Saturday, June 20, 2020

Left at sunrise this morning.  When I got to the Maryland state line I met my Maryland pilot escort car.  He fell in behind me as we continued on.  Fortunately had no traffic issues going around Washington DC.  At the Virginia state line my escort car dropped off as I continued on.  In the Fredericksburg area had about 10 miles of bumper to bumper traffic.  Then another few miles of bumper to bumper traffic a little north of Richmond.  After that it was smooth sailing down to Wilson, North Carolina.  At the job site a guy came out and met me on the main road.  He said that one of the trucks had arrived and was in there already.  He said that they had a hard time getting him in.  They had made a construction entrance that was curvy and narrow.  They built it for normal construction traffic, not extra long trailers.  On either side of the gravel temporary road it was very soft mud.  

Construction Road

There was one really difficult spot to go through.  It doesn't look very bad in the photo below but trust me, it was.  On a slight curve had to go over a culvert with running water flowing through it.   Directly across it there was a power pole with 2 metal poles around it.  I made it through with 1/4 inch clearance of the load on the left, and less than 6 inches from my right trailer tires going into the culvert.   Quite a "pucker factor" .  

Section with the culvert and power pole

I dropped my trailer in there.  The crane is already set up and the other trailer is in there too.  These units have to be unloaded in a specific order.  Thank God, mine is the first!!!  

Where I dropped my trailer until Monday

Monday morning should be quick to get out.  After dropping my trailer I left and went o the Kenly 95 truck stop until Monday.

Friday, June 19, 2020

Drove the rest of the way to Allentown to load.  When I got there two other trucks had been loaded and they were just finishing up with their tarps. They are going to the same place I am.  While they finished up I stretched out my trailer and got ready.  Then backed in under the crane and they loaded my piece.  I chained it down while they draped my tarp over it.  They tried two other smaller tarps to finish it but they didn't fit at all so they took them back off.  To make a very long story short. Someone from Carlisle drove another big tarp up to me.  When it got there they were busy loading the last truck that was going.  Four total.  They finished tarping his truck then finished mine.  

I left.  That's when things really went wrong.  Because of construction on I-78, Pennsylvania routed me around it on some really unbelievable back roads.  I missed my first turn so I had to find a place to turn around.  Not an easy task in Pennsylvania.  I found a place and got back on my route.  It didn't get better.    Here is the route Pennsylvania sent me on.

I did pretty good until I got to Kempton.

Had to make a hard left curve with a wall along the side of the road going around the curve. 

In order to make the curve without hitting the wall I had to take the truck off the side of the road.  That's when the trailer bottomed out on the hump.  I was stuck blocking the entire road.

I called the State Police, then our shop.  Our shop sent a wrecker.  After a while the State Police arrived.  They were great.  Helped a lot.  They couldn't believe that the State would route me on these roads.  Three of them showed up.  Then the wrecker got there.

Took about a half hour of lifting, moving, and repositioning to get un-stuck.  Had to reposition about four times.  Its not as easy as it looks.  It is very easy to tip the entire thing over doing that.  Have to do it very slow and easy.   Finally got it free.  The cops said that they would escort me on the last leg of this back road adventure. The wrecker stayed with me too.  They knew what was ahead.  We got to the next obstacle.  A left turn directly on to an old narrow bridge with guard rails next to the road all around. 

No way I was going to make that turn.  Remember my trailer is stretched out.  I am 89 feet long.  Made a right turn instead into that open area and made a "U" turn to go the correct direction.

The cops stopped all the traffic and the wrecker positioned himself in case I got stuck again.  Fortunately, I made it without difficulty.  Continued on toward I-78.  The cops did a great job escorting me back out.  It was needed too.  The roads were very narrow and winding.  Once out on I-78 they took off.  I stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Bethel, PA.  Thoroughly exhausted and totally drained, I showered, tried to eat something and fell into bed.

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Left early this morning and drove in to Baltimore.  Got there when they opened.  Got unloaded real fast.  Very surprised!!!  Left there and drove back up to Carlisle, PA to the Daily yard.  Had to swap trailers.  Got another one just like the one I had except there is SUPPOSED to be nothing wrong with it.  After all that fun stuff was done I started off toward Allentown, PA where I am loading tomorrow morning.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Manada, PA.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Left at 2 am.  I only had a few hours available today before my 70 hour clock ran out.  I had to stop at a Ritter's convenience store, that has truck parking, in Miloy, PA.  I'll get almost 11 hours back tomorrow so I can deliver.  Until then I think I'll sleep a lot.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

I was wide awake at midnight.  Since it was too early to leave I decided to make good use of the time.  Did 4 loads of laundry.  When it was time to leave, I left.  Drove the rest of the way to the Caterpillar dealer in North Canton, Ohio and delivered the dozer.  My next load was about a half hour away in Hudson, Ohio.  Drove up there and loaded some stuff that is going to Baltimore, Maryland.

Now that it was on, it had to be tarped.

When all that was done, I left.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Barkeyville, Pennsylvania.  Thoroughly exhausted (that's an understatement!) I ate, showered, and fell into bed.  Phone is off.  Leaving very early tomorrow.  Good night.

Monday, June 15, 2020

When my permits came in I left.  My Ohio permit was wrong so they had to re-order it.  Illinois State Police were all over the place stopping big trucks.  I saw at least 10 of them along I-74 in the Champaign area with trucks pulled over.  It is safer for them to screw with big trucks, not much chance of an ANFIFA idiot shooting at them from a big truck.  We are too busy trying to earn an honest living.  That makes us an easy target for them.  My new Ohio permit arrived shortly before I stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in New Paris, Ohio.  Will be going to sleep very early.  Getting an early start in the morning.

Sunday, June 14, 2020

Ten years ago today I started this blog.  I started it to give my family and friends a place to go to keep up with me, where I am, and what I'm doing. Since then I have added readers from over 50 different countries around the world.  I enjoy hearing your comments and like to know exactly where you all are from.   I never expected anything like that to happen.  Thank you.

I left the Flying J as soon as my 10 hours was up.  That was 2 am CDT.  While on the way, I looked at my paperwork for tomorrow's load.  Much to my surprise, The machine was at the Daily yard in Morton, Illinois and not at the Caterpillar plant.  That was a very good thing!!!   I drove there.  I was the only person at the Daily yard.  Loaded a Caterpillar D7R Dozer that is going to North Canton, Ohio.

I was finished at 10:15 this morning.  Settled in for the rest of the day.  I don't have any of my permits yet so I can't leave right away in the morning.