Thursday, April 14, 2016

They put my truck back together today and it runs.  I'll pick it up in the morning.  FINALLY!!!

Glad to get out of this hotel and back on the road.  Speaking of hotels, I looked out my window this evening and saw this...

The world is full of crazies!!  Ya just never know what you're gonna see next.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

OK, here's the "Readers Digest" version of the story on my truck.  I have several problems in the engine.  Basically it should have an in frame overhaul because of when it overheated.  Here are some photos of it now.

But I can't afford that right now so they are doing only what HAS to be replaced so I can get back on the road again until I can get some money ahead to get the job done right.  By the way, if any of you are not using Lucas Oil in with your engine oil I strongly suggest that you do!  It really does make a difference!!  It should be ready tomorrow or Friday.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Went back over to the repair shop this morning.  The truck that they thought would be finished yesterday took longer than they expected and was not ready.  The said that they could get me in this afternoon and tear down the engine but it would sit until Tuesday because they are closed Saturday and Sunday.  Monday they had a previous commitment out of town and would be closed.  I would be paying for a hotel for all those days.  Didn't want to do that.  Don't like hotels to start with so that option didn't thrill me.  We agreed that it would be better if I just came back Tuesday morning.  I went back to the Petro truck stop to wait until Tuesday.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Was at the repair shop in North Little Rock first thing this morning.  The ran a few tests.  This one was the big one that it failed miserably!!   This is in the radiator where the cap is. There should not be any bubbles in this.  All the bubbles is a very bad sign.

Have a bad head gasket at best, but most likely a cracked head.  Will be starting on it tomorrow morning to find out for sure and if anything else is bad.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Truck is still having coolant issues.  There is a place in Little Rock that will fix it.  Tried to get a load over there but there weren't any.  So I left for Little Rock deadhead. On the way it was really windy.  Saw a semi truck in front of me almost get blown off an overpass.  Got it on video but it was too far ahead to really see so I won't waste your time posting it.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

This morning I went back to the port and picked up my loaded trailer and drove up to Dacula, GA and delivered the excavator.  Don't have another load yet so I went to the other side of Atlanta to the Petro truck stop to wait for my next load.

Monday, April 4, 2016

This morning went back to the port and picked up my loaded trailer and drove to Albany, GA via Macon.  That's the way the State routed me. 40 miles out of the way!!  Delivered the excavator and drove back to the port in Savannah again.  Loaded a Caterpillar 323FL that is going to Dacula, Georgia.  And YES that really is the name of the town!!!!

Dropped my trailer there at the port and headed back to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill stopping again for a pizza on the way.

Friday, April 1, 2016

This morning went back to the port and picked up my loaded trailer for my last trip to Peachtree City.

Drove there and delivered it.  Then went back to the port in Savannah and loaded a Caterpillar 326FL Excavator that is going to Albany, GA.  I left my trailer in the port for the weekend and went back to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hills, GA, stopping for a pizza on the way.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

This morning went back to the port and got my loaded trailer.  

Left there and drove to Peachtree City, GA and delivered it.  Real exciting stuff!!  Drove back to the port in Savannah and loaded another one.  This is the last one to go.  Made finding it in the lot very easy!!  Left my trailer there for the night.  Drove bobtail back to the TA truck stop stopping to get a pizza on the way.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

This morning I went back to the port and picked up my trailer with the Sany SY235C Excavator on it.  Going back to Peachtree City, GA.

Left there and drove up to Peachtree City and delivered it.  Turned around and drove back to the poer and loaded another one. Left the trailer at the port and went for another pizza and then to the TA in Richmond Hill, GA for the night.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

This morning went back to the port and picked up my trailer with the excavator that I loaded last night.

Took this one to Peachtree City, GA.  There was another Daily truck that took one of these there yesterday.  Just as he arrived, his truck died.  He dropped his trailer there and was towed to get it fixed.  They asked me to pick up his trailer and finish delivering his machine.  So, after I delivered my machine I finished delivering his.  Then I drove back to the port in Savannah and loaded another one.  Left my trailer at the port for the night. On the way back to the TA truck stop I stopped and got a pizza!!  It was good!

Monday, March 28, 2016

Went over to the port first thing this morning and loaded a Sany SY235C Excavator that is going over to Peachtree City, GA.  

