1 PU to Shakopee MN (delivered)
1 box truck to Orange City IA (delivered)
... spending the night at Worthington MN
Our hotel last night was the Country Inn in Grand Rapids. There were a few minor issues, starting with the desk clerk not 'seeing' us until I picked up the house phone. The door into the room has put a hole in the wall because the door stop is broken and the trash was not emptied from the prior guest.
Breakfast ... I was just going to have yogurt today but then I saw the western omelettes and sausage so I got some of that also. Plus a stick of cheese for later.
Car was frosted over this AM but light enough that the washer fluid took it off. Only three other cars this AM so either a light night or an early crew.
A mile down the road and we are at the shipper. We see my truck as we drive it. Lots more frost on it. I find the keys and fire it up. Full tank of fuel. All lights are working but it is closer to a half hour from when we left the hotel until we are ready to leave here.
When I start down the drive, a semi is coming in. One lane. So I back up, much easier for me and he is an employee, I'm a guest.
Almost as soon as I get on the highway I stop and look ... and my VIN. To make sure I have the correct unit. I do. By now the windshield and side windows are pretty much frost free.
Somewhere closer to Mille Lacs Lake we see a couple of cars stopped on shoulder on our side of the road ... then we see their (?) boat and trailer in the ditch on the other side of the road ... hmmm.
Also saw a few eagles today and yesterday. Today there was one feeding on a deer carcass along with a few crows. Don't remember seeing other birds that close to an eagle before.
An hour or so down the road I stop at what used to be a gas station. It still was two months ago when we were passed here. Now it is just a vacant lot. But still a good stopping spot. I needed to call shipper for my next trip. They know what truck I am picking and it is ready.
That is my only stop this trip, BB stops a couple of more times and gets a ways behind me.
When I am less than 20 miles from the drop, the pickup starts to balks. It does this a total of seven times before the drop. Each time only lasts 10-15 seconds which is long enough for my speed to drop. And my fuel mileage to drop. I had gotten the mpg up to 20 before I stopped and called. Then I got it back up to 19 mpg before this. I still brought the pickup in with over a half a tank of fuel.
Check in was easy, parts of the lot were full. BB is 15 minutes behind me so I wait indoors as it is still around 32 degrees.
I'm not hungry so we head straight to my next truck. They know all about it so it doesn't take long. But it is an hour from the time I get to Shakopee to drop my first truck until I am ready to leave Burnsville with my second truck.
I have another full tank of fuel. Time and money savings for me.
Slow start. It would just barely turn it over, once, and then I'd have to try again. Finally I just held the key. It would turn, pause, turn, pause and finally fired. I don't plan on letting it shut off. Not sure if that is an issue or the truck has been sitting that long.
I call the drop and have to leave a message. I don't know what time they close. It will likely be after 4:30 when we get there so I'd like to know. There is only one nice hotel in that town and it is $150 tonight.
When I get to Mankato where there is a nice on and off I stop and call dispatch, I forgot to do that from the shipper. Then I stop again at the rest area near St James. Still getting voicemail at the drop so I call the main number. It takes a while but they find someone to come to the phone.
3:30 is when they close. 'But' I tell them, 'This is just your truck, not a load of freight.' Then then ask if it is the box truck and put me on hold. When they come back on the line I am told that a night person will sign for the truck whenever I get there :) :)
Thank you ...
By now BB is at the rest area, she doesn't like it when I get too far ahead. She had thought I would be delivered and standing outside for an hour before she got there. Now she will follow me the rest of the way to the drop.
About 20 miles before the drop I notice plowed snow on the bridges. By the time we exit the freeway I notice that some of the yards are still covered in snow. Covered, not just a dusting.
I get to the drop a couple of minutes after 4:30 and call my contact. He comes out and signs off.
... as I am sitting in the car in the lot I get a call. I rarely answer but this looks like a IA phone number. It is the guy I called at noon ... calling me back now. I tell him that ___ has just signed and walking back into the building. That's all he needs to know.
No other work that works. We have time to get back to Worthington but no further before dark so that is where we head. We do stop in Shelby at the truckstop and look at food but then decide we'll have more choices in Worthington. So we put our food back and head out.
We decide on the Blue Line at the truckstop on Worthington. I get their meatloaf and BB gets there chopped steak. She ate all hers I did not.
A mile to the west and we are at the Comfort Inn. Happy hour has just ended. BB gets some veggies. I didn't get anything as I thought it was all cleared out already.
We do notice that the place we used to eat at across the street is dark, the sign is dark and it is no longer listed online. We don't remember the name so we can't look it up that way.
We had seen earlier that there were wind warnings. Now we see the snow is pretty much going sideways under the parking lot lights. Gusts up to 50 mph were forecast. We are off the road for the night.
Load board
US - 158
IA - 15/12
MN - 5
WI - 0
Unless there is something in our direct line heading home, we will be stopping at a park for a walk and then get home sometime.
BB has an appointment at 9 AM on Wednesday and the we have a safety meeting on Thursday. Hope to leave but nothing good was put on the load board today.