Monday, March 17, 2014

Started off before sunrise this morning.  Took a little while before I ran into the cold front.

But I finally did.  It started snowing.

Then it snowed harder and the wind picked up.

Then it started to accumulate.

Fortunately it didn't last long.  It stopped almost as fast as it started.  Had snow on and off for a while.  Here is the view from  the Montana / Idaho line on I-90.

Lookout Pass on I-90.

After a while it cleared up nicely and the sun came out.  It just got VERY windy.  At the Washington Weight Station got stopped for a Level II Inspection.  Passed with flying colors.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J Truck Stop in Ellensburg, WA.  It is still incredibly windy.  When I was in the restaurant the wind was making the building howl.  My truck is really rocking!!  

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Got started before sunrise.  Had all kinds of weather today.  Going through Sturgis, SD had rain that was changing to snow.  Then as I got up higher to about 5,500 feet it was snow. The next two photos were on I-90 in eastern Wyoming.

Montana weather was pretty cool.  Drove around this one.

Then it was a lot better, and so was the view!

Stopped for the night at the Flying J Truck Stop in Belgrade, Montana.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Left Iowa 80 before sunrise this morning.  Very pleasant, uneventful day on the road.  I'm in the Mountain Time Zone now.  Stopped for the night at a very small truck stop in Kadoka, South Dakota.  I'm just outside the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands and the Badlands National Park.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

It was 9 degrees when I left Wheeling, WV this morning.  Didn't get as much snow as the weather dude said we would.  Only about a quarter inch.  Very nice day on the road.  Stopped for the night at Iowa 80 again. 

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Was at the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD first thing this morning and delivered the wheel loader.  Then went over to the Daily yard where my next load was there waiting for me.  Loaded a John Deere 245G Excavator that is going to Kent, Washington.  The weather was gorgeous this morning.  Didn't even need a jacket.  That didn't last long.

Got on the road.  By the time I got to Frederick, MD it was raining.  On I-68 at mile marker 15 in Maryland I drove into a wall of wind.  One second it was nice and the next it was blowing like crazy!  It stayed VERY windy for the rest of the day.  The rain was off and on.  This was the view on I-68 in West Virginia.

North bound on I-79 in Pennsylvania it started changing over to snow.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Wheeling, West Virginia.  The excavator photos above were taken after I stopped for the night.  Weather dude says that we are only going to get about an inch of snow tonight.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Left New Lisbon, IN just before sunrise this morning.  Beautiful day on the road.  Weather was perfect! Had to wait about 45 minutes just outside Baltimore, MD for the curfew to get over at 6 pm.  After that continued to the TA truck stop in Baltimore.  Deliver tomorrow morning.  Then reload and hope to get out of here before the bad weather that is foretasted  gets here.

This happens ALL the time!!  After the guy directly in front of me had already cut me off, another one tries it except he tries it from the shoulder!!  I decided that wasn't going to happen.

.  

Monday, March 10, 2014

Left Iowa 80 very early this morning and drove to Altoona, IA and delivered just after they opened.  After that drove back to the Daily yard in Bettendorf, IA where my next load was sitting there waiting for me.  Loaded a John Deere 624 Wheel Loader that is going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD.

Got out of there real fast.  Drove to the Goasis Truck Stop in New Lisbon, Indiana for the night.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Got started just before sunrise this morning.  Nice day on the road.  Snow just south of Peoria, IL but it didn't last long.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the world famous Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott, Iowa.

Friday, March 7, 2014

This morning left after sunrise.  It was still raining.  Finally stopped raining and cleared up nicely just south of Chattanooga. Had to stop early tonight just south of Louisville, KY because of the Louisville curfew.   So, I'm at the Pilot Truck Stop in Brooks, KY.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Went over to Lakeland, FL first thing this morning and loaded a used Caterpillar 320DL Excavator that is going to Altoona, Iowa.  Of course it was raining.

Thought you might like to see me load this thing.  I've done much better.  Oh well.

Rained all day.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck Stop in Jackson, Georgia.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

First thing this morning went over to Pooler, GA and loaded a John Deere 190D Wheeled Excavator.  Of course it was raining!!  Then I took it down to, and delivered in, Lutz, Florida.

After I delivered I went over to the TA truck stop in Seffner, FL for the night.  Next load is tomorrow morning in Lakeland.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

After a great few days off I'm back at it today.  Next load is tomorrow morning in Pooler, Georgia.  I drove up to the TA truck stop in Savannah, GA for the night.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Went over to deliver this morning.  Delivery was scheduled for 9 am.  When I got there they said that they couldn't unload until after 12. The job site was at a bank that is open until noon.  The crane has to set up in front of the drive through lanes so it was not due to arrive until noon.  So I settled in for a bit of a wait.  Nice place to wait on the side of the road in front of the bank.  

