From here to there and back again, only by a different route – 0136hrs

Got our Walmart load of fresh veggies dropped off in Moberly, MO this morning by Knucklehead without a hitch.  That nasty old trailer?  We got told to drop it off at a local customer and pick up a newer one sitting there!  Whoo Hooo!  We can by-pass the black-hole-o-freight!  It means we can’t get a few things done we need to, but at least we won’t be stuck there waiting for days on end for another load outta there!

So it’s off to Earth City, MO for a pickup at 600 this morning, to be driven non-stop to Sacramento, CA for 2100hrs Tuesday night!  It’s one of those loads that they say you need to be here by such-and-such date and time… no, this shipper says, okay, you have exactly 40 hours to get from A to B when you leave here!

Looking at the weather outlook though, we decided we’re going to take the southern route (I10) down and around a storm front and snow in Wyoming / Colorado area.  Fine with me!  It’s only about a hundred and a half miles out-of-route, but the potential to be shut down for 8 or 10 hours along I80 is much greater, so it’s worth it to make the 90 on time!

So, we’re bedded down at a TA just outside of St. Louis, MO… Knucklehead has about an hour to drive later this morning to get us there, and by the time I actually have to start driving, I’ll have been “off-duty” for more then 34 hours straight, which means my 70 hour rule “resets” and I have all my available driving hours back again!  Not that it’s been an issue, we haven’t gotten close lately, but it’s nice to know we’ve got the hours to drive if needed.  Course keeping me awake and propped up in the seat is another story!  🙂