Saturday, January 19, 2019

This morning I finished securing the machine to the trailer.  When I hooked up to the trailer I broke the "landing gear" on the jeep.  They will have to fix it Monday. 

Tonight is Daily's Safety Banquet at the Radisson Hotel in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

They put on a nice spread with food, band, and lots of door prises.  They also pay for the hotel room.  I went over to there.  Had to be there before noon.  Very bad weather is coming this afternoon.  The state of Pennsylvania put in effect at noon a ban on all commercial traffic on the Interstate highways until noon tomorrow.  Supposed to get snow, changing to rain, then freezing rain, then back to snow again before this is all over.  Going to be a real mess!!  I checked in to the hotel.  Nice room.  Then took a shower and a nap.

Went to the banquet.  Sat with some friends and had a very good time.  The food was good, the speeches were (as always) too long, and the door prizes were good.  We all had a back pack on our seats.

For my years of safe driving was given a vest and a couple trinkets.

And for the door prize, I won a rechargable LED work light with magnetic base.

As soon as the door prizes were finished and the band started, I went back to my room. I don't like the "smooze fest" that goes on afterward so I get the heck out.  Besides, Don't want to be around that many people.    So far, about three inches of snow on the ground.

Friday, January 18, 2019

As soon as my 10 hours was up I left.  Fog and slight rain until after the sun came up.  After a while it cleared up and was beautiful.  That didn't last very long because the clouds rolled back in.  Nothing fell from the sky though.  That was a good thing.  Got back to Carlisle at 2 pm.  550 miles today.  Then had to take  the jeep off the trailer that I brought back because I needed to use it.  Got that done.  Then it was time to put together my trailer so that I can load.  Fortunately I had a lot of help.  Got that trailer all put together then loaded a Sandvik Crusher.  It was already at the Daily yard in Carlisle, PA waiting for me.  All we did was load it.  I'll secure it tomorrow morning.  Here is what it looks like tonight.  I'm a "46 wheeler"!!

I'll have better photos tomorrow.  Right now I'm exhausted!!!!!!  Going to bed now.  Good night.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Instead of sitting all weekend I drove down to the Petro in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Another driver's truck broke down and I went and picked up his trailer - empty - and will be bringing it back to Carlisle, PA tomorrow.  On the way down, at about the half way point, it started to snow.  By the time I got to Tennessee it had changed over to rain.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

I unloaded all my stuff out of my trailer and piled it all on my truck.  I will not be getting that trailer back.  It needs a lot of work.  They finally took it in to the shop this afternoon, after I cleared my stuff out of it. I will be here all weekend now.  The weater is going to get real bad here starting tomorrow night.  Also Daily's annual banquet is Saturday night so I will go to that. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Well here I sit.  They still have not started working on my trailer.  I'm getting very frustrated!!!

Friday, January 11, 2019

What a day!!!!   Last night I heard from my pilot escort car.  She said she had a job to do that night but would see me in the morning.  I went to bed.  This morning I had an email waiting for me from her.  It said that she was involved in a car crash last night.  She said that she was fine but her car was not.  I would have to get another escort.  Just dandy!!!!!  So I sent an email to the person at Daily that makes the arrangements for escort cars explaining the situation. Unfortunately she doesn't come in until 8 am.  At 10:30 am my new escort car showed up and I was, once again, back on the road.  Made it up to State College, PA and delivered the wheel loader - FINALLY!!!!!!!!!  

I have a few things that need fixing on the trailer so I drove down to the "home office" in Carlisle.  Had dinner then went over to the Petro truck stop that is a couple miles down the road, for a shower.  When I got in the shower room and opened up my bag I found that an entire bottle of liquid soap had opened up and covered just about everything in the bag with liquid soap.  I spent an hour cleaning that mess up.  After showering I went back to the Daily yard for the rest of the weekend.  Don't know how long I'll be here. The mechanic said that they probably won't be able to work on my trailer until Monday.  Just wonderful!!!!!  I'm glad today is over!!

