York, PA – The first Madagascar load out

Sunrise in York- Tennis Court Lot

2011 York - View from the dock

the road to the docks

Well as you can see there was snow in York, but not like last year.  With all the talk on the news about the east coast snow storms we expected more snow.  But trust me we were not sorry that the drivers didn’t have to work around snow piles that may have impeded there ability to get down the streets and into the docks.

 Load out started at 8:00 am, so that meant call time was for 7:00 am and the waiting game began.  Vince and Jim, our lead driver from last year and owner of our tour mascot, Bo Bo,  left around 7:30 am to walk up to the Pullo Center which is on the Penn State at York campus. They walked up to the center to re-familiarize themselves with the road leading to the building and the dock area.  I joined the guys around 8:30 am and was glad to get the chance catch up with the other drivers and some of the crew from last year’s tour.  

Bo Bo - Our Tour Mascot

Around 11:30 am it was time for us to move to the dock and by noon our trailer was loaded with the merchandise cases.  However it wasn’t time to leave, but to return to the lot and hook up to another trailer.  Today there were a total of 6 trailers to be loaded.  For the tour there are four show to show trailers and one merchandise trailer. For this first load out a returns trailer was needed.  The returns trailer was loaded with additional equipment that the show will not need for the tour.  That equipment will be returned to the shops in New York and New Jersey.

Before we could hook up to the second trailer Vince needed to take a crow bar to the pile of ice and snow that some nice plow driver dumped in front of the trailer while clearing the lot.  As you can see from the picture of the tennis court parking lot the piles were pretty high and very icy, trust me.  After Vince’s first attempt to hook up to the trailer didn’t work I went out to help him with the mud flaps which needed to be curled up so they wouldn’t be pulled off the frame as the trailer went through the snow.  While Vince was working on the flaps I started hitting the ice with the crow bar and moving the snow.  As I was hitting the ice I realized I must have had some pent up frustration or anger because it felt great and was an excellent release for a day of sitting around.  Thankfully on Vince’s second attempt he was able to slide under the trailer.  So then it was time to wait once again.

From 1:30 pm until 4:30 pm we hung out in the truck in the tennis court parking lot.  In warmer weather we usually hang outside with the other drivers or explore the area but not in winter.  It is just too cold.  By 4:30 pm Vic, the lead driver for this year’s tour, called for us to head back to the dock.  This time electrics and audio equipment were loaded onto the trailer, and by 6:00 pm we were headed back to the parking lot.

 Since this was the first load out no trucks were released to go to Pittsburgh until all the trucks were loaded.  Sometimes things don’t always go as planned when loading the trucks so the crew didn’t want to take the chance of running out of space at the end and having no way of making adjustments.  Trust me we know first hand that this in fact can happen since we saw it happen on last year’s tour, so we understood the need for everyone to stay. By 7:30 pm all the trailers were loaded and it was time to head out. 

We are traveling with Jim and Bo Bo and have stopped for the night at a service plaza on the Pennsylvania turnpike about 150 miles east of Pittsburgh.  Of course, just like the rest of the Midwest we are about to deal with the predictions for snow and ice for tomorrow.  Since there would be no parking for the trucks this late at night at any service plazas or truck stops as we got closer to Pittsburgh, the guys knew we couldn’t go on into or near the city tonight.  So Vince and Jim will have to deal with road conditions in the morning and since the predictions have varied regarding the time and types of precipitation it should be interesting. We will just have to see how things shake out and what Mother Nature sends us.  This will be my first time being in the truck during any type of ice storm so I’m sure I will have a story or two.  But as you know the trucks need to be there by Wednesday at 7:00 am because the show must go on. I promise to keep you posted.

Vince in the dock

On our way!

York 2010 - Taken from the dock area - Can't wait to see how high the pile is this year!

