Breinigsville, PA - Seven means seven

Today has just been one of those days where things started off horrible, got much better, then proceeded to go downhill just as fast again. I started off by getting a shower, then losing track of time and leaving the truck stop right around the time my live load appointment was for. Oops. On top of that, I took I-78 the wrong way. Then I got lost trying to get to the facility and took the toll bridge into Pennsylvania. Then aliens abducted the truck it took me about four miles to find a place to exit, surface streets to get back toward the state line, and a detour around a bridge with a three ton weight limit. As such, I was just over an hour late.

It really didn't make much difference, though: they weren't even ready for me when I arrived. I had time to sweep out the trailer, double-check my hazmat information (corrosive, if you want to know), and get directions for everywhere even before they started loading the trailer. It was only nine totes, each holding over 300 gallons and weighing over 3,000 pounds. Total weight? 31,500 pounds, and all of it in the front 25 feet of the trailer. I slid the tandems all the way forward, knowing that was the only way I had a chance of getting the weight legal, but since there are no DOT scales along I-476, I didn't bother checking it on a CAT scale.

The good news came when I called the consignee and asked to get the delivery appointment moved up. Turns out that my 4 PM "appointment" didn't exist and I was just to get there soon as I could. I delivered it just after 1:30 and was out of there by 2, well ahead of schedule. I also got my next assignment during the unload: come up here to pick up another load, then deliver near Greensboro at 3 AM Wednesday.

I was originally hoping to pick this load up early, make it to the Carlisle OC and have the shop check out a few things on the truck, get a good meal, and all that happy stuff. This facility always lets drivers in early and works quickly. Or, at least, they used to. I pulled up to the gate around 3:30 and got told to pull into the facility's parking lot and come back to the guard shack at 7, since they were too busy to take anyone early today. As such, there's a rather slim chance that I'll have enough time to make it to the OC; I might just have to take my break right here, since I may not have the hours to go anywhere at all!

In any case, I'll probably head to the gate about half an hour early, just to see if I get lucky. I really would like to save time somewhere if possible.