Thursday, May 2, 2019

Left at 3 am this morning.  My strategy to beat the traffic worked.  Drove to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  As I unhooked the air lines from the trailer one of them snapped in half.  Fortunately I was able to complete loading.  A service truck came out and fixed the air line.

While he fixed my air lines, I finished securing the Link Belt 350X Excavator that is going to Buffalo, New York.

Left there and met my Maryland pilot escort car at the Port gate.  Had a little bit of bumper to bumper traffic on the Baltimore beltway.  When I passed into Pennsylvania my escort car dropped off.  Stopped for the night at a small convenience store that had a pretty good restaurant and truck parking in Trout Run, Pennsylvania.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way into the Port at Portsmouth, Virginia and delivered the Dozer.  My next load is up in Baltimore, Maryland at the Port.  Started that way but stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Ashland, Virginia.  I just didn't feel like battling the Washington DC traffic.  I'll go to sleep very early and get started very early in the morning to try to beat the madness.

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  Drove to I-77, exit 89 and waited there for my bridge escort and WV Bridge Monitor.  My appointment with the monitor was for 10:30.  I was way early.  My escort arrived and we waited.  Once my bridge monitor arrived we left.  Had to go across a bridge at mile marker 83 at 30 MPH and alone on the bridge.  They held back traffic as I crept across the bridge.  Once across, they opened the road up again and They dropped off as I continued on.  My Virginia permit didn't come in until I was well inside Virginia.  I stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia.  After my shower I went into the restaurant for dinner.  The server brought me a glass of water and a menu.  She never came back.  I waited, and waited, and waited some more.  I really hate being ignored!!!!  I got up and left.  Walked across the road to a BBQ place and had a half rack of some of the best ribs I have had in a long time!!!  They were great!!!!!  If everything goes right, I should deliver tomorrow.

Monday, April 29, 2019

My West Virginia permit didn't come in until this afternoon too late to go anywhere.  I'll leave here tomorrow morning.  Have to have a bridge monitor in about 90 miles.  He/she is scheduled for 10:30 tomorrow morning.  So, another day of sitting.  I'll leave here in the morning.  Still don't have a Virginia permit. Hope it comes in tomorrow morning.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Well, two nights ago at 1 am my APU decided to quit working.  I have been idling the truck since then.  I left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  Nothing exciting today.  Still do not have my West Virginia or Virginia permits so I could not go as far as I would have liked to go today.  I stopped at a dumpy truck stop in Mineral Wells, West Virginia until I get a WV permit.  Also sometime today some of my trailer lights quit working.  I couldn't find the problem so I had someone come out to fix them.  He was able to get most of them working but it will have to be looked at in more detail some other time.  He did the best he could.  Unable to get under the trailer to see the last 2 nonworking lights wiring. Hopefully WV permit will come in early but delivery Monday won't happen now.

Friday, April 26, 2019

Left at 3 am and drove down to the Daily terminal in Morton, Illinois.  There was a Caterpillar D9R Dozer sitting there.  Loaded it up. 

Then went and scaled.  Was too heavy on the trailer axles.  Moved the machine and scaled again.  This time it was perfect.

This machine is going to Portsmouth, Virginia.  

With the scale correct and the machine secured I left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Spiceland, Indiana for the night. Won't be going too far tomorrow.  My West Virginia and Virginia permits did not come in yet.

Here is another guy that cut me off today going around Indianapolis.  He damn near hit my truck.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Drove up to Madison, Wisconsin and delivered the excavator.  Next load is down at the Daily terminal in Morton, Illinois.  Started off that way, but didn't get far.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Had a great day on the road.  No problems with traffic at all.  Weather was good too until I got into Illinois.  Then the heavens opened up.  Very heavy rain for quite a while.  When I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois the rain was just stopping.  Went across the street again and ate dinner at Chili's.  Best meal I've had in a week!!  Gonna bust butt to deliver tomorrow!!