Vince and I are finally on our way after loading up the truck with all my stuff and our groceries.  Have I mentioned lately how much I love the bigger refrigerator?  Every time we head out I swear I’m not going to over pack and usually I don’t.  But this time I may have over done it. Every nook and cranny is definitely filled with my clothes, shoes, magazines, computer and a vase (hey Valentine’s day is coming you can’t blame a girl for being prepared). I am blaming the over packing on the extra space.  When I told Vince I was sorry for taking up so much room he simply replied “you know what that means?  we need a bigger truck”.  He is such a guy sometimes and I so love him for it.  He always goes with the flow and never cares how much space I take up.

We are at a Flying J in Smithton, PA for the night and will head to York tomorrow.  I can’t wait to see how much snow York has this year, because as you can see they had plenty last year.  The streets are very narrow in York anyways, then throw in a lot of snow and getting the trucks through can become really tricky.  We are looking forward to catching up with our friends tomorrow and Monday.  Then it is time to load out so be sure to check back in on Monday cause we are about to “get the show on the road”. 

York 2010 - Snow was piled  high last year! Betting this year will be higher!

Could you live with your spouse in this semi truck that has a shower?

As the excitement of returning to the road next week builds for me, I was thinking about how different things will be this year with the new truck.   Last year we existed in a space the size of our bathroom, this year it is more like our kitchen.  It really is wonderful to have the extra space but many people have told me they can’t imagine how we live together in that small an area for days on end.  For us it is easy and actually great fun, but I know it’s not for everyone.

Before we head out I wanted to share pictures of the new truck to give you a better visual of our living space.  As well as share some information about the truck and Vince’s hours of service.

• The dimensions of the living area of the truck are:  94” length x 82” width x 84”  height (those dimensions are probably bigger than your bathroom but not your kitchen, remember that we will live in that area close to 24 hours a day and will do so for 28 days. Also Vince will live in that space approximately 296 days this year

• Our water tank holds 40 gallons plus a 10 gallon hot water tank which is usually good for two showers each and four days of household and hygiene tasks (washing dishes and teeth brushing).  Can you take a shower with a 10 gallon tank?  Trust me it takes conservation. Also winter can be a tough time to find water so we may end up showering in the truck stops

• The size of the fuel tanks are 140 gallons each and diesel is currently running approximately $3.40 a gallon ( I will let you do the math and bet you will think about that cost the next time you are at a gas pump)

• Vince can drive 11 hours in a 14 hour period and then must take a 10 hour break.

• Most of our driving is overnight when Vince is on tour because shows load out in the evening after the last show and we are usually expected either the next day or day after in the next city for an early morning load in. (Adjusting to the nocturnal life is always tricky for me so stay tuned)

I can’t wait to take you with us on this adventure.  Our first stop is York, PA where “Madagascar” will begin its tour of the country.  The first move is always interesting because it is the first time the crew has to figure out how to load everything into the trucks.  If you have ever moved you know how tricky loading a truck can be, now imagine trying to load four semis - it takes a lot of geometry and luck.

All this information may prompt some questions; if so please post them in the comment section and I will be happy answer them.  You never know others may be wondering the same thing.  

 

Vince’s Homicidal Thought Moment

Happy New Year!

Currently, I am home working at an administrative temp job for two weeks, because honestly after years of working, the not working while at home thing started to make me crazy.  Not working at the beginning was fun, but it just wasn’t me.  The temp assignments are great because they are never longer than two weeks, keep my business skills sharp and allow me some much needed socialization.  The rest of this month will involve running Mom’s quarterly doctor appointments and preparing to join Vince at the end of the month on his new tour.  I am sure there will be plenty of stories to share as we head out to join up with this year’s drivers and crew.

Meanwhile, Vince headed out this week for Minneapolis then heads toward Charlotte tonight on a “spot move”. Spot moves are when drivers move shows that are too big to have individual drivers assigned to them all the time, like “Wicked”, “Lion King”. As he left I remembered that I had promised to share all of our previous homicidal thought moments especially what I believe to be Vince’s moment, so here you go.

