Thornton Pit Run & Buddy's Choke & Puke
The alarm clock in Mundelein was still dark when the big red Ford fired up, rattling the windows and cutting through the quiet pre-dawn chill of northern Illinois. With "All Ways Trucking" cleanly lettered on the door, the heavy rig was built to take a beating and keep on rolling. By 4:30 AM, the morning air smelled sharply of diesel exhaust and damp asphalt.
First stop of the morning was always the same ritual: Buddy's Diner—affectionately known up and down the route as the local "Choke and Puke." The neon sign buzzed in the window, casting a warm amber glow over the gravel lot where two other dual-axle haulers were already parked side-by-side.
“Two eggs over-easy, heavy on the hash browns, and burn the bacon until it snaps.”
— Tricky Dick, placing his standard morning order with Martha behind the counter.Over black coffee that could strip paint and a plate of grease-slicked comfort food, the drivers traded notes on the morning weather, local road construction around Route 83, and how many tons the yard expected before sundown. There wasn't much small talk—just hard-working men gearing up for a long day of hauling weight.
With breakfast cleared, it was back up into the cab, double-checking the logbook, and pointing that red Ford nose south toward the pit. The road was waiting, the gravel was heavy, and there was a schedule to keep. Never say I can't.
