Sunday, February 1, 2015

The snow we were supposed to get didn't come.  Got a light dusting and some rain.   The "weather weenies" got it wrong again,

Now it's time for...

And we will see if Katy Perry's halftime performance is as good as Bruno Mars was last year.  

That will be very hard to top.  Best halftime show EVER!!!!

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Started off this morning by getting on the scale.  Good thing I did.  I was overweight on my trailer axles by 1,560 pounds.

 So I unchained it, moved the machine back about a foot or so, and chained it back down again.  Then went back on the scale.  Much better this time.

Then took a nice leisurely drive over to the Goasis truck stop in New Lisbon, Indiana.  I'll be here until I get an Ohio permit.  The weather is supposed to get bad here later on today.  They say we will get between 6 and 12 inches of snow before tomorrow evening.  Keep checking my web cam to see how much we are getting. I'll post some pictures tomorrow too.

Friday, January 30, 2015

This morning they wanted us to go in to unload one at a time.  SO, it took forever to get unloaded.  But I finally did get empty and reloaded right away with a John Deere 644 Wheel Loader that is going over to the Daily terminal in Bettendorf, Iowa.  

18 miles later I delivered the wheel loader.  Then went down to East Peoria, Illinois and loaded an albino Caterpillar D7 Dozer that is going to the Port of Baltimore in Maryland.  

Got that loaded but none of my permits had come in yet so I went down the road to the Daily terminal in Morton, Illinois to wait for them.  Illinois and Indiana came in.  I left and drove to the TA truck stop in Bloomington, Illinois for the night.  Tomorrow will be a short day.  Since I don't have an Ohio permit yet I can't go into Ohio.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Left this morning at sunrise.  Drove all day stopping only once for fuel.  Stopped for the night at the John Deere plant in Davenport, Iowa where I am delivering in the morning.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

First thing this morning loaded a Hitachi G250 Excavator that is going to the John Deere plant in Davenport, Iowa.

Left there and had a very good day on the road.  Weather was great!!  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Lebanon, Tennessee.  That is just east of Nashville.  

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Finally got a load!!  But it is way down in Kernersville, North Carolina.  So I drove down there to the John Deere plant.  Will load in the morning.

Monday, January 26, 2015

As of this morning we didn't get the amount of snow they said we would.  We got maybe 2 inches.  Went over to Kenworth this morning and had my breaks checked and adjusted.  All were good.   Then went back to the "home office" to wait.  Still don't have a load yet.  That may not be a bad thing.  Supposed to get more snow tonight.  If I'm going to be stuck anywhere, I'd rather be stuck here.  I can plug in so I don't have to run the generator, and there is a great Italian restaurant across the street.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Holy crap!!!!   I'm having a serious football withdrawal !!!!!!!!

More snow on the way.  Supposed to start late this afternoon lasting through to tomorrow morning.  4 to 8 inches predicted.  Then more Tuesday.  No load for me yet.  Having my breaks checked Tomorrow morning at the Kenwoth.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Started snowing overnight.  We got about 3 inches of heavy wet snow. By about 9 am it was all over. There are about 16 trucks in the parking lot.  I was lucky to get a spot where I could plug in.

Watched the plow do his thing this morning.  The new snow in the trees is beautiful.

Tonight was Daily Express's annual "Safety Banquet".  It was held at the Radisson Hotel in Camp Hill, PA. I arrived and chose a seat near the door in the back of the room.  It was a nice affair.  At each place setting was this program of events.

On our chairs was this bag.

The banquet was a "Pirate" themed event.  Some people dressed up as pirates.  The centerpiece on the tables was given away to one person at the table.  I won the centerpiece from our table.  Here is my table and the people I sat with.

Here is the centerpiece I won.

I gave it to the guy with his arms folded.  He would give it to his grand kids.

The food was delicious!  I had roast beef.

Then came the awards.  I received an award for 3 years safe driving.

 It also came with a very nice jacket.

Then came the surprise of the night.  I received the award for the 2014 Contract Driver Of The Year.  I was shocked!  And that's putting it mildly.  It came with a very nice leather jacket.

