Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The weather cooperated last night.  The snow stayed to the east of where I was.  Didn't get anything!!  

First thing this morning went over to load a Sandvik crusher.  Backed in off the road into a small sandy area and detached the trailer.  There were two guys there and neither one knew how to run the machine. I didn't either, and wasn't going to.  The one guy figured it out and, to make a long story short, he loaded the thing on my trailer.  But the way it was on there the machine hung over and I could not reattach.  He called someone that knew something about the machine and was told that the machine was on the trailer backwards.  He took it back off.  By now it had warmed up a bit and the once frozen ground had thawed.  Decided not to try to load again there because it was too soft.  The front of the trailer had sunk in the sand and I was unable to reattach.  Fortunately there was a wheel loader there and they lifted the trailer up enough for me to reattach.  Then I needed a push from the wheel loader to get out.  I decided that trying to load in there was not a good idea.  By now it is noon.  There was a place in there that was gravel and not sand.  Moved the trailer over there and tried it again.  (there is a lot more to this, but I won't go in to all the details)  Finally it worked!!  Got the thing up on the trailer.  Notice that there is no cab or place for a driver?  It is operated by remote control, there is no cab.

This is why I was concerned with loading in the sand.

Stopped for the night, when I ran out of daylight, at the Pilot truck stop in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Drove up to Milwaukee and delivered the wheel loader in the rain.  After that drove down to Sturtevant and loaded a Case 315 tractor and wheels.  Just as I finished securing it the rain changed to snow.

Since I was soaked and filthy I went back to the Petro in Racine (only one exit north) scaled and showered.  After scaling found out that I was too heavy.  Permits were only for width, not weight.  So I took the tractor up to the Daily yard in Lannon and dropped it off there.  Someone else will have to take it to Texas. My next load is tomorrow morning back down in Gary, Indiana.  I headed down to Gary.  Of course I hit Chicago right at rush hour.  Not a fun thing to do in the heavy snow.  Took two hours just to get through Chicago.

Here is Chicago on Friday.

Here is Chicago today

Finally made it down to the Petro truck stop in Gary, IN.  Weather report for Gary is up to 5 inches of lake effect snow tonight.  Not supposed to stop until noon tomorrow.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Left Mineral Wells, West Virginia before sunrise this morning and drove another 574 miles, stopping only twice. Finished the day at the Petro truck stop in Racine, Wisconsin.  Took a while getting through Chicago. Even on a Saturday had a lot of bumper to bumper traffic.  

Listened to the Gator game on the radio. The Gators are getting worse every week!!  Next week will be even worse when they play South Carolina in Columbia.  I really think that after this disaster of a season is over the "Muskrat" has to go!!  First loosing season in 25 years!!

Final

Vanderbilt

(5-4, 2-4 SEC)

Florida

(4-5, 3-4 SEC)

@

		1	2	3	4		T
VAN		10	7	7	10		34
FLA		0	3	7	7		17

Friday, November 8, 2013

Went to the John Deere plant in Kernersville, NC and delivered the excavator this morning.  Next load was down in Clayton, NC.  Went down there to the Caterpillar plant and loaded a Caterpillar 924K wheel loader and bucket.  They are going to Milwaukee, WI.

After that drove up to Mineral Wells, West Virginia to a truck stop for the night.  Drove 610 miles today.  Not too shabby!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

This morning loaded a John Deere 245G excavator.  It is going to Kernersville, NC.

Left there and drove down to one of my favorite Petro truck stops in Mebane, North Carolina for the night.  They had a delicious prime rib buffet tonight in the restaurant.  Will deliver tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Trying something new.  As you may have seen already in the "Where Am I?" section there is a new item.  Click on "Live Tracking" and you can see where I am and where I've been.  So far it is seems to be VERY accurate.

First thing this morning went in to Linville, VA and delivered the dumpsters.  After that went up to the "home office" in Carlisle, PA and got rid of the step deck trailer and got my low boy trailer back.  While it was there they put a GPS trailer tracker on it.  It is totally separate from the new thing I am trying.

After finishing in Carlisle I drove down to the Daily yard in Baltimore, MD where I am loading an excavator in the morning.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Went in to Odum, GA this morning and loaded a couple of dumpsters that are going up to Linville, Virginia.  Was able to get loaded real fast and out there.  

Drove, only stopping once, up to the Pilot truck stop in Harrisonburg, Virginia for the night.  Deliver a few miles from here in the morning.  

