1 tree truck to Springfield IL

... spending the night at Cross Lanes WV

Breakfast - eggs, sliced sausage, mixed fresh fruit and juice. Plenty to eat. Didn't think about it then but I won't need to stop to eat lunch today.

When we walked out of our room to go to breakfast this AM we noticed that the door to the room next to us was wide open. Still open when we came back from breakfast and still open when we checked out.

So I commented to the desk clerk when I turned in my keys that the door was open. Seems 'kids' reserved 12 rooms for the night, no adults (?) and they left taking a few things with them. We didn't hear a thing, it was a quiet night for us.

Running about 15 minutes late this AM, no real reason. Long walk to breakfast?

1st stop is about two hours down the road near Fayetteville two hours down the road.

Somewhere on I-95 this AM we were going through road construction, two lanes wide with concrete barriers on both sides, no shoulder. Not sure how I didn't see it sooner but there is a car stopped dead in the right lane. We have a rental car so I don't know where the flashers are so I start pumping my breaks to make them flash. Everyone gets slowed down and merged, no accident when we passed.

2nd stop is at the shipper in Creedmoor. I've been here a few times but the paperwork says my truck is in row 1 of the 'new lot.' I'm not sure where that is so when I see a guy picking up trash in the parking lot, I ask him. Little things help a lot :)

Found my truck. It is the same as the others we have gotten out of here. Ford 750. All checks OK and I have enough fuel to get to a truckstop down the road. The local Speedway is no longer on our carriers list of fueling stops.

The new lot is out of the way so I need to circle back through the employee lot to drop off my paperwork.

BB heads her own way from here and I won't see her again until the hotel tonight.

3rd stop is the Pilot in Mebane for fuel. It was going to be the Petro but the Petro is the next exit after the weigh scale and I was concentrating on the scale and missed it.

All trucks had to exit to the scale but the truck ahead of me didn't. Then I saw a officer take off in his pickup and I thought he was going after the truck ... so I was watching that, plus merging back into traffic and forgetting I needed fuel.

In Winston-Salem we switch from one four lane to another four lane, I'm looking over my shoulder to merge into traffic and the car is giving me plenty of room. Then I look ahead and breaklights. There is a semi stopped in the left lane bringing everyone to a stop. Here we are able to drive on the shoulder/merge lane and everyone gets around him. Not sure what was going on, by the time I am up to him he is moving again.

4th stop is at the oasis near Camp Creek. I call my drop. They are open 7 AM to 3 PM. We have 500 miles to go tomorrow so not likely we were make it by 3 PM. I also text BB to let her know where I am.

This trip I do not even try to use my I-Pass. In the past I have waved it out the window or given it to the toll takers. This time I just pay cash. By the 3rd toll booth, BB has caught up to me and follows me for the last hour to our hotel. I had wanted to be to the hotel between sun set and last light and we made it. Before here, the last hotels were 100 miles back.

5th and final stop is the Sleep Inn in Cross Lanes. Big parking lot out back and food next door.

Once we are in the room, BB asks if I put in anti-gel. Opps, and it is getting down in the single digits tonight.

There is also food a few blocks back, as we were going past that place tonight there was a car coming up to the street at an angle and I didn't think they were watching so I almost came to a complete stop on the street before they looked my way and saw me.

BB orders our food online from the car. Then we check in and see that this place has evening soup. (Besides the cookies) So I grabbed a cup. Beef stroganoff soup.

It was good, but that plus my meat loaf from Cracker Barrel was too much so I left the potatoes and fried apples for breakfast.

Load board

US - 327

IA - 103

500 miles left until the drop. We will try to make all of them tomorrow and then deliver 1st thing Friday AM.

We would like to find more work for Friday or the weekend but there are not many places we can deliver on the weekend and we have to have the car back Monday AM.

Right now we are hoping to break even for this trip. With just one of us driving, taking days off and a not-so cheap rental car it does not pay. More like a mostly paid vacation.

LOG

6:45 - Leave Best Western in Santte SC

9:00 - Rowland NC - rest area

11:00 - Creedmore - PU at shipper

12:00 - Mebane NC - Pilot - fuel

3:15 - Camp Creek WV - oasis

5:15 - Cross Lanes WV - Comfort Inn

5:30 - Cross Lanes WV - Cracker Barrell