Ashtabula,OH

Around 0130 last night the other driver showed up with our load that we were taking from him. When they called it woke me up because J was listening to his I-Pod. Didn't phase me too much because I was out of it. I just answered and handed the phone to him. :) Then I cuddled back up in bed and went back to sleep.

After J got the trailers switched and hooked up to our new load, I guess he stayed up for a bit but before long he was crawling into bed. He said he had the alarm set so I would know when to get up and get moving. Poor Smokey has had an upset stomach so about 0545 he woke me up whining and I knew I had to take him out right that minute. Turns out J had the alarm set for 0600 so Smokey woke me up at a good time. After taking him to do his business I figured I better get myself ready. But let me tell you, today was one of those mornings where I just couldn't get motivated! I finally got my lazy butt in gear though. By the time I got rounded up, looked on the map to see where we were going, scaled the load and got my logbook done, it was about 0730. Like I said, I was moving slow. haha

This load is taking us up to Marlborough,MA and we have an appointment at 0900 on Friday morning. According to the GPS it is only 845 miles. So we have over 24 hours to make it there and that is PLENTY of time. I figured since we have all this extra time that I was going to drive 55 the whole way and see what kind of fuel mileage that I could get.

Around noon or so J wakes up. I am still toodeling along at 55 and I had only covered right at 200 miles. Including a stop for fuel along the way. I manage to make it past Cleveland and got on to I-90. We are still driving along talking when I notice a sign that said "Ashtabula County" and something in me clicks. J has an Army buddy that lives up here. So I tell him to call Scotty and tell him to come have lunch with us. We thought we weren't going to hear back from him, but he finally calls. He had just gotten off work and was on his way to pick up his daughter but he would be happy to meet us.

J and I walked across the street to this little place called "Kay's Place Restaurant". It is at x235 on I-90 in Ohio. REALLY good food. It is right across the street from the TA. We sat there for about 30 minutes waiting for Scotty and Charlotte to show up. Once they got there we had a great lunch and got to visit some. Since we have extra time at the moment, J went back with Scotty to his house to visit for a while and I am sitting in the truck. I would have went with him, but this load we have is a Hazmat load and I don't want to leave it. It is one thing to get out of the truck and go across the street for lunch and an entirely different thing to get in a car and completely leave the load! But that is cool, because I need to get some sleep anyway and J will have a chance to visit with Scotty for a while. You know, I am sure they will talk about guy stuff. LOL

We only have 558 miles to go. If J can at least get me 350 miles or better then we will be set and I can make it to the shipper on time. We decided it was best to wait the extra time here instead of closer in because there are very few places to park the further east we go. And what places there are will be crowded by the time we would get through there.

I would like to mention how beautiful the weather is. It seems that we are finally starting to see Spring. It was definitely cool outside today, and it still is, but it is sunny! And again, I am seeing all sorts of baby animals, like horses, cows, goats, sheep. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The whole cycle of life is amazing to see when you are driving across the country. It is things that so many people take for granted when they do their same old thing day in and day out. I was one of those people before I started driving a truck. Being able to see the country and experience the changing of the seasons in every state is an eye opener. I thank God each day for this wonderful life I have and this world that we live in. It is certainly beautiful!