DATELINE: SALISBURY, NC, 7:21 p.m. EDT

Miles Today: 297

That may look like a short work day, but it was only in terms of miles driven. I hadda do a LOT of waiting around today. That seems to be the way things are on this tour of duty, especially when I reach a customer site early. Today's recap:

I woke up at 5:30 this morning in Knoxville, took time for a shower and shave, and set out on the road by 6:15. It took about 5 hours, including time to stop for a proper breakfast en route, to reach my delivery in Statesville, NC. My appointment was at noon, and I got there just after 11:15. However, the shipping/receiving department's lunch break was from 11:15 'til noon. So I had to wait for them to get back before they could give me a dock assignment. Which I also had to wait just a bit for 'til another truck vacated the dock.

I was done there at a little after 1:15. Then I had to wait for my next load assignment. After I sent in my "empty call" message to dispatch, they sent me a message telling me that I was "#3 on the board", which I took to mean that they had 2 other drivers in the area to provide loads before they could get to me. So I high-tailed it to a truck stop about 10 miles down the road to wait. And wait. And wait. The assignment finally came in at about 3:00; pick up a load in Salisbury, 35-ish miles away, at 5:00.

I took my time getting back underway, but still got to the shipper at about 4:15. Naturally, when I checked in the fella there told me the load wasn't ready yet and he'd come out and get me when it was ready. (They pre-load trailers there, rather than do "live loads" with the driver backing into a dock and sitting there while they load.) In the mean time, they had me back my empty trailer into another dock, then unhook and park in the lot to wait. And wait. And wait. Finally at about 6:15--only 1-1/4 hours late--the guy came out with the paperwork and told me which trailer to grab and take with me.

Since it'd been a long day and was getting to be the time of day when truck stops get full, I decided to head to one nearby rather than drive my remaining 1-1/2 work hours and then try to find a place to spend the night. This load is headed to the St. Louis, MO area, due for delivery on Thursday at 2 stops. However, dispatch wants me to drop it at a yard we have in St. Louis as soon as I can get there (Wednesday morning by my estimation) so I won't lose a day during which I could be driving more paying miles. Fine by me. So my goal for tomorrow is drive, drive, drive. This is a very light load so the mountains of western NC and eastern TN won't slow me down. The first bit of the trip, from here to Nashville, is once again back the way I just came. Ho hum. I expect I can get into southern Illinois in my allotted driving time tomorrow, then finish up in St. L fairly early the next day.

So that's how my day went. Now it's time for Trucker John's Q & A.

1. Reader Dennis the Accompanist asks, "Now that you've been driving quite a while, what do you think of truck-stop food? Obviously, some of them have chain restaurants, but what about the other places to eat? (I've had some pretty good food in truck stops, often at buffets.)"

Nowadays, most of the time I eat at the fast food places at truck stops (my current fave is Hardees or Carl's Jr.--man those burgers are testy!), or grab a sandwich out of their refrigerator cases, rather than eat at their sit-down restaurants. Much more economical that way. However, when I have eaten at their in-house eateries, I have been less than impressed. Sure, their food is usually tolerable, and fairly good as down-home cookin' goes. But it's generally fairly bland. I like food with more pizazz, or depth of flavor that comes from actually using things like herbs and spices. So I can't give a ringing endorsement of truck stops' in-house fare.

2. Reader mrr asks two questions: 1) How 'bout posting some pics of your truck/living quarters - interior and exterior? (you can photo-shop out any identifying marks, if desired/necessary) 2) Do you get a chance to do any running when you get to a stop early-ish in the day? Or are you no longer into that?

Regarding pictures of my home on the road, maybe someday I'll remember to bring along a camera. A better option: sometime when I'm home or in your area, we can arrange to meet at a truck stop and I can show you the real thing. (Now I'll have to see if I can get a load to the western NY area sometime.)

As for running and/or working out, that's something that I just don't have time for in this job. Besides, there's not always a shower available (or if there is, I may have to pay for it) for post-workout freshening up. I have on occasion done some walking around parking lots at a truck stop or USA terminal, but no running. I also don't have my workout gear along with me; my storage space is somewhat limited.

Thanks for your questions and comments; keep 'em coming! And truck on keepin'.