Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Got on the road a little after sun up.  Had some nice fall color in north Georgia / Southern Tennessee.  These photos are along I-24 going up and then down Monteagle, TN.

Had to stop in Kentucky and wait for the KY permit.  Fortunately it didn't take long and I was back on the road.  I couldn't get into the truck stop that I wanted to go to because an oversize load truck carrying a large and long tank rolled over in the middle of the road at the entrance to the truck stop. The truck was on its side and the tank came off.  Big mess. Didn't get close enough to get any photos.   Blocked the entire road both directions and no one could get in or out of the truck stop.   Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in East St. Louis, Illinois.  It is right across the street from the Gateway Speedway (NASCAR races there.  So does NHRA).  I can see the Gateway Arch from here.

Will be a late start in the morning.  Have to wait until 9 am local time for the St. Louis curfew to get over.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Went in to Tampa this morning and loaded a Volvo L110F wheel loader. It is going to Denver, Colorado.

Went to the scale at the Flying J truck stop just north of Tampa and scaled.  Had to readjust the loader a few times to get the weight correct.  Finally did and got back on the road.

Came up behind this truck and I saw this on the back of the truck.  Does anything look a little strange?

I don't think I want to see that driver's package.

While going around Atlanta passed this.

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Cartersville, Georgia.

Monday, October 22, 2012

After I got the stitches out of my mouth this morning, I drove to Thermo King in Orlando and got my APU fixed.  Works great again!!  After that drove down to the TA truck stop in Seffner, FL, just outside of Tampa.  Replaced all eight drive tires.  Glad that's done!!  Now I'm here for the night.  Load in Tampa in the morning.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Left the TA truck stop Thursday after getting a shower.  Drove up to Orange City, FL for the weekend.  Getting the stitches out of my mouth Monday morning. 

Final

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
•  
• T

7South Carolina

(6-2, 4-2 SEC)

• 3
• 3
• 2
• 3
•  
• 11

2Florida

(7-0, 6-0 SEC)

• 7
• 14
• 16
• 7
•  
• 44

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Left the rest area just before sun up and drove straight in to deliver in Miami.  Then drove up to the TA truck stop in Vero Beach.  Amazing that I didn't hit any bumper-to-bumper traffic, especially in Miami.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Got on the road at sun up this morning.  Drove straight through to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Had the mechanic there replace all of my batteries.  They were all bad.  Then drove down to the rest area on I-95 in Scottsmoor, FL for the night.  APU is not working right now, so I'll have to have that fixed too.  

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

FINALLY got the correct Virginia permit this morning and got on the road a little after 11 am.  Since I only had about half a day, I didn't get very far.  Took a few photos of the Virginia fall foliage for you.

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Kenly, North Carolina.  Still don't have an updated South Carolina permit.  Hope it gets here before I get there.  Might be sitting at "South of the Border" for a while tomorrow.

Monday, October 15, 2012

At 10:30 this morning my Virginia permit came in but it was not correct.  No overhang.  So here I sit for at least another day waiting on the STUPID Government.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

 has the Gators at # 2 !!!!!!

Unfortunately, I don't think that will last.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Went a couple miles down the road and loaded a rough terrain crane this morning.  It hangs over the rear of the trailer 6 feet.  None of my permits accounted for that so I had to have them adjusted .  Unfortunately, that takes time when dealing with Government agencies.  So I only drove about 50 miles today and will spend the rest of the weekend sitting at the Flying J truck stop at the WV / VA state line.  Hope the VA permit gets here early Monday.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Got on the road from the service plaza in Ohio just before sun up.  Drove straight through to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland  and delivered the wheel loader.  My next load is in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania.  Got on the road and drove to the TA truck stop in Greencastle, PA for the night.  Took a few photos of the Pennsylvania color.  Harder to get these, too much traffic.  Not much fall color in Maryland yet.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Got on the road just before sun up and drove straight through to the last rest area in Illinois.  Stopped there for a half hour to wait for my Indiana permit.  Once it arrived I was off again.  Stopped for fuel in Gary, IN.  Then stopped for the night at the last open Service Plaza in Mantua, Ohio on I-80.  The sun cooperated today for a little bit.  But then I caught back up with the clouds from yesterday.  I got a few Fall foliage color pictures for you. They are a little bit better than yesterdays photos.  Hope you like them.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Went into Fargo, ND this morning and loaded a New Holland 190 Wheel Loader.  It is going to the Port of Baltimore and then on a boat to San Antonio, Chile.

Got on the road pretty quick, for a change.  The fall colors are pretty much gone in Fargo.  They were almost gone all the way through Minnesota too.  BUT they are peeking in central Wisconsin.  Great colors.  Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate for photos.  It was dark and overcast all day with periods of light rain.  Tried to take some photos but there was just not enough light for them to show the colors very well.

Hope the sun comes out tomorrow.  Theres always tomorrow.  It's only a day away!

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Portage, Wisconsin.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Left Albert lea, MN this morning and drove out to Hardwick, MN to deliver.  The time I "saved" in Pensacola was all used up today.  I got there at 11:15 am local time.  They didn't start to unload me until 4:45 pm local time. They unloaded everyone else first including a truck that arrived after me.  I finally got empty at 5 pm local time and headed for Fargo, ND, only 250 miles away, for my next load.  Stopped for the night at a small truck stop casino in Sisseton, South Dakota.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Got on the road just before sun up.  The fall colors are in full bloom, so to speak, in Illinois.  Most of the corn is in but a lot of soy bean still in the fields.  Cold front that I drove through yesterday really dropped the temperatures.  Low this morning was 28 degrees.  Slept great last night.  Drove up to the TA truck stop in Albert Lea, Minnesota for the rest of the weekend.  Looks like the colors are past peek here.

