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.