Tuesday, June 18, 2024

 This morning I checked out of my hotel and drove to the south side of Roswell and loaded a Kabota Bailer that is going to Newberry, South Carolina.

Left there and drove to the Pilot truck stop in Snyder, Texas for the night.

Monday, June 17, 2024

 I took a few more photos of the Roswell area showing the Space Alien stuff around the town.  Their whole "claim to fame" is the alien spacecraft crash here in 1947. They have built an entire tourist economy on it.

Even the streetlights are Alien.

Something else about this area... There used to be 12 ICBMs (InterContinental Ballistic Missiles) around Roswell.  They have all been removed and the sites decommissioned. 

Saturday, June 15, 2024

 Felt really good to be lazy!!!  This morning I went and got fresh donuts for breakfast then went back to the hotel and had the hotel breakfast too. Then, I took a nap. When I woke up I went into town.  Everything here is based on the UFO experience in 1947. Even McDonalds is a flying saucer with little space aliens walking around it.

Stopped by the Visitors Center and then went to the UFO Museum.

Interesting place.

Left there and had lunch.  Back at the hotel, I sat out by the pool for a while.  For dinner, I went to a steak house.  Had a very good rib eye steak.  The service should have been better, but that happens a lot to single diners. It was reflected in her tip too. 

Ate it all plus a salad, and dessert.  Now at the hotel again.  Feels so good to do nothing!!!! Especially with a full belly!!!!

Friday, June 14, 2024

 As soon as my 10 hours were up, I left.  I drove through the middle of the White Sands Missle Range. Drove 524 miles to Roswell, New Mexico today.  My next load is there on Tuesday.  Last night I sent an email to my dispatcher saying that since I was going to be in Roswell for 4 days, do you think Daily would spring for a hotel?  I gave him my suggestion for the hotel too.  Never thought they would, but you never know if you don't ask.  Well, much to my surprise they did!!  I'm in the Best Western in Roswell.  I also used my points to rent a car for those days too!  Basically, a free mini-vacation!!  Wonder if I'll see any space aliens!! 

OK, now I'll talk about the place I delivered to yesterday.  This place was massively huge!!  They are building four huge data centers there all at the same time.  Each building is about the size of an Amazon Distribution Center except these are two stories tall!!  They are being built by a company that builds and has these places all over the country.  The company, QTS Data Centers, builds these places and then leases "space" to various companies around the world.  They are nothing but computer data storage facilities on a scale that is mind-blowing.  They are spending over a billion dollars just on this Phoenix project alone.  Each building will have at least seven emergency power backup generators like the one I delivered yesterday.  Each generator sits on a diesel fuel tank that holds 10,000 gallons of fuel.  They told me that once the buildings are done the site becomes super secure.  There will be technology going in there that they do not want foreign countries to know about.  The power company built a substation just off the property to supply power to it.  Amazing stuff!!

On a side note, I saw a lot of self-driving cars all around Phoenix.  Weird looking.  They are taxis. 

Thursday, June 13, 2024

 I left early this morning and drove the rest of the way to Phoenix, AZ.  I was told to go to a yard where they were staging stuff for the project.  It was about 3 miles from where the construction was.  When I arrived at 8 AM MST, I was told they wouldn't be able to unload until tomorrow.  There are 3 other trucks with generators coming.  They loaded when I did.  There is also a fuel tank coming too.  I was the first to arrive here.  I parked in the corner of the lot, took the tarp off and put it away, then settled in for the rest of the day.

After I had been settled in for a while, I got a call that said they were all caught up at the job site and that they were ready for me to go in to unload.  I drove over to the job site and was led back to where I was to be unloaded.  I backed into the spot and they rigged up the crane.  They didn't like the rigging so they took it all off, had a group meeting, then re-rigged the crane.  

First rigging

Then they stood around and talked about it some more.  Then it was lunchtime!! After lunch, they decided that the rigging wasn't right either so they took it off and re-re-rigged it. It STILL wasn't good enough so they took it all off AGAIN!!!!  They had to bring in some other equipment because these generators were different than the other ones they had done and needed different rigging than what they had there. In the process of trying to lift the unit, they damaged it. They put a dent in one of the pipes.

The correct rigging arrived, they hooked it up and off it went!  Finally!!!  

