Monday, November 1, 2010

Drove the rest of the way into Dallas this morning and delivered the shelving.  After that I drove over to Thermo King and had them fix my APU.  They did, minor problem.  All fixed.

My next load was in Lewisville, TX so I headed up there.  Picked up 3 generators going to Tacoma, Washington. 

Stopped for the night at the Sooners Truck Stop in Perry, Oklahoma.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Have you ever been watching a football game on TV and the home team is getting killed.  The score is hopelessly lopsided so that by the last few minutes of the game most of the fans have left the stadium.  Have you noticed that when there is hardly anyone left in the stands that there is still crowd noise?  Things that make you go Hmmmmmm.  Do you think the TV people add some crowd noise like the laugh track on a sitcom?  Hmmmmmmmm, I wonder.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Drove from Arizona to Texas today.  On the way went thru El Paso again.  This time the traffic was light so I stopped on the side of the road to take a few photos.  These are where I-10 almost bumps into the US-Mexican border. You can see the border fence.  On the Mexican side is the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.  That is the city you hear about on the news.  The drug wars are in full swing there.  Over 2000 murders there this year.  Every time I drive by there I look to see if I see anyone getting shot.

Then went through another Border Patrol Check Point.

On I-20 in the Odessa area there are hundreds of oil wells.  Here is only one of them.

Stopped for the rest of the weekend in Sweetwater, Texas at the TA truck stop after driving 651 miles today.

Shortly after I got here a belt started slipping and burning on my APU so I had to shut that off.  WONDERFUL!!!  Will attend to that after I deliver Monday.  Thinking about getting a hotel.

Friday, October 29, 2010

My next load was in Calexico, CA, just barely in the USA.  I was only about 10 miles away.  Drove over and picked up a load of shelves that came from Mexico. Quite often products made in Mexico are brought into the country and dropped off at a "middle man".  Basically a place to move stuff from the Mexican truck to an American truck and the other way around when stuff goes to Mexico.  These shelves are going to Dallas.

Got on the road and headed back east.  Went through the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in southern California.  I have sent photos of this before.  If you look close in the photo, those black dots in the sand are all ATVs (all terrain vehicles).  There are hundreds of them all over.  This area must be the toy hauler capitol of the USA.  They are everywhere!

 Went through another Border Patrol Check Point.

Then went into Arizona.  Here are some photos of western Arizona.

Then I got pulled over by the Arizona Highway Patrol.  He stopped me because my trailer mud flaps were flapping in the wind and not staying down.  Also that they were 2 inches too high off the ground.  They are supposed to be 8 inches off the ground, mine were 10.  And cops wonder why everyone hates them??!!??  He did a level 2 inspection and I did fine except for the mud flaps.  He also said that I had an air leak in the trailer someplace but he could not pinpoint it.  I tried to explain that what he heard was normal for that trailer but of course he knows everything!  "I've been doing this many years......"  Blah, blah, blah.  Fortunately I didn't get any tickets.

I stoppoed at a place just out of Tucson, AZ and had my mud flaps changed out and the "air leak" checked.    There was no leak.  But I don't know anything!

Here are some of the cactus in Arizona.

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Willcox, AZ after driving only 401 miles.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Drove on down to Corona, CA this morning and delivered that stuff there.  That's just outside Los Angeles.  I left real early so that I would not get caught in all that LA traffic.  I was lucky!!  No bumper to bumper traffic today!!  Thats amazing for LA.

Then drove down to Brawley, CA and delivered the rest of the stuff.  Brawley is just north of El Centro which is on I-8 between San Diego, CA and Yuma, AZ just north of the Mexican border.

When I got empty I went to El Centro to a truck stop at exit 115 on I-8 for the night.  Plenty of parking but not much else.  Only drove 524 miles today.  I guess that's pretty good considering that trucks can only go 55 mph in this stupid nanny state. I'm still waiting for an earthquake.  None yet.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Drove into California this morning on I-80 over Donner Pass again.  Did it at night so no photos today.  The road construction is almost done there.  It is a lot nicer.  About 4 inches of snow on the ground up there.

Delivered the first part, and the most difficult, of the load in Santa Clara.  Then headed south.  Next stop is Corona, CA.  That is right next to LA.

Stopped for the night in Santa Nella, CA at the Petro truck stop.  Drove 551 miles today.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Woke up this morning to find a light dusting of snow all over.  24 degrees outside and the wind still blowing, although not as hard.  There was a bit of black ice in some places on the highway.  Here is some of the scenery of west Wyoming this morning:

Then entered Utah.  Here is some of eastern Utah:

Then I ran into some snow on the mountain just east of Salt Lake City.

Once I got over the top and going down the other side it cleared up nicely. 

This photo is just coming into Salt Lake City.

Here is the Morton salt plant on the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake.  Those big white piles are pure salt. 

