Thursday, March 16, 2017

Well, today picked up where yesterday left off.  Within the first ten miles this morning I got stuck in more bumper to bumper traffic.  This time two semi trucks tangled and blocked 2 of the 3 lanes.  Sat in that traffic for an hour and a half.

Then up to Dallas and more bumper to bumper traffic.  North of Dallas, passed another crash.  This time it was on the other side.  This one was pretty serious.  Fortunately I made it through there before they shut down the Interstate for the medical helicopter.

Because of all those delays I didn't make the Oklahoma City curfew.  Stopped for the night at the Riverwind Casino in Normal, Oklahoma.  While doing my post trip inspection I found a screw in one of my trailer tires.

Road service came down from OKC and fixed my tire.

And here is what was in my tire.

When that was all finished I went over to the casino and ate dinner at the prime rib buffet.  It was very good!!  

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Went the rest of the way to Laredo this morning and got there just before they opened.  Loaded a transformer that is going to a power plant in Red Rock, Oklahoma.  I'm about 102,000 pounds (46,226 kg) and 14 feet 6 inches high (4.41 meters).

Left there and spent a lot of the day in bumper to bumper traffic!!  Was fine until I got to San Antonio.  Took forever to get around there.  Then up to Austin and more B2B traffic.  Here is the cause of one of the worst back ups.

Even north of Austin the traffic was still horrible.  Needless to say, I didn't get as far as I wanted to today.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Jarrell, Texas.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Left at 1 am and drove down to Laredo, TX.  Got there to the Flying J truck stop at about 7 am, had breakfast, then went to sleep.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Got up early this morning and had the truck serviced.  After that went over to the Daily yard in Houston and got my trailer.  Then went over and delivered the wheel loader.  When empty I went back to the truck stop in Baytown, TX.  My next load is Wednesday in Laredo, Texas.  I'll go down there tomorrow.

"Y'ALL are NOT going believe what just happened!! I was at the truck stop and after fueling I ran inside to pick up a few items. I had to pass but the gas pumps for cars when I noticed two police officers looking at this woman who was smoking while pumping her gas. I was like, "What in the world is she thinking!?"...with the police right there too!
I went in picked up my items and as I was checking out I heard someone screaming. I looked outside and the girl's arm was on fire!! She was running and waving her arm around and just going crazy.
The police threw her to the ground and put the fire out. When I walked back out, the officers had handcuffs on her and were about to put her in the back of the car and I was thinking, "Seriously! Wasn't catching on fire enough of a consequence??"
Feeling brave I asked the policeman what he was arresting her for.
He looked me dead in the eye and said, ......."For waving a Firearm in public."........"

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Drove non-stop to the Daily yard in Houston, Texas and dropped my trailer.  Then went over to Verizon and replaced my phone.  It has been dying for quite a while and needed to be replaced.  After that over to the Flying J truck stop in Baytown for the rest of the weekend.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Started late this morning and timed the Kansas City curfew perfectly.  Got to the KC city limits at 9:03 am.  Shortly after leaving Kansas City I went on back roads and stayed there the rest of the day.  All those little towns!!  Speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down!!  And of course almost every one of those little towns had stop lights.  I got only one green light all day!!!!  Stopped for the night at the Choctaw Nation Travel Plaza in Stringtown, Oklahoma.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Left before sunrise this morning and drove to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and delivered the excavator.  Then loaded a Caterpillar 972K Wheel Loader that is going down to Houston, Texas.

Left there and went and scaled.  Of course, my weight was a little off so I had to move the machine.  When that was done I was back on the road.  Had to stop early because of the Kansas City curfew.  So, I'll get a late start tomorrow too.  Stopped at the Pilot truck stop in Kearney, Missouri for the night.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Easy day today.  My next load is tomorrow at the same place I am delivering.  So I'll deliver tomorrow instead of today.  Stopped at Iowa 80 for the rest of the day.  While eating lunch I saw a film crew shooting a segment.  Of course, having a background in that, I had to go and find out what they were doing.  It was for an internet network called "Transportation Nation".

