Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Finally got another load this morning.  Drove over to Athens, Georgia and loaded two Caterpillar 305E Mini Excavators.  The first one gets dropped off in Knoxville, Tennessee.  The other one goes to Novi, Michigan.

Left there and got back to Atlanta right at rush hour.  You know what that means...  Yup, and there was plenty of it too.  Finally got through it all and made it up to the TA truck stop on the west side of Knoxville for the night.

Monday, October 6, 2014

No load yet.  Got my 90 day inspection done and out of the way.  Had a leaking air valve replaced.  Other than that, pretty dull day.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Florida 10
Tennessee 9

Friday, October 3, 2014

Hit the road as soon as my 10 hours was up.  Passed a fatal crash going through Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  A car, a mini van, and a semi truck. The south bound side was shut down.  

Went in to Birmingham, AL and delivered.  Don't have another load yet so I headed back to the Petro truck stop in Bucksville, AL.  Birmingham was a mess!!  Passed a five car crash on my side of the interstate.  Traffic was four lanes down to one right as rush hour was starting.  Made it passed that mess only to come up to another just past the first one.  Two cars in that one.  Four lanes down to two.  Made it passed that one and came across another.  This time it was on the other side.  Two cars.  Screwed up traffic over there.  Finally got out of there and down to the truck stop.  Will be here for the rest of the weekend.  Go Gators!!!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Left this morning and drove up to a quary just south of Realitos, Texas and loaded some parts taken off a Caterpillar 773G Dump Truck. They are going up to Birmingham, Alabama.

Left there and drove for a little while.  Hit Houston right at rush hour and, of course, had a lot of bumper to bumper traffic.  Went past the Lakewood Church, the home base for Joel Osteen.

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Baytown, TX.  Under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch here until 3 am local time.

Tuesday, October 1, 2014

Drove the rest of the way to Progreso, TX and delivered the excavator.  Progreso in on the USA / Mexico border about 30 miles from Brownsville.  Where I delivered was only two miles from the border.  Next load is tomorrow up in Realitos, TX.  Drove to a small truck stop in Falfurrias, TX for the night.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Left Hammond, LA this morning at sunrise.  My computer decided to act up again so when I got to Baytown, Texas I stopped at the TA truck stop, dropped my trailer and high tailed it over to Best Buy and got a replacement.  Then back on the road.  Stopped for the night at a small truck stop in Refugio, Texas.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Went over to Peachtree City, GA this morning and loaded a Sany SY215C Excavator that is going down to Progreso, Texas.

Got on the road and drove down to the Petro truck stop in Hammond, Louisiana for the night.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

This morning I had routine maintenance done on my truck.  While I was waiting for them to finish another driver came in to have his truck worked on.  He had a female Capuchin monkey with him.  The staff gave him some popcorn, which she promptly devoured.  She climbed all over everyone, including me.  She was so cute and friendly.

When the service department was finished I went to Wal-Mart and restocked some stuff.  Then settled in for a great afternoon of football on TV.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Left at midnight this morning and drove to Austell, GA and delivered the Backhoe.  Even the little ones are fun to drive!!  Next load is in Peachtree City, GA.  Was supposed to load today but I ran out of hours.  Will load Monday morning.  Now I will catch up on my sleep and enjoy a weekend of football!!!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Left this morning at 1 am.  Drove to Darlington, PA and delivered the wheel loader.  Then loaded another one that is going to Austell, Georgia.

Drove down to a truck stop in Jane Lew, West Virginia for the rest of the day.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Left this morning at 2:30 and drove to Lionville, PA and delivered the wheel loader.  Then went over to Piscataway, NJ and loaded a Caterpillar 420E Backhoe that is going over to Darlington, PA.  

When I put the trailer back together the red air line got cut in half again.  Had to drive over to a truck parts place to get a new one.  Went back, repaired the line again, got my trailer and left.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Bloomsbury, NJ.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Left Jacksonville early this morning.  Nice day on the road. Nothing exciting.  Even the traffic wasn't too bad.  Tomorrow will be a different story.  Stopped for the night when I ran out of hours at the north bound weigh station rest area in Dumfries, Virginia.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Delivered the rollers first thing this morning.  Then drove through the Florida Everglades across Gator Ally to Fort Myers and loaded a Volvo L60G Wheel Loader that is going up to Lionville, Pennsylvania.

Left there and drove to Tampa and had a short visit with my sister and her kids.  That was a lot of fun!!  Then drove to Ocala and had an all too short visit with a very good friend.  Finally stopped for the night at the Daily yard in Jacksonville.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Left Jacksonville this morning and drove down to the 595 Truck Stop in Davie, FL for the rest of the weekend.  Deliver a few blocks from here Monday

Friday, September 19, 2014

Left Harrisonburg, Virginia as soon as my 10 hours off was up.  Drove almost non-stop to the Daily yard in Jacksonville, Florida,  724 miles.  Had two tires changed on the trailer.  Went to Wal-Mart, and had dinner.  I'm pooped!!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Was at Shippensburg PA this morning before they opened.  When they got there, loaded a small Volvo DD25 Asphalt Compactor.

After that drove over to Frenchtown, New Jersey and picked up another one.  They are both going to Davie, Florida.

Drove in heavy traffic all day.  But stopped for the night at a truck stop in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Left the rest area at sunrise this morning and drove in to the Port of Baltimore.  Here is sunrise as I was coming down into Cumberland, MD covered in fog.

