Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Didn't hurry getting started this morning. Drove up to Las Vegas.  Haven't been here in a while and after the day I had yesterday, I decided that a little R&R was in order.  Of course it was raining.  Probably first time all summer.  I stopped at the Orleans Hotel and Casino.  It is just a few blocks from Las Vegas Blvd.  They have a large truck parking area.  I have stayed here before.  Rooms are very inexpensive and nice!

Here is the view from my room.  Can you see my truck?

Here it is.

Here is more of the view.

Took the shuttle over to the "strip", also known as Las Vegas Blvd.  Went to Caesar's Palace and walked around a lot.

Then went to Paris and had dinner at the buffet.  Boy was that good!!

After that went to Rio Hotel.  By then my back was killing me!!!  I sat in one of the bars and had a Coke.  This was my server. Nice eye candy!

After that saw a show.

Before it started they had everyone (that wanted to) go up on stage and sign a large envelope.  I signed it.  See my signature?

While I was up there I took a photo showing the view from up there.  The arrow points to my seat. I was six rows from the stage.

Then the show started.

I enjoyed it thoroughly!!  It was very good.

When it was over took a taxi back to the hotel and a good nights sleep.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Made it through the night without being hassled by the cops.

This morning my load was at the Port of Long Beach.  Because my truck is older and doesn't have a bunch of pollution crap on it, it can't go into the port to load.  Welcome to "The People's Republic of California"!!  Now how smart is this??  Have to go to a business that will take you and your trailer, on a different truck, in to the port and load up.  Then come back out and put the trailer back on my truck.  Now if the idea is to reduce emissions, what sense does it make to spend hours idling or running the APU (generator) and swap trucks??  How f'en stupid!!  The environmentalists and liberal nut jobs are absolutely destroying this state with all these STUPID regulations!!  All this does is add to the cost of everything.  Does nothing to reduce pollution, in fact, it makes it worse!!  So, I was at the business at 6:30 am local time, not knowing when they open.  They opened at 8.  Sat there all morning polluting the air running my APU instead of just going in loading and leaving.  Finally a truck showed up at 11:30, local time, to take me and my trailer into the port.  I dropped my trailer and he backed up to attach to mine.  It was a brand new truck and the only one they had that didn't have RGN ramps yet, so it couldn't attach to my trailer.

For those of you that don't know, this is what RGN (Removable Goose Neck) ramps look like, and what they are for.  Look below. See the difference between the two trucks?

Had to wait some more because everyone was at lunch!

A different truck finally arrived at 2 pm local time!!!  We then went over to the port and loaded a Caterpillar  321 excavator and a small box of parts that are going to Aurora, Colorado.

Then we went back and he dropped my trailer and I picked it up.  Now I have to wait because of the Los Angeles curfew.  I went over to the scales that was only a few blocks away and scaled.  Wouldn't you know it!!  I was overweight on the trailer axles.  Untied the machine and moved it, tied it back down and re scaled.   Still not right.  Did this three more times and finally got it right.  By now curfew was over.

Got on the road at 6:30 pm local time.  Of course I can't go anywhere in LA without bumper to bumper traffic.  Finally got out of that Hell hole and over the first of many mountains - this one was over 4000 feet - and stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Hesperia, California.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Left Eloy, Arizona at midnight local time and drove in to Rancho Dominguez, California (Los Angeles) and delivered.  My next load is tomorrow morning at the Port of Long Beach, just a few miles from here.  Found a side street to park on for the night.  Hope the cops leave me alone. It really sucks when you have to worry more about the cops screwing with you more than the "bad guys".

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Left El Paso at sun up this morning.  Passed a real bad car crash, actually there were several car crashes, along a stretch of I-10 in El Paso.  The worst was about 5 or 6 cars crashed all over the east bound lanes.  Looked like they were doing a fatality investigation.  A little further down there was a cop car crashed along with a few more cars.  They had the whole east bound side closed and diverting all traffic off the interstate onto the frontage road.  Glad I was going the other way!!

