Happy Halloween!

I guess technically speaking Halloween is tomorrow but nowadays it's like a weekend thing, and this IS Saturday night. I am lying in bed watching Game 3 of the World Series - kind of a must win for the Rangers. I am a National League fan but pretty much despise the Giants because Barry Bonds played there. Guess I don't really care who wins.

I am in Belleville with my new trailer and I am EXTREMELY happy with it. It has required more repairs than I was expecting. I put three new tires on it in San Antonio before I left and then a fourth one today (it has eight). I planned on two. I replaced the plug for the wiring harness as expected but found numerous lights either missing or not working. The biggest problem though was the trailer brakes. I had none.

Because I could not get an inspection with these problems I decided to just bring it back here with-out getting a load. Combined with no license plates, it was just too risky to get stopped, not to mention the safety aspect with no trailer brakes. My pals at Lombardo Trailer here in Belleville got me all hooked up today. All I need is to get the inspection and then tags and I will be good to go. That should happen Monday.

This is a better quality trailer than my old one. And yet I think it is lighter because it sure seems to tow easier. It has to do with the torsion-tube design. It is also lower than my old one. I definitely like that. But it is exactly the same length and width - 27'+5 X 102". I like it alot and am excited to put a load on.

Also on Monday I have another driver to interview. This is a friend-of-a-friend thing so I'm hopeful. I figure if somebody is willing to refer someone else then that is a good sign of reliability. My optimism about the economy continues. There still seems to be alot of freight moving but you really have to be aggressive booking the good paying ones. He who hesitates looses. Which means it is going to be difficult for me to continue driving if I am going to also dispatch my drivers.

I'm not sure if this guy I'm meeting Monday has a trailer. I know he has a Ford F350. Last month I only drove about 3,000 miles because I didn't have a trailer to pull. Now I have a trailer but possibly adding another driver who may not have his own wagon.

I once read that there are only two ways to make money (legally). You can work for your money - get a job where someone pays you to do something - or you can make your money work for you - invest in something that pays a dividend. So I buy a trailer and let someone drag it around. Sounds good to me.

But I also like to travel. Especially with my bike. And I haven't done much of that since getting my own authority; in fact NONE. But as winter approaches this is not the best time to be traveling (I'm not a cold-weather person). So I guess I'll suck it up for the next four months or so and continue growing my business.

Besides, I saw another trailer on Ebay that I really like. But I need to replenish my cash before that happens.

DEAD-BEAT BROKER update: Bowers Trucking was the latest addendum to my slow-pay list. I spoke with them on Friday, week before last and was told the check had been mailed the prior Wednesday. Last Wednesday - a week since it had been 'mailed' - I still didn't have the check, called them again and they admitted it had NOT been mailed because nobody was around to sign it. The good news is, not only did they find someone to sign it but they also next-day aired the check to me. Oh well, better late than never.