Friday, August 16, 2013

Sunrise at our loading site on the Mississippi River.

Before I could load this morning they had to move out the empty barge and bring in a loaded barge.  Here is the empty one.  Notice how high it sits in the water.

Here is the loaded one on it's way in.

Ready to be unloaded. It sits a bit lower in the water with 50+ 70,000 pound slabs of steel in it.

Did five more loads today.

Now I'm done with this!!  Stopped at a truck wash and washed the truck.  It was so dirty from the week in the dust bowl!!!!  After that drove over to the Daily yard in Bettendorf, Iowa for the night.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Another exhausting day.  Did six loads today.  One day of this left!!  I'll be glad when its over.  It is a lot of work.

Wednesday,

What a day!!!   I'm exhausted!!!!  Did five more loads of steel slabs.  Here is what it looks like when they unload one.  Look how far the trailer comes up before the slab lifts off the trailer.  Remember, these things are 70,000 pounds.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Drove down to Muscatine, Iowa this morning.  Took five separate loads consisting of one each slab of solid steel weighing 70,000 pounds.  They went to a steel plant in Montpelier, Iowa which is only 28 miles from where we loaded.  These slabs are being unloaded from a barge in the Mississippi River.  I'll be doing this all week.  There are three barges and over 100 loads from them.  Obviously, I'm not the only truck doing this.

This is another one of those times where I am so glad to have this truck.  Took a shower and cooked.  Its great!!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Delivered the pump skid first thing this morning.  Next load will be a lot of the same thing. It is up in Muscatine, Iowa.  It is steel slabs that are only going 14 miles.  There are about 100 loads going.  I'm getting a bunch of them.  Just a lot of the same thing over and over again.  Drove up to the Daily terminal in Bettendorf, Iowa for the night.  I can plug in here and not have to run the generator.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Got started as soon as I could legally drive this morning.   Went through a little rain at first but soon drove into the sunshine.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Matthews, Missouri and had routine maintenance done on the truck.  After that continued on up to another TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  Will be here till Monday morning.  This is a good location.  Chili's (where I just had dinner), Walmart, and other stuff right across the street.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Drove over to Hull, Texas this morning and loaded a pump skid from a job site.  They are constructing a huge underground crude oil pipeline.  

The place was a big dust bowl!  You can see the layer of dirt on the truck, I have more on me!!  This thing is going up to Patoka, Illinois.  Drove up to the TA truck stop in Prescott, Arkansas for the night.  Going in to scrub the layer of crud off me and get something to eat.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Drove the rest of the way into Houston and delivered the wheel loader.  Had to jump start it again to get it off the trailer.  Don't have another load yet.  Working on one for tomorrow.  Won't know for sure till then.  Spent the night at the TA truck stop in Baytown, Texas.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

This morning went to Mountain Home, AR and loaded an old, used Caterpillar 966D wheel loader that was bought at auction by someone in Saudi Arabia.  Taking it to Houston, TX for it's little boat ride across the big pond.  Had to jump start it to get it running!!

Drove down to Marshall, Texas and stopped for the night at a truck stop there at US-59 and I-20.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Continued on my journey toward my next load.  Drove over to Gassville, Arkansas to a small Citgo station for the night.  Load in the morning a few miles from here in Mountain Home, AR.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Found out at dinner time that they won't be able to load me here until next Monday.  So I took a different load.  Drove up to Wichita.  On the way here is what the sky looked like with a thunder storm off to the south.

