Chicago Blues and the Land of Cheese

Well this week was tiring. I wasn't gonna leave until Monday but the Sunday Dispatcher needed a load covered due to another driver's garage getting burned down. It was a familiar run to South Bend , IN. and was a better run than my original destination of Shreveport, LA so I took it.

If I left around 3pm I would be alright.When I got to the yard my truck was in the shop. I was told it would be ready in 30 minutes so I went to the c-store down the road, got some coffee and last minute trip stuff. I came back and waited. THREE HOURS LATER my truck was done. On top of that my E-log was messed up and was showing I only had 8 hours to drive and I needed 10 to get to my destination. Great. Well that can't be fixed until Monday morning so I start a paper log and start my drive. I was gonna have to drive until 4am just to make it on time now. This was probably one of the longest, hardest drives I have ever done. I hate the unexpected.

Monday I pull in about 4am to the Pilot next door to the customer and hit the sack. About 9am I wake up go deliver and then go back to bed. I slept hard until my Qualcomm went off. around noon. I had a pick up in Chicago. Blech. Now I get this assignment at 12. I cant leave until 1300 hours. It was a 93 mile deadhead and I have to be there at 14:45. If I averaged 60 miles an hour it would still be tight. But look where I am going. I rolled in at 1530 thanks to construction. Once I got to this place I realized I had been here before back when I first started driving. I had sat for two hours waiting for a load that had been cancelled. Hopefully history won't repeat itself. I get a dock right away but waited 4 more hours until I was loaded. The only good part was that this load was going to Springfield and I just missed the worst of Chicago rush hour. Bad part was there wasn't enough hours to make it back to Springfield on time after my mandatory 10 hour break. I had to deliver at 1400. After just 2 hours on the road I went to bed. I was still worn out from my all nighter and since the load was gonna be late I might as well get some rest.

Tuesday AM I woke up and decided to try the DOT 8-2 split. My computer told me at 8 hours in the sleeper birth I gained 8.5 hours to drive. I went for it. I pulled into Springfield to the customer at exactly 13:47. After the delivery I get back to the yard and I get to sleep at home for the night.

Wednesday I am on my way to Appleton, WI. I was well rested and the drive was uneventful. Found a nice truck stop on US41 and after some dinner and a couple of phone conversations I went to bed.

Thursday I get to the customer and make my delivery. My next pick up was just 5 miles away and it was a two stop load. First stop is in Topka, KS for a Friday open window appointment. The second stop goes to OKC for Monday. My cool trucking company allowed me to come back to the yard so I don't have to spend a weekend in OKC.

Friday I deliver and was home in time to take the family out for dinner. Oh yeah almost forgot. Monday e-log fixed it self and everything was fine. Stupid computers.