PORT HUENEME AND PINEAPPLES

We rolled into Oxnard, CA Friday morning around 10am, and right away we noticed there were two other TWT trucks already there. Craig had no sooner checked in when we got a message via the QualComm if truck 280 was there. Well yes in deed he was, and parked right next to us. We were instructed to have him sit on our load waiting to be unloaded and take his empty trailer. You would have thought we asked him to cut off his right hand. He immediately got on the phone as we calmly filled out the paperwork and waited for him to realize that since he didn't have a TWIC credential, he was unable to be dispatched on the assignment just 10 miles away in Port Hueneme.

The swapping of the trailers commenced, and we were headed to the Port. Having never been there before, we weren't sure what to expect, as each port can handle security differently. We were happy to be greeted by a friendly security guard, who after checking our TWIC credentials, pointed to where we needed to go and sent us on our way. The dock was no more than 100 yards from the entrance, and we could already see that there had to be at least 20 trucks parked in and around the docks.Craig checks in and gets the info on how the loading goes and grabs himself a seat at one of the picnic benches by the office with everyone else. After awhile, I notice that Craig is sitting by himself, and then see a guy in a truck pull up and talk to Craig. Seems it was the bewitching time for lunch and the loaders and office personnel made like cockroaches when the lights are turned on, and vanished from the area not to return until 1pm.

We were finally given a dock and in under 20 minutes we had a partial load of pineapples, and were told to proceed along with several other trucks to another loading facility 2 miles away to pick up the rest of our load. Like good little soldiers, we all proceeded down the road for our last 4 pallets of organic pineapples. By 3pm we had paperwork in hand and headed back north.This time however, we totally bypassed LA and took Hwy 126 out of Ventura to get back to Interstate 5. Along the way, I enjoyed seeing the fields of flowers being harvested. As an added bonus going that route, we also bypassed the scales in Santa Clarita, not that we had anything to avoid, as we only had 40,000 pounds of pineapples and not anywhere near being overweight.Hwy 126 was a nice departure from the hustle and bustle of how we normally get out of the LA area. It was almost like being in the Salinas Valley area, with the abundance of fields of produce and fruit, and the many little fruit stands erected along side the roadway every mile or two. Going through the City of Fillmore, I noticed a McDonald's which still had it's vintage McDonald's sign still proudly displayed. We arrived at Wheeler Ridge, CA thirty minutes before Craig's 14 hour clock would have expired. After putting together something for our dinner, we were both more than happy to lay back and relax, and before too long, I heard the sound of Craig fast asleep. I was more than happy to join him in peaceful slumber.