The crane and two support trucks arrived at 11:30.  They had to be here before noon too.  In Florida 'oversize loads' can't be on the roads after noon on Saturday. When finished they will have to leave the crane here until Monday morning.

As soon as the bank closed we got started.  First they went around back and unloaded a generator.  After that was done they came back around front and set up to unload me.   That took a couple hours.

This is the driveway I backed in.  If you look close you can see the crane backed in. It is that yellow thing that you can see just over the tops of the bushes.

Here I am backed in ready to unload.  You can see the guys on top of the building waiting for the building.

They attached the crane to the building and lifted it to the roof.  I pulled out.  A few minutes later one of the guys came to me and said that they attached the brackets upside down and had to put the building back on the trailer and flip the brackets.  I backed up again and down came the building.  They flipped the brackets, lifted the building again, and I pulled out and didn't stop this time.  I kept going all the way back to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  I'll be home for a few days.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Left Tallulah, LA at sun rise this morning.  Pushed it hard again today and made it all the way to the Daily yard in Jacksonville, FL.  I'm a day ahead of schedule!!  Deliver Saturday morning at 9.  

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

My loading appointment was for 1:30 pm local time.  I went over very early anyway, you never know.  I got there at 10.  Unfortunately getting there early didn't help.  My building wasn't ready yet.  At about 2 pm local time it was ready.  I backed in and they loaded a small building on the trailer.

It is going to Jacksonville, Florida.

When I finally got on the road I didn't have a lot of daylight left.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Tallulah, Louisiana. 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Finally got another load.  It is up in Bossier City, Louisiana and loads tomorrow afternoon.  Drove up to the Petro truck stop in Shreveport, LA for the night.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Got up early and  went the rest of the way to the Daily yard in Houston.  Dropped the trailer and hightailed it over to Shipley's Donuts!! Then back to the yard, and ate a bunch. Swapped back into my trailer and went over to the TA truck stop in Baytown to wait for my next load.  Still don't have one yet.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Got started at 2 am local time.  Went across the road and got the truck washed, then fueled up. Hit the road and pushed it hard all day.  

I love Texas!!

Made it all the way down to Barnhart and delivered the crap.  Glad that is done!! Got back on the road heading to the Daily yard in Houston so I can get my trailer back.  Didn't make it.  Ran out of hours about an hour short.  Had to stop at the Flying J truck stop in Brookshire, Texas.  717 miles today. Will be here until Monday morning.  

Friday, February 21, 2014

Left the Flying J early this morning.  Very good day on the road.  Sunny blue sky, light traffic, and great scenery.  All back roads, no interstate highways today.  

Stopped for the night at The Big Texan restaurant in Amarillo, Texas.  I love this place!  The food is always great!!

A long time ago, before I knew I could park here, I had the limo pick me up at the TA truck stop on the other side of  interstate 40.

I ordered the 25 oz. rib eye steak. Here he is preparing it.

Throwing it on the grill.

It arrived at my table.  Doesn't that look good?

Is that a steak or what?!!!!?

Damn that was good!!  Now I'm going to bed very early so I can get started real early tomorrow and hopefully get there to deliver this crap. Good night, fat and happy!!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Last night a cold front came through.  Got VERY windy and a dusting of snow.  

Finally this morning they loaded my trailer.  Got a bunch of miscellaneous oil rig parts. About froze outside securing the crap on my trailer.  It was really cold and still windy.  This stuff is going to another oil drilling rig job site in Barnhart, Texas.

Nice day on the road.  Went down through Sturgis, SD.  Went past all the great places to go when the motorcycle rally is in full swing.  Full Throttle Saloon, Broken Spoke, and of course, the world famous Buffalo Chip.  Then went down through the city of Sturgis.  I even remembered the parking lot that had a tent set up in it to do oil changes and minor bike repairs during the rally.  I had my oil changed there.  Also ran into a friend from Florida there.  It was all so empty now.  Kinda sad to see it all so empty. Great memories though!!!

Stopped for the night at a small Flying J Truck Stop in Hermosa, SD.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

This morning I went over to get loaded.  Was there at 6:15 am local time.  I was 4th in line this morning.  After they loaded over 18 trucks ahead of me today, at 7 pm local time they said that I would have to get loaded tomorrow.  And they don't even care that I have been here all day.  To say that I am really pissed off would be a huge understatement!! 

Monday, February 17, 2014

Drove up to Williston, ND.  Nice warm up today.  Sunny and up to 40 today!! Back to the low 20's tonight.  With the warm up comes very wet and dirty roads.  Here is what my truck looked like when I parked in parked at a truck stop in Williston, ND.

