Saturday, June 18, 2022

 As soon as my 10 hours off were up, I left.  That was at about 2 AM EDT.  Had a great uneventful day on the road.  In Illinois, I passed a wind energy tower section that was being transported.  It looked like something broke on the trailer causing the front portion of the tower to drop to the ground.  Not good and very expensive!!  Here is the video of what it looked like as I passed it.

Here are a couple snapshots to give you a closer look.

I stopped for the rest of the weekend, after driving 695 miles, at the world-famous Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcott, Iowa.

Friday, June 17, 2022

 The weather they said was coming never came last night. This morning I left at sunrise and drove the rest of the way to Rockhill Furnace and delivered the thing.  It took a long time to get it off the trailer.  They didn't have a crane.  They had to lay tracks to get it off my trailer.

Then it started to move.  If you look under the machine you will see a large hydraulic ram with a long flat plate attached to the bottom of it.  It is very hard to see.  That is what lifts the machine as you will see how it works later.

The video below is a timelapse of the entire procedure.

Once that was finally off, it took three hours, I went down to McConnellsburg, PA, and loaded a Caterpillar TL1055 Telehandler that is going out to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Smithton, Pennsylvania for my 10 hours.

Thursday, June 16, 2022

 I left at 3 AM EDT and drove to North Canton, Ohio, and delivered the excavator.  My next load was up in Austinburg, Ohio.  Drove there and loaded something that does something with railroad track. I have no idea what it does.  It is going to a rail yard in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania.

While loading, somehow one of my trailer tires got cut.

Fortunately, there was a tire shop at the Pilot truck stop about a mile away.  Went there and got a new tire.  Then I headed toward Rockhill Furnace, PA.  Just inside PA on I-80, there was a 5-mile construction back-up of stop-n'-go traffic.  Made it through that and stopped at the TA truck stop in Barkeyville, PA for the night.  495 miles today.  I'm very tired!!!!  Supposed to get some Heavy thunderstorms later tonight.  Had a quick one come through when I was in the shower but they say more are on the way.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

 I left at 3:15 this morning and drove to the Port of Baltimore.  Had no traffic problems all the way.  Loaded a Caterpillar 315 Excavator that is going to North Canton, Ohio.  I like the little ones, they are so easy!!

Left there and headed toward Ohio.  On I-695 going around Baltimore, I was in the middle lane following an empty dump truck. He was behind an idiot going 50 mph really screwing up traffic.  The dump truck went to go around him on the right (no trucks allowed in the left lane).  There was a car driving along in his blind spot.  When the dump truck changed lanes he did so into the side of the car.  The car sustained damage to the entire left side.  The car swerved wildly and headed straight for the right-side guard rail.  At the last moment, the driver was able to turn away from the guard rail just before striking it and came to a stop on the shoulder of the road.  The dump truck pulled over as well.  I continued on.  Unfortunately, my dash came is having problems and I didn't get it.  I'll have to replace my dash cam very soon.  I stopped very early at the TA truck stop in Breezewood, PA because my truck was due for service (oil change, etc.).   I got that done.  I'll leave real early in the morning to get to North Canton when they open.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

 I left at 5:15 this morning and drove over to the job site where I was delivering.  WOW, it was difficult to get in there!!!  Then the thunderstorm came.  Fortunately, it didn't last long.  The crane arrived at 6:45.  After they got set up, they unloaded me. 

18,000 pounds "flying" through the air.

I took a much longer but easier way back out of there.  Went to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD for my next load.  After checking in I went to get the machine.  The batteries were dead and it needed a jump start.  Then the heavens opened up.  It poured heavy rain.  After about 30 minutes of waiting the rain finally slowed enough to get back to work.  The guy from the Port jump-started the machine, a Caterpillar 906M Wheel Loaded that is going to Whitehall, Pennsylvania.  I loaded it.

Left there and drove up to Whitehall, PA, and delivered it.  My next load is back at the Port of Baltimore.  I started back that way but didn't get very far.  Stopped at the Allentown Service Plaza on I-476 for the night.  I just didn't feel like dealing with Phillidelphia and Baltimore rush hour traffic.  I'll leave very early in the morning to beat it.

Siunday, June 12, 2022

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left.  That was at midnight EDT.  Drove 598 miles to the TA truck stop in Baltimore, Maryland.  Will be here until Tuesday morning.  Have an 8 AM crane appointment at the job site in Baltimore.