I really don't want to sit down here for however long - tomorrow mid-afternoon I'm being told - waiting on an empty trailer. I'd rather go home and get my vacation started.  Detention pay being almost nothing compared to what it was before this new and improved change - basically screwing drivers, my way or the highway attitude, I don't mind coming down here, drop and hook, but waiting? No thanks.  I don't have a choice unless I rebel and just tell them I'm bob-tailing back up. 

Tho I won't do that for the first 24 hours, after that, I will probably push the issue.  For now, they are saying you are only getting the first day's worth of detention, that after 10 hours is up and after that? You are screwed, you can wait down here however long it takes and you aren't getting any more money.  Nope. I won't sit here for nothing at all.  The company shouldn't expect me to, either.  

A bill that I really didn't want to start incurring this early in the game will now have to start coming in on a monthly basis.  I have to have the water turned on at the property in order to test the lines.  You can't install all of that water line and just say ho-dee-ho, if it's works, it's a go if it doesn't, so so soooo!  It has to be under pressure to test everything and make sure there are no leaks and that all the hydrants work.  

That is what they're calling the outlets at the RV pads, hydrants.  I really want to be back there to see what they have done, document it with pictures and get it recorded for history's sake. 1, because I want to have it documented where, exactly, all of these lines are running and 2, to try and understand if this is something I could do myself in the future.  The water and sewer lines, yes, easily. The power line, I don't know. But I took a pic of the huge roll this morning now I know what size and kind of wire is needed to run along the driveway, I assume also to each individual pedestal, but see, I don't know that for sure. 

It will really suck if they get that all done and cover it up before I get back.  But, I'm hopeful the ditches will remain open, the hope based on the fact that they really need to be able to visually inspect the entire water line from the street to every single outlet to ensure there are no leaks anywhere.  It's time to get some insurance protection in case of any damage either weather or man caused.  I can't get RV park insurance yet, they will want to see pics of everything they are insuring and then they give a quote.  

It's also time to think about getting the building out there.  That's going to be a down payment and a monthly payment for at least 36 months. I really would rather wait a while, but I also can't get a street address until I get that building on there.  I need a street address for the park to start showing in Google searches. I can find the park in the specific name search, but it doesn't show up in a general search of the town.  

It just seems too early to be doing that.  Maybe I will wait, I dunno.  Hard to judge all of this.  The power poles will hold everything up and it seems a waste of money to be paying for a building knowing it's at least months before the park can even be opened for a soft opening.  I'm just going to have to think about this for a while, because the building is just a shell and will need the insulation, flooring, electrical .... everything - done inside of it after it's placed. OK, thinking about that little detail makes me think I need to get it there sooner than later.  

But then, how big of a building do I need?  Do I want room for at least one bathroom with a shower, plus a laundry room with at least one of each machine, plus an area for vending machines, plus the necessary, but admittedly very small space needed for wifi equipment? And speaking of wifi, when do I decide to have that installed?  These decisions will be forced down my throat soon enough and I will have to make them, one by one.  But yes, I think I need to get that building out there soon so I can get someone to start the process of building the interior.  Or, I can do some or all of the work myself.  

Yes, I have so much time to do stuff like that! lol.  

I think the family is fixing to see far less of me than it already is-n't.  I don't have unlimited funds and it will costs thousands of dollars to pay someone to do the work for me.  Right about now, I'm wishing I had kept that breaker panel and all of the breakers it had in it that I acquired at my old job for free. I don't really have anyone to help me with any of this. I can probably find people to pay as helpers - maybe. The town is suffering from "I-don't-want-to-work-itis" and local business practically begging people to work for them.  This first version of a park is going to have to be mostly automated.  I just can't be there all the time and if I can't find any paid help, it's going to be a tough sell to get people in there without any oversight beyond video surveillance.  