Thursday, January 10, 2019

My Virginia permit finally came in at about 10:30 this morning.  I left and was very glad to be moving again!!  No problems on the road today.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Winchester, Virginia.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Left this morning at 6 am in order to beat the Knoxville curfew.  Stopped at the weigh station a few miles after we got started and had a run in with a "Barney Fife" state trooper.  He was a young guy just being a total jerk.  There are a lot more of these type cops out there than anyone would like to believe.  They are supposed to be the "good guys".  WRONG, they are not.  Got out of there as fast as possible.  Just made the curfew.  Continued on up into Virginia where my pilot escort car dropped off.  Don't need one in Virginia. I had to stop just inside Virginia because my Virginia permit has not come in yet.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Glade Spring, VA.  Waited there all day, still no permit.  Hope it comes in early tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Left this morning a half hour after sunrise.  Did pretty good until I-75 south of Atlanta.  There was a crash and I got stuck in a 5 mile traffic back up.  Took an hour to get past it.  The rest of the way around Atlanta was fine.   Continued on up to the Tennessee state line in Chattanooga.  There my Tennessee pilot escort car fell in behind me as we continued on. Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Knoxville, TN.

Monday, January 7, 2019

Went over to the Port of Savannah first thing.  Loaded a Caterpillar 982M Wheel Loader that is going up tp State College, Pennsylvania.

After I finished loading, I had to wait for my permits.  None of them had come in yet.  Georgia finally came in at about noon.  I left and went back to the TA truck stop and scaled.  Then I left and headed on my way.  For some reason they routed me up through Atlanta.  I have no idea why.  I was not expecting that.  I stopped for the night at a "Mom & Pop" truck stop in Metter, GA. That will give the office plenty of time to get the rest of my permits and my Tennessee escort.

And tonight is the last college football game of the season.  The season went by so darned fast!!!! 

Alabama (SEC) vs Clemson (ACC). GO ALABAMA!!!!!   That trophy needs to stay in the SEC where it belongs!!!!

 

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Yesterday we took all the "stuff" off my trailer and made it a four axle trailer again.  My next load does not need all that.

This morning I drove up to the TA truck stop in Ricmond Hill, Georgia for the night. I load in the morning at the Port of Savannah.  Don't have any of my permits yet.  I'm going to load anyway and hope they come in before I'm finished.

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

  

Just one week away!!!!

Monday, December 31, 2018

Happy New Year's Eve

Snoopy Is Excited GIF from Holidays GIFs

Saturday, December 29, 2018

What a great way to end the Gator's football season!!  SEC destroying the Big 10 !!! I love it!!!!!!!

 

Next up tonight...

Two great games!!

GO SEC!!  Go Alabama!!!!

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Merry Christmas

Monday, December 24, 2018

Its Christmas Eve GIF from Christmaseve GIFs

Friday, December 14, 2018

Last night after I had published my blog post I got the paperwork that I needed.  That was a good thing!!  This morning we drove the rest of the way into the Port of Savannah.  Had to wait to get unloaded.  They were loading these guys. There were three of them. And you thought I was big?

After they finished with them they unloaded me.  Here is the crane they used.

After my trailer was empty I pulled over to another area and disassembled my trailer.  Then had to wait for over three hours for a fork lift to put it all up on my trailer so I could go.  I finally got out of there and drove home to Jacksonville, Florida.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Left real early this morning to beat the Chattanooga curfew.  We did.  Had to wait on the side of the road at the Georgia / Tennessee state line because I couldn't drive in Georgia until a half hour after sunrise. 

Once that time arrived we left again.  Had a great day on the road.  Some bumper to bumper traffic near the Atlanta airport.  But that was all we had today.  Drove to a truck stop in Metter, Georgia for the night. I'm still waiting on some paperwork to deliver so I'm not exactly sure when I can deliver this thing.  Either way, I'm still going into the Port tomorrow.  If I can't deliver I'll drop my trailer there and come back when I can deliver.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Had a real good day on the road.  No traffic problems at all going around Nashville.  When it was time to stop for the night had a bit of trouble finding a place I could get into and out of.  Decided to spend the night at the weigh station on I-24 just south of Manchester, Tennessee.  Just hope the cops don't hassle me here.  Will be starting very early tomorrow morning to beat the Chattanooga curfew.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Drove to Decatur, IL to the Caterpillar plant.  Had to "put together" my trailer.  Lot of work involved with that!! I was very fortunate that a friend of mine came over to help me.  He does this all the time and knows a whole lot more about it than I do.  His help was greatly appreciated. 

Loaded a Caterpillar 789D Dump Truck Chassis that is going to the port in Savannah, Georgia.

This is an internet photo of what it looks like all put together.

I got there to load at 7 am.  Didn't leave there until 1:15 pm.  I am over 154,000 pounds and over 115 feet long.  Largest load I have had so far.  With my pilot car escort in behind me we left, but didn't get very far.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Effingham, Illinois.  Been a busy day. I am totally exhausted.  It was all I could do to get a shower and eat dinner.  Going to sleep now.  Good night!!