Monday, November 4, 2013

After some really great home time, I'm back at it again.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Odum, Georgia.  Swapped out of my 48 foot step deck trailer to a 53 foot step deck for this load.  Drove to a small gas station that has some truck parking in Jesup, GA.  Load about 15 minutes from here tomorrow.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

All I can say is they did better than I expected.

AT JACKSONVILLE FL

Georgia

(5-3, 4-2 SEC)

Florida

(4-4, 3-3 SEC)

vs

		1	2	3	4		T
UGA		17	6	0	0		23
FLA		0	3	9	8		20

Monday, October 28, 2013

Drove down to Orlando and delivered the stuff.  Then drove back to Jacksonville.  Will be home for the rest of the week.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Left Kenly very early again.  Got home at about 10:30.  Will deliver Monday morning.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Hit the road VERY early this morning.  Had a bit of bumper to bumper going around Baltimore, MD.  Unbelievably didn't have much trouble going around DC or that nightmare of I-95 between DC and Richmond, VA.  Drove to Kenly, NC to the Petro truck stop for the night.  While there I replaced a couple lights that were out.  And now its bed time.  Going to get started real early again tomorrow so I can be home by tomorrow afternoon.  Will deliver in Orlando Monday.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Was up and on the road at 3:30 this morning. Drove to the "home office" Daily yard in Carlisle, PA and changed to a step deck trailer.  That took 2 hours.  Then drove back up to Wilkes-Barre (spelled correctly this time), PA and loaded a Caterpillar CS56B Roller.  

Then drove another 2 1/2 hours north into the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania to a town called Mansfield.  Mostly a two lane road full of big hills and curves.  Most of it was only 45 mph.  Then there was a zillion small towns to go through at 25 mph.  Each one had a stop light and, of course, I got most of them red.  Finally got there and loaded an air compressor and four light plants.  It was a very tight squeeze, but finally got it all on and secured.  Finished right at sunset and, for a change, just before the rain.

Another night where having a shower and kitchen in the truck pays off.  I love this truck!! By the time I finished I was out of hours , not to mention being exhausted.  Spent the night right there in their parking lot.  Then it's off to Orlando, Florida where all these things are going.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Left real early this morning and drove to South Fields, New York and delivered the truck.  My next load starts in Wilkes Barre, PA but first have to go to the home office in Carlisle and switch trailers.  Had to stop for the night at the Petro in Scranton, PA because I ran out of hours.  Will get an early start in the morning again.

Monday, October 21, 2013

This morning got up real early and went in to Waukesha and delivered the pipe.  Next load was waiting for me at the Daily yard in Lannon, WI. (the Milwaukee office). It is an AM General 6x6 semi truck that is going over to Southfields, New York.

Left there and drove the back roads in Indiana and Ohio to avoid the toll road.  Stopped for the night at a small truck stop on US-20 in Monroeville, Ohio.  

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Yesterday had a few things fixed at ARI.  Then drove to the Petro truck stop in Racine, Wisconsin for the weekend.

Pathetic!!!!

Final

#22 Florida

(4-3, 3-2 SEC)

#14 Missouri

(7-0, 3-0 SEC)

@

		1	2	3	4		T
FLA		3	0	14	0		17
MIZZ		10	3	10	13		36

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Left the rest area just before sun rise and drove the rest of the way to Fostoria, OH and delivered the crane.  Next load was back in Cleveland.  It was actually in a town called Garfield Heights, Ohio.  Not an easy place to get in and out of.  In the city, with old, and narrow roads.  Loaded what they call a "torsion box".  I know, it's not a box!  Don't ask me.  I don't name 'um, I just move 'um.   It is going to Waukesha, Wisconsin. 

Easiest load I've ever had.  I was in and out in 15 minutes!!  From there I drove to ARI in Shipshewana, IN.  Going to have some work done on the truck tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Went a couple miles over to Woodbridge and loaded a Terex RT230 crane.  Had to back in off the road through a gate, and up a dirt hill, then around a tank in order to load the thing.  Of course it was rush hour so I blocked traffic a bit while backing in off the road.  To make it a little more interesting, it was from my blind side too. 

Here is my scale ticket.

The crane is going to Fostoria, Ohio.  Drove to the rest area on I-70 just east of Columbus, Ohio for the night.  Will deliver in the morning.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Left very early this morning and drove to Hunker, Pennsylvania and delivered the genset.  My next load is down in Woodbridge, Virginia.  Drove down to the truck rest area on I-95 south of Washington DC for the night.  I load a few miles from here.  The curfew around DC prohibits me from driving with my next load until after 9 am and can't drive after 3 pm so there was no reason to go over and load today, I'll just do it in the morning.  

