Saturday, March 25, 2017

Last day of the Mid America Truck Show.  Here are a few of the show trucks for you.

Hope you liked my sampling of the show trucks.  This afternoon I left there and drove to the Pilot truck stop in Sheperdsville, KY for the rest of the weekend.  I load Monday morning in Louisville.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Rough night last night.  Didn't sleep very well.   My back was shot after yesterday and the "discomfort" made sleeping difficult.  But this morning I was back at it again at the Mid America Truck Show.  Only spent four hours there today, and a lot of that was sitting.  Then back to the truck to lay down.  Even though, I still had a good time.  Here is a map of the exhibits, and a few photos of the ARI Legacy Sleepers display.

Tomorrow I'll get some photos of some show trucks.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Was on the road by 3:30 this morning.  Drove up to Hebron, K, which is just south of Cincinnati, and delivered the dust collector.  Then drove back down to Louisville, KY to the Mid America Truck Show.  Haven't been here for three years.  Was nice to be back again.  Will be here tomorrow too.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Left real early this morning and had a very nice day on the road.  Drove up to the Pilot truck stop in Sonora, Kentucky for the night.  I'll deliver first thing tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Went over first thing this morning to load.  Found out when I got there that it wasn't supposed to load until Thursday.  Fortunately, it was ready and they were able to load me today after lunch.  At about 1 pm they loaded a dust collector that is going to Hebron, Kentucky.

It is a legal load.  That means no permits required.  Left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Texarkana, Arkansas for the night.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Didn't get my next load until late this afternoon.  It is tomorrow in Alvarado, Texas.  So I drove down there to a little convenience store with a few truck parking places. for the night.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Left at 9 am this morning when the OKC curfew was over.  Drove up to a power plant in Red Rock, Oklahoma.  Sat there for 3 hours before they unloaded me.

After that drove back to Oklahoma City to the Daily yard.  had a couple trailer lights replaced then dropped my trailer there.  Since I don't have another load yet, I went over to the Petro for the rest of the weekend.

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.