January 28, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Sunday-Herrin/Marion, Illinois)
Spent the day at the motel in Marion. I was told there wouldn't be any loads and dispatch had my phone number here so I didn't call in...they can call me if they want me. Had enough munchies in my tractor to munch on all day while I watch motel TV. Stayed in my room for the day.

SECOND 5 YEARS:(part 2)
Just got loaded with a heavy load of scrap plastic from Stamford, Connecticut going to Henderson, North Carolina. I headed south out of Stamford on I-95. When I got to New York, I had to use the New England Thruway-toll road-which I been told a couple times that it had been condemned. Wouldn't surprise me to have to paid to use a condemned road here in the northeast. Actually I didn't see or feel anything that I would think was bad about it. Went on through the Washington toll Bridge-only pay toll going north-and onto the New Jersey Turnpike. What fun. Followed the turnpike through the populated suburbs of Newark, New Jersey into their farmlands. Followed I-95 south over the Delaware River into Pennsylvania at Philadelphia and on south. Did a short stretch of Delaware-their Highway is said to watch the big trucks closely-and then into Maryland. I went straight through Baltimore, Maryland and got to go in their tunnel under some bay they have. Continued down I-95 around the east side of Washington DC and on south into Virginia. South of Richmond, Virginia, I-85 south breaks off which I followed into North Carolina. Found Henderson and the customer quite easily. Spent the night in their parking lot. The next day I was unloaded and I looked in the trailer after it was empty. OH MY GOSH!!!! They had left a good amount of plastic smashed in my trailer return air grooves! I asked the unloader if they were to clean out the trailer and she said no and that she was done with it...and she gave me my signed paperwork. I tried to get that plastic out with what I had. No good. I called in to dispatch and they had a load to pick up in Virginia. I was lucky to have a book on alot of the truckstops in the county and the services they offer. I found one truckstop in Virginia, before my pickup, that has trailer washouts. I got to it and it cost $45(normal was $25) and I had to help. It got clean but it was a job. I don't know what to do to better the situation next time(I had no next time). I was glad that clean out was over!!! I went to my next pickup in Richmond, Virginia.