Saturday, November 10, 2007

Super-secret load

Yesterday I received strict instructions to not reveal to anyone that I had been given this load going from Bensalem, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia area) to Brownsburg, Indiana. It was about six tons of guitars, of all things! Apparently they are fairly pricey ones, as I've had loads of valuable electronics and such with fewer dire warnings over the satellite system.


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Anyway, the load was almost ready yesterday when I arrived with my empty trailer, so I dropped it in another dock then locked on to the new trailer. The building was set at an odd angle to the street, which actually curved away from it so the back was fairly difficult until you got it lined up correctly. Eventually, everything was set and I was given all the paperwork, the seal and a kick in the rear to get going.

I managed to throw off any potential pursuer when I misread my GPS system and ended up having to take all four loops of a cloverleaf to finally get to the correct highway so I could head out of town.

After 150 miles or so I pulled off at a truck stop for the night and went to bed shortly thereafter. When I awoke at 0300 I had to get moving so I could make my deadline here in Indiana. They schedule high value loads like that so the driver doesn't have time to do much other than drive... less chance an enticing sign for a casino or something similar catches their eye, I suppose.

I spent two hours in the first snow I've encountered this fall in the hills of central and western Pennsylvania. I lost traction a couple times but it was easy enough to correct. Spending all last winter out in the storms has paid dividends.

My arrival was about 20 minutes ahead of schedule and I dropped the trailer alongside an enormous warehouse that stocks... you guessed it... guitars (and amps). It is amazing there is that much demand for the things in all of the US. The guard mentioned they got in 60 truckloads like mine last week. It boggles the mind.

After grabbing a new trailer and moving down the road one exit, I'm parked for the rest of the day and hoping I finally, FINALLY, get a nice, long, boring, well-paying, easy-sneezy, don't-have-to-stress-over-it run.

In case I didn't make myself clear last time.