Tour of Duty 27th May 2015 to 27th June 2015
Part VI: 25th May to 27th May

Trip: Rochester, NY to Liverpool, NY 85 paid miles
Make: 2015 International
Model: Garbage Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 490 to Interstate 390 to Interstate 90 to Interstate 81
Diesel price USA: $3.199/gallon at Westen Truckstop Henrietta, NY

I completed the pickup Thursday early afternoon then headed to truckstop to take on fuel and I had to get DEF fluid. I headed toward my destination and had to make a couple of stops on the way. I arrived at the destination which was a dealership and dropped the truck and hired a taxi to Syracuse to get the next truck.

Trip: Syracuse, NY to Wharton, NJ 211 paid miles
Make: 2015 Kenworth
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 481 to Interstate 81 to Interstate 84 to Interstate 380 to Interstate 80 to New Jersey 15
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price USA: $3.159/gallon at Flying J New Milford, PA

I got this truck and had trouble finding the master switch but with assistance from a worker I finally found it. I headed out and there was some rain south of Syracuse but it dried up before I reached Pennsylvania. I made a very late night drop in Wharton, NJ and got taxi and spent the rest of the night in Parsippany, NJ.

Friday I was told to go back to Wharton, NJ to get a truck for Connecticut. I hired taxi and went to the shipper and got the truck.

Trip: Wharton, NJ to Seymour, CT 115 paid miles
Make: 2015 Kenworth
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Standard straight 10-speed
Route: New Jersey 15 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 287 to Interstate 95 to Connecticut 8
Diesel price USA: $3.159/gallon at Pilot Ledgwood, NJ

I got the truck and backtracked a few miles to take on fuel as the truckstop in Mahwah, NJ was small and I understood I could use up more time getting in and out of that truckstop as opposed to the one I went to. I crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge and traffic was heavy. I stopped at the first service plaza in Connecticut to make a pit stop and get evening rations as traffic was moving slowly ahead. By the time I was done the traffic flow improved and I headed on to the receiver to make a late night delivery then was taken to hotel and I spent the night in Stratford, CT.

Saturday I awoke and got taxi and it was a hassle to get to the car rental place in Oxford, CT (near Waterbury) where I got in rental car to BDL Bradley International Airport which serves Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. I made brief stop in Waterbury to take pictures then headed toward BDL. I stopped at filling station then turned in the car and got bus to the terminal.

I learned my first flight was delayed almost an hour and was relieved as there was a long queue to check in. I finally checked in and checked bags which weighed 47.5 and 40lbs. I cleared security after queue and opted out and was patted down. I did not measure the time but the whole process took over an hour. I got a hot dog to eat as I learned the flight was delayed further as it was coming from BWI where there were tornado warnings. While I was waiting I had my connecting flight changed to a later flight.


Southwest #4610 BDL-LAS B-737-700 Boarding Pass A9
Seat 22A Cruising altitude 40,000 feet Estimated flying time 4:54, actual 4:55
Depart: Gate 4 Scheduled 15h40, actual 17h19 Taxi: 8 minutes
Arrive: Gate C5 Scheduled 18h15, actual 19h29 Taxi: 6 minutes

The plane arrived late and we boarded via jetway. Rain started to fall while I was waiting to board. It was announced that it was 109F at LAS. Pushback was 1h39min late and I was unsure of takeoff direction. We went into the clouds at 0:05 and over clouds at 0:25. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:28. At 0:41 the stewardess cane through with a box offering peanuts, pretzels, cookies and Cheese Nips. I chose the pretzels and Cheese Nips. There were a few bumps and seatbelt sign went back on at 0:50.

At 0:59 I got cup of soda. At 1:01 I saw the first small break in cloud cover but I was unsure of location. At 1:03 seatbelt sign went off and there were more breaks in the clouds. At 1:07 the stewardess came through offering water. By 1:10 clouds totally blocked the view below and due to more bumps seatbelt sign went on at 1:26 and the flight attendants were asked to take their seats as there were some pretty good bumps.

Seatbelt sign went off at 1:36. At 1:45 there were breaks in the clouds and I saw what looked to be Portage, Lake Station and Gary, IN and junction of Interstates 80, 65 and 90. I also saw various truckstops in northwest Indiana. At 1:49 I saw junction of Interstates 80 and 355 and at 1:51 I saw Joliet, IL and junction of Interstates 80 and 55. At 1:55 I saw Ottawa, IL with Streator, IL farther out.

I saw junction of Interstates 80 and 39 at 1:56 as seatbelt sign went on. We crossed Interstate 74 at 2:04 south of the Quad Cities. At 2:09 we crossed the Mississippi into Iowa airspace. Seatbelt sign went off at 2:13. We crossed Interstate 35 at 2:26 and at 2:38 we crossed Interstate 29. At 2:41 I got second cup of soda over Kansas or Nebraska. At 2:45 we crossed US81 and I may have seen Concordia, KS. I saw Interstate 70 at 3:20 either over eastern Colorado. At 3:35 I saw what looked to be COS for a moment before it was blocked by clouds.

I used the washroom and returned to my seat at 3:46 and saw the Rocky Mountains and some thunderclouds. I felt bumps and seatbelt sign went on at 4:06. I thought I may have felt descent at 4:16 and I saw Lake Powell at 4:20. I saw Page, AZ at 4:22. I felt actual descent at 4:35 and descent was announced at 4:41. I saw Lake Mead at 4:44 and first sign of LAS metro area at 4:51. We landed to the south southwest and arrived at gate 1h14 late and deplaned via jetway.

Southwest #4252 LAS-LAX B-737-300 Boarding Pass B12
Seat 24F Cruising altitude 28,000 feet Estimated flying time 0:41, actual 0:41
Depart: Gate B14 Scheduled 21h00, actual 21h02 Taxi: 14 minutes
Arrive: Gate 12A Scheduled 22h10, actual 22h08 Taxi: 9 minutes
Reclaim checked bags 14-15 minutes after arrival

I changed terminals and boarded via jetway. Pushback was 2min late and takeoff was to the west and turned to the south. There were some bumps on climb and seatbelt sign stayed on the whole flight. I saw Primm, NV at 0:06 then saw lights of traffic on Interstate 15. I saw lights of Baker, CA at 0:13 and felt us level off at 0:14. Around Interstate 40 I saw lights Barstow, CA at 0:17. I got cup of soda at 0:19 and pretzels at 0:20. I felt descent begin at 0:21 and descent was announced at 0:23 and it was 67F at LAX.

I saw San Bernardino at 0:25 and ONT at 0:31. I saw junction of Interstate 10 and California 57 and 71 at 0:32 and saw California 60 and traffic was moving well at 0:34. We crossed Interstate 605 at 0:36 and crossed Interstate 710 at 0:37. We crossed Interstate 710 at 0:37 and crossed the 110 at 0:39. We crossed the 405 at 0:41 and landed east to west and arrived at gate 2 minutes early. I reclaimed my checked bags and got a shuttle and made it home to end this latest tour of duty.