I ALMOST FORGOT

I was so busy telling you all about the new scanner and the Heaven on Earth restaurant, that I almost forgot about the current trip we are on. The dispatch on this trip actually came over the computer as a pre plan on Christmas Eve. Was nice to know that after we dropped the bananas in Clackamas last Saturday, that we would know what we would be doing for the week to come.

This load has seven, yes that's right, seven drops and to top it off, we are hauling my favorite food item........ice cream. Yep, a little over 25,000 pounds of the stuff and here I am not even getting as much as a spoonful to eat. That's just not right! Anyway, we picked up the ice cream in Eugene, OR on Sunday morning, and from there our first two deliveries weren't until Monday, with the first being in Medford and the second in Ashland, OR.

Medford went smoothly and then we arrived in Ashland. I'm so happy Craig just happened to call ahead to ask if we could come in earlier than our appointment time, and then asked about the best approach to get to their store. Following their directions we smacked head on into what has got to be the tiniest alley way to turn into and get out of that we have had the displeasure of experiencing. We first had to wait for a small garbage truck to finish his business in order to make our approach. With about six inches to space on each side of the truck and trailer we inched our way towards the store's back door.

There was already another smaller truck making a delivery, so we waited patiently for our turn. We only had 2 pallets of ice cream to drop here, and after inching our way forward, Craig went about helping them off load, while I was able to squeeze out of my door and check to see what loomed around a very tight corner. What I saw was yet another truck making a delivery and several miscellaneous items scattered about that would no doubt be in the way of us making a clean exit.

By the time the items were removed from our path, Craig was ready to make the move to round the corner. Thankfully, we made it and then after waiting for the other truck to leave we were free and clear to make our escape. From there we drove to Dunnigan, CA to stage for the first of our next two deliveries in Rocklin and Oakland, CA.

In Rocklin, there were 3 pallets coming off, but they somehow managed to make it drag out for over two hours to take those pallets off, but detention pay softened that wait and we were off to Oakland for our next delivery of just 1 pallet of ice cream. This receiver was just off Interstate 880, but tucked so tightly into a residential area, with cars lining the street, not to mention, other big trucks trying to make deliveries, it was hard to find an open space to maneuver.

But as luck would have it, after checking in we got a dock right away, and with the nose of our truck blocking half the street, they quickly off loaded that one pallet and we were left to try and figure out how to make a safe exit. Both plan A and B were a no go, so we threw caution to the wind and headed for any street that looked wide enough for us to turn. We got lucky and ended up on a street that would eventually lead us back to the Interstate and happily out of Oakland.

We had a fuel stop at our yard in French Camp, and decided to just call it a day. This morning we are headed to Fresno where we will drop off the bulk of the remaining ice cream, with the last two drops tomorrow in Moreno Valley and Ontario, CA. We are hoping to get a load out of LA tomorrow afternoon which will keep us rolling over the New Year's weekend. We'll just have to wait and see, and I'm still holding out for a wayward tub of ice cream to be left behind......I've got my spoon at the ready!