As soon as I got parked at the truck stop in Newton, KS (just north of Wichita) a huge thunderstorm hit.  This was the most severe storm I have been in in many years!   Lightening and thunder crashing all around and very close!! The wind was amazing!!  This truck was really rocking A LOT!!!  National Weather Service said in their Severe Thunderstorm Warning that the wind was gusting 50-60 mph.  I believe it!!  The rain was unbelievably heavy and sideways.  Had pea size hail too.  Parking lot was a river for a little while. Just an awesome storm to be in.  I loved it.  Just sat in the cab and watched it.  Unfortunately it was well after dark so I couldn't get any photos for you.  They wouldn't do it justice anyway, had to experience it live.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Started off this morning in a thunderstorm but drove out of it pretty quickly.  Apparently it rained a lot last night.  There was a lot of minor flooding.  Delivered the excavator this morning.  They had a lot of rain too.  MUD everywhere.  Of course I got a lot of mud all over the truck, inside and out.  Next load is Monday in Garden City, KS.  Drove down to a truck stop in Garden City.  Once there cleaned the mud, now dried dirt, out of the truck.  Shook out and vacuumed the rugs.  Did the floors. Then showered and then refilled my water tank. Made dinner and hopped in bed.  Found out this afternoon that because of the rain, they can't load me Monday.  So we will see what happens Monday.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Left Troy, IL as soon as the St. Louis curfew was over.  Nice day on the road again today.  The weather couldn't be any better.  Sunny, highs in the mid 80's and low humidity.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Lebo, Kansas where I'll spend the night.  Will deliver tomorrow morning in Park City, KS.  That is just north of Wichita. 

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Left Wheeling, WV at sun up.  Pretty good day on the road.  Cloudy just about all day.  Some rain in Columbus and Dayton.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Troy, Illinois.  Unfortunately, I didn't get past St. Louis so I will have a very late start in the morning.  Can't go through St. Louis until after 9 local time.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Was all set to load this morning and then I found a broken brake chamber on the rear of my truck.  I went over to the TA truck stop in Baltimore and got in right away.  They replaced the broken chamber.

 Went back and loaded a John Deere 470G Excavator.  Its a biggie!  It is going out to Park City, Kansas.

I am a bit heavy.  Right about the upper limits of what this truck, with this trailer, can haul.

It took forever to get across I-70 and I-68 through Maryland and West Virginia.  Had to stop along the side of the road at the top of most of the large mountains along those two stretches of road.  My drive axes would get a little too hot.  Had to let them cool down before tackling the next tone.  Made it all the way to the TA truck stop in Wheeling, West Virginia where I stopped for the night.  It took 5 1/2 hours to go 310 miles and $400 in fuel.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Went in to Fort Belvoir, VA this morning.  Took forever to get there.  Lots of bumper to bumper traffic in and around DC.  Finally got there and delivered the dozer.  Next load is up in Baltimore at the Daily yard.  Drove up there and spent the night in the parking lot.  Load in the morning.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Left the Welcome Center at sun up this morning.  Stopped to put a little fuel in at the Pilot truck stop in Haggerstown, MD.  As  I walked back to the truck, after getting my fuel receipt, I saw a lot of fuel running out from under the rear of the engine.  Opened the hood and found that the fuel line had rubbed through at one of the clamps.

I drove around back and parked the truck.  Fortunately the fuel did not run out with the engine off.  Road Service came out and took off the old hose, took it, had a new one made, then installed it.  Truck all better now.  But in Maryland permit loads can not move after 12 noon on Saturdays, so here is where I'll sit until Monday morning.  Made good use of the time.  Did four loads of laundry and took a long hot shower.

Friday, July 26, 2013

First thing this morning went across the street and loaded a Caterpillar D7R dozer.  It is going to Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  My gross is a little over 110,000 pounds.  Got lucky, for a change, and beat the rain!

Had a great day on the road.  Drove all the way to the West Virginia Welcome Center on I-79 where I'll spend the night.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Next load is up in Morton, IL and loads Friday.  Drove up to the Daily yard in Morton and swapped back in to my old trailer.  After that went to Walmart and re-stocked a bit. Spent the night in the Daily yard where I can plug in and not have to use the generator.   I like that!!  Saves fuel.  Load across the street in the morning.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

This morning went in to Nixa and delivered the building.

After I got empty I drove up to the Cummins dealer in Springfield and got my generator fixed.  Then over to the TA truck stop in Strafford for the night.