Got to sleep in until 7:45.  We had the alarm set for 8 but the phone woke us at 7:45.   KLLM letting us know to change the freezer temperature on the trailer.   Oh well.   Time to get up anyway.   

I had to go to the bathroom and there was a lady in there putting on her make up and fixing her hair.   You see all kinds of stuff from truckers on the road in the bathroom.   Dishes, hair, etc.  Anyway, she has long gray hair and is 55.   She said her husband likes her hair long even though it’s gray and he likes a “little paint on the barn” so she was putting some light make up on.   Not much.   Just enough she said.   She said she learned it from her mom who always wore a little.  Her mom had just passed away and she was in Hospice care at home and she asked her if she wouldn’t rather go to the hospital and her mom said “no but if I could get out today I would love to get my nails done”.  What a great memory for her to have. 

I told her I never worried about make up.   Never did but boy my sister wouldn’t leave the house without a full hour in the bathroom putting on make up, doing her hair, spraying perfume.   You just about needed a Hazmat suit if you went to her house while she was getting ready.   She was from Eastern North Carolina so we talked about that for a while too, the Outer Banks and Ocracoke.  Two of my favorite places ever.   It’s a different world down there.   Anyway, what a nice way to start the day and then it hits me on the way to the truck that it’s Dee Dee’s birthday.   God is so good.   On a day when I normally would have been sad thinking about her I had a chance to talk about her and remember her with a smile.   Thank you Lord!   Ok.  Now I’m going to cry.  

Happy Birthday Dee Dee!  She would have been 49 today.  

Here she is in full Dee mode.  

 
I don’t know who’s baby this is but I love this picture of her.   She is finally feeling better and looked it.  

 
And just a few more of my favorites.   

   
    
    
 
Now some that don’t make me sad.  

Sure is dusty here in Arkansas while they clear out the soybeans. 

A bored truck driver!! 

We are parked just south of Little Rock, Arkansas for the night.   Barely made it.   We stopped at a Loves but there were no parking spaces so we went 20 miles down the road to a Pilot.   The parking here is really tight.  One poor guy tried for 10 minutes to get backed in to a spot but ended up bumping a truck in front of him and after discussing it with that driver that there was no damage he ended up just pulling out and going on.   Greg however had no trouble backing in and even one of the other drivers came up to him and told him “that was some bad ass parking”.  Apparently a lot of drivers had had trouble getting in these tight spots.  Greg has really gotten the hang of it and for the most part seems to enjoy it which is good.  

Well, turning in.  Still have about 300 miles to go to get to Dallas tomorrow.  

Goodnight y’all. 

DG:  Whew, Navigator on a roll there. Well what can I add?  We had a good day. Not that any of them are particularly bad but this was a goodin.  Dee Dee must have been with us. Miss her. 

A feller I used to work with in North Carolina called me today out of the blue. Said he was going through the numbers on his phone and my name came up so he called to see how I was doing. We had a real nice talk and he said if I was ever coming through there to give him a call and he would buy me lunch. Not a bad offer. 

So here we are in Arkansas. I have a cousin who used to live in Little Rock but we haven’t kept in touch so I don’t know if she’s still here or even alive. Kinda sad that some families don’t keep in touch.

Oh well on to Texas in the morning and then I hope somewhere new.  Papaw needs a change of scene. 

God bless. 

Up at 8.  Hit snooze.   Up at 9.  Run over to the restaurant that’s part of the Pilot truck stop for a quick breakfast and to get a UPS package.   Tags were up on the truck so we told them where we were going to be and they over nighted them to us.   All legal now and back on the road.    Appointment is for 11 so off we go. 

Got to appointment in time and only about two hours to get unloaded.  Not bad.  Now we have our next load and guess where it’s going?   You guessed it – Dallas, Texas!   We have to stop off in Cincinnati and pick up and hopefully be there by Friday am. 

Made it to Cincinnati for our 6 pm pick up. They are already loading us so I think they are wanting to go home.   Let’s hope so! 

Greg has decided to clean the windows while we wait to be loaded.  

DG:  She gets the best pictures of me. Right. That is the proper tongue position for that particular job in case you were wondering.  