From San Antonio to El Paso the speed limit was 80 MPH.  Need more of that in this country!!  FYI... where all the crashes were in El Paso the speed limit was 55.  So I don't want to hear from anyone whining that "its not safe to go that fast!"  Bull S*^# !!!!  That argument doesn't wash with me.  

I ran out of hours by the time I reached Eloy, Arizona so I stopped and got the truck washed then parked at the TA truck stop for the rest of the weekend.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Went back over to pick up my trailer, hopefully my loaded trailer this morning.  When I got there my load was still not ready so, once again, I had to wait. I took a nap.  Several hours later the load was ready.  They put it on the trailer and I chained it down.  It is over width, over height, and over weight.  It is a chiller and it is going to the port in Rancho Dominguez, California (basically Los Angeles). Not sure where it's going from there.

Got on the road and drove straight through to El Paso, Texas to the Petro truck stop for the night.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Got on the road real early and drove into the Port of Houston to deliver this piece of crap.  Arrived at 7 am (local time) and, after waiting in line, found out that I didn't have all the paperwork.  SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!  Finally got all the paperwork and went in.  The guy in there said to unload it and he would be back to tell me where to park it.  I unloaded it and then had to wait for them to come back from lunch!!  I finally got out of there at 1:45 pm (local time).

Next load is in San Antonio, Texas.  I headed down there.  On the way I passed this truck.  Look at how badly this guy secured his load!!  What would happen if he had to stop fast?  DOT would not like that either.  WOW!!

When I arrived this evening my load was not ready.  They asked if I would drop my trailer there and they would load it tonight if they could get it ready.  I dropped my trailer and went over to the Petro truck stop for a very badly needed shower and dinner then a good nights sleep.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Took the 15 minute drive into Dewey, TX to load my next load.  It is a piece of crap, beat up, old 1994 Kenworth T600 that was bought by someone, at auction, who is sending it to Zambia.  

Loaded it up and tied it down.  Now back to Houston.  Last night my APU belt was squealing way too much so I stopped at Thermo King in Tulsa and had the belt replaced, the motor mounts replaced, and routine maintenance done.  Then drove down to Dew, Texas to a small truck stop for the night.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Drove on into Wichita, Kansas and delivered the grader.  Next load in down in Dewey, Oklahoma.  Drove down to a very small truck stop in Copan, Oklahoma for the night.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Got on the road real early and drove down to Houston.  Got to the port before they opened and was second in line.  Waited about an hour or so to get unloaded. Finally got empty and headed for Galveston for my next load.  Looking forward to this one.  Got to the port and loaded a Caterpillar 120 Road Grader that is going to Wichita, Kansas.  I have never driven a grader before so I was anxious to do it.  When I got in the thing I was a bit surprised, there was no steering wheel.  Didn't expect that. I figured out how everything worked and brought it over to the trailer and loaded it.  That was really fun!!  I just love playing with "big boy toys!!!"  Then tied it down.

Got on the road and drove up to the TA truck stop on the south side of Dallas for the night.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Got on the road very early this morning.  Got as far as Lufkin, Texas to the Love's truck stop before I ran out of hours.  Will be here until very early Monday morning.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Got on the road real early this morning.  Started off in the rain but it soon cleared up.  Absolutely nothing exciting today, just a great day to be out on the road.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in West Memphis, Arkansas.  Tomorrow will be a short day.  Only have 7 available hours before a reset.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Took my time this morning and leisurely started to drive down to Ann Arbor, MI to wait until tomorrow to load my next load.  I almost got there when I got a call that said my load was canceled because the CNC machine failed it's inspection so it can't be shipped.  He did have another load for me back up in Saginaw.  I turned around and went back to Saginaw and loaded two large crates that each contained an electric motor used in Caterpillar mining equipment. They are going to Houston, TX and then on a boat for India.

