STORMY NORTHWEST

After waiting 43 hours, we were finally beckoned into the loading bay to get our two boats. This over size load consisted of a 28' and 24' boat, and some of the biggest boats we have hauled in awhile. The loading crew had to work a little overtime, as we were the last truck to get loaded for the day and they barely squeaked us in. Fortunately, we only had about 350 miles to go and we could be in Kent, WA by nightfall. Along the way we enjoyed the sights of Oregon with its many lumber mills and lush green landscape.

When I had called the dealer to let them know we would be coming in Thursday night for an unload this morning, he said that would be great, as he was expecting at least 8 more trucks to make deliveries on Friday. Sure enough, when we arrived late last night, there was one other truck waiting, and upon awaking this morning, yet another one had arrived. The trucking Gods must have been looking after us, as the dealer wanted to unload us first this morning before the other two trucks. Must have been a little compensation for waiting so long to get the boats loaded in Roseburg, OR.

By 9:15am we were unloaded and had the steel and straps all put away and a dispatch that will take us 4100 miles to complete. We are going to Little Falls, MN to pick up four boats, which will be going to four different dealers. Not since our two week stint on the flat bed fleet have we had so many stops on one dispatch. All four boats are going to California to the following cities: Loomis, Salinas, Lancaster, and Lakeside. This will work out well as we have asked for a week off of home time in April.

Before we left the dealership in Kent, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice hot breakfast at the Denny's which was a half a block away. It was overcast and cloudy as we walked in, and when we walked out, our stomachs full, the rain had started. We knew we had Snoqualmie Pass to get over, and not knowing how much it would snow, we wanted to make sure we could get ahead of the storm and make it safely across.

We started seeing the advisory signs, and I got on the WADOT web site to check weather conditions. Thankfully, we had just unloaded our oversize load as they had put a restriction on them and were advising traction tires, but no chains yet. Onward we pushed, and we hit the summit and started our descent down, hopefully leaving the snow flurries and rain behind us.

It looked like we had safely gotten ahead of the storm and we made our way to the Company yard to fuel up and take showers. We will try and make it as far as Haugan, Montana tonight and hope to get into Little Falls for a Monday morning load. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate with our plans, if not? Well.....that is what makes trucking an adventure!