Salt Lake City, UT

Things have been pretty crazy the last two weeks with taking time off and trying to get back into a good freight lane.  Some times things just all fall into place and other times it seems like nothing works out!

I had a great birthday, although we were on the road.  I believe we were headed to LA.  Again, I won't bore you with those details, but here is where we have been since then.

Los Angeles to Phoenix
Phoenix to Houston
Houston to Orlando
Orlando to Dallas
Home Time
Dallas to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City to Tulsa
Tulsa to Columbus
Columbus to Phoenix
Phoenix to Los Angeles
Los Angeles to Las Vegas
Las Vegas to Salt Lake City

......And that brings us up to date on where we have been.  We have had a really hard time getting back into a good rhythm this time out.  When we came back out from home time in Dallas, they sent us with an empty trailer up to Oklahoma City to pick up a load that has an additional pick up in Tulsa and then delivered in Columbus.  Lots of storms on that trip.  Then once we got to Columbus, we ended up sitting for over 24 hours waiting on another load.  We finally got a load to Dallas, but they called and said that load was too full with a bunch of stuff for a second stop in Phoenix, so they were loading a trailer specifically for Phoenix and wanted to know if we would take that one.  Yeah?!?  More miles = more money!

We had a good trip to Phoenix, of course we hit more rain. UGH.  Rain isn't so bad, but it is the high winds that have been accompanying the storms that are the problem.  Anyway, I made it into Phoenix on Saturday morning, and guess what, they are closed on the weekends.  We have picked up and delivered there quite a few times, just never on the weekend.  I ended up calling dispatch to find out what they wanted me to do and they just had me drop it in a door and pick up an empty trailer and head to Los Angeles.  Sounds like a plan!

I was hoping that I would make it all the way in to the terminal in Los Angeles, but I ran out of time on my 14.  I guess us stopping for a shower and dinner had something to do with that. :)  So J got us the rest of the way in, a whole 50 miles, we dropped the empty and went to go park to wait for another load.

Now in the previous weeks, when we have gotten into Los Angeles on a Saturday, we haven't had a problem getting a load out, because they have been having more loads on Saturdays than they have had drivers sitting there waiting.  We figured we would have something right away.  No such luck.  We waited a few hours and they called and offered us a load to Seattle.  Sweet!  I headed to bed while J waited up for the load to be ready.  The next morning I wake up and we are still there.  They cancelled the load!  Well, since I am awake, J heads to bed and I start sending messages asking about our next load.

After I got up, I was up for about 4 hours when they finally called and said they had a load to Vegas.  Not great miles, but when I got there, they would add more freight to our trailer and we would continue on to Salt Lake City.  That was better, but still only about 700 miles total.  Better than nothing I suppose.

And here we are, Monday morning, having dropped in Salt Lake City and I am now parked at the Love's.  I delivered about 0730 local time this morning.  When I called in to ask about another load, they told me they don't get the load sheet out of Salt Lake until around 1200-1300 hrs and then it would be another hour or so after that before they would have everyone's loads planned out.  That means 5-6 hours of just sitting here.  I think my butt is going numb. :)

Now that you are all caught up on THAT stuff, I will catch you up on the home front stuff.  Jessica and Ruben did get the house, so we were in Dallas the 1st, 2nd and 3rd to help them get moved in.  This was by far the easiest move we have ever done.  It took two trips in two pickups to get everything from storage.  That was it!  And it only took about 2 hours.  It was awesome!  We did go get a bed for our room and a table for the dining room for them which was put to use.  It was nice eating at a table after being out on the road all of the time.  Even better getting to sit there with our kids and little Elijah.  This little man is so cute and I am so in love with him.  He is just absolutely precious and we are so blessed.  He has such a sweet disposition and is always smiling.  Now don't get me wrong, when he gets mad, he gets MAD!  But the smiles far outweigh the crying. :)  It is going to be so nice with them having a place big enough for us to be able to spend time with them and actually spend the night, instead of getting a hotel like we had to do before since they were in a one bedroom apartment.    It is a 3/2/2 with a backyard and the dogs are loving having a yard to run around in!

Hopefully we will get moving again soon, but right now I am either going to finish reading my book or take a nap.  I have a feeling which one will win out, but who knows?