In April, 2009, after a great week of dinners and touring with family in Atlanta, we traveled northeast and dropped our “Happy Days” trailer in a parking lot across from the venue in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The show wasn’t due to go into the theatre for another week, so when this occurs the trailers are just dropped in a lot.   We were next headed to Harrisburg for a quick stop before a big trip from Boston to LA.  We decided since there was no big hurry, we would stop at a truck stop in Virginia for fuel and dinner.  After dinner we would decide whether we would stay there or travel 75 miles up the road to a truck stop near the border of Virginia and Pennsylvania. 

As we entered the truck stop to eat an ominous feeling that I couldn’t explain came over me.  You know that feeling you get that something is seriously not right.  Initially I thought the feeling would pass, but as dinner went on, it got worse and I just knew I couldn’t stay there for the night.

 Over the years I have found that not ignoring these feelings has served me well. These feelings have helped me avoid bad situations and once even helped me prepare for an unexpected and shocking death.  But just as I came to the conclusion that I did not want to stay there, Vince stated he thought he had a fever and may be getting a cold.  I looked at him and blurted out “but we aren’t staying here right?  We are going to go on?”  My husband looked at me as if to say, did you not just hear what I said?  I knew what the look meant, but I just started rambling on that I just couldn’t stay there, that I had this feeling I couldn’t explain and I wanted to go.  The way he looked at me made me believe he was having a homicidal thought.

However, being the great husband that he is, Vince agreed to head up the road the additional 75 miles.  Now I did ask him if he was sure he felt up to it and he assured me he was.  But, I’m not sure what I would have done if he said he really didn’t feel up to it, and thankfully we will never know. Don’t get me wrong I felt bad that I wasn’t being more compassionate to my husband but I could not stay there and to this day I don’t know why. 

The trip to the next truck stop was uneventful and thankfully we were able to easily get a parking spot, because trust me if that hadn’t happened this moment may have escalated. When we arrived at the truck stop I felt comfortable, happy and relieved.  Although Vince swears he didn’t have any negative thoughts about moving on.  I know the look I got was not the loving understanding one I usually get when I ask him for a favor, but the one I get when he is really not happy with me.

Phantom - Seattle – How Do You Hit A 53 Foot Trailer?

Phantom wrapped trailer parked in Seattle

“Phantom’s” next run was scheduled in Seattle.  The trailers in a show are designated as either show-to-show or advanced trailers.  The first part of our dispatch was to take a show-to -show trailer to Seattle.  When we arrived in Seattle two of the other drivers were already parked on the street next to the theatre.  Vince parked in front of the loading area since our trailer was one of the first to be unloaded. 

As we pulled up I saw and could hear some homeless people.  Once we got parked we noticed that the men on the street were yelling back and forth to each other.  I asked if we could move. Now don’t misunderstand, homeless people don’t bother me.  I worked as a volunteer coordinator at a homeless shelter and consider it the most rewarding job I have ever had.  My problem was their yelling back was definitely going to prevent me from going to sleep and as I have shared sleeping was still difficult in the truck.  Vince assured me it would be fine, but then something bounced off the truck and I began complaining loudly. So Vince moved us over with the other guys on the side street, more so he would not have to listen to me, not because of the guys on the street.

About 30 minutes after we got settled and were just drifting off there was a knock at the door.  It was Jeff, the lead driver asking us to move back to our previous spot.  He and Joe had staged other trailers near the dock and reported that the homeless had moved on so he wanted us in place.  Vince, by this time, was probably having his own homicidal thoughts toward everyone involved; me, the homeless, Jeff since all he wanted to do was get some sleep. He is too nice and patient a person to admit he was having those thoughts, but he did do some serious ranting about just wanting to get some sleep as he changed his clothes and put on his shoes.  I had already learned that when these moments occur my saying something usually didn’t help, so I remained silent.