My next load is in Roswell, New Mexico and it loads Tuesday.  I left there and drove to the Petro truck stop in Casa Grande, Arizona for the night.  In tomorrow's blog, I'll tell you more about the job site I just delivered to.  It is pretty interesting.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

 As soon as my 10 hours were up, I left.  That was about 1 AM CDT.  Nice uneventful day on the road.  Some construction slow-n'-go traffic in El Passo, TX.  Other than that, smooth sailing today.  Drove 669 miles to the Flying J truck stop in Lordsburg, New Mexico for the night.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

 There are quite a few trucks loading here today.  All going to the same place.  We were to wait at the truck stop until called to go in to load, there wasn't very much room in there.  At about 10 AM CDT they called and I went in to load.  Loaded a Caterpillar Generator that is going to Phoenix, Arizona.

Then the back end had to be tarped!! 100 degrees, no shade, no breeze, and no help.

That one really took its toll on me.  I left there and went to the first truck stop I came to, where I stopped for the night.  Stopped at the Love's truck stop in Comfort, Texas.  Took a vary long and cold shower.  Ate dinner and went to bed!!!!!  Phone is off!!!!

Monday, June 10, 2024

 I left at 11 PM CDT last night and drove the rest of the way to Whitsett, Texas.  Had no rain at all from Pennsylvania until about 10 miles from delivery, then very heavy rain and thunderstorm.   Delivered the telehandler in the rain, but after it slowed down a lot. My next load is tomorrow morning in Seguin, Texas.  Drove over to the Love's truck stop in Seguin for the night.  633 miles today.

Saturday, June 8, 2024

 I left at about 1:45 AM EDT.  Drove until I took the required 30-minute break.  Took an hour and a half nap then continued on.  Drove non-stop until I got to the Petro truck stop in Hammond, Louisiana.  Got the truck washed when I got there.  I'm parked for the rest of the weekend.  688 miles today.

Blog readers for the past 7 days.

Friday, June 7, 2024

 I went to McConnellsburg, PA this morning. Arrived at 6 AM EDT.  Got loaded right away with a JLG Skytrak 10042 Telehandler that is going to Whitsett, Texas.

I was out of there by 6:45 AM.  That doesn't happen very often!!!  Left there and headed south.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Greeneville, Tennessee.  561 miles today.

Thursday, June 6, 2024

 I left at 1:45 AM EDT and drove to Charleston, West Virginia.  Delivered the backhoe.  My next load was to be at the Daily Yard in Carlisle, PA.  I drove as far as I could today, 683 miles, but had to stop at the AC&T truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland.  I had only 6 minutes left on my clock when I stopped.  I emailed my dispatcher asking him where the paperwork would be left for me since I would get there in the middle of the night.  He called me on the phone and told me that he "FORGOT" to tell me that it wouldn't be in Carlisle and that I would have to load it tomorrow morning in McConnellsburg, PA.  It is so frustrating when having to rely on someone who "forgets" to do his job!!!! I could have reloaded today.  

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

 I left at 3 AM EDT and drove the rest of the way to Piscataway, NJ and delivered the wheel loader.  Was out of there before 7 AM !!!  My next load was at the Port of Baltimore.  I drove down there.  The ship that hit the Key Bridge was tied up at the Port.  Drove right past it, although I couldn't get a photo of it because of the traffic.  They still have not started to unload it.  I went to an area of the Port I have not been to before.  They were very busy.  When I got there to check in I was the 24th person in line.  It took two and a half hours just to check-in.  Once I got checked in I was given a dock to park in front of and they would bring my machine to me.  Over two hours later they finally brought it.  Loaded a Case 580 Back Hoe that is going to Charleston, West Virginia.

From there I went to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for my ten hours.  I'll sleep good tonight!!

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

 This morning I was at Caterpillar in Clayton, North Carolina before they opened.  When they opened, loaded a Caterpillar 930 Wheel Loader that is going to Piscataway, New Jersey.  

Left there and headed that way.  Lots of bumper-to-bumper and slow-n'-go traffic in Washington DC then more north of DC.  I got tired of all that so I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Jessup, Maryland.  I'll leave in the middle of the night. Hopefully, the traffic will be more tolerable then.

Monday, June 3, 2024

 Early this morning I drove the rest of the way to Chantilly, Virginia.  Got there before they opened.  The lace was right at the edge of the Dulles International Airport property. Once they opened I delivered the stuff.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Clayton, North Carolina.  I drove down there and stopped at the Petro truck stop in Kenly, NC for the night.

 This morning I drove to the Flying J truck stop in Ruther Glen, Virginia.  I'll be here until Monday morning.

Friday, May 31, 2024

 I left at about 1:30 AM EDT.  Stopped a little early today since I'm not in any hurry.  I don't deliver until 7:30 AM Monday morning.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Kenly, North Carolina for the night.  I did a couple of loads of laundry to get that out of the way.  Then took a nap.  Boy did that feel good!! Tomorrow will be a very short day too.