But now IT'S FOOTBALL TIME!!!!!

THE SWAMP

Seating capacity 90,716

(4) LSU 6

(5-1, 1-1 SEC)

(10) Florida 14

(5-0, 4-0 SEC)

Friday, October 5, 2012

Left Dodge City, Alabama just before sun up.  Had rain for the second half of the day.  Stopped for the night at a small truck stop in Morton, Illinois.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

I checked in with Security at 2 am local time and then went to bed.  I was totally shocked when they called me at 7 am local time to go in to load.  Once in, I sat in line with 4 other trucks for another 2 1/2 hours before they started to load.  Even so, it was still a lot better than last time!!  Loaded a smaller hub this time.  It is going to Minnesota.

Then the damn tarps!!

Was on the road by noon.  Drove up to a Kangaroo convenience store in Pelham, Alabama and sat there until 6 pm local time until the Birmingham curfew was over. Then drove for another hour and ran out of daylight.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Dodge City, Alabama for the night.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

I'm back on the road again after having a tooth pulled and a lot of "discomfort".  It is the start of replacing that tooth with an implant.  Still a bit sore but I'll manage.  Drove out to Pensacola, FL so I can load another wind energy hub tomorrow.  Hope they are faster than last time, but I doubt it.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Delivered the tractor first thing this morning.  After that drove home.  Have an appointment tomorrow morning to get my tooth fixed.  Getting a small air leak fixed on the trailer while it is there.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

After a bunch of phone calls this morning, got a late start.  Stopped in Atlanta and got the truck and trailer thoroughly washed, including the engine and undercarriage.  Then continued on down to a small truck stop in Bainbridge, GA for the night.  Will deliver first thing in the morning not too far from here.

Tuesday Morning, September 25, 2012

Found out what was in the tank truck.  Was top local news story on TV last night.  Click on the links below for details

1  Tank Truck Spill

2  Tank Truck Spill

Monday, September 24, 2012

Left Walcott, Iowa at sun up this morning and drove to Oak Grove, KY.  Stopped there to have dinner and to wait for the Nashville curfew to get over. Then drove down to the TA truck stop in Antioch, TN (just south of Nashville) for the night. In Nashville there was a tank truck that something on it broke and his load of something corrosive was dumping out.  He was parked on the side of the road talking on the cell phone when I went by. Whatever it was inside the tank was still pouring out the back of it.  There was a lot on the roadway that I drove through, along with about a thousand other vehicles. Hope it doesn't hurt my truck.  Just glad I got past it before they shut down the interstate.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

I am so glad that I got this new dish!!
My favorite season of the year!!!

FOOTBALL SEASON!!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Had an appointment with Safelite Auto Glass people.  Their mobile unit was going to meet me here at Iowa 80 and repair two rock chips in my windshield.  He was here at 8:30 and repaired them very fast.  Did a good job. 

 After that I went to a place on the other side of the Interstate and replaced my satellite.  No more VuCube and manually finding the satellite.  Got a Winegard  dish.  It is automatic and finds the satellites all by itself.  SO much better than the old one.  Glad it's done!!  Now it's FOOTBALL TIME!!!!!! 

Friday, September 21, 2012

Drove in to Waterloo, Iowa for my next load.  Picked up a John Deere tractor that is going to Georgia.  

After that drove over to the Iowa 80 truck stop for the weekend.  I am so pissed right now!!  My satellite stopped working last night.  Thought it might just be a fluke.  Was too tired to mess with it then.  Talked to the customer support people on the phone today.  Tried the things they told me to do.  The damn thing is still dead!!  I will replace the damn thing in the morning!!

           

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Got on the road a half hour before sun up.  Zig-zagged (that's the way the stupid State routed me.) my way up toward Fleming, Colorado.  At the scale in Colorado The DOT cop said I was 800 pounds overweight on my drive axles.  He had me re-weigh just to make sure.  I was only 180 pounds over.  He got his thong in a wad  for 180 pounds!!  A 20 year old, snot nosed, kid with a badge.  Total jerk!!   He finally decided not to give me a ticket, gave me my papers back, and off I went.  What he didn't know, and I sure wasn't going to tell him, was that I knew that I was over weight by  1260 pounds with full fuel tanks.  I had not filled up with fuel and went over his scale on the fumes!!  There was a truck stop on the other side of the scale and after I left there pulled in and got fuel.  Was way overweight again !!  But there were no more scales that I was going to cross before I deliver.  I made my way up to Fleming, CO and delivered the hub.  Don't have another load lined up yet but it is sure to be east of here so I headed that way. Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Ogallala, Nebraska.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Left Shreveport, LA a half hour before sun up.  It wasn't long before the dreaded "trailer gremlins" caught up with me again.  All the marker lights went out on the trailer.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Terrell, Texas (just outside of Dallas) and had them repaired.  Fortunately it was a quick fix and I was back on the road in a hour and a half.  Drove up to Conway, Texas (just outside Amarillo) to the Love's truck stop for the night.  

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Got on the road a half hour before sun rise.  Had to stop in Mississippi just outside of Louisiana and wait for 2 1/2 hours for my permit to arrive.  After I got it I drove to the Petro truck stop in Shreveport, LA for the night.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Arrived at GE in Pensacola, FL to load at 7:30 am.  At 4 pm. I got called to go back in to load. Of course there was a thunder storm going on at that time.  Got in line there (4th in line) and waited for another 2 hours before they started to load everyone.  Finally got loaded with another wind energy hub.  It is going out to Colorado.

I left there at 7:30 pm and drove back to the Oasis truck stop in Robertsdale, Alabama.  Ran out of daylight.