Saturday, June 15, 2019

We all left at sunrise this morning. More back roads through the rest of Arkansas.  At the Texas line my lead escort car dropped off as I only needed a rear car in Texas.  A little Interstate in Texas, but mostly back roads.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Normangee, Texas.  Will get a lot closer to Portland, TX tomorrow for a Monday delivery.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Left after the St Louis curfew was over at 9 with my pilot escort car following behind.  The Mississippi River is the highest I have ever seen it.  Lots of flooding in Missouri.

 In Missouri my lead car joined us as we continued on through the back roads.  

Took forever to get through Missouri!!  At the Missouri / Arkansas line my lead car dropped off and I got another one.  We continued on through more back roads to the Petro truck stop in North Little Rock, Arkansas.  More back roads tomorrow through the rest of Arkansas.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Went over to the Caterpillar Proving Grounds in Washington, Illinois first thing this morning.  Loaded a Caterpillar D6 Dozer that is going to an oil refinery in Portland, Texas.

I am going to have an escort from St. Louis, Missouri until I deliver.  In Missouri and Arkansas I have to have two.  For some reason (I think the flooding might have something to do with it) I am going to be on two lane back roads through most of Missouri and Arkansas.  It doesn't look it, but I am 14 feet wide, thats why I have the escorts.  Anyway, I left there in pretty good time.  Just before I got back to the Interstate in Peoria, this happened...

Miscalculated when to have the escorts and scheduled them for tomorrow morning.  I could have made it through St. Louis today.  Oh well.  Will just have to get a late start tomorrow morning because of the St. Louis curfew that ends at 9 am.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Left very early this morning in the rain.  Got to the Caterpillar dealer in Eau Claire right when they opened.  Delivered the excavator.  My next load is down at the Caterpillar Proving Grounds in Washington, Illinois.  Drove down to the Daily Yard in Morton, Illinois for the night.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Only had about 3 and a half hours available today.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Portage, Wisconsin.  I'll get almost 11 hours tomorrow.

Monday, June 10, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Very short day.  Only had a littke over 5 hours available today.  So I stopped at the Petro truck stop in Rochelle, Illinois.  Had only 8 minutes left when I stopped.  Had my 90 day inspection done in the repair shop and did four loads of laundry. I'll get almost four hours tomorrow.  I'll at least be able to get into Wisconsin.

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Nothing exciting today.  Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Another good day on the road.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Mount Vernon, Illinois.