Saturday, May 28, 2016

As soon as my 10 hours was up I left.  Stopped in Brunswick, Georgia and got the truck washed and the APU serviced.  It looks so darned good when its clean. Then finished my trip home.  I'll be home for a little while.  Going to get my windshield replaced next week.  My next load is June 9th in Pensacola.

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Friday, May 27, 2016

Didn't oversleep today and got on the road just before sunrise.  Made it to Knoxville, Tennessee and delivered the excavator.  Didn't have another load, and I didn't want to sit in Knoxville for the holiday weekend, so I started for home.  Traffic was horrible!!  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in St. George, South Carolina.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

I overslept this morning and got a late start.  Fortunately with the longer daylight hours, it didn't matter.  Got on the road and first thing I was cut off again.  Happens every day to almost every truck on the road.  

Even so, had a great day on the road.  As I went over the Mississippi River into Iowa came upon a crash that just occurred.  Not sure how it happened but a pick up truck with a trailer was jack knifed and pointed the wrong way on the east side of the bridge.  Here is the video as I passed it.

That is all the interesting stuff from today.  Made it all the way to the Pilot truck stop in Paducah, Kentucky.  Didn't plan on it at all, but I may be able to deliver tomorrow.  Hope so!!  we shall see.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Left just before sunrise this morning.  Nothing exciting today.  Took another picture of Wyoming for my sister.

Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Avoca, Iowa.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Well it seemed like it took forever to get my Montana permit today.  But it did arrive.  So at 11 am local time I hit the road.  Here is a picture of a mountain in Wyoming.  This is for my sister, she likes mountain pictures.

And here is a weather picture from Wyoming.

Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Caspar, Wyoming.

Monday, May 23, 2016

This morning went about 12 miles down the road and delivered the mini excavators.  Didn't have another load so I went back to the truck stop.  Took a shower, had breakfast, and did 3 loads of wash.  Finished just as I got my next load.  So I left and drove west to Belgrade, MT to a Richie Brothers Auction and loaded a John Deere 200DX Excavator that is going to Knoxville, Tennessee.  For an auction machine, this one is in pretty good shape.

Don't have any permits yet so I'll be at the Flying J truck stop in Belgrade, MT until Montana's permit gets here sometime tomorrow morning.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Left at 1 am local time.  Drove up to the Pilot truck stop in Billings, Montana.  Got here before 9 am local time.  Now I can catch up on my sleep.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Got started at 1 am local time this morning.  Pushed it real hard today.  South Dakota speed limit is 80 (128.7 kph).  Went past the Corn Palace, and Wall Drug.  Also went through the Badlands. Made it to the Flying J truck stop in Rapid City, South Dakota.  804 miles (1293.21 km) today.  Not too shabby!!

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Left real early this morning. Very good day on the road.  No problems anywhere.  Drove from Cartersville, Georgia to Boonville, Missouri almost non-stop.  Pretty tired so I'm going to bed.  I'll hit the road early again tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Left Cartersville TA truck stop this morning and drove down to Caterpillar in Athens, GA.  Loaded two Caterpillar 305E Mini Excavators that are going out to Billings, Montana.

Left there and got in tons and tons of traffic!!  Took forever just to get back to the TA in Cartersville, right where I started this morning.  Will get an early start in tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Had a few nibbles but nothing worth moving for.  Hope tomorrow is better.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Nashville didn't happen so here I sit.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

This morning I moved up to the TA truck stop in Cartersville, Georgia.  Might have a load in Nashville, Tennessee.  Don't know yet. The financial transactions have not all been completed. But just in case, I wanted to be on the north side of Atlanta so that I would not have to deal with all that traffic next week.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Nothing today.  All I did today was get the truck washed.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Left at sunrise this morning and drove in to McDonough, Georgia.  Wasn't very lucky today.  LOTS of bumper to bumper traffic going through Atlanta. Finally made it and delivered the excavator.  When I got there I saw that the amber beacon on the drivers side of the trailer was missing.  When I went back there to see what happened I saw that it had broken at the base and was hanging by the wires.  I cut the wires and put the beacon in the cab to fix later.  Since I didn't have another load yet I went over to the TA truck stop in Jackson, GA.  Both my truck and trailer were due for inspection so I took it to the shop and had that done.  Had them also grease both of them too.  While they were doing that I replaced the beacon on the trailer and also did some preventive maintenance on the two beacons on the back of the truck.  All working as they should now.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Left this morning and drove nonstop, except for that required stupid 30 minute "rest" break.  Here is a video of something that happens all too frequently to everyone in a big truck.  I was doing 70 MPH (112.6 kph) when this idiot did this.

Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Meridian, Mississippi.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

My Texas permit arrived at the perfect time, just when the Beaumont curfew was ending this morning.  So I went on in to Houston and delivered the excavator.  Next load was also in Houston but at a different location.  Went over there and loaded a Caterpillar 329EL Excavator that is going to McDonough, Georgia.

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Baytown, Texas.  Scaled up and found I had guessed wrong.  My weights were a bit off.  

So I pulled around and took off all the chains, moved the machine a bit, put some of the chains back on and got on the scale again.  Perfect this time.  

Found a parking place for the night and finished securing the machine.  I was exhausted!!!  Took a very long shower and went to bed.  I'll eat dinner later.

Monday, May 9, 2016

This morning went over to the Caterpillar dealer in Austin, Texas and loaded a Caterpillar 326FL Excavator that is going to Houston, TX.

Left there and drove to Houston and delivered it.  Next load is in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Drove over there and loaded another Caterpillar 326FL Excavator that is also going to Houston.  

Left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Orange, Texas for the night.  Had to stop because I don't have my Texas permit for this load. Have to wait here in the morning until it comes in.

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Got up real early this morning and did some minor repairs to the truck.  Then off to Wally World (Wal-mart) to restock.  After that stopped at Shipley's Donuts!!!  Warm and delicious!!!!

Friday, May 6, 2016

Left Slidell, LA this morning at sunrise.  Delivered the excavator in Houston, Texas.  Next load is Monday in Austin, Texas.  Another short trip.  I drove over to the TA truck stop in New Braunfels, TX for the rest of the weekend.