I'll be here until Wednesday morning.  Load a few miles from here.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

A dull day in Dickinson.  After looking at my paperwork for my next load, I saw that it was not in Dickinson.  It is up in Williston, ND.  That is about 130 miles north from here.  Back in 2011 I delivered a load of pipe up there.  I'll head that way tomorrow morning sometime.  In the meantime, here is a time lapse video I shot for you from here.  It is COLD and WINDY up here!!!  Only in the teens and had a bit of snow too.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Got a little snow last night.  Not much, only about a half inch.  Drove the rest of the way to Dickinson, ND and delivered the beams to an oil refinery that is being built there.  This is what I-94 looked like on the way there. A little snowy, but not bad.

After that, went to a truck stop in Dickinson.  Actually, it is the only one in Dickinson.  I will be here until Wednesday.  My next load is here but doesn't load until Wednesday.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Another good day on the road.  Left Alda, NE this morning at sunrise.   This was pretty much my view for about 150 miles up US-83 in Nebraska.

Went past the Capitol of South Dakota in Pierre.

And this was the view in North Dakota, still on US-83.

Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Mandan, North Dakota.  That is just west of Bismark.  It is C-O-L-D up here!!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Left a little later this morning.  Couldn't go into Oklahoma City until after 9 am local time.  But when I did get on the road, had a great day out there.  Beautiful weather and light traffic.  Stopped for the night at the TA Truck Stop in Alda, Nebraska.  While there had routine maintenance done on the truck.  Saw this while I was waiting for the truck to get finished.

The best passenger to have!!  Doesn't complain, doesn't need to go to the bathroom, doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, doesn't smoke!!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

At midnight last night I got kicked out of the Wal-Mart parking lot.  Fortunately I found a place not too far away.

This morning I went back and loaded two concrete and steel beams that are going to Dickinson, North Dakota.  They are each 70 feet long.  Had to stretch the trailer.

Before stretching

After stretching

That brings my total length to 97 feet.

Left there and made good time on the road today.  Was able to drive 400 miles.  Stopped for the night at a Flying J Truck Stop in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

First thing this morning I went over to load.  Found out that the load will have to load tomorrow.  They worked late yesterday and told their staff to stay home today because of the potential freezing rain storm due to hit the area today.  So I went to a Wal-Mart a couple miles away, bought some provisions, and parked (with their permission) in the Wal-Mart parking lot until tomorrow.  Just hope the cops leave me alone.  It is a shame that we have to worry about the cops screwing with us more than we have to worry about the "bad guys".

Monday, February 10, 2014

This morning it was pretty foggy so I waited a little before going to deliver.  Finally delivered the dump truck. They are a lot of fun to drive!!  My next load is back in Houston.  I have to change trailers for this one.  Drove to the Daily yard in Houston and dropped off my trailer and picked up a 53 foot stretch flat bed.  Of course it poured rain the whole time I was swapping out trailers.  Didn't stop until I was done.

If you have not figured it out by now, my next load is going to be a tad long - hence the stretch trailer.  After that I went over to the TA Truck Stop in Baytown, Texas for the night.  Don't know about loading tomorrow.  The weather is not supposed to be very good.  Freezing rain in the morning.  May be able to load, just not go anywhere.  The load is going north.  We shall see.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

HELP!!!!  I'm having a serious case of football withdrawal!!!!!!

Saturday, February 9, 2014

Got started exactly 1/2 hour before sunrise.  Drove hard all day and made it to the TA truck stop in San Antonio, Texas.  709 miles.  Deliver not too far from here Monday morning.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Went over and loaded a Caterpillar 725 Dump Truck this morning.  It is going to San Antonio, Texas.  It wasn't supposed to be ready until noon today.  I went early and much to my surprise, it was ready. 

 I left there just before noon.  Made it a lot farther than I thought I would.  Stopped for the night at the Oasis Truck Stop in Robertsdale, Alabama.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Got another load that is down in Ocala.  Drove down there and found out that it doesn't load until tomorrow at noon.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot Truck Stop in Ocala.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Left at sun up this morning.  Drove straight to the Port of Jacksonville and delivered the excavator.  After that went home.  Might be here a few days, not sure yet.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Left this morning in the rain.  Most of the day was in rain, sometimes heavy.  Stopped for the night at the TA Truck Stop in Grand Bay, Alabama.

Monday, February 3, 2014

First thing this morning I went over and delivered the dozer.  Next load is up in Victoria, TX.  Drove up there and loaded a Caterpillar 320E Excavator that is going to Jacksonville.

Left there but didn't get too far.  Had to stop for the night at a truck stop in Rosenberg, TX.  Can sleep in tomorrow.  Can't go into Houston until 9 am local time.