Sunday 21 December 2008

California and back

I have just been down to Tracy in California. The trip was was OK until I got to Idaho falls then the snow came down and all the twat car drivers started to drive off road backwards, in less than 5 miles there was 6 accidents 3 with trucks involved. The route we take took me down US 93 from Twin Falls Idaho to Wells Nevada I thought when I get to Nevada the snow would stop but it didn't! I had the snow all the way to my stop at a place called Winnemucca. I stopped in the Flying J for the night I was really looking forward to the buffet there but no such luck there are quite a few Flying J's that don't do the buffet. The next morning I set off for Reno Nevada to fuel up. While I was there I had a shower and brought my 12v under blanket for my truck I brought the 42" wide one then carried on till I got to Tracy CA. I booked in even tho I was 12 hours early the guy said I would have to wait until my booking time. Needed to go to a walmart and brought a thick mattress pad to go over the top of my under blanket. I couldn't wait to strip my bed off and fit the under blanket and mattress pad wow it works great the only problem I have had is in the last 2 days when I woke up it was so nice and warm in bed I said sod it and went back to sleep lol. After I tipped out I got a message to go to a place called Delano CA I had 3 collections I thought hope I get loaded quicker than I did when I was in Arizona. Well as soon as I turned up they told me to back on the door I was loaded with all my paper work and closing my doors in less than 30 minutes wow great then off to pic no 2 the same thing on off bay with load and paper work in less than 30 mins great and the sun was shining I looked at my 3rd pic typed in the address in my sat nav no luck what a bum so I turned on my laptop and looked at my streets & trips and found the rd but it was not where H&R told me! They were given the wrong area but it was right next to the place they told me so I put the right address in my sat nav and there it was so off I went but on route I asked the nice lady on the American side if she could check the address because I am sure it should be in Bakersfield and not Lamont I was expecting a message back telling me to ring them myself but this nice lady sent a message back saying she had just rang them and they told her what I said it comes under Bakersfield not Lamont she also said she would get it changed so the next driver would know where it was. It makes a nice change for someone in dispatch to help you out I normally get told to buy a map or ring them myself. On route I thought 2 pics were fast I can't see it being third time lucky. I got to the place very easy (it is when you have a sat nav) I went in and booked in the woman told me to back on the bay and that I was picking up 12 pallets I thought while I get loaded I can sort out my route back to the yard but I went in to the loading bay to take off my loading bars and I saw 4 fork lifts waiting to load me I was loaded in less than 5 minutes each fork lift had 2 pallets each I could not believe my luck I had 3 collections on and an hours drive between 2 picks the whole lot took less than 3 hours wow what a lucky boy lol. I had more than enough fuel to get me to Barstow CA so off I headed to Barstow on the way loads of truck drivers coming the other way told me there was a 15 mile traffic jam ahead (shit) but nothing I could do I needed to get fuel from Barstow so I carried on then I joined the queue. while I was sat there I got bored and started to play about with my sat nav when I zoomed out I could see another rd running down the side of the rd I was on. I told the guy next to me and asked if I could change lanes If he followed me then we could get around the jam but nooooo he stayed in the jam I came off the next junction and followed this other route which turned out to be the old route before they put the bypass in. I got right to the front of the queue and spoke to a driver on the CB he said he has lost over 2 hours, so the back route worked lol. I parked at the Flying J in Barstow went in and had my shower and buffet meal the waitress loved my accent and asked if I was married and she wanted to take me home with her so did the lady who took my money for the meal..... blimey these American Lady's don't beat about the bush they just came out with it just like that lol. The next day I drove across the bridge to the pilot to fuel up I got on the pumps and my card would not read in the machine so I had to go inside and the queue was big so I waited and waited and waited in the end I said sod it and drove off! I looked at my fuel gauge I had enough to get me to Las Vegas on route I stopped and faxed my paperwork to the broker what a waste of time that was. I fuelled up in Vegas then headed north to a place called Perry, Utah. Stayed there the night then looked at my streets and trips from there it was 700 miles to Lethbridge 630 miles to the border if I had no hold ups and got to the border in less than 11 hours driving I could make it back to the yard because as soon as you get to the border you can switch to Canadian rules which meant I could drive on for another 2 hours. So I went for it I stopped at Idaho Falls for fuel but that stop was only 15 mins then off I went and made it to the border with 20 minutes to spare but when I got to the border my pars was not cleared they had lost my fax so I had a nice walk in the cold to the brokers office to fax the lot again (my fault I should of rang) so 2 hours of mucking about at the border and a few phone calls later I was on my way. I did ring the night staff at H&R and was told by a lady there it was my problem and I had to deal with it because she was busy (nice to know there is someone there to help you when you have a problem) what goes around comes around I will remember that for when she asks me for something. I dropped the trailer in the yard and I am parked in the truck area behind Tim Horton's not far from the casino the reason I am parked here is because I can get the Internet for free. When the truck has warmed up I am going to book myself in the Sandman tonight because I am meeting 2 very nice looking ladies for a drink..... calm down lol its 2 wives of drivers I know and we are just meeting up before Christmas just to say hi. I don't know what my next trip will be but i asked for a long one because I will be out over Christmas and new year I think this will be my last trip before I go home for a month in Jan. I have not had a hug or kiss from my daughter in 4 months I can't wait. While I am home I will keep updating my blog. When I get to my house my daughter Jenny will film me when my wife opens the front door so you can all see how mental my dog goes when she sees me, that's Sasha by the way not Dee lol!

2 comments:

TOm French said...

Thoroughly enjoying your blog. Keep it going.. TOm

didster7 said...

with reference to previuos post "truck idlle" my truck in uk cuts out but if i put trailer brake on and release unit handbrake it does not cut out, its got to be worth a try.
good luck and merry xmas dave