Left there in good time and drove to Peachtree City and delivered the excavator.  After that drove back to the port in Savannah and loaded another one.  Left my trailer at the port for the night.  I'll pick it up in the morning.  Spent the night at the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, GA.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Early this morning drove back to Savannah, GA stopping at Walmart on the way.  Will be here until Monday morning. 

Friday, March 25, 2016

Left this morning a half hour after sunrise.  Drove over to Austell and delivered the excavator.  Went back to the TA truck stop in Jackson for the night.  My truck ran just fine but now it was the trailer's turn.  Had an air leak fixed and an electrical plug replaced because all my trailer lights went out while on the way to Austell.  

They are all fixed now.  My next load is Monday back at the port in Savannah.  I'll head back there tomorrow morning.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Spent the whole day at Peterbilt getting the truck worked on.  To make a very L-O-N-G story short, It is ready to go again.  I'll deliver the excavator in the morning.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Finally got another load.  A short one.  Went over to the Port in Savannah and loaded a Caterpillar 326FL Excavator that is going over to Austell, GA.  

Left there and drove to the TA in Jackson, GA for the night.  Just as I was pulling off the interstate to go into the truck stop things took a turn for the worse, again!  Several lights and alarms went off.  I pulled straight up to the service bay at the TA and they looked at it.  Tried to fix it, but it didn't work. He called Peterbuilt, which was on the other side of the interstate from there.  They said bring it over.  I locked my trailer and left it at the TA and drove over to Peterbuilt. They were the closest that could work on Caterpillar engines.  Got checked in there and spent the night in their parking lot.  Their engine mechanic will be in in the morning.  The saga continues!!!!!  

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Nothing.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Left the truck stop in Atlanta this morning a half hour after sunrise and drove down to the Port in Savannah, GA and delivered the wheel loader.  I shot a video from the driver's seat of unloading it. But I just remembered that I was in the port so I can not publish the video.  Homeland Security rules.  Oh well, it came out pretty good too.  I'll try again in a place that I can video. Don't have another load yet so I went over to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, GA to wait.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Pretty dull day.  I started a half hour before sunrise this morning and drove all day stopping only once for the stupid required 30 minutes lunch break.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the Petro truck stop in Atlanta, Georgia because I ran out of hours.  I really don't like this truck stop.  Too crowded and the staff are not the best.

Friday, March 18, 2016

This morning drove over to Oswego, Illinois to the Caterpillar plant and loaded a Caterpillar 972K Wheel Loader that is going to the Port of Savannah.

Left there and had an uneventful ride down to the Pilot truck stop in Lincoln, Illinois.  There is a Cracker Barrel across the street from here.  Boy!  that was delicious!!!!  Don't get that luxury very often.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

At 6 am today I went over to the shop here at the TA and had my generator serviced, chassis lubed and a few other things.  While the mechanic was under the truck he saw that a part of my right side front drive break system was broken.  Actually, two parts were broken.  

Here is one of the broken things.

Here is the new one.

Here is the other broken part.

To make a very long story short and another $2000 later everything was fixed.  Got out of there at 4 pm.  LONG day.  I'm just glad he spotted those broken things before they made things a lot worse and a lot more expensive!!

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning and drove up to the John Deere plant in Dubuque, Iowa.  Fought a strong heavy cross wind most of the day.  While I was standing next to my truck at John Deere the wind blew a 3 foot by 3 foot 1/4 inch piece of plywood off the roof striking my truck and landing right next to me.  Fortunately no damage to the truck or me. After I got empty I didn't have another load yet so I went back down to the world famous Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott, Iowa.

Here is a You Tube video, shot by a storm chaser, of a tornado that was about 70 miles north west from where I was last night.  The video is amazing!!!   Shows beautifully the beginning of a huge tornado.  This is what the hook echos on radar look like.

Tonight there is still the slight possibility of storms.  The wind is still blowing hard.  This truck is really rockin'.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Left this morning as soon as it was legal for me to do so.  Very good day on the road.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Lincoln, Illinois.  

Got pretty interesting tonight so far.  Big storm heading this way. Tornado reported in Springfield, Illinois.  TV is wall-to-wall weather coverage.

In the photo below the arrows point to hook echos on the radar.  They indicate rotation and possible tornadoes.

UPDATE:

Looks like I dodge it again!!  Storms on both sides of me and the Springfield storm passed by just to the south of me.  I was thinking about stopping for the night at the Daily yard in Morton.  Very glad I stopped here in Lincoln.

