2 Brownsville trips later. Actually I should have just said nothing, if I had, I would still be down in Brownsville right now collecting detention pay. But, it's good to be home and especially with the weather that's going on right now. That 100 vehicle pileup in Forth Worth? Icy roads? That's only 175 miles from here.
Anyway, I got down to Brownsville last night, pulled through the Love's Truck stop - didn't get any fuel for I had to stop in Kingsville to do that, I was running low - didn't see anyone there, went to the yard, dropped the trailer, saw the empty sitting there. But, as is my want, I do not hook up to empty trailers in that yard until I"m ready to go and I wasn't going anywhere until this morning. The reason? It's a small yard and if you have your tractor jutting out into the driving area for other trucks to pull in, they can't make the tight u-turn to turn around and get positioned to back into a spot.
And then, they may come banging on your door in the middle of the night. It's a 24 hour operation. Well, I texted Sheila - the dispatcher, are there any other drivers down here waiting on trucks? She said Terry was going to be there at 8:30 - about 45 minutes after I got there - should I tell him that you are going to take that trailer? Sure, I said, no thanks, I thought lol. I need you back for more loads!
So then, Terry showed up. He pulled in front of my tractor. He's a likable guy - in his late 60's. We started talking about everything going on there. I did end up saying that "I thought you had already retired?" No, he said, but if I don't get anything after this trip, this may be my last load. He was supposed to start a vacation next week, taking paid time off and then retire after that. Sheila was fond of Terry - he's been there 25 years. But, there is a syndrome type of thing where people that are leaving a company for whatever reason? Get a bit lackadaisical. I won't speak ill of him tho, he's obviously been a good part of the driving team for years and years and yes, he should be retired. I just think in your 60's it's time to get out of working. 62 at the earliest to get some SS benefits since you have paid into that junk all of your life.
Changing the subject, I have been spending inordinate amounts of time looking up info about RV parks. It is hard to believe that people are definitively telling everyone that it costs "30 to 50 thousand per space" to build a park. Some elite thing in the middle of a large town? Next to a national monument? Along side a popular lake? These parks are like resort hotels. Lol, I had an elongated conversation with one of them in a facebook RV group, we finally got down to the problem. His location in a large city. I didn't really need to hear anything more. Untold amounts of bs from city officials about what he needs to do. We were on good speaking terms. Just his dissing of anything about trying to start your own park.
His experience - may or may not be mine, but I am not prepared to do what he did. He put up his rather large property as collateral for a loan to buy an abandoned nudist colony and transform it into an RV park. I wish him well, I really do. I hope his dreams and visions of the outcome are what he expected and wanted. I, on the other hand, am not going to start a park with 2 swimming pools, a hot tub and other things that are not on my horizon right now. Those are things you grow a park into. Well, you can start out with a half million plus dollar project, I don't have that kind of money and I am not interested in that kind of debt.
I can tell you, it is not going to cost me 30 grand per space lol. It might cost several thousand per space, yes, but 30 to 50 grand? lmao. The cost is considering the cost of land, that's considerable input. And everything, really. I'm intent on putting in as much as I can without contractor help. And then, I will try to contact people I know from my waterworks days and see if they can do me a deal.
These people are not going to sway me. The fact that I can't find a suitable property - or property way over priced - is a bit disconcerting. But that perfect land will show up sooner or later. The internet is not always a great place to receive the type of encouragement you need. I will find a property and I will make it work. It may be spartan at first, but I will develop it. There will be a savings account with funds funneled into it from earnings to build it up to a destination point. There are plenty of junk RV parks in this region that have no development whatsoever. Just a few acres with RV's parked on them.
Again, I've been doing my research.
Other things? The house is still in a shambles. Not disappointing, I knew it was going to be in this condition but after viewing my room and feeling it on my feet, the outcome is well worth the hassles.
But, the house never recovered from moving everything out of the way foe the kitchen, living room, dining room and hallways. The stuff is everywhere. I have tomorrow off, I will be moving things back into my room. But I'd like to get rid of the junky computer desk that came with room and get something - a bit nicer.
It's nice to be home. My mind can be full of things, but home sweet home.
G'day