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

When my Texas permit came in I went down the road to scale up.  Turns out that I was too heavy on the trailer axles.  Had to move the machine.  Re-scaled. Still too heavy back there.  Moved the machine again.  Re-scaled.  This time just right.  

 

Tied the machine down again and left.  Nothing else exciting today.  Stopped for the night at a small convenience store with truck parking in Atlanta, Texas.

Monday, April 22, 2019

Once my Louisiana permit came in I left and drove the rest of the way into Saint Rose, LA and delivered the excavator.   My next load is at the Daily terminal in Houston, Texas.  I went there.  An excavator was brought up to the yard from Victoria.  That's why I loaded it there.  Loaded a Caterpillar 352F Excavator that is going up to Madison, Wisconsin.

When I finished I left my trailer there and drove bobtail to the TA truck stop in Baytown, TX to get fuel, food, and a very much needed shower.  Sat down in the restaurant to get dinner.  Took forever to get a server.  When she finally came over she brought a glass of water and asked if I needed a menu.  I said no.  She left and never returned.  Didn't take my order, nothing.  I got very tired of being ignored so I finished my water and left.  Went someplace else for dinner. Why does this always seem to happen when I'm exhausted and starving???? 

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Left this morning in the rain.   No problems going around Atlanta.  By thi time I got to Alabama the rain stopped and it progressively got a lot better. No traffic problems at all today.  Stopped at the Flying J truck stop in Gukfport, Mississippi.  I do not have a Louisiana permit yet so I'll be here until it comes in, hopfully Monday morning.

Friday, April 19, 2019

Went over to the John Deere plant in Kernersville, NC first thing this morning and loaded a John Deere 300GLC Excavator that is going down to Saint Rose, Louisiana.  Got lucky, beat the rain!!

Left there at 9 am.  Made great time this morning!!  Did pretty good on the road.  Made it through Charlotte with no problems.  Unfortunately the good times didn't last long.  Lots of construction on I-85 between Charlotte and Atlanta.  Lots of bumper to bumper construction traffic and, oh, by the way, the rain started.  Periods of very heavy rain too.  Decided that I didn't want to go through Atlanta in the rain on a holiday Friday afternoon at rush hour so I stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Carnesville, Georgia.  BUT before I got there a crash up ahead caused bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic for the last 2.3 miles before my exit.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Went back over to the power plant first thing this morning.  Once the crane arrived and got set up I got unloaded. My next load is tomorrow in Kernersville, North Carolina.  I headed that way.  Got stuck in construction bumper to bumper traffic on I-77 in West Virginia.  Took 2 hours to go 8 miles.  Finally got through it.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Mount Airy, North Carolina.  The home of the town that the fictitious town of  "Mayberry" from the "Andy Griffith Show" is base upon.  When I leave here tomorrow I'll go past Pilot Mountain (Mount Pilot in the TV show).

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Left the TA at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to Maidsville, West Virginia.  The last part of the permit route from I-79 to the power plant was a fun one!!  The video below is a time lapse of the route.  As you watch, remember the load hangs two and a half feet off the right side of the trailer.  The map below is the route you will see in the video.

I left my trailer there and bobtailed over to a truck stop in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.  I'll go back to unload in the morning when the crane gets there.

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Another great day on the road.  No traffic issues at all.  As I was going around Louisville, and approaching the airport, a 747 was landing at the airport right in front of me!  Timed it perfectly!!  My favorite airplane.  That was so cool!!!!!

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Hurricane, West Virginia.

Monday, April 15, 2019

Went over to Sedalia, Missouri first thing this morning.  Loaded a Transformer that is going to a power plant in West Virginia.  This transformer weighs over 75,000 pounds.  Had to load it with two cranes, one on each side. 

Left there and had a good day on the road.  No problems at all going around St. Louis.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  Had dinner at Chili's which is right across the street.  It was soooo good!!!!  My back is really hurting tonight.  Glad to lay down.