The whole thing is a dilemma I haven't fully figured out yet.  But there is definitely going to be 24 hour, recorded video surveillance out there, it's the only way I can have peace of mind that if anything goes wrong - thieves, vandals, problems with guests, I have some way of seeing what is happening or what happened and at least know what's going on.  There isn't a lot of theft in the area, fortunately, hopefully it stays that way.  

I'm kind of lost right now with all of this.  I guess the size of the building will be determined by the size of the monthly payment.  For I will be covering it out of paychecks for quite a while. I don't see much other options besides an even much-softer opening with no electricity.  Most rigs have generators, but they are noisy and most rv parks don't allow them. However, if I see too much money going out the window without any income being generated, I will see about opening the park without electricity and just charge a reduced rate.  A greatly reduced rate, just try to cover expenses until the power poles are installed.  Like, $15-$20 per night. People won't like the idea of not having power, the rate will have to be low enough that they can see running a generator with $4 per gallon fuel all night long.  

Cancel that idea. Gasoline is so expensive right now, I'd have to be charging $10 per day for it to be worth it for anyone to come stay.  No, the park won't open until the electricity is available.  

Well it's getting late. I didn't get out of the loading plant until 12:32 this afternoon.  I just don't have to worry about getting up early, there are no empties, the driver that loaded earlier than me got the only empty that was available.  

Ugh, my mind is just wandering around all over the place with this park setup business. 

Well anyway, I'll be going into the water department on Wednesday - if I get home early enough, again, I have no idea when I'm going to be leaving here tomorrow - and get the water service started.  I mean, maybe I can start it up and then shut it off again until I need it?  Depends on start up fees.  Of course, who knows if it's a good idea to charge up the lines with water and then have the water pressure removed from them.  I don't know.  

Well, I think I'll lay down and ponder this stuff. Long day, lots of driving, ready for bed.

G'nite

 It dawned on me a few minutes ago that after this run today - Brownsville - I will be off work for quite a while.  This was planned.  I need to check with this wonderful dispatcher to make sure she didn't somehow "forget".  I do have all of the text messages pertaining to this vacation in case the selective memory hits.  She has been starting trouble with and having meltdowns with several other drivers.

I try to avoid such nonsense with her.  The closest thing I've had lately is her attempting to tell me DOT rules and regulations and my telling her she has no clue what she is talking about - which she literally doesn't. Besides not being a particularly good dispatcher, she also has only fragments of knowledge about trucking and the rules pertaining to trucking and that because I and other drivers have taken the time to attempt to educate her.  

This is why I believe all dispatchers should have previously had "driver" as one of their job titles. To understand the complexities and nuances of driving trucks, you have to have been exposed to it in such a way that you are directly affected by it and the only way that happens is if you have been a driver yourself.  To these know-nothings, it's all magical fairy-dust that falls from the sky.  They tell you where to go and you push a button and it mysteriously happens. If these people were to spend just a week sitting in the passenger seat of a truck with a busy driver, their whole attitude towards us would undoubtedly change.  

Anyway, they are allegedly starting that installation of the utilities today.  Which, in my mind, would mean they are out there right now. It's daylights, it's 7:40 am and it's still relatively cool outside.  It's summer in east Texas and like most other places in the south/southwest, it gets hot during the day.  High 90's/low 100's slated for the next 15 days.  That translates into higher heat indexes/real-feel.  I'm leaving for work early to see if they're out there and discuss with the electrician adding an outlet for my small building I'm going to have to get.  That was not previously discussed.  I'll need 220 outlet capability in case I want to install a washer/dryer setup.  

I definitely want to put in a soda machine and possibly a candy/chips vending machine.  These are money makers with fairly small amount of effort. The products have to be purchased at the Sam's club 2 towns over, but since I go there all the time for work anyway, that's not going to add anything to the slate of financial outlets in fuel expenditure, just the cost of purchasing the soda.  The caveat for a vending machines is that it must have a cooling unit in it.  There will be no air conditioning for the contents to remain cool and not melting or otherwise being exposed to extreme heat.  I dunno if those machines come with cooling or not?  No research on that has been done, it's kind of low on the priority list right now. 

