Looping around Indiana

Wednesday night on our way to Elkhart we passed through South Bend. Last night we ended back up in South Bend. After unloading in Elkhart we waited, then waited, then waited more. It really wasn't that long, about 2 hours. The morning was fruitful though. Seemed in Elkhart we could not get any TV signals. While we were on TAH I had picked up the new Digital to Analog converter. While waiting I hooked it up and voila, there they were. All of the TV stations there have already switched. We got all the stations great - cost $9 plus tax after the rebate. Not bad, we may even be able to dump the satellite dish.

Cathie, my DBL, had called and said she had 3 loads, all short and which would I like. Nice of her to inquire. In the end, she decided to wait and see if something better came up. While waiting I sent her a QC note just to give us anything, to get moving.

So she gives us this little w/a to deadhead over to Albion - 45 miles and pick up 1 pallet and take it to Ft. Wayne - 45 miles. Not too much in that. Apologetically, she says the load was given to someone else that couldn't get there in time. This load was time critical for p/u - all GM loads are. Anyway she says she find us a good mileage one after. En route to Albion it comes through. After Ft. Wayne we are to head for a pickup at 100o in South Bend and take it to Laredo, TX - 1408 miles. Now that's a good one. Hence the reason back in South Bend. So this morning we'll fuel and shower and maybe "something" else. Then we'll head for Texas, which is great timing since that snow storm is headed this way fast.

Indiana is an interesting amalgam of farming, industry and people. We passed through the Nippersink area of Amish which is always exciting to see.

Thinking ahead we figure to get 300 miles in today, then 550 on Sat and Sun and be in Laredo Sunday evening, in time for Teresa to see The Amazing Race. Typically it's not quick to get a load out of Laredo, which works well so she can also see Dancing Monday night. Although the last time we were in Laredo we got a fast one out. You never really know. Anyway we have our plan, we'll see how it works out.

You may recall that about a month ago I wrote that Schneider had stopped all pay raises for 2009. Turns out I got mine. For enquiring minds I'll let you know. Now we get .37 cents a mile which means a 550 mile day earns us $203.50 which takes about 9 hours. That's about $22 per hour of driving, about 1/4 of what we used to make. That works out fine since we have no house payment, car payment, utilities and so on. We still put 20 percent away in my 401k. I'm not sure why since we lost over $200,000 the last year in our old ones. It's still the right thing to do though and I'm REASONABLY sure in the next 10 years most of it will return, so we're not getting out.

And what other job can you have that you spend 24/7 together like we do ? We really do like it, and each other !!!