Friday, April 12, 2019

Early this morning I went over to get my truck washed hoping that there was no line.  My instincts were correct!  When I got there I went straight in and got the truck all clean again.  That means we will be getting rain soon.  After that was done I drove to the Petro truck stop in Oak Grove, Missouri.  This too is another truck stop in the Iowa 80 family of truck stops.  I'll be relaxing here until Monday morning.  Load about an hour from here.

Thursday, April 11, 2019

As soon as my 10 hours was u I left.  Made it through Oklahoma City before rush hour.  No traffic issues today.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Joplin, Missouri.  This is another huge truck stop in the Iowa 80 family of truck stops.  It is a little smaller but still has a ton of stuff.  It is also right across the street from The Chrome Shop Mafia.  Quite a few years ago there was a TV show on the CMT Channel called "Trick My Truck", That is where that show originated from.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Easy drive up to Vernon, Texas to a truck stop they were using as a staging area.  Waited there along with the other two trucks that loaded when I did. They were there ahead of me waiting.  At the job site they were unloading blades this morning.  When they were through unloading them it was my turn.  Meanwhile, I took a nap.  Three and a half hours later I was called in to unload.  Drove the 40 miles to the job site where I was met by someone that escorted me to the pad where the tower was to be built.  The crane and crew were there waiting for me.  That is VERY unusual!!!!  They all jumped right in untarping and unchaining the load.  It was off and I was out of there in record time!!  Wish it was always like that!!!!  My next load is up near Kansas City and doesn't load until Monday.  I went back to the truck stop in Vernon, TX for the night.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Timed it absolutely perfectly this morning.  Passed the "Welcome To Monroe" sign at the stroke of 9 am.  Pretty good day on the road.  When I crossed into Texas my escort car dropped off and I continued on.  Very little problems going through Dallas and Ft. Worth.  Stopped for the night at a Shell station with a few truck parking places in Haslet, Texas.

Monday, April 8, 2019

Went over to the Port of Pensacola first thing this morning.  Went right in and got loaded right away. Loaded a GE Wind Energy Hub that is going to Crowell, Texas.

Was ready to go as soon as the Pensacola curfew was over at 9 am.  Much faster than loading at the GE plant.  I just barely beat the thunderstorm, but not the rain.  I was soaked when I left there.   My pilot escort car was waiting for me at the gate and pulled in behind me as I came out.  Spent most of the day on back roads.  For some reason the stupid States did not want me on the Interstate highways.  The other two that loaded when I did were routed on the Interstates, but not me!!  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Tallulah, Louisiana.  Will start a little bit late tomorrow.  Can't go into Monroe, LA until after 9 am.

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Early this morning I left for Pensacola, Florida where I load Monday.  Nice leisurely drive out there.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the Oasis truck stop in Robertsdale, Alabama.

Friday, April 5, 2019

Well, time off sure does go by fast.  Back at it today.  Grabbed a step deck trailer and went over to the Port of Jacksonville.  Loaded a couple things from a drill and brought them back to the Daily yard.  

They are part of a large drill that was supposed to be shipped but the drill and these things missed the boat.  The Port charges are very high to let them sit there until the next ship comes to get them so they were transported to our yard to wait there.  Tomorrow I'll head toward Pensacola for my next load.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

As soon as my 10 hours was up I left and drove home to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Will be home for at least a week.

Monday, March 25, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to the Caterpillar dealer in Belden, Mississippi and delivered the dozer.  Then I started for home.  No problems on the road.  About 5 miles northwest of Marianna, Florida I started to see where a tornado had gone through recently.  Lots of trees down and broken off half way up. Lots of structure damage and trees still on top of smashed houses.  The tornado appeared to follow the road I was on all the way into and through the town of Marianna.  It then crossed I-10 and followed it to the east a few more miles.  The path it took was very obvious.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Marianna, Florida.  No damage here.  I'll be home tomorrow morning.

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Left this morning at 5 am.  Had a great day on the road.  No traffic problems and all the weigh stations were closed! Made it through the rest of Tennessee, then Georgia, Alabama, and on into Mississippi.  Here is the stupid route the State of Mississippi is sending me on:

Remember, You Can Click On The Image To Enlarge It For Easier Viewing

Drove 583 miles today.  Will be here until Monday morning.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Went back to the Port at about 3 am this morning to finish getting the load ready to go.  Of course it was still raining.  

