We got to Dallas at about 6 o'clock pm. We dropped our trailer and checked on our outgoing load. Not ready yet, but would be by 8pm. We decided that we would have dinner in the truck and just relax a bit. Tina fixed dinner and I answered a few emails. Our load was ready at 8 o'clock, as promised, and off we headed for Columbus, OH.
We traveled I-30 to Little Rock, AR and then I-40 to Nashville then I-65 to Louisville and I-71 into Columbus. Before we got to Columbus, again, dispatch contacted us and they wanted us to run a load to Rock Tavern NY, hand it off to a truck going to Windsor Lock CT, and for us to grab an empty trailer and head back to Columbus. They would have a load for us, going to Phoenix AZ, Tuesday morning if we would do the Rock Tavern relay so we said we'd be happy to do that for them.
Our load for Rock Tavern was ready about an hour or so before we got to Columbus and it has to run straight through to Rock Tavern. We had hoped to be have enough time to get a hot, restaurant meal in Columbus, but since the load was ready, that wouldn't happen. We got to Columbus at 2 o'clock, dropped our DFW load and hooked to the loaded trailer and headed to Rock Tavern NY. We have fuel available at the Columbus terminal,but there was a long line and we decided to go on up the road and fuel elsewhere. We got to Hubbard OH and bought about 100 gallons of fuel, to get us the rest of the way to Rock Tavern NY and all the way back to Columbus OH. We arrived in Rock Tavern at about 1230, the other truck wasn't there to make the change, and since we aren't allowed to leave loaded trailers unattended due to the increase in freight thefts in the industry, we laid down and got a short nap until he arrived. The nap was actually very short, about 20 minutes or so.
We handed off the loaded trailer and hooked to an empty and headed back to Columbus. I made it as far as Scranton PA, about 100 miles or so, before I had to go to bed. Since we were empty, and our load to Phoenix wouldn't be ready until Tuesday morning, there was no hurry to get back to Columbus. I parked at a truck stop in Scranton and we slept until about 830 am or so. We got up, showered and went inside for a nice, relaxed, hot breakfast. We left Scranton at about 1000 am and continued on back to Columbus.
When we turned south, on I-71, I looked at the fuel gauge and the little red warning lite was flashing. I recalculated the fuel mileage, figured how many miles we had driven and decided to go on to Columbus. The closer we got, the more worried we both were that we wouldn't make it all the way. I proceeded on, passed a few fuel stops, against the wishes of Tina, and worried our way into Columbus. Now, any of you guys that might read this, know with all you are worth, if you run out of fuel, or gas, with your wife sitting there telling you that you need to stop, you're never gonna live it down. I got to the exit to our terminal, I exited, and got stuck, on an uphill exit, at a red lite. Sitting there sweating, looking out the corner of my eye, at Tina, looking out the corner of her eye at me. She had a scowl on her face that could burn me alive if she knew I was looking back at her. You guys know the look. The light turned green, we took off, and drove the last 3 miles to the terminal.
I pulled in the yard, with much relief, went and dropped the empty trailer and headed for the fuel island. I pumped 264.5 gallons of fuel in a set of 300 gallon tanks. Now, it sounds like, by that statement, that we had 35.5 gallons left. Right? Not so much. In a set of truck fuel tanks, only about 90% of the fuel is "usable" fuel. The pickup tubes at the bottom of the tank are off the bottom just a bit, to keep it from picking up all the trash, water, etc that is on the bottom of the tanks. That being said, I actually had about 5.5 gallons of fuel left. Trust me when I say, that wasn't a skillful calculation of fuel mileage but rather a very generous blessing from God. I didn't let Tina know it was luck though. I was sure to tell her, while humbly praising God, how skillfully the calculations were made.
After fueling, we went for dinner, and then to Walmart, to pick up some much needed food for the truck. After our shopping was done, it was back to the terminal for a good nights sleep.
Our load was late again this morning. It wasn't ready until about 0715. We got up, hooked the load and we are now headed to Phoenix. We will be traveling I-70 west, into St Louis Mo and then I-44 to Oklahoma City OK. When we get to Oklahoma City, we will travel I-40 west to Flagstaff AZ. In Flagstaff we will take I-17 south into Phoenix AZ. We will have to fuel somewhere along the way, but I will be letting Tina make the decision as to where. Currently, we are coming into Indianapolis In and it is about 1100 am.
Tina and I have decided that we think that Ohio has the most 912 Project fans in the country. Every time we come here, we get more folks taking pictures form their cars, giving us thumbs up as the pass, riding beside us reading the truck, walking up to the truck in parking lots etc., than we do anywhere else in the country. The reaction is amazing everywhere we go, but Ohio takes the prize for being the most enthusiastic.
We had contact from a few 912 candidates the other day and we are planning to meet a few of them in Phoenix, if we have some time, when we get there.
I have several new pictures to post but am unable to post them until I get my other computer back from the shop. The computer is fixed but, to retrieve it, I have to get to Florida. I will get them posted here as soon as I am able to get it back. It has all my camera software installed and I don't want to install the software here. This computer has a Vista operating system on it and I think it sucks. I know very little about computers except to tell you that the XP system on the other computer is far more user friendly than this one.
Finally, we hope that you can find it in your budget to help with a small purchase or a donation in support of our mission.
We have launched into a couple of apparel stores so that everyone can show their support of the 912 Truck. Click
here to show your support, or go to
www.printfection.com/912truck. For those of you that would rather have a
hat or
mug you we have another outlet at
cafepress.com/912 Truck. You can also use any of the donate buttons on this page to make a contribution directly to our endeavor to Waking up America.
Thanks for your support.
In God I Trust
Have a Great Day and a Better Tomorrow
ADW