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Rained most of the morning.  Nothing exciting.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Greenfield, Indiana.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Left at sunrise this morning and drove in to the Port of Baltimore and drlivered the Wheel Loader.  Then loaded a Caterpillar 323F Excavator that is going out to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Left there and drove out to the Pilot truck stop in Hagerstown, MD for the night.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  Started snowing after I got around Indianapolis, Indiana.  The state routed me on two lane roads in the east side of Indiana.  Of course, that is where it was snowing the hardest.

By the time I got back to the Interstate it had stopped snowing.  The rest of the day was uneventful.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at a small truck stop in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Got up early this morning and drove the rest of the way to Montgomery, Illinois to the Caterpillar plant.  Got there just after they opened.  When disconnecting the trailer, an air line broke.  Great way to start the day!!  Fortunately they had one there that I was able to buy.  Fixed it, and loaded a Caterpillar 980M Wheel Loader that is going to the Port of Baltimore.

Left there and drove down to the Love's truck stop in Pittsboro, Indiana for the night.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Woke up this morning to an inch of snow on the ground and still snowing hard.  Checked the weather radar and saw that it was a small band of lake effect snow so I left.  Drove out of it after a short while.  Went in to Columbus, Ohio and delivered the machine.  After that went over to the Pilot truck stop in Columbus to wait for my next load.  After lunch and a brief nap, I got my next load.  It is over in Montgomery, Illinois.  Headed that way and stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Whitestown, Indiana for the night.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

This morning drove in to North Kingsville, Ohio and delivered the dump truck.  On the way in I passed a wreck on the other side of Interstate 90.  A step deck with an oversize load went under a bridge that was too low for his load.  It looked like he hit the bridge at full speed.  There was part of the load in the bridge and hanging down.  Was not able to get any photos of it that time.  After I delivered in North Kingsville I went back north heading up to Tonawanda, New York.  I passed the wreck again as they were in the process of cleaning it up.  This time I got a few photos.

The truck that had the load.

The two sections of whatever it was that hit the bridge.

Continued on up to Tonawanda, NY and loaded a Midland SPD-6 Road Widener that is going to Columbus, Ohio.

Left there and drove down to the TA truck stop in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania for the night.  Very cold and strong wind blowing off Lake Erie tonight.  This truck is really rockin' !!!

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

This morning went to Erial, New Jersey and loaded a Moxy MT30 Articulating Dump Truck that is going up to North Kingsville, Ohio.

Left there and drove to the Ben Franklin Bridge (I-676), crosses from Camden, New Jersey into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Had to have a police escort going over the bridge and pay the $100 toll to cross it.  

Internet Photo of Ben Franklin Bridge

After I crossed the bridge the traffic was VERY heavy.  Lots of bumper to bumper traffic.  Took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get out of Philadelphia. The rest of today's journey was uneventful.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Brookville, PA.

Monday, February 27, 2017

My next load is tomorrow morning in Erial, New Jersey.  After lunch I left and drove over to the TA truck stop in Paulsboro, NJ for the night.  Load tomorrow morning about 30 miles from here.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Got up early this morning and drove the rest of the way into Alexander, New York.  Got there way before they opened.  Once they opened I still had to wait.  They had two fork lifts.  One had a flat tire, and the other had no fuel in it.  Once they got one of them running I finally got unloaded.  Don't have another load yet, so I drove back to the "home office" in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for the rest of the weekend.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Went back over to the Port and got my trailer then delivered the tractor.  Then loaded a couple John Deere things.  I really don't know what they are. They are going up to Alexander, New York.

Left there and drove to the "home office" in Carlisle, PA.  Had a great lunch and had a minor repair made to the trailer.  When all that was done, I left and headed north.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Bath, New York.  I'll deliver tomorrow morning.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Got started a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Here is another idiot.  Baltimore beltway.

Made it all the way to the Port of Baltimore but not in time to unload today.  I dropped my trailer there and went over the the TA truck stop in Baltimore, MD for the night.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Left this morning a half hour before sunrise in the fog.  Aside from that, it was a nice day on the road.  Nothing exciting.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Hebron, Ohio.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Left real early this morning and got to Waterloo, Iowa in time to be one of the first to be loaded this morning.  Loaded a John Deere 9570RT Tractor that is going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  The rain held off until after I got it loaded and secured, for a change.

