Nice Break!

Happy to see you again! Is everyone doing ok? One of my friends moved to CA! What is everyone else up to in preparing to celebrate Christmas? I’ve decorated Trinity, but still looking to add a nativity scene (like a kind of plaque) to my front grille.

I’m adjusting well to my new Flat Bedding gig, I’ve written a few posts already about it so far, so be sure to check those out. So far in December I enjoyed a 3,000+ mile back haul from Washington State to my park location in PA. Then I spent some time out of the truck. Basically, my schedule will be 5 weeks out, 5 days off. I’ll grab a day or two downtime during those 5 weeks when I grab a 34-hour re-start on my DOT clock. See this post to understand how my clock works as a trucker. In November I grabbed a re-set in Colorado Springs, CO, and then another one in Seattle, WA. Mostly I can strategically place these where I prefer.

Also got my Christmas cards mailed (for the most part.) there’s still some left to mail, as soon as I can get more stamps. This is my Christmas card to y’all this year, so if I don’t have your address, you can see it anyway :0) It’s from when I was in Colorado Springs, CO at the base of the Rockies.

Out-of-truck-time!

So, my out of truck time I had the pleasure of a ride to Frederick, MD for a standard visit to my favourite used book/video/music store, then lunch and a short walk at the canal promenade. I also did errands, (laundry, food shopping, cleaning, washing truck).

Here are some cherished photos from my excursion:

I thank you for delightful conversations at lunch and a lovely stroll on the Canal Promenade. (Frederick, MD)

This horse drawn Santa Sculpture below I saw as I drove down Main Street in Mechanicsburg, PA

Well, I’m already back on the road, with a quickie run from NJ to GA, ran out the majority of miles today. (500 somethin’) fuel and delivery tomorrow morning and then see what comes up next. I receive assignments as I near the delivery of a current assignment, so it’s always an adventure, ha-ha. This way they see who’s available, what routes are needed, who needs shorter runs, who can grab the longer ones, etc. Folks who are on the calendar for home time will grab the shorter ones headed toward their home locations, but since I’m just coming out again for another 5 weeks, I’m sure I’ll see some longer runs as they maneuver me around on a few shorter ones first.

Here is a question I am asked quite often. Both random drivers as well as drivers within Schneider.

“How many miles do you get a week?” My Answer: “As many as I want, really.”

It’s true that the longer lengths of haul I receive now give me more flexibility, and I now drive comfortably an average of 2400-2600. Since my runs used to be a lot shorter when I was pulling boxes, I used to only average 2000 or so. I’m also governed at 65mph, so there is that restriction. So in comparison to owner operators or smaller carriers which either have a higher governed engine or no governor at all, and they can do 70-80 mph (depending on speed limits) obviously they’ll go further in the same amount of time. But in an apples-to-apples world as a Solo Company Driver, if I drove my full 11-hour drive clock every day I can do 3200-3500 a week. See what I mean? Schneider has the miles there for all driving types. I drive a little less during this time of year maybe since I prefer no night driving. Don’t confuse that with driving in the dark. Actually, today I rolled out at 0400, drove 9 hours, laid down over 500 miles, and was chilling to a movie at 1600. (4 PM) The “night thing” is because it’s very busy and full of mad motorists. “Mad” in both senses (angry and crazed). It’s difficult enough navigating the roads with aggressive drivers in the daylight when I can truly see far and wide, but to mix aggressive drivers and dark? Not conducive to the type of driving I enjoy. However, the calm and quietness at pre-dawn is definitely conducive. Hope that came across well, and easy to understand. Somehow, I feel I’m lacking in writing skills today and that might be clear as mud. haha.

Well with that I will sign off for today. Thank you so much for joining me. Hope you enjoyed the photos and the tidbits on Miles per Week. Here’s a few December Road Pix from on my way back from WA State: The train is in South Dakota/Montana, that River/Lake shot is near Coer d’Alene, Idaho, which I already pre-marked in my notebook certain mile markers for more photo attempts next trip out that way.

Cheers!

Happy Mid-December :0)

JJ

xx