British chocolate and the Virgin River Gorge

Updated May 10, 2012

I learned today that the difference between Dairy Milk chocolate and American chocolate is the paraffin that goes into most American chocolate. Learned when this was told to me at breakfast by a British truck driver and Dairy Milk chocolate lover.

Diane and I woke up this morning at the TA East truck stop in Ontario, Calif. As arranged yesterday, we went inside at 9:00 a.m. to join fellow expediters for breakfast.

One of the teams did not make it. They got dispatched this morning and were gone. The new team we met yesterday made it and we got acquainted at the breakfast table. They are seasoned truck drivers but brand new to Landstar Express America.

He is British. As our conversation meandered from one topic to another, we somehow got onto chocolate and that’s how I learned the lesson mentioned above. Diane has traveled in England and knew they take their chocolate seriously over there. I’m sure there are people in the states who take chocolate seriously too, I’m just not one of them. Regardless, sampling Dairy Milk chocolate is now on my to-do list.

Like that other team, Diane and I got dispatched before breakfast. But the pick up is tomorrow so we were able to spend some time with our new friends. This 3,000 mile, multi-stop load will keep us busy through the middle of next week.

The pick up is a fair distance away. Today’s drive took us through the Virgin River Gorge on I-15 in Arizona. It is one of the greatest sights on the road. We have driven through this gorge several times but is still a wondrous experience. About today’s ride, I said (tweeted) on my Twitter page:

Virgin River Gorge: No matter how well you remember it, when you see it again, you know you did not remember it well. Spectacular sight!

That’s how it works. Memories are great. Photos help. But no matter how hard you try to capture the experience, there is nothing like taking it in with all your senses yet again.

I found this YouTube video online that will give you a hint of what driving through the gorge is like, but it does not come close to the actual experience. Our spirits soar every time.

Showcase your workhorse
Add a photo of your rig to our Reader Rigs collection to share it with your peers and the world. Tell us the story behind the truck and your business to help build its story.
Submit Your Rig
Reader Rig Submission