Friday, July 10, 2015

It has been a while since I had anything to post here.  Had a great week off!!  While I was off, the truck was at the body shop getting repaired from the second "mishap".  In case you forgot, almost two months ago a guy backed into my truck busting out a headlight and broke my brand new hood. Here are a couple pictures to refresh your memory.

I picked it up today.  They did a beautiful job.  Can't even tell that anything was broken.

Then the fun part!  Putting all my stuff back in it.  I had 3 full bags of laundry!!  After that cleaning up the inside.  Looked like a bomb went off in there.  I got started on that.  Still not finished.  Dash cam won't be back up until probably Monday.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Went to Forest Park, GA first thing this morning and delivered the excavator.  After that drove home.  Will be here for about a week.  

Monday, June 29, 2015

Left this morning at sunrise.  Had to stop for two hours to wait for the Lexington, KY curfew to get over at 9 am.  After that continued on down to the Petro truck stop in Atlanta, Georgia for the night.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Went over to the Caterpillar dealer in Columbus, Ohio first thing this morning and dropped off the excavator.  Then went up to New Philadelphia, Ohio and loaded a Gradall XL3100 Excavator that is going to Forest Park, Georgia.

Left there and drove down to the TA truck stop in Walton, Kentucky for the rest of the weekend.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Left the TA in Baltimore this morning at 9 am. Good day on the road.  BUT at about 4:15 this afternoon I still did not have my Michigan permit. I called to find out where it is.  By 5 pm it still was not here.  The problem with that is that I have another load that HAS to be picked up tomorrow.  Without a Michigan permit I can't go into Michigan to deliver this load until it comes in Monday sometime.  Created quite a pickle!!  So they made arrangements for me to drop this machine off at the Caterpillar dealer in Columbus, Ohio.  Someone else will come get it and take it the rest of the way to Michigan next week.  That way I can still pick up the next load on time tomorrow.  I stopped for the night at the west bound rest area on I-70 in Hebron, Ohio.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

This morning went back to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland and loaded a Caterpillar 323 Excavator that is going to Brownstown, Michigan.

Went back to the TA in Baltimore to scale and wait for my Maryland Permit.  

Maryland is running about a day behind on their permits and it did not come in before the Baltimore curfew started.  I'm here until, at the earliest, 9 am tomorrow morning provided it comes in before 9 am.

Severe thunderstorms predicted for tonight.  Might be an interesting evening.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Short day today.  Left Morgantown, WV this morning at sunrise and drove in to the Port of Baltimore and delivered the skidder.  Don't have another load yet so I went to the TA truck stop in Baltimore took a shower, and had lunch.  I didn't sleep very well last night so I am really tired today.  Glad it was a short day. Going to take a much needed nap.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Left Bloomington, Illinois half hour before sunrise this morning.  Good day on the road.  No problems.  After driving 571 miles I stopped for the night at the West Virginia Welcome Center on I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Finally got another load. It was over in Davenport, Iowa.  Drove over there and loaded a John Deere 648L Skidder.  It is going to the Port of Baltimore.

Had to wait a while for my Iowa permit.  When it came in I left.  Passed a little crash in Illinois.

Here is the lock and dam in the Illinois river.  It is really underwater now!

Stopped for the night back at the TA truck stop where I started from this morning in Bloomington, Illinois.

Friday, June 19, 2015

This morning I still didn't have another load but I wasn't staying at that Pilot truck stop any longer.  If you didn't know already, I hate Pilot truck stops!! So I left and drove to the TA truck stop in Bloomington, Illinois.  That gets me closer to potential loads.  By the end of the day I still didn't have anything worth a flip so I'm here for the weekend.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Left just before sunrise this morning and drove in to Indianapolis and delivered the excavator. Went from there over to the Pilot truck stop just east of Indy to have lunch and wait for my next load.  They had a possible load in Indy.  When that fell through I just stayed there for the night.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Went to the Port of Baltimore first thing this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 323 Excavator. It is going to Indianapolis, Indiana.  Not as heavy as I thought it would be.  I'm only 102,000 pounds.

Left there and drove the ups and downs of I-70 and I-68 in Maryland and West Virginia.  That always takes forever!!  Started raining in western Maryland and continued pretty much for the rest of the day.  Stopped for the night at the north bound rest area on I-77 at mile marker 39 in Ohio.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Went back to the tire shop this morning and got my two front tires.  Truck rides and drives a whole lot better!!  Then went back to the Daily yard to get my trailer.  When I hooked back up to it and was checking it out I found another flat tire!!!!!  So I unhooked and waited for it to get fixed.  Took all day for them to change two tires.  At 4 pm I finally left there to go to Baltimore.  I load at the port in the morning.  Because it took so long to get out of Carlisle there were no parking places left at the only truck stop in Baltimore, the TA.  So I left there and drove about 25 miles north to the Maryland House Rest Area on I-95. I'll be there for the night.

