I really need...
Jun. 22nd, 2006 07:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gridloreone of those big-eyed googly anime love icons for this post.
I have seen my New Truck, and she is beautiful. Low gates, not a scratch or dent, bed that has not know pallet or bundle, and starting tomorrow, she is mine!
Today? Today got interesting. The heatwave continues, so my decision (made in the dark) to wear black jeans may have been an error. I got in really hoping that they'd look at me and say "Doug, you had a bitch of a day yesterday. Go home and relax."
Ha.
Instead, I hop into a truck with Marvin (warehouse guy extraordinary and fill-in driver) and the new hire for the East Bay route and head over to The Truck Place to pick up the newly-repaired truck that Leonard drove. Since that truck has been off line we've been leasing a truck from these guys. We'll call that truck "A". The repaired truck is "B" and my new ride is "C". Got it?
We pull up in A. Find out that B is ready to go, but C isn't. Original plan was to drop off A; and Marvin and I would take B and C to do our routes. But C won't be ready until 1200 at the earliest. Many Nextel PTT conversations ensue, because the Truck Guys need A back. It is finally decided that we get to keep A for the day, but they need it back ASAP! Another customer is waiting. Remember that.
Next step: the office wants me to take A and Marvin and what's his name to take B. A is a stick. B isn't. Marvin likes sticks, I don't. We trade.
Finally able to have a truck that isn't on the verge of dying. Mileage in the Hino was over 204,000 as over yesterday. This truck was at 9,800, more or less. Get back to the yard, and discover that it is a good thing that I have a truck with gates. I have to deliver nine bundles of strut. Seven to a single location that doesn't have a forklift! (880 feet of Unistrut and all thread. All off-loaded by hand. Oy.) As I'm loading, one of the warehouse guys gives me a new drop in Dublin. Easy enough, one pallet. Finally loaded, I head out.
Oh, my. The difference between the old Hino and a fairly new International are legion. I didn't even mind that this one had the heavier gates that caused me so many problems early on.
Made my early deliveries with few problems, until I get to Dublin. Find the site just fine, just not the customer. Call the number given... and he's out of the office for a week. Call the office number provided, and get another number to call. I quickly learn that no one is at the site this week, the order needs all material certifications accompanying the delivery, and I've just wasted 20 minutes getting here. Passed this all on to the office. We screwed up on that one.
I end up in Brentwood at one of our regular suppliers. I have one more drop to do in Orinda. There is no easy way to do this. Seriously. The two obvious routes are to head north, follow State Hwy 4 to 242S, go down to Hwy 24 West to Orinda. The other route is head back down Vasco road to 580, then up 680 to 24. Either route would take about two hours, and the day was growing long.
As I pondered, I noticed a thin unmarked line on the overview map in my Thomas Guide. It appeared to originate right where I was, and head all the way into Concord where I could catch 242. If this was correct, then I could easily shave a half-hour or more off my trip.
This is where I started.
Follow Marsh Creek along to the west. Some amazingly beautiful country up there, and the road passes right under Mount Diablo and gives you a good view of the Old Diablo Coal Field.
Because of a slow truck in front of me for much of the drive, I don't think i saved more than thirty minutes, but the drive was worth it.
Eventually make it back to the warehouse, unload my goodies, and see my New Truck drive in. So C is in the yard.. but where is A?
Turns out they broke down. And are getting towed in. I'm never letting Marvin live that one down. :)
Oh, keeping the iPod Shuffle in the truck is an official Good Thing(tm). Very useful for those times when I'm not getting good reception on the radio or just want my music. I think I confused one driver in Concord, though. Barrett's Privateers came up, and I cranked the volume, and sang along. I really doubt that the poor driver next to me expected to hear a trucker singing:
"God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers."
Could have been worse. Talk Like a Pirate Day came up while I was going through the Caldecott Tunnel
I have seen my New Truck, and she is beautiful. Low gates, not a scratch or dent, bed that has not know pallet or bundle, and starting tomorrow, she is mine!
Today? Today got interesting. The heatwave continues, so my decision (made in the dark) to wear black jeans may have been an error. I got in really hoping that they'd look at me and say "Doug, you had a bitch of a day yesterday. Go home and relax."
Ha.
Instead, I hop into a truck with Marvin (warehouse guy extraordinary and fill-in driver) and the new hire for the East Bay route and head over to The Truck Place to pick up the newly-repaired truck that Leonard drove. Since that truck has been off line we've been leasing a truck from these guys. We'll call that truck "A". The repaired truck is "B" and my new ride is "C". Got it?
We pull up in A. Find out that B is ready to go, but C isn't. Original plan was to drop off A; and Marvin and I would take B and C to do our routes. But C won't be ready until 1200 at the earliest. Many Nextel PTT conversations ensue, because the Truck Guys need A back. It is finally decided that we get to keep A for the day, but they need it back ASAP! Another customer is waiting. Remember that.
Next step: the office wants me to take A and Marvin and what's his name to take B. A is a stick. B isn't. Marvin likes sticks, I don't. We trade.
Finally able to have a truck that isn't on the verge of dying. Mileage in the Hino was over 204,000 as over yesterday. This truck was at 9,800, more or less. Get back to the yard, and discover that it is a good thing that I have a truck with gates. I have to deliver nine bundles of strut. Seven to a single location that doesn't have a forklift! (880 feet of Unistrut and all thread. All off-loaded by hand. Oy.) As I'm loading, one of the warehouse guys gives me a new drop in Dublin. Easy enough, one pallet. Finally loaded, I head out.
Oh, my. The difference between the old Hino and a fairly new International are legion. I didn't even mind that this one had the heavier gates that caused me so many problems early on.
Made my early deliveries with few problems, until I get to Dublin. Find the site just fine, just not the customer. Call the number given... and he's out of the office for a week. Call the office number provided, and get another number to call. I quickly learn that no one is at the site this week, the order needs all material certifications accompanying the delivery, and I've just wasted 20 minutes getting here. Passed this all on to the office. We screwed up on that one.
I end up in Brentwood at one of our regular suppliers. I have one more drop to do in Orinda. There is no easy way to do this. Seriously. The two obvious routes are to head north, follow State Hwy 4 to 242S, go down to Hwy 24 West to Orinda. The other route is head back down Vasco road to 580, then up 680 to 24. Either route would take about two hours, and the day was growing long.
As I pondered, I noticed a thin unmarked line on the overview map in my Thomas Guide. It appeared to originate right where I was, and head all the way into Concord where I could catch 242. If this was correct, then I could easily shave a half-hour or more off my trip.
This is where I started.
Follow Marsh Creek along to the west. Some amazingly beautiful country up there, and the road passes right under Mount Diablo and gives you a good view of the Old Diablo Coal Field.
Because of a slow truck in front of me for much of the drive, I don't think i saved more than thirty minutes, but the drive was worth it.
Eventually make it back to the warehouse, unload my goodies, and see my New Truck drive in. So C is in the yard.. but where is A?
Turns out they broke down. And are getting towed in. I'm never letting Marvin live that one down. :)
Oh, keeping the iPod Shuffle in the truck is an official Good Thing(tm). Very useful for those times when I'm not getting good reception on the radio or just want my music. I think I confused one driver in Concord, though. Barrett's Privateers came up, and I cranked the volume, and sang along. I really doubt that the poor driver next to me expected to hear a trucker singing:
"God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers."
Could have been worse. Talk Like a Pirate Day came up while I was going through the Caldecott Tunnel
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Date: 23 Jun 2006 03:01 (UTC)Guess the Air Conditioning worked, and you survived.
And glad you got a pretty new truck. May tomorrow be enjoyable inspite of the heat.