01/28/20

I needed to get out for moment so I turned on the app.  Within 5 minutes I had a request.

Picked up some ladies at Moonshine in Avery Ranch.  A conversation about some of the shows they had all been to broke out.  That conversation then focused down to Bon Jovi and the timelessness of the band.  I had to interject myself into the conversation and share my exposure as well.  Bon Jovi and Ratt, probably about 1984 or 85 ish.  Fun conversation.

01/26/20

I was picking up in Pearson Place at Avery Ranch.  The destination popped up and in one of those moments of random and unexplained outbursts, I blurted out COAST TO COAST MOPAC STYLE!  The trip appeared to be from one end of Mopac to the other which is what prompted the outburst.  Of course as we got closer to the destination and the map was zoomed in more, I could see that we weren't even going to make it to Slaughter.  Fortunately for me there is not a way for rhe rider to select "dork" when they rate the ride.

01/23/20

Many of the posts that I have left begin with an insinuated expression of joy for a trip that is going downtown.  Today, upon picking up the riders and seeing where the trip was going, I cringed at the downtown destination.  It was still early enough in the evening that traffic was going to be horrendous.  The riders were aware of that and away we went.  With the exception of short sections of 183 and Mopac, it was horrendous.  It was like the beginning of the movie Office Space without the old guy and his walker.  Instead of the old man, there was a more sinister critter making light of my lack of velocity that I was experiencing.  There were several times I looked out the window to see a skinny mosquito-looking insect flying up and down and all around.  It would zip ahead of me slightly and then zip back to the window.  I think I could actually see its eyes looking at me with an expression of "c'mon slow poke.  Is that all you got?"  Then it would fly ahead only to return and look at me again with an expression of, WTF dude.  I hope I splattered his skinny little butt all over my windshield once I finally got up to speed.

Once I dropped the riders off at Terry Black's BBQ, I immediately put in my home address to start working my way back home.  Before I even made it back to Mopac I received another request and although it took me to the south, the rider was heading north taking me about halfway home.  The app was directing me along one path and the map was showing another path.  By the time I figured out what was going on I had passed the exit and then it corrected itself leaving me on a path to be taking the rider on a longer ride.  I apologized to the rider and explained what had happened.  She strongly assured me that all was fine and that I should not worry about it but I was determined to put forth some form of an effort to fix the error.  I came up with the idea to turn on Google Maps and plug the destination address in to there.  Once that was done and Google Maps was tracking my location and directing me to the destination, I completed the ride on the Uber app so it would stop charging the rider.  I had explained to her what I was up to and she again told me that I should not worry about it.  I did it anyway and at the drop off let her know what I had done and apologized again.  As I was about to get onto the ramp to 183 from Lamar I noticed a tip had been posted.  It was from the rider and the tip made up any of the savings that I had gained her.  I smiled and stated out loud that she definitely wanted me to know that she was okay with the issue that had occured.

I made it home without any more requests and turned off the app, missing out on a $3.00 bonus by getting 1 more ride.  It could have easily been a $150 night but I am beat down for the day.

01/11/20

So I discovered that Corsicana does have Uber coverage via the Waco area.  I turned on the app to start grabbing the rides but after an hour, there had been NOTHING.  I turned on the rider app to see how many other drivers were out there.  There I was, all alone on the map.  I zoomed out to about a 90 mile radius.  There I still was, setting in the middle of a sea of no one divided only by the multiple lines representing asphalt laden vehicle paths.  Maybe its the colder weather.

We were playing dominos when it happened.  A rideshare request in Corsicana!  It took a while to accomplish the pick up and then, upon starting the ride, I was pleasantly surprised to see a destination in Garland Texas.  Going to have to stop for gas and the rider was okay with that.  This was going to be my longest ride since I have been driving for Uber or any of the others.  The previous record holder was a ride with Get Me (while Uber was not in Austin) and it was from Lake Travis Volente area to the Marriott Courtyard downtown.  Possibly one from downtown to Georgetown but this one would out do them all.

Surprise Dallas!  I'm back!  Unexpectedly so, but here I am.  Upon dropping off in Garland I had immediately set my destination for Corsicana but I was Northeast of downtown Dallas so I was expecting several rides as I worked to get back to Corsicana.  My expectations became reality.  

The app had me picking up at an Applebees that was not there.  I was able to text the rider and they told me that they were across from Target.  No Target anywhere in sight.  I quickly opened the Google Maps app and typed in Target.  The first one on the list  was on the same street that I was on so  I selected it.  There it was on the map about a mile away.  Also indicated on the map was Applebees, right across the street.  I pulled up right as the rider was asking if they should get a different Uber.  From there we had an awesome conversation all the way from Rowlett to Garland.

I used to work in this area.  The hotel had a different name and things looked a little different but all was recognizable.  I don't miss it one damn bit.

I took a young lady down to Henderson street near downtown.  I didnt know that area was there and there were people everywhere on a 33 degree night.  I was briefly stuck in a repeating cycle for this area and it was a bit difficult to navigate with the activity levels and road construction.  There were some very nice femalescapes to enjoy which made the pick ups in a difficult spot, more bearable. 

I dropped the last riders off near American Airlines Center and that was far enough away to break the chain on Henderson.  From there I zipped through downtown Dallas in a world record time and roared onto I30 at Elm street, which lead me around to I45 where I hit light speed and was gone.  See you next time Dallas.

Turned off the app at Ennis and went to Wal-Mart to get a head of cabbage for Charlie.  Will get some more gas after I wrap up  the night with a number 21 at the Whataburger on I45 in Ennis Texas at 2:30am.

01/10/20

Finished getting the vehicle serviced in Round Rock and headed out to .near Hutto to return some rental radios from work.  Turned on the app at about 10:30am and got a request just a few minutes later.  This was a young man that worked at Sonic and was very enthusiastic about his job.  He shared with me the various specials and other things they regurlaly have going on and we ended up talking about management where I provided some quick advice.  Good rider and it turned out to be the only one for the day.