A nice visit from Taylor's folks that ended yesterday morning. I was there for one whole day of it, 2 nights ago and all of yesterday morning.  Nice people. I let them use my room/bed and i stayed on a fold down couch in the boy's bedroom. I was gone the first night and decided to just let them stay in there. Much easier than having them at a hotel and much cheaper.  I know well the costs of lodging, just paid off the Air BNB house we are using for Galveston.  It made more sense and actually much cheaper than local hotels which at this time of year are running near $300 per night range for even mediocre accommodations.  I know this because we stayed there 3 years ago and the hotel we stayed at was not a 3 plus star hotel but yes, it was near $300 per night if I recall correctly.  The house is much cheaper, has 3 bedrooms, looks really nice inside from the pics and is close to the beach.  We are going for the beach, not for the place to stay.  

We can also cook there which reduces the amount of restaurant expenditures.  

Looking forward to some time off. Yes, I know, I had 12 days off last month, but that was all sickness and there was certainly  no fun, joy or entertainment in that.  I really like Galveston beach, the water is not freezing cold and it's just plain fun.  At least it was last time.  

I just need some time off, not sick and extra days not on vacation that I can spend at the property to get some work done.  I will be buying the bridge materials and at least start the construction.  It will probably take a while to finish that. Days off here and there and whether I'm even motivated depending on if I can get out there in the morning time and get work done before the extreme heat hits.  Oh, I "think" my utility trailer will fit back there.  If it doesn't, get out the chain saw! lol 

Purchase of a piece of equipment to hack down the weeds will wait until I pay the bill for utility installation.  I really don't want to spend any money until I get the final bill for that.  See what's left over, what I can afford to do without a loan and get that done and then, if absolutely necessary, which it probably will be, get a loan just before opening the park up - like within 2 months at most - get the final items on the list done and get some revenue (hopefully) coming in.  That's the current plan which is subject to change!  If you were to go back to where I started this venture and my thoughts, ideas and plans then and compare them with what is actually happening now? Yea, 2 different animals. Not completely different, but definitely some substantial differences.  

I went back and forth about using the existing driveway. I didn't want to at first, but after seeing how much everything else was going to cost? It became a no-brainer within the last few months that I would have to use it to be able to afford everything else.  I was going to build the park close to the road. But, after all the trees came down, that became problematic. Way too much of a grade/slope and far too much money to haul dirt in to level it out, the project is now about 450 from the roadway.  And other things that have changed.  The things that have remained the same are the walking trails, the desire to install a doggy running area, tent camp grounds and wifi.  I think a bathroom is going to have to wait.  

It will be a drawback for some campers that want access to a regular bathroom and full sized shower, but I don't think it's in the cards right now.  The only way I can do that is if the building I get is big enough to install one along with everything else.  I mean, it isn't completely off the list, it just is something I have determined that can wait if finances for it become an issue.  We'll see.  What I'm figuring at this point is that when I pay off the utility installation, I'll have just enough to install the gravel and possibly do the dog park and after that? It's all going to have to be another loan.  

Of course, there is really nothing stopping me from opening up a park without wifi, dog park, etc. If the utilities are in and the pads are done, I am wondering aloud, why not?  Google reviews be damned, the park has some offerings that are rather unique and the walking trails are the biggest thing in that department.  I still have some work to do but it's about the cheapest thing I've had done and it's benefited me, personally, as I love to walk my dog back there and the occasional accompanying children. It's been hot and they get over heated too fast so I haven't been taking them that much.  I get hot, too, but living in AZ for most of my life has at least taught me how to mitigate the heat and keep cool enough as to not enter into heat exhaustion territory.  Even Addler gets overheated and I don't really like to have him exposed to it too long.  

Anyway, it's about time to leave the house, go over there and hopefully....see them out there working!

G'day