the wall so basically anybody walking by could just look over the door.   They had a shower in the women’s bathroom but it was the same way so anybody coming in the bathroom could look if they so desired.  So, no thanks.   This place was pretty quiet but I still didn’t want to take the chance.   So tonight we will be stopping somewhere with a shower!! 

Got to our stop on time but need a wash out so heading down the road a bit and coming back.   

That was an experience.   The old guy running the place was German.  What a hoot! 

This Mars didn’t give away any samples.  Said they used to but they found out a trucker was getting them free and selling them at a truck stop.   One spoilsport is all it takes.   I did get a free cup of delicious Dove hot chocolate though.  

Virginia 

Stopped in Raphine, Virginia for dinner. Sign advertised “best dang barbecue”.  It was good.   It’s not the best but it was good.   They had Carolina and Texas style which was nice.  Don’t see the Carolina very often.   Everybody wants the sweet Texas style.   We got used to the vinegar bite of the Carolina barbecue and love it.    This needed a bit more vinegar and a kick to be real Carolina but it was good.   We used to go to “pig pickins” in North Carolina.    The pig was put in the ground for a couple of days and then you just pick the meat out with tongs.  Then you poured your sauce on it.  Meat was so tender it almost fell out of the pig.    Then we’d have Brunswick stew and hot hush puppies that you dipped in butter.   Ok.  We’re taking a side trip to North Carolina.    I wish!  

 
Gregory sent me a pretty picture of two of my babies.  

Ahhhh.   Shower!   And laundry.  Now to sleep.   Still have about 8 hours to go to get to stop tomorrow.  

Goodnight y’all.  

DG:  Yea, the German guy, Andre. He is 74, has an accent but it was his parents who came from Germany. He was born here. Never been to Germany. I told him he would like it. Anyway, he runs the truck&trailer washout/ repair place down the road from the M&M plant. It’s where they send you if your trailer is not clean. And mine was not. I pull in, get out of my truck and this old man comes walking out of this little out building yelling at me to turn that damn truck around and get it out of here. I tell him he’s a very nice fella for a Yankee and we both get a good laugh out of it. He tells me he drove a truck for 42 years before working at this place and gives several examples of how crazy the commercial trucking business is these days and the inexperienced drivers that come through his establishment not mentioning that I’m one of those inexperienced drivers. We had a good chat. It was a good experience. 

Loaded with 43000 pounds of M&Ms and Twix. Candy for the little trick or treaters. 

As Annie mentioned, the BBQ was good but not “Best Darn” of anything. But good. They were doing a good business so some folks think it’s the best. Might be the best around them parts. 

Okay, time to turn in. God bless. 

Up at 7 am and ready to head out.   Cloudy morning.  The fog on the mountains is beautiful.   7 hours to get to our stop this morning.   Praying it doesn’t rain.  

Stopped in Rafine Virginia for lunch.   Pretty new place with 4 restaurants, barber, movie theater, Taste of Virginia store and of course fuel.   Neat place to take a break.  

The leaves coming through Virginia and Pennsylvania are stunning.   I wish I could show you.   It’s been cloudy all day and every time I take a picture it just looks gray.    Miles and miles of just red, yellow and orange.      

We got to our drop without any problems.  It’s a drop and hook so that’s good.  

DG:  Got out with a few hours left on the clock but wanted to stop early to get good parking.  Just 63 miles to go in the morning and the place doesn’t open till 8:00 so we are looking good on time. This load is going to Kennesaw Georgia.  More candy. Just in time for Halloween. 

Stopped at a place in Whitehaven, PA, Hickory Run Travel Plaza. Fairly large place but not real busy. They have a 24 hour restaurant so we went in and had some chili. We were the only ones in the place. Chili was good. I hate to sound prejudice but it is run by Indians and I don’t know what they have against keeping their bathrooms clean but it’s every one we go in we find they just don’t have cleanliness as a priority. 

Annie’s playing with some ap that lets you lip sinc silly sayings. I am starting to worry about her. 

Okay, have a good weekend. God bless. 

7:20 up and ready to get on the road but no trip yet.    Enjoying the weather though.  51 this morning.  

Got the trailer washed out by some good ole boys in Chattanooga.   Really nice people.   Don’t you love southerners?

Got to our stop and traded trailers.  Empty for one full of M&Ms and Twix.  Headed to Pennsylvania. 

Stopped in Max Meadows Virginia for the night.   7 hours to go tomorrow.  

Goodnight y’all. 

DG:  I’m back. Fell asleep last night. Tired from driving and more tired from waiting. I swear, that 19 hour wait was exhausting. 

We are in Max Meadows, VA. Don’t know who Max was but he had a very nice meadow so somebody decided to put on it a truck stop. Thanks Max. 

It’s still warm enough to run the air conditioning at night. But I feel the winter chill coming. Maybe we can run orange juice back and forth from Florida and California.  

I’ll dream of that tonight. 

God bless. 

8 am.  Still waiting……

10 am.  Still waiting…….

11:30.  Finally done and getting back on the road.  Waited 19 hours for a load of stuff for IHOP.   Now headed to Tennessee.  It’s only 420 miles so we shouldn’t have any trouble getting there today.  

Made it to Murfreesboro on time.  We were hoping to be in and out pretty quick but not to be.  The guard at the gate said it should be a drop and hook but the receiving guy said there were no empty trailers so it’s a live unload.   Hope it doesn’t take all night like yesterday.   

2 hours and waiting……

Sorry I didn’t post this last night.   Fell asleep.  They got us unloaded about 10 pm but Greg’s clock is out so we are spending the night in the parking lot.