So, here I am in Miami again. I must say that I certainly prefer the Texas heat if given a choice. The moisture and humidity definitely makes a difference... although honestly it isn't that bad as I'm writing this.
I've gone about 2200 miles in the last three days which is a pretty busy schedule. I'm waiting on a re-load right now that'll bring me to Ohio... about 1300 miles... by Monday. Can't complain. I'm going to take it easy today for the most part because I'd like to stop early and have a hot meal and a shower.
I have EZ-Pass in my truck that works ALMOST everywhere... but doesn't work on the Florida Turnpike. So unfortunately that means I'm shelling out cash out of my own pocket for the tolls and then getting reinbursed. The good thing is that this is pretty rare. Here... the Kansas Turnpike... Indiana Turnpike (which I never take anyhow, honestly). Not that big of a deal since the EZ-Pass usually covers me but yesterday I spent $37.75. I'll be leaving Florida via I-95 the whole way though so getting out wont cost me anything.
Yesterday when I was just north-west of Orlando I went through a wicked thunderstorm. Certainly not uncommon Florida summer weather. It was pretty cool... there was sheets of water falling and even some small hail. Some morons really don't know how to drive in bad weather conditions however. Newsflash for everyone... you really should NOT be driving with your hazard lights on. Doing so means you cannot signal your lane-changing intentions. Assuming you have your headlights on that is perfectly sufficient for bad weather. Save your hazard lamps for when you're broken down on the shoulder.
Other cars were practically stopped on the highway. In the travel lanes. What the fuck? If you don't have enough confidence to drive in the rain that's fine... PULL OVER. Don't fucking stop in the middle of the road. I can't emphasize how stupid and dangerous that is.
I'd really like to see the implementation of periodic license testing. As things stand now, you take a driver's ed. class when you're a teenager and are pretty much done for life. That's a huge mistake. Every time your license is up for renewal you should have to re-test the written portion. I'm not necessarily advocating a road-test every time because it would be a huge budgetary thing and we certainly don't need MORE reasons for delays and bullshit at the DMV. But frankly, license tests are largely computerized now anyhow and if someone has to spend 5 minutes every 6 years to prove they're not completely ignorant to the rules of the road I think that is reasonable.
Reviews for "Miami Vice" the movie are luke-warm. I guess that's about what I would have expected. There was something groundbreaking and magical about the series twenty years ago (putting aside some of the requisite 80's cheese factor). But to expect everything to be re-captured in a couple of hours on the big screen with different actors two decades later... yeah... that's a longshot. I'll see it anyway though.
EDIT: Here's my weekend itinerary in case anyone is actually curious about such things...
This morning I went from St. Lucie, FL to Miami. Hung around there for a number of hours making a delivery and getting a reload. Decided that as long as I got out of the city area in time to avoid rush-hour I'd give myself an easy day. So I am back in St. Lucie now freshly fed and showered. The shower was much needed because I didn't get one yesterday. See... there are really no truck stops closer to Miami than here (about two hours north). I know of one small one right in town but it's not worth going to for a number of reasons... believe me. Anyhow, by the time I got here yesterday it was going to be too late to find parking. That's a big problem in many areas, here included. During the week if you aren't into a parking space by mid-afternoon you can pretty much forget about it. So instead I just slept in the turnpike service plaza. No shower, but I got a full night's sleep. Anyhow... now on my way out I got here early. Plus Friday officially counts as weekend and parking and trucking in general is much easier on weekends.
Tomorrow I'll get up around 6'ish. Possibly have breakfast and then proceed up I-95 out of Florida, through Georgia, into South Carolina where I'll take I-26 west and then I-77 north. I'll stop for the night in Rock Hill, SC where there is a lovely new Flying J and the fuel is dirt cheap.
Sunday I'll drive from Rock Hill, SC to Sunbury, OH following I-77 north through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, into Ohio and then I-70 west. Monday morning I'll get up early and drive the couple more hours to Fostoria, Ohio where my delivery is. It's mostly back-road driving from Columbus to there without anywhere good to stop which is why I'll end Sunday nearly 85 miles away from my final destination.
