Took my first load of Red-Dye diesel last night. I had to go from the rack in Phoenix to the Navajo Generating Station in Page, AZ. 284 miles one-way.

Came in an hour late, after sleeping off the Kingman fiasco the night before. Loaded the truck at Kinder-Morgan and headed up the hill toward Flagstaff. Nice trip...lots of slow going though. Turned down Mercedes engines don't like hills. Made it to Page and then to the power station. The escort took me right through the middle of the station. It was like driving down an alley with no walls...just steel beams and tubes and stuff on either side. LOUD! Kinda scary being in the belly of the beast. Cool though. Not many people get to see something like that.

The plant had a pump to get the fuel off. And it had four hoses so I could drain all 4 compartments at once. Sweet! Quick work and then back to Phoenix. What do you mean this truck will only go 400 miles on a tank of fuel...downhill with a good tailwind?! Limped back into Flagstaff on fumes and fueled at a CFN station. Left Phoenix at 18:50 and didn't get back until 8:30 in the morning. But it was Saturday morning so there was not much traffic. Cool weather and nice scenery in the dawn light.

What a night. Rolled out of the yard at 17:15, loaded and headed for Kingman with a load of gas for the T/A up there. Made it to Wickenburg and picked up a nail in a drive tire. Had to wait 4 hours to get it fixed. They couldn't get hold of the tire shop in Wickenburg so they sent a tire repair truck from Phoenix (90miles). I didn't get back until after 6:00am! I'm going in late tonight! I need my sleep. 

I hate TAs! Actually I hate WalMart DCs worse. Made one trip to the TA in Eloy last night. We have to scale in and out. Wouldn't want them to miss out on a single ounce of fuel. 

And then off to the WalMart Distribution Center in Buckeye. This one is a beaut. After unloading, we have to sit and wait for 30 minutes before we can leave. This is to allow the fuel to settle. Never seen diesel need to settle. The readings before the 30 minute period and after have always been the same. Waste of time...and usually late at night (last load, etc).