Sunday, December 25, 2022

 

Thursday, December 15, 2022

 Well, we got the rain.  Went to Clayton, NC this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 966M Wheel Loader that is going to Savannah, GA.  It will eventually end up in Yokahama, Japan.  

As you can see, it was pouring rain.  Left there and drove down to the Port in Savannah and delivered the wheel loader.  From there I drove to the Daily yard in Jacksonville, Florida.  I'll be home for a couple week to enjoy the holidays with famiy and friends. I'm exhausted and glad to be here!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

 My permit route had me going around the north side of Baltimore on the beltway.  Within 10 minutes of getting on the beltway, I was in bumper-to-bumper traffic.  It stayed that way almost all the way around Baltimore. Cleared up between Baltimore and Washington DC.  Much more going around DC.  Finally got out of that mess and continued on to Raleigh, NC, and delivered the wheel loader.  Spent the night in a parking lot just down the road.  It used to be a K-Mart.  Tomorrow morning I will load in Clayton, NC.  Supposed to get a lot of rain tonight and tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

 Got a little bit later start than I wanted because of the Washington DC curfew.  But I finally made it to Chantilly, VA, and delivered the tank and stuff.  From there I drove up to the Port of Baltimore and loaded a Caterpillar 966 Wheel Loader that is going down to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Left there and went over to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night.  

Monday, December 12, 2022

 I left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Had a good day on the road except I got a flat tire on the truck in Virginia.

Stopped and got it fixed, but that made delivery today impossible.  I stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Tom's Brook, Virginia.  I'm a little over an hour away from delivery in the morning.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

 I decided not to do a reset there.  There are several other trucks delivering with me in Virginia. They were leaving when I was arriving to load in Texas, so they had a good half-day head start.  We are supposed to deliver Monday.  After checking how many hours I had left this week I decided to keep going and try to catch up or at least get close to the others.  My load should be the first to be unloaded since everything else sets on top of the tank.  Having them wait for me would not be a good thing, plus the crane is expensive to have sitting around doing nothing.  So at 1:30 AM CST, I left.   Had light rain all the way.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Greenville, Tennessee.  Couldn't go any further because permit loads can't move in Virginia on Sunday.   I think I made the right decision.  Looks like a couple of the other trucks are here too.  Lots of other oversize loads here waiting to go into Virginia tomorrow.  Now its time to sleep.

Saturday, December 10, 2022

 Left at sunrise this morning.  Light rain all day.  Had some bumper-to-bumper traffic in West Memphis, Arkansas. Other than that, an uneventful day.  Stopped at the Love's in Dickson, Tennessee.  Will do a reset here. Start again Monday morning.

Friday, December 9, 2022

 Got up early this morning and drove the 2-hour drive to Denison, Texas.  I was early enough that I beat all the rush hour traffic in Fort Worth and Dallas.  Arrived to load at 6:30 AM CST.  They loaded the fuel tank.

I secured it to the trailer while the workers attached the foot grates on the top.  They had to cut each section to fit.  That took over an hour.  THEN they said that they had more things to be transported.  That was not listed on my paperwork, only the fuel tank.  I called Carlise and cleared it with them, that way the rate increases.  It took forever to get it all on.  They are all going to Chantilly, Virginia.  I didn't get out of there until 12:15 PM CST.  

I drove to the Flying J truck stop in Texarkana, Arkansas for the night.  Didn't get anywhere near where I wanted to today.

Thursday, December 8, 2022

 Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Drove the rest of the way to Midland, TX, and delivered the excavator.   My next load is back in Denison, TX.  That is 6 1/2 hours away.  I started off in that direction.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Weatherford, TX.  That is about 30 miles west of Fort Worth.

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

 

Left at sunrise this morning.  Very good day on the road.  No traffic issues at all.  Passed two separate semi crashes in Texas.  Both off the road.  One was jackknifed and burned.  It had been there a while.  The other was on its side with the trailer contents spread around.  The wrecker company was there trying to clean up the mess.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Tye, Texas.  That is just west of Abilene.  536 miles today.

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

 Left a half hour after sunrise this morning.  A bit foggy and a little bit of rain.  It cleared up after I got to Alabama.  Other than that, nothing interesting today.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Tallulah, Louisiana.

Monday, December 5, 2022

 Went to Pooler an hour and a half early this morning.  There were 12 trucks ahead of me waiting in line for them to open at 7:30 AM EST.  Once they opened and I got in I went to check-in.  Carlisle didn't send me all the info I needed to check-in.  So I had to wait for that.  Finally got checked in and went over to load.  They loaded my machine on another Daily trailer.  I had to wait again.  They finally came and took the machine off his trailer and put it on mine.  Loaded a Volvo EC200 EL Excavator that is going over to Midland, Texas.

Finally left there at about 11:45 AM EST.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Jackson, Georgia for the night.  

Sunday, December 4, 2022

 While at the Jacksonville terminal I had another air leak fixed on my trailer, also did a few other things too.  This morning I drove up to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, Georgia so tha I can load in Pooler tomorrow morning.

