Computer running too slow to function.

Picked up this AM in New Prage, will drop near Detroit tomorrow. BB is riding with instead of following in a car.

Load board

US - 127

IA - 1

MN - 8

WI - 4

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1 tank truck to Troy MI

... spending the night at Schaumburg IL

We didn't quite get going by 7:30 today. Left out of home, we both had leftovers from last night. Move food than we usually eat for breakfast.

I'm usually pretty good when it comes to maps, locations and time estimates. But on this trip I was guessing it was going to take a lot longer to get to the drop than BB. And BB was mentioning hotels in that town that I didn't remember. It wasn't until this AM when I looked at a map that I realized that New Prague was not the same as NEW ULM. :)

My paperwork said to call them ASAP, they don't open until 8 AM so BB called and I talked, left a message as no one picked up. We got to the place before 9 AM. Locked up, the kind of place with no receptionist and just a phone and list of numbers. My contact was still not picking up but I did finally reach someone who said to wait where I was.

Before that someone got to the front door, someone else arrived at work and asked who I was waiting for ... it was them. They were just getting to work at 9 AM. And they asked if I had called 24 hours before pickup like they ask. Nope, I didn't get this trip until Saturday and you were closed.

It wasn't too bad, it was about a half hour from the time I got there until I had the truck, inspected and was leaving.

Interesting conversation while I was waiting. They do ship quite a few trucks, this was the first I had ever heard of the company and I have quite a list. Also they thought this was going to a different address so they had to check that out. My paperwork was correct.

1st stop was the Kwik Trip in Elko. We wanted to make sure all of our luggage would fit, if it didn't, then BB would have to follow me in a car for the 700+ miles. Lots of room. Two side storage area's and room in the cab.

2nd stop was a quick stop at home. BB drops the car and was waiting when I pulled up. Oh, found out right away that if anyone opens a truck door when the truck is in gear the horn starts beeping. It happened a few times but we learned.

Sometime early there is a truck near our house that BB could have dropped in route. But by then we were already a couple of hours into the trip. Then IA puts out three RV's going to 1,000 Oaks. Plus other good trips out of various places and dispatchers. But we are committed to this now. Nothing is added that works with this trip.

3rd stop was for fuel at the TA Express in Osseo. Plan was to put in 30 gallons but the tank was full at 25 gallons. When I came back from getting my receipt I noticed that the gauge was not showing full. That is when we looked and saw we had two fuel tanks. And they had already start to level.

I did get about 10 gallons of 'free fuel' when I picked it up. It wasn't down to low fuel when I stopped but this was the last cheap fuel before it would have been.

When I got to this station, all six fuel island were full but only one was fueling. I mis-guessed and that was the first driver to leave. So a little longer wait than I like.

We should have eaten here but neither of us were hungry. Then we realized how late it was and decided we'd eat at one of the deli's. But that would take too long so we ended up at the Kwik Trip in Mauston instead.

We each picked out our shelf food and were walking up to the counter when BB dropped her hard boiled eggs. Staff was there right away as they heard the noise. But no mess. BB went and got more and we paid, or didn't pay, for both of them. We didn't get a receipt so we don't know if they rang up both packages or not.

Then we sit at the stools inside and I hadn't brought in my notepad so I was reading my bottle of Naked Juice ... peaches. PEACHES? By then I had opened it but not drank any. So here was the 2nd item we paid for at lunch that ended up in the trash. BB does not like juice.

I needed a half hour off from my driving log so I'm thinking we could have done that at the deli ...

The last rest area for trucks before Chicago is Janesville. There is a car only rest area for IL but nothing for trucks. So that is where we stopped. We were also watching to see if I would need more fuel before IN/MI. We decided no.

Schaumburg at the Comfort Inn it is. We had hoped to be past Chicago to save on time, but it is after 6 PM when we get this far and it would be another hour to get past. 6:30 was sunset.

Often I am the only truck. Today there are four other trucks already here plus a pickup with trailer. I can't park in my usual spot.

BB looked for places to eat but it is late so we just walk next door to the WildFire. Turns out there is also one in MN.