Saturday, May 26, 2012

Left Nashville this morning and drove all day with no problems until about 100 miles north of Florida in Georgia.  Had a air line one way valve all of a sudden give out.  Fortunately I made it to a repair shop quickly and got it fixed.  Then drove straight home to Jacksonville.  Glad to be here!!  I'll be here over the holiday weekend and then deliver on Tuesday.

Friday, May 25, 2012

The wind from last night was gone.  Back to normal again and I'm still upright.  LOL  Drove into Rockford early this morning and unloaded the dump truck before anyone was there to accept it.  When they arrived to work all they had to do was sign my paperwork and I was on my way.  Next load was down in Roanoke, Illinois. Drove down there and loaded two Caterpillar tracks.  They are going to Alachua, Florida.

Got back on the road.  Stopped at Thermo King in Indianapolis at have the new belt adjusted on my APU.  Got totally ripped off there!!  I'll NEVER go back there!!!  After that got stuck in a lot of bumper to bumper traffic!  Just great!!  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Nashville, TN.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

What a good day on the road!!  Left Wheeling, WV as soon as the sun came up and drove straight through only stopping briefly to pee and eat lunch.  By the time I got to Illinois the wind really picked up.  Cross wind when I was on I-74 but it was at my back (for a change) going north on I-39.  Saw one semi truck that was blown over by the wind about 16 miles from where I stopped for the night.  He had gotten off the Interstate and rounded the corner at the intersection at the top of the exit ramp.  Just before he was to cross the bridge over the Interstate the wind got him and blew the truck on its side. I stopped for the night at a small truck stop on the south side of Rockford, Illinois.   Local TV news weather guy said the wind is sustained at 35 with gusts up to 45 mph.  I am parked facing south so the wind is blowing straight at the front of the truck. The truck is really rockin' and rollin'.  Deliver in the morning not too far from here.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Was at the port in Dundalk at 7:30 this morning BUT didn't have the correct paperwork!  SO instead of being at the front of the line I had to wait until someone was in our office at 8 am to get the correct paperwork.  It arrived in my email inbox at 8:30. Now I'm at the back of a long, slow line.  At about 12:15 they finally brought me back to load.  I loaded a Volvo A40F dump truck. It is going to Rockford, IL.  These trucks are some of my favorite things to transport. Loading is fun!!  When you pull up to the trailer and put the front wheels up on it you can't see the trailer anymore. All the rest is done by feel.  I love it!!  This load is about 112,000 pounds.

Finally got on the road at 1 pm.  Drove out to the TA truck stop in Wheeling, West Virginia for the night.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

This morning drove over to the Daily yard in Baltimore and loaded a John Deere 225 excavator.   It is going to South Plainfield, NJ.  I love excavators!!  They load fast & easy and ride real good back there.

Got on the road and drove straight up to South Plainfield and delivered it.  After that drove back down to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night.  Next load is tomorrow morning at the port in Dundalk.  It is another real good load.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Left the TA at 5:30 this morning and drove in to Lyndhurst, NJ and hooked back up to my trailer.  Untarped it.  Timed it perfectly, they were ready around back at the crane to unload.  Drove around back, untied the "box" and they started to rig it up to lift off.  Just then got a call from my dispatcher and said to NOT unload and take it over to Bayonne.  Just F'en great!!  They took off all the crane stuff, and just as I started to re-secure it back to my trailer the heavens opened up and it poured rain.  Well that just made me a whole lot happier than I already was. I was wetter than Shamu, soaked to the skin!!  After I finished, went into the truck changed clothes, dried up, and cooled off a bit.  Then I waited for confirmation from Bayonne that I was defiantly going there.  Got the confirmation and off I went.  When I arrived in Bayonne the crane was already there and they were setting it up.  Parked in front of it and untied the "box' again.  This time it wasn't raining.  Just as they were ready to lift it started to rain again.  Glad my part was done. 

They finally got the thing off and I got out of there. Drove down to the TA truck stop in Baltimore, MD.  Traffic was heavy from the moment I started this morning to the moment I stopped for the night.  Next load is over at the Daily yard in Baltimore.  I'll get it in the morning.