Saturday, June 18, 2011

Got started early this morning.  I was pulled over in Louisiana for a roadside inspection.  I was one strap short on my load so I put another one on.  Other than that, everything was fine.  He liked my log book.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the TA truck stop in Dallas, TX.  While there I replaced my air horns.  They were broken, still worked enough to get by though. Now they REALLY work good.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Guess what!!????!!   Yup, my truck wouldn't start again!!   Had someone bang on the starter again and it started right up.  The place I delivered this morning was just down the road from the truck stop.  Was there before they opened and first in line.  Seemed like it took forever to get unloaded, but it really didn't.  After that went back to the truck stop and had the truck and trailer washed.  That load was a bit messy!  Then fueled up.  Talked to the mechanic that worked on it and I will be getting a load to get me back home again eventually.

Drove over to Cedertown, GA for my next load.  More racking.  This time its going to Midlothian, TX.  That is just south of Dallas.

When loaded up I drove down to Jackson, MS to the Petro truck stop for the night.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Arrived to get loaded this morning at 7 am. Of course, they were not ready yet.  They still had to cut the locomotive up some more.  I am picking up pieces of a locomotive that they are cutting up for scrap.  They are going to Atlanta.  The red and white thing on the left (below) is the locomotive.  The engine is already gone.

The curved thing is the top of the cab.  The black square thing is the fuel tank.

 I finally got all loaded and on the road at 1 pm. 

Drove up to the Petro truck stop in Atlanta for the night.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Got my starter replaced with a new one today.  The electrical problem was a loose wire (WHEW!!) didn't need a new alternator.  Works great now. Have a load to pick up in the morning in Brunswick, GA so I drove up there and spent the night there so I could load first thing in the morning.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Nothing new on the truck yet.  Spent the day with Mom and went to the dentist to get a broken tooth fixed.  Happy, happy, joy joy!!!  Still had a nice time with Mom.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Once again, the truck wouldn't start this morning. Had to beat on the starter to get it going.  When it finally started I drove the 2 1/2 hours into Medley, FL (that is just west of Miami International Airport) and delivered.  On the way was having problems with the charging system on the truck.  Fortunately the sun was up by the time I got back on the road and didn't need lights anymore.  Decided not to get another load down in Miami and instead just drive back home to get the truck fixed.  It acted up all the way home but I made it.  Didn't use the A/C or anything else on the way.  Boy, was it hot!!!!  Sweating all the way, not only from the heat but the anxiety of not knowing if I would make it home without breaking down.  That was the longest drive home!! 

The mechanic came by to work on my truck.  Couldn't get the started off. One of the bolts would not let loose.  Called his friend that had a torch and he came by and heated it up and finally got the starter off.  He took it to the shop where they will take it apart, rebuild it and then he will bring it back to re-install.  He also checked the charging system.  It was charging just fine.  He thought that all the problems were related to the starter.  We will see when it gets all put back together.  Hope so 'cus I can't afford a whole lot more!!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Today started out just great!!  The truck wouldn't start!! Had to beat on the starter to get it to work. Finally got it running.  Now I'll need a new starter too!!   Drove down to the TA truck stop in Vero Beach.  I deliver tomorrow morning just west of Miami.  I'm still 2 1/2 hours away.  I'll (hopefully) leave here real early tomorrow morning to beat the Miami traffic.

While on the road this morning I passed a moving van that had gone off the road, flipped on it's side and caught on fire.  Must have happened last night sometime.  Aren't you glad it wasn't your stuff they were hauling?

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Nice easy day on the road.  My alternator is showing signs of going out.  Will have to replace it very soon.  Drove down to Canady, South Carolina to a small truck stop on I-95 at exit 68 for the night.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Went back to Solon, OH to the Home Depot Distribution Center for my 11 am appointment.  Got there at 10:30 am.  When I checked in I found out that my appointment was not at 11, as I was told, but it was at 1 pm.  Just great!!  She said she would try to get me in early if she could.  So I went across the street to a parking lot to another warehouse that was unoccupied, un-tarped and un-strapped the load. and waited.  At 12:30 she called me on the phone and said "come on over".  So much for getting in early!!  At 1:15 a guy came over on a fork life and told me to drive around to the other side of the building and someone would come out and get me.  At 1:45 they had me drive inside the building and wait at an unloading area.  At about 2:10 they started to unload the truck.  Hallelujah!!!!!  Oh, by the way, I had another load to pick up before 2:00.  At 2:30 they finished and I was off to get my next load.  Fortunately it was only 15 minutes away.  The broker called them and explained the situation I was in and they agreed to hold over until I could get there.  WHEW!!

Went into Cleveland and got my next load.  22 pallets (45,300 pounds) of highway glass powder.  I know you are all wondering what the heck that is so I'll tell ya.  When they paint the lines on the roads there are 2 nozzles on the truck that sprays the paint lines.  One nozzle is the paint and the second is right behind it and it sprays this glass powder into the wet paint.  The glass powder is what makes the lines reflective.  This load is going to Medley, Florida. 

