1 pickup to Williamsburg IA (delivered)

1 RV to Ramsey MN

1 pickup to Shakopee MN (Wednesday)

... spending the night at Lakeville MN

We got the IA pickup dropped, an RV picked up and should be able to pickup and drop a 2nd pickup tomorrow. No plans for Thursday yet.

(It took too long to eat tonight, more later)

Awoke to the alarm at 6 AM, breakfast at 7 AM. Eggs, bacon and good yogurt here. Plus grape juice. They always put out a good spread here.

Weather said heavy fog this AM but it wasn't bad on the freeway. It seemed to be thicker where there was foliage and to the east of the freeway. Where the crops had been harvested there wasn't as much or any fog.

On the first stretch of the trip this AM I saw one of the tanker trucks I drive ... being hauled ... and the cops had it pulled over. Better him than me.

I knew I was going to have to buy fuel somewhere and I had decided on the Kwik Star in Story City. I was only going to get a couple of gallons so it wouldn't pay to stop at a big truckstop. Flying J and Loves were about $.40 a gallon more than the those two. I almost stopped at a Kum and Go but didn't. I would have saved a whole penny a gallon on both gallons.

1st stop was the Kwik Star in Story City. Before fueling I was short 20 miles range to get to the drop. After I fueled I was 12 miles over, by the time I dropped I was 47 miles over. So I would have had enough fuel. Oh well, I am tired of running on fumes, at least for today.

2nd stop was ... on the shoulder at Williamsburg. I had not looked at any maps so I had no idea where I was going. I didn't even know the exit, I just knew how many miles I had to go this AM ... 225 and this was as close as it would get.

Easy directions, south two miles, take a left by Homer's and then a right on the delivery street. Building was well marked.

It was 11:30 but it was lunch time for them. I was expecting another auction house. No, this is a shop but almost no trucks around. So they must move them in and out pretty fast.

They told me where to park and when I came back in after moving the pickup, someone met me at the door and signed. They never looked at the truck, just asked where the keys were. Easy drop, I home this customer is always like this.

3rd stop is Arby's. Then we sit in the car and eat. An RV has shown up since we were at the drop five minutes ago. We grab it.

But first we had called the auction dispatcher because there was a trip an hour away and we were guessing the short ones pay good. Opps, it will not be ready until Thursday ...

BB had been itching to get back on the road but less than two days and she is already starting to drag. So instead of taking another pickup to IA we first call on one going back to Dodge Center.

4th stop - Rest area near Victor to switch drivers. The Dodge Center dispatcher is not picking up his phone and the voice mail is full, so BB will drive for a while so I can keep calling.

When I finally get ahold of the dispatcher the trip is gone. It sat out there for two days and then while 'I' can't reach dispatch the trip is somehow taken ???

So I call back the auction dispatcher and take another pickup, but this one is going to Shakopee so we should be able to do that trip in one day.

Now for the three more hour ride to the shipper.

5th stop - Ankeny rest area, mostly to switch drivers again, I'm back as driver.

6th stop - hardware store in Clear Lake to drop off a UPS package we have been hauling around for a few days. We finally looked online for the closest drop location and this was it.

7th stop - Shipper in Forest City IA. Today there are five other drivers there, so it is busy. I didn't take time to talk to any of them. We were in and out in a half hour.

When we head out I am short about 60 miles range.

8th stop - for fuel at Fleet Farm in Owatonna. It is still cheaper here by $.20 a gallon even after going up today. $.20 on two gallons :)

By the time I had gotten to Owatonna I was only 20 miles short, when I left I was twelve miles over. I should be good.

9th and final stop - Quality Inn in Lakeville. 1st Quality Inn in months. A little step down but we didn't want to run another hour and we still haven't eaten.

Once we are checked in we order from Cracker Barrel, it's been a long time since we had gotten food from there also.

Load board

US - 138

IA - 49/47

MN -0-

WI - 2

They added a trip from IA to Brainerd after we picked up ours, that would have only less than an hour to our next pickup. Stuff comes and goes.

We will wait until mid-day Weds to decide about Thrursday.