Saturday, January 16, 2016

Very early this morning I drove up to the Petro truck stop in Racine, Wisconsin.  Will be here until Monday morning.  Another cold front will be coming through. Now it is 22 BUT temperatures will drop a lot and get windy.  They say Sunday the high will be 0 and the wind chill will be -25.  Monday the high will be 6 with a wind chill -30.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Well, I finally got a load.  It isn't much of one.  It is Monday up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I'll go up there tomorrow.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Nothing!  So I continue to sit and wait.

Wednesday, January 13. 2016

This morning had a big pool of antifreeze on the ground under my truck.  That is never a good thing.  Took it to the shop here at the Petro.  They found the leak, or should I say leaks.  My air compressor was leaking coolant and also had it leaking from my lower radiator hose.  They fixed everything and I was out the door 9 hours later.  Still don't have another load yet, so here I sit.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Went over to Portage, Indiana this morning for my next load.  Was to drop my trailer there and transport a screener to Middletown, Ohio, leave it there and then bobtail back to get my trailer.

Everything was good until I hooked up to it.  That's when we realized that it would not work with my truck.  It was too low and would tear up my fenders.  

So I had to leave it.  Someone else will have to do it.  Hooked back to my trailer and went back to the Petro in Gary, IN.  Will be here until I get another load.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Went about 6 miles from here and delivered the wheel loader first thing this morning.  Then went back to the Petro truck stop.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Portage, IN.  That is not too far from here.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Once again the weather weasels got it wrong.  We got rain, changed to snow, then back to rain.  The most we got was a dusting of snow.  A far cry from 5 to 7 inches they forecasted.  These are the same people that are preaching man caused climate change!!  Yet we are supposed to believe them when they tell us all that gloom and doom about how we are going to all burn up and the coastal cities will be under water from global warming 10, 20, 50, whatever years from now.  Why does anyone take them seriously when they can't even get the weather right for that very same day!!!!!??????????????!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, there are way too many idiots that believe that nonsense! The only thing they got right was that it got very cold.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Left real early this morning and drove to the Petro truck stop in Gary, Indiana.  Wanted to get here before the weather started to get worse.  National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Lake County (Gary), Indiana from 3 pm CST to noon tomorrow.  Expecting 5 to 7 inches of heavy wet snow and blowing winds.  Once the cold front passes the temperatures will plummet.  Of course I'll have pictures for you if there is anything interesting.  The live cam should be up and running for you too.

Friday, January 8, 2016

The guy finally showed up last night at 8 pm. he was done in 45 minutes.

This morning I went over to the Kawasaki plant in Newnan, Georgia and loaded a Kawasaki 67Z7 Wheel Loader that is going to Gary, Indiana.  

Left there in pretty good time and drove up to the TA truck stop in Seymour, Indiana.  Easy day tomorrow.  

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Left this morning and timed it just right.  Got to Norcross, GA right at 9:30.  But that is when things went bad.  Made a right turn to go to where I was to unload and saw this sign.

Well, by now it was too late.  Couldn't back out of there onto a major roadway - way too much traffic.  Just past the sign was a truck loading area to a business.  I pulled in there and turned around.  As I was pulling out the trailer bottomed out and I was stuck.  Couldn't go backwards or forwards. I was also blocking the road.  I disconnected the trailer from the truck so at least the road was open.  Called a wrecker, and waited for him to arrive.

Once he got there he lifted the trailer up, pulled it forward, and I reattached to it and pulled out.

Then went in to deliver.  The road was narrow and I had to make 2 left turns.  Each one took a lot of maneuvering to make it.  Finally did.  Just as I came to a stop to unload one of the suspension air bags on the trailer exploded. Set off all the car alarms in the parking lot.  It was LOUD!!

Finally got the machine off the trailer and I got out of there.  Next load is tomorrow morning in Newnan, Georgia.  I went down there to the Pilot truck stop and got there at 2:15.  Road service was called by the Daily shop and we were told about an hour and a half to get to me.  At 5 pm he still had not arrived.  Daily shop called another company.  As of now, 6:30 pm, no one has shown up yet.  The rest of the story will be on tomorrow's post.  The saga continues......

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Had a wonderful Christmas and New Years with lots of family and friends.  But now it's time to go back on the road.

Went over to the Port of Jacksonville and loaded a Sandvik QE241 Screener that is going for a short ride up to Norcross, Georgia.  This was the first time operating this type of machine. All the other ones I've had someone else loaded it and unloaded it.  Not this time.  It was fun.

Left there and drove up to the TA truck stop in Jackson, Georgia for the night.  They don't want me to deliver until 9:30 or later tomorrow morning.  They said it is very tight in there.  Going to make for an interesting time tomorrow getting in and out.

Friday, January 1, 2015

It was not a pretty sight!!  Although it went just about as we expected it would.  Offence was still putrid!  Hopefully they will do better next season.

Florida Gators

Citrus Bowl

Today, 1:00 PM

Orlando Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida

17Michigan Wolverines (10-3)

41 - 7

Final

Florida19 Gators (10-4)

	1	2	3	4		Total
Michigan	7	10	14	10		41
Florida	7	0	0	0		7

Friday, December 25, 2015

Thursday, December 17, 2015

I didn't update yesterday, sorry.  So, here is yesterday's update.  I left the rest area that was between Washington DC and Richmond, Virginia at 4:30 am and drove non stop, except for the (stupid) Federally mandated 30 minute "rest break".  Stopped for the night at home in Jacksonville, Florida.  Sorry, no camera.  More computer issues.  I'll have it back soon.

OK, that was yesterday. Here is today.  I left Jacksonville at 2:30 am and drove down to Fort Myers and delivered the Caterpillar stuff.  Got there just as they opened at 7:30.  Then drove back home to Jacksonville.  I'll be home for the Christmas and New Year holidays.  Back at it again sometime in the first week in January.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Finally got another load.  Went back to the Port of Baltimore and loaded a Caterpillar parts load that is going to Fort Myers, Florida.  

Left there just in time to hit the Washington DC rush hour traffic.  Took three hours to go 100 miles.  I finally had enough of the bumper to bumper traffic and stopped for the night at a rest area on I-95 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  Hopefully I can get an early start in the morning and get ahead of the heavy traffic.

Monday, December 14, 2015

Went over and delivered the wheel loader at the Port of Baltimore this morning.  Didn't have another load yet so I went back to the TA truck stop to wait.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Drove the rest of the way in to the TA truck stop in Baltimore, Maryland this morning.  Will be here until Monday.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Left the rest area a half hour before sunrise again this morning.  Another uneventful day on the road.  I guess that's a good thing!!  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland.  Will go the rest of the way in to Baltimore tomorrow morning.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  Drove all day until I ran out of sunlight.  Had to stop for the night at the east bound rest area on I-70 at mile marker 130 in Hebron, Ohio. 

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Delivered the paver first thing this morning.  Drove over to Oswego, Illinois to load a Caterpillar 972M Wheel Loader that is going to the Port of Baltimore.  When I got there the machine was not ready.  I sat there all day waiting on  it.  It was finally released and loaded.

Barely had time to get out of there and to a place to park.  Made it without a second to spare!!  Was VERY lucky to find spot at a small Mobile station with a few truck parking places in Joliet, Illinois.