Thursday, May 30, 2024

 I left at about 2:30 AM EDT and drove the rest of the way to Riverview, FL, and delivered the telehandler. From there I drove to Ocala, FL, and loaded a bunch of parts for a very large generator. They are going to Chantilly. Virginia.  Thats right next to Dulles Airport.

 

I left there and drove back to the Daily Yard in Jacksonville for the night.  I am really tired tonight!!! 458 miles today.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

 At 1:30 AM EDT, when my 10 hours were up, I left.  Drove 634 miles to the Daily Yard in Jacksonville, Florida.  I'll leave again in the middle of the night.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

 Had a small trailer issue repaired this morning.  After that I drove to McConnellsburg, PA and loaded a Caterpillar TL1055 Telahandler that is going to Riverview, Florida.

Left there and drove to the Petro truck stop in Raphine, VA for my ten hours.  Feels good to be moving again.

Monday, May 27, 2024

 Last Monday I delivered the box, then went to the Daily Yard in Carlisle, PA.  To make a long story short, I had to go to the hospital.  That's why there have been no updates for the past week.  Otherwise, I'm doing much better and will be back at work tomorrow.

Thomas The Train decided to spend the holiday weekend at the Daily Yard with us.

Saturday, May 18, 2024

 I left at about 12:30 AM EDT.  Good day on the road.  Nothing interesting.  Drove 579 miles today to the Flying J truck stop in Ruther Glen, Virginia.  Got here before 11:00 AM.  There is a Golden Corral restaurant here.  I ate so much for lunch that it hurt!!!   I'll be here until early Monday morning.

Thursday, May 17, 2024

 I left this morning timing it so that I would arrive at the staging/check-in area in Orlando a little after 5 AM EDT.  We couldn't go in before 5.  Glad I went early.  About 50 trucks were checking in to get loaded.  Fortunately, I was one of the first.  After a while, I was called to go in.  From the staging area, I drove over to the Orange County Convention Center, West Wing.  When I got to the OCC there was another staging area.  From there I was led to the convention center.  The guy I was following dropped off at the entrance to the building.  Another guy took over from there.  I followed him inside the OCC and he took me to where I was loading.  See the video below.

They placed a big box that is going to York, Pennsylvania on my trailer.

Then the fun began.  It had to be fully tarped.

By the time I finished, there were about a dozen other trucks in there loading.  I was able to maneuver my way out.  I always wanted to drive inside the convention center.  I can check off another item on my bucket list.  I left there and drove back to the TA truck stop in Brunswick, Georgia for my 10 hours.

Phone is off.  Going to sleep.  Good night.

Thursday, May 16, 2024

 I left at about 1:45 AM EDT and drove the rest of the way to Savannah, GA, and delivered the stuff.  My next load is in Orlando, Florida.  I started off the way but ran out of hours.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Brunswick, GA for the night.  597 miles today.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

 I left at 3 AM CDT and drove to Lafayette, Indiana.  I made a good decision not to drive through Chicago until today.  I had no traffic issues at all.  I was very early for my loading appointment so I waited hoping that they would load me early.  I got lucky!!  Was loaded with 6 boxes of generator parts and out of there by 10:30 AM EDT.  They are going to Savannah, Georgia.

Left there and drove to a truck stop in London, Kentucky for my 10 hours. I'll start again at about 1:40 AM EDT.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

 When my 10 hours were up, I left.  I was going to stop at the Petro in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and get fuel.  As I was going around on the exit ramp There was a fresh kill deer carcass in the road.  I was unable to go around it so I ran over it.  I must have been the second one to hit it because the truck that initially hit and killed it was on the side of the road where the ramp merges into the travel lane.  When I stopped at the fuel pumps I checked my truck. There was no damage but I had deer guts all over the left side, undercarriage, and trailer. Yuk!!  I didn't feel like dealing with Chicago traffic today so I stopped at the Flying J truck stop in South Beloit, Illinois.  

Monday, May 13, 2024

 I left at 3 AM CDT and drove the rest of the way to Rapid City, SD, and delivered the bucket.  While there I found an air leak in the trailer.  

Fortunately, they were able to repair it for me right there.

My next load is way back in Lafayette, Indiana.  I started off in that direction.  Ellsworth Air Force Base is in Rapid City.  Could see the B1-B Bombers flying around.  Very cool!!!

Internet Photo

Internet Photo

On the way back across South Dakota I saw quite a few Pronghorn Elk and Prairie Dogs.

Internet Photo

Internet Photo

Stopped for my 10 hours at the Love's truck stop in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  627 miles today.