The morning brought a very long day of loading in the show.  It takes as long if not longer to put a show of this size into a theatre, as it does to take it out.  Trailers line both sides of the streets around the theatre and there is always a truck in the dock. That afternoon we were standing around with the guys entertaining me with stories, when all of the sudden we heard a popping sound like glass breaking.  We assumed someone had dropped something while unloading.  Since a laundry basket had already fallen off the curb and traveled several feet across the street, we knew the sound of breaking glass wouldn’t be unusual. But that was not the case, because as we looked toward the street we saw a car pull over and stop.  It was then that we also noticed glass on the ground next to the Phantom wrapped trailer.  The wrapped trailer as seen above has a picture advertising the show.  As a side note it is always fun to have a wrapped trailer because people wave and smile as they pass us on the road.

Well apparently the woman driving the car had pulled between or was thinking she would pull between the two trailers to wait for her friend.  Now remember the street is marked no parking and the space between the trailers which you can’t see in the picture had a hydrant, so there was no way she should have been there.  She either aborted her attempt to go between the trailers or decided to move to the corner to pick up her friend and hit the corner of the wrapped trailer with her passenger side windshield. She not only popped the windshield, but also both passenger side windows and put a serious crease in the frame on the passenger side.  Now I ask you how do you hit the trailer to begin with and be going so fast that you cause that much damage to the car?  The show representatives and Jeff looked at the trailer and there was no damage, but we have no idea how she explained this incident to her husband or insurance company.

We left Seattle at 7:00 pm that evening headed back to Portland to pick up an advance trailer needed in Spokane.  Advanced trailers go to the show’s next scheduled city.  Sometime prior to the shows scheduled run in that city the advance trailers, that carry things like lighting and scenery, are unloaded due to the time it takes to put these items up.

Dirt Devils on the way to Spokane

 Our trip to Spokane through the northern portion of Oregon was beautiful.  After Spokane we were sent back to Seattle to pick up an empty trailer then headed to a Disney park to pick up lighting equipment that needed to be returned to the east coast.  On the trip from Spokane to Seattle we found this wonderful pull off along the Columbia River that was breathtaking.  It was nice because not all scenic view locations allow semis but since we where bobtail we were able to pull in and explore the area.  The thing that struck me the most about the stop was that there were many other people there, but it was so quiet.  In this day of cell phones which seems to lead to constant chatter, it was incredibly quiet since people were whispering and talking in low tones, which was wonderful.  The views were beautiful and I felt a great sense of calm.  A young woman who was there with her family offered to take the picture below.  It was so nice to get a picture of the two of us at this breathtaking spot.  Later as we explored the area, Vince reminded me of little boy exploring the rocks.  As I snapped pictures of him I thought how great it was that he could get out of the truck and enjoy nature.  I also thought about how if I wasn’t with him, he probably wouldn't have stopped at such a wonderful sight.

Vince and Joan at the Columbia River Gorge

Vince looking down into the Columbia River Gorge

Vince roaming the Columbia River Gorge

Our trip to Anaheim was uneventful and after a quick loading of the trailer we headed east.  Unfortunately time was a factor on this trip as Vince needed to get this trailer back to the east coast by the end of the week.  So there was no time for sightseeing.  While the trip was beautiful, we basically rode for hours, slept, got up and did it all over again.  When we reached Ohio it was time for me to get out of the truck to care for my mom.  I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful brother and sister-in-law, John and Elaine who share with me the responsibilities of caring for our mother. So after my first two week whirlwind trip through eleven states it was time to get out of the truck and adjust back to home life.

Phantom of the Opera – My First Rodeo

Vince working on his log book at Jubitz

Jubitz

 

As 2010 comes to a close, I thought I would pay tribute to my all time favorite show that poetically was also my first rodeo, “Phantom of the Opera”.  The curtain came down on “Phantom” for the final time last October. Since I will not be able to share stories about this great show in the future, my next two postings are a tribute to the show’s crews, especially its lead driver Jeff, who made sure that the show, always went on.  

       

On a Saturday in September 2008, we arrived at the Jubitz truck stop in Portland.  The Jubitz truck stop is one of the nicest in the country.  I was still finishing up my MBA on- line so I needed to get a paper submitted by Sunday. So while Vince slept I decided to multi task by going to the Laundromat to do laundry while working on my paper.  I was surprised how well I was able to concentrate in such a noisy public setting, because my paper was finished by the time the clothes hit the dryer.