 

At 5 am I was finished and pulling out of the Port.  The cop that opened the gate for me to leave was a jerk!  Had to time it so that I entered West Virginia at sunrise.  Met my Maryland Pilot Escort Car at the Port entrance and off we went.  Much easier going around Baltimore at that hour.  Went west on I-70 to I-81 then south.  When we crossed into West Virginia my escort car dropped off as I continued on.  By then the weather had improved.  Turned out to be  a sunny day.  Drove down through Virginia and into Tennessee.  Stopped for the night at the Davy Crockett TA Truck Stop in Greenville, Tennessee.  I'll be starting at about 5 am tomorrow.  Have to time it so that I enter Georgia a half hour after sunrise.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

First thing this morning went over to the tire shop and got two new tires on my left lift axle.  When that was done I went back to Daily, hooked back up to my trailer and left for the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  I got there during their lunch break.  For them (union job) their lunch is from 11:30 until 1 pm.  So ridiculous!!!  Anyway, when they got back from lunch I checked in and loaded a Caterpillar D8T Dozer, in the rain, that is going to Belden, Mississippi.

Those things are so much fun to drive!  The power that they pack into that little package is amazing!!  I left my trailer at the Port for the night then bobtailed over to the TA truck stop in Baltimore.  Will leave very early in the morning.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

First thing this morning I went over to Kenworth and checked in.  After about a half hour waiting, the guy came out and said that they could not work on the truck until tomorrow.  I called the shop at Daily and he said he would get back with me.  A little while later he called back and said that Kenworth was now telling him that it would be Monday before they could get to me.  He said that would not work so he called another shop that could get to me today.  I left Kenworth and drove up to a shop north of Harrisburg.   They took my truck in right away.  While they were working on my truck they found a bad tire.  They finished the work on my truck (but not the tire) and I went back to Daily in Carlisle.  I'll go to the tire shop in the morning and get that fixed.  I have my next load lined up in Baltimore.  Hope I can load it tomorrow. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Left at 2 am this morning.  Continued on toward Carlisle.  Stopped in New York and got the truck washed.  I was third in line and it took over an hour and a half to get out of there.  Had to have more routine maintenance done on the truck, it was due for an oil change.  Checked in at the Petro truck stop in Carlisle for them to do the work.  It was going to be a while before they could get to me so I went to the Daily yard and dropped my trailer there.  Then I also needed to have my annual DOT inspection that they only do at the Daily shop.  They did that while I was there.  Found that I had three wheel seals that were starting to leak and need to be replaced.  That will get done tomorrow (hopefully).  I went back to the Petro, got fuel and then pulled into the shop.  They did the maintenance.  When that was done, at 4:15 pm,  I went back to the Daily yard for the night. 

Monday, March 18, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning and drove to the staging area just before the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge.  At 10 am we went across.  There ended up being 6 trucks going over.  Continued on towards Milford, MA.  When I crossed into Massachusetts my pilot escort car fell in behind me.  He followed me all the rest of the way.  Could only drive between 9 am and 3:30 pm in Massachusetts.  But we made it to the Caterpillar dealer in Milford and I delivered the excavator.  Then I started heading toward Carlisle.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Willington, Connecticut.

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Left Carlisle at sunrise this morning.  Stopped in Scranton to top off my fuel tanks.  As I was getting back in I-81 had another good one for you.

 I get cut off every day, but I only show you the really good ones.  

Now it's time to start to deal with the stupid regulations in the New England area.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at a truck stop in Lake Ariel, PA.  Will be here until Monday morning.  Can't drive in New York on weekends.  Also can't go over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge that crosses the Hudson River until 10:30 Monday morning.  Can only cross the bridge twice a day Monday through Friday.  They close the Interstate and then escort the oversized loads across the bridge, then reopen the Interstate.  Once across they charge us $100 each PLUS the bridge toll to do that.

