Saturday, December, 9, 2023

 Last night just as I got settled in I got an email that said my truck was due for an oil change and routine maintenance service.  I called the shop at the truck stop where I was.  They said they had no wait and come on over.  I did.  I got the oil change done and out of the way.  Then I went to sleep.

Since I got to bed late, I got started a little later than I wanted. Even so, I still got started very early this morning.  Had a very nice uneventful day on the road.  A coyote ran across the road in front of me and when he got to the side of the road he stopped and looked at me as I passed him by.  Always like to see wildlife.  I also saw a great shooting star.  It was a very bright downward streak of light with a bright "pop" type flash as it burned out.  Very cool!!!  Drove 602 miles to a small truck stop in Monticello, Utah for the rest of the day and part of the night.

Friday, December 8, 2023

 I was asleep around 6 PM last night.  Woke up a couple times during the night, but basically slept good.  Left a little later than normal because I really needed the extra sleep.  It felt good!!   Drove up to The Big Texan this evening for a really good meal. The place always looks great at Christmas.

This time I had the 18oz ribeye steak.

A woman was trying the 72oz challenge, but she couldn't finish it.  She didn't even get half of it eaten.  Now with a full belly, I'm going to sleep.  Good night. 

Thursday, December 7, 2023

 

Early this morning I went back to where I left the flatbed trailer and secured the load with chains.

That is the chassis for a rock crusher.  I took it 8 miles down the road to where it will be assembled.  After unloading I went back to the Daily yard, dropped off the flatbed, and picked up my trailer.  My next load was in Waco, Texas.  I drove down there and loaded a bunch of parts for something, I have no idea what.  They are going to Salt Lake City, Utah.

I left there but didn't go very far.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Waco, Texas.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

 Went the rest of the way to Wichita this morning and was early for my appointment.  Loaded a New Holland C362 Skid Steer that was going to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  

Daily wanted me to go to the OKC terminal before I delivered.  I was to drop my trailer and take a flatbed trailer to a place in OKC and load a Terex chassis.  It was going about 13 miles away to be delivered.  Then go back and get my trailer and deliver the skid steer.  When I got to the Daily terminal in OKC I got the other trailer and was told that I would only need straps to secure the Terex chassis.  I went over there to load.  When they brought the chassis over and loaded it on the trailer I knew that straps would not work.  I needed chains.  They were back on my trailer at the Daily yard. I left the trailer there and Bobtailed back to the yard.  By this time it was too late to deliver the flatbed load so I got my trailer and went over and delivered the skid steer.  At least that was done.  Then went back to the Daily yard for the night.  I'll finish the flatbed load in the morning.

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

 I left when my 10 hours were up.  Drove the rest of the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and delivered the motor grader.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Wichita, Kansas with a loading appointment of 9:40 AM CST.  I headed that way.  Stopped for the rest of the day and night at a very small convenience store with truck parking in Leon, Kansas.

Monday, December 4, 2023

 When the Port opened at 8 AM CST, I went in and loaded a Caterpillar 150 Motorgrader that is going to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The last one I had was steered with a steering wheel.  This one was done using joysticks.  I like the joysticks so much better.  I left there in pretty good time considering that there were over 20 trucks there to load this morning. Stopped at a scale and found out that I was 2,420 pounds overweight.  This was supposed to be a legal load.

Called the office and they ordered a Texas permit for me. Didn't need an Oklahoma permit because I'm registered for 90,000 pounds in Oklahoma.  So there I'm legal.  Waited a little over an hour for it to come in, then I left.  I stopped at the TA truck stop in Dallas, Texas for my 10 hours.  Didn't get anywhere near as far as I wanted to today.

Sunday, December 3, 2023

 This morning I went to Walmart then to the truck wash and fuel.  After that, I drove to the Port of Galveston where I'll be until tomorrow morning when I load there.

Friday, December 1, 2023

 I left at about 10:30 PM CST last night in the rain.  It rained steadily until about 10 miles east of Lafayette, LA.  Then it was very heavy rain with thunder and lightning.  That lasted until I was well past Lafayette.  Past quite a few wrecks that appeared weather-related.  I was doing great until I-10 in Texas west of Beaumont in the construction zone.  Came to a total standstill.  Sat there for about an hour.  Have no idea what caused it.

We finally got moving again and I continued to Carmine, TX, and delivered the wheel loader in thick heavy mud.  Made a mess out of everything.  From there I drove back to Houston and went to the Daily terminal. Arrived there with only 22 minutes left on my clock.  674 miles today.  I'm tired.  Going to sleep now.  Good night.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

 I left at about 1:30 AM EST this morning. Nothing interesting today.  Drove 650 miles to the Love's truck stop in Sandersville, Mississippi for my 10 hours.  

