Ying/Yang Truck Driving Day ~

 Arriving Thursday evening, Friday morning Butch was in Atlanta, GA at the small CFI Terminal.  He'd come in from Sterling, CO & dropped a trailer in LaGrange, GA.  There, he picked up an empty & deadheaded with it to CFI.  When doing his post-drive inspection, he found a piece of wire sticking out of the sidewall of his rear, passenger side drive tire.  It came out, with an accompanying hiss of air!  It would be morning before the tire could be replaced.

3-17 - 7:51 p.m. CFI Atlanta

Thursday's weather had been perfect!  The GPS had offered him a shorter route option, so since he had an empty trailer, he took it.  Sunshine & mid-70's & no humidity!  A totally stunning drive past huge southern style mansions with blooming trees of pink, yellow & purple!  Even a Farmers' market!  

Once at the CFI Terminal & parked for the evening, it was so nice out, Butch left the windows open in the truck.  By Friday morning though, it was raining.

7:53 a.m. Decisions~

Butch was given two choices; wait until a tire the correct size could be found & mounted or get four new tires in less time.  He opted for new tires.

8:38 a.m. Four new rear drive tires!

At CFI he picked up a trailer loaded with Blue Mountain dog food, to deliver 41 miles away at Cedar Valley in Villa Rica, GA. 

The load~

He made it with ten minutes to spare!

11:47 a.m. Cedar Valley Distribution Center

Seventeen trucks ahead of Butch. A long wait to unload the dog food.  From here, he had another short 65+ mile drive deadheading the now empty trailer to Lithonia, GA.  There he was to pick up a load of Made in the USA wood products going to Michael's in Hazelton, PA.

3:05 p.m. Red's side mirror, missing its front cover~

On the way to Lithonia, Butch was in heavy traffic following several other trucks.  Suddenly, ahead the trucks were trying to avoid a large tree that had just fallen into the road.  In the second he had time to react, Butch moved to the left & the limbs raked the passenger side.  The sideview mirror collapsed against the side of the truck, but not before the front cover was torn off.  Thankfully, Butch could move the mirror back into position & continue on his way.

3:45 p.m. Traffic, 10 mph~

From this point on, traffic was horrible.  Traveling maybe 10 mph, with driver's constantly hitting the brakes, causing a continual stop/go, stop/go for miles & miles.   

4:27 p.m. Loading dock, Demis Products~

He was beginning to think he' d be late for his pickup but arrived in the nick of time.

4:36 p.m.
Nice docking!

The owner came out to talk & load the trailer.  Butch said it was nice to see a local business doing well in spite of the economic challenges.

Butch called to tell me he was finally on his way North.  I was hoping his day would go more smoothly, since he still had several hours on his clock.

4:55 p.m. & ready to roll~

When he called in the evening, he said it was about ten-minutes after he talked to me, he witnessed a horrible accident.  Three cars went flying past in the left lane. The car in the lead, clipped the corner of a truck about three up from Butch's position.  That sent the vehicle flying into the concrete barrier.  The impact sent the car airborne.  It flipped over in mid-air, three times before crashing down onto the hillside, rolling again, sliding to the bottom & landing upright!  Butch said a dog got out & took off.  The passenger got out & the driver was alive, but probably pinned in.  The trucks ahead of the accident, Butch & the few cars, continued on.  A close, very close call...

7:28 p.m. The cost of fuel~

When I received my evening call, Butch said the traffic had not improved at all.  He'd been in the same stop/go for miles & miles.  He finally gave up when he found the Kings Mountain rest area in NC.  The end of a very long day's drive & not necessarily in miles!

I was thankful!  Arriving Safe & Sound is the most important thing!