Saturday, August 9, 2014

Yesterday I lost my glasses someplace.  Have no idea where they are.  This morning went over to Vision Works, stopping at Shipley's Donuts on the way, and ordered a replacement.  Picked them up this afternoon.  

Friday, August 8, 2014

Arrived at the port in Houston, before they opened, to deliver.  Once again, it didn't matter.  Sat there for over four and a half hours before they started.  Only took a few minutes to unload it.  Since I don't have another load lined up yet I went to the TA truck stop in Baytown, TX for the rest of the weekend.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Got up early and drove into Denisn, TX to load.  Sat there until 1 pm before they started to load.  Should have just slept in.  Anyway, loaded a Caterpillar MD6290 Drilling Mast that is going down to Houston, Texas.

Drove down to the Pilot truck stop in Huntsville, TX for the night.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

The A/C in my truck has been steadily getting worse for a while now.  Well, yesterday it finally quit working. So today I went to Kenworth in Amarillo to get it fixed.  Spent all day there.  Finally got it done.  Went straight over to The Big Texan for dinner.    While there a guy from Spain attempted the 72 ounce challenge.  

Don't know if he did or or not, I had to leave.  My next load is tomorrow in Denison, Texas.  Before I get there I had to change trailers at the Oklahoma City terminal.  Went there and swapped to a stretch flatbed trailer.  Then drove down to the Love's truck stop in Admore, Oklahoma for the night.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Left right at sunrise this morning.  Good day on the road.  Went past the world famous "Cadillac Ranch" just west of Amarillo, Texas this morning.  As you can see, it is a very popular tourist attraction.

(internet photo)

(internet photo)

Now you know where the guy in Tampa, Florida got the idea for his "Airstream Ranch".

(internet photo)

Continued to Groom, TX and delivered the hub.  After that went back to Amarillo and had dinner at "The Big Texan".  One of my favorite places to eat.  Had a rib eye steak and it was delicious, as usual!!!  Don't have a load lined up yet.  Spent the night at the TA truck stop across I-40 from The Big Texan.

Monday, August 4, 2014

I started off the day just great!!   Had a flat tire.  So I couldn't leave when I wanted to.  Waited until 7 am for the repair shop to open so they could fix it.  Had a bad valve stem fixed and I was back on the road.  Unfortunately much later than I wanted.

Took my detour today.  237 miles to go around 135 miles of I-40.  There was absolutely no reason that I couldn't have traveled that route on Saturday.  It was quite a journey!  A lot of it was up and down and twists and turns.  The road was bumpy too.  A lot of it was driving around the rim of a mini Grand Canyon.  Some guard rail in places and other places, no guard rail with a drop straight down a long, long way.  It took 5 hours and 15 minutes to get back to I-40.

Here is a patch of a lava field along I-40 in New Mexico.

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Moriarty, NM.  That is east of Albuquerque. 

Sunday, August 3, 2014

This morning drove over to Williams, AZ.

Had a nice big buffet breakfast at the Grand Canyon Railway Restaurant.

After breakfast I had plenty of time to wander around.  The weather wasn't the greatest.  It was cool and raining.  There is even snow still on the ground here.  That is not too surprising since we are over 7,000 feet up.

Here is one of the old steam locomotives.  They use one of them the first Saturday every month instead of the usual diesel electric locomotives.

At 8:15 local time I boarded the train.  Here is my seat in first class.  There was food and drink, and a cash bar available.  There was also entertainment too.

At 8:30 we left heading the 65 miles north to the Grand Canyon National Park.  Today's train had two locomotives pulling 14 cars and carrying over 1,000 people.

At about 11:30 we arrived the the Grand Canyon.  The weather was even worse up there.  I was able to get a few photos for you, but they just don't do it justice.  This is one place that you just have to see for yourself.  Remember, you can click on the photos to make them larger.

Unfortunately the weather got much worse and the fog set in.  At 3:15 boarded the train for the return trip and at 3:30 we left.  Arrived back in Williams just before 6 pm. Even though I had a huge headache and the weather was terrible, it was a very good day.  A trip I highly recommend.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

 Not sure what happened, but today's post got deleted so I'll try it again.

I rented a car for the weekend.  Went over to Meteor Crater today.  It is huge!!   I took a panoramic photo of it but it really does not do it justice.  Much better photo on the web site.  Meteor Crater web site

Panoramic Photo Shot From The Visitor's Center

Here is a view from the satellite so you can get an idea how big it is.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Left real early this morning and drove to the GE Wind Energy plant in Tehhachapi, CA.

Loaded a wind energy hub that is going to Groom, Texas.

 Got out of there in great time.

Passed Edwards Air Force Base on CA-58.

