Saturday, January 24, 2015

Started snowing overnight.  We got about 3 inches of heavy wet snow. By about 9 am it was all over. There are about 16 trucks in the parking lot.  I was lucky to get a spot where I could plug in.

Watched the plow do his thing this morning.  The new snow in the trees is beautiful.

Tonight was Daily Express's annual "Safety Banquet".  It was held at the Radisson Hotel in Camp Hill, PA. I arrived and chose a seat near the door in the back of the room.  It was a nice affair.  At each place setting was this program of events.

On our chairs was this bag.

The banquet was a "Pirate" themed event.  Some people dressed up as pirates.  The centerpiece on the tables was given away to one person at the table.  I won the centerpiece from our table.  Here is my table and the people I sat with.

Here is the centerpiece I won.

I gave it to the guy with his arms folded.  He would give it to his grand kids.

The food was delicious!  I had roast beef.

Then came the awards.  I received an award for 3 years safe driving.

 It also came with a very nice jacket.

Then came the surprise of the night.  I received the award for the 2014 Contract Driver Of The Year.  I was shocked!  And that's putting it mildly.  It came with a very nice leather jacket.

After a few speeches from the "big wigs" they gave away door prizes.  For a guy that NEVER wins anything, I did real good.  I won the second best door prize valued at $350.  It is a glass protection cover for covering the glass on the machines that I haul.

When the door prizes were finished, the band started to play and that's when I made my exit.  Went back to the Daily yard in Carlisle for the rest of the weekend.  More snow is expected Sunday night into Monday morning.

Friday, January 23, 2015

At sunrise drove in to Rimersburg, PA to deliver the excavator.  It was about 15 miles down the typical Pennsylvania back road.  Two lanes of up and down, twists and turns, and blind curves.  Made it with no problems.  Backed in off the road to an area that had been plowed but was just solid ice.  Attempted to detach the trailer but all I did was spin the tires.  There was a Caterpillar wheel loader with fork lift attachment where the bucket goes sitting there.  The guy working there used it to push me back out of there.  Went back out on the road and blocked one lane while I unloaded.  What a mess!!!  Got it off and the trailer put back together.  Then the problem was that I had to turn around to get back out.   I ended up backing down the road to a small parking area that had not been plowed. I was barely able to turn around.  But I did it.  From there I drove over to the "Home Office" in Carlisle, PA for the rest of the weekend.  Supposed to get anywhere between 1 and 6 inches of wet snow tonight and into tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow night is the annual "Safety Banquet".  I am going to that, although I don't really know where it is.  I think it is somewhere near Harrisburg.  

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Went in to Toledo, Ohio this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 320B Excavator that is going to Rimersburg, Pennsylvania.  It had a large, heavy electromagnet on it instead of a bucket.  It hung by a chain from the end of the boom where a bucket would be.  It was very interesting loading today.  Wet, icy, slick steel on wet, icy slick steel.  What made it even more interesting was that the magnet would swing around a bit making loading it on the trailer very unstable.  After a failed attempt loading it - it slid around too much - I went around and placed the magnet on the trailer, disconnected it, and then loaded the machine without difficulty.  Then re-connected the magnet.

Finally got it secured to the trailer and on the road.  Then got stuck in a 6 mile bumper to bumper traffic back up because they thought it was a good idea to close one of the two lanes to fill pot holes.  Should have been done at night!!  Idiots!!! Took about an hour to get through that.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Emlenton, Pennsylvania.  

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Snow had started to fall and there was a heavy dusting already on the ground.  Drove into Holly, MI and delivered the chiller.  Since I didn't have another load yet I went to the TA truck stop in Ann Arbor, MI for lunch and a shower. The snow stopped around noon.  We got about 2 inches.  Shortly after that I got my next load.  It is tomorrow down in Toledo, Ohio.  I drove down to the Pilot truck stop in Ottawa Lake, MI for the night.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Very uneventful day on the road although Michigan really sucks!!  Top speed for a permit load is 50 mph!!!   That is absolutely ridiculous!!!  Cars are cruising down the interstate at 70+ mph and we have to go 50.  I was worried that someone would slam into the back of me.  Stupid "nanny state" liberals that know whats "best" for everyone!!  Idiots!!  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Perry, Michigan.  Deliver tomorrow morning about 45 minutes from here.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Left this morning at sunrise.  Nice day on the road.  Got pulled over by the cops in Arkansas for a routine roadside inspection. They do not need probable cause to pull over a big truck.  They can do what they want.  When you drive a big truck you loose a lot of your civil rights.  Anyway, He couldn't find anything to write a ticket for so he turned me loose.  Continued on up to the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois for the night.  Went across the street to eat at Chili's for dinner.  The service wasn't so good, but the food was.