After a few speeches from the "big wigs" they gave away door prizes.  For a guy that NEVER wins anything, I did real good.  I won the second best door prize valued at $350.  It is a glass protection cover for covering the glass on the machines that I haul.

When the door prizes were finished, the band started to play and that's when I made my exit.  Went back to the Daily yard in Carlisle for the rest of the weekend.  More snow is expected Sunday night into Monday morning.

Friday, January 23, 2015

At sunrise drove in to Rimersburg, PA to deliver the excavator.  It was about 15 miles down the typical Pennsylvania back road.  Two lanes of up and down, twists and turns, and blind curves.  Made it with no problems.  Backed in off the road to an area that had been plowed but was just solid ice.  Attempted to detach the trailer but all I did was spin the tires.  There was a Caterpillar wheel loader with fork lift attachment where the bucket goes sitting there.  The guy working there used it to push me back out of there.  Went back out on the road and blocked one lane while I unloaded.  What a mess!!!  Got it off and the trailer put back together.  Then the problem was that I had to turn around to get back out.   I ended up backing down the road to a small parking area that had not been plowed. I was barely able to turn around.  But I did it.  From there I drove over to the "Home Office" in Carlisle, PA for the rest of the weekend.  Supposed to get anywhere between 1 and 6 inches of wet snow tonight and into tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow night is the annual "Safety Banquet".  I am going to that, although I don't really know where it is.  I think it is somewhere near Harrisburg.  

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Went in to Toledo, Ohio this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 320B Excavator that is going to Rimersburg, Pennsylvania.  It had a large, heavy electromagnet on it instead of a bucket.  It hung by a chain from the end of the boom where a bucket would be.  It was very interesting loading today.  Wet, icy, slick steel on wet, icy slick steel.  What made it even more interesting was that the magnet would swing around a bit making loading it on the trailer very unstable.  After a failed attempt loading it - it slid around too much - I went around and placed the magnet on the trailer, disconnected it, and then loaded the machine without difficulty.  Then re-connected the magnet.

Finally got it secured to the trailer and on the road.  Then got stuck in a 6 mile bumper to bumper traffic back up because they thought it was a good idea to close one of the two lanes to fill pot holes.  Should have been done at night!!  Idiots!!! Took about an hour to get through that.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Emlenton, Pennsylvania.  

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Snow had started to fall and there was a heavy dusting already on the ground.  Drove into Holly, MI and delivered the chiller.  Since I didn't have another load yet I went to the TA truck stop in Ann Arbor, MI for lunch and a shower. The snow stopped around noon.  We got about 2 inches.  Shortly after that I got my next load.  It is tomorrow down in Toledo, Ohio.  I drove down to the Pilot truck stop in Ottawa Lake, MI for the night.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Very uneventful day on the road although Michigan really sucks!!  Top speed for a permit load is 50 mph!!!   That is absolutely ridiculous!!!  Cars are cruising down the interstate at 70+ mph and we have to go 50.  I was worried that someone would slam into the back of me.  Stupid "nanny state" liberals that know whats "best" for everyone!!  Idiots!!  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Perry, Michigan.  Deliver tomorrow morning about 45 minutes from here.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Left this morning at sunrise.  Nice day on the road.  Got pulled over by the cops in Arkansas for a routine roadside inspection. They do not need probable cause to pull over a big truck.  They can do what they want.  When you drive a big truck you loose a lot of your civil rights.  Anyway, He couldn't find anything to write a ticket for so he turned me loose.  Continued on up to the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois for the night.  Went across the street to eat at Chili's for dinner.  The service wasn't so good, but the food was.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Went a few miles down the road and loaded a Chiller that is going to Holly, Michigan.

Made great time getting in and out.  Hit the road and drove to Texarkana, Arkansas.  515 miles today!!  Good deal!!

Friday, January 16, 2015

Went over to Wal Mart to stock up for the weekend.  Saw this in the parking lot. I like it!!

Finally got a load that loads tomorrow morning in San Antonio, TX.

