November 27, 2011
You have all been so patient. Faithfully reading my blogs. Hoping one day I would demoralize and humiliate myself with another lost story. Well your patience has paid off.
This trip had everything I dread. Airports and New Jersey. ~throw in Texas and you'd win the daily trifecta.
Our first load was going to UPS at the Philadelphia airport. There is construction and detours everywhere, which only add to my confusion.
But the drive into Philadelphia was fine.
I was following the directions from Swift and it wasn't long before I was staring at the arrival/departure parking garage. Same problem, different airport.
I was following the directions from Swift and it wasn't long before I was staring at the arrival/departure parking garage. Same problem, different airport.
I stopped to ask the guard, with the horrified look on his face, how to get to Hog Island Road? He pointed behind us and to the left. When asked if we could go straight ahead, he said 'I don't see how.' .(not nearly as helpful as when I get going the wrong way at the Salt Lake City airport, They had a guard come up to me and help me get turned around. Salt Lake airport is the place to get lost if you have a choice.)
I forgot to mention, we are stopped in 1 lane of 4, all going one way, and we need to go the other way......Where is the rapture when I need it?
I forgot to mention, we are stopped in 1 lane of 4, all going one way, and we need to go the other way......Where is the rapture when I need it?
So Will backs up about 1000 ft and just like that we are headed in the right direction. We thought. The new directions take us right back to the passenger terminals. Been there, dont that. But Will sees a road that looks like it goes around the back of the airport. It does and soon we find a UPS truck and follow him. What can Brown do for you? It can lead the way, thats what. And soon we are at UPS.
UPS doesn't have an empty for us. Swift sends us to New Jersey to look for one. I'll make this part short. We were suppose to go to Ocean Spray for an empty trailer. The directions sounded easy, only a couple of turns. Turns out the address Swift gave me is for delivery's, the empty's are a few blocks away. Only one wrong turn, and since I was bob-tailing I didn't have a drag a trailer around town with me.
One hint that I'm driving where I shouldn't be is people stop and look at me Like I'm from Mars. And everyone was staring at me now. I turned into a park because the bridge in front of me was only 10ft high. I need at least 13'6" and even then I duck when I drive under.
That's right, Stop playing ball, stop pushing your kids on the swings, just stare at the lost truck driver. At any rate I need to be at the other end of Park Street ...............North, East, South or West would be a nice touch on the address.
**note to self, buy more lottery tickets
I finally get an empty, now I am off to The Christmas Tree Shop.
This is where it gets interesting.
Ok, everybody unfold your New Jersey map. Log into Google Street View, or map-quest.
Go ahead I'll wait...
Go ahead I'll wait...
Everybody ready? Good. Now look for this address
270 Daniels Way, Florence NJ.
What? You cant find it in Florence? Try Burlington City.
Now here are the directions Swift sent me.
Go south on us130 (5miles)
Right on Delaware Ave (cr656) (1 1/2 mile)
Left on Broad Street
Left on East 3rd Street
*arrive at destination; christmas tree shops, Florence, NJ
NO!!!!!
I have arrived at a small residential neighborhood.
Oh my, the people were staring at me now. Beautiful neighborhood, seems nice and quite, till the semi (with a trailer now) showed up. Oh hey look how low those power lines hang, that cant be legal.
I hope I dont end up like that
One guy on a bicycle turned around and followed me. Which was pretty easy since I was going so slow trying to decide how to get out of there. He was waving his hand so I stopped. He asked what I was looking for. I told him. He said “ a big warehouse, right?” I nodded my head (I didnt really know I just guessed it wasn't here at Mr. & Mrs. Nussbaum's driveway)
Then he asked how I got in here. ~Just another man impressed with my unique driving skills. He said he doesnt even drive his motor home down this street!!.~ now he's just flattering me. I think he was flirting.
Then he asked how I got in here. ~Just another man impressed with my unique driving skills. He said he doesnt even drive his motor home down this street!!.~ now he's just flattering me. I think he was flirting.
Turns out he's a firefighter and knew where I wanted to go. His directions were right on the money.
Thank You, New Jersey's finest!!
We arrive safely and pick up our loaded trailer and head for Augusta Georgia.
Leaving town was pretty easy. Almost.
You know how most people have an internal compass? Something that lets them figure out where North is? Well my internal compass is stuck on shipyard. Must be the sailors daughter in me.
You know how most people have an internal compass? Something that lets them figure out where North is? Well my internal compass is stuck on shipyard. Must be the sailors daughter in me.
**a lot more lottery tickets
Well that was just a little site seeing trip, hardly even out of the way. The important thing to remember is nobody got hurt.
To top off a perfect day I listened to the Civil War.
Beavers vs Ducks.
Beavers vs Ducks.
In reality, Beaver Nation knew the season would end this way. The same way it started. We are the giant killers, so there was a little hope. But I am still a Beaver Believer and just wait till next year. Then we'll shut the duck up!!!
GO BEAV”S
After Augusta, we pick up a load going to Memphis.
Memphis, we were just there for Thanksgiving. We ate at a Piccadilly Cafeteria. We ended up having to wait 24 hours before picking up the load that started this whole adventure. While in Memphis we went to a gas station across the street from our hotel and Will bought a beer. He was carded!!! My 53 year old gray bearded husband was carded. I dont think Barbie could even count to 21. We walk back to the hotel and stop to get stuff out of the truck. While Will is walking across the parking lot some little Suzie Q stops her car and asks Will if he needed a date ? He said he had one and pointed to the room. ??
WHAT? oh no he didn't, What did he say? Did he mean me? After 29 years, Im just the date waiting in the hotel room? I should be charging him more. Maybe this is my way out, after all it's just a date.
So I had to put up with his inflated ego the rest of the day, and the next day.....Now really I dont mind some young thing stroking his ego once in awhile as long as that's all they stroke.!!
Memphis, we were just there for Thanksgiving. We ate at a Piccadilly Cafeteria. We ended up having to wait 24 hours before picking up the load that started this whole adventure. While in Memphis we went to a gas station across the street from our hotel and Will bought a beer. He was carded!!! My 53 year old gray bearded husband was carded. I dont think Barbie could even count to 21. We walk back to the hotel and stop to get stuff out of the truck. While Will is walking across the parking lot some little Suzie Q stops her car and asks Will if he needed a date ? He said he had one and pointed to the room. ??
WHAT? oh no he didn't, What did he say? Did he mean me? After 29 years, Im just the date waiting in the hotel room? I should be charging him more. Maybe this is my way out, after all it's just a date.
So I had to put up with his inflated ego the rest of the day, and the next day.....Now really I dont mind some young thing stroking his ego once in awhile as long as that's all they stroke.!!
I love and miss you all
