Salinas,CA

Sometimes this seems like our second home we are here so much! This load that we just delivered this morning in Sacramento is a load that we picked up in Bedford,Park,IL. There wasn't much time on the load and even going 65-70 the whole way we only made it 20 minutes early. Usually the way our schedule works I am the one that drives down Donner Pass and into the Sacramento area because we usually have a morning appointment to unload. This time we had an appointment at 2330 hours so J got to drive down it. And I am glad he did! He said it was raining like crazy, water running over the road along with mud coming off the hills AND when he was at the top, it was snowing! Yikes! I do believe that winter is making an appearance. Anyway, when he got there and got loaded, we still had not received our next work assigment. Since FedEx was closed basically, except for inbound trailers being dropped, there was no one there so we decided to stay parked there for a while. A little bit later our next work assigment came across but there was no appointment time and they couldn't set an appointment until morning when the businesses opened. Therefore, we decided to stay parked there for the remainder of the night. The drivers lounge was unlocked and we had access to a restroom so that was all we needed.

Around 0700 I got up and headed towards Salinas where we were picking up at Dole. I still didn't have an appointment but figured I better head that way in case I had received a message with an appointment right when they opened. When I was about 50 miles away from the shipper I received an appointment time of 1200. That was good and gave me a few extra hours. My first stop in Salinas was at Valley Truck Stop where I had hoped to get the trailer washed out. It was fairly clean, but you never know how picky they will be on a produce load. Turns out the truck wash was closed. So much for getting it washed. Then I proceed down the block and across the street to the Pilot where a much needed shower was to be had. I woke J up and asked him if he wanted to get up and shower and he said he would shower after we picked the load up. Inside I go and about 30 minutes later I come out feeling much better!

Now I head over to Dole and figure I will wait until our appointment there. They are usually busy with trucks lined up waiting to get loaded. I was surprised to find only one other truck, a Prime truck, there at the facility. Not a single other truck. And I was there an hour early. At the guard shack she gives me a door and tells me to go on in to get loaded. Awesome! At noon, which is when the actual appointment time was, I was done and pulling out of the dock. Slid the tandems, hit the scale and headed back to the Pilot for J to get his shower and to fuel and scale on their CAT Scale.

I pull into the fuel aisle happy to see that there is still plenty of parking spots. As I was fueling a TrailLiner truck pulls through and the lady rolls down the window and asks how we like Prime. They are thinking of switching companies when her husbands contract is up with them. We talk a few minutes and then decide to go grab a bite of lunch and keep talking with them. So we headed across the street to the Taqueria and had a really nice visit with a really nice couple. I hope we answered all of their questions, but I am sure they will have more. They are doing the right thing though and talking to everyone they can about Prime. I gave them our information and phone number though so they could contact us if they have any further questions. I hope they call and keep in touch. We really enjoyed visiting with them. And they have the cutest little dog named Tucker that Smokey liked. They played for a while but we didn't let them off their leashes and they got tangled up a few times. Tucker is a Bijon and Yorkie mix. He is adorable!

Right now we are headed south on the 101 and will be cutting over to Barstow so we can take I-40 over to Springfield,OH. I-70 is shorter but they want us taking the southern route. We are also going to stop in Springfield,MO at the yard and get this TWIC stuff taken care of. I have to call in the morning and have our FM set up an appointment so we can get that done on Tuesday afternoon. Luckily we have some extra time on this load and can get it done.

That is what is up with us. Just a little less than two weeks until J goes hunting and my Dad rides with me for the week. I am so excited! It will be a lot of fun getting to spend some quality Father and Daughter time together. And he can see what J and I do for a living and then I can impress him with my ability to drive one of these huge monsters without the aid of a phone book to reach the pedals and without wrecking! :)