Saturday, April 10, 2021

 Left Baltimore this morning timing it so that I got to the Pennsylvania state line right at sunrise.  Everything was going fine until I was about 40 miles south of Erie on I-79.  A tire AND an airbag blew out on the trailer.  Messed up my new mud flap and took out my new "oversized load" banner.  I stopped in a safe place (well, as safe as one could be on the side of the Interstate) and called for road service to come out.  

Ironically, they called the TA truck stop that I was heading to for the weekend to come out and fix it.  Minutes seem like hours when you are sitting on the side of the road waiting for road service to arrive. It took three hours for him to get here.  

First had to lift the trailer.  No easy task.  He had two 30 ton jacks and they couldn't lift it high enough. It took another jack and an assist from my 3 remaining airbags to get it high enough to work on.   

With the airbag replaced it was time to change to tire.

With all the work completed, I left and drove to the TA truck stop in Erie, PA for the rest of the weekend.  It is right next to where I'm delivering the wheel loader Monday morning.  But first, tomorrow morning I have to have a bunch of trailer lights fixed.  A lot of them don't work.  But that's tomorrow.  Tonight, I'm going to sleep!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, April 9, 2021

 I got up at 8 this morning.  Much to my surprise, they finished my trailer last night.  Found out they took parts from another trailer to get me back on the road.  I quickly connected to my trailer and left.  Went to Myerstown, Maryland, and delivered the wheel loader.  Had a heck of a time putting my trailer back together.  It just was very stubborn today.  Took a half-hour, but it finally went together.  Next load was at the Port of Baltimore.  Went there.  Got there when they were at their hour and a half lunch break.  When they got back to work I loaded a Caterpillar 972M Wheel Loader that is going up to Erie, Pennsylvania. 

This one is a little bit bigger than the last one.  I really like the ones with no steering wheel.  Joystick steering is great!!   Left there and went to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

 Left real early and timed it so that I arrived in Rochester just before they opened.  I delivered the excavator.  My next load was supposed to be in Baltimore so I started off in that direction.  That changed and I rerouted to Batavia, NY for a load.  Arrived there and got all set to load a Caterpillar Wheel Loader.  It wasn't there.  It was in Syracuse, NY.  I put everything back together and drove the 2 1/2 hours east to Syracuse.  When I got there I loaded a Caterpillar 938M Wheel Loader that is going to Myersville, Maryland.  

While loading I noticed an air leak somewhere in the area of the left front axle on the trailer.  I left there and headed south.  On the way called the trailer shop in Carlisle.  I went there.  Got there a little after 4:30 pm.  They brought the trailer in and started to work on it.  Here is what they found...

This was the bad part in the wheel.

This is the broken part he took off.

This is the new part.

Oh, it gets worse!  In the photo of the broken part, see all that black stuff in there?  That is metal shavings.  Very bad.  Lots of stuff needs replacing in all four wheels!!  Very glad I stopped when I did. We shall see what goodies tomorrow brings.  I'll bet I get a different trailer and have to unload and reload the machine plus all my stuff. The saga continues!!

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

 Overslept a little this morning.  But I was still well on my way before sunrise.  Nothing exciting today.  Drove another 590 miles to the TA truck stop in Dansville, New York.  I'll deliver first thing in the morning.

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

 Left at sunrise this morning and drove to Charlotte, NC, and delivered the excavator.  Next load was up in Kernersville, NC.  Drove up there and loaded a John Deere 130 Excavator a day ahead of schedule.  It is going up to Rochester, New York.

Left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Mt. Airy, NC.  It is also known as Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show.

Monday, April 5, 2021

 I was awake at midnight but didn't leave until 3 am.  Drove to the Port of Baltimore.  Glad I got there early, by the time I got checked in there were at least 20 trucks lined up to check in.  Got unloaded pretty quick.  Then reloaded with a Caterpillar 320 Excavator that is going to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Left there but didn't get very far.  Everything was fine until I started south on I-95 from Washington DC.  30 miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic!!!  Thought I'd never get through there!!  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Ashland, Virginia.  Had to have 2 mud flaps fixed.  One just had to be put back on. That one was on the truck.  The other was on the trailer and it had to be replaced.  Of course, that didn't go smoothly. 

 It took 4 hours just to get in the door.  I didn't get through until after 8 pm.  I'm a little tired so I'm going to sleep now.  Good night.