Phil Madsen's Blog
You Learn Something New Every Day
Phil and Diane Madsen live, work and play on the road; transporting expedited and critical-shipment freight in their custom-built truck. Phil's blog is a blend of travelogue, brain dump and commentary on road-inspired topics.
Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007 Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008 Aug 2008 Sep 2008 Oct 2008 Nov 2008
Monday, October 1, 2007. I learned today that real estate prices in the town where we own property are declining, that the market is slow and inventories are building. Learned by talking to our realtor. That fits with what we recently learned by talking to a realtor in Texas about property values there. It seems that real estate is crashing in some areas and slowing in many others. That is good news for us as we expect some very good buying opportunities to rise in the next year or so. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Tuesday, October 2, 2007. I learned today about Three Forks, Montana and the headwaters of the Missouri River. Learned as we drove by the town on a run from Texas to Washington. Intrigued by the name, I researched it online as Diane drove.
The three rivers that flow together and thereby begin the Missouri River were named by our friends Lewis and Clark. I call them our friends because we are getting to know these 19th Century explorers better and better as we continue to cross paths with them and learn of their deeds. They were not stupid. They named some of the rivers they found after the president and cabinet members in the administration that sponsored their expedition.
We have learned a lot about our country since we became expediters four years ago. We will know much more by the time we retire. I keep this blog partly to help us remember what we learn, and to relive the memories when we are on the road no more.
By the way, retirement is not a goal for us. It will be what we are forced to do when we are no longer young or healthy enough to drive a truck. We know 70-year-olds that are out there doing what we do now. We would consider ourselves the most fortunate of folks if we are able to work that long on the road. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Wednesday, October, 3, 2007. I learned today the life story (short version) of a woman from Belarus and her trucker husband, who is from Ukraine. Learned from the woman who told me the story as I was getting my hair cut. She was the stylist.
The two migrated to the U.S., knowing nothing about each other. They met in the U.S. and married. Having the Russian language in common, they speak that to each other at home. She is a career stylist. He has built up a seven-truck auto transport company. He drives one truck himself and hires others to drive the rest. She told me that he hauls high-end and collector cars but knew little about his business beyond that.
Diane and I think we are well-traveled and culturally aware. I did not feel so much so as I got my hair cut by a trilingual barber who's views of the world are more culturally aware than my own. The closest I am to bilingual is a goal to one day learn Spanish. It was a humbling experience, listening to this woman speak English to me and Russian to a friend of hers who was in the store. I was embarrassed that I knew virtually nothing about Belarus.
No matter how much reading and learning I complete, there will always be more to do. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Thursday, October 4, 2007. I Learned today more about FedEx Truckload Brokerage. Learned from talking to our Contractor Coordinator at FedEx Custom Critical. As contractors there (people who lease our truck to that carrier), we are assigned a Contractor Coordinator who we can call when we have questions or issues to resolve. My curiosity about FedEx Truckload Brokerage was prompted by comments made about it on the ExpeditersOnline.com Open Forum. Some people there seem to think this new FedEx activity will harm existing FedEx Custom Critical contractors. Having learned more about it, I do not believe it will.
FedEx Custom Critical has made many changes since Diane and I signed on with them four years ago. Whenever changes are made, no matter how large or small they may be, certain people rise on the Open Forum to proclaim it bad for contractors. Diane and I have not been harmed by any changes we have seen. We are doing better than ever with FedEx Custom Critical and are happy campers. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Friday, October 5, 2007. I learned today that shore power has been added to the Jubitz truck stop in Portland, Oregon. Learned after seeing it when we spent the night there. The shore power is provided by ShurePower. It is nice to see shore power showing up at truck stops. It is something we will happily make use of if it is available at a price that is less than running our generator.
We deadheaded to Portland from Spokane Washington after waiting there for a load offer. None came. That is our usual routine. If, while we are on a load, we are not pre-dispatched on the next load, we will wait for 24 hours in the area where we delivered the current load. If no load offers come our way, we move to the next best place to find freight. In this case, Portland was the next best place. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Saturday, October 6, 2007. I learned today what the inside of a Beechcraft King Air 350 looks like, and how small a helicopter engine can be. Learned from a tour received from an aircraft mechanic at a pickup we did in Portland, Oregon. We were at his location to pick up an engine. Seeing our interest, he happily provided a tour.