Passed a solar energy farm on I-40 on California.

Everything was going smoothly until I got to Arizona.  At the Port of Entry they found that my permit said that I was 11 feet wide.  They measured and found me to be 11 feet, 6 inches wide.  Had to get a whole new permit.  ALSO there is an 11 foot width restriction on I-40 east of Flagstaff because of a lot of road construction.  I will have a nice long detour around it.  BUT I can only use the detour on Saturday IF I have an escort. Can't go anywhere on Sunday.  Monday through Friday I can use the detour without an escort.  MORE STUPID, STUPID REGULATIONS!!!!  Now what purpose does that serve?  Makes no sense whatsoever!!  So I drove to the Little America truck stop in Flagstaff for the weekend.  I'll have more posts on Saturday and Sunday.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Left the truck stop very early this morning and drove in to Anaheim, CA and delivered the boiler a day ahead of schedule.  Next load is up in Tehachapi, California tomorrow.  Got started up that way.  Took almost two hours just to get through Los Angeles.  Don't know why anyone would want to live like that!!  Anyway, had to stop for the night at a crappy little truck stop in Action, California because I ran our of hours.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Left Fort Stockton this morning.  Nice day on the road. The city you are looking at is Juarez, Mexico.  It is just on the other side of El Paso, Texas.  That city has one of the highest murder rates (if not the highest) in Mexico.

Here is the US / Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas.  Juarez, Mexico on the other side of the fence.

 Here is a Border Patrol check point on I-10 west of Las Cruces, New Mexico.  This is the truck side.

See all the stuff looking at my truck as I go through?

It is not just for trucks.  Everybody gets it.  This is the car side.

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Eloy, Arizona. That is about 40 miles south of Phoenix.   Got the truck washed.  It is HOT here!!  Weather on the TV news said it is 110 degrees!!!   

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Left this morning at the perfect time.  Arrived in Beaumont, Texas right at 9 am when curfew was over.  I stopped at the Petro truck stop in Beaumont and had 4 tires replaced.  While they were working on the truck I went to the restaurant and ate.  While I was eating there was a huge explosion outside someplace.  It startled everyone in there.  After I finished eating I went back to the shop.  On the way I walked past the fuel island.  Found out what caused the explosion.  I really don't know how someone can flatten a fuel pump like this.  He must have REALLY not been paying attention.  

The explosion was when he bent the rim on the tire and it exploded. The driver is the guy on the cell phone.

I zoomed in on the tire for you.

After my truck was ready I hit the road again.  I love Texas!!

Stopped for the night, when I ran out of hours, at the Flying J truck stop in Fort Stockton, Texas.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Got up early and drove the hour drive over to Thomasville.  Of course it wasn't ready when I got there.  Had to wait two hours.  Finally got loaded with a boiler and some parts that are going to Annaheim, California.  Just as I was finishing they had a fire drill.  See everyone standing outside?  Glad they waited until I was out of the building.

Got out of there and on the road.  Going through Mississippi I saw a funnel cloud in a thunderstorm just to the south of I-10.  It was so cool!!  It didn't make it all the way down to the ground.  Only about half way.

I got cut off four times today and saw a car on the other side of the interstate get run off the road into the median.  Fortunately he kept control and there was no crash.

Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Egan, Louisiana. Won't start real early tomorrow.  Curfew in Beaumont, Texas so I can't get there before 9 am.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Got started just before sunrise this morning.  Made pretty good time today.  Even went around Atlanta with no problems.  That was a nice change.  Delivered the tractor this afternoon in Americus, GA.  Next load is Monday in Thomasville, GA.  Drove down to the TA truck stop in Lake Park, GA for the weekend.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

After I slept all afternoon yesterday I drove over to Sturtevant to the Case place and spent the rest of the night there.  I was first in line.  

This morning loaded a Case Magnum 310 Farm Tractor that is going to Americus, Georgia.

Got on the road in good time.  Unfortunately that didn't matter much.  Lots of bumper to bumper traffic in Chicago.  Ya, I know, big surprise!!   More in Louisville, KY and more in Nashville, TN.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Antioch, IN.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Left Lodi VERY early this morning.  Shortly thereafter was treated to a pretty good lightening show and then the rain that usually goes with it.  In Chicago had the usual bumper to bumper traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway.  

Finally made it out of Chicago and drove up to West Allis, Wisconsin and delivered the little Bobcat.  Next load is in the morning in Sturtevant, WI.  Went to the Petro truck stop in Racine for the night.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Up at 4 this morning and on the road 45 minutes later.  Drove to Blue Bell, PA and loaded a Bobcat T320 Skid Steer that is going to West Allis, Wisconsin.

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Lodi, Ohio for the night.