Part Three
Trip: Columbia, MD to Dallas, TX 1,344 paid miles
Route: Maryland 108 to Maryland 100 to Interstate 95 to Maryland 100 to US29 to Interstate 70 to Interstate 81 to Interstate 40 to Tennessee 155 (Briley Parkway) back to Interstate 40 to Interstate 30 to Interstate 635
Maximum elevation: unknown but Wytheville, VA on Interstate 81 is listed at 2,299 feet.
Highest diesel price (USA): $3.939/gallon at TA Jessup, MD
Lowest diesel price (USA): $3.659/gallon at Flying J Knoxville, TN
Make: GMC
Model: Straight (box) truck
Transmission: Automatic
Permits required: none
I hired a taxi to the shipper and made the pickup. After I went to the nearest truckstop and filled the main tank I found the fuel gauge was not working. I got rolling and the weigh scale on Interstate 70 west of Baltimore was open. Shortly thereafter, near Lisbon, MD, something did not feel right so I got to the breakdown lane and the truck conked out. I broke out the emergency triangles. I rang dispatch and then the breakdown number. A service unit came out and the person thought it was a bad fuel pump. Something was done (I'm not an expert) which I thought was a temporary fix. I got back on the Interstate and initially the truck would do only 20mph so I limped to the next exit. I was unable to contact dispatch after hours so I made my way to motel, shut down and spent the night in Mt. Airy, MD.
Wednesday I got rolling and the truck was behaving better. I stopped at a rest area between Frederick and Hagerstown and saw the very first sign of fall colours. The fuel gauge started working. I topped off the fuel in Hagerstown, MD before heading south on Interstate 81. I stopped off at a truckstop near Winchester, VA to forward some paperwork to the company.
When I came back to the truck I saw a tractor trailer stopped only inches from my truck and it looked like he was not able to complete his turn to pull through and park. I looked and thought the guy did not hit my truck so I backed up so the tractor trailer driver was able to pull through and park. Afterward I saw a crack on the back of the mirror assembly on the passenger side. I checked the passenger side corner of his trailer and saw a black smudge mark on the front corner of the trailer at the same height as the mirror assembly on my truck.
To make a long story short I rang dispatch and then got a hold of the Virginia State Police. An officer finally showed up and took statements and declined to pursue the matter or write a report as neither I or anyone else saw the other truck actually hit mine. However I filled out an accident report and faxed it to the company.
When I got rolling again it started raining and there was also thunder and lightning. The rain got heavy and I had to stop a few times due to poor visibility and a lot of water on the road. There was a lot of lightning in New Market, VA. Finally I made it to Natural Bridge, VA where I spent the night.
Next day I made a brief stop in Buchanan, VA then continued. There was some light to moderate rain which quit by the time I hit Tennessee. I saw just a few fall colours at the higher elevations on Interstate 81 in Virginia. I spent the night in Crossville, TN.
Friday I continued and had lunch at General Lee's BBQ in Cookeville, TN. After a stop in Nashville I continued to Parkers Crossroads, TN where I had all you can eat seafood buffet, including catfish, shrimp, clam strips and frog legs, at Baileys Restaraunt. A few drops of rain fell after dinner and I used the windshield wipers intermittently. I crossed the Mississippi River and spent the night in Hite, AR. Saturday was a routine day with clear and warm weather. I made it to Texarkana, AR.
Sunday morning it was raining when I woke up but quit by the time I arrived at church. I attended morning service at Texarkana Reformed Baptist Church and the message was on Colossians 3:12-14 the positive aspects of sanctification. I had a late lunch/early dinner at Soulmans BBQ in Royse City, TX. I shut down and saw lightning after sunset and there was a thunderstorm with wind and heavy rain. I spent the night in Garland, TX.
Monday I delivered the truck in Dallas and a friend of mine picked me up and I got word I'd fly Southwest so after lunch I was dropped off at Love Field. I checked in and my bags weighed 49.5 and 48lbs. I cleared security after a short queue and there was no secondary screening and no hand search of carry ons.
