ROUTE: Charlotte, NC to Pontiac, MI: 644 miles
Basically the same trip as the one on the way down except now going to Pontiac instead of Burton, MI. The shipper was the same as the consignee of the previous assignment so there were no deadhead miles. The only difference was that I was assigned to bring back a leased trailer instead one of our own. Therefore I was asked to take photos of all the sides of the trailer, the wheels and I needed approval before departing. The person in charge of the process was tied up in a meeting and therefore I sat idle for 45 minutes waiting departure. I had arrived at 5:30pm and only left at 7:30pm. The trip requires about eleven-to-twele drive hours and the later in the night the harder it is to find parking. There’s a newer Travel Plaza in West Virginia that normally has parking and aimed to park there. I topped off the fuel beforehand and arrived at the Travel Plaza just after 11:00pm.
Thursday March 12th I started my day at 11:00am. I had driven three hours the day before and I needed another nine to get to the consignee which is a 24/5 facility, so I only needed to get there by midnight. The day before it was 80 degrees in Charlotte, NC and when I woke up in West Virginia there was snow on the hood of the truck and the temperature was significantly lower. I decided to take a slightly longer route back but that’s all major highways so the snow would be less of a problem. Either route goes by Charleston, WV and the golden dome of the State Capital Building is clearly visible from the road. The longer route passes a truck stop with a diner that serves a great steak and eggs all day. I arrived at Eagle Truck Stop in New Philadelphia, OH at 4:00pm and left at 5:15pm. Then another four-and-half hours to the consignee where I arrived at 10:00pm for delivery.
BOOK REVIEW: The One by John Marrs (2018), FICTION – RATING (*****)
Original, entertaining and suspenseful. Everyone knows about the idea of love at first sight but what if it’s not an attraction but built into our DNA? A scientist discovers a particular gene in everyone’s DNA that perfectly matches two people regardless of their sex or geographical location. John Marrs doesn’t go into great details but uses enough medical jargon to make it sound possible. What if your perfect match has dark secrets? Would you believe you love someone just because you were told they were your perfect biological match or do sparks really fly once you meet them?
The story follows five individuals that have signed up for this service and their matches. Ellie, the founder of this unique company and the scientist that discovered the particular gene. Christopher, a free lance graphic designer. Nick, an advertisement executive. Jade, a hopeless romantic looking for her the one. Mandy, her marriage failed and desperately wanting to start a family.
The pace is good because it jumps from one story to the next seamlessly. There are many twists and turns to keep it interesting. Each story has their own version of a Hollywood happy ending or do they?
