September 4 - helping hands and left turns

As expected, dispatch miles are short. Adding in the extra miles for the fuel stop, and total miles for this trip are almost 120 miles more than dispatched – which tends to throw off ETA a bit

Directions were pretty good. Just short on a little detail – I've submitted a request to update both customer's directions. Nothing much – mostly adding, or changing “right” to “east” stuff.

First store was excellent about helping to unload – even had a roll-around ramp they could run the forklift up into the trailer on. Woot. Of course, it was up to me and one other guy to put plants on pallets for the forklift... But they were cool folk. Even gave me a bottle of water.

Second store... less excellent. Supervisor was good, but the guy he told off to help me decided “helping” meant running the forklift. By the time the supervisor came back and REALLY helped, I'd offloaded about half of their load and was feeling ... weak.

I don't know about other roads, but two of the main roads (surface roads) here in Detroit have the strangest damn left turn system I've ever seen. You don't turn at the intersection. Instead, you drive about 100 meters past and use a designated U-turn spot to head back the other way - and make a RIGHT hand turn at your intersection. Doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me.

Got done, sent empty call and went looking for a truck stop. Neeeeeeeed a shower. Found a stop at exit 200 of I-94. Maduk or some such. Looked kinda scruffy, but they have showers.

After shower, headed down the road to a Pilot – just didn't feel safe at Maduk. Getting on the interstate, as usual, a couple lanes merge, then merge onto the highway... guy behind me decided he was too important to wait and passed me on the shoulder. And fell right into the middle of late-rush hour traffic. Moron. He was one car ahead of me on the highway. By the time he made it over to the hammer lane, he was behind me somewhere. Lost track of him then.. probably passed me.

Hit the Pilot here in Ann Arbor. Holy elbowroom! Parking stalls are something like 15 feet wide, and there is all KINDS of maneuvering room you can use to put your trailer where you want it. Room I need today. Again. Lot is even better lit than most. And Clean.

I'm almost afraid to go inside. I keep feeling like I'll meet Mr Clean and that blond girl who hypes Orbitz gum.

2486 miles – dispatched as 2376. I don't think I'm going to base my estimates on dispatched miles any more.