Southwest #33 DAL-HOU B-737-300 Boarding Pass A55 Seat 21F
Cruising altitude not given Estimated flying time 0:43, actual 0:43
Depart: Gate 6 Scheduled 14h30, actual 14h36 Taxi: 6 minutes
Arrive: Gate 44 Scheduled 15h35, actual 15h31 Taxi: 5 minutes
We boarded via jetway. The plane was not full. It was announced it was cloudy and 80F at HOU. Drink orders were taken while at the gate. Pushback was 6 minutes late. Takeoff was to the north. I saw US75 and Interstate 635then we made a "U" turn at 0:02 and headed south. I saw DFW, Texas 360 and Arlington, TX including the Rangers baseball stadium and the Cowboys football stadium.
At 0:14 I got cup of soda. I saw what looked to be Interstate 35 and Waco, TX to the right. I got pretzels at 0:15 and we made turn to the southeast. I felt descent begin at 0:18 and it was announced it was 82F at HOU. Seatbelt sign stayed on the entire flight and there were a few bumps. Clouds started to increase as we approached HOU. I saw US59 and the Astrodome and Reliant Stadium. We landed to the east southeast and arrived at gate 4 minutes early.
During layover at HOU I had a dinner of fried crawfish and french fries at Pappadeaux.
Southwest #492 HOU-ABQ B-737-700 Boarding Pass B35 Seat 23A
Cruising altitude not given Estimated flying time 1:50, actual 1:45
Depart: Gate 20 Scheduled 17h20, actual 17h48 Taxi: 5 minutes
Arrive: Gate A8 Scheduled 18h25, actual 18h42 Taxi: 3 minutes
We boarded via jetway. All 137 seats were taken. I was fortunate to get the window seat at the rear which was the last seat that was not a middle seat. Pushback was 28 minutes late. Takeoff was to the south southeast then we turned west.
At 0:21 I saw AUS and Austin, TX below. At 0:23 I got baked Pita Chips. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:35. There was drink run and I got cup of soda at 0:41. At 0:46 I got another cup of soda. At 0:56 I saw what may have been MAF and Odessa, TX.
I felt descent begin at 1:24 and I was unsure of location. Descent was announced and seatbelt sign went on at 1:26 and it was announced it was partly cloudy with light rain and 76F at ABQ. At 1:38 we went over the Manzano Mountains. At 1:40 I saw the Rio Grande then Interstate 25 and at 1:42 we turned to head north northeast. Ww landed to the north northeast and arrived at gate 17 minutes late. After a count of through passengers I changed seats.
Southwest #492 ABQ-SEA B-737-700 Thru passenger Seat 4A
Cruising altitude 40,000 feet Estimated flying time not given, actual 2:42
Depart: Gate A8 Scheduled 18h50, actual 19h12 Taxi: 7 minutes
Arrive: Gate B12 Scheduled 20h55, actual 21h07 Taxi: 5 minutes
Reclaim bags 17-20 minutes after arrival
The plane was not full and I heard there were 92 passengers. Pushback was 22 minutes late and takeoff was to the east. I saw the Sandia Mountains. We turned north then northwest and I saw Interstate 40 and the Albuquerque area along with rain shafts. I saw the sunset norhtwest of ABQ in northwest New Mexico.
Seatbelt sign went off at 0:30. There was a drink run and I got cup of soda at 0:38. I got Pita Chips at 0:46. I got pretzels at 0:50. Seatbelt sign went on at 1:12 due to bumps. At 1:40 I saw the lights of Boise, ID and vicinity. At 1:45 I got water. At 1:47 I saw lights of what looked to be Ontario, OR. Seatbelt sign went off at 1:52.
I thought I felt descent begin at 2:17 but was unsure of location, possibly Yakima, WA. Seatbelt sign went on at 2:31 and it was announced it was 60F and clear with light winds from the north at SEA. I saw the lights of Tacoma at 2:37 and I saw Puget Sound on final. We landed south to north and arrived at gate 12 minutes late. After I collected my bags I got shuttle to motel and spent night in Seatac, WA.