Lake Park, GA

On days like today, I think I need a tape recorder or some other means for me to record the various things that I experience out here as they happen, because by the time I park and my day ends, I've spent the last hour or two trying to forget all the crap I've dealt with. And now I have to try to remember so I can share it with you. This must be what it's like to have a psychologist. I'd tell you how that makes me feel, but I doubt you're a licensed professional.

My delivery this morning was to another grocery distributor. I arrived about 45 minutes ahead of my appointment time, but apparently they run things on a strict schedule, as I had to wait until my appointment to bump the dock. The trailer had been sealed, so it wasn't until I opened the doors to back in that I realized it was loaded from the front all the way to the doors and that it was a floor load, meaning none of the cartons were on pallets. Loaded to the doors, eh? I guess I've yet to figure out what purpose the 48' line on the inside of the trailer serves. Anyway, I backed in and checked in with receiving. Now, Atari was slightly before my time so I never got to experience the magic that was Frogger, but I've watched the Seinfeld "Frogger episode" enough to understand the concept. Today, I think I was the frog. When I walked into the warehouse, I had to dodge about 20 forklift drivers that must've been all hyped up on Mt. Dew. The sad part is it still took four and a half hours to get unloaded.

Once they were done, I headed over to Clearwater for my next load. Oh yay, more good news. It was a pre-loaded trailer, but I had to do a double drop and hook. So, I got to play trailer jockey for an hour and finished just in time to join rush hour traffic in Tampa. I've decided one hour of stop and go traffic is all any human should be subjected to. Any more is a violation of the 8th amendment. To top off that fun, I spent about 30 minutes trying to pass a vehicle that was determined to go 64mph on flat ground, as well as up and down every hill. On flat ground, I was ever so slowly gaining on it, so I moved over to pass. And then there was a hill to climb, slowing me down to 60 mph or less and killing my chance to pass. Then on the downhill side I would hit 70 mph and almost catch up, only to be foiled again. And then I realized why Chinese water torture was so effective.

By the time I crossed the state line into Georgia, I was ready to call it a night. I've got two full days of driving ahead of me, so it's time for some rest.