Friday, December 2, 2022

 Left well before sunrise this morning.  In Tennessee, I could drive at night but could not get to Georgia before a half hour after sunrise.  Well, I timed it perfectly.  I arrived at the Georgia state line exactly a half hour after sunrise.  Didn't have any traffic issues at all today.  Didn't rain either.   That was nice.  Drove all the way to Jacksonville and delivered the dump truck.  Boy, that thing is fun to drive!!!  My next load is Monday in Pooler, Georgia.  I'll be at the Daily yard in Jacksonville until Sunday.  I'll head up there then.  604 miles today.  I'm really tired.  Good night.

Thursday, December 1, 2022

 I left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Pretty good day on the road.  Lost about 45 minutes in construction bumper-to-bumper traffic just north of the Tennessee state line in Kentucky.  Made it around Nashville without much difficulty.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Antioch, Tennessee. Supposed to rain tomorrow.  Goodie!!!

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

 Hit the road at 1 AM CST.  Drove to East Peoria, Illinois, and delivered the engines.  When I started out today the temperature was in the mid-50s and windy.  By the time I got up to Illinois, it was very windy and temperatures were in the low-20s.  My next load was up in Sugar Grove, Illinois, about 2 1/2 hours away.  Drove up there and loaded something I have not moved before, a Terramac RT14-R Dump Truck that is going to Jacksonville, Florida.  

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Morris, Illinois.  Ran out of time.  567 miles today. 

Here is an internet photo of what one of these trucks does.

Monday, November 29, 2022

 Was at Caterpillar at 7 AM EST.  First in line and first in to load.  Loaded five Caterpillar engines that are going to East Peoria, Illinois.  

Left there and headed north.  Some slow traffic in Atlanta, but not bad.  Started raining in Nashville but no traffic problems.  The rain slowed down a lot by the time I got to Kentucky.  Drove to the Flying J truck stop in Oak Grove, Kentucky for my 10 hours.

Monday, November 28, 2022

 I had a load that was supposed to load in South Carolina on Tuesday but it got canceled.  The receiver in Ohio couldn't get a crane.  So I got another load for tomorrow in Griffin, Georgia.  This morning I drove to the TA in Jackson, Georgia for the night.  My loading appointment is for 8 AM tomorrow.

Thursday, November 24, 2022

 

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

 Left at about 2 AM and drove to Savannah, GA.  Was a little early so I stopped and got a shower on the way.  My delivery appointment was for 11:30.  I pulled in at 11:25.  I sat there for over an hour waiting on them.  When I was finally empty I drove home to Jacksonville, Florida.  Will be home for the Thanksgiving holiday.  580 miles today.

Monday, November 21, 2022

 Went over to Lafayette first thing this morning.  In keeping with the way things have gone this week, they put the wrong load on my truck.  I caught it at the same time they did.  They took it back off and then loaded the correct stuff.   A Caterpillar 3516 Engine and two boxes of parts that are going to Savannah, Georgia.

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Caryville, Tennessee for my ten hours.

Friday, November 18, 2022

 When I first saw what was to be tarped I knew exactly what was going to happen.  I was right.  I left at 3 AM EST.  What was normally a four-and-a-half-hour drive took over six and a half hours.  That tarping job looked real nice sitting still, but when I got out on the Interstate it turned into the Goodyear blimp.  Here is what it looked like in my mirrors.

Driver's Side Mirror

Passenger's Side Mirror

To make a very long story short, my Goodyear blimp turned into the Hindenburg!! I stopped along the way many times to fix problems and add more bungee cords.  By the time I got to Illinois, it had completely disintegrated.  I was able to pull off the Interstate and work on it.  Here is what it looked like.  

View From The Front

View From The Rear 

I pulled the tarp totally off.  Throughout the duration of the morning, I had lost about 75 bungee cords, broke 4 straps, wrecked a ratchet, and destroyed the tarp.  This is the thing that was supposed to be tarped.

There is no way a tarp can withstand these.

I continued the rest of the way to delivery that way.  They never said a word about it.  Delivered the thing and got out of there.  Daily didn't make much on this one!!  My next load has a loading appointment Monday morning in Lafayette, Indiana.  I drove to the Flying J truck stop in Lebanon, Indiana, and will be there until then.  That really long hot shower felt great!!!  Now it's time to relax and watch another great Saturday of SEC college football.

Thursday, November 17, 2022

 Left at about 1 AM EST and drove the rest of the way to Kuttawa, Kentucky.  Delivered the Skidder to a job site way back in the woods.  After that, I drove to Fairfield, Ohio for my next load.  Loaded a Caterpillar radiator frame that is going to Decatur, Illinois.  