Left there and went over to the Pilot truck stop in Waterloo to scale and wait for my Iowa permit.  While waiting, I took a nap.  It finally arrived and I left.  Drove down to the Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcott, Iowa (the world's largest truck stop) for the night and to do my reset.  Will start again first thing Wednesday morning.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Another uneventful day on the road Stopped at the Flying J truck stop in Harlan, Iowa.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

It is nice going through the mountains with an empty trailer.  Made good time on the road.  Other than that, nothing exciting today.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Rawlins, Wyoming.

Friday, February 17, 2017

This afternoon I got my next load.  I honestly can't believe that they want me to do this, but my next load is in Waterloo, Iowa.  Yup, that's right!!  They want me to deadhead over 1,800 miles (2897 km)!!!! Since they are paying for the fuel and stuff, I don't really care.  Off I went.

It had been raining all day and still was when I left Sacramento.  By the time I got to about 5,500 feet heading up to Donner on I-80 the rain had changed to snow.  The roads became increasingly worse on the way up.  Took some photos while going up.  Couldn't get any at the top or on the way back down because the conditions were too bad. 

Cal Trans doing their thing

Just before I took this picture a mini van spun out in front of me.  Was able to get around it.

You can see how deep the snow is along here.

This is about 6,500 feet elevation

Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Winnemucca, Nevada.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

I woke up a little after midnight and decided to check to see if the road had opened up.  Well, according to the Cal Trans web site, it was!!  I called the California Highway Patrol to confirm it.  In Nevada and California some permit loads can travel at night. I was on the road by 1 am.  It was VERY windy this morning.  The snow at Donner Summit was, in some places, over 20 feet (6 meters) deep.  Too dark to get any photos.  The roads were in very good shape.  Went past the mud slide areas.  Cal Trans had done a fantastic job getting that mess cleared.  The rain started when I got to Sacramento.  Apparently it was snowing at Donner Summit because snow chains were required and permit loads were restricted.  Glad I went when I did!!!  Beat the weather.  Made it the rest of the way to Pleasant Grove, CA.  Was there way too early so I had to wait for them to open.  When they did, I delivered the excavator.  Then went back to Sacramento to the Sacramento 49ers Travel Plaza to wait for my next load and sleep.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The day started off real good.  I-80 had opened back up.  I left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Here are some photos of the sunrise in Nevada.

Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Sparks, Nevada to get the lug nuts on the wheel I had worked on re-torqued.  Left there and got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic west of Reno.  They had just closed I-80 west bound to big trucks.  I got off at exit 3 and went back to the Petro in Sparks, NV.  They were still cleaning up I-80 from yesterday's mess PLUS there was another mud slide a little further west which closed I-80 to everyone.  Tonight the weather is supposed to deteriorate and we are supposed to get another storm.  I could be here for a while!!!  At least this is a very good truck stop.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Left this morning at sunrise.  Out near the Bonneville Salt Flats is this thing sticking up in the middle of nowhere.  I checked it out, its called "The Tree of Life".  Click here to read some more about this stupid thing.

Had to stop just inside Nevada to move the machine again to make the weight right for Nevada.  After that was done I got back moving again.  Stopped again for that ridiculous required 30 minute break and changed out some pins in the trailer.  California does not like these...

They want bolts instead.

So, after that was done, I left again.  While on the road heard that I-80 was closed in both directions in California due to a mud slide.  I decided not to continue to Reno because all the truck stops would be full by the time I got there.  I stopped at the TA truck stop in Mills City, Nevada.  Good thing I stopped because I had blown a wheel seal and axle grease was all over the back of the truck.  Caught it before it did any damage to anything else.

So, as I am writing this he is working on my truck.  Hope it is finished soon.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Doing much better today.  Able to eat food.  Here is my view today.

The big question is weather I will be able to deliver.  The place where I'm delivering is 50 miles (80 km) south of Oroville.  That is where the dam is about to break. Oroville Dam.

I still don't have my California permit.   I suspect that this is the reason why.  Tomorrow I'll go to Reno and we will see what happens from there.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Today didn't start off as I had planned.  I got food poisoning from the horrible food at Little America.  Started at 4 am local time throwin' and goin'.  Half hour before sunrise I left there. Here is my view today.

 Made it 3/4 of the way to Salt Lake City and had to stop again.  Continued on.  Stopped at the Flying J truck stop west of Salt Lake City, Utah.  Couldn't go any further.  Slept on and off the rest of the day.