Saturday, January 27, 2018

Went back and hooked back up to my trailer at 6:30 this morning when they opened.  Waited for road service to come.  At 9 am when he still had not shown up, I called.  It seems that what the Daily shop told me yesterday was not true.  They had not set anything up so no one was coming yet.  SO, I made the arrangements and someone was on his way.  By 11 local time I was finally pulling out of there.

Needless to say, but I didn't get nearly as far as I wanted to today.  Stopped for the night at a convenience store with some truck parking in Jacksonville, Texas.

Friday, January 26, 2018

A half hour before sunrise this morning I left in the rain and fog.  Drove the rest of the way to Laredo to a trucking companies transfer station.  That area is full of those.  Almost all the larger trucking companies have a place down there for stuff going across to be transferred from American trucks to Mexican trucks, and vice versa.  I was right on the Mexican border.  It was just across the street.  Was imagining how that wall would look there.  Anyway, I delivered the dump truck.  It really is a lot of fun driving those trucks!!!  Its like driving a house.  My next load was up in Victoria, Texas.  That is about a four hour drive.  Got there and loaded a Caterpillar 336F Excavator that is going up to Raleigh, North Carolina.

I did a dumb thing too.  While separating the neck from the trailer, I forgot to unplug the air lines and the electrical line.  Ripped them right out!!  Everyone does it, now it was my turn!

The repair guy will be there tomorrow morning a little after 7 am.  I dropped my trailer there and went to the Love's truck stop in Enid, Texas for the night.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

I am happy to say that today was MUCH better than yesterday, although I started off with a few lights on the trailer that didn't work.  Spent an hour trying to track down the problem without success.  Had to have the mechanic from the TA truck stop repair shop come over.  Fortunately he found the problem and fixed it.  I then left and had a very uneventful day on the highways of Texas.  No problems getting out of Dallas.  No problems going around Austin, or San Antonio.  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Encinal, Texas.  Will deliver in the morning.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

The morning started off great.  Timed it perfectly to get to Springfield as the curfew ended.  Continued on into Oklahoma.  Had a few detours because I was too big for the construction zones.  Other than that we did real good.  At the Oklahoma / Texas line my escort car dropped off.  Don't need one in Texas.  I had planned to stop fro the night before I got to Dallas BUT there was no place to stop along my permit route.  I was routed through residential areas all the way to Dallas.  Lots of heavy traffic and a zillion stop lights.  Well, Sundown came and went and I was still north of Dallas.  I continued on in a total panic.  Finally made it to I-635.  There was still nothing anywhere near me.  I continued on.  Somehow I missed a turn and got off my permit route and ended up going right through the heart of Dallas.  There were several overpasses that were very low.  One was 14'4" and another one was 14'3".  I slowed to a crawl and went under.  I am 14'2" high.  Talk about sweating bullets!!!  After sundown, off route, and low bridge!!  If I had been stopped I would have been so screwed!!!!   Got down to I-20 and went east to the TA truck stop for the night - still off route.  I can't believe I made it here!!!!!!  HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It is going to take half the night to calm down!!!  Late start in the morning due to the Dallas curfew.  HOLY CRAP!!!!!

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Went back over to get my trailer and load early this morning.  Was waiting at the gate when they arrived for work.  Attached to my trailer, finished securing the load and left.

Made real good time this morning.  Have to have an escort car in Missouri and Oklahoma.  Stopped at the Flying J truck stop 17 miles from Missouri and waited for my escort to arrive.  Two hours later he got there and we were back on the road.  No traffic issues today.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Stafford, Missouri.  Didn't beat the Springfield curfew.  Will start a bit later tomorrow morning because of that stupid curfew too.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Was on the road a half hour before sunrise this morning in the rain.  Had to wait at the Illinois Toll Road Toll Booth for my Toll Road Permit to come in.  $150  and two hours later I was back moving again.  Went to Chicago Ridge and delivered the excavator.  Next load was down in Decatur, Illinois.  I went down there and arrived 10 minutes before the cut off time.  Loaded a Caterpillar 770G Dump Truck that is going down to Laredo, Texas.

I left my trailer there for the night and bobtailed over to the Pilot truck stop just down the road.  Got a long hot shower, dinner, and going to bed.  My back hurts a lot tonight and I'm exhausted.   Good night.