1 mixer to Grove OK, delivered

... spending the night at West Des Moines IA ...

Up before the alarm, too much food last night.

Breakfast was ... not taking advantage of the situation. Some locations are not serving any breakfast, because they can. This place had everything out either directly or behind the table where the staff would hand you what you asked for. BB had a breakfast burrito, it was on ice but she could warm it. The yogurt and some things were out of reach so we had to ask. And they also had one hot item. Biscuits and gravy that the staff would dish up. Being creative within the guidelines.

7 AM and we were out the door. My plan was to only stop if I needed fuel, 180 miles to go.

As I come down the ramp on to the freeway, my lane becomes the 3rd lane ... all the way to the scale. :) But it is closed and I soon see why, some lucky trucker is getting a full DOT inspection, right on the scale. The officer is out there with is 'creeper' and a paper, either for notes or inspection guideline. I had to look it up, a creeper is the thing people lay on with wheels to roll under cars and trucks. So this guy was getting the works, and I get the bypass.

Nevada ... Nevada MO was where we had hoped to get to last night. They have a Pilot that is not in our truckers book. There is not a Choice hotel there, but there is a Holiday Inn Express, Country Inn, America's Best and Super 8.

By the time I got there I had remembered that I had forgotten to do my AM call in. BB remembers with the other company and she does that online. I didn't think of it and she didn't mention it. I debated stopping soon, but I finally did the math and realized that I could call when I get to Joplin and still be OK. In Joplin I should know if I am going to need more fuel.

1st stop. Loves in Joplin to use the rest room ... yup, too much food last night. And I call dispatch and leave a message. Would have liked to have called from Nevada, just to get there attention. I am ... OK ... ?? ... of fuel. I decide to chance it and buy local if I need to.

One last scale open scale in MO and I get the bypass lane. No scale on or before the turnpike. BB had looked up the toll price last night and I had taken enough quarters with me in case it is 'no attendant' at the booth. But this one had someone so I paid with a $20 and got a receipt so I can get reimbursed.

But before the toll booth at the exit we had rain. A couple of dumps of rain, wipers on high, speed on low. No one pulling over though.

Speed limit off the toll way was 65 mph, but the road was narrow and I drove 55 mph. About 20 miles to the town. Signs for a little bypass, trucks can't make the right turn between the buildings in down town so they route us a couple of blocks off where there is less traffic and we can swing wider.

I had looked at the street view last night so I knew where to turn and where the drop was. The highway signs at that cross street are a car length or two beyond the street instead of on the corner post.

Heading out of town I wasn't sure how far, but soon one of the mixers caught up to me and I just watched for his blinker to go on :) Then when I pulled over to call he motioned for me where to park. BB was already there, she had passed me before Loves in Joplin.

2nd stop, Grove OK, the drop.

I saw I guy in the shop looking at me so I walked over and asked if he could sign. "Usually, but not this time. Go talk to the boss." So I went to another building and asked for the boss, and he said the shop guy was supposed to sign. I told them he wouldn't ... to which the boss said "That's because it is the wrong color."

Yes, they were going to keep it. It is all white instead of the company colors. Both guys looked at it while I pulled my stuff out and then they were gone. So back to the office I go, nope the guy in the shop will sign. So I go to the shop and he says "Didn't the boss sign it?" The shop guy found the paper work and signed, but I said every box on the paperwork has to be filled out per the shipper. So he went back out to the truck and looked at everything as he checked it off ... I'm clear.

BB scans the paperwork and we are ready to go.

We had talked about staying out of the rain but the shortest way heads back into the rain. Light rain, no issues. We take the computer way back to Joplin. My paperwork had me on the toll way so that is how I went. Sometimes there are good reasons why the truckers route is different than the car route.

3rd stop. Schlotzskys in Joplin.

We decide to eat a Schlotzskys, even though it is a ways off the freeway. When we got there the drive thru line was out onto the street and no other way to get in, so we went to Target next door so BB could use the restroom. When we get back we can get off the street into line. And we see that we could have gone in ... if we could have gotten into the lot. I get the original and a Mini-Cinni. Good food.

We find our way out of town and back track past our stay last night on I-49.

4th stop at the Flying J in Peculiar MO for the restroom. I looked at the ice cream, didn't buy. But I should have gotten a lemonade.

Because it is the holiday weekend I wanted to get off the road as soon as the traffic was bad, we even talked about Joplin. But the traffic never got bad, not for a holiday weekend, not for rush hour. So we kept going, and going, and going. We'd pick one town to stop in and before we got there we'd pick another.

4 PM I get a call from dispatch, they are wondering if I have delivered. Yes, and we sent the paperwork. Dispatch checks again and they do not have the paperwork. So BB looks. Opps. Somehow it didn't send.

5th stop is in Davis City IA at the rest area. Only 30 more miles to go to Des Moines.

Gas is cheaper in Des Monies, Ankeny, so we planned on fueling there ... without checking to see if we had enough fuel to get there. We would have if I had slowed to 65-60. But I drove the speedlimit and now we have enough range to get there plus 5 miles. Not sure if we will try it or pay the extra $1 and be safe.

6th and final stop is West Des Moines. First we head to McAlisters Deli. But 1st we have to drive around some debris, and then we see a car in the middle of the road, minus one tire. Not sure how the debris was 1st, then the car and then the tire. But it had to have just happened. Seems like the tire just fell off his Jaguar and blew his air bags. He was still in the car but was ready to get out as we drove past. No cop cars yet and no one stopped to help ??

McAlisters. We order to go. Soup and sandwich for me, salad for BB. Five minutes tops and we were on our way. Cops were on the scene. Three cop cars. Must not be much happening in West Des Moines.

Part two of our final stop is the Sleep Inn. Cheaper than the other Comfort Inns and Sleep Inns in the area. As soon as we are in, we eat. BB is not happy, her salad is a garden salad with a scoop of chicken salad. She thought she was getting a small chicken salad. But as she thought about it, this may be the closest they could get. The one she really wanted may not come in 'small.'

We have another 5-6 hours for tomorrow to get home. We'll see if this is the start of our month off or we try to fit in a couple of more days. Lots to do at home if we stay home but she has to be careful. Dr office called her and left a message, BB called back but went right to voicemail so not sure why they were calling.

Load board

US - 263

IA - 100 (RV's)

MN - 12

WI - 7