2 trucks from IA to FL ... got as far as Nashville, TN tonight

Breakfast as usual.

We hadn't planned on getting going early this AM, we wanted to wait until after rush hour before we headed through St Louis. We waited until 8:30 which was our plan. Our plan was not for rain, so traffic still seemed to be slow and go. 20-40 mph. But by the time we had made it from O'Fallon, MO to O'Fallon, IL it had taken us an hour to go 55 miles. So I guess traffic wasn't all that bad.

When I picked up this truck I had hung my 'placards,' truck DOT cards, in the side windows of the rear seats. But those windows are too narrow so I had to hang them sideways. By last night I had decided that was not a good idea, so I tapped them on the outside of my truck. I had planned on waiting until this AM, but then thought it might rain (which it did.) During the night I realized that my IFTA stickers may come off in the rain as they are only put on with Scotch tape. So this AM I took those off my placards and hung those inside the windows. And no, the tape I use does not work well on the wet surfaces. Where I pulled off the IFTA stickers, the tape would not re-stick.

1st stop was at the Flying J in Mount Vernon. I knew where we were going to stop, I just was picturing the wrong town. I was thinking of the layout in Effingham. The Flying J here is co-branded Hucks. Most of the Hucks co-branded with Pilot but this location had a Pilot across the street. Just stopped for a restroom break.

2nd stop was for fuel at the Pilot in Paducah, KY. My range when I left the 1st fill yesterday was 299 miles. When I stopped almost 300 miles later my range was 279. So we are going to make some money on the fuel.

2nd and a half stop. Next exit down the road we pull off again to eat at Rafferty's. Really good food. BB had a half a club sandwich and a (whole) bowl of fruit. I had a chicken salad sandwich and homemade potato soup. All good.

Before we left I called the drop. We are to call him again when we get there Monday morning. He will 'stay in the area.' So I guess it's good to call ahead. Didn't ask about dropping on Sunday so we will be staying a few extra hours in FL :)

... Oh, we had planned on being back by a week from Saturday for family. Just got a text that that is being delayed until Feb. So ... we have no reason to leave FL.

3rd stop was at the rest area / welcome center at Clarksville, TN. By this point we realized we weren't going to make it to Ringgold ... or even Manchester. We had enough time to make it to Mancester ... if we could make it through Nashville at or above the posted ... during rush hour. We decided traffic will be much nicer tomorrow AM ... Saturday AM.

Oh ... it rained today. Almost all day. Lots of times it was raining so hard that I couldn't see if anyone was coming in my rear view mirrors so I just followed until the rain would let up.

Had to cross a few scales today, sometimes BB had to cross also, some times she didn't.

4th and final stop is at the Sleep Inn on the west side of Nashville. Miss the drive the 1st time past, turn around in the gas station and come back. After we are checked in we walk next door to Arbey's. Not hungry but we will be before dawn if we don't eat. Sounds like a really good gyro place across the street. But it's a busy four lane street with no cross walk for a few blocks.

We only made 200+ miles yesterday and only 300+ today. Tomorrow we will try to make closer to our 500+ mile goal.

Our work board is slow ... less than 40 units nation wide. There are a few locations that have more than that left over at the end of the day many days. Iowa has 3. The whole SE has -0-. Not sure yet our plan, maybe stay in FL a day? Then move head north and try to get something out of NC. No reason to head back to the midwest, no work there either. Would like to get something from somewhere going to California and get a run that pays :)

It looks like we will make most of our money this trip by our savings on fuel