Side note. Yesterday we had left a truck stop and about ten miles down the road I noticed the ring I wear on my right hand, one that Annie bought me not long after we were married, was missing. Where could it be I had no idea. I have lost some weight recently so my fingers are thinner but I thought they were still big enough to hold my ring on. This gave me a sick feeling not that it was a lot of money but the sentimental value is beyond calculation. So I got off at the next exit and headed back. Annie called the stop before that one to see if anyone had turned it in. It must have come off while I was washing my hands is all I could think. 

At the truck stop I went into the bathroom and searched the sink, floor and gave a look into the waste baskets. Not here. No one had turned it in at the other stop. Might be in the truck. Maybe it came off while we were sleeping and was in the sheets. Had to be in the truck.  We looked and looked. Nothing. 

Got to our next stop to unload.  I keep the bills of lading in a closed cabinet above my head.  It has a push button latch.  When I pushed the button to open the door it flipped open and something flew out and hit the floor. I didn’t see what it was but Annie yelled, “there’s your ring”.  I couldn’t believe it. There it was. I have no idea how it got up there but I’m giving God the credit for returning it to me. Thank you Lord. 

So there. How’s that for a story?  

Okay, we are parked just outside of Sparta, KY right next to Hog Wild and Pig Crazy a local bbq joint that sits right next to the truck stop. Unfortunately for us it was closed when we got here and unless they are open for breakfast we will not have the opportunity to sample their wares this trip. 

So, with that being said, good night and God bless. 

Up at 5:15 ish.   Did hit the snooze once this morning.  Sometimes the nights just seem so short.   We need to get to Fort Wayne, Indiana today so about 600 miles to go.    Going to be a long day.  

I forgot to put this picture on the blog yesterday.    You never know what you are going to see out here.  

DG:  Yea, it was strange getting passed by a hot dog. 

So we are in Fort Wayne, IN at the Fort Wayne Truck Plaza. It’s not Iowa 80 but they do boast 275 parking spots. I think there are more but who’s counting. They have a fairly nice gift shop, and the restaurant is okay, but it’s Brandy’s Exotic Dancers across the street I think attracts many of these truckers though I haven’t seen anybody making the walk over. Let’s face it, the money these guys are making I doubt too many of them want to spend it on dancing girls. 

So the Cubs won their division playoff against the Cardinals. People in Chicago are partying tonight.  

Oh, I would be remiss not to mention that the truck stop has a humidor. Albeit a small one they do have a fairly good selection and since it has been a long time since my last cigar I bought a couple and am enjoying one at the moment. It’s the only thing that would get me to sit out in this cold weather. And to think, just yesterday we were in Texas.  Life is funny that way. 

Annie – We went across Missouri today.   It is such a pretty state.   Lots of rolling hills and rocks.  We saw some buffalo today which was cool.  

  
Well, turning in.  Don’t have to get up too early in the morning which is nice. 

DG:  That’s all folks. God bless one and all. 

Up and out at about 5:30.    Arrived at pick up at about 6:30.   This is a live load.  Here’s hoping we aren’t here all day.  

8:50 and we got the green light to go.  Not too bad.   Thank goodness.  Time to get on the road!   

Dallas in the morning.  

Denison Texas.   Birthplace to President Eisenhower.   Monument off of highway 75.  

DG:  The more I do this job the more respect I have for those that have been doing this for years. I mean those who have put in 20-30 years and more. It really takes something to make this big vehicle your home and workplace. Rarely do they get the respect they deserve and some lack self respect as maybe they see this as a lower rung blue collar job. I don’t know. I think it is a very respectful profession and not just because it’s what I am currently engaged in. 

There’s a lot of history on the road. As seen above we like to build monuments to famous people and things. And the roads themselves.  Monuments to ingenuity and dedication. They do need to be better maintained. The older ones. 

So now we are in Missouri, just outside of Springfield. The weather is mild. It was windy in Oklahoma.  As it almost always is. 

Settling in for the night the local wi-fi signal wasn’t very strong so we only got to watch part of the game. Pretty sure Steelers are going to win. 

That’s all do now. Goodnight and God bless. 

Slept all the way to 7:30.  Woo hoo!   Our drop isn’t until 2 o’clock.   We can go an hour early but that still means sitting here a while.   Going to get some breakfast and chill for a while.  

Got to our stop about 1:30.   Then find out from the office that we could have come at any time today.   Uurrhggg.   Could have already come and gone.   Anyway, now we wait on our next load.  

