CH-CH-CH-CHANGES (ALA DAVID BOWIE)

Changes, they happen in life and how you deal with them is more closely tied to your attitude about them than anything else. We received a phone call the other day, asking for volunteers to leave the boat fleet and go to flatbed. We knew being low man on totem pole, seniority wise, we wouldn't really have an option, so flatbed we are going. We knew early on that the summer months are the slow time for the boat fleet, hence the waiting around all the time for loads. Going to flatbed will eliminate that nuance of the job and will more than likely pay off in the end. Plus, as Craig likes to say, "It's a new adventure!", and me reading into that equates it to more chances for him to use his Mcgyver skills.

Now onto our new job assignment. Again, we did not have to go too far, only 180 miles to Denison, Texas to pick up a drill. This is not just any drill, it weighs 37,000 pounds and it is used in mining. Take a look at it:




We don't have far to go with this beast of a machine, just Gray, Tennessee, about 700 miles from Denison. Going back to Tennessee will work out well as we will need to drop off the boat trailer at the Brunswick Yard in Knoxville.

After a relatively short day of driving we spent the night in Texarkana. I never grow tired of people watching while at a truck stop, not to mention the lively chatter on the CB radio.




Tonight there was as they say in the trucking business an active "lot lizard", "sleeper leaper", or as most people know them as a "lady of the night" working the parking lot. She was driving around in her little red truck,takes the place of the red light I guess, talking on the CB advertising her "commercial services". There were more than enough willing participants to keep her busy, that is until an Amber Alert suspect pulled into the truck stop followed by about 20 State Troopers. I think that pretty much took care of business for the night.

With only 6 hours of driving for us to do on Wednesday, we were able to sleep in and take our time getting on the road. We basically are going right back the way we came from a few days ago along Highway 40 into Tennessee. This is a shot of the downtown area of Memphis overlooking the Mississippi River.



Wednesday night was spent at a truck stop, but without the entertainment this time. I think it was too hot for anything except to camp out inside the sleeper cabs with the A/C on high. With all the trucks idling it makes for this low drone of a noise that us white noise sleepers love!

With the hydra tech drill dropped off, we were off to Knoxville again to drop off the boat trailer. What a difference it was for us to drive out of there without a 53 foot loaded trailer behind us. We were directed to go to the company yard in Gary, Indiana so off we went.