Then entered Nevada and started to go back up again.  It didn't look too good up ahead.

I was right, more snow.

Finally drove out of that and went back down again. 

Stopped for the night in Battle Mountain, Nevada at the Flying J truck stop.  With all the up and down and bad weather I managed to drive 767 miles today.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Got an early start this morning.  Drove 773 miles today.  On the way through Nebraska went through a cold front.  Had some rain, no big deal.  After I passed the front the wind really picked up.  This truck (as well as all the others) was blowing all over the highway.  Tumble weeds blowing all over too.  Weather reporters say the wind is blowing from 35 to 65 miles an hour.  I believe it.  Stopped for the night just east of Cheyenne, Wyoming at the TA Truck stop.  This truck is still being blown around by the wind.  Feels like there is a football team outside rocking the truck back & forth.  I guess I'll be rocked to sleep tonight.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Went the rest of the way down to Ft. Wayne, IN to pick up my last part of this load.  Got it.  Have no idea what it is but it is going to Corona, California.

 Drove to Walcot, Iowa to the famous Iowa 80 Truck Stop.  Have to do a reset so I'll be here until Monday.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Went into Chicago and delivered the aluminium this morning.  After that went over to another place in Chicago an picked up 20, 42 feet steel pipes.  They are going to Santa Clara, California.

After that drove over to Aurora, IL and picked up some machine parts that are going to Brawley, CA.

After that I started to head toward Fort Wayne, Indiana where I'm going to pick up something else in the morning that is also going to California.  I stopped for the night at a truck stop in Grovertown, IN.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Drove through Indianapolis, IN.  Went past the "big box" the Colts play in.

Delivered the heat exchanger in Mapleton, IL then went up to Morris, IL to spend the night at the TA Truck Stop.  Will deliver the aluminum roll tomorrow morning in Franklin Park, IL.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Went over to Hainesport, NJ this morning and picked up a heat exchanger.  It is going to Mapleton, IL. 

Went through Philadelphia right at rush hour.  Took 2 hours to get through there!!

Once I finally got out of Philadelphia and into the mountains heading west I looked around for some good color in the trees.  Definitely past the prime color viewing.

Went through a few tunnels today.

Stopped for the night at the TA Truck Stop in Seville, Ohio.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Made it all the way to Baltimore, MD and delivered.  All the DOT scales were closed and I didn't get any overweight tickets!!  WHEW!!!

After that I went to another place in Baltimore and got a coil of aluminum.  It is going to Franklin Park, IL.  On the way I'll be stopping at Hainesport, NJ to pick up and air handler that is going to Mapleton, IL.

Here is the coil:

Stopped for the night at the TA Truck Stop in Paulsboro, NJ.  I-295 at exit 18.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Delivered the steel this morning then drove over to Marcy, NY to a job site to pick up a load of scaffolding going back to Baltimore, MD. 

Here are a couple photos I took of the foliage while waiting to be loaded.  The storm last week brought a lot of the leafs down so the color was not as good.

Stopped at the first truck stop I came to (which was 3 hours south) and scaled the truck.  I am almost 1300 pounds overweight.  Hope I can avoid the scales and not get any tickets.  Too far away to go back and take some off.  Oh well, we shall see what tomorrow brings.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Just added up the tolls that I have paid getting up to here so far.  $191.70  Absolutely ridiculous!!  And the democrats don't think we pay enough!!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Didn't get a load until the afternoon.  Went over to Staten Island, NY to pick up a shipping container.  Unfortunately didn't get there before they closed for the weekend. So that was a waste of time.  Then got another load.  This place was open all night so I went up to Wallingford, CT and picked up a load of steel going to Gansevoort, NY, that's up north of Albany, NY.

On the way up to Connecticut went over the George Washington bridge again.

Stopped for the weekend in Wilton, NY.  Not too far from where I deliver Monday morning.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Started real early today.  Was on the road at 3:30 this morning.  Drove most of the day in rain.  Hit D.C. perfectly at rush hour.  Took 2 hours to get through it.  Finally got up to Perth Amboy this afternoon and delivered the wire.  Spending the night at the Woodbridge, NJ rest area on the NJ Turnpike, and its still raining.

I was walking back to my truck this evening when I passed a truck that caught my eye. The name of this company was plastered all over the side of the trailer.  I could not get a good photo of that because he was parked too close to other trucks.  All I could get a good photo of was the mud flap with the company name on it. I don't think I'd like to work there. Probably a crappy place to work.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

After getting caught up on my sleep I drove up to Georgetown, SC for my next load.  Picked up 46,155 pounds of wire going up to Perth Amboy, NJ.

Didn't get too far today.  Stopped for the night at the Petro in Kenly, North Carolina for the night.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Delivered in Charleston, SC first thing this morning then went to a truck stop and slept.