 That evening we had to move trailers down to the streets of downtown Portland for the Sunday night load out.  “Phantom” was approximately 17-19 trailers so we joined five other drivers, to hook up to trailers and like a convoy head to downtown Portland.  It was fascinating to see how the drivers understood where to position their trailer along the streets, since I was totally confused.  After the first set was in place everyone returned to Jubitz to pick up a second set of trailers to do it all over again before returning to Jubitz for the night.  What I didn’t understand at that time was that I really needed to appreciate that night’s sleep.

On Sunday, we slept in and then later took a nap. But, I just couldn’t get into sleeping during the day. I figured I didn’t need to worry about sleeping.  The night wasn’t going to be that long, right?  When we arrived at the theatre that night I got to meet some of the other drivers.  I met Dennis aka OD and Joe.  As we stood around getting acquainted and listening to the political banter between the two of them, OD suddenly asked me if this was my first rodeo.  I said “yes” and they started laughing.  I mean that laugh you didn’t think your answer should solicit.  I thought why are they laughing? How long can this load out really be? 

We were positioned next to the theatre and even though there were signs for no parking there was a car parked in front of us.  After the show started in the theatre, our show began when a tow truck pulled up next to the illegally parked car and within two minutes the tow truck driver had the car pulled away from the curb.  He then took the car up the street, attached little axles and wheels underneath it and away he went.  Please know that when you go to a show you need to abide by the parking laws, because when the show is at the end of its run, it needs to go. All the trucks must be in position and ready to load, since the show opens in the next city in only a day or two.

As is the standard for most load outs within a half hour of the curtain coming down the crews begin loading the trucks.  In order to load out in Portland the show blocked off a couple streets and brought in overhead lights to help the crew see as they loaded multiple trucks at the same time.  They started on our trailer around 12:30 am so I thought wow that’s not bad we will be out of here soon, but as I mentioned they were loading three other trailers at the same time.  After getting into position, we got out of the truck and I was introduced to more drivers.  There I got to really see how big a production it was when I saw the crews pushing out boxes and fork lifts moving big pieces of equipment to all four trucks at the same time.

By 2:00 am the cold damp night air caught up with me so we headed back to the truck.  I was hungry so we fixed sandwiches which I hoped would help me fight the tiredness.  But the warmth of the truck led to a sleepy feeling that I couldn’t fight, so I put the bed down.  After I got comfortable on the bed, still in my clothes because after all this was just a nap, Jeff, the lead driver stopped by to say there was food in the theatre.  Vince was ready to go, but there was no way I was getting out of the truck.  He asked me if I was sure.  I could tell he wanted me to go, but falling out of the truck or sitting with my head on the table seemed too embarrassing this early in the game, after all I had just met these guys, so I declined. 

After Vince left, I turned the TV on since I just needed to doze a little and the TV would keep me apprised of the time by the changing of the shows.  Well, it advised me that it was 4:00 am, then 6:00 am when the morning news show started, but it didn’t matter I went right back to sleep each time.  In the meantime, Vince had been back and forth checking to see if I was moving, which I was not.  Soon, the truck started up and we were on our way back to Jubitz.  I thought great we are done, but no we were only to drop this trailer then head back to the theatre to pick up a second trailer.  To even my surprise by the time we headed back for the second trailer I was actually in my seat, but trust me I was not really quite with it.

When we got back to Jubitz with the second trailer, which this time meant only about a half hour wait on the street before the trailer was loaded. However, keep in mind the total time for the load out was 11+ hours.   Now I was awake and inquiring about breakfast.  Keep in mind Vince had been awake the whole time, so this may have been his first homicidal moment, but he would never admit it. Despite being tired, he agreed to breakfast so off we went to the restaurant for breakfast then we returned to the truck so that Vince could sleep.  The funniest part was I slept just as long as he did that morning into the afternoon.  I guess I finally adjusted to sleeping during the day.

