Saturday, April 7, 2017

Left this morning and drove in very heavy traffic all day.  All the spring break people are going back home and really clogging up the Interstate.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee until Monday.

Friday, April 6, 2018

Left the Daily yard this morning and drove up to Pooler, Georgia and delivered the crane.  Then went over to the Port of Savannah and loaded a Caterpillar 982M Wheel Loader that is going up to Indianapolis, Indiana.  Had one Hell of a time getting that thing loaded.  For some reason I just couldn't seem to get it centered on the trailer.  After about two hours, I finally got it.  Very frustrating!!

Left there and drove to a truck stop in Pulaski, Georgia for the night.  Once again I'm exhausted and hurt all over.  Good night.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Went over to Richie Brothers at 8 am when they opened.  Once again, there was no key to the machine.  They borrowed one from another machine so I could load.  Went to the machine, the key worked.

This is how the machine is when I get to it, yesterday's machine was the same way. Sorry that the focus didn't work very well.

Loaded it on my trailer.

Left there and immediately upon entering I-4 it was very slow bumper to bumper traffic.  Took an hour to go 20 miles.

 It was pretty much slow bumper to bumper all the way past the attractions, Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World. Cleared a bit then all the way through Orlando it was back to bumper to bumper.  Finally cleared just south of Sanford.  Did pretty good until about 15 miles south of the Jacksonville Beltway, I-295.  There was a wreck that caused a 15 mile back up.  Sat in that for a while.  Finally cleared that mess.  Then more bumper to bumper traffic for about 5 miles on the South Beltway.  Cleared that.  Then just past one of the exits that I take to get to the Daily yard in Jacksonville, traffic came to a very rapid stop.  When I braked real hard the machine shifted and fell off the blocks it was sitting on.  Fortunately it stayed on the trailer and all the wheels were still off the ground.  I slowly drove to the next exit and headed for the Daily yard.  When I got there, I took off all the chains and raised the machine, re-positioned the trailer under it, put new blocks under it and set it back down.  Chained it down again.  Good to go now.  Didn't damage anything.  Replaced the wood that broke too.  Stayed here for the night.  I'm exhausted, my back and feet are very sore.  Good night!!

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

A half hour after sunrise this morning I left and drove the rest of the way to Pooler, GA and delivered the crane.  Drove back down to Davenport, Florida to pick up another one tomorrow morning.  Parked for the night at the McDonald's that had a few truck parking places across the street from Richie Brothers.  The Love's was full already.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Went back over to Richie Brothers this morning to see if they found the key.  When I checked in at the gate, it wasn't there.  I went over to the machine and looked inside.  Lo and behold, there it was.  Somebody found it and left it in there for me.  I loaded the Terex RT 555 Crane on the trailer.  It took a long time to get it up there. But I finally got it.  It is going up to Pooler, Georgia. My gross weight is over 129,000 pounds (13,154 kg).

Left there and headed north.  Orlando traffic was it's usual nightmare!!  On the north side of Jacksonville I saw another RV rollover.  Just like yesterday's rollover except I actually saw this one happen!!  It also didn't block the entire interstate.  This one took out a street light pole.  I got it on video.  You might have to watch it a few times to see it.  It is on the opposite side of I-95, south bound.  Yesterday and today's wrecks are two great examples of why I do not like bumper pull RVs.

The rest of the day was uneventful.  I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Brunswick, Georgia.

Monday, April, 2, 2018

Really enjoyed my time off.  Had one of the best Easter's that I have had in a very long time.  unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and it's time to go back to work.  

Left this morning and drove down to Davenport, Florida.  There was a wreck in Palm Coast on the north bound side of I-95 that blocked the entire north bound side.  The idiots on the south bound side just HAD to rubber neck so traffic on my side was backed up for a couple miles for no reason.

Supposed to load tomorrow but I went in to Richie Brothers and tried to load today.  Everything went fine until they went to give me the keys.  They couldn't find them.  I waited for a while, but no luck.  I left my trailer next t o the machine I am to load and went to the Love's truck stop across the road for the night.  I'll try again tomorrow.

Sunday, April 1, 2018