I've gone about 2200 miles in the last three days which is a pretty busy schedule. I'm waiting on a re-load right now that'll bring me to Ohio... about 1300 miles... by Monday. Can't complain. I'm going to take it easy today for the most part because I'd like to stop early and have a hot meal and a shower.
I have EZ-Pass in my truck that works ALMOST everywhere... but doesn't work on the Florida Turnpike. So unfortunately that means I'm shelling out cash out of my own pocket for the tolls and then getting reinbursed. The good thing is that this is pretty rare. Here... the Kansas Turnpike... Indiana Turnpike (which I never take anyhow, honestly). Not that big of a deal since the EZ-Pass usually covers me but yesterday I spent $37.75. I'll be leaving Florida via I-95 the whole way though so getting out wont cost me anything.
Yesterday when I was just north-west of Orlando I went through a wicked thunderstorm. Certainly not uncommon Florida summer weather. It was pretty cool... there was sheets of water falling and even some small hail. Some morons really don't know how to drive in bad weather conditions however. Newsflash for everyone... you really should NOT be driving with your hazard lights on. Doing so means you cannot signal your lane-changing intentions. Assuming you have your headlights on that is perfectly sufficient for bad weather. Save your hazard lamps for when you're broken down on the shoulder.
Other cars were practically stopped on the highway. In the travel lanes. What the fuck? If you don't have enough confidence to drive in the rain that's fine... PULL OVER. Don't fucking stop in the middle of the road. I can't emphasize how stupid and dangerous that is.
I'd really like to see the implementation of periodic license testing. As things stand now, you take a driver's ed. class when you're a teenager and are pretty much done for life. That's a huge mistake. Every time your license is up for renewal you should have to re-test the written portion. I'm not necessarily advocating a road-test every time because it would be a huge budgetary thing and we certainly don't need MORE reasons for delays and bullshit at the DMV. But frankly, license tests are largely computerized now anyhow and if someone has to spend 5 minutes every 6 years to prove they're not completely ignorant to the rules of the road I think that is reasonable.
Reviews for "Miami Vice" the movie are luke-warm. I guess that's about what I would have expected. There was something groundbreaking and magical about the series twenty years ago (putting aside some of the requisite 80's cheese factor). But to expect everything to be re-captured in a couple of hours on the big screen with different actors two decades later... yeah... that's a longshot. I'll see it anyway though.
EDIT: Here's my weekend itinerary in case anyone is actually curious about such things...
This morning I went from St. Lucie, FL to Miami. Hung around there for a number of hours making a delivery and getting a reload. Decided that as long as I got out of the city area in time to avoid rush-hour I'd give myself an easy day. So I am back in St. Lucie now freshly fed and showered. The shower was much needed because I didn't get one yesterday. See... there are really no truck stops closer to Miami than here (about two hours north). I know of one small one right in town but it's not worth going to for a number of reasons... believe me. Anyhow, by the time I got here yesterday it was going to be too late to find parking. That's a big problem in many areas, here included. During the week if you aren't into a parking space by mid-afternoon you can pretty much forget about it. So instead I just slept in the turnpike service plaza. No shower, but I got a full night's sleep. Anyhow... now on my way out I got here early. Plus Friday officially counts as weekend and parking and trucking in general is much easier on weekends.
Tomorrow I'll get up around 6'ish. Possibly have breakfast and then proceed up I-95 out of Florida, through Georgia, into South Carolina where I'll take I-26 west and then I-77 north. I'll stop for the night in Rock Hill, SC where there is a lovely new Flying J and the fuel is dirt cheap.
Sunday I'll drive from Rock Hill, SC to Sunbury, OH following I-77 north through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, into Ohio and then I-70 west. Monday morning I'll get up early and drive the couple more hours to Fostoria, Ohio where my delivery is. It's mostly back-road driving from Columbus to there without anywhere good to stop which is why I'll end Sunday nearly 85 miles away from my final destination.
btw, the first comment didn't get "lost", I still read it