1 box truck to Brooklyn Park MN

... spending the night at Story City IA

This AM I am finally able to get the front desk to print my Bill of Lading. It was the first thing that actually printed for them so they were surprised. I thought I could make a 2nd copy myself and their business center but couldn't. Good thing I had two copies, the shipper wanted one.

Breakfast is real eggs and a choice of turkey or pork sausage, tater tots. They also had sausage on a stick wrapped in blueberry pancakes in the fridge. Plus the usual.

BB is still hurting this AM, so we will go our separate ways and she will stop as needed.

We head out at our usual, 7:30. The shipper is only a couple of blocks away. When we get there ... then we remember. 8 AM - 4 PM. So we have time to find my truck and do some basic checking before the office opens.

Today my paperwork is inside, but we do have a box outside. I need to leave a copy of my paperwork for them plus sign and leave a copy of theirs for them.

No issues with inspection. We are ready to roll at 8:30. I have over an 1/8th of a tank of fuel so we will head down the road to a station that truck islands. There I will put in enough to get to a major truckstop.

The road the hotel is on heads east to US-169. There are no signs that says that road, US-160, ends but when it gets to US-169 ... you either get on 169 or you keep going strait ... on a gravel road.

2nd stop is at Pete's in Cherryvale for five gallons of fuel.

3rd stop is at Loves in Chanute for more fuel at a better price. I was going to put in 60 gallons but only 40 gallons would fit. It is an 80 gallon tank and I was at 1/4 so that <> means that about 20 gallons is not usable. I wouldn't have needed to stop yet but BB wanted to stop for gas and the restroom. From there we went our own ways.

While we were there, local dispatch called about next week. BB and I talked quickly and decided next week was too far away. At this point we didn't know if her pain would be getting worse or better.

BB headed up to Ottawa to the Loves and I stayed on US-169 to Kansas City. Up to now, BB had been doing OK, hurting but OK. When she came back out of the Loves in Ottawa she just plopped herself into the car like she always does ... Ouch. From then on the pain was only getting worse.

I wasn't sure where exactly US-169 joined I-35 but I did recognize some of the landmarks when I got to the freeway.

Right at the KS/MO state line there had been an old building right on the railroad that was slowly getting worse. Brick building but the windows were gone, etc. Today the whole building was gone. Can't see as much from this direction so I'll try to get a better look next time.

I-35 is finally re-done just west of downtown. I haven't been on it since it was done, almost done. They are still working on it but it is open. Another area where it says to be in one lane to start with but then changes it as you go. Speed limit is posted as 45 mph. Posted, I'm guessing one of the pickups ahead of me was doing 80 by the time they got in the 3rd lane.

This truck does have most of the radar things that the last one did put it is different. The first truck I came up behind, I was within a truck length when it hit the breaks, hard. The other truck would have slowed me gently a quarter mile back. Did spend a lot of time with my foot on the footfeet. No way to change the radar setting.

The northbound scale north of KC is gone now. It is just truck parking.

I stop at the rest area and text BB that I will be stopping soon for lunch. She mis-reads it and thinks I am way ahead of her and am already done with lunch.

4th stop for me is at the Shell/Wendy's in Cameron for food. I didn't know what was at the Loves and because I texted BB before I got there, I wanted it to be some place I wanted to eat. BB never stopped ... sailed right passed while I was eating.

When she got to her next stop, then she realized what I had texted and was now a half hour plus ahead of me.

We both stopped at the Osceola rest area but at different times.

6th stop was at the Ankeny rest area. We had agreed on this stop before we parted ways. We talk on the phone. BB is in deep pain and needs to get off the road ASAP. If we make it another 30 miles, we will have done 400 miles today and have 200 more to go tomorrow.

BB is saying every time she gets in/out of the car it is getting worse. I have to pick up some of her stuff out of the car as she can't bend to get it. Once we are in the room, I call and order food from the Mexican place in town.

The KFC/Taco Bell and a family restaurant have all been torn down to put in a local grocery store. Now the gas station next to it has closed also.

Food is more than enough. I had asked if I could get beans instead of rice, I got both. I also ended up with two chicken and one beef enchilada instead of 1 cheese, 1 chicken and 1 beef. More than either of us could eat. I also got a mango pop.

BB feels better after taking some pain meds and laying down. Hopefully good enough to get the rest of the way home.

Looking at our emails. We see that I got paid for my truck from last week (?) Usually we get paid within the hour. And it is wrong, so I need to call them on it.

Load board

US - 284

IA - 12

MN - 5

WI - 4

200 miles to the drop. I will likely need to fuel again before dropping.