1 RV to Neenah WI (delivered)

1 mixer to Dodge Center

... spending the night at Rochester MN

Plan was to get rolling by 7 AM. Alarm at 6 AM, I grabbed two yogurt and a juice.

Windows were frosted, BB scrapped, I just used the washer fluid and heater.

The hotel is on the same road that will take us to Oshkosh. Then 15 miles and I will be at the drop. At first I think I have put in too much fuel. I was thinking that running at 55 mph was going to up the mileage. It did, a little. But a gaining a couple of miles per gallon over two hours doesn't amount to much.

By the time I get to Oshkosh, the low fuel light comes on and I have about 10 miles to go. Can't run it much closer than that. I had hoped that I could gain a little time this AM and get to the drop by 9 AM. But the the speed limit at 55 mph and a dozen towns it took until 9:30 to get to the gas station a couple of miles from the drop.

1st stop was the Kwik Trip in Neenah. Final dealer fuel and a rest room stop. A small station and a busy one hole restroom.

2nd stop was the drop at the next exit. BB is already there. My contact is walking to the front desk when I walk in and we walk out together. 15 minutes and we were in and out.

From there, it was less than 30 miles from the next shipper. I decided to take the city streets.

3rd stop - Oshkosh - the shipper. We hadn't looked at any areal photos, we just drove to the address we had. An empty building, an empty lot.

We quickly look up the shipper online and head there. It is a gate with a security guard. I call the shipper's number listed on my paperwork. He tells me where I should be. He's talking faster than I can write ... I think I get most of it so we drive around the outside of the complex looking for the correct gate.

We there and a sign says 'exit only,' enter at gate 15. So we drive the rest of the way around the complex and back to where I was when I made the last call. I had mis-took the 8 MPH sign as the GATE 8 sign.

So this time we talked to security. Sorry, I can not enter with my personal car, walking in isn't an option. After the guards talking amongst and making phone calls, it is decided that someone will drive my truck outside of the gate where I can pick it up.

Not what I was expecting. Neither was the truck. The truck they brought me was not a new center steer. It was a used standard mixer. It had been here for testing and trouble shooting. I still have no idea where they new mixers are built. This is part of the defense complex.

By now I know I will be running later than planned. When I call dispatch I ask about a late drop. They didn't make themselves real clear at first so I asked again, and again. Finally they said 'We say ... no drops after 2:30 PM.' OK. I understand (but I have blind dropped with my other company and never had an issue)

So instead of being home tonight we will be in a hotel again.

My local company had talked to me on Friday about short trips this week and now they are calling again. I call back. And I will call them again tomorrow once I've dropped. They still have four local trucks to be moved. They will try to get them covered, at least some of them. We won't get up there until noon or so after dropping in Dodge Center.

I was expecting a new truck full of fuel, I got a used truck that I will need to add fuel to. I'm not sure how far it will get me, but I run it as far as I can. I have run this road a few times in the last couple of months so I know where the fuel is.

4th stop - Turns out I can make it to the Loves in Oakdale, with the low fuel light on. But I am still guessing at my mpg.

BB catches up to me by the time we cross into MN. I had thought of stopping at the usually closed weigh station but there is a car there that could have been a cop car so we stop at the next exit.

5th stop - roadside at the Houston exit. From there BB calls and makes a reservation for tonight.

6th and final stop is the Sleep Inn in Rochester. Tight turn to get in, I have to back up once. But I have parked here before so I know that it is possible to get out in the AM. Just carefully.

Instead of our usual 5 West we order from the BBQ place. Good food. Stuffed.

Load board

US - 297

IA - 88/87

MN - 18

WI - 7

14 RV's for Boise ID, -0- for California. Tomorrow AM would could call for work to leave Sunday. We will wait and see what gets put out tomorrow. Not likely that all 14 ID trips will get taken and they are the best trip ... as of right now.

Tomorrow we need to drop a truck, stop at the clinic and be back in town in the evening early enough to drop someone at the airport.

There are still all four Lake Benton trips plus the four local trips. We can keep busy, if we want.