Friday, June 1, 2012

Replaced the flat tire on the RV, and renewed a couple tags that expire next month. My big truck is getting  new breaks on the front drive axle.  That should be done today and I'll be ready to go back to work again and stop spending money here at home!!

Breaks are finished.  Put the inside of the truck back together (put away laundry, and re-stock food and drink cabinets) and changed the configuration of my trailer a bit.  Flipped up the nose extension to shorten up the trailer.

Then chained up the third axle so the tires do not roll on the ground.  It's hard to  tell from the photo, but the tires are up.  Could have flipped it up too, but this is easier.

Won't need them for my next load Monday. 

Now I can finally veg out for the rest of the weekend!!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Was at Camping World before they opened again.  They fixed it and I had it back before noon.  I was still really p&#$@* off, and they knew it.  They did take a lot off the bill.  But there definitely won't be a next time, if I can help it.  Went back to the RV park and found a flat tire on the RV.  Just F'en GREAT!!  I'll deal with that tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Last Saturday I made an appointment with Camping World in Jacksonville to have my TV antenna repaired or replaced.  I arrived there at 7:30 (they open at 8:00).  At 8 the service writer took all my info and they took my RV back to the shop.  I left.  At about 11 I called to check on the progress of it.  My service guy was in a meeting with the manager and they told me he would call me when he got out.  At 12:30 I still had not heard from him so I called back.  They had not started on it  yet.  Said they would start first thing after lunch.  Said he would call me in about an hour with news.  As you can imagine, I am not real happy.  At 2:30 still had not heard from him so I went back there.  They still had done nothing!!!  I told him I was ready to take it out of there.  He said that he could have the antenna replaced in 45 minutes.  I said do it.  15 minutes later he came out and wanted to show me something.  We went up on the roof and he showed me some minor water damage in the area of the place the antenna mounts in the roof.  It had to be repaired before the new antenna could be installed.  They could not do it before closing and said that they would finish it first thing in the morning.  By now I'm really furious!  I, basically, exploded on him!  Fortunately I had a great place to spend the night.

Tuesday, May 28, 2012

Went in to Alachua and delivered the tracks first thing.  Went to Thermo King in Jacksonville after that and had a problem with my APU addressed. Then to the Daily yard. 

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Left Nashville this morning and drove all day with no problems until about 100 miles north of Florida in Georgia.  Had a air line one way valve all of a sudden give out.  Fortunately I made it to a repair shop quickly and got it fixed.  Then drove straight home to Jacksonville.  Glad to be here!!  I'll be here over the holiday weekend and then deliver on Tuesday.

Friday, May 25, 2012

The wind from last night was gone.  Back to normal again and I'm still upright.  LOL  Drove into Rockford early this morning and unloaded the dump truck before anyone was there to accept it.  When they arrived to work all they had to do was sign my paperwork and I was on my way.  Next load was down in Roanoke, Illinois. Drove down there and loaded two Caterpillar tracks.  They are going to Alachua, Florida.

Got back on the road.  Stopped at Thermo King in Indianapolis at have the new belt adjusted on my APU.  Got totally ripped off there!!  I'll NEVER go back there!!!  After that got stuck in a lot of bumper to bumper traffic!  Just great!!  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Nashville, TN.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

What a good day on the road!!  Left Wheeling, WV as soon as the sun came up and drove straight through only stopping briefly to pee and eat lunch.  By the time I got to Illinois the wind really picked up.  Cross wind when I was on I-74 but it was at my back (for a change) going north on I-39.  Saw one semi truck that was blown over by the wind about 16 miles from where I stopped for the night.  He had gotten off the Interstate and rounded the corner at the intersection at the top of the exit ramp.  Just before he was to cross the bridge over the Interstate the wind got him and blew the truck on its side. I stopped for the night at a small truck stop on the south side of Rockford, Illinois.   Local TV news weather guy said the wind is sustained at 35 with gusts up to 45 mph.  I am parked facing south so the wind is blowing straight at the front of the truck. The truck is really rockin' and rollin'.  Deliver in the morning not too far from here.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Was at the port in Dundalk at 7:30 this morning BUT didn't have the correct paperwork!  SO instead of being at the front of the line I had to wait until someone was in our office at 8 am to get the correct paperwork.  It arrived in my email inbox at 8:30. Now I'm at the back of a long, slow line.  At about 12:15 they finally brought me back to load.  I loaded a Volvo A40F dump truck. It is going to Rockford, IL.  These trucks are some of my favorite things to transport. Loading is fun!!  When you pull up to the trailer and put the front wheels up on it you can't see the trailer anymore. All the rest is done by feel.  I love it!!  This load is about 112,000 pounds.

Finally got on the road at 1 pm.  Drove out to the TA truck stop in Wheeling, West Virginia for the night.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

This morning drove over to the Daily yard in Baltimore and loaded a John Deere 225 excavator.   It is going to South Plainfield, NJ.  I love excavators!!  They load fast & easy and ride real good back there.

Got on the road and drove straight up to South Plainfield and delivered it.  After that drove back down to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night.  Next load is tomorrow morning at the port in Dundalk.  It is another real good load.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Left the TA at 5:30 this morning and drove in to Lyndhurst, NJ and hooked back up to my trailer.  Untarped it.  Timed it perfectly, they were ready around back at the crane to unload.  Drove around back, untied the "box" and they started to rig it up to lift off.  Just then got a call from my dispatcher and said to NOT unload and take it over to Bayonne.  Just F'en great!!  They took off all the crane stuff, and just as I started to re-secure it back to my trailer the heavens opened up and it poured rain.  Well that just made me a whole lot happier than I already was. I was wetter than Shamu, soaked to the skin!!  After I finished, went into the truck changed clothes, dried up, and cooled off a bit.  Then I waited for confirmation from Bayonne that I was defiantly going there.  Got the confirmation and off I went.  When I arrived in Bayonne the crane was already there and they were setting it up.  Parked in front of it and untied the "box' again.  This time it wasn't raining.  Just as they were ready to lift it started to rain again.  Glad my part was done. 

