Jasper, Indiana
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Tour of Duty 31st October 2019 to 19th December 2019
Part V: 19th November to 25th November
I awoke in Ferdinand, Indiana on Tuesday 19th November. I had no trip but I checked out and while in the lobby I accepted a dispatch for a 498-mile trip from Wentzville, Missouri to Roseville, Minnesota and a rental car was set up out of Jasper, Indiana the closest location for rental cars. I booked an itinerary from MSP to MCI on Southwest Airlines for Saturday 23rd November in anticipation of either getting the next truck in the Kansas City area or going down to Independence, Kansas for the next truck. While waiting I got word from the rental car company there were no cars available and I asked where cars might be available was told to look at Owensboro, Kentucky and Evansville, Indiana. I looked into transport options to those cities and there were no good options and I was expecting the cost would be at least 150$. Then I got another call from the rental car company saying a customer with a reservation cancelled and they would be able to accommodate me though there would be a considerable wait. Then I got a call from dispatch saying the trip out of Wentzville, Missouri cancelled. I opted to stay with the rental as that was my ticket out of an area that is very difficult to get out of.
The rental car people came and picked me up and took me to Jasper, Indiana where I got into the rental car. I stopped at a
Walmart then got evening rations at a
Long John Silver's then I took on fuel. I caught Interstate 64 and headed west and encountered fog after I entered Illinois. I ended up spending the night in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
Wednesday I was not sure which direction to head so I burned up some time looking at trip options but nothing panned out. I headed west mindful of time constraints. I took on fuel in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri and continued west. I checked into hotel then dropped off car in Columbia, Missouri barely within the 24 hour time limit for the rental. I walked to
Cheddar's restaurant for evening rations. I talked by phone with a friend of mine who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area but since relocated to central Missouri. He drives an airport shuttle between Columbia, Missouri and either MCI or STL. He was heading back from a run to MCI and was able to stop by the hotel I was staying and we had a brief visit at around midnight or a little after as it was raining lightly. I thought I might take that shuttle to MCI to get me to the Kansas City area if a trip was to originate out of there. I spent the night in Columbia, MO.
Thursday I ended up accepting a dispatch from Independence, KS to Houston, TX and a rental was set up and I ended up in the very same vehicle I dropped off the evening before. I took some pictures of downtown Columbia, MO before setting out. I had evening rations at
Dempsey's BBQ in Concordia, MO. Unleaded was 2.209$ per gallon at
Cenex in Concordia, MO. I ended up spending the night in Ottawa, KS.
Friday I made it the rest of the way to Independence, KS. There was a little snow but it did not stick. I made it to the shipper and loaded my gear into the truck and got a ride back to the truck then did the inspection and started the trip.
Trip: Independence, KS to Houston, TX 569 paid miles
Make: 2020 Hino
Model: Box Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Governed Speed: 66mph/106kph
Route: US75 to Oklahoma 11 to Interstate 244 to Interstate 44 to US75 to Interstate 45 to FM1960 to Texas 249
Maximum elevation: unknown
Highest diesel price USA: 2.999$ per gallon at Pilot Buffalo, TX
Lowest diesel price USA: 2.799$ per gallon at Akas Independence, KS
One thing about this truck was there was a driver-facing camera. So if a driver used his mobile phone while driving the company who owned the truck would know it. I got started and took on fuel first in Independence then later in Tulsa. It was cloudy but dry. I spent the night in Henryetta, OK.
Saturday the weather was better. I had a routine day. I made it into Texas and traffic moved well through Dallas. I spent the night in Ennis, TX.
Sunday I drove to and attended morning service at Ambassador Baptist Church in Ennis, TX. The message was on Haggai 1. I did not stay for the communion service as that church practices closed communion which means you have to be a member in good standing to partake. I got on the southbound 45 and took on fuel in Buffalo, TX. I had some trouble locating the exact building but attended evening service at Faith Independent Baptist Church in Conroe, TX. There were only a total of six people there. The message was on Second Kings chapter 19. Afterward I had evening rations at
Golden Corral in Conroe, TX. I spent the night in Houston, TX.
Monday I completed delivery in the Willowbrook section of northwest Houston. The place I delivered had very bad Internet reception so I was unable to order an uber. Finally I accepted a dispatch from Slidell, Louisiana to Yorktown, Virginia and a rental car to Slidell was set up and the rental car people came and picked me up. I fought traffic in the Houston area and had evening rations at
Potbelly's in Humble, TX. Later I took pictures of downtown Beaumont, TX. I continued into Louisiana and spent the night in Lafayette, LA