Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Got on the road a half hour after sun up and drove in to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD and delivered the tractor.  Boy that thing really was fun to drive!!!!  After that I went to the Daily yard in Baltimore and dropped my trailer and picked up a step deck trailer.  When checking out the trailer found that 5 of the 9 marker lights didn't work.  Goodie!!   Haven't pulled one of those in a year, felt weird!  Then went over to Elkridge, MD and loaded 9 boxes of generator parts that are going to Kings Mountain, NC. 

 Got on the road and drove down to the Petro truck stop in Mebane, NC for the night.  I'll have the shop fix the trailer lights first thing in the morning, early morning!!

Monday, January 28, 2013

The Snow Emergency Plan ( SEP ) was still in effect in two Maryland Counties this morning, Garrett and Allegany.  At 11:30, as soon as I sat down to have lunch, the SEP was lifted for Garrett County.  That is the westernmost county in Maryland.  When I finished lunch I drove 33 miles to another truck stop in Grantsville, Maryland.  There is only one SEP in effect in Maryland and it is in Allegany County.  That is the next county east of here.  

At 2 pm they finally lifted the SEP in Allegany County.  Unfortunately it was too late to make it in to Baltimore. Drove to the Pilot truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland for the night.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

It had snowed a little more last night.  When I woke up it was snowing a little bit, more than flurries but not what you would really call snowing.  Got on the road at sun up. A little while later it started to snow harder.

And harder....

And harder......

The plows were out trying to keep up.....

......but the snow was getting the upper hand.

The "Snow Emergency Plan" was in effect in the two western most counties in Maryland so I couldn't go into Maryland.  Didn't matter though, I had to stop because of the road conditions anyway.  I was already in violation of my West Virginia permit. Fortunately the cops were nowhere in site - a very good thing!!!  I got off  I-68 to go to the last truck stop in West Virginia.

I stopped for the rest of the weekend in Bruceton Mills, WV at a small truck stop. No over-the-air TV. So glad I have satellite TV. Internet access here is very poor.  Was lucky to get the blog updated.

The weather report for tomorrow is good.  BUT, permit loads can't move on Sundays!!  More stupid, unnecessary regulations!!!!  Monday we are supposed to get an ice storm.  I may be here for a while.  The saga continues....

Friday, January 25, 2013

It started to snow about a half hour before I could start for the day.  At a half hour before sun up (when I could start driving) the road conditions were fine.  It was not snowing very much so I left.  In no time did conditions deteriorate and the snow was starting to accumulate on the road.  I decided that it was better to stop rather than get a ticket and have my permit revoked.  I only made it 23 miles this morning and stopped at 8:15 am in Brookville, Ohio.  When I stopped they were already plowing I-70.  Here is what it looked like when I stopped.  Maybe 2 inches of snow so far. Glad my APU is working good again!!

I could have driven all day in this but, unfortunately, with permit loads I don't have that option.  More updates as the day progresses.

Here in my truck at 9 am. Still snowing hard.

Weather radar at 10 am.  Still snowing.

After a nice little nap I awoke to it not snowing anymore.  There was 4 inches of nice white power snow all over.  The kind of snow that you can't make a snowball out of and that skiers love.  I went and had lunch and got back on the road.  The road was clear and just wet with a little slush.  

The plows were out in force and doing a very good job.  

Made it through Ohio and around Wheeling, West Virginia then into Pennsylvania.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Claysville.  I-70, exit 6.  This is what my trailer and nice new tractor looked like after driving today.

Noticed that I had a flat Tire on the trailer.  

Had that fixed at the shop at the Petro truck stop.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

It was 8 degrees this morning when I left to go to Thermo King.  Was at Thermo King when they opened at 8 local time.  Glad I chose to have the work done there!!  They were not busy and I got in right away.  They were honest, and did a very good job.  Best part was that they didn't charge me an arm and a leg to do what needed to be done.  The did routine maintenance and also found that I had a glow plug that was not working and another that was about to go bad.  Was out of there at 11 local time.  

On I-70 just west of the Ohio state line in Indiana is a candle shop that looks so cool.  Doesn't the appearance of this place make you want to go in?

Drove down to the Petro truck stop in New Paris, Ohio for the night.  The weather report is calling for snow tonight.  If that's the case, I may be here for a few days.  Permit (oversize) loads can not move in snow or bad weather.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Even though I was 24th in line this morning it went pretty fast.  By 8:45 local time I was in getting loaded.  Picked up a John Deere 9460 TPC Tractor that is going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  From there it is going on a boat to Melbourne, Australia.  Eventually it will end up at the Wickham Flower Company in Bordertown, Australia. 