They finally got the thing off and I got out of there. Drove down to the TA truck stop in Baltimore, MD.  Traffic was heavy from the moment I started this morning to the moment I stopped for the night.  Next load is over at the Daily yard in Baltimore.  I'll get it in the morning.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

I have someone from Australia that reads my blog.  I would love to know who that is.  Please e-mail me.  nomad7760@gmail.com  Thanks

Friday, May 18, 2012

Went into Brockway, PA and was there at 6 am to load.  Had to back into the building.  Was not easy.  Not a straight shot in.  And blind side too!!

Here is the view from the cab looking out.  Not much room there.

This is a machine that makes glass bottles.  It is very heavy!!  My gross weight for this load was over 110,000 pounds.  Taking it to a warehouse in Lyndhurst, NJ.  From there is is going to go on a boat to Brazil.

Once they put it on the trailer they finished the box.

After that, had to tarp the thing!!

Got on the road to NJ.  Was arranged for me to deliver today.  They knew I was coming.  Once again the State in their infinite wisdom, routed me down the dumbest route!  It took longer to go the 10 to 20 miles after I got off the Interstate than it did t get to the exit from PA !!  An hour and a half!!  Here are a few photos of the route.

Just after I took that last photo I got a call on the phone - they can't unload today but I can drop the trailer there and come back Monday to unload.  Also there is some question as to whether it unloads there or over in Bayonne.  Good grief!!  So much for "all arranged"!!  The closest truck stop is back in Columbia, NJ which is back on I-80, 4 miles from Pennsylvania.  So, after I got to the place I dropped the trailer and left.  Once again I am leaving right in the thick of rush hour. I decided that since I was so close, I would ride up through the "old neighborhood" instead of sitting in bumper to bumper traffic.  Family will get a separate e-mail with those photos and details.  Made it back to the TA truck stop in Columbia, NJ for the rest of the weekend.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

This morning I went in to the port in Bayonne, NJ and delivered the drill.  It took F-O-R-E-V-E-R in there. It was really fun driving that thing off the trailer!!  It wanted to keep trying to slide off the side.  That would not have been too pretty!  Steel tracks on steel trailer rails does not make for good traction.  This place was right across the Hudson River from the World Trade Center.  I took a photo for you.

 

Hard to see from that photo, so I blew up (maybe that is the wrong term to use) the photo so you could see it better.

After that I went over to Thermo King in Carlstadt, NJ to get my APU fixed.  After four plus hours there it was finally done.  The AC clutch was bad.  Replaced that and the belt.  Also had the oil changed and all the filters.  $791 later and I was back in business.  My next load was way back in Brockway, Pennsylvania. Had to be there at 6am to load.  Delivers in Lyndhurst, NJ tomorrow afternoon.  Drove up to Clearfield, PA to the Sapp Brother's truck stop for the night.  Now you can see why I didn't do the blog, I was really tired!!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Went into Philipsburg this morning and loaded a Reich C450 Drill.  The thing is pretty heavy.  Weighs 56,000 pounds.  Makes my gross weight 99,900 pounds.  Taking it to the Port in Bayonne, NJ.  From there it is going on a boat to France.  And yes, I got to drive it.  Its fun!!  All the controls are labeled in French. 

Got on the road and stopped at a scale and weighed up.  Found out I was too heavy on the trailer axles so I had to un-tie everything and move it forward about a foot, re-secure it to the trailer, and re-weigh.  I was fine after that. 

Drove past the NASCAR Pocono Speedway. 

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Columbia, NJ. Then my APU air conditioning went out!!  GREAT!!  Will deliver in the morning and then try to get it fixed.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Finally got a load.  Loads tomorrow morning in Philipsburg, PA.  Drove to a truck stop in Kylertown, PA for the night.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Drove 12 miles down the road and delivered the wheel loader first thing this morning.  Didn't have another load scheduled yet so I went back to the Petro to wait. Got back there before 8 am.  I beat the rain!!  Nothing today.  Hopefully tomorrow. Don't like sittin still!!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Nice leisurely day today.  Drove down to the Petro truck stop in Bordentown, New Jersey.  Deliver Monday morning not too far from here.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Left Shipshewana, Indiana long before the sun came up.  Another beautiful day on the road. Drove straight through to the "home office" in Carlisle, PA for the night.  Took the car - there is one there that we can use - and went to Wal-Mart and had dinner at Chili's.  I'm fat and happy!!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Drove to Cambridge, IL to deliver the hub. Went to the staging area which was at exit 32 on I-74 at the Shell station.  Just as I pulled in there was a truck with a section of the tower that was about to be taken back in.  The guy that was taking us back told me to follow him. GREAT!!  I didn't have to wait there.  I circled around and followed him. We went for miles.

Then back into the corn fields of Cambridge, Illinois to tower site 151.

 

Got empty and left.  Drove to Davenport, Iowa for my next load.  Picked up a John Deere 624 wheel loader.  It is going to Lumberton, NJ.  Have plenty of time to get there, doesn't deliver until Monday.

Back on the road again and drove to Shipshewana, Indiana to an Amish restaurant where I had dinner and parked in their parking lot for the night.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Left Hanceville, Alabama at sun up this morning.  Started off in the rain but it soon cleared up nicely.  Nice pleasant day on the road.  Stopped for the night, after driving 582 miles, at the TA truck stop in Bloomington, Illinois.