Well, I knew today would be a long day, I had no idea just how long of a day it would be.

Getting up at 4:45 am, doing my usual routine - I only got to spend the night with my doggies after being out on the road 2 days but I gave them extra special attention.  Because the prospect of being out on the road as long as 9 days wasn't setting well with me and the dogs? Well Addler will be getting very grumpy in about 4 days from now. 

Anyway, getting to the plant this morning, the truck in front of me was "hot".  Meaning air in the tank.  They won't load volatile, flammable, explosive cryogenics into the trailers without getting rid of the air first and that can take some time depending on how much air is in the tank. It only gets air in those tanks whenever they are opened up and worked on. 

I went to sleep waiting, the other driver was kind enough to honk his horn on the way out to let me know he was done.

Almost 4 hours at the plant.  That's way too long, especially when I have an agenda to get the trip over with as fast as possible.  I guess it doesn't matter, tho, I will arrive in Pennsylvania on Sunday and have to wait until Monday morning to deliver it.  But - might as well crank it out 2 days in a row and get there early Sunday and have a free day? Sounds good to me. So, I drove 672 miles today, which is excellent for a relatively slow truck. 

And tho I didn't get enough sleep because I stayed up late last night cooking - I was very happy I went to the trouble of doing so.  These truck stops mostly have garbage food, stuff I have little interest in eating unless I'm so hungry that anything will do.  But the hamburger steak I made with mushroom loaded mushroom gravy was quite wonderful. 

My 17 hour day is over.  Relax a few, go to sleep, repeat today's miles tomorrow. I was 1403 miles from there this morning leaving the chemical plant.  I'm down to 746, if I can do another 650 or more tomorrow, I'll only have a couple of hours drive to finish out the route to the nearest - hotel actually - and spend the day there.  I have no desire to stay in a truck for 20 hours waiting - I've done it many times but these longer trips?  Bahh Humbug.  There's only cheap hotels in the area, nothing decent, so I will just go to the one I went to the last time I was up here, which was how long ago?

I don't remember. A year? longer? 

I drove an extra 50 miles than the last trip up here, I know that.  I remember the town I stopped in last time and thought, naw, I am used my 16 hour exception, I'm going to get up the road.  The funny thing about where I"m at now? You see the signs - those signs that tell you what food, gas and hotels are available at the next exit - but at the exit? There was nothing visible.  I got on the exit ramp, pulled up to the stop sign and still couldn't see anything. Weird.  Turned right - the Pilot truckstop appeared in my vision after driving 500 feet. I didn't even have to guess, I knew that place would be full. 

Yup. Not only full but trucks all over the place doing what we call "creative parking".  Parking where you aren't supposed to, blocking things, etc.  The other truckstop was what I was looking for. Less popular - I don't care, just need a place to stop before my 16 hour clock runs out.  I go down the road, around a corner and lo and behold, there it is. I was elated to find 2 open spots - this time of night who knows if you're going to find a spot or have to keep driving up the Interstate until you find on.

Whatever the case, exhaustion just hit me. Not like I'm some spring chicken working these kinds of hours lmao. 

G'nite.