Saturday, January 21, 2012

Not much snow fell last night.  It rained a bit and it is all ice here.  Right now it is a misty rain/snow mix.  Everything around me is solid ice. 

The "Snow Emergency Plan" is in effect.  That means that my oversize permit is not valid until the S.E.P. is lifted so I can't move.  With a valid permit I could only drive until noon today and no driving permitted on Sunday.  I will be here until Monday morning.  Internet connection here is real slow!  I get 3 over the air TV channels so I won't see any football.  Thankfully I have satellite TV!!!

The snow plow came by at about noon.  It took him over three hours to plow the parking lot.

After that it got real foggy!  Could barely see the other end of the parking lot.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Checked out of the hotel this morning and went back to Peterbilt.  After fixing the coolant hose, and during the test drive, he found an oil line that goes to the air compressor was leaking.  He fixed that too.  $733 later I was back on the road.  Left there at 1:30 in the afternoon.  Drove as far as I could today, which wasn't very far. Along I-68 in western Maryland the DOT was pre-treating the roads, never a good sign.

I stopped for the night, because I ran out of day light (can't drive oversize after sunset), in Grantsville, Maryland.  I-68, exit 22. There is about an inch or two of fresh snow on the ground here. 

Forecast is for more tonight.  It is snowing flurries as I type this.  Here is the view out the front of my truck tonight.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Went into the Port of Baltimore and loaded a Caterpillar excavator.  Oversize load.  Got on the road and made it as far as I-70 west of Baltimore when I saw white clouds from the back side of my truck.  I quickly pulled over as the temperature gauge started to go up.  When I opened the hood a huge cloud of steam came out and I could see the liquid on the ground under the truck.  Yup, you guessed it!!  I blew a coolant hose.  A road service guy came out and found which hose it was (cus' I didn't know).  It was a coolant line that is behind the turbocharger.  He had the hose with him but, because of it's location, he could not change it on the side of the road.  Much bigger job than originally thought.  Called a tow truck and was towed back to Baltimore to the Peterbilt shop.  So far I have spent $975 and have not even started to fix the hose.  That comes tomorrow.  Hope it is fixed tomorrow!!  Tonight I'm in a Best Western hotel spending more money!!  Hope tomorrow is better and I can get back on the road again.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Left Salisbury, NC real early this morning and drove up to Ashland, VA (just north of Richmond) and dropped off a generator.  Then drove down to Chesapeake, VA and delivered the rest of the stuff.  As I drove in toward Chesapeake I saw that there were two aircraft carriers in port and two of those new stealth destroyers(?) in port also.  On the way in I was too far away to get any good photos for you so on the way out I took the long way around and got a little closer.  These are the best I could do.

Here is how it looked:

Now with a bit of editing you can see them a bit better.  You can see the two carriers. In front of the carrier on the left you can see the top of the stealth ship.

After that I drove up to Baltimore for the night.  My next load is at the Port of Baltimore going to West Virginia.  Drove 633 miles today and made two deliveries.  Not too shabby!!!!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The crane arrived early this morning, which was a good thing.  I was ready and waiting for it when it got there.  Unloaded the vaporizer and left for South Carolina.  Got to Newberry to  a place that was only open a few days so they didn't have their "routine" down yet.  Was a bit disorganized.  I gave the guy in charge of the shipping area a few "pointers" on how do organize things a bit.  He was most grateful.  Finally got loaded with three Caterpillar Generators going to Virginia.

Then it was off for stop number two in Simpsonville, SC to pick up the second half of the load.  Picked up two Caterpillar Marine Engines and two boxes of parts for them.  They are also going to Virginia.  First stop in Ashland and the second in Chesapeake, VA.

Those plastic bags won't last long.

