Ohio to Missouri

First off, props go out to Clayton 101.5 in Ohio for being the best radio station we found while on the road. Your taste is eclectic and off the beaten path of usual music which for us musicians is a welcome palette cleanser. Thank you for making the trip aurally interesting.

Ohio, from all outward appearances is composed of wide swaths of farmland interspersed with industrial city. Ohio is the home of James’ dad, Skyline Chili (which I’ve heard that I need to try their Chili 5 way) and I got to see a Tim Horton’s here! Why is that a big deal? Well, as some of you may know I am a huge Kevin Smith fan and he in turn is a huge Canadian fan and one of their biggest things is Tim Horton’s, sort of the north’s response to Dunkin Donuts.  

This load we delivered to DuPont was an odd load that was one pallet, 700 pounds of paint. It left James and the lumper (loading guy for the customer) scratching their heads. Sometimes you just don’t ask why. The next load happened at Con Agra Foods, home of the SlimJim, my brother’s favorite snack.

We waited and waited, only to find out that it was going to take at least 3 hours to get our load ready because they had to MAKE it first. Good to know it’s fresh. So we left, but not before reporting at the guard shack to let the guy know we would come back in the morning. James was so nice, walking to the shack and chatting the guy up, but on his way out, without remotely being aware, he came face first with this:

And now he looks like this:

I can hear certain friends of mine laughing right now. :P

Not to worry, other than it looking like eye liner and hurting when he tries to wink, he's ok. It did bend his glasses a bit but thankfully he has a spare set. 

The night was spent at this wonderful TA, which had not one, or two, but THREE different restaurants in it. But I will save my commentary on truck stops for their own post. In the morning, the load was got picked up with ease (no running head first into things) and you know what we’ve got now? 38,000 pounds of pepperoni pizza. Yum.  It is all going to Carthage, Missouri by way of St. Louis!  

Oh St. Louis! You look like the most crowded city I have ever seen. The arch was beautiful and you could see it from 10 miles away. The roads were extremely patched and traffic was tight. It’s obvious that the city has overgrown itself by being the gateway to the west. After passing through which was only a slightly harrowing drive the rest seemed to run pretty smooth. The lay of the land gets more and more hilly as you drive, and signs of the old Route 66 trail are seen on the sides of the road. Deserted signs leading to long gone attractions in almost abandoned towns littered the road a bit, but there were a few attractions that I could tell were still kicking. The main one was the Meramec Caverns in Stanton, MO. Here's their website (by the way, I tried to get a picture of the barn on this front page but had a hard time at 60mph!)

http://www.americascave.com/

 I have to hand it to them, they advertised for this place in the old fashioned way, posting boards every couple of miles down the road. It was hilarious because the signs increased within 6 miles of the exit promising everything from zip lines, to tours every half hour and a motel to boot! One of the nearby exhibits was the Jesse James wax museum (which we noticed is closed down) and the toy museum (likewise also closed) but the caverns have something that keep people coming back. One day I hope to visit. 

Other than the obvious increase in hills, the main thing that made the drive challenging was the weather. Even though there was a tornado warning out, what we got hit with was powerful winds, the kind that even made the steady truckers a little shifty on their feet. As a footnote, one of the funniest things I've seen to date has been watching a smart car try to stay on the road in these winds. They weaved worse than any drunk person and I kept waiting for a strong gust to knock them entirely off the road. So word to the wise, if you're going through the Midwest, do NOT drive a smart car.

Back to the drive. We finally had to make a fuel stop which took us to this hillside truck stop unlike anything I've ever seen. Platforms of relatively flat land seemed to have been cut out of this hill to make the whole thing work and there was a long set of stairs you had to take just to get in the station. I kept noticing signs for land for sale and I can't imagine someone wanting to deal with building something here and living here. Upside is the gas is cheaper than I've seen (unleaded reg. is 3.39 here). The funny thing was trying to walk a straight line from the truck to the station and back. On the way there the wind helped me pick up my step and on the way back I had to hold on to my hat and side walk through the wind which ended with me laughing all the way to the truck (if the wind is like this here, what's it going to be like further west?!). Thankfully we shut down at a Road Ranger which is another form of Pilot that's nestled in the hills and provides some measure of shelter from the elements.

Tomorrow we set off for Carthage! To those of you who love lots of pictures my next post will include all the odds and ends things I've been able to capture so far!

Truckers.

When you think of a trucker, you might see this:

However, anytime I look to my left while we’re on the road, I see this:

Now let me lay some knowledge down for you.

Being a trucker is not easy work and sometimes you can encounter grizzly people. Lately I am very impressed with the whole job. Just think about it, when you are driving on the interstate and you see a big rig, a few things might cross your mind: fear of being hit, annoyance that they would be in your way when they slow down or that they are some sort of riff raff that is a grumbling necessity of the Earth. You are wrong on all accounts (and I’m not just saying this because I’m dating one). Also, before I continue let me reiterate that before this both of us attained Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education.

