Quick Trip #27
Monday February 13
Dispatch had called several times after I got back, even on the way back, last Thursday from my last trips. So Friday, after they upped the anti an extra $50, I agreed to take a chassis from Forest, VA to Jonestown, PA. I figured if dispatch thought it was so important, I could take a day to do it. Since I've been out a good bit lately, I insisted that I come straight back from PA. After all, we retirees have to be retired sometime during our retirement, right?
It snowed about 5 inches around here over the weekend, but I was at Forestry Equipment earl
y to pick up the chassis. It was a IHC 4300 6-spd, and this time, with a radio, a real bonus. It was frosty, and took a few cranks to get it started and a lot of work to get it cleaned off. The company where I picked up now requires we go to the office before heading out since they still have a truck missing.
The 300+ mile trip to Jonestown, PA was relatively uneventful, except for the requirement, as I understand, that the temporary mudflaps on a chassis always have to come loose. And of course, these started coming loose with about 80 miles to go. The plastic/nylon straps used to hold the wooden crossmember started breaking. So I had to stop and try to wire them back on. I didn't have much wire, and it lasted for about 50 of the remaining miles before that broke also. I slowed down, and the last several miles were off interstate anyway, so I was able to make it to the dropoff point.
This is the first time I've been to this location. There was a surley guard, who ushered me in and told me where to go as long as I was sure to ask just the right questions and say "yes sir" and "no sir". He did manage to get me lined up with a private guy who does some cabbie work on his own to take me about 25 miles back to Harrisburg, PA to pick up a rental car.
The cabbie was a retired trucker. He retired with prostate cancer, something we all have the pleasure of looking forward to if we are male and live long enough. He said he's been clean almost 5 years, so things are looking up for him. Was a nice fellow and I enjoyed the ride to Harrisburg with him. He made sure I was at the right spot before he would leave.
I had originally planned to stop off somewhere on the way back for the night, but I got pumped, had the PDA playing my favorites, so rolled all the way back home, getting here about 9:30 PM. So, all in all, a pretty good trip, and as always, good to be back home.
Dispatch had called several times after I got back, even on the way back, last Thursday from my last trips. So Friday, after they upped the anti an extra $50, I agreed to take a chassis from Forest, VA to Jonestown, PA. I figured if dispatch thought it was so important, I could take a day to do it. Since I've been out a good bit lately, I insisted that I come straight back from PA. After all, we retirees have to be retired sometime during our retirement, right?
It snowed about 5 inches around here over the weekend, but I was at Forestry Equipment earl
y to pick up the chassis. It was a IHC 4300 6-spd, and this time, with a radio, a real bonus. It was frosty, and took a few cranks to get it started and a lot of work to get it cleaned off. The company where I picked up now requires we go to the office before heading out since they still have a truck missing.The 300+ mile trip to Jonestown, PA was relatively uneventful, except for the requirement, as I understand, that the temporary mudflaps on a chassis always have to come loose. And of course, these started coming loose with about 80 miles to go. The plastic/nylon straps used to hold the wooden crossmember started breaking. So I had to stop and try to wire them back on. I didn't have much wire, and it lasted for about 50 of the remaining miles before that broke also. I slowed down, and the last several miles were off interstate anyway, so I was able to make it to the dropoff point.
This is the first time I've been to this location. There was a surley guard, who ushered me in and told me where to go as long as I was sure to ask just the right questions and say "yes sir" and "no sir". He did manage to get me lined up with a private guy who does some cabbie work on his own to take me about 25 miles back to Harrisburg, PA to pick up a rental car.
The cabbie was a retired trucker. He retired with prostate cancer, something we all have the pleasure of looking forward to if we are male and live long enough. He said he's been clean almost 5 years, so things are looking up for him. Was a nice fellow and I enjoyed the ride to Harrisburg with him. He made sure I was at the right spot before he would leave.
I had originally planned to stop off somewhere on the way back for the night, but I got pumped, had the PDA playing my favorites, so rolled all the way back home, getting here about 9:30 PM. So, all in all, a pretty good trip, and as always, good to be back home.
posted by Harry | 6:00 PM
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