Friday, March 15, 2019

The weather front caught back up with me again but this time it was much weaker.  Just a little rain.  Didn't take long for it to clear and become a beautiful day.  Temperatures in the 70s and sunny. Left at sunrise this morning.  When I got to the West Virginia / Maryland state line on I-81 I picked up my Maryland escort car.  He followed me for a whopping 12.2 miles (19.6 km).  He dropped off as I passed into Pennsylvania.  Continued on up to the Petro truck stop in Carlisle, Pa for the night.  Tomorrow will be a very short day.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

The weather front that I was outrunning yesterday caught up with me.  I left very early this morning in the rain.  It was still pretty windy.  After a while I drove out of it and I was ahead of it again.  Had a very good day on the road.  Was behind another truck when one of his trailer tires blew.  Sounded like a bomb and rubber went flying all over.  That was the extent of my excitement for the day.  I stopped for the night after driving 533 miles (858 km) at the Flying J truck stop in Wytheville, Virginia.  Felt good to be done for the day before noon!  For the rest of the trip I have to plan a lot more (which I have done already) because of curfews and restrictions.  I hate going up into New England!! 

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Had to wait this morning.  There was a construction curfew until 10 am on I-30 between exit 54 and exit 63.  I timed it so that I would get to exit 54 as curfew ended.  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful.  Cloudy and very windy all day.  I was able to stay ahead of the weather front that is following behind me.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Denmark, Tennessee.  Going to bed now so I can get started at 1 am.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

It was foggy again this morning but I decided to go anyway.  Left just before sunrise.  After an hour or so the fog had lifted enough to where it wasn't a problem anymore. Had a pretty good day on the road.  Had several marker lights on the trailer and my rear beacon went out.  I could tell there was a short in the wiring someplace but couldn't find it.  When I stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Texarkana, Arkansas I had  the mechanic come over and look at it when he finished changing a tire.  A truck pulled up to the fuel pump and his tire blew.  Sounded like a bomb went off.  Scared the crap out of a lot of people.

This is why I stop early every day.  It is only 4 pm local time. Fortunately I got here an hour ago.  This place is a zoo!!!

The Flying J mechanic came over and tried to figure out my electrical problem.  He couldn't.  So I went next door to another repair shop.  They couldn't look at it, they were too busy.  They recommended another place just down the road.  I called them.  They came over and found the problem.  Had a couple wires rub together and shorted out the lights and blew the fuse.  He fixed it and now everything works fine.  Glad that is done!!  Supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow.

Monday, March 11, 2019

Couldn't leave when I wanted to this morning.  The fog was too thick.  Couldn't see across the parking lot.  Permit loads can not move in dense fog.  So I went back to sleep for a couple hours.  When the fog lifted enough to move, I left and drove the rest of the way into Corpus Cristi and delivered the excavator.  Then drove back up to Victoria and loaded a Caterpillar 336 Excavator that is going up to Milford, Massachusetts.

Left there but didn't go very far.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in  Schulenburg, Texas.  Went to the resteraunt across the street for dinner.  Was much better than "truck stop food".

Very tired tonight and my back really hurts.  Glad to be in bed now.  Hope it isn't foggy in the morning.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  No problems through Baton Rouge.  That wasn't the case in Houston.  Had to take a detour around I-10 in Baytown due to the barge hitting the bridge last week.  All overweight vehicles must take that detour.   It will be a while before that is fixed.  Then when I got to Houston they had shut down I-610 at I-45.  What a mess!!!!!!  The first map below is a photo of my permit route.  The second map is the route I took because of I-610 being closed.

Permit Route

Took I-45 back up to I-10.  Then west to Loop 6, and then south to I-69 to get back to my permit route.

Actual Route Because of Detour

Most of all that was bumper to bumper.  It took a couple hours to get past all that.  The last part on Loop 6 going south from I-10 to I-69 in Sugar Land was traffic light after traffic light all the way down.  I got at least 3/4 of them red.  Some of them I had to stop for twice.  UGGGG!!!!!!  Very aggravating!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Finally made it through all that mess and continued on down toward Corpus Cristi.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at a new travel center in Refugio, Texas.  Nice place.

