1 mixer to Dodge Center (delivered)

... spending the night at home

We had been told that breakfast was from 7 to 10 AM. But when we got down there a few minutes to 7, people had already been eating and were leaving. I think the person who checked us in last night was in 'weekend mode.'

Three kinds of eggs, I chose the western omelette. No OJ, just water so it was straight apple juice this AM.

We were still ready to pull out before 7:30. When I checked my fluid's I saw that my coolant I noticed it was low. And when I started the truck the low coolant light did come on. It would go off and on so I stopped to buy some.

Kwik Trip Rochester. Just a couple of blocks down the street. The fuel lines were full so I parked on the other side of the building while I ran in. One kind of coolant so that was what I bought. It took about a half gallon to bring it up to the full - cold line. Last night when I shut down I did get a whiff of coolant but didn't check it out. No spots under the truck this AM ...

To get to the fuel pumps and to get out, we have to drive around the back of the building. I did. And someone was coming in backwards next to the fuel pumps. I paused and let him go first. So he pulled ahead and parked. Now I had no where to go. Either wait for the fuel pumps to clear or turn around. I turned around. It only took four forwards and backwards to get turned around. The guy who parked in my way saw what I was doing and just got out of his truck and walked inside ...

2nd stop this AM was the BP a block from the drop. I thought I had plenty of fuel, even up to getting off on the ramp. But when I turned the gauge dropped below the 1/4 mark. Then it came up again. And then down again when I slowed for the stop sign. So I did a quick turn into the BP. Put in two gallons. Card reader wouldn't work so I had to go inside. When I went back inside to get my receipt, the cashier met me at the door, they were brining my receipt out to me.

3rd stop was (almost) across the street. The drop. BB was already there. Interesting person in the office here. Mostly ignores the people coming and going. When I said I had a truck they asked if it was a chassis. "No, a cement mixer.' At first it was kind of a blank look and then ... 'with a check engine light on?' Once we start talking she is quite personable. She signed and we were done.

Next, I call dispatch to find out how I am getting paid. Turns out this shipper pays all fuel on both CNG and diesel. Same as my local company. So no big money by running on their fuel.

After that I call my local dispatch. The person who was working on the short runs for today is NA.

We head to Burnsville to the clinic. Still no local dispatch.

4th stop - the clinic. Wow. ER was full and people were sitting in chairs in the halls. I've never seen that before. I hadn't heard this first hand, but it sounds like a few days ago one of the nurses in our family that takes phone calls ... was so busy that day that after the first hour of phone calls, could not schedule any more appointments and had to tell the rest of the people that day to go to ER. I've heard the same thing in IA. Hospital's are twice as full as usual.

Finally when I come out, and have waited in the car another 15 minutes, I get ahold of local dispatch. They have everything covered for today. But, must not have wanted to leave that message, because they wanted to talk to me. Talk me into running more trips for them on Monday. Not likely to happen. We hope.

We did not call in this AM for trips. We will watch the load board the rest of the day.

We did a few more stops and a few more errands.

Final stop for the week. Home.

We watch the load board and they do put out more trips including four for CA. I call, but make it clear that we want to run the southern route. It adds just under the 5% extra miles we are allowed, but between that and the fuel and hotels we will be over. I am talking to the newest dispatcher and he says no. (In the past it has been OK) I didn't think quick enough to ask to talk the boss ... I just said 'no thanks then' and Good-bye. Pretty sure that was not what he was expecting.

Last trip west the weather was all clear, all good, the day we accepted the trip. By when we left the next day, a storm was rolling in. So we had to push it to beat the storm. This time we would be looking at calling in four days before we leave. Too far in advance for heading west in the winter.

We end up not taking trips. That means we will be sitting Thurs, Fri, Sat and now Sunday. But by the end of the day, they had added trips to Reno. So if the weather is clear that is our first choice heading west. Boise would be 2nd. But if the weather is not good west, there are still four trips to Greer if the weather is clear to the southeast. That might be our first choice if the SE dispatcher had more work. They did have more work earlier it sounds like four (six?) trucks heading to California.

Load board

US - 286

IA - 90/89

MN - 9

WI - 8