Of course, I got there five minutes after they went to lunch.  They go to lunch from 11:30 till 1 pm.  UNIONS!!!!!  

Finally got empty and went to leave.  Couldn't, had a broken air line between the truck and trailer.  Was able to rig up a temporary line to get me out of there and over to the TA truck stop to get a replacement.  Got the replacement and moved the fittings over to the new one and put it on.  Works just fine.  

Next load is in Shippensburg, PA.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Greencastle, PA for the night.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Left Bloomington, Illinois just before sunrise this morning.  Nice easy day on the road.  Nothing exciting at all.  Stopped for the night at the West Virginia Welcome Center on I-79 just south of the Pennsylvania line.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Yesterday spent the day installing a rear load light on the truck.  (I didn't do it, a very good mechanic did)  It took all day but it was worth it.  It was done right and looks great.  It is a bit hard to see because the sun was going down when I took the picture.

This morning went and delivered the excavator first thing.  Next load is in Waterloo, Iowa.  Drove up there to the John Deere plant and loaded a John Deere 9510T Tractor that is going to the port in Baltimore.

Left there and drove to Iowa 80 truck stop for lunch and a shower.  Then back on the road.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Bloomington, Illinois.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Left Paducah, KY just before sunrise this morning.  Stopped for fuel in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  While I was pumping the fuel I looked at my tires and saw a large screw in one of them.  Had that repaired and was back on the road two hours and fifteen minutes later.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the Daily yard in Bettendorf, Iowa.  Now I can relax and watch football!!!  Going to have some more work done on the truck tomorrow while I'm here.

Friday, September 12, 2014

First thing this morning loaded a Hitachi Z250G Excavator that is going to Davenport, Iowa.

Got on the road in good time and drove all the way up to a truck stop in Paducah, Kentucky for the night.  596 miles today.  Not too shabby!!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Left this morning and drove in to the Port of Baltimore and delivered the wheel loader.  Next load is in Kernersville, NC.  Drove down there to the John Deere - Hitachi plant for the night.  Was in heavy traffic all day.  Lots of bumper to bumper too.  

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Left before sunrise this morning.  Nothing exciting today.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland.  Will deliver tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

This morning left just before sunrise and drove into Chicago.  Of course I was in bumper to bumper traffic the whole way in.  Took over an hour to travel 26 miles.  Nothing like going through city streets with a wide load during rush hour!!  Once the crane arrived I got unloaded.

Next load was in Oswego, IL.  Went over there to Caterpillar.  They make the larger wheel loaders there.  I loaded one of the smaller ones that they build there.  Loaded a 972M wheel loader that is going to Dundalk, MD.

Left there and got on the road.  Somebody made a boo boo...

Stopped for the night at a truck stop in New Lisbon, Indiana.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Last night my generator quit working.  It was a miserable night without it.  Very little sleep and a huge headache.  First thing this morning I went to a Cummins-Onan shop and had it fixed.  After that went to a truck stop a few miles from there.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Friday, September 5, 2014

Left this morning just before sunrise and drove up to the TA truck stop in Morris, Illinois.  Found out this afternoon that the crane to unload me won't be there until Tuesday.  I have a long weekend.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Left Denton very early this morning and drove up to the Daily yard in Oklahoma City, dropped off the step deck trailer and got my trailer back.  It is so good to have it back!!!  I really missed it.  From there I went up to Hennessey, Oklahoma and loaded a "Control Building" and a valve.  There were supposed to be two valves going but when they were loading it they dropped it off the side of the trailer.  Did major damage to it.  Needless to say, it didn't go with me.  A very expensive mistake on their part.  I have no idea what the control building is for, all I know is that little building is worth $200,000 and it is going to Chicago.

Left there and zig-zaged my way through Oklahoma, but didn't make it out before I ran out of hours.  Stopped for the night at a small truck stop in Wyandotte, OK.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Left McCalla, AL at 2:30 am local time and drove straight to Ferris, Texas and delivered.  Then went to the TA truck stop in Denton, TX for the rest of the day and night because I ran out of hours.

Somewhere along I-20 in Louisiana I passed a semi truck that burned.  Nothing left but the trailer.

I used Photoshop to zoom in so you could see it better.

Passed another wreck earlier today where a car slammed into the back of a semi.  Chatter over the radio said there was a fatality.  From the looks of both vehicles, I believe it.  Couldn't get any photos of that wreck.  The whole front of the car was smashed in.  The engine was where people usually are.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Went into McDonough to load first thing this morning.  Was only able to load the blade.  Had to wait for the other truck to get there.  After they load the machine, a Caterpillar 836 Compactor, they remove the wheels and put them on my truck.  He finally arrived at about 11:45.  Then everyone went to lunch!!  This machine is going to a Waste Management land fill just outside Dallas in Ferris, Texas.

This is what the other truck looked like loaded and ready to go.

Finally got everything loaded and secured. It took forever!!

Because it took so long to get out of there I hit rush hour in Atlanta.  Drove for a little while and stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in McCalla, Alabama

Monday, September 1, 2014

Had an excellent vacation.  But all good things must come to an end.  My next load is tomorrow morning up in McDonough, Georgia.  I drove up to the TA truck stop in Jackson, GA for the night.