Just in case you forgot, or didn't know, you can click on any photo to enlarge them for easier viewing.

 

Friday, March 8, 2019

Left a half hour after sunrise this morning.  Another uneventful day.  I passed a small crash on the other side of the Interstate.  Not really sure what happened but there was damage to the front of the semi truck and a van laying on it's side.  The wierd thing about it was that there was about 10 cop cars there.  That is very unusual to see that many at a simple crash.  Maybe there was something else going on.  Hmmmm....we will never know.

Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Livingston, Louisiana.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning. Had a couple construction detours in South Carolina. Here is the first one just inside the State.  Not too bad, very short.

Here is the second one.  This one took a while.  Initially got off on a frontage road that ran right next to the Interstate.  Then it seperated.

The rest of the day went pretty smooth.  Made it around Atlanta with very little traffic problems.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Newnan, Georgia.  Will be starting a half hour after sunrise tomorrow. I'll get an extra half hour of sleep.

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Left very early this morning and arrived at Caterpillar in Clayton, North Carolina at 6:30 am. and delivered the jeep.

My next load is up in Kernersville, North Caroilina.  I headed that way.  Atlanta rush hour traffic was a mess.  I took a bunch of back roads to get around it.  Had to get to Kernersville before 3 pm.  They do not load after 3.  I made it with 15 minutes to spare!!!  Loaded a John Deere 470G Excavator that is going to Corpus Cristi, Texas.

By the time I got it secured to the trailer it was too late to go anywhere plus I was out of hours.  I parked there at the John Deere plant for the night.  I'll leave at sunrse in the morning.

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Left Houston at midnight.  It is great leaving at that hour.  No traffic to speak of.  Drove pretty much non stop for 650 miles (1046 km) to the Petro truck stop in Shorter, Alabama.  That is just east of Montgomery.  Was done with everything and lunch before noon. 

Monday, March 4, 2019

No loads yet.  I went over to the Daily yard in Houston.  Had a couple trailer lights shorting out that I had fixed when I got there.  This afternoon They asked me to take a jeep to Griffin, Georgia.  Loaded it on my trailer and chained it down. 

Then had some real good Texas BBQ ribs!!  I'll leave here in the middle of the night tonight.

Friday, March 1, 2019

Left this morning at sunrise.  Drove to Sulphur, Louisiana and delivered the excavator.  After that I sent my dispatcher an email telling him I was empty and asked if I should head to Victoria, Texas.  Then I started toward Victoria.  I made it a little past Beaumont, Texas when he finally replied to my email.  He said not to go to Victoria, and that he didn't have anything in Texas at the moment.  I turned around and went to the Petro truck stop in Beaumont, Texas to wait.  Sent him an email telling him where I was.  So I'll be here for the weekend. 

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise in the rain.  It cleared up by the time I got to Birmingham.  Lots of bumper to bumper traffic going around Birmingham.  Once that cleared up made it to just past Tuscaloosa.  That is where things got real bad.  A tractor trailer cattle hauler, full of cattle, rolled over at mm 58.  The driver was killed.  They had the Interstate closed in both directions because of the crash and there were cattle loose all around the scene.  A big mess.  They were routing south bound traffic off at exit 62.  Fortunately I was there early enough to get stopped three miles from exit 62.  It took three hours to go those three miles!!!!  Once I got off at the exit it didn't take long to follow the detour back onto the interstate at exit 52.  That is where they were routing the north bound traffic off.  By that time the back up was past Tuscaloosa, over 20 miles.  Needless to say, I didn't get as far as I wanted today.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Slidell, Louisiana.  Thunderstorms here.  I just checked the road conditions back where the crash was.  The south bound side of the interstate is still closed. I went through there about noon.  Here is a screen shot of it now, 5:03 pm CST.  