After I got loaded I drove down to Morton, Illinois to the Daily Express Terminal and spent the night there in the yard.  Tomorrow morning I will be at Thermo King to get my APU fixed. It is only a couple blocks from the Daily yard.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Nothing all day!!  Finally at about 4 pm I got a load BUT I was nowhere near it.  The load is up in Waterloo, Iowa.  After eating dinner and getting fuel I drove up to Waterloo and got there at about 1:30 am local time.   I checked in at the security office.  I was 24th in line for loading tomorrow morning.  Then my APU wouldn't start.  JUST GREAT!!  Being that it was only 10 degrees outside, snowing, and that I was tired, I idled the truck while I went to bed. 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Went down the road a few miles and delivered first thing this morning.  No load lined up yet so I went back to the Petro truck stop in Salina, KS to wait.  This bus was getting fuel here this evening.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Got on the road just before sun up.  Short day today.  Drove 270 miles from Salina, KS down to Garden City, KS.  I deliver here Monday morning.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Got on the road just before sun up.  Beautiful day on the road.  Made it around St. Louis and Kansas City today with no bumper to bumper traffic.  How about that??!!  Passed the two stadiums in Kansas City.  The baseball stadium, where the Royals play, is directly in front of the football stadium where the Chiefs play.  Unfortunately, I was only able to get a photo of the baseball stadium. 

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Salina, Kansas.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Got on the road after sun up.  Picked the worst time to go through Atlanta.  Rush hour in the rain and fog!!  Of course it was bumper to bumper a lot!  Going under the runway at the Atlanta airport was really cool this morning.  The cloud ceiling was about 50 feet and the planes were landing on the runways that I-285 goes under.  They would just appear out of the fog and rain just as they were going over the road.  Hard to describe but really cool to see.  North of Atlanta drove out of the rain for a little while.  At the top of the mountain in Monteagle there was a bit of sleet.  Then a little freezing rain around Chattanooga, TN.  Fortunately that didn't last long.  

By the time I got to Illinois it was cold and partly cloudy with bright sun.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  There is a Chili's restaurant across the street so I had a good dinner tonight!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

After the mechanic fixed the small problem with the trailer I got on the road.  Stopped briefly in Kingsland, GA. Then on up to Pooler and loaded a Volvo 150G Wheel Loader. It is going to Garden City, Kansas.

Got on the road and drove up to the TA truck stop in Jackson, GA for the night. That is on I-75 just south of Atlanta.  Started to rain in Macon and it is still raining.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Nothing all day!!!  Finally late this afternoon got a load in Pooler, GA for tomorrow.  Drove to the Daily yard in Jacksonville for the night.  Need the mechanic to look at a small trailer malfunction in the morning.  Then I'll go up to Pooler and load.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Made my way down to Panama City and dropped off the dozer.  No load yet so I went back to the TA in Marianna.  After having lunch I went into Chiply and did my random drug / alcohol test since my number came up.  Finished that and went back to the TA for the night.  Hope something comes up tomorrow.  Don't like sittin' still.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Left Paducah, KY this morning before sun up.  Had rain from north of Nashville, Tennessee down to Huntsville, Alabama.  After that it was overcast the rest of the day.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the TA truck stop in Marianna, Florida. Short day, only 577 miles today.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Left Woodhull, IL this morning in heavy fog.  Drove up to Dubuque, Iowa and delivered the excavator.  Then reloaded with a John Deere 850 dozer that is going to Panama City, Florida where it is going on a boat to Mexico.

Got on the road.  The fog had lifted some in Dubuque but as soon as I got out of Dubuque it got heavy again.  It had eased up by the time I got to Davenport.  As I got further south the weather improved a lot.  Eventually it cleared up.  Drove another 622 miles today by the time I stopped for the night at a truck stop in Paducah, Kentucky.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Got started just before sun up this morning and drove 624 miles, stopping only once for fuel.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Woodhull, Illinois.  It rained all day and it is still raining.  Will deliver tomorrow morning in Dubuque, Iowa.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Loaded a Hitachi Z 290 G Excavator this morning. It is going to the John Deere plant in Dubuque, Iowa.  I'm a bit heavy with this one.  Gross out at 106,000 pounds.

After I scaled I had to flip the neck of the trailer down.  That only took a couple minutes but the pins wouldn't line up and that took 2 long and frustrating hours to finally get them in.

 Finally got on the road and drove to a truck stop in Cookeville, Tennessee for the night.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Delivered the big box this morning and went back to the Petro truck stop to wait for my next load.  Finally got one this afternoon.  It loads in the morning up in Kernersville, NC.  It is a big excavator going to Iowa.  Drove up there and spent the night at the plant where I'll load in the morning in Kernersville.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Left Jacksonville early this morning and drove up to Garden City, GA.  That is just outside of Savannah.  Loaded a big box of machine parts.  

Got on the road and drove to the Petro truck stop in Atlanta for the night.  Deliver in the morning not too far form here in Smyrna, GA.  No next load yet.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Left Vero Beach just before sun up this morning.  Drove in to Miami.  Delivered south west side of Miami, just west of the airport.  Those guys were funny.  They couldn't wait for me to unload that machine so they could play with it.  After I got empty, there were no loads for me down there so I drove home for the weekend.  Next load is Monday in Garden City, Georgia.  Have a 10 am loading appointment.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Went down the road this morning and loaded a Caterpillar M322D Material Handler.  This is going to Miami, Florida.  

Wouldn't make it to Miami in time to deliver today so I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Vero Beach.  Will drop this off in the morning.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Had a GREAT time with loved ones over the Holidays.  Went by so darn fast!!

