Friday, December 30, 2016

Got started a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Had to stop very early today because the STUPID holiday restrictions kick in.  In Ohio, have to stop before noon.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in London, Ohio.  That is just west of Columbus.  Can't start back up until January 3rd.  STUPID Government regulations!!!! 

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Got started real early this morning and drove the three and a half hours up to Geneva, Illinois and loaded a Caterpillar 980M Wheel Loader that is going to the Port of Baltimore.

Left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Pittsboro, Indiana for the night.  Had a few snow showers here but nothing accumulated. Tomorrow will be a short day.  Holiday restrictions kick in so I'll have to be off the road by noon.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Got started at sunrise this morning.  Drove to Hannibal, Missouri and delivered the excavator.  Next load is tomorrow in Geneva, Illinois.  Drove to the Pilot truck stop in Springfield, Illinois.  Had to stop, ran out of hours.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Was really foggy this morning.  Went over to the Port of Savannah and loaded a Caterpillar 330FL Excavator that is going to Hannibal, Missouri. 

Left there in great time.  Traffic was very heavy all day but I only had a couple small areas of bumper to bumper.  There was a high speed police chase going south on I-75 south of Atlanta that I saw as it went flying by. Traffic going the other direction was a total mess.  North of Atlanta it was backed up for about 15 miles.  In Chattanooga it was backed up for 10 miles.  So glad I was going the other way!! Rained a little on and off all day.  Made it to the TA on the south side of Nashville for the night.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Well Christmas went by way too fast.  Back to work again.  Drove up to the TA truck stop in Savannah, Georgia this afternoon.  Load tomorrow at the port.

Sunday, December 25, 2016 Christmas Day

Saturday, December 24, 2016 Christmas Eve

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Fortunately the fog was not as bad as the "weather weasels" on TV had predicted and I left just before sunrise.  Drove in to Atlanta and delivered the stuff.  That place was not easy to get into.  It is a metals recycling place in the middle of a residential area.  Very tight in there!! Had to back in off the road.

After I left there got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for about an hour just south of Atlanta.  After I got out of that mess I drove home to Jacksonville.  Will be here for the Christmas Holiday.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Left this morning and had a good day on the road. No issues at all.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Bucksville, Alabama.  Supposed to get some heavy fog tonight so I may not be able to leave tomorrow until it lifts.

Monday, December 19, 2016

This morning I was in Grand Prairie, TX well before the sun came up in order to beat the rush hour traffic.  My small load turned out to be a full truck load and it took forever to get it loaded.  It is a section of the shredder pictured below.  It is going up to Atlanta, Georgia.

There were also two other trucks loading parts of the machine too.  One 13 axle truck had the big section of the machine on tracks.  The other multi-axle truck was loading the power section.  It too was on tracks.  You can see it behind my truck in the photo below.

Left there but didn't get too far.  Couldn't go through Shreveport, Louisiana because of the curfew so I had to stop at the Petro truck stop in Shreveport just outside the curfew area.  Can't start until after 9 am tomorrow morning for the same reason.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

This morning I drove the rest of the way into Dallas, TX.  The truck stop that I wanted to stay at did not have any food so I opted for a different one.  I'm at the TA truck stop on the south side of Dallas for the weekend.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Left around 3 am local time this morning.  Wanted to get ahead of the coming weather.  Expecting VERY strong wind conditions today.  The later in the day, the worse it was going to get.  There were already "Wind Advisories" on the overhead message boards on the Interstate.  Also messages stating that empty or light weight CMVs (Commercial Motor Vehicles) were not allowed to be on the highway.  I went anyway.  South of Pueblo it was a steady 30 to 45 mile per hour cross wind.  In a few places the gusts were as high as 60 MPH.  I really felt the wind.  By the time I got to New Mexico it was not as bad.  Still had strong wind the rest of the day, just not as bad as it was.  Decided that I didn't want to deal with Friday evening rush hour traffic in Dallas so I stopped for the night at a small truck stop in Alvord, Texas.  

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Left the truck stop very early this morning and arrived in Pueblo, Colorado to load just as they opened the gate.  Perfect timing!! Loaded a steel thing that is going 39 miles up the road to a power plant in Fountain, Colorado.

This is the widest load I've had so far at 18 feet (5.48 meters).  Just in case you forgot (or didn't know) widest legal is 8 feet 6 inches (2.62 meters) wide. That is the width of the trailer.  Had two escorts (pilot cars) going up.  Took forever to get unloaded at the power plant.  They didn't know we were coming.  There was two other trucks bringing stuff up there.  Mine was the biggest piece. Finally got empty and went to the Love's truck stop in Pueblo, CO for the night.  Tomorrow I head for Dallas for a load Monday morning.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Yesterday afternoon I got my next load.  It is for Thursday morning up in Pueblo, Colorado.  Just after midnight this morning I left for Colorado.  Here are a couple pictures of Arizona scenery that I took the other day but forgot to post.

As I came into Albuquerque, New Mexico a Ferrari pulled in front of me.  Don't see those every day.

There were two hot air balloons up this morning.  One of them went right over my head while I was at a red light.  I could see the expressions on their faces as they went over.

Stopped for the night, when I ran out of hours, at a small truck stop in Trinidad, Colorado.  686 miles (1104 km) today.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Nothing!!