Monday, October 14, 2013

Went to Newberry, SC this morning and loaded a Caterpillar C-18 Genset that is going up to Hunker, PA.

Made it as far as Jane Lew, West Virginia.  There was an 18 wheeler that overturned across the highway about 15 miles up the road and the interstate was closed.  Instead of sitting on the interstate for a few hours going nowhere I spent the night at the truck stop in Jane Lew.  Will get an early start in the morning.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Left Jacksonville this morning and drove up to a truck stop in Pamaria, South Carolina.  Load a few miles from here Monday.

#17 Florida

(4-1, 3-0 SEC)

#10 LSU

(5-1, 2-1 SEC)

@

		1	2	3	4		T
FLA		3	0	0	3		6
LSU		0	14	0	3		17

Friday, October 11, 2013

Left Jackson, GA after sun rise this morning and drove to Savannah and met my pole car.  That's Earl.

Drove down to the Port of Brunswick and delivered the road grader.  Want to see what it's like riding in one?  Well here is a short video of me driving the grader to it's parking spot in the Port.  Notice that there is no steering wheel.

After that drove home to Jacksonville.  Shot stay, will only be here till tomorrow.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Left West Memphis this morning at sun up.  Drove for about an hour and a half when another driver told me on the radio that is sounded like one of my trailer tires was flat.  I stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall truck stop that did not have a shop (of course) and checked out my tires.  Turns out that other driver was almost correct.  My right, center, inside tire had a bit of a bubble in the side wall.

Road service came out and changed both tires.

2 1/2 hours later I was back on the road.  Because of the delay today I made it to Atlanta right at rush hour.  Ran out of daylight and had to stop at the TA truck stop in Jackson, Georgia (Atlanta south) for the night.  

For some strange reason I have to have a pole car from Savannah to Brunswick.  I am 14'2" high (legal height is 13'6").  Didn't need one anywhere else along the journey.  Oh well.  I'll meet him tomorrow when I get to Savannah.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Got up real early and drove in to North Little Rock, Arkansas.  Loaded a Caterpillar 14M road grader that is going to the port in Brunswick, Georgia.  From there it is going on a boat to Saudi Arabia.

Left there and had a nice leisurely drive to the Petro truck stop in West Memphis, Arkansas for the night.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Went back over to the job site this morning.  There were four of us there.  Two had compressors that were smaller than the turbine I had.  There was another truck that also had a turbine.  The large crane was there too.  We sat there watching the crane get set up all morning.  At about 10 local time they started to unload us.  First they unloaded the smaller compressors.  At about 11:30 the famous Oklahoma wind kicked up.  Finally a little after noon it was my turn.  I pilled up and backed into the area at the crane to unload. 

Then they unwrapped it.

Then they attached the cables to lift it off.

Then they started to lift it off.  That's where the fun began.  The front came up, but the back didn't.  So back down it went.

To make a very long and exasperating story short, three and a half hours later it finally came off!!

My next load is tomorrow in North Little Rock, Arkansas.  I left there and drove to the Petro truck stop in Oklahoma City for the night.  Needless to say, I won't be in North Little Rock in the morning.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Went over to the job site where this thing is going.  It is five miles down a dirt road.  Was there at 8 am local time along with another Daily truck.  At 1:30 pm they decided that they would unload tomorrow.  I dropped my trailer there and went back into town to the convenience store for the night.  On my way out there were other trucks arriving with more stuff.  Guess they are going to unload all of us in the morning.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Left Denton, TX before sunrise this morning.  Rained the rest of the way in Texas.  In Oklahoma it stopped raining and eventually became sunny, cool, and very windy.  After driving several hours in the wind, the tarp on the back half of the load blew half way off so I had to stop and take it the rest of the way off, fold it, and roll it up and put it away.  Did that in the median!!  It was the only place I could stop.  Remember, with a heavy load you can't just pull over.  Have to find a place to stop that can support the weight and also does not block any part of the travel lane.   In this case the shoulder was not wide enough so I used a paved "U" turn area in the median to stop.  After that fiasco was over I had a nice drive up to a convenience store with a few truck parking spaces in Alva, Oklahoma.  Deliver just a few miles from here.  Have all the windows open and letting the cool wind blow through.  Gonna be good sleeping tonight!!  But now it's FOOTBALL TIME!!!!

Arkansas

(3-2, 0-1 SEC)

#18 Florida

(3-1, 2-0 SEC)

@

		1	2	3	4		T
ARK		7	0	3	0		10
FLA		0	17	7	6		30