Tuesday, September 2, 2025

 My pole car arrived right on time.  We left in the rain.  Got 11 miles down the road when two tires on the trailer blew.  

Seems that the brake on those wheels locked up, and I didn't know it.  That caused the tires to blow. 

  Road service came out and changed the tires.

BUT the brakes were still locked up.  Someone else had to come and fix that.  After that was fixed, we left.  Didn't get very far today.  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Dickson, Tennessee.  Hope tomorrow goes better!!!

After visiting Elvis Presley's house, Graceland, last week...

Sunday, August 31, 2025

 

Catch of the day!!!!

Blog readers for the past 7 days...

Saturday, August 30, 2025

 

Friday, August 29, 2025

 This morning I went over to Graceland in Memphis, TN.  

Walked through the home of Elvis Presley. Not a huge mansion, but still very impressive.

That is a small sample of what is there to see.  Lots of walking.  By the time I finished, my back hurt so much that I could hardly make it back to the car.  When I got back to my truck, I had to lie down for a couple of hours so that I could move again.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

 I left at 7 AM in the pouring rain.  The parking spot I was in last night must have been in a low area of the truck stop because it flooded.  The water was up into the bottom of my APU.  I drove to the Petro truck stop in West Memphis, Arkansas.  I'll be here until Tuesday morning.  Can't run my permit load over the holiday weekend.  I'll get a pole car on Tuesday morning too.  

I decided to get a rental car (Daily is paying for it) for a few days since I was going to be here for a while.  Picked it up and played tourist this afternoon.  I drove over to Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.

From there, I went over to the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid.  

Internet Photo

It was not what I had expected in there.  There are restaurants, shops, and a hotel in there!!  I took the elevator up to the observation deck.

Elevator

There is a restaurant and bar up there.

Observation Deck Bar and Restaurant

Here is the view from the observation deck.  You are looking southwest at the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi River.  

This is the bridge that broke and was closed back in May of 2021.  Obviously, it has since been repaired.

Here is the view from the observation deck looking southeast.  

The view looking down the front.

That's all for today.  I'll play tourist again tomorrow.

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

 This morning, I drove to the Petro truck stop in North Little Rock, Arkansas.  I'll be here for the night.

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

 This morning, I went over to Holt in Waco, Texas, and loaded a Plenum that is going up to Manassas, Virginia.  It is 14 feet, 10 inches high.

I had to wait for about an hour for my Texas permit before I could leave. When it came in, I left.  I couldn't go very far today because I was rapidly running out of hours.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Rockwall, Texas.  Since I got there so early, I did three loads of laundry.  

Monday, August 25, 2025

 It took all morning, but I finally got unloaded.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Waco, Texas.  I drove down there to the Pilot truck stop in Waco for the night.  Not very exciting!!!

Sunday, August 24, 2025

 I left at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to Irving, Texas.  Parked just outside the gate, took off the tarps, and put everything away.  All that's left to do in the morning is remove a few chains and the crane to lift it off.  I'm right next to Dallas-Ft. Worth airport, between two runways (not on airport property), and the airplanes are landing on both sides of where I'm parked.

Saturday, August 23, 2025

 I left half an hour before sunrise this morning.  Drove 539 miles to a convenience store with truck parking in Alexandria, Louisiana, for the night.  I am so tired tonight!!  Although not as tired as I was last night.

Friday, August 22, 2025

 I left at 4 AM EDT and drove to Ocala, Florida.  Loaded a Caterpillar Genset that is going to Irving, Texas.  Once it was loaded, it had to be tarped.  Using a forklift, put the first tarp up on top of it, and it almost immediately slid off.  So I straightened it out and again, using a forklift, put it back up.  This time, the wind blew it off.  Straightened it out and put it back up on top.  It slid off again!!!  So, I straightened it out a fourth time and put it up.  This time, I was able to get it secured enough so that it wouldn't slide or get blown off again.  

I left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Marianna, Florida, for the night.  

Thursday, August 21, 2025

 I left at about 4 AM EDT. Couldn't get to Georgia until half an hour after sunrise.  Continued on down to Moultrie, Georgia.  Delivered the tractor.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Ocala, Florida.  I started in that direction.  Stopped for the night, 'cus I ran out of hours,  at the Flying J truck stop in Lake Park, Georgia.  575 miles today.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

 I left about an hour before sunrise this morning.  I drove 503 miles, non-stop.  I didn't even have to pee!!! Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Oak Grove, Kentucky.

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

 I left at 2 AM CDT and drove to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and delivered the dozer right when they opened.  From there, I drove down to Waterloo, Iowa, for my next load.  They loaded everyone who came in AFTER I did.  I sat there and watched them get loaded.  I was not very happy, but then again, this kind of thing is normal for me.  They finally loaded me with a John Deere 8R 340 Tractor that is going to Moultrie, Georgia.

I left there and drove to the world-famous Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott, Iowa, for the night.  The truck was due for an oil change so I got that done. 588 miles today.

Monday, August 18, 2025

 Well, I don't have enough hours available to go anywhere today, so I'll sit here until tomorrow and get a reset in.  Now what I planned on, but oh well, nothing I can do about it.

Sunday, August 17, 2025

 I left half an hour before sunrise this morning.  Good day on the road. On my permit route in the Rockford, Illinois area, there was a very severe storm that went through there in the morning.  There were trees down and power lines down all over the place.  My permit route was closed because the power company had about 6 trucks in there, blocking the road.  Had to detour around them through a residential neighborhood.  Had to wiggle around some low-hanging power lines in there.  It was interesting. Made it through it and continued on to the Petro truck stop in Portage, Wisconsin.  528 miles today.