Ireland 2010

Our tour this year will take us to the lovely counties of Clare and Galway on the west coast of Ireland we are looking to spend the four nights in hotels in: Wexford, Westport, Doolin and Carlow.

After arriving in Rosslare from our ferry journey we will make our way to our hotel in Wexford, after a quick wash and brush up we will make our way to the local pub for some grub and an evening of Irish music.

Tuesday will take us on our run through the heart of Ireland towards our next night in Westport. Another evening of good food and music at the famous

“Matt Malloy’s Pub”.

Wednesday will allow us to explore the best of the areas known as “Connemara National Park” in County Galway. This is a beautiful and rugged area in one of the remotest parts of Ireland; we will ride around the Connemara coastline with stops in some of the picturesque villages along the way. If it’s a clear day we will ride along the “Sky Road” and enjoy the views across the islands and mountains of this lovely part of Ireland.

After an entertaining night and some good grub in Doolin, Co Clare, we will visit “The spectacular Cliffs of Moher”, “The Burren” a landscape carved out of limestone that has a character of its own and is unique in Ireland. This will see us saying farewell to this lovely corner of Ireland as we make our way back across country towards Carlow for our last night.

After a lie in and a wander we will make our way over the Wicklow mountains and follow the Wicklow coastline towards Rosslare for our journey back to Fishguard on the 2100 ferry, arriving in Fishguard approximately 0100 for our night journey back home.

More details will be available when the trip is booked.

Regards

Tony

Sunny Sunday

Awoke in the sleeper bunk at 11:00 PM CST last night - parked near Oshkosh, Wisconsin - to get ready to roll toward Missouri. Temperature inside the truck was 8°F. Electrical circuit protection switch had tripped during the evening in an attempt to save the tractor batteries during the cold; there were no available interior cab lights or accessories. D-Rod started right up (there are three batteries reserved to crank the starter motor), so I let him idle over an hour for heat and to recharge the batteries before getting underway.

Drove nearly 500 miles through the night/morning. Prior to sunrise, temps under a brilliant, full moon ranged from 6°F to 15°F in Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri. Stopped for fuel in Springfield, Illinois; drove in light Sunday morning traffic around St. Louis. We're parked about 45 miles from our delivery location at Procter & Gamble in Neelys Landing, Missouri, near the Mississippi River. Plan to drop this load at 11:00 PM tonight, unless dispatch changes these plans with info on our next assignment.

Trucking ... The Nature Of The Industry - PART 1

This blog probably won't make me any friends because what I am about to tell you goes on behind the scenes of our every day lives and most of us have no clue.
I stopped driving truck full time when I finally had a reality check in Texas. I was at a huge Grocery Store Distribution Centre. I want to Say BROOKSHIRE Distribution.
I had driven all weekend from Friday on to get there for Monday Morning. I got there, but so did nearly up to 100 other trucks and drivers. It's not uncommon to wait, infact, you can wait all day at a distribution centre and not even get paid a dime for that.
I got myself into the waiting room where nearly 50 drivers sat. I stood as there was no place to sit. I scanned the room. Stinky, old, young, grubby, fat, skinny, sad, sleepy, and miserable looking drivers. I looked around the room and there I am. Freshly shaved, smelling good, fit, and ready to start another beautiful Monday.
I thought to myself as I scanned the room over and over... if I stay as a driver... will I end up this way... Tired, Fat, Miserable and so forth... I felt I was looking at my own future.
BROOKSHIRES is NOT a DRIVER FORCED UNLOAD FACILITY: Most distribution centres... its the drivers responsibility to restack skids to match the shelving of the distribution centre. It's called LUMPING... Lumpers are available at most of them where you pay for a team of people to offload your truck and restack it. If they don't have it... there you are doing it yourself.
So here I am... restacking boxes into small piles. They wanted it stacked in a configuration. At the end, they come check your work and ensure you did it right before releasing you.
It's the equivalent of you ordering someone to bring you some groceries to your door... but then you invite them in and have them put it away. Even though you ordered it, you are the user from that moment it arrives, it's the drivers responsibility to ensure it's piled in a way that is accommodating them.
Where is the logic... where is the fairness. I have just driven nearly 3,000 KM to get them their product and now it's my job to restack it so they can put it away in their warehouse? This is very very common in the industry and is expected. Most drivers bitch about it... but the customer trumps everything and we have to do what is required.
I thought to myself... whatever!
More to come!

BREAKING NEWS: ARROW Trucking Company Vanishes!

YRC And Arrow Struggle In Difficult Times www.handyshippingguide.com www.tulsaworld.com Arrow Trucking Customers Also Affected By Shutdown www.newson6.com CS www.csmonitor.com YRC Worldwide Extends Deadline For Debt Swap Offer online.wsj.com Kittenkattan www.youtube.com My Blog demcad.blogspot.com ... ARROW Trucking Company Vanishes YRC bankrupt Economic Survive Audited Treasuries Debt Collapse shortage inflation hyperinflation Flint Peter Schiff collapse Gerald Celente depression economy ...

BREAKING NEWS: ARROW Trucking Company Vanishes!

YRC And Arrow Struggle In Difficult Times www.handyshippingguide.com www.tulsaworld.com Arrow Trucking Customers Also Affected By Shutdown www.newson6.com CS www.csmonitor.com YRC Worldwide Extends Deadline For Debt Swap Offer online.wsj.com Kittenkattan www.youtube.com My Blog demcad.blogspot.com ... ARROW Trucking Company Vanishes YRC bankrupt Economic Survive Audited Treasuries Debt Collapse shortage inflation hyperinflation Flint Peter Schiff collapse Gerald Celente depression economy ...

BREAKING NEWS: ARROW Trucking Company Vanishes!

YRC And Arrow Struggle In Difficult Times www.handyshippingguide.com www.tulsaworld.com Arrow Trucking Customers Also Affected By Shutdown www.newson6.com CS www.csmonitor.com YRC Worldwide Extends Deadline For Debt Swap Offer online.wsj.com Kittenkattan www.youtube.com My Blog demcad.blogspot.com ... ARROW Trucking Company Vanishes YRC bankrupt Economic Survive Audited Treasuries Debt Collapse shortage inflation hyperinflation Flint Peter Schiff collapse Gerald Celente depression economy ...

Officially moving onward...

I am sitting in an empty office on the floor in our empty house! The packers and movers came on Wed/Thursday and took all of our stuff! They are now in some other state trucking along! I am now waiting for 2 of Ben's work guys to get his truck weighed and then they will be back to hook up the boat! These amazing guys volunteered to drive the boat and truck to WA for us! I have made the drive before and let me just say it can be quite dull! They are excited to get away for a few days and then also get to see Ben when they arrive! They are a huge blessing!
In amongst all my crazy days of moving all our belongings I have been able to hang out with some wonderful friends that we have made here! They all have been a huge blessing in our lives and that is one of the hardest things about moving...Jesus has blessed us with true friends!
Ben is doing well! Of course I call every day to check up on him! He raised his eyebrows when I got on the phone to chat with him which makes my heart melt! Some of my family members have gone up while I have been gone to check up on him and that makes me feel so good! I am so grateful that they are there to be with him!
I fly back Sunday and will hopefully be getting into another schedule....when things settle down!
Blessings to you all and prayerfully more good news to come soon from WA!!