By federal regulations, a trucker cannot drive more than ten hours in a shift. On top of that, they have something called their 14 hour clock, meaning that in a 14 hour period, which includes driving and breaks, after 14 hours, they MUST shut down for at least 10 hours. Also, in a given week a driver cannot drive more than 70 hours. How does their company keep track? They digitally log their hours in a Qualcomm system, their main form of communication with their company. I’ve seen it happen where if the driver attempts to go over his hours at any given point it will start beeping at him like some crazy alarm.

Understand that 10 hour shift I spoke of earlier is NOT 10 hours of straight driving. It can be, but that is up to the driver’s discretion. What most people do is drive about 3-4 hours then take a break, maybe 15 minutes or so before getting back on the road. It’s normal for a solo driver to cover up to 500 miles in one shift. Now, if you were to drive in a team of two, you don’t have to worry about budgeting hours. In a team situation, they simply switch out, and can just keep driving. In a given week, a solo driver can get up to 2800-3000 miles, on a busy week. A team can go up to 7000. These guys get paid by the mile. The pay scale all depends on your individual situation, whether your company or lease and how long you’ve been doing it. I’ve noticed on average beginning truckers who are company and on a team can make .35/mile, and that’s on the low end. You do the math. They get paid weekly.

The main thing that is highlighted throughout this job is safety. Always wear a seatbelt. Be alert at all times, which is why the time restraints are set in place. They are held to such a higher standard that tickets for them start at the 300 dollar range and go up from there, not to mention the rates for offenses vary from state to state. So next time you are annoyed with a slow trucker, you might want to check your own speed. Also, consider the fact they are driving a vehicle capable of carrying up to 80,000 pounds. The weight is set because it is the max the HIGHWAY is able to handle. What happens if they have more than 80,000? You get this interesting effect where the concrete or asphalt actually bows. I’ve nearly tripped over tracks made in truck stop lots because of this. Frightening. What’s even more fascinating to me is when you have to make a turn or, even more scary, backing up in these things. They get much slower in turns because these vehicles are very top heavy and the best way to turn over is going too fast. Oh and remember the dancing ballerina hippo in Fantasia? That’s the best metaphor I can think of when seeing these guys back up into a dock for a load. It’s scary and graceful at the same time and I’m so incredibly proud of James when I see him do it. Just to give you an idea what he has to work with, think about it like this. The trailer is usually 53’ long (there are other types of trailers but they have their own physics to deal with). The bobtail (the cab) is about 18’ long. That’s 70+ feet of vehicle, which is almost ¼ the length of a football field!  

The important thing to remember here is that every time you go to a store for groceries, clothes, etc., remember that most likely the items you are buying came in on one of those rigs. What’s even more interesting is that it’s one of the few growing job fields in this economy. When James first heard about trucking, it was through an ad he heard on the radio and listings on the internet. At the time they had 100,000 openings when he signed up. He heard when he got out that number has increased to 150,000 and from what I’m seeing on the road, everyone, everywhere is looking for drivers. So, if you are hard up to find a job, are at least 22 and have 7 years driving experience (and a clean record), then I’m sure the trucking industry is interested in having you!

One last thing: should you choose to go the trucking route, make sure you are aware of contracts and what not. James chose C. R. England because they have their own trucking school, and he would be able to pay back his tuition through his paychecks without having to sign a contract. Most companies will look to sign you to a long term contract for that. More on C. R. England later.

Hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about the industry and I’ll be writing up new posts on the lifestyle soon!

Misadventures and setbacks.

First off, good morning from Indiana! This was the sight at 6 am. 

While truckers pretty much have say so on how their regular work day goes, most like to start EARLY in the morning. James prefers starting between 4 and 5 AM. Now since we had a drop off at 11PM last night and started back up at 4, you can imagine what that was like. I have now learned that sleeping on the truck is not going to be a problem because it happened twice that I fell asleep and awoke in another state. That was all swept away when I found out where we were going today and I saw this. 

Yes, the Nestle factory! This is the only picture of that as photography is not allowed on the property in any way, shape or form. This was taken from the road. In fact, the large majority of my pictures will be taken while riding, so it'll be a great chance to sharpen my skills on getting a great shot!

Anyways, my excitement dropped pretty quickly when the check in process became annoying and drawn out. There was an inspection, and the trailer we had didn't have enough fuel for the reefer (its the slang term for the type of trailer he carries, refrigeration unit) so we had to go to the nearest station to fuel up. Because he A. drives a rig and B. his company has a contract with specific truck stops, that meant driving 25 miles to get more fuel. While we were stopped, I got to take a few pics. (and get mom a rock)

Allow me to introduce you to James' rig!

No name for her yet, but I'll let you know. 

Also, in case your curious, this is what the large majority of Indiana looks like...

Reminds me of south Georgia, where my family is from, but this view literally stretches for MILES. No trees except for scant amounts here and there. Which might explain the wind. More on that in a little bit. 