Off I went.  Drove down to Sawyer, MI to the TA truck stop on the shore of Lake Michigan for the night.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Got started again at sun up.  Stopped inside Michigan at the Pilot truck stop at exit 5 because my Michigan permit was not valid until tomorrow.  They goofed on the date.  The office said that they were going to fix it. In the mean time I took a nap.  3 hours later I still didn't have an updated Michigan permit.  I said the heck with it and left without it.  Went past the Pontiac Silver Dome where the Detroit Loins play.  Boy, do they need a new stadium!!  That place (just like the rest of Detroit) is a dump!!

Went on into Harbor Beach and delivered in the middle of a vegetable field.

Next load is down near Detroit but doesn't load until Friday.  Drove out of there and stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Saginaw, MI.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Got on the road this morning at sun up.   Real good day on the road.  Nothing exciting.  Drove up to a rest area at mile marker 114 on I-75 in Wapakoneta, Ohio.  Hopefully I'll deliver tomorrow.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Arrived at GE in Pensacola this morning at 7:30.  As usual, sat there until 1:00 before they brought me back to load.  Then sat there for another hour and a half before they even started to load me.

I chained it down and had to wait again while they went on break before they put the tarps up on top.

At about 3:20 they finally came back and put the tarps up. Then I secured them.

I got out of there at about 4:15. Made pretty good time on the road.  I got a lot further than I thought I would.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Dodge City, Alabama.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

It sure was great to be home.  Unfortunately all good things must come to an end.  Started off to Pensacola this morning.  Stopped in Baldwin for fuel and found that all my marker lights on the trailer were not working.  GREAT, the trailer gremlins are back again!!  Called the mechanic and he was at the yard in Jax.  I went back to Jax to the yard and he fixed it.  So off I went again.  Passed a a rolled over SUV that had a fatality.  It was in the east bound lane of I-10 around the Destin area.  Fortunately it didn't slow me down.  Stopped for the night at a very small truck parking area at a convenience store parking lot in Morton, FL  Load in Pensacola tomorrow morning about 15 miles from here.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Yesterday took the truck to Peterbilt and had some engine work done.  Restocked the truck today.  Almost done installing a new video system in the truck.  Hope to be able to post some more videos here for you in the future.  My trailer is getting a lot of work done to it.  Its a mess.  Getting a bunch of new tires today.  That's about all the updates for now.  Still at home, will be going back out maybe Sunday or Monday.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Drove down to Alachua, FL early this morning and delivered.  Then drove home for some long overdue "home time". 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Drove into Abingdon, VA and picked up an easy load.  Two pallets containing nine hydraulic cylinders. 

Then Tarp.

Fortunately none of that took much time and I was on the road quick.  These are going to Alachua, Florida.  I got some serious driving done today.  Drove down to Tiften, GA to the Pilot truck stop for the night.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Today was a bit better.  Went over to the port in Dundalk, MD this morning and unloaded the chassis.  Thought you would be interested in how that happens, so here it is.

Pull up next to "Big Red", the 25 year old crane.  They bring over a flat and sit it next to me.

After I un-chain the chassis the workers attach the crane rigging to it.

Then they lift it off.

Then they secure it to the flat for transport.

Then it goes on the boat when it gets there.

Next load is in Abingdon, VA.  Loads tomorrow at 2 pm.  After taking a shower, I got on the road toward Abingdon. Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Raphine, VA.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Today started off bad and only got worse!  I sat at the Ohio / West Virginia line for 3 hours and 15 minutes waiting for an escort car to get there.  Once he finally arrived we left.  When we got to Maryland he left because I didn't need one in Maryland.  Later while driving through a construction zone a very stupid woman hit her mirror on my load as she tried to pass me.  Then she tried to blame me for it!!  To make a long story short, the cops came and, because it was so minor, driver information was exchanged and no charges were filed.  Because of all the delays I missed the Baltimore curfew so I had to wait until 6 pm to drive to the truck stop in Baltimore.  14 hours of pure aggravation to drive 383 miles.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Pretty dull day.  This is what the truck chassis looks like all put together.

 

I'm taking it to the Port of Baltimore.  It is going on a big boat with all the rest of its parts to Burkina Faso.  Never heard of it before?  Neither did I.  Maybe this will help.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkina_Faso