Picked up my truck from Peterbilt today.  It is all fixed.  The inside looks like a bomb went off in there.  There is stuff all over the place.  Went back to the Daily yard and spent the rest of the day putting it all back together again.  When it was almost done I drove up to Brunswick, Georgia to a truck stop there.  I load 3 miles from here in the morning.  Got here just in time to see the Gators in the Sugar Bowl.  Hope they do better in the second half.  They are pathetic in the first.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Went over to Peterbilt this afternoon.  My truck is looking better.  It was in the paint booth.  Was painted this morning, now in the dryer.  The truck should be ready next week.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Stopped by Peterbilt this afternoon and checked on my truck. They have it all torn apart   I am surprised by how much they have done!!  They took off the damaged portions of the side of the truck, which I expected of course.  But what I didn't expect is that they took out the driver's seat and the inside cabinet.  They have all my stuff piled up on the floor outside the truck.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Took the truck to Peterbilt to have the repairs done to the side where that other truck backed into me.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Delivered the skidder this morning.  After that I drove home for the Holidays.  Sure is nice to be home.

Monday, December 17, 2012

The Georgia permit didn't get here until after 1 pm.  I finally got on the road.  On I-75 just before the Atlanta Bypass ( I-285) there was a huge crash.  They had the entire interstate shut down.  I heard about it on the CB radio.    I jumped off the interstate north of the traffic stoppage and took US-41 south.  That road paralleled the interstate.  I was not the only one with that idea, the road was jammed!! When I got down close to where the crash was I heard that they had three lanes open.  I got back on I-75 and continued on.  By the time I passed the crash most of it was cleared up.  The only thing left was the overhead road sign that was being loaded on a roll back wrecker.

Because of the delay in getting the Georgia permit and then the long delay in bumper to bumper traffic from the crash, I was unable to deliver today.  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Hogansville, Georgia.  I'm about 10 miles from delivery.

Sunday, December 16,2012

All that rain that I drove through yesterday caught up with me today.  Started to rain just after breakfast and has rained all day.

Saturday, Devcember 15, 2012

Started off in the rain this morning.  Drove out of it after a few hours and it was sunny and clear for the rest of the day.  Drove to a truck stop in Ringgold, Georgia.  That's as far as I could go without a Georgia permit.   Hope it comes in early Monday.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Unloaded the excavator first thing this morning.  Next load is in Washington, Illinois.  That is just outside Peoria.  Drove down there to the Caterpillar Proving Grounds.  It is a place with a concrete race track for Caterpillar machines to run tests on.  The place is huge!  There are a lot of dirt areas for other machine testing as well.  It is in a very remote area.  I suppose to keep competitors from seeing their new stuff that is in development and testing.  Had to go a ways down a very windy two lane road to get there.  They told me they are getting a big machine next week that they are going to have to unload from the truck way down on the main road because it it is too big to bring up on the truck. They will have to drive it up from there. Anyway, I loaded a Caterpillar 545 Wheeled Skider.  It is used in logging to drag the cut trees out of the forest to the loading area.  It is a little heavier than it looks.  I gross out at about 91,000 pounds.

This thing is going to LaGrange, GA.  Got on the road and drove down to the Pilot truck stop in Okawville, Illinois.  Didn't get my Georgia permit today so I won't be able to get very far tomorrow.  Oh well.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Great day on the road today!!  Drove 682 miles stopping only at two weigh stations that wanted to see my permit.  Started just before sun up from Lebanon, Tennessee.  Stopped for the night at the John Deere plant in Dubuque, Iowa where I deliver in the morning.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Loaded a John Deere 290 GL Excavator first thing this morning at the Plant in Kernersville, NC.  It is going to another John Deere plant in Dubuque, Iowa.

Scaled out at 106,740 pounds.  Was a little too heavy on the drive axles so I flipped the neck down and re-scaled.  Perfect!  Got on the road and drove until I ran out of daylight.  

Tennessee sunset:

Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Lebanon, Tennessee.  That is just east of Nashville on I-40.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Went in to Ring Power in Ocala this morning and loaded a small Lee Boy 7000 Paver.  It is going up to Simpsonville, SC.

Got on the road and drove up to Simpsonville, SC and delivered the paver.  Next load is in Kernersville, NC.  Drove up to Kernersville and spent the night at the John Deere plant there.  692 miles today.  Not too shabby!!

Monday, December 10, 2012

This morning I still didn't have a load yet so I spent the morning at the Jacksonville Landing.

There was a middle school marching band there playing Christmas music.  For a middle school, they were pretty good.

The owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shahid Khan, has his yacht Kismet docked at the Landing. It is HUGE and GORGEOUS !  

Built in Germany in 2007, the yacht is 223 feet long and powered by three Caterpillar engines.  It can cruise at 42 knots.  He is selling it right now so, if you are interested, it is $112 million.  If that is a little steep you can charter it for a mere $600,000 a week PLUS expenses.

Finally got a load this afternoon.  It loads tomorrow morning in Ocala.  Drove to the Petro truck stop north of Ocala for the night.