Pause in NY

DATELINE: CHITTENANGO TRAVEL PLAZA, NY THRUWAY, 7:00 p.m. EDT

Miles Today: 376

So, up early once again. (Actually, I do prefer to start early so I can get done early in the day, but it'd be nice if my work days were a little shorter so I could get a bit more rest each day.) This time I did get most of 8 hours of sleep, so I was nearly fully rested. Enough so that I woke up on my own a few minutes before my alarm would have done the job at 3:30. But I had to wait 'til 3:45 when my break reached its full 10-hour point before I could hit the road, though.

Driving north through PA and NY (along I-83, then I-81) in the dark wasn't a problem, despite the hilly, twisty terrain. But in northern PA things got a bit interesting. I came to a construction zone where the roadway was down to one lane. What made it "interesting" was the dense fog. Always fun to drive through on hills, pulling a 42,000-pound load on narrow, winding roads in the dark. But I overcame and made it through to my delivery. This delivery was another drop-and-hook, so it went quickly. And I had my next assignment before I even got my new empty trailer hooked up.

I'm short on hours after this busy week (down to 4-1/2 as of this writing), so I won't be able to go very far with my next load before I need to take a 34-hour break. But the pickup is right by Syracuse, not far (less than an hour) from where I delivered this morning. However, the pickup is scheduled for 2:00 a.m. So I stopped here at this Travel Plaza along the Thruway on my way back to Syracuse to spend the interim. I grabbed some lunch at the place's Sbarro, then returned to my truck for a nap 'cuz I was still quite tired from a week's worth of short nights.

That 4- or 4-1/2-hour nap sure felt good. Now I'm up to report to y'all and catch up with the news of the world. I may or may not catch some more sleep before getting rolling at around 1:00 tonight to go make that pickup. Afterwards I'll head to Binghamton, where there's a Pilot and a TA where I can take my 34-hour break. That's about how far I'll be able to get with the hours I have left. The load I'm picking up is due for delivery at 6:00 Monday morning in Clarksburg, WV, so I don't know yet if they'll have me just sit on the load and deliver it when I can after my break, or if Dispatch'll set up a swap. Check back tomorrow for news about that.

As for now, it's time to decide if I want to grab some dinner, try some more napping, or play some Poker for the first time in a couple of months.

Note to reader nancyr (aka Mrs. R.T.): The Pilot Payback Points are only good at select fast food outlets within Pilot Travel Centers. So, sadly, I can't use them to treat you to a free lunch at any ol' Wendy's. Bummer.

Thanks all for taking a look-see at today's report. Send me your comments and questions, and keep on truckin'.