The plane impressed me less than the helicopter engine. The plane cost $7 million, yet it is so small you cannot even stand up in it. The bathroom, such as it was, is not something I would want to use. Our truck bathroom offers more. Still, it was fun to see something we had never seen before. Our guide said the aircraft is used to shuttle corporate executives.
Now the helicopter engine...that's different. It weighs just a few hundred pounds but delivers 650 HP. Our truck engine is much heavier and delivers only 435 HP. Though, I doubt that the helicopter engine will provide over one million miles of service like we expect our truck engine to do. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Sunday, October 7, 2007. I learned today (and yesterday) what California redwood trees look like. Learned by seeing them for the first time. With the load we were on, we had time to take a leisurely drive from Portland, Oregon to Los Angeles, California. The usual route would be I-5 the whole way down. Having time, and at the urging of a friend, we took a longer but more scenic route.
At Grant's Pass, Oregon, we turned off I-5 and took U.S.-199 toward the Pacific Ocean. At Crescent City, California, we picked up U.S.-101 and headed south. It is called the Redwood Highway for good reason. U.S.-101 route winds through several impressive redwood 
groves.
While it could have been a fantastic and inspirational ride, we were not in the mood. Something I also learned new today was how we feel about getting the job done when we are under load. While the freight has taken us to some magnificent places, we have never taken a scenic detour under load before, like we did today.
Normally, we would run straight down I-5 and arrive at the delivery with time to spare. This time, with time to spare, we took a scenic detour. The whole way, it ate at us that we were off the most direct route. California geography is such that once we were on U.S.-101, there is no easy way back to I-5, at least not right away. I felt trapped and wanted nothing more than to get back "on route." The scenery was spectacular but I wanted to be someplace else. The drive along narrow, winding, two-way stretches had scenic surprises around many turns. It would have been a fun drive, but I wanted to be someplace else.
There was absolutely nothing unethical or wrong with the detour. We are free to choose 
our routes. The shipper certainly was not concerned. We did not need to be in Los Angeles until Monday morning. Whichever route we took, we would be there in plenty of time. Any extra miles we would drive would be ours, not the shippers, to pay for.
Once committed to 101, we made the best of it. We took a couple-hundred pictures along the way and told ourselves this is a good learning experience for when we might return to the area as tourists or under a different load that brought us in. The trees posed in majestic fashion. Even the elk provided photo opportunities.
Still, when we have freight on board, we have freight on board. That is our focus and duty, we feel. Had the truck broke down, a rescue truck could be more easily sent if we were "on route." As nice as the drive was, it just didn't feel right. It felt better to arrive at the delivery in the city than to wind our way through some of the most spectacular trees in the world. Never again will we try to combine business with pleasure by taking a scenic detour.
So as to not end on a sour note, I can also say that if we had not been under load, I may well have been moved to tears by the beauty and majesty the Redwood Highway provides. There are several turnouts where a truck can be parked. There are several easy places to spend the night in a truck. The area is a worthy tourist destination to which we hope one day to return (but not under load).
Monday, October 8, 2007. I learned today that I can do a reasonably good workout in the sleeper of our truck as Diane drives. Learned by doing it.
We are on a run from Los Angeles, California to El Paso, Texas. We carry exercise equipment in the back of our truck and sometimes use it there. But lately, we have not been using it enough. Our weight is nicely down due to improved diet but, today especially, I was feeling out of shape. It's not like I'm in great shape to begin with. Today's in-truck, in-sleeper workout was nice in that we did not have to find extra time to do it.
This is new physical fitness technique for me. Like all the others, one must gin up the willpower to use it. Why is eating so easy and diet and exercise so hard? Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Tuesday, October 9, 2007. I learned today that Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California is not a berry farm at all but an amusement park (or theme park as they call it). Learned by driving by it on the way to a delivery in the area. I have heard the name here and there through the course of my life but never gave it a thought. Silly me ...believing something called a berry farm might actually be a berry farm. You learn something new every day. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Note to Readers: I got behind on my blog posts and am backfilling my entries as time permits. They are in my journal, just not posted here. I apologize.
I am gratified by the reader complaints I received when the blog posts stopped. It shows there are people out there reading and enjoying my blog. That was nice to learn. It gives me an incentive to keep posting.
Please see my January 31, 2008 entry for more info.