Friday, May 24, 2019

It turns out that there was not a crash on I-95.  There is a huge brush fire at the Duval / Nassau County line.  The smoke was so heavy that they closed I-95 in both directions.  The fire also jumped across the Interstate last night.  I spent the night parked along the shoulder of I-95 just before US-17, exit 380.  Obviously I didn't sleep very well and had nod food.  I-95 was still closed this morning.  They have no idea when it will reopen again.  As soon as my 10 hours was up, and coincidentally, a half hour before sunrise I left and exited the Interstate at US-17 and took that all the way home.  Traffic was horrible and getting worse!  It took a hour and a half to go the 22 miles it took to get to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Glad to be here!!!!!!!!   I'll be here until Tuesday morning.  Hope the fire is under control by then.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Left a half hour after sunrise this morning.  Drove in to the Port of Savannah.  It took them 2 hours to get around to unloading me.  Finally got the thing off my trailer.  Then went to a different area of the Port and loaded a Caterpillar 982M Wheel loader That is going to Murrysville, Pennsylvania.

Left there and headed to the Jacksonville terminal.  Will spend the Holiday weekend home.  Here is another one of those boneheaded drivers.

Stopped at he Petro in Kingsland, Georgia for fuel and get a shower.  I should have stayed there!!  There was a crash on I-95 way down near the Jacksonville Beltway.  The Interstate was closed.  I got into the back up about a mile before the Florida State line.  It took over an hour and a half just to get across the state line.  I ended up parking on the side of I-95 at mile marker 380.  I have no idea how long I'll be here, but it is well after sundown now and there is no signs of anything changing anytime soon.  

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  Great day on the road.  Some bumper to bumper traffic in Nashville and Atlanta.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Atlanta.  While doing my post trip inspection found another flat tire. 

So I checked in at the repair shop ( at 3 pm) and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally they got to work on it.  Here is the culprit!

I got out of there at 7:30 pm. Good night.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

All the tornadic activity yesterday was south and west from where I was.  But I left at 2 am in heavy rain and a lot of wind.  By the time I got to St. Louis the weather had passed me by.  Continued on up to Decatur. Got there just after they opened.  I got loaded pretty fast (for a nice change!!) with a rear axle for a Caterpillar 793F Mining Dump Truck that is going to the Port in Savannah, Georgia. This thing weighs about 57,000 pounds.

Here is what the axle looks like with all the rest of the truck attached to it.

Got out of there in pretty good time.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Mount Vernon, Illinois for the night. 

Looks like more weather is coming tonight.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  Had to time my arrival at Kansas City so that I did not get there before curfew at 9 am was over.  Once again, I timed it perfectly.  Went and delivered the dump truck.  Didn't have another load yet so I drove out to the Petro truck stop in Oak Grove, Missouri.  Had lunch and waited. This afternoon I got my next load, it is in Decatur, Illinois tomorrow.  I'll wait here and leave very early in the morning to go over there.

Sunday, May 19, 2019