01/30-02/01/08
I got a load from Indianapolis, IN with 3 drops in Wichita, KS, Kent, WA, and finals in Sumner, WA. It was more of a deadhead than I wanted, but with the storm coming in, I didn’t want to risk sitting in PA too long.
I got to the customer 2 hours before my scheduled appointment time and was pleased when they said they were ready to load me. I wanted to get loaded and beat feet as far as I could (heading directly into the storm) before shutting down.
As I left Indianapolis, it was overcast but dry out. As I got into Illinois, the sun was shining and the temp was in the mid 40’s. I suspected that this was the “calm before the storm” and sure enough it was. About mid way across IL the snow flurries started. By the time I was in Saint Louis, the snow was coming down good but the roads were still fine. When I reached Columbia, MO it was absolutely crappy out. You could not see more than 100 yards ahead and the roads were ice and snow covered to the point that you could not tell were the road ended and the shoulder started.
I only planned on going as far as Concordia, MO and now was not sure I would make it that far. This was some of the most intense driving I have had this winter. Everyone was creeping along at about 35mph and all I wanted to find was a place I could park and hunker down for the night. But there was nothing except the off ramps and they were already fully. I pressed on with the hopes that the next mile would yield somewhere to park, but nothing. Before I knew it, there was my exit in Concordia……I made it!! It took over 7 hours to get from Saint Louis to Concordia.
I took a steaming hot shower, hooked up to IdleAir and called it a night. When I awoke the next morning, the sky was blue and the sun shining. I rolled on into Wichita, KS to unload the 1st of 3 drops. As I called in to Davis, I told the LTL dispatcher that after this drop, I would have about 20+ feet and some 20k of empty deck space. I did not expect that she would find anything along my route and especially on a Friday.
Well I forget sometimes that she is AWESOME
because she found me a load that only put me about 70 miles out of route going to Billings (along my route) that paid a flat rate of $1,200. Cha-ching!!!!! :shock: Extra $$ for only 70 miles. Love when those LTL’s work out!!
I am sitting here on my customers’ property in Harper, KS. They will load me 1st things in the morning and then I will be on my way. The best part of this load (beside the extra $$) is that it is a no tarp load.
Now if they roads get cleared up in Montana, Idaho, and Washington before I get there, I’ll be a happy camper.