Here is the list of countries my blog has been read in over the past 30 days.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

 First thing this morning I went to Shippensburg and picked up a Volvo L90H Wheel Loader and brought it back to the Daily yard in Carlisle.

After dropping that off I went back to Shippensburg and loaded a Volvo L70 H Wheel Loader that is going to Carmine, Texas.

Left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Max Meadows, Virginia for my 10 hours.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

 We had snow flurries all morning today.  My trailer was finished this morning. They replaced the missing board and added 4 new "D" rings.

Glad to have those "D" rings.  I use those a lot. My next load is tomorrow morning in Shippensburg, PA.

Monday, November 27, 2023

 This morning I took my truck to International in Harrisburg.  Sat there most of the day with it while they checked it out.  When they finished I took it back to Carlisle. Meanwhile, my trailer went into the shop to get the board that fell off replaced on it and add a few more "D" rings.

The trailer will be ready sometime tomorrow morning.

Thursday, November 23, 2023

 

I left at 1 AM EST and drove the rest of the way back to the Daily Yard in Carlisle, PA.  Will be here through Monday.

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

 We got between 1 and 2 inches of snow last night before it changed to rain.  I couldn't leave when I wanted to this morning.  New Hampshire would not allow permit loads until 10:00 AM EST.  I was about an hour and a half from NH so I left at 8:30.  It rained all day.  The roads were fine.  The further I got into Maine the more the roads deteriorated.  The plows were out in force in Maine.  I made it to Skowhegan and delivered the excavator.  Left there and headed back toward Carlisle.  Stopped for my 10 hours at the West Gardiner Service Plaza in Gardiner, Maine.  It is still raining!

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

 I left at sunrise this morning.  I still have the Link-Belt Excavator.  

Got out ahead of the expected weather.  Stayed ahead of it all day but it was right behind me all day.  Here is what the radar looked like when I stopped for the night.

Pennsylvania was really ready for the weather.  They had salt trucks staged along the Interstate and they were pre-treating the roads too.  New York and Connecticut weren't doing anything.  Shortly after I crossed the Hudson River my truck dash did it again.  

After looking at that for about a half hour I shut the truck off and restarted it again.  The problem went away.  Hope it stays that way.  I'll still have to go back to Carlisle after I deliver to have it looked at again.  I stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.  Hopefully, this weather system will pass over tonight and I won't have any issues tomorrow.

 

Monday, November 20, 2023

 One of the Daily owner-operators' truck broke down near Pittsburg.  He found the part at the Carlisle Kenworth. They asked me to go pick it up and take it out that way to meet his pilot escort car and give it to him.  So after I picked up the part I headed west.  I met his pilot escort car in Cumberland, Maryland, and gave him the part.  Then back to Carlisle.  I got back at the same time my truck got back to the Daily Yard.  They reordered my permits and I'll leave tomorrow morning at sunrise.  Heavy weather coming.  I hope I can get ahead of it tomorrow. 

Sunday, November 19, 2023

 October places I've been.

Friday, November 17, 2023

 My hotel was fully booked for tonight so I had to check out this morning.  Today I used the shop truck and took a step deck trailer over to McConnellsburg, PA, and loaded a Caterpillar TL642 Telehandler.

Brought it back to the Daily Yard in Carlisle and unloaded it.  Then, I dropped the trailer and put the truck away.  After that was done I went to my new hotel and checked in.  Tomorrow I'll go back to the original hotel for the rest of the weekend. Have a headache tonight.  I'll go to sleep soon and hope it goes away.

Thursday, November 16, 2023

 I left and timed it to get to York, PA at 9 AM.  Just north of York and south of Harrisburg, my dash went nuts!  All kinds of warning lights and check engine lights.  The truck was running fine.  

I went to the Daily Yard in Carlisle.  Talked to the shop and they said my truck had to go to International in Harrisburg for that to be repaired.  I dropped my trailer.  Then we took the truck to Harrisburg and dropped it off.  I checked into the hotel in Carlisle.  I'll be here until it is fixed.  

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

 I left at sunrise this morning.  Some bumper-to-bumper traffic going around Washington DC.  I didn't have my Pennsylvania permit so I stopped at the TA truck stop in Jessup, Maryland to wait for it.  That is the last place to stop before getting to Pennsylvania.  I had just backed into a parking place when my permit came in.  When I tried to print it, the printer broke.  Spent 45 minutes trying to get it to work, but couldn't.  Something was broken inside.  I dropped my trailer there and went down the road to Walmart and bought a new one.  When I returned I hooked back up to my trailer and set up the new printer.  It worked fine.  BUT by this time I couldn't leave because of the curfew in York, PA and Harrisburg, PA.  No place to stop before getting there. SO tomorrow I can't go through York or Harrisburg before 9 AM, because of curfew.  I'll have a very late start in the morning.