Fuel for Thought

Big Weekend

Last week started with a Monday morning delivery in Saginaw, Michigan. I checked with my shop in Grand Rapids (Hoekstra) to see if they could fit me into the schedule for a part I had ordered last time I was in for work. I also wanted a reevaluation of my diesel particulate filter, because last time the engine codes led the technician to think it needed to be replaced. They couldn’t get me in until Thursday, so I reluctantly decided to go for it. I figured it would help me control my schedule, so I could make the Expedite Expo in Wilmington, Ohio at the end of the week. Thursday and Friday in service could get me at least one load for the week. I wasted time until Thursday, and then found that the part was the wrong one. Now it was a struggle to get any productivity out of the week. Friday’s visit to the shop was quick—brake sensor harness went it easy and new opinion was to keep on trucking with my near antique diesel particulate filter. Before pulling out of the shop, I was back in service. The new goal was a short load that would leave me in range of Wilmington, or a weekend run that would allow a detour through the Expo. After lunch I hit the jackpot. Seventeen miles from pick up going to Marion, Virginia with a Monday morning delivery time. The freight was three drums of adhesive on one pallet. There were trashed pallets at the loading dock, so I was able to use my favorite method of securing barrels—a barrel sandwich.

Wilmington/Expo was only ten miles out of route and almost exactly the halfway point. I dragged my feet leaving Grand Rapids, so I didn’t arrive in Wilmington until Saturday evening. En route I went past 600,000 miles on the odometer. Good even numbers also means oil changes, so when I pulled into the lot next to the Roberts Convention Centre, I found a left sloping space and started draining the oil before setting off to find people. First person I ran into was Lawrence. Good show, Lawrence. Like last year, the expo was already finished, so I missed a lot of people. The cookout was underway, which allowed me to still find many people. After eating I finished the oil and filter change while visiting with fellow Load One drivers. There were so many people just at the cookout, I didn’t get to talk to everyone I wanted to see. I’ll catch you next time, Tim. And the special thing about all the expos was being able to meet new people and people I’ve seen in previous years but not yet met.

I rolled into Marion early enough Sunday evening to wash my clothes and check in with security at the delivery location to find out when receiving really opened and where to park for the night. “Right over there.”

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