I had no time left on my clock today so I stayed in their parking lot for the night.  613 miles today.  I'm really tired and my back is really letting me know that it is there and not happy.  Good night.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

 The Snow Emergency Plan was lifted at 6 AM EST. That was perfect!!  I couldn't leave until 6:30 because I couldn't get to West Virginia before sunrise.  So that's when I left.  Had light rain on and off all day.  Occasionally had some snow flurries and a little sleet too.  Rough day going through the mountains of West Virginia.  Mostly back roads.  They were 4 lanes most of the way but steep up and down with a lot of stop lights.  Of course, I got at least 3/4 of them red.  Seemed like it took forever to get through West Virginia on my permit route.  The map below says 6 hours and 28 minutes.  HaHa!!  it really took 8 hours.

Stopped for my 10 hours at a dinky truck stop just east of Lexington, Kentucky.  I can run at night in Kentucky so I'll leave at about 1 or 2 AM.

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

 Left at about 1 AM EST and drove the rest of the way to Harrisburg, PA, and delivered the two mini excavators.  My next load was over in Ebensburg, PA.  Drove over there and loaded (a day ahead of time) a John Deere 748L Skidder that is going to Kuttawa, Kentucky.  Started to snow as I got started loading.

Left there and headed south.  The snow continued to get worse.  I stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Grantsville, Maryland.  585 miles today.  As of now, the Snow Emergency Plan is in effect for the county I'm in (Garrett County) and that means permit loads can't move until it is lifted.  Glad I got here when I did!!  So far we have a couple inches in the ground.  I may be here a while.

Current Radar.  I'm the little blue dot next to the I-68 icon.

Monday, November 14, 2022

 Went over to Athens and got there a bit before they opened.  Good thing too, I was third in line.  By the time they opened there were 8 in line.  Loaded a couple mini excavators that are going up to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Fort Chiswell, Virginia for my 10 hours.

Saturday, November 12, 2022

 I left at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to Fairburn, Georgia, and was able to deliver.  My next load is Monday in Athens, GA.  I left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Commerce, GA for the rest of the weekend.  Now it is time for some great college football!!!!

Our last home game of the season.  :(

Friday, November 11, 2022

 Left at sunrise this morning.  Rain all day, sometimes pretty heavy.  A little breezy at times, but nothing very bad,  Did fine until southern Virginia on I-77.  In the middle of the backup, this guy wasn't paying attention and went over there to avoid slamming into the back of the stopped traffic from a very bad semi crash involving two semis that got tangled up and went over the side.  Neither driver survived the crash.  It took over an hour to get past that, and it wasn't even on our side!! That was at Fancy Gap, Virginia.

Finally got past all that and continued on down to Charlotte, North Carolina where I got stuck in more stop-n'-go traffic.  I had to stop for that STUPID 30-minute break so I pulled into the closed weigh station and sat there for 30 minutes.  What a total waste of time.  Got back out in the B2B traffic and finally made my way to the TA truck stop in Duncan, South Carolina. Only 448 miles today.

Thursday, November 10, 2022

 When I left the yard this morning I passed the truck wash and saw that there was no line.  I stopped and got the truck washed.  After that, I went over to the very busy Keen yard and loaded a Link-Belt 210X4 Excavator that is going to Fairburn, Georgia.

Left there but didn't get very far.  There was a semi crash up ahead on I-81 in northern Virginia that had the whole southbound side closed.  I stopped at the Flying J truck stop in Winchester, VA.  When I stopped I found that I had a flat tire on the trailer.  So I got that fixed too.

I stayed there for the night.

Here is why I try to never park at the end of a row.

Fortunately, the other driver, that could barely speak English, did not drive off, as so many do.  

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left.  That was about 1 AM EST.  Drove the rest of the way to Batavia, New York, and delivered the mini excavator.  My next load is, once again, back in Carlisle, PA.  I drove back there and went to the Daily yard for the night.  Another 622 miles today.  After getting to the yard, I got a car, went to Wal-Mart, did three loads of laundry, and fixed something on the trailer.  Then had dinner.  I'm exhausted and my back hurts. Good night.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

 As soon as my 10 hours were up, I left.  That was at about 1:30 AM EST.  Had another very good uneventful day on the road.  Drove up to Columbus, Ohio, and delivered the Dozer.  I only had enough time left to get to a truck stop so I went to the Flying J truck stop in Berkshire, Ohio.  663 miles today.  When my 10 is up, I'll hit the road again.  But for now, good night.

Monday, November 7, 2022

 Left at about 4 AM CST and drove the rest of the way to Montgomery and delivered the wheel loader.  My next load was back in Athens, Georgia.  Drove there and loaded a Caterpillar D3 Dozer that is going to Columbus, Ohio and a Caterpillar 304 Mini Excavator that is going to Batavia, New York.

Left there but didn't go very far.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Commerce, Georgia for my 10 hours.  

Saturday, November 5, 2022

 I left Carlisle, Pennsylvania at about 4:30 AM EDT when my 10 hours were up.  Excellent day on the road today.  Rained most of the day too.  Nothing exciting or interesting.  I ran out of hours so I stopped for the rest of the weekend at the Pilot truck stop in Rising Fawn, Georgia. Yes, that really is a town name.  664 miles today.  It was nice to see the GATORS get a win for a nice change!!