Eternally long day.

It started out alright, to the plant, rack was empty they started loading me right off the bat.

Got that done, over to the scalehouse, she had me in and out of there in 10 minutes, almost unheard of anymore after people retired and they got newbies in there.

Got on down the highway.  Minimum mileage goal: 600 miles.  

But see, I am going to Enoree, Georgia and the way there is through Atlanta.  I knew I would have fun finding a parking spot tonight and I wasn't let down on that aspect.  The closer you get to Atlanta, the worse it gets.  See? I could open up a 500 spot parking lot and the profits would be very good even at only $5 per night.

I went to several places before I ended up where I'm at now.  I had found a paid parking space at a Pilot - only to find out they had all been rented in advance, sorry.  The amount of time I wasted tonight looking for a place to park was a bit much.

I took off down the road and got to Flying J.  I hoped beyond hope that at least one of those reserved spaces was available. She smiled, there's 3! That'll be $15, please. See what I've been saying about this paid parking stuff? $15 for 10 hours just to park a truck?  But what was I going to do?  And anyway, my company will reimburse me for it, but I try not to do it at all, occasionally I have no choice and this morning, I figured I would - have no choice by the time I got here.  

The funny thing is, I could have just reserved a space online if I had thought about it and not have had to go through all of this.  

Oh, what made this a challenging day? Pouring, driving, heavy rain for at least 350 miles worth of driving.  That's no exaggeration, at all.  My hair feels like I just got out of the shower and my clothes are wet from walking to the store to get the parking ticket.  I can hear the patter of rain on the roof of the truck right now - I mean, I wouldn't be shocked if this goes on all night long.  No worries, I can sleep through that noise, just put in ear plugs.  

I got lucky yesterday that the keto meal lady was able to make me 3 meals for this trip - just got through eating one of them, delicious.  

I kind of feel sorry for all the trucks coming in here looking for a parking space right now. There are none left, they filled up quickly after I got in here. They are going to have a tough time finding anything getting this late.

I did think about driving to our company's yard in north Atlanta and just parking there for the night - but the rain was slow going.  No hydroplaning for me, thanks and visibility wasn't all that great either.  I didn't have enough drive hours to make it that far is the point.  Anyway, I'm better now that I am parked for the night and no more worries about that.  That stuff can get stressful, wondering when you are actually going to be able to get done for the day.  

Tomorrow, drive out the 225 miles left to the plant, unload this beast and try to get back to Alabama, where there are far more parking choices.  It's definitely doable - but you know, driving through Atlanta in the morning is going to be hellish and up 85 - that's another nightmare Interstate corridor.  I haven't done this run in so long, I had forgotten that I'll have to unload the truck. 

I have never unloaded this old beast.  It's a pain, from the look of it. The hoses hook up to the rear cabinet, the valves are on the driver's side cabinet and the rest of it is on the passenger side cabinet.  The new trailers? Everything is on the rear.  It may very well be another long day tomorrow - and I haven't even checked the forecast yet. I'm afraid to, lmao.  

Yes I have to say it: no news from the realtor or the lender.  I didn't expect any, but I'll be looking every day anyway. 

I did find out that many RV parks have their rules listed on their websites.  Yes, there has to be rules, but I didn't know everything.  Dogs have to be on a leash at all times - no brainer. Quiet time from 10pm to 8am - wasn't really sure of the exact times.  People get pissed when their neighbors are being noisy late at night and the management doesn't enforce the rules.  Other things tho I hadn't thought of. A reservation system and how to work it.  The idea that many of these parks have various sized lots for the various sized trailers or motor coaches.  And various prices.  

One place is charging $75 per night for regular lots and it goes up from there.  Amazing, but I'm not going to try and go that high. That was a resort RV park, mine is going to be plain Jane at the beginning, tho turning it into a resort over time is definitely a goal I will make.  That pretty much means a pool and jacuzzi, laundry room, convenience store, bath house, fire rings at every lot as  well as picnic tables and a grill.  A dance hall/party building.  

Well whatever. I can't get too deep into that thought right now, I have no land closed on to start anything.  Any I'm tired.  It's time to go to sleep. I was just trying to wind down for a few minutes after a very long day of having to exercise uber-focus on roadways that were challenging to say the least, most of that from people that have no clue how to drive in rain and think they can hog the passing lanes.  I get it, some or many people are uncomfortable with wet roads. I'm not, please get out of the passing lane if you aren't passing anyone. That's just it, that's the law in most if not all states anyway. Left lane is for passing only - and other ways that states word it but it all means the same thing: get the h***  out of the way of faster drivers, please and thank you.

And also -g'nite.