When I finished there I drove back to the TA truck stop in Canton, Ohio and took a long shower, ate dinner, and went to bed.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Drove into Solon, Ohio to deliver at the Home Depot Distribution Center.  Found out when I got there that I didn't have an appointment and would have to wait.  I couldn't even make my own appointment, the broker was supposed to do it.  Called the broker and my appointment is Friday at 11 am.  That was the earliest available.  Just great!!  Needless to say, I am not a happy camper!!  Drove to a truck stop 38 miles away (the closest one) and parked.  Will be here until Friday making no money!!  I'm a little bit pissed, actually a lot pissed!!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Today was much better than yesterday.  Nice quiet uneventful day on the road.  Drove through a doozy of a thunderstorm in West Virginia about 30 miles south of the Ohio state line.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Canton, Ohio just north of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Went into Savannah, GA this morning first thing.  Got there at 6:30.  They told me that I needed "V" boards.  I didn't have them.  Had to go over to Home Depot, buy the stuff to make them, and then make them. That took 4 hours to do.  Went back and got loaded with 600 rolls of tar paper.  Just finished tarping the load when the thunder storm started.

 Left there at 3:30 this afternoon and went straight to the truck stop.  Just my luck, I hit bumper to bumper traffic and it took an hour to drive 5 miles!!  When I finally got to the truck stop I took a long hot shower and ate dinner.  Then I drove up to the Pilot truck stop in Columbia, South Carolina for the night.  Hope tomorrow is a lot better!!!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Another enjoyable Saturday spent with Mom.  Now back to work.  Drove up to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, Georgia.  Load up in Savannah tomorrow morning for a trip to Ohio.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Delivered first thing this morning in Orlando and then drove home.  Was home by 9 am!!  Will be here for the weekend.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Left the Washington DC area this morning and drove to the Thermo King shop in Ashland, VA. The bad fuel affected the APU and made it run real bad. I had them do a routine oil and filters change. While changing the fuel filters he flushed out the fuel line just in case there was any more gunk in there.  After he put it all back together, it ran great! Problem solved (for now).

Got back on the road and had a very nice, pleasant day on the road.  Stopped for the night in a rest area on I-95 at approximately the 303 mile marker in Hastings, Florida.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Can you believe that half the year is over already?  Wow! time flies when you are having fun!!

Drove down to Keasbery, NJ (that's near Edison) to a large asphalt plant and picked up two sets of triple axles and some other metal stuff.  On the way down I took a very small detour and went passed a certain house.  It looked great!!

After that I went and picked up my load in Keasbery.

Drove down to a truck rest area south of Washington DC for the night.

Tuesday, May 31,2011

Got started early today.  Drove into Searsmont, Maine and delivered the natural gas compressor.  Drove way back down a narrow, up and down, twisty-turny road to get in and out of there.  Very pretty scenery here.  After that, I drove over to Union, Maine and delivered the tractor.  Finished that and drove to Bloomfield, CT to the Home Depot Distribution Center.  My appointment was not until tomorrow morning at 10 am but I played dumb (easy for me to do)  and was able to get in and unloaded today.  I got lucky!!  That hardly ever happens at distribution centers.  They make appointments and stick to the schedule, period! And don't EVER be late!!  They may not unload you for a couple days if you are late. Wal-Mart is notorious for that.  Anyway, I'm empty now!!   Drove down to one of the only truck stops in Connecticut in Milldale at the TA truck stop.  Made it just in time.  I got here at 4 pm and got one of the very few parking spots left.  I really don't like coming to the north east.  It is so crowded and expensive!!  Nothing is "truck friendly" up here.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Reset is finished.  Left Scranton, PA at 1 am today because my APU started acting up.  I think the fuel filter is clogged.  The fuel filters on the truck are really bad so I'm assuming that the same thing is happening to the APU. I must have gotten a bad tank of fuel someplace because my fuel filters have never looked that bad.  They are not that old. While on the road, I stopped and had the truck fuel filters changed.  They didn't have one for the APU.  Stopped for the night at a service plaza on the Maine Turnpike (I-95) in Gardner, Maine.  First delivery is about 45 minutes from here tomorrow morning.

Saturday, May, 28, 2011

Got on the road early this morning.  Only had 6 hours left before reset so I drove up to Scranton, PA to the Petro truck stop.  Did my reset there.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Left Denmark, TN early this morning and drove to Jonesborough, TN and picked up the last load for this trip.  A brand new New Holland tractor.  It is going up to Maine also.

On the way I passed the Petro that was wiped out by the tornado.  I posted photos of it last time I passed it.  Last time it was the day after the tornado hit.  It is closed now (obviously) and they have cleaned up and removed all the blown around trucks.  They are starting to rebuild it now.

Stopped for the night at White's Travel Center truck stop in Raphine, VA.