Friday, June 29, 2018

Left at sunrise this morning.  About an hour in came to a complete halt.  There was a wreck about 5 miles ahead.  They were landing a helicopter in the road.  Heard that there was a fatality too.  After about 45 minutes traffic started to move again.  Here was the wreck.

Then came the South Carolina detour.  The detour was not 248 miles.  That was the total mileage in South Carolina.

Traffic remained heavy all day.  In the Savannah, Georgia had another 45 minute delay from another wreck.  Can you see it?  Look close...

No?   Try this view...

Here is a close up...

Had a few more "slow downs" from all the traffic but no more bumper to bumper.   With all the delays it was totally impossible to deliver today.  I barely had enough hours left to get to Jacksonville.  But I did make it there to the Daily terminal.  I'll stay here until Sunday.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Left at 3 am this morning.  Had no traffic problems at all in Washington DC or Baltimore, just as I had planned.  Got to the Port a little early and had to wait for them to open.  When they did, I went in and loaded a Caterpillar 730C Dump Truck that is going to Ocala, Florida.

Got out of there in great time.  But all that time saved soon was lost.  Traffic was very heavy.  Most of the Baltimore beltway was bumper to bumper.  Most of the way between Baltimore and Washington DC beltway was bumper to bumper.  Some breaks, but not many.  The Washington DC beltway was bumper to bumper to about Andrews Air Force Base.  Cleared up until I got on I-95 south of DC, then back to bumper to bumper again with a few breaks.  Didn't really clear up until after Quantico.  Traffic was still very heavy.  Passed a Google Maps car today, but wasn't able to get a picture.  But below is a picture of it that I got from the internet.

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Kenly, North Carolina.  Going to bed.  Good night.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Left at sunrise this morning and drove into Portsmouth, Virginia to the Port and delivered the dozer.  On the way in the Apple Maps car passed me.

My next load is up at the Port in Baltimore, MD. I started that way but stopped very early at the Flying J truck stop in Ruther Glen, Virgiinia.  I just didn't feel like dealing with the Washington DC traffic today.  I'll go to bed very early tonight and get up very early tomorrow morning and get ahead of it.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

My pilot escort car met me this morning at the truck stop and we left.  Picked up our second escort car when we had to get off the Interstate for a construction detour.  When we made our way back to the Interstate the second car dropped off and we continued on.  We got to the bridge were I needed the West Virginia Bridge Monitor a little early so we had to wait about a half hour for him to arrive.  When he got there we went across the bridge.  They blocked traffic while I went across at 30 mph in the center of the bridge.  After I cleared the bridge they opened the road back up again.  The bridge monitor dropped off and so did my escort.  I no longer needed anyone.  I continued on solo.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia.  Still need my Portsmouth City permit.  

Monday, June 25, 2018

The good news is that my West Virginia permit came in early this morning.  The bad news is that I need two pilot escort cars and a bridge monitor.  With the back log, there aren't any escorts available today.  Plus couldn't schedule the bridge monitor until 10 am tomorrow.  So my escorts will meet me in the morning.

I'm obviously not the only one with this problem.  There are 9 dozers, and 2 excavators in here waiting.