Phoenix, AZ to Wichita Falls, TX

I have to admit... this is Way Better than what we have been doing! Thank you God!!!

We deadhead (means miles traveled while empty) up to Phoenix, AZ. It was a good thing we had an hour and a half to get there because the address on our paperwork was wrong, twice.

The first address said 417 W. Buckeye Road, then below that it said that the above address was wrong it should read 417 E. Buckeye Road.

We leave Casa Grande at 10am, and arrive at 417 E. Buckeye Road at 10:50am, only it is an empty lot! So we call the client and they tell us the correct address is 4417 W. Buckeye Road. Thank God we are only about 15-20 mins away. We arrive at the correct address at 11:20am. Still On Time.

Leroy checks in, and Laurie backs up to the dock!!! I actually did it all by myself. Yeah! I think my knees are gradually getting use to the clutch.

We get loaded, and are able to fax the papers we need to fax to Wendy at Schneider. Yeah! Last time, we faxed ONE page at the TA and it costs $3. Ouch! This time is was free, since we asked the shipper if we could use their machine! Yeah! Much better.

Thursday, 9/6/07
Leave shipper about 1:00pm.
We stop at the QT (a truck stop on I-10) in Phoenix to weigh our truck. It turns out to be a Medium weight, 57,900 GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight). We are carrying Wire Decking. (I have no idea what that is.) To a new Wal-Mart in Wichita Falls, TX.

From Phoenix, we head up to Flagstaff to catch the I-40 heading East.... All the way from Phoenix to Flagstaff, I (Laurie) am driving and having "tummy trouble", and all this time Leroy is sleeping. I am having to stop about every hour to "go". Finally when we get to Flagstaff -- a great truck stop at I-40 exit 198 "Little America" -- Laurie takes some Imodium AD and we decided to stay the rest of the night. Good choice, that way we are close to a bathroom, and we get a chance to look around this place. Wow! - With all the figurines, it makes me think of my Uncle Jeff. He collects Native American (Indian) statues and old cars models, and... boy does this place have a great selection. Lots of stuff, and a diner too.

Friday, 9/7/07
We get up and Bobtail (unhook the trailer and just use the tractor/truck) to a nearby Albertson's for some supplies. Come back, do a thorough Pre-Trip Inspection, eat breakfast/lunch then head out. about 12:30pm.

Laurie is driving and feeling much better. It is really nice to have all this time. One of us drives one day... the other drive the next day.

Laurie driving through Arizona.

5:00pm
We get stopped at the border check point going into New Mexico. We are told to stop and go into the Border office. We are told that we will need to buy a one-day permit in order to cross NM! We call Jim. He gives a credit card number to the lady behind the counter (who is very rude - but we are nice :) to pay for the permit. The cost of the Permit is based on weight - 57900 gvw. $57.25 (for permit) + $8.95 (fee) for using a credit card. Ouch! Our new company does not have a "permit" to carry heavy loads across New Mexico. They have applied for the permit about 2 months ago, but it hasn't come in the mail yet..... But No One told us. If we had known we could have gotten cash out at an ATM before hitting the border and have been prepared for all of this..... Oh Well. We know that each thing that comes our way each day is known by God, and filtered through Him, for our good.

After that I drive some more, and we stop in Casa Blanca, NM for dinner. After that, Leroy drives til a little past midnight. I try to sleep while he is driving, but can't. Leroy drives to Santa Rosa, NM where we stop for the night.

Saturday, 9/8/07
In the morning Leroy drives again.


Leroy driving through New Mexico.




We stop at a DQ in Tucumcari, NM. (Yum!) It is the last town in NM on the I-40 East, before crossing into Texas.

My mom, Irene, emailed me about these great Life-sized sculptures of Jesus' last days somewhere near Amarillo TX....which so happens we are going to be near. I think we should stop, especially since we have the time... might as well.
(More on those in the next blog.)

4:30pm local time
So we stop and see them. Wow!!! If you ever get a chance... go see them! It is really worth your time. Along with the sculptures is the Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere! You can see it from about 5 miles in each direction.

FYI... they are about 35 miles east of Amarillo, TX... I-40, exit 112.

This stop to see the sculptures was sooo God! It had been raining the day before, so everything was a little muddy, but the sun was shining when we were there, and it was beautiful!

After we see them ... we go to exit 96 to a Love's Truck Stop for the night. During the night it starts Raining, and Lightening, (but no thunder as far as I could tell)... so I slept kinda of on/off. It was sooo nice of God to give us that window of time to see the sculptures and get to a safe haven for the night. We serve an Awesome God!!

Unusual: at the Love's Truck Stop I notice hundreds of grasshoppers all over the ground! I asked the clerk inside about them, she said she didn't know but maybe the rain yesterday had brought them out. They were everywhere on the ground and up the walls of the outside of the building. very Weird.

Sunday, 9/9/07
We get up in the morning, Laurie drives. There are no church services at this truck stop, so we start driving south to Wichita Falls, TX. As we are going through this little town called Claude, TX... we spot a cafe called The Crazy Little Cafe. The building is bright yellow with silhouettes of people dancing on it. Cute! There are cars in front and a big parking lot for trucks on the side. We stop here for breakfast. Good food!

From Claude, TX to Wichita Falls is about 200 miles.... and it rained all the Way. So what normally takes about 4 hours to drive, took about 5 hours. But that's OK. Better safe than sorry.
We are now at a Love's Truck Stop in Wichita Falls, TX... about 5 miles from where we will drop the load first thing tomorrow morning.... and it is still Raining with Lightening!

Bad News... the front windshield leaks. Right in front of the driver, onto the dashboard. We discovered this while driving, and when it started raining. At first we put Leroy's t-shirts on the dashboard to catch the drips, but his shirts got soaked.... but it worked until we could get to the Love's. At the Love's, Leroy bought some clear silicone and climbed up on the hood in the rain, and put the silicone on the windshield. Bless His Heart!! -- (I hope it works. OK so far!)

Good night for now.
and God Bless. :)