The guy was here first thing this morning and did my three axle alignment.  It was definitely out of wack.  But I already knew that, I could feel it.  After that I went to the tire shop.  He did not have my tires in stock so he ordered them.  Will be here in the morning.  Went back to the Daily yard for the rest of the day.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Left the truck stop at sunrise this morning and drove to Clifton, NJ to the delivery site.  It is in the parking lot of a NJ Transit Park n' Ride at the corner of the Garden State Parkway and Route 3.  We are about 20 miles from the Lincoln Tunnel.  Nothing is easy in this part of the country.  When I arrived the crane and everyone was there.  Half the parking lot was taped off for us.  Apparently this ruffled a lot of feathers.  Someone called New Jersey Transit, they came out and they called the State Police.  The cop wanted the permits for all of this.  They were not on site.  After they made a zillion phone calls someone brought the permits.  All was legal BUT they did not call 24 hours ahead so no work could be done.  Well, more people came out and more phone calls were made and FINALLY they got approval to do the work.  It went all the way to the number two guy in the State Police.  GOOD GRIEF!!!!  In the time it took to do all this stupidity we could have been done and outa' there!!!  Just one more reason why I hate this part of the country!!!!

Here is the parking lot.  Directly behind the crane is The Garden State Parkway.  The road next to me is Route 3.

Here is the way in and out.

They finally unloaded me. They had to "fly" it over a power line to set it on its pad.

Left there and drove back to the TA in Columbia, NJ and had another flat tire on the trailer fixed.  Then drove down to Carlisle, PA to the "home office".  Thought I'd never get here!!  TONS of bumper to bumper traffic for a lot of the trip. Then rain during rush hour from about Harrisburg all the way to Carlisle.  That made the idiots worse!!  So glad to be here.  Very frustrating day!!  Going to have the trailer serviced while I'm here and have some work done on the trucks too.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Didn't get much sleep last night.  Don't know why, just couldn't seem to fall asleep.  When I finally did I got about 3 hours.  Got started this morning at sunrise. Didn't get too far before I got stuck in some bumper to bumper traffic from a wreck. It was almost cleaned up when I passed it. Have no idea what happened but I snapped off a quick picture as I went by.

Drove to the TA truck stop in Columbia, New Jersey for the night.  Deliver tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Left at sunrise this morning.  Nice easy day on the road.  Nothing at all interesting.  Drove 578 miles and stopped for the night at the north bound rest area on I-81 in Ellison, Virginia.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Went back over there first thing this morning and hooked back up to my trailer.  It wouldn't be a loading day if it didn't rain.  Thunderstorm!!  Fortunately it didn't last long.  My building arrived and they took it off the other trailer and put it on mine.  It is going to Caldwell, NJ.  

Because of the flooding I had to get a new permit with a new route on it.  Had to go all the way around Shreveport to get about 5 miles from where I loaded.  Took an hour and a half.  Had quite a bit of bumper to bumper traffic going around Memphis, TN.  About 40 miles from where I planned on stopping for the night another driver told me, on the radio, that I had a flat trailer tire.  At the next exit I stopped and checked it out.  Sure enough, he was right.  Left front trailer tire was flat.  I continued on to the TA truck stop in Denmark, TN.  Had it repaired there and stayed for the night.  It is really crowded in here.  Hope no one hits my truck!!

Monday, June 8, 2015

My loading appointment was not until 1 pm local time but I went over a bit early.  On the way went over  the Red River on I-220 in Bossier City, LA.  Here is a picture I was able to snap off going past a submerged mobile home park.

Here is a view going over the bridge leading up to the Red River.

Below is an edited video of driving on I-220 east bound. At the very beginning of the video notice the crane off to the right.  It is half under water.

When I got to where I was to load I was told that the building that I was supposed to get left about two hours ago.  Once again, that "black cloud" is still there.  After a few phone calls and waiting a couple hours They decided that the other truck that had my building shouldn't have it so they called him and sent him back. I'm very glad I went over early!!!  

At 3 pm local time they said that he was still too far out to unload and reload today.  I dropped my trailer there and went to a small truck stop a couple miles away for the night.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Went over to the Port of Houston this morning and delivered the thing.  My next load is Monday up in Bossier City, Louisiana.  Drove to the Petro truck stop in Shreveport, LA for the weekend.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Left this morning at sunrise.  Nice day on the road,  Heard an air leak while checking the load but couldn't find it.  So when I got to Houston I went straight to the Daily yard to have it fixed.  It didn't take long to find it.  Just had to have the right person look for it.  On the inside of one of the trailer tires was a hole.  The trailer has automatic tire inflation system. It was putting air in the tire as fast as it was going out so the tire never went flat.

