7 AUGUST 2008

Dropped our shelves off in Tallahasse at a Costco DC (distribution center). Had another load to pick up from a port in Panama City, FL. We were fifteen minutes late and arrived after they closed which was 3:30pm. As soon as we pulled up to the gate, all the employees were already in their vehicles driving off. We ended up staying at the closest truck stop called Kangaroo. A lot of small stops are connected to a fried chicken chain, as was this one. This Kangaroo not only had fuel, parking spaces and food, but a Washaroo too for big trucks.

If you've ever been to a truck stop before, depending on the size, you probably never been where all the trucks are parked in the back and asleep (though still idling) for the night. It surprised us to learn that these monstrous vehicles are never shut off for the sake of the driver's comfort. Most owner-ops (owner-operators - drivers who own their own truck) turn their truck off as often as they can. They pay for fuel and even idling you burn a lot. You can almost pinpoint them out, first of all they lack the decals of a company truck, and you see them sitting in the front of their cab, not idling with windows rolled down. Certain parts of the country have idling laws. It has to be a certain temperature outside before you can idle for the night. Mainly for noise and emissions pollution and primarily out west and certain northeast states. When you arrive at a stop for the night, there's a certain ritual that becomes the routine of your life. Shower, eat, walk around the small store to look at things you've seen a million times that every other stop has, then back to your truck.