It didn’t take too long to swap trailers.  Thank goodness.   Headed over to Dallas to get load to take to Fort Wayne, Indiana.    Fort Worth to Fort Wayne. 

So close and yet so far.   Our load wasn’t ready so back we go to sit at the terminal until morning so we can go back to the pick up and sit while they load us.  We have a 7 am appointment so hopefully we will be pretty close to the top of the list.   34 miles today.   Won’t even pay for the pizza we had for dinner.   Oh well.  At least it’s a 1000 mile trip out.  

DG:  God intended for us to watch football tonight so here we are. 

KLLM has great amenities just wish they had a little more freight. Can’t buy groceries with a free haircut or free laundry facilities.  Can’t make a house payment with free showers. 

We are waiting on a pizza. It’s cool enough we can sit outside and eat and watch the game.  Nice big flat screen on the wall. Wonder how they paid for that since THERE’S NO FREIGHT!!!!!  I’m okay. Just had to vent a bit. 

Annie – It is a nice night out.   It’s warm but there is a constant breeze so you don’t notice it so much.   Pizza was good.  Found a place with anchovies!  

The Giants beat the 49ers so it’s time to go to bed.   Getting up at 5ish.  

Night y’all.  

6 am.  At it again.   Long way to go today almost 600 miles.  May not make it all the way but load isn’t due until tomorrow afternoon so we are good on time.   59 degrees this morning so Greg is happier than when we were in New York.  

DG:  84 when we got to Texas. Happy camper me. 

Annie started that coughing thing she was doing the last time we were here so we think she may be allergic to Texas. 

Found us a good spot about 25 minutes from our delivery so think I’ll sleep in.  

Heard that the Cubs won today. Boy wouldn’t that be something if they went to the World Series. And if they won!!!!  Wow, I can’t even imagine the celebration that would go on in Chicago. 

NOTE:  It looks like the 7th and 8th got mixed up somehow.   They should be posted now but not in correct order.  Sorry for the confusion.  

Today:

6:30 Up and getting in to Columbus early morning traffic.  Not too bad.   We’ve definitely seen worse.   

Our GPS kept wanting us to take the loop around Columbus but it’s a pretty big loop so while we were discussing the pros and cons of going straight through or around Columbus we missed the exit to the loop.  I look over the overpass and they were bumper to bumper that way.   Guess everybody’s GPS says take the loop.   Here is the traffic we had going straight through.   Saved us 40 miles and probably an hours travel time NOT going that way.   Again, Divine intervention. 

They are cutting the corn down in Ohio.   We’ve seen the complete cycle now. 

DG:  Cotton is still in the field in Tennessee.  Unintentionally we are on a cross country crop cycle tour. It’s the CCCCT.  Very interesting. There is so much to see and learn. 

Stopping in Jackson, TN for the night. A little over 500 miles to go but we have until 2:00 pm Sunday to get there so there is no rush. If we get there tomorrow, which is a possibility, we may be able to deliver but doubtful there will be a load out on Sunday. However, anything is possible. 

Hope everyone is well. God bless 

Annie – Rain again but not bad.  Hopefully will be gone by the morning.   

Finally got that shower!   Feel so much better.   I swear k don’t know how people go days and days or even weeks without showering but they are out there and odds are they drive a truck! 

Saw a truck hauling cows earlier.  Name on the truck was Burger Trucking.   Now that’s funny!   

Well, turning in.  Long day tomorrow.    Good night y’all.  

5:30. Up and on the road.   It’s still dark.   The day shouldn’t be able to start when it’s still dark!   Ok.  Enough whining.  

6:30  Arrived at stop in Jessup, PA.  Still dark but at least the guard has a good sense of humor and is very awake at this time of the morning.  

We are on the top of a hill and looking over the city of Jessup.   

DG:  Makes me think of the bluegrass song about uncle Penn. “High on a hill and above the town, Uncle Penn played the fiddle.  Lord how it would ring.  You could hear it talk, you could hear it sing.”  You know. 

It’s been an hour and a half and they have stopped shaking the box. My light is still red so they are either taking a break or counting.  Either way I can’t move till I get a green light. 

Alerted dispatch that I should be done soon and asked if they had a pre planned trip for us. Crickets. What are they doing down there?  Come on.  Would just like to know what my day is going to be like. 

