PackRat's 2020 Daily Driving Diary

Ouch, guess I shouldn’t buy a volvo then

Daggum Packrat what a way to come back to your diary. Hope they get it fixed soon. I wonder if Werner unfairly passed on this driver too?

Maybe?

One thing I can't figure out is the fender mirror is folded in one direction, while the door mirror is facing the opposite.

I had the curtains closed, laying down and listening to the truck race on the radio when it happened, so I didn't see it, only heard/felt it. I thought the trailer had been backed into, not the cab. I have yet to receive any damage to a trailer. It's always the truck the idiots aim for. All three times, I've been driving a red tractor, too.

I feel lucky to be able to park at dollar general stores. Pain getting into, but generally don’t have to worry about other trucks. Hell, half the time If I DO park at a truck stop it’s just to eat or take a small break and then It seems I keep one hand on my food and one on my air horn I’m so paranoid lol

Maybe?

One thing I can't figure out is the fender mirror is folded in one direction, while the door mirror is facing the opposite.

I had the curtains closed, laying down and listening to the truck race on the radio when it happened, so I didn't see it, only heard/felt it. I thought the trailer had been backed into, not the cab. I have yet to receive any damage to a trailer. It's always the truck the idiots aim for. All three times, I've been driving a red tractor, too.

In sports cars it's called "Arrest Me!" Red.

In PackRats case it should be called "Hit Me!" Red!

Perhaps it's time to get another color tractor?!?

Here's the great start to a 34 Hour Reset for me at the TA in Boise. Obviously this guy was good at backing, too. Like the guy I tried to help out last night...

Third time in 12 months I've been backed into while legally parked at a truck stop by a "professional driver" that could barely speak English. All three were Volvos, too.

Most drivers I run into don't speak English as a native language. I was even buying libations one night after work at a local package store and a driver comes running in at about 1900hrs. He told the guy he had a delivery. The owner was like, "At 7 o'clock at night?" The driver mumbled something and the OWNER said to him, "You don't understand English, do you?"

I don't care where these guys come from but it seems to me that a basic understanding of the English language is a requirement for driving 80K of truck in the country.

5 October 2020

I started off this morning from the TA in Boise, ID, "The Combat Zone" around 0745, after a 15 minute pre trip inspection. No more bumps or bangs during the night, and no missing parts on the cab or trailer. It's beginning to look like a great day!

I drove about 16 miles NW to Meridian, ID for my first stop at a building supply wholesale dealer, with 5200 lbs of siding for them. This load began in Ennis, TX on 29 SEP. After arriving at 0810, I checked in and got into the one dock around 0915. After an hour and 10 minutes, I was unloaded and on the way to the final stop in Spokane, WA, what I refer to as "The Good Side of the State". I've never seen any Protesters (spelled TERRORISTS) there.

I called the receiver on my break in Pendleton, OR, after surviving Cabbage Hill again. The office told me I could back into the dock and park there overnight.

About the coolest sights today was seeing 8 cabovers (a new, all-time record for one day), including this Seriously-Green FORD CabOver in Idaho. Way Kewl!!! This is only the second Ford COE I've seen in the past year, so these are very rare.

It took me an extra 15 miles to get to the consignee , due to road closures from construction, then a wrong turn on the marked detour route. I ended up on the other side of town, on a Truck Restricted Route, too! No police or low bridges were encountered. Eventually I made it to the consignee, and backed up to their one dock. Afterwards, I got to cook up two sirloin on my new electric skillet that I picked up at the WM in Boise. This is also when I got to check the steering alignment after the parking lot incident detailed earlier... Luckily, the steering is fine, but I'll keep a close watch on the steer tires for the rest of October. I don't need another blowout ever again.

For the day, I drove about 420 paid miles, using 8.2 hours Driving, and 0.4 hours On Duty. First day back after a rare 34 hour reset on the road.

I just LOVE your progress, your perils, and your perseverance, Pack ~!

Yes'r .. still here and lookin' in from the 'outside!'

6 to 8 October 2020

I was unloaded at the consignee in Spokane, WA around 0910. I had planned out the next dispatch while sitting in the dock.

That one was to drive 134 miles empty to a secure drop lot in Pasco, WA, picking up a loaded trailer there. After the swap, drive 12 miles to an insulation wholesale store in Kennewick, WA for the unload. This was one of the tightest yards I've seen this year, a place made for box trucks.

This is the clearance on the left side. The passenger side was similar. Glad I didn't have a 52' trailer! I would have needed to fold the mirrors in to fit inside the building's dock. Who designs these? Anyway, the unloading was finished at 1335.

After leaving, the next dispatch had me picking up the next preloaded trailer at a wood products maker in Madras, OR. This place is as easy as it gets: clear signs, lots of space, an accurate scale, friendly shipping office personnel, and overnight parking, too.

The biggest obstacle on this load is time vs miles. The total is around 1967 paid miles, but it must be there NLT 2200 CST on 9 OCT. 3 days after my 10 hour break at the shipper. Then we add in the first 335 miles are on US-97 and US-20 in OR and ID. Lots of mountains, small towns, and two-lane, curvy roads. It's also not a trip I prefer since I run on recaps each day. In order to make the deadline, I must drive more than a 600 mile average each day. Then, I forfeit two hours crossing time zones heading east. Big days for me are normally 500 miles, so I get to see extra scenery on this one.

6 October: 357 miles driving in 6.3 hours.

7 October: 485 miles driving in 8.7 hours.

8 October: 630 miles driving (1st leg) in 9.8 hours. 614 miles remaining to drive from Cheyenne, WY to the delivery in Pella, IA. I'm on another 10 hour break now, and will roll again at 2130.

Two areas of driving on I-80 today across Wyoming were awful with the smoke from forest fires. The first was from Sinclair to Happy Jack Road, and the second was from Laramie to nearly Cheyenne. That second area was so dense it kicked off the cruise control. A few sections had visibility cut to 100 yards. Not healthy for breathing problems, either.

This was 200 miles of Wyoming today: smoke and a dirty windshield into the sun heading east on I-80.

what I refer to as "The Good Side of the State".

As someone from western Washington that hurts!

PS, there's a Ford cabover dump truck driving around in my neck of the woods. I really would like to get a picture for you but it haven't been able to so far.