So, fueled up, we headed back to the plant only to be turned away AGAIN because of ANOTHER problem with the trailer. Two hours later and a headache and we get back to the plant, hoping to just make it past the gate this time. We get there, and there's a whole line of trucks waiting to get in the gate themselves. During our half hour wait, I got distracted by the birds. 

I noticed hundreds of birds landing in the small field in front of me. The more I watched it became apparent they were forming a circle for all of them to see one another. They shifted and perched until the circle was perfect, then flew like a wave of feathers over the fence and through the windy afternoon. It was truly enchanting and made up for all of the problems we faced earlier. What’s really funny is watching the birds hang on to their small bit of air space with the gusts flying their way. On the way out of the plant, there was one lone bird, flying it’s hardest yet not making any progress so it appeared as if it was being held midair. I’m convinced the birds have fun experiences in all this wind.

The wind itself here is powerful enough it requires explanation. The wind in the Midwest has the unbridled, dangerous quality that most Americans never get to experience, unless they are in a tornado. For most Midwesterners, it’s just a Tuesday. As I walked to the truck stop for a bathroom break, I thought “thank God my hair is firmly attached to my head or I would have none left!” Thankfully I have a large collar on my pea coat which has proven invaluable in this weather!

Oh, irony of ironies, we get set to go only to discover that this new trailer had yet another problem! James said, "Seriously, I swear it's normally not like this." We called in for assistance and had to make a side trip into Indianapolis to get it fixed. The city is the only metropolitan thing I've found in the state thus far. Here's the main skyline.

I was surprised to find that the city has a lot of smaller buildings and only a handful of skyscrapers. Cramped is a good way to describe it, with quaint neighborhoods with tiny yards. The industrial section of town showed many dilapidated buildings and lots of scrap metal places. The building next door to the repair people had a building with a tree growing out of it!

  Thankfully, the repair was minor, the mechanics nice, and things got taken care of quickly. However, because of all the setbacks, James knew it wasn't going to be possible to make the delivery in time so instead of taking the load to Memphis, we've arranged to switch with another driver and will be headed instead to Ohio! 

For tonight, we rest, and who knows what tomorrow will bring! I think we are going to start up again at 5. There's more to come, from the trucker lifestyle to what else I'm up other than watching the road. Since we can only get internet at the truck stops for the time being, I will post as often as possible. 

Speaking of truck stops, here's a couple of the odd products we saw in the one we're at tonight.

Want a pet purse?

 How about a fuzzy puppet?

 Could someone explain this one to me??

I would LOVE to hear your feedback so PLEASE comment!!!

Starting off.

First day on the road and we covered Georgia, Tennessee, spending the night in Kentucky. Apparently in Tennessee there are a couple of touristy things: Ruby Falls (I swear the local tourist people paid their citizens to put a “See Ruby Falls” sign on their land anywhere for advertising)…Didn’t matter where I looked, it was on the tops of barns, in fields and on the side of the road.  Lookout Mountain, which I vaguely remember going to years ago. Of all that, the things that stuck out for me was when we were coming into Chattanooga on I-75 and as you turn the corner at the top of the hill, that first view of the city was amazing. Seeing mountains that had been carved down so we could drive through them and a booming city nestled in the hills was beautiful, even if I only saw it from the window. The other thing was passing an SUV whose engine had caught fire and was BLAZING. Thankfully I think everyone got evacuated in time, and thanks to Hollywood I was expecting an explosion but didn’t get one at all. Drove through Nashville and was surprised to find that it wasn’t the big sprawling metropolis I had thought it would be. I figured the great seat of southern music would’ve been decked out like a Texan had run the show but it was unassuming, and even looked smaller than Atlanta to my eyes.  Driving through the rest of Tennessee was playing on my fear of heights though, as going around the sides of the foothills I would gape out the window and not see the bottom of the hill! I probably spent at least an hour with my mouth hanging open taking it all in. I’m starting to see how landscape artists would be inspired by some of these views. I will try to get pictures at every possible opportunity.

One thing’s for certain, when you head east of the Appalachians, the land sure gets flat quick! Today was a long one, starting at 5am and driving across Kentucky and Indiana to get to Urbana, Illinois. My assessment of those states: a LOT of farm land. The occasional oddity…a pair of elephant statues, pink and white, a yellow bull, and fully decked out bright yellow limo complete with bull horn hood ornament.  I’m sorry to say I was unable to capture images of all these as the camera was fully loaded and needed emptying. Not to worry though, our next load is headed to Memphis so chances are we might get to drive by them again. As I should have guessed the weather is getting steadily colder the farther north we go.  What doesn’t help in the Midwest is the wind. It’s constant here, and unless you have something strapped to you, it might get blown away. James tells me to just wait until we get to Wyoming and says he’ll throw me a rope before I get out of the truck so I can stand up straight. I honestly have no idea how much he’s joking on that one. More to come soon! And WITH pictures!