1 trash truck to Johnson Creek WI (delivered)

... spending the night at Johnson Creek WI

Change of plans. We were going to take a few days off before vacation but we got everything pretty much done on Monday we wanted to, so we are working.

Problem is that the truck we want in the mid-west belongs to a west coast dispatcher. I text, I leave a message. Finally, while I am in the shower ... they call back "... we really don't start dispatching until 8 AM," which is 10 AM central. :(

And by now the two connecting trips that were in WI are gone. So we take the one trip but now we have no return trips. We are pretty much ready to go when we talk to the dispatcher and get the paperwork printed.

We are out in the car when I try to call the shipper "... he hasn't worked here for over 2 years" was the main point of contact. So I call the phone number listed at that address. No matter which department I try, the same person's name comes on the voicemail. Sounds like a one person operation.

A couple of miles down the road we get a call back, the truck is sitting on the shoulder of the road, just grab and go.

And that is where it was, parked on the side of the road with the keys in it. Used, well used. But all checks out OK, until I am loading my stuff in the cab and notice a mud flap ?? So I check. Missing one mud flap. So we try to put this one on. It has holes but only one hole lines up at a time and I have nothing to punch more holes.

We finally line up one hole, bolt that one in tight and then use cable ties on two other holes to try to keep the mud flap level. This does take a while. And not planned.

I try to call the drop from the shipper but no answer so I left a message.

It is about a half mile back to the four lane. It is now almost noon and I wanted to have this delivered today.

As soon as I pull onto the four lane ... CRACK ... a nice big rock chip in the upper left of the windshield. Had to be from something on coming. It is a four lane but because of the road constructions it is really a two lane right now. The pickup ahead of me was a block ahead of me so pretty sure it was the oncoming traffic. So I call dispatch and let them know.

That was it. From there it was a almost five hour non-stop drive to the drop. Traffic slowed to a crawl a few places. I hadn't done the math on the trip, at some times I thought we'd be to the drop by 4 PM, other times it looked like 5:30.

Ended up being 4:15. Web and door said they closed at 4:30 but all doors were locked. And I had never gotten a call back to make a backup plan. Finally someone drove up that had a key.

There were people inside, thought so. There were still a half dozen pickups in the lot. Just no one in the front office. My guy, the one who let me in, asked if ___ was there, hope. He leaves at 3:30. So someone else said they would sign. I don't care.

It is not 4:30 and I am good to go. Made it.

And BB wasn't there yet. With me not stopping and me driving over 60 mph doesn't leave her enough time for all of her stops.

No work that works on the load board. We check the hotel prices and decide to stay right here in Johnson Creek at the Comfort Inn.

And eat a mile away at the Pine Cone. We have stopped here before for desert to go but never for food. I had German meatballs and BB had goulash. Then I got a lemon bar to go. The lemon bar was 4x what you get anywhere else. And good.

Load board

US - 168

IA - 4/2

MN - 6

WI - 4

No plans for tomorrow. We will give it time in the AM for a dispatcher to put work out but it can only be going home or in the direction of home. By noon we need to be heading home with or without work.