Tuesday, February 10, 2026

 This morning, I drove to the Iowa / Missouri state line and waited for a couple of hours for the rest of my permits to come in.  Once they came in, I had a nice, uneventful day on the road.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in West Memphis, Arkansas.  548 miles today

Monday, February 9, 2026

 This morning, I was back at the Caterpillar dealer first thing and unloaded the compactor. My next load was up in Waterloo, Iowa.  I went up there and loaded a John Deere 9R 640HP Tractor that is going to the Port in Galveston, Texas.  

Left there and drove to a small truck stop on the south side of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the night.

Saturday, February 7, 2026

 I left at about 1 AM CST and drove down to the Caterpillar dealer in Omaha, Nebraska.  There was no one there to accept the machine today; I really didn't expect that there would be.  But I was able to drop my trailer there until Monday morning, when I'll deliver the compactor.   From there, I went over to the Sapp Brothers truck stop, which was about 2 miles from there.  I'll be there for the weekend.

Friday, February 6, 2026

 I left a little sooner than I had planned.  There was weather moving in, although not a lot of it, 

I still wanted to get ahead of it.  So I left at midnight. All in all, it was a good trip up to Savage, Minnesota.  Drove through several snow bands along the way.  Some of it was heavy and accumulated on the road.  Sometimes I couldn't see the road.  I made it up to Savage and delivered the wheel loader.  Was empty and on my way to my next load before 7:30 AM CST.   I drove up to Elk River, MN, and loaded a Caterpillar CP12 Compactor that is going down to Omaha, Nebraska.

From there, I went over to the TA truck stop that was about five miles away.  Going to get some much-needed sleep.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

 I can drive at night in Tennessee and Kentucky, but had to time it so that I didn't get to Illinois until a half hour before sunrise.  I was almost perfect!!  Got to Illinois 25 minutes before sunrise.  Continued on to the Pilot truck stop in Beloit, Wisconsin.  I can drive at night in Wisconsin and Minnesota, too, so I'll be leaving here in the middle of the night.  658 miles today.

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

 This morning, I loaded a Komatsu 980 Wheel Loader that is going to Savage, Minnesota.

Left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Hillsboro, Tennessee, for the night.

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

 I went over to load this morning and was there at 7 AM.  Loaded a Caterpillar D5 Dozer that is going to West Columbia, South Carolina.

In the parking area, I ran over something, and I could hear the air leaking out of a tire.  After checking, found that the air was leaking out of the right rear outside tire on the truck.  

Called to have road service come out to repair or replace the tire.  

AND here is the culprit!!

A chisel!!!  So I got a new tire and then left.  Drove to West Columbia, South Carolina, and delivered the dozer.  My next load was supposed to be today in Newberry, South Carolina, but because of the flat tire, my loading appointment had to be pushed back until 8 AM tomorrow morning.  I drove to the Love's truck stop in Newberry, SC, for the night.