Stayed there for the night.  Have an unload appointment tomorrow morning at 8.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

This morning drove up to Concordia, Kansas and loaded a thing called a wind box. I have no idea what it is or what it is for.  It is going to Houston Texas to be put on a big boat to Chennai, India.

Left there and had a nice day on the road.  Went through Moore, Oklahoma and saw some of the damage from the latest tornado. Not as much (that I could see anyway) as the last one.  Stopped for the night at a small truck stop in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

Sprint internet really SUCKS!!!!  I do not recommend it at all.  Still no Sprint internet.  No camera.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Wanted to get my truck and trailer washed yesterday when I got here but the line was way too long.  This morning I got up real early and went over and got it washed.  No line this time.  After that went to the service department and had the truck chassis greased and the oil and filter changed in my generator.  I changed the generator air filter and cleaned out the exhaust plug while I was waiting to get in the service bay. After that was done I drove to the Pilot truck stop in Salina, Kansas.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Concordia, KS.  That is a little less than an hour north of here.

Monday, June 1, 2015

It looked a little better this morning for getting unloaded.  At 11 am local time, (Mountain Daylight Time) they came and got us!!  Had to wait for a nacelle to get unloaded first. A nacelle weighs 112,000 pounds.  For more information on GE Wind Energy, click here.

After that was done I got unloaded.  I only needed one crane.  My hub weighs 59,000 pounds.  Finally empty!!!

Don't have another load lined up yet (because of the uncertainty of when I would get unloaded) so I went east to the TA truck stop in Oakley, Kansas.  

After dinner and a shower I came back to the truck to find this parked next to me.

For those of you that don't know, that is one of NOAA's mobile Doppler weather radar that the tornado chasers use.  They go to areas where they have strong indications of the potential for tornado activity.  Since I am in the heart of "tornado ally" I always expect to see these when I'm out here. Fortunately, there is nothing expected here tonight.  For more information on the NOAA truck, click here.

Sprint internet still sucks here so no camera.

I found this video.  It is excellent.  It is the construction of a wind energy turbine.  It is not a GE but the construction is the same.  CLICK HERE TO SEE.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

This morning was told that we have a "slim chance" of getting unloaded today. I dropped my trailer and went into town.  Got fuel, filled my water tank, showered, got some more groceries, and bought supplies to replace the light on my trailer that fell off.  When I got back I hooked back up to my trailer and fixed the trailer light.  Once again it is good as new. Now I'm settled in for the rest of the weekend.  Hope to get empty Monday. Sprint internet sucks here so the camera will not be working.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Went over to the job site this morning. Got in line at 7 am local time.  I was behind 3 blades and 2 tower sections.  Because of the rain last night they had to repair the dirt roads this morning before anything could go in.  At about noon local time they took the 3 blades back in.  At 4 local time the took the 2 tower sections back.  Then I was first in line.  This is what it looked like behind me.

At 6:30 local time they came and got us and took us back to the yard for the night. They were going to be working tomorrow but were not sure if we would get unloaded.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Easy day today.  Drove the rest of the way up to Burlington, Colorado.  Stopped at a truck stop there to spend the night.  Deliver in the morning.  Doing a time lapse video of the weather. Lots of thunderstorms around.  If it is any good I'll post it tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Left this morning at sunrise.  Had some bumper to bumper traffic going through Dallas.  About 40 miles south of Amarillo I ran into another pretty good storm.  Pea to nickle size hail, heavy rain, and a lot of wind.  Fortunately no glass broken but one of my new rear beacon lights broke off somewhere.  Oh well!!  Stopped for the night in Amarillo, TX.  Of course in Amarillo I had to park and eat at the "Big Texan".

They still have the limos to pick you up.

Here is my dinner tonight.

Delicious!!!!!!!!

Very windy here tonight.  Lots of storms around.  News is reporting that a tornado took out an oil drilling rig somewhere around here.  Could be an interesting night, but I doubt it.  Radar shows nothing headed this way.  They are all around here but not heading this way.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

This morning loaded a GE Wind Energy Hub that is going to Burlington, Colorado.

Left there and drove through a couple brief periods of very heavy rain.  Then it was mostly cloudy for the rest of the day.  Stopped for the night at the Petro Truck Stop in Shreveport, LA.  While waiting for my dinner to get to my table we had a hail storm.  It was a pretty good one too.  Hail was about the size of a quarter.  Took out a few windshields in the parking lot.

The only damage to my truck was a broken amber beacon lens on the trailer.  WHEW!!!!