As you might imagine it is tough to take pictures of a night load out, However the show’s next stop was Seattle. As you can see from the picture below we made it there and were able to get pictures and a story or two from that load in.  So next up – the Seattle load in.

Homicidal Thought Moment - The Grease Gun Incident

As promised here is my homicidal thought moment from our winter 2009 trip. It is one of my favorite moments and occurred on our trip from Dallas when we stopped at a truck stop in Prescott Arkansas for dinner. As we were getting out of the truck I asked if we could get a walk in before heading down the road.  Since we sit a lot in the truck I like for us to get walks in every chance we can.  Vince said we could get a “quick” one in after dinner.  So I decided to hide my purse behind/under my seat so that we could walk right after dinner. 

During dinner Vince shared with me that he also wanted to grease my seat before we left because it was making a squeaking sound that was driving him crazy.  I have found that sounds in our home drive me crazy and don’t bother Vince at all. While sounds in the truck drive Vince nuts and I don’t even notice them.  I was a little annoyed with him that he didn’t seem to want to get the walk in but he had time to get the grease gun out.

After dinner we got a few laps in and then I sent Vince back to the truck to mess with the seat while I went to the bathroom.  Mess being a word that so fit the events that followed.  As I returned to the truck I found Vince at the passenger side working on the seat.  I asked him if he moved my purse and he stated it wasn’t necessary for where he was working. 

Shortly after I arrived at the truck my phone started to ring and as you may recall, I had hid my purse which had my phone clipped to the outside of it, under my seat.  From the ring we could tell it was Elizabeth so Vince asked me if I wanted my phone.  Now he is standing there with latex gloves on that have grease on them and a grease gun in his hand, did he really think I wanted him touching my phone?  I told him no I would call her back.

So Vince went back to work and we talked as he worked.  Everything was going fine all the way up to when Vince checked his work.  At that moment he began swearing, yes as the joke would go like a truck driver. I thought he must have got grease on the floor of the truck, which I knew would upset him because he keeps the truck very clean.  I asked him what was wrong and he told me there was grease on my purse and phone.  To which I replied very loudly “you better be kidding”, to which he replied just as loudly “no I’m not”. 

When he pulled my purse out so I could see it, I went from calm to livid in seconds because there was and I am not exaggerating a ball of grease, between the size of golf ball and a baseball sitting across my phone and purse.  I asked him what I should do and he told me to get in on the driver’s side, grab paper towels and wipe it off.  All the way around the truck I kept thinking why didn’t he move the purse if he knew he was working right by it, all while emitting a string of cuss words, that in the spirit of the season greatly resembled Ralphie’s dad in the Christmas story.  I climbed in the truck and grabbed the towels to start wiping the phone and purse.  The phone cover and purse reeked of grease and again I was thinking how hard would it have been to just move the purse? However, I must say the leather cover over the phone, slide off way easier than any other time I had removed it.

As you might imagine there was a great deal of tension between us at that moment. So Vince finished up actually greasing the seat while I cleaned the phone and purse in silence.  After he finished he just got into the truck and we just belted in to head up the road.  As we were leaving the truck stop I decided to return Elizabeth’s call since there wasn’t going to be any conversation in the truck. 

Although I was really mad at Vince, I didn’t let on to Elizabeth that anything was wrong.  As Elizabeth and I talked I recalled our conversation from the previous night.  Elizabeth was upset about something that had happened at work and I reminded her of advice I had gotten from a co-worker many years ago.  My co-worker had asked me when I got upset about something if anyone had died.  Of course in my case and in Elizabeth’s no one had and like me, Elizabeth calmed down.  I have found that this question always puts things into perspective and reminds me that I need to not get upset about little things. I immediately realized that no one had died because grease got on my phone and purse and that actually no real damage had occurred either.  I needed to not be upset with Vince and to just move on.  However, I must confess that I did laugh, on the inside of course, when as we pulled out of the truck stop Vince had a mini fit of cussing and hitting the steering wheel because, my seat was still squeaking.