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting some more. Think I’ll have an avocado. Usually if I get busy with something things start moving. 

Annie – Got our trip.  Heading to Lowville, NY for load to Fort Worth, Texas.   I’m enjoying this cool weather but oh well.    Greg’s whining so I guess fair is fair.  South we go.  After we go further north.   In Pennsylvania we were in the Pocono’s.  Now we are headed to the Adirondacks.  The trees get more colorful as we go.   Doubt we can say the same as we head to Texas.  

DG:  I think I lost more entries. Maybe I was just thinking I typed more. 

We are in Lowville, NY at a Kraft cheese plant. Our appointment was for 1:00 pm, I was two hours late and they weren’t ready. Nor at 7:00 pm are they ready. We wait. My clock is done so Annie and I get to spend a romantic evening in the Adirondak mountains in a beautiful chalet overlooking the valley. Okay, not really. Another night in the truck in a shipper’s parking lot. We won’t be the only ones. 

Finished loading around 1:00 am. I have no time on the clock and about two and a half hours to reset the ten. So I ask the guy if we can stay there and he says yea so we hit the hay.  We sleep till about 5:30 and start he pretrip. On the road by six we make pretty good time across up state Nee York, a corner of Pennsylvania and into Ohio just north of Columbus.  We find a rest area thinking it would be like the ones on I-80, but it’s not. For some reason the north/south rest area are like most others with bathrooms and vending. The east/west rest areas are really nice with free showers, food court and convenience shopping. Anyway, once your in the truck you could be anywhere. 

Two more long days of driving ahead. Time to rest. God bless.  

Up at 5:30 but having a hard time getting out from under the blankets.   It’s 39 degrees this morning.    Someone (you know who) is whining like a little girl.   “Be sure and put it in the blog that we had to turn the heat on!”    LOL.  He is definitely glad to be heading south and I would like to buy property.   Haha 

We made it through New York, Pennsylvania and in to Ohio today.   Stopping for the night in Columbus at a rest area.   Not enough time on the clock to make it to the next truck stop so my hopes of a shower tonight are dashed but there is always tomorrow.  

 We got to have a nice picnic though as the weather is perfect.   Precious ran around for about half an hour and peed on all the trees.   Greg as usual was his talkative self.  

Up at 6:30 and on the road.   Heading to Jessup with our load of chewing gum.  

It’s been a pretty uneventful day.  Greg drove 550 miles.   That’s a lot of driving.   He gets in the zone now though and it doesn’t seem to bother him.   

Getting a little bit of fall color but still not a lot.  A lot of green yet still.  

   
   
We have a 7 am appointment in the am so heading out about 6 to go get in line.  This one truck stop has over 300 parking spots. Hope we aren’t all going to the same place in the morning.   

DG: That’s doubtful, but my hope is the same. 

We have talked about having the favor of God and all his blessings. And I am amiss by not mentioning everyday the way that God guides and blesses us. Especially when we ask. Well, most every night we ask for a good parking space and sometimes just a place to park when it’s very late. Well, tonight it wasn’t “late” when we entered the truck stop but it was filling up fast and all of the front row spots closest to the bathrooms, the preferred spots, were taken, so we head for the second row. A driver was attempting to walk across the lot so I stopped to allow him to walk in front of me but instead of crossing he comes up to the truck. I roll my window down to see what he wants.  He wants to give us his parking spot as he is about to leave. He waits for me to turn around and as soon as I get close he pulls out and there you go. Highly favored. You can call it coincidence if you want, but I know who’s responsible. 

So, yesterday I wrote a couple of very witty and entertaining paragraphs regarding a funny thing that happened at a rest area the other day. And then I didn’t save them. And they’re gone. So here is the short version. 

We pull into a rest area to do rest area business. Business is booming so I don’t need any delays. Low and behold I look up, after setting my brakes and logging off, and low and behold but what do I see?  Five big yellow school buses all in a line with lines of high school aged boys filing off and into the rest area. There was no way I was going to get to use those facilities in time. Brakes off, in gear, head to the next stop for relief. It was much longer and wittier yesterday. But alas, that version is lost in the ethers. 

Tonight’s episode brought to you by Sleep Now, the feeling you get after a long day on the road. 

God bless.