Monday, May 25, 2015

Got a lot done while I was home.  But now it's time to get back on the road.  Took a nice easy drive over to the GE Wind Energy plant in Pensacola, FL.  I load another hub here in the morning.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

This morning improved the rear beacon lights on my trailer.  Went and bought all the supplies needed and then got to work.  I have been holding them down and in place on the trailer with bungee cords.  I have never been comfortable with that set up so today I did something about it.  Had our mechanic here weld a couple pieces to the trailer. The rest of what I did you can see in the photo below.  It looks a LOT better.

When I finished that I took the truck over to Kenworth so they could do a more thorough appraisal of the repairs needed to fix the damage from the latest incident.

My next load is Tuesday in Pensacola.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Left this morning and still had a lot of bumper to bumper traffic going around Atlanta.  But I finally made it through and it was "smooth sailing" from then on.  Drove to Unadillia, GA and delivered the Skid Steer.  Then drove over to Statesboro, GA and delivered the tractor and tires.  Then drove home to Jacksonville, FL.  Got rid of that trailer and got my trailer back!!!!!!  Drove 528 miles today and I'm exhausted!!!!!!!  Good night.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Another good day on the road.  A couple areas of bumper to bumper traffic from construction but nothing too bad.  I stopped early tonight at the TA truck stop in Cartersville, GA because I was hearing on the radio of about ten miles of bumper to bumper traffic ahead of me.  I decided that sitting in that much traffic was not on my "bucket list", so I stopped.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Went over to deliver the things a few miles from where I was parked.  They are building a power plant there.  The things I had were two small sections of one of the smoke stacks.  Anyway, they unloaded me fairly quick and I left for my next load.

Drove to Waterloo, IA and loaded a John Deere 8270 Tractor and a couple wheels.  They are going to Statesboro, GA.

From there drove over to Dubuque, IA and picked up a John Deere Skid Steer that is going to Unadilla, GA.

Left there and had a nice day on the road.  Drove 558 miles today.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Saturday. May 16, 2015

Easy day.  Started just before sunrise this morning.  Drove to the Iowa 80 truck stop and got fuel, bought a couple things and took a shower.  Then drove to a very small truck stop (a convenience store with truck parking) in Marshalltown, Iowa.  I deliver a few blocks from here Monday morning.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Left Monteagle, TN just before sunrise this morning.  Very good day on the road.  Some bumper to bumper south of Nashville, TN.  Stopped for the night at the Daily yard in Mortin, Illinois after driving 560 miles.  Tomorrow will be an easy day.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Well... I was awoken at 5 am with a bang.  Yup, you guessed it!!  It happened again. The guy across from me was backing out of his parking place and backed right into my truck. This time the damage wasn't as bad.  Got the other headlight this time. Broke my new hood.  Unbelievable!!!!

After exchanging paperwork with the other driver I went in to Neeses, SC and loaded two sections of something.  Not really sure what they are for.  The are going to Marshalltown, Iowa.

I loaded with another Daily driver so we stayed together today on the road.  Stopped at the Wilco-Hess truck stop in Monteagle, TN. so he could get fuel. He noticed that a lug nut and bolt had sheered off on his left front wheel.  That is not a good thing.  Its a sign of bigger problems.  Fortunately there was an independent truck repair shop next door.  We went there and he ended up replacing a bunch of stuff, including the wheel.  Since the day was almost over we stayed there for the night.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Started off at 4 am this morning.  Was having a good day on the road.  Beat the Charlotte rush hour traffic.  South of Charlotte on I-77 I blew a trailer tire.  Stopped at a rest area and waited for road service to come and fix it.

Over three hours later, I was back on the road.  Went in to a huge steel mill in Huger, SC and delivered the thing.  Next load is tomorrow morning in Neese, SC.  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Orangeburg, SC.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Drove the rest of the way in to Cranberry, PA and loaded a Trimac TML300 Excavator.  It is driven by remote control.

Left there and drove to the scales and found out that I was too heavy on the trailer axles so I had to untie it and move it forward.  Then tie it back down again.  Finally got it right and took off.  Was having a good day going up and down the Appalachian mountains until just before Virginia on I-77.  Looked in the mirror and saw that my trailer breaks were smoking a lot.  Pulled over an let them cool.  Fortunately they were not on fire.  Not really sure why they did that because I wasn't even using the breaks.  Stopped a bit early tonight to get them checked.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Wytheville, VA and went straight to the shop.  

Monday, May 11, 2015

No live streaming video tonight.  No internet coverage from Sprint where I am.  Having to use Verizon for internet.  Left Carlisle this morning and drove over to the Pilot truck stop in Porterville, PA for the night.  I load tomorrow morning about 10 miles from here.