Finally got out of there and on the road.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Salisbury, North Carolina.  I-85, exit 71.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Looked on Google maps satellite view at where I'm going to deliver Tuesday.  They have a huge parking lot out front with no fence or gates.  There are no truck stops in Athens on the route I have to take.  I decided to go there today and park in their parking lot out front so I can deliver first thing in the morning.  After that head to Newberry, South Carolina for my next load.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

This morning went across the parking lot to the shop and had routine maintenance done on the truck.  Oil changed, oil filters, fuel filter, water filter, air filter, and chassis grease.  Was way over due on that.  Glad its done.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Drove to the Petro truck stop in Atlanta this morning.  Will be here until 9 am Tuesday morning.  Deliver in Athens Tuesday.  I hate holiday weekends!!  At least there is football today and tomorrow.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Left Bald Knob as soon as the sun came up.  Stopped at a Wal-Mart and bought a new printer, so I'm back in business again.  Other than that nothing else exciting today.  Drove to Lincoln, Alabama on I-20 to a truck stop for the night. 

Thursday, January 12, 2012

It sure did get colder and windy last night.  Got more than a dusting and less than an inch of snow last night too.

It is still real windy.  Went over and picked up my next load. It is a vaporizer.  Have no idea what it is for. 

It is going to Athens, Georgia for a Tuesday delivery.  Drove to a truck stop in Bald Knob, Arkansas - yes, that really is the name of the town.  AND my printer finally quit working tonight!!  It lasted 3 years bouncing around in this truck.  Not bad but really lousy timing.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Went over to Thermo King and had my APU serviced this morning.  It was WAY overdue.  The fuel filter was starting to clog up making it run bad.  Works great now!!  Then back to the truck stop for the rest of the day.  All my permits are here already so I'll be good to go in the morning.  Loading appointment is at 9 am local time.  The weather here today is great!  Sunny and clear.  Supposed to get real cold and windy later on.  They are forecasting a light dusting of snow tonight as the cold front moves through.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Good news and bad. 
Good news:  Finally got a load. 
Bad news:  Doesn't load until Thursday!!
Loads in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 
Drove up to Tulsa today to spend some time at a truck stop in Tulsa.  Livin' on Tulsa time!!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Went in to Irving and delivered the engines first thing this morning. After that drove to the TA truck stop in Rockwall, Texas and replaced my right front tire. Still no loads available so I went to the TA truck stop in Terrell, TX and stayed there for the night. Didn't like the other TA.  No food there.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Very easy day today.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Dallas, Texas this morning.  Was there, refueled, and parked before 10 am (9 am local time).  Will be here until Monday morning.  Deliver in Irving, TX first thing.  Don't have a load out of here yet so I may be right back here after I deliver Monday.  Until then its a football weekend!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Left the TA in Jackson this morning and drove a few miles over to Griffin, GA to pick up four Caterpillar engines and four boxes of parts. 

They are going to Irving, Texas.  Got on the road and drove to the Petro truck stop in Shreveport, LA for the night.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Delivered the first tractor in Manning, SC as soon as they opened this morning.  Then up to Boiling Springs, NC and delivered the other one.  Loads are still not plentiful yet.  Next one is in Griffin, GA.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Jackson, GA for the night.  Made it through Atlanta with hardly any bumper to bumper traffic again!!  Amazing!!  And on a weekday too!!!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Having time off and spending it with the people that mean the most is a great thing!!  But now it is back to reality!!  Swapped out trailers today.  Picked up a 48 foot expandable flat bed trailer.  Expanded it to 53 feet long - notice the gap in the middle of the trailer.  Needed it for my next load.  Went down to Alachua, FL and loaded a well drilling machine mast. It is going to Blount Island, FL.

After loading I took off and drove up to Blount Island, FL and delivered the mast.  Then went back to the yard and dropped off the flat bed trailer and picked up the step deck trailer that I have been using.  Left there and drove up to Brunswick, GA to the port and loaded two John Deere tractors.  Yes, I got to drive those too. 

 I loaded them on the trailer, chained them down and left. Drove up to Manning, SC to the TA truck stop for the night. I drop off one tractor about 3 miles from here in the morning. The other one goes up to Boiling Springs, NC.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Had a fantastic Christmas with family and friends. 

While I have been off had some work done to the truck.  New rear brake pads and a new brake drum. Also had RGN ramps put on.  RGN ramps are for the rollers on a RGN (removable goose neck) trailer to attach the trailer to the truck by rolling up the ramps to the fifth wheel. Still don't have a load yet but don't want one until January.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Easy day!!  Went into Blount Island and delivered this morning and then back to the yard.  A whopping 18 mile round trip!!  Now I'm off until next year.