Monday, December 12, 2016

This morning I drove the rest of the way to the Caterpillar Proving Ground in Green Valley, Arizona.  Got there a little before noon local time.  Unloaded the dozer.  Didn't have another load yet so I went to the TTT Truck Stop in Tucson to wait.  Kinda glad not to have another load yet 'cus my back is bothering me again this afternoon.  Glad to lay down for a while.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

After reading my Arizona permit last night I found out that they do not allow any weekend travel.  So my plans changed a little bit.  This morning I drove to Lordsburg, NM.  That is 20 miles from the Arizona line.  Got a hotel for the rest of the weekend.  

Friday, December 9, 2016

Left The Big Texan just before sunrise this morning.  Another good day on the road.  Went around Roswell, New Mexico today.  Didn't see any UFOs though.  In New Mexico went past Holloman Air Force Base. Then went through the White Sands Missile Range. Lots of history here.  The Trinity Site is here.  Very cool to go through it even though there is not much to see from the road.  

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Took forever to get through Oklahoma because of the route the State took me on.  Finally made it to Texas.  Stopped for the night at my favorite place to eat, The Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas.

Real, Alive, Diamond Back Rattle Snake

Limo that will pic you up from anywhere in the area.

My dinner.  Was DELICIOUS!!!!!

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Felt a LOT better this morning.  Left the truck stop at 8:30 local time.  Nice day on the road. Drove down to a small truck stop in Afton, Oklahoma for the night.  Tomorrow will be on historic Route 66 most of the day.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

As soon as my 10 hours was up I left and drove the rest of the way down to Washington, Illinois to the Caterpillar proving grounds.  Loaded a Caterpillar D6T Dozer that is going to their other proving ground in Green Valley, Arizona.

Fortunately, I didn't have to do the tarping, they did it.   Left there and drove down to the TA truck stop in Troy, Illinois.  Had to stop early tonight because of the St. Louis curfew.  Can't start until after 9 tomorrow morning.  That's probably a blessing in disguise.   My back is really stiff and sore tonight.  Hard to walk or sit up.  Will be on the heating pad for the rest of the night again.

Monday, December 5, 2016

Left at sunrise this morning and drove up top Schofield, Wisconsin and delivered the dozer.  Then drove over to Columbus, Minnesota and delivered the mini excavator.  Next load is tomorrow down in Washington, Illinois.  Started that direction.  Stopped right back where I started this morning at the Petro in Portage, Wisconsin.  561 miles (902.8 km) round trip.

Sunday, December 7, 2016

Got a little snow today.

Lunch time

Snow had stopped by dinner time.

This guy did a lousy job plowing!!

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Left at sunrise this morning.  Drove the short driver to the Petro truck stop in Portage, Wisconsin for the weekend.

Alabama vs Florida

Saturday, December 3, 4:00 PM

Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

1Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0)

 

54 - 16

Final

Florida15 Gators (8-4)

	1	2	3	4		Total
Alabama	16	17	7	14		54
Florida	9	7	0	0		16

All times are in Eastern Time

The game went just as I thought it would.

Friday, December 2, 2016

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Easy day.  Had a little rain and a little freezing rain today, but not much.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Rochelle, Illinois.  Supposed to get an inch of snow tonight or tomorrow then rain.

SEC Championship game is tomorrow.  Alabama Crimson Tide vs. The Florida Gators.

Alabama Head Coach, Nick Saban shakes hands with Florida Head Coach, Jim McElwain

The question is not who will win, the question is how bad will Alabama destroy the Gators?

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Was at the Caterpillar place in Athens, GA first thing this morning.  Loaded two machines.  A Caterpillar 304E2 Mini Excavator that is going to Columbus, Minnesota and a Caterpillar D5K2 that is going to Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Left there and got in a LOT of bumper to bumper traffic in Atlanta.  Finally got thru that.

Up in Chattanooga, Tennessee on I-24 This guy was getting on the Interstate.  As he approached the Interstate he slowed down.  I could not change lanes for him because there was another truck next to me. Watch the video to see what dumb ass did next.

Stopped for the night at a crappy Pilot truck stop in Paducah, Kentucky.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Finally got another load.  Loads tomorrow up in Athens, Georgia.  Drove up that way and stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Madison, Georgia.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Drove the rest of the way to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Still no load yet.

Monday, November 28, 2016

This morning drove down to Miami and delivered the excavator.  Didn't have another load yet so I started to head back to Jacksonville.  Stopped for the night at the rest area on I-4 in Longwood, FL when I ran out of hours.

Friday, November 25, 2016

At the stroke of twelve noon I was pulling out of the Petro in Florence.  Drove down to the Pilot truck stop in Kingsland, Georgia.  Can't go into Florida until tomorrow morning because of the STUPID holiday travel restrictions.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Left right at sunrise this morning.  Didn't have enough time to get to Georgia before the noon driving time cut off in South Carolina so I stopped at the Petro truck stop in Florence.  Can't start back up again until noon on Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday permit load travel restrictions. More STUPID regulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

This morning went the rest of the way into Harrisburg and delivered the genset.  Then drove down to the Port of Baltimore and loaded a Caterpillar 326F Excavator that is going down to Miami, Florida.

Left there and headed south.  Made it all the way around Baltimore and Washington DC with no traffic problems, although traffic was very heavy.  But then my luck ran out.  Took an hour to get to Fredericksburg, VA.  Lots of bumper to bumper traffic!!  Then north of Richmond, VA the same thing.  More bumper to bumper traffic.  Stopped for the night at Sadler's (of NASCAR fame) Pilot truck stop in Emporia, VA because I ran out of daylight.  Tomorrow is going to be worse!!  Due to the Thanksgiving holiday permit load travel restrictions kick in.  In North and South Carolina I have to stop at noon. I don't think I'll make it all the way through South Carolina before noon.