Went back and got my trailer (MY trailer this time) and left for San Antonio.  Took forever to get out of Houston.  There was a 2 cars and a straight truck wreck on the east bound side of I-10 ( I was going west) that totally shut down that side of the Interstate.  The idiots going west had to all slow down to look which caused a 6 mile back up for no reason.

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in San Antonio, TX.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

I am stuck here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Monday, January 12, 2015

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Fortunately it had stopped raining.   This morning I went over to Shipley's for some delicious donuts and then back to the TA.

After I ate them I replaced the broken air cylinder on the 5th wheel.  Messy job, lots of grease.  

The weather is supposed to be crummy all weekend.  Rain is supposed to come back again and continue thru Sunday.  Cold too.  Glad I'm inside the truck for it.  Good sleeping weather.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Started raining overnight and it was still raining when I left this morning.  Drove in to the Port of Houston and delivered the road grader.  Those things are really fun to drive !!!

After that went over to the Daily terminal in Houston to get my trailer back.  When I went to hook up to it I broke the air cylinder on the 5th wheel again!!  I was not a happy camper!!!  (and that's putting it mildly)  

So, after moving all my stuff from the old trailer to my trailer in the rain and mud, I went in search of the part. I left my trailer at the Daily yard.  Finally found the part in Houston.  After that went to the TA truck stop in Baytown, Texas for a shower, dinner, and sleep.  I'll replace the broken part tomorrow when the weather is better.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Left early this morning and drove the rest of the way in to North Little Rock, Arkansas.  Loaded a Caterpillar 14M Road Grader that is going down to Houston, Texas.  From there it is going on a boat to the United Arab Emirates.  There are 18 of these going over there.

Left there and drove down to a small truck stop in Livingston, Texas for the night. Can sleep in tomorrow.  Can't go into Houston until after 9 am.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Got on the road very early this morning.  Drove in to Oklahoma City and delivered the wheel loader.  After that went over to the Daily terminal in OKC and got rid of the step deck trailer.  Got a trailer like my normal trailer.  Then started back toward Little Rock for my next load.  Ran out of hours for today and stopped at the Pilot truck stop in Russellville, Arkansas for the night.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Gorgeous day on the road.  Blue sky, light traffic.  Drove 591 miles today.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Bald Knob, Arkansas.  Yes, that really is the name of the town.

Monday, January 5, 2015

After having a GREAT holiday season it is time to go back to work.  Went up to the Port in Brunswick, Georgia and loaded a Volvo L120H Wheel Loader that is going up to Oklahoma City, OK.

Left there and drove to a small truck stop in Jeffersonville, GA when I ran out of daylight.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Drove home from Ocala this morning.  Will be home for the holidays.  While I'm home going to have some more work done to the truck.  The fan shroud that I replaced last month is cracking again in the same place.  Fixing that.  Getting the generator serviced.  New power steering pump, hoses and steering "U" joints.  New front shocks.  I think that's it for now.  Going back to work in January.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Got on the road early this morning and drove straight to Ocala and delivered.  I forgot to post the pictures of this load yesterday, so here they are today. A counterweight and a bucket for a Caterpillar 349F Excavator.

Anyway, I delivered a day ahead of schedule.  I then went to the Petro and had routine maintenance done on the truck. Then down to the Pilot truck stop in Ocala for the night.  Having dinner with friends tonight.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Went over first thing this morning to get loaded.  First one there, fourth one loaded!! Finally got out of there and on the road. The crazies were out again on the roads.  Was cut off at least 6 times today.  At the I-12 and I-55 junction there was a semi truck crash that had the whole interstate shut down.  Traffic was rerouted off the interstate onto back roads.  What a mess. Took forever to get through that!!  Stopped for the night at the Oasis truck stop in Robertsdale, Alabama.  When I got there I went to go have dinner.  The place was closed!!!  Normally it is open 24 hours a day.  Tonight, they closed for their employee Christmas party.  There was a  lot of hungry, pissed off truck drivers, that needed fuel.  Very stupid inconsiderate thing to do.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Moved to a smaller truck stop about a mile down the road.  The "lot lizards" were very annoying there.  I HATE that!!   I'll never go back to that truck stop again.  Hope this one is better.