Monday, March 14, 2016

This morning went over to the John Deere dealer in Jacksonville and loaded a John Deere 310E Articulating Dump Truck that is going to Dubuque, Iowa.  

My trailer ABS light was on ever since I left the Daily yard this morning so after I loaded I went back to the Daily yard so the mechanic could fix it.  Here was the culprit!!

As soon as I pulled out of the yard my truck blew a break chamber.  Had to go to the end of the road to turn around.  Went back to the yard again and had the break chamber replaced.  We are so lucky to have one of the best mechanics working for us.  He really is good.  Finally everything was working again and off I went again.  

A little south of the Macon bypass on I-75 had a little pick up cut me off right in front of a cop.  And you know what he did?

NOTHING.  Now if I had done that he would have had an orgasm pulling me over!!!  

Had some bumper to bumper traffic on the north side of Atlanta.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Cartersville, Georgia.  Got here with only 4 minutes to spare.  Barely got a parking place.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

My trailer was due for inspection so I had it done while I was here.  Good thing I was here!!  Found a few things to be repaired.  Had two leaking air chambers and the other air tank was leaking too.  Also found a crack that needed to be welded.

Glad that is all fixed.  Now I'm good to go tomorrow morning.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

My next load isn't until Monday in Jacksonville, Florida. I got up very early and drove home.  I'll be here until Monday.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Went over to the Port of Savannah, GA and loaded a Caterpillar 316EL Excavator that was going to Montgomery, Alabama.  

Got on the road in good time and drove to Montgomery and delivered the excavator.  After that went a few miles down the road to the Petro truck stop in Shorter, Alabama for the night.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Made a round trip today.  Left the TA and drove to Albany, GA and delivered the excavator. Then drove back to the TA truck stop for the night.  Load in the morning back at the Port in Savannah.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Got a load late this morning.  It was up at the Port of Savannah, Georgia.  I left and drove up there and loaded a Caterpillar 326FL Excavator that is going on a short ride over to Albany, Georgia.

Nice photo with the bridge in the background

Left there and drove a few miles to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, Georgia for the night.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Drove the rest of the way to Ocala and delivered the wheel loader.  Since I didn't have another load lined up I drove home to Jacksonville.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Left the rest area this morning at sunrise.  Just a few sprinkles of rain.  Just south of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville it started to rain.  Fortunately traffic was not bad going through Nashville.  I stopped for fuel just south of Nashville and it was a combination of rain, sleet and snow.  Stayed that way on and off until Monteagle.  There it was snowing hard.  The road was a bit slushy.  Once I got over the mountain it changed back to rain.  Atlanta was a different story.  Rain, sleet, snow mix going around Atlanta.  Traffic was as I expected, miserable!  Somewhere around Macon the rain stopped.  I stopped for the night at a truck stop in Unadilla, Georgia. I'll deliver tomorrow.

This morning was at Caterpillar in Oswego, Illinois first thing and was first to load.  Loaded a Caterpillar 966M Wheel Loader that is going to Ocala, Florida.

Left there in pretty good time.  Drove down to the Tennessee Welcome Center on I-24 just south of the Kentucky state line.  Was hoping to deliver tomorrow, but that's not gonna happen.  Going to be in rain most of the day tomorrow.  That will make Nashville and Atlanta traffic miserable!!

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

This morning I went into Oakland City, Indiana and delivered the coil.  Here is how they unloaded it.

After that headed north for my next load.  Load in the morning in Oswego, Illinois.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Morris, Illinois.

Monday, February 29, 2016 Leap Year!!

Still had to wait for my West Virginia permit.  When doing my pre-trip inspection this morning I found another air leak.  This was the culprit!

And here is the new one.

Even when the trailer was fixed I still had to wait.  Finally the permit arrived and off I went.

Here is one of the hundreds of coal mines in West Virginia.

Here is the Capitol of West Virginia in Charleston.

Stopped for the night at the west bound rest area in I-64 in Lanesville, Indiana.  Deliver in the morning.  Crane will be there at 10 am CST.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Having a serious football withdrawal!!!!!

Look what is parked next to me.  I'm well protected.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Had an air leak in my trailer.  Temporally fixed it with some super glue and duct tape.  It worked pretty good.  Drove only 69 miles today.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia to get the trailer fixed.  I also don't have a West Virginia permit so I'll have to wait here until Monday.  Not what I had planned.