ROUTE: Maumee, OH to Franklin, MA: 812 miles (750 loaded + 62 deadhead)
The last assignment brought me back to our terminal in Canton, MI on Tuesday 02/03 in the evening as the load was scheduled for delivery on 02/20 so a Local Driver would deliver it. This suited me perfectly as I needed to go to the dentist for them to fix the temporary bridge that they had installed the previous week.
I made myself available at noon on 02/04 and this assignment had a pickup time of 18:00, so plenty of time for the dentist, food shopping at Walmart and other errands. I checked with our dispatch team to see if the load would be ready sooner but the shipper informed us that it probably would be delayed. I did my errands after the dentist, fueled at the terminal and used our truck wash because the truck was filthy. I arrived at the shipper at 19:30 and the load only became ready at 20:00. I should still make the delivery on Friday 02/06 at 07:00 but it was going to be tight. I left the shipper at 21:30 on 02/04 and drove three hours to the Petro, Girard, OH arriving at 00:30. Normally I’ll have dinner at that time but I was so tired I collapsed into the bed.
Thursday 02/05 I started my day at 10:30 after the minimum 10-hour DOT required break. I headed to the Petro, Wilmington, CT that I know well and has available parking even late at night, but that required around 10-hour drive so I needed to stop along the way for the DOT Required 30-minute break. I decided to have lunch at Kavkaz Restaurant in Jersey Shore, PA that was three hours away. The food is great and I had left my yellow reflective jacket last time I was, around two-weeks earlier. They know me there and before I could ask the manager about it he brought it out for me.
I arrived at the Petro Wilmington at 21:30 and the in-house diner closed at 22:00. The truck stop is all paid spots but if one fuels there over 60 gallons or spends $25 anywhere on the premisses then parking is free. I rushed to the diner and ordered steak-and-eggs for dinner and covered the tab for free parking. I was an hour away from the consignee and if I observed the 10-hour DOT required break then I would be at 08:30 at the earliest and they stop receiving shipments at 09:30. Fortunately, there’s a legal way to overcome that restriction with something called a Split as long as one does a minimum of seven or eight hours in the sleeper berth modality. The catch is that the trucker needs to have available hours and then needs to take a break of two-three hours. I had the hours and taking the break would not be a problem.
I arrived at the shipper at 07:00 as I spent eight hours on sleeper berth so I only needed to have a two hour break. The unload took three hours so I was set.
BOOK REVIEW: Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan (2023), FICTION – RATING (****)
Fairly predictable but that doesn’t hinder its entertainment value. Annabel Monaghan delivers light hearted romance novels on a consistent basis.
Samantha (Sam) & Wyatt grow up as neighbors for the summers in their Long Island, NY, beach homes. Eventually that turns into a deep romance as teenagers that is meant to be real love forever. Life is unpredictable and throws them a curve ball. The relationship ends abruptly as Wyatt is graduating high school and Sam is a rising Senior.
Sam & Wyatt reunite twelve years later by coincidence when Sam is at her beach house planning her wedding to Jack. Old feelings surface between them and introspection about the paths their lives have taken. I ended up rooting for them to figure out how to get back together, but is there enough time before Sam’s wedding that is only eight weeks away?
Good descriptions of side characters consisting of siblings, parents and townspeople as well as Long Island’s beach life.
