Santa Rosa,CA

When J took over driving on Friday evening, he drove us from Oakley,KS to Rawlins,WY. On Saturday morning I took over there and drove us to Wells,NV. He took over Saturday evening and drove us about 330 miles into Sparks,NV. Our first drop was at 0700 on Sunday and there are not any truck stops between there and our drop. So Sunday morning I got up and drove us into West Sacramento to our first drop. I found the place easily enough and within about 2.5 hours I was unloaded and back on the road. Next stop is Stockton,CA with an appointment at 1140. I make it there around 1030 because it was only 48 miles away. I get there and get unloaded in just under 2 hours. Although the first 45 mins was waiting on the guard to show back up to log me in. Now it is about 1230 and out next drop is 34 miles away but it isn't until the next morning. I find a truck stop for us to spend the night but it is full. I happened to look over and right next door is a Motel 6 with truck parking. You know what happened then. I parked and packed our things up and we got a room for the night. It was 18 hours that we were going to have to wait so I figured we may as well do it comfortably.

We got a good nights sleep in the room and I headed out this morning to our third drop that was just down the road in Modesto,CA. During all of this, J got a restart on hours since he didn't have to work at all on Sunday because of the way the appointments were spread out. I get to our third drop and J gets out and opens the doors for me. I docked next to another Prime driver and I got a big grin from him when I backed in and set the brakes without a single pull-up. It was beautiful. It never fails to amaze me the grins I get from other drivers when I do something like that because I think they are amazed to see a girl get out of the drivers seat. Now of course I have my bad days too where I couldn't hit a dock straight on with 20 pull-ups. That is just how it goes. I just had a good day.

Finished up there and I am off to our fourth and final drop up in Santa Rosa,CA which is about 140 miles away. I stop and scan in our logs and grab more Comcheks (yes, that is the correct spelling) because we are out and I head out. I also grabbed something to eat and I think that is where I messed up. See, I was eating, and not paying attention to where I was going, and I missed the exit I had planned on taking. I was headed up I-5 and was going to take I-205 over to I-580 to 238 over to I-880 up to I-80 and then hit the 101. I had that all figured out because I knew I couldn't take I-580 through that one part of Oakland. Well, because I did this, I ended up taking CA 12 over to I-80 and then took CA 37 over to the 101. Worked out well because I missed all of the city traffic, but it was a little two lane road that was bumpy as can be.

Alas, we finally made it here. Now when I left Modesto and our third drop this morning, I sent a message to our FM and told him that I would be late to this last appointment because of the lumpers. Took them forever to get me unloaded and I knew that I couldn't make it on time, so I did the CYA thing and sent a message in. Well, we get here and they tell us that no one from Prime called and that on top of the $100 lumper charge and the extra $30 for it being on the floor, that there is now another $50 for us being late. J proceeded to send a message to our FM and asks when we could expect the reimbursement of the $50 late fee because we called in and Prime dropped the ball by not calling and keeping the customer updated. Low and behold we get a message back stating they will pay for it by loading an extra $50 onto our Comdata card and then says that he is going to check into why Sales didn't notify the customer. That is their job, not his, he just forwards the info to them. Not sure when we will get unloaded. We have been here for an hour now and don't have a dock. Hopefully it won't be too long. On the other hand, the longer it is, that puts us later getting out of here, which means hopefully if we go back south, which is most likely where they will send us, then we should hit the city AFTER the evening rush hour. But it is just now 1400 local, so I am sure they will get us unloaded just in time to have the pleasure of dealing with the traffic!