Saturday, February 2, 2013

Couldn't start this morning until after curfew ended at 9 am.  In Maryland the curfew applies to Saturday too.  Got on the road and drove down past Washington DC when I started to have an air leak somewhere in the trailer.  Could see it in the gauges.  Could also tell it was not major.  When I stopped for fuel in Richmond, VA I found the leak. After I finished fueling I went over to the shop there at the Travel America truck stop and had it fixed, along with 3 marker lights that were out too.  Here is the piece of air line that he cut out that had the leak.

Fortunately that delay only took an hour.  Got back on the road and drove down to the Petro truck stop in Florence, South Carolina for the rest of the weekend.  In spite of the delay I still drove 492 miles before I ran out of sunlight.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Went over to the Port of Baltimore first thing this morning. While I was there waiting to get unloaded it snowed.  Started off as flurries.  Then it snowed real hard for about 10 minutes. It was coming down so hard that I couldn't see the other end of the building. Then, just as fast as it started, it stopped.  Only about a quarter of an inch of snow stuck to the ground.  Went back to get unloaded and waited.  45 minutes after I was in, they told me that their lift was broken and that the mechanic was working on it.  "...it will be a while."   Fortunately, it didn't take as long as I thought it would to get unloaded.  

Went to the daily yard and got rid of the step deck trailer and got my trailer back.  Went back to the Port of Baltimore for my next load.  It is sunny, cold, and windy now.  No more snow. Most of what fell this morning was either blown away or melted.  Didn't have the correct paperwork so I had to wait for that!  Nothing goes smooth anymore!!  Four and a half hours later I was loaded with a Caterpillar 324EL Excavator that is going to the Port of Jacksonville.

Because of all the needless delays today I didn't make Baltimore curfew so all I could do was go back to the TA truck stop for the night.  I'll get started tomorrow morning.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

The storm last night was a dud.  Nothing like what ripped up north Georgia.  Had a bunch of rain and it was (and still is) windy, but that's all.

Got up early this morning and was at the place where I was loading in Winston-Salem, NC before they opened.  Loaded an axle for a Caterpillar 785 C Dump Truck. It weighs 36,700 pounds.  It is going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD then going on a boat to Puerto Rico.

This is what the Caterpillar 785 C looks like all put together.  I got the photo from the internet.

Got on the road and drove up to the TA in Baltimore, MD for the night.  More idiots on the road today.  I was cut off four times.  I'll deliver in the morning then go get my trailer back and go back to the Port for my next load.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Was at the repair shop at 5:30 this morning to get the trailer lights fixed.  The weather was deteriorating and had gotten very windy.  While the truck was inside I put the tarps on the load.  

Once the lights were fixed I got on the road.  Good thing I tarped, I went through some rain on the way.  Drove down to Kings Mountain, NC and delivered.  Then drove back up to Greensboro, NC for the night.  Tomorrow I load in Winston-Salem, NC.  I am so stiff and sore tonight!!!  The wind is blowing and I'm all settled in waiting for the big storm to get here.  This truck is already rockin' !! This could be a very interesting night!!

Yesterday while I had the big green tractor on the back with a gross weight of 92,600 pounds, this idiot woman cut me off and then hit the breaks just so she could get off at the next exit.  THIS is one of the main reasons big trucks crash.  It is usually not the trucks fault. To view the video in full screen, click in the small box in the lower right corner of the video.  When finished, hit the escape ( Esc ) key on your keyboard and it will return to this screen.

Now here is one from today!  This is EXACTLY why you DO NOT EVER ride in a big trucks blind spot.  Speed up or slow down, but don't just sit there!!! This truck driver never knew she (yes, another woman) was there.  Notice how long she is in his blind spot totally oblivious to the danger she is putting herself in.  Also, she was there a lot longer than I show in the video.  And she will blame the truck driver.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Got on the road a half hour after sun up and drove in to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD and delivered the tractor.  Boy that thing really was fun to drive!!!!  After that I went to the Daily yard in Baltimore and dropped my trailer and picked up a step deck trailer.  When checking out the trailer found that 5 of the 9 marker lights didn't work.  Goodie!!   Haven't pulled one of those in a year, felt weird!  Then went over to Elkridge, MD and loaded 9 boxes of generator parts that are going to Kings Mountain, NC. 

 Got on the road and drove down to the Petro truck stop in Mebane, NC for the night.  I'll have the shop fix the trailer lights first thing in the morning, early morning!!

Monday, January 28, 2013

The Snow Emergency Plan ( SEP ) was still in effect in two Maryland Counties this morning, Garrett and Allegany.  At 11:30, as soon as I sat down to have lunch, the SEP was lifted for Garrett County.  That is the westernmost county in Maryland.  When I finished lunch I drove 33 miles to another truck stop in Grantsville, Maryland.  There is only one SEP in effect in Maryland and it is in Allegany County.  That is the next county east of here.  

At 2 pm they finally lifted the SEP in Allegany County.  Unfortunately it was too late to make it in to Baltimore. Drove to the Pilot truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland for the night.