Big Rig Steve officially done for the day at 14:27 EDT near delivery at Gaffney, SC safely parked with front row parking aimed at the fuel island. Drop and hook delivery was made and now we are waiting for a new load.
Title: Soggy rainy day
Big Rig Travels broadcast day started at 9:02 EDT at Dandridge, TN slowly with other big rigs blocking his way out. He chats with us about his two road crew visits last night. One was visiting from Florida and had questions about the truck and trailer and the other followed him for a distance. He was a local driver from around Knoxville and was a “Flatbedder”, “we had a good ol talk”.
At 9:25 EDT we finally we on our way. On I-40 headed east “well mosey through the mountains,” BRS advised there will be dead spots.
BRS offered lessons on the difference between practical miles and moving (movers?) miles. Moving miles is what we get paid for, zip code to zip code. Practical miles include miles to trailer washouts and to/from Belvedere.
At 10:07 EDT, “Welcome to North Carolina” sign, one of Steve’s original songs broke out!
Wet roads, clouds, rain and tunnels were observed. At 10:51 EDT slowed down by a weigh station, but just a slow drive thru in Chandler, NC near Asheville and the home of the Biltmore Estate.
Soon after (11:00 EDT) we exited onto I-26, continuing our eastbound travel until the stream stopped. BRS restarts stream about 15 minutes later, parked at a rest stop in Fletcher, NC. He advises, a lost signal and messages from the bosses asking if all was ok. He also was looking at the positives, the rain is good to clean the pollen off of the truck.
“3 miles of downgrade, whoop, whoop” at 11:45 EDT and then at 11:54 EDT we are all welcomed to South Carolina. A bit of a slow down soon after with right lane closed, but cleared up soon enough.
At 12:26 EDT at Spartanburg, SC we exited to to I-85 heading north northeast. By 12:48 EDT we exited off, still raining and stopped at the Pilot to top off the trailer. BRS points out that there are a lot of trucks, and no next trip yet. There are no trips within 500 miles, freight is slow.
13:21 EDT we are allowed in at delivery in Gaffney, SC. All 533-565 of us get a prime view at the drop and hook process. RC chatting about BRS song “Walkin’ in the Rain” as he has to get out into the rain and walk to check in. Soon it is remembered its “Singing in the Rain”. Either way, it’s appropriate. Steve notes he should have sent Aunt J out instead as she doesn’t mind getting wet.
Drop and hook completed, but didn’t hook the first trailer as the back doors wouldn’t close and it was out of inspection. 2nd trailer was picked as the better option. 14:01 EDT a lesson ensues about how to know which trailers are empty. But…don’t forget the double check the trailer. He lists off everything that was checked in order to get the best trailer available.
By 14:23 EDT we are back at the Pilot with the Waffle House close by. After parking, stream rebooted due to poor signal and Watch Party commenced. BamaRush was credited with “stop the clock”.
Numbers: 0 miles to go to delivery. Covered 174 miles 280 km from Tennessee into North Carolina and then South Carolina including a dropped load at delivery and pick up of a new empty. Clocks: 6:42 hours on the 11 hour, 7:36 on the 14 hour and 12:11 on the 70 hour and gaining back 7:29 hours tomorrow.
It was another good, but rainy, day for Big Rig Travels.
Welcome to South Carolina.
