I've been a trucker for the last ten years but now I am back home at "Camp Chaos" and I will be working at the Fontana terminal as a safety specialist. I hope now that I'm home I'll have a lot more time for blogging!


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Dad is still heading to Texas. He's just on the border of Oklahoma and Texas now. He got a little side tracked when he had to switch loads in Memphis. So now he's got a different load but is still on his way to Texas. He should be home in California by Saturday, Lord willing.
posted by SAJ at 8:32 AM

 
Dad dropped off his load for Philadelphia in the truck yard Saturday morning and then Saturday afternoon he picked up a new load on the west side of Philadelphia that delivers to Plainview, Texas probably on Wednesday. Right now he's going through Nashville, Tennesee on the I-40 and should be home by Friday! Yay!
posted by SAJ at 7:59 AM

 
Not too much happening on the trucker front.

There was "quite a snow storm" last night that kept trucks from getting out of the truck stop this morning. Dad finally got out this morning and is in Greenville, South Carolina now. He is taking a load to Pottstown, Pensylvania.

It's about 26 degree F and it's supposed to get into the teens tonight.
It's near zero in Chicago, Dad reports. Brrrrrr!
posted by SAJ at 5:18 PM

 
Freight is moving really slow. Dad says this is normal in January.

Dad is not going to Kentucky after all. He's only going to Fountain Inn, South Carolina (just south of Greensville). He's only getting 20 miles today. Not good for the pocket book.
posted by SAJ at 11:57 AM

 
Dad spent most of today in Garden City waiting for a load. The good thing was he was only 10 miles from the ocean. But locals told him the water is "pretty lousy" until you get about five miles off shore. It's "brackish". So he guesses people don't swim much there.

Freight is slow going lately. Dad is only going 44 miles to Beafort, South Carolina to pick up a load to deliver tomorrow morning in Elizabeth Town, Kentucky.
posted by SAJ at 1:37 PM

 

Happy Monday!

Dad is still in Nashville waiting to get unloaded. He is in College Park which is a suberb of Savannah, Georgia.

Here's what he says about Garden Park:

"If Savannah is the East Coast's Los Angeles then Garden Park is the Corona del Mar of East. Yeah, I'm right on the Atlantic."

Sounds like it's really pretty.


posted by SAJ at 8:03 AM

 
Hi everyone I'm in Henderson, Tn (a suberb of Nashville) at the home of Brian Howald, a family in the meeting here. We had the Breaking of Bread in their home this morning, a wonderful time, just a few of us remembering our Lord Jesus in death for us. After the meeting I was asked to stay for a sumptuous meal and then we visited together all afternoon. Tomorrow I deliver part of my load right here in Nashville and then I head down to Georgia to deliver another part of the load...some town called College Park, I haven't found it on the map yet, then I head to Garden City Ga to deliver the final part of the load Tuesday morning. From there I should start heading back towards Calif because I'm due home on the 29th of January. I haven't heard if Shawn made it home yet. I'm anxious to hear. Well I'd better get off the internet, I'm tying up these people's phone line. Brenda will resume keeping this updated on Monday when she gets to work. I read the tag message from Dad, I'll be in touch...Tom
posted by Tom at 2:16 PM

 
Dad arrived in the "hillbilly town" of Ripley, Mississippi last night but couldn't find where his delivery went. At a truck stop, he met a guy who used to be a trucker but is now a real live "moonshiner" who actually makes and sells his own whiskey without a licence!!! Apparently he comes from a long line of bootleggers who claim to have sold whiskey to the Kennedy's back in the 1920's! Hmmm....

This "moonshiner" took my Dad for a little ride in his pick-up truck up into the hills where they found the delivery destination. What a great story. I wish I had more details. I can only imagine how that ride went.

Dad is now heading to back to Memphis, Tennesee to pick up a load to Georgia. He hopes to be in Nashville on Sunday. There are reports of 8 inches of snow in Nashville but hopefully by Sunday that will clear.

On the home front: Shawn and Heather ended up staying in Hemet due to illness. Suki and Amber are getting better but Shawn had to go to Urgent Care for really bad sinus and ear infections. Since he was all drugged up on vicodent and wasn't able to drive heavy equipment they couldn't leave until today. I'll keep you posted on that.


posted by SAJ at 9:34 AM

 
Today, Dad is just west of St. Louis, Missouri. It's snowing but thankfully the roads are clear. Phew!

Here's a special shout-out to Sam and Diana in Eureka, California! Finally someone is actually interested in this blog other than me (Brenda).

posted by SAJ at 9:35 AM

 
Dad dropped off Ike in Sacramento on Friday and then headed to Helena, Montana. Next stop: Mississipi for a Friday morning delivery. It looks like Dad caught the same cold we all have. I sure hope it doesn't make driving more difficult.

On the home front, the BTP van is fixed and Shawn and Heather will be leaving Hemet today to go home to Addison.


posted by SAJ at 9:51 AM

 
You never know where you're going to end up when you're a trucker. Dad and Ike were heading to Chicago but did a 3 way swap last night with two other drivers in Rock Springs, Wyoming. So another driver has their load to Chicago and Dad and Ike have a load to Woodland, California which is just north of Sacramento (close to Red Bluff). It turns out Ike caught a cold when he was in Hemet (just like the rest of us) and would like to go home and get better.
posted by SAJ at 9:33 AM

 
Today at 1:45 Dad and Ike checked in from Provo Utah. They are now heading to Chicago for a Friday delivery. Ike is having a great time.
posted by SAJ at 5:40 PM

 
Dad is heading to Reno, Nevada. Last night they met Ike's Dad (Uncle Dan) in Corning, California and picked up some clothes and school books for Ike.

posted by SAJ at 11:11 AM

 
Dad and Ike drove all night and got into Sacramento at 6 am this morning. The truck is now empty and they are taking an eight hour break before they hit the road again. Ike will probably drive with Dad for two weeks. They pick up a load tonight in Willows, California and deliver it Wednesday morning to Provo, Utah. Happy Trails!
posted by SAJ at 10:45 AM

 
Dad is still in Hemet. He's fixing Uncle Dan's fax machine. He plans to leave for the terminal tomorrow am and get the paperwork in order so Ike can go with him on the road.
posted by SAJ at 5:41 PM

 
Bad news and good news!

The bad news is that Tom just can't seem to fit blogging into his trucker's schedule. He pretty much sleeps and drives and that's about it. Not much time for waxing poetic at truck stop internet cafes. (Are there such things?)

The good news is that I'm officially taking over. I will transcribe Dad's cryptic emails made up of vowel-less words and numbers and translate them into to news for you. Fun for me! I don't think there are many readers right now but maybe with my "mad skills" I'll have you checking back every day. You know you want to.

The update for today is:

Dad is home in Hemet today. This evening festivities are planned. Everyone will gather at "the McConnaughy Ranch" for Grandma Albertson's traditional New Year's Day dinner of Sour Kraut and Spare Ribs! Twenty-two places will be set (if you count baby Suki). That's Uncle Bill, Aunt Becky and family; Uncle Bruce, Aunt Kathy and family; Shawn, Heather and family; Grandma and Keren; Tom and Sue (of course) and last but not least Isaac (aka Ike).

Happy New Year!

If anyone wants to add anything to this post (or you are dying to correct my spelling/grammer) please email me!
posted by Tom at 4:23 PM