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  Nothing exciting or interesting today, just a good day on the road.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Gadsden, Alabama.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

This morning hooked up to my trailer to go and lo and behold I had a light out.  Had to put it in the shop for it to be fixed.  When that was done I drove about 3 miles down the road to the Keen yard and loaded a Link Belt 490X4 Excavator that is going down to Sulphur, Louisianna. 

Left there and drove down to the Flying J truck stop at the West Virginia / Virginia state line.  Waited there an hour and a half for my Virginia permit to come in.  Then I drove to the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia for the night.

Monday, February 25, 2019

This morning I checked out of the hotel and took my rental car back. I got lucky with the car.  Had a brand new Cadillac.  It was very nice.

Got my next load, but it doesn't load until tomorrow.  So I took a nap.  I like to sleep.  :) 

Friday, February 22, 2019

My truck was finished at Kenworth so I went over there and brought it back to the Daily shop.  The did some more work on it.  This afternoon I took it over to the tire shop for some tires.  Finally all the work on it is done!!  But too late for a load today so I have to wait until Monday.  I still have the hotel until Monday so I'll camp out in the hotel until then.

Thursday, February 21, 2019

First thing this morning my truck was back in the Daily shop.  I got the pick up again and went for breakfast and another Walmart trip.  When I got back they told me that my truck had to go to Kenworth.  They found a transmission leak and an air leak from a valve block that only Kenworth could fix.  I took my truck over to KW and dropped it off.  There was another Daily truck there that needed to come back so I brought it back.  Had someone drop me off at a hotel where I'll be for a few days.  Not sure when it will be ready.  Might be tomorrow, might not.  We'll see.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Started snowing just as I was pulling my truck into the bay for them to service it.  Snowed hard all morning and built up fast on the roads. While they worked on my truck I got the company pick up truck and went for breakfast, shower, and laundromat.  Washed all my heavy blankets and comforter. Roads were really bad by this time.  Plows not able to keep up.  Went back to the yard and put my stuff back into the truck.  Then took another driver to Walmart.  We both needed to get our prescriptions refilled and do some shopping.  I was almost out of Mt. Dew, crisis averted!! The pick up truck did not have snow tires and was not four wheel drive.  Driving was really fun!!  I love a good challenge like that.  When we got back another driver took the pick up to get lunch.  When he got back, I went out for lunch too.  By the time I finished lunch I had a massive headache.  This afternoon they finished working on my truck for today and I took it back outside for the night.  The snow had stopped and had changed to freezing rain.  We got about 6 inches of snow. With my headache still raging I went to sleep.  Woke up around 8 pm and my headache was gone!!!  Still a little freezing rain outside.  Everything covered in a thick coating of ice.  Just walking across the street to get dinner was a real challenge staying upright.  Tomorrow they will finish working on my truck in the shop.  Then I'll go to the tire shop for new tires. 

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

As soon as the Harrisburg curfew was over I left this morning.  Here is the route the State of Pennsylvania sent me on...

The route wasn't too bad except for a few spots.  Here is one of those spots.  Had to take a short detour for construction.  Here it is...

Here is a time lapse video of the detour...

Remember when you watch these I am wider than the travel lane and 82 feet long.  You can see the full video of the route in real time here...

Then I went through a narrow construction zone a little later on.  Here is a time lapse video of that...

I finally made it to Bensalem and delivered the excavator.  After that I returned to the "home office" in Carlisle, PA.  When I got  there I swapped into a different trailer.  Unfortunately the guy that had the trailer last left all his stuff on it. I had to unload all his stuff before I could transfer all my stuff to it.  That was a lot of work!!  Tomorrow the shop will be doing a bunch of preventative maintenance on my truck.  Picked a good day to do it.  Supposed to get about 4 inches of snow then it will turn into an ice storm before it changes to rain.  Big weather mess tomorrow.

Monday, February 18, 2019

Timed it this morning so that I would get to the Virginia state line at sunrise.  Pretty uneventful day.  Picked up my Maryland escort at the state line.  12 miles later when I entered Pennsylvania he dropped off and I continued on.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.