Turns out, no one knew why the other trailer was there. It wasn't due until tomorrow (4/18) and the truck that dropped it off just backed it up to a dock, didn't open the doors, and left. This was a bit of a problem because the company didn't have a yard dog or truck of their own and couldn't move the trailer! Seeing an opportunity to go a bit above and beyond in the service department, I offered to unhook from my trailer, hook the other one, move it up then set it back for them so they could unload both. They enthusiastically endorsed the idea and made sure to unload my trailer first (which makes sense, I was due today after all).
While I was waiting another big rig pulls into this company's lot and we chat for a minute. Turns out he wasn't there to deliver, he just needed to turn around and decided this was a good spot to do that. There was more than enough room in front of where the trucks were parked next to the dock for him to do a tight 180 degree turn but for some reason he insisted on backing up a hundred feet or so, then basically doing a 3-point turn using one of the empty docks to back in to. Guess he needed work on his backing.
I called dispatch about the mystery trailer and someone was supposed to get back with the company to make amends, I guess. Upon entering the empty trailer code on my satellite system, I was immediately dispatched about 3 miles away... to a landfill. Oh what delights we have sometimes here on the road.
Turns out, Columbia, Missouri has a pretty decent-sized recycling operation going on and once they separate the garbage from the recycled stuff, the stuff they can sell gets baled up and sent off by truck to places that reuse materials. I was getting a load of paper and cardboard headed to Lawton, Oklahoma and it took about an hour to load. I took out my camera and snapped some pictures while I waited.
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While I was in my truck waiting to be loaded and doing paperwork, I glanced out my driver window and saw this bird on top of a nearby bale. It was a black bird with brilliant red, orange and yellow markings over the wings. Not being much into ornithology I'm not sure what kind it is, but I've not seen the like before. I carefully grabbed my camera (at arms length from the earlier photography around the plant) and took a couple shots. Unfortunately, my camera doesn't have the greatest color perception and you don't get the full effect.
Finally, on my way to southern Oklahoma I ran across this tanker. Well, he passed me and I saw something that wasn't quite right with the, er, messaging displayed on the rear of his truck. I wonder if some truck chains might reconsider selling mud flaps with their names on them after a stunt like this...
