Saturday, September 3, 2017

The day I have been waiting for since last January is finally here!!!!

Unfortunately it didn't start off the way I would have liked.

Michigan vs Florida

Saturday, September 2, 3:30 PM

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Michigan Wolverines (1-0)

 

33 - 17

Final

Florida Gators (0-1)

	1	2	3	4		Total
Michigan	10	3	13	7		33
Florida	3	14	0	0		17

Friday, September 1, 2017

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  My escort was 45 minutes late so I had to wait at the State line for him.  When he got there we left.  Not too long after we got into Indiana we drove into post tropical cyclone Harvey.  He was still dropping a lot of rain.  Drove the rest of the way in to Louisville, Kentucky.  Had to back inside a building when I got there. 

But it was not a simple straight in shot.  Had to go around a guard rail and a tank.  Did that being 12 feet, 9 inches wide.  That makes the mirrors not very useful since all there is to see is machine.  This is the view after I got inside.

It took about four hours to get the wheels on it and then off my trailer.  Glad we didn't have to do that in the rain!!  Finally got out of there.  My next load is back in Montgomery, Illinois at the same place I got my last load from. Was supposed to load Tuesday but it got pushed back a day until Wednesday.  So I will have an extra long holiday weekend.  I decided not to drive much more today in Harvey's rain since I was in no hurry to get anywhere.  I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Seymour, Indiana.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Went back to Montgomery to Caterpillar this morning.  Fortunately I didn't have to wait too long before they brought my machine back from getting repaired.  Loaded a Caterpillar 826F Compactor that is going to Louisville, Kentucky.  It's wheels and blade have been shipped separately.  The wheels on the machine are only temporary wheels that are used only to move the machine around the plant and property.  They are removed for transport.

Here is what it looks like ready to go.

By the end of next year this plant will be closed.  Caterpillar is moving most of it to Little Rock, Arkansas.  I'm guessing that the oppressive Illinois taxes finally got to be too much for them.

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois for the night.  Tomorrow I'll meet my escort at the Illinois / Indiana State line.  He will be with me to delivery in Louisville.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Went up to Montgomery, IL first thing this morning to load a Caterpillar 326K Compactor.  As It was being put on the trailer I saw a hydraulic fluid leak.  A big one.  Took it back off the trailer and parked it off to the side.  They said that it would be a while before it would be fixed.  They said that in order to get to where it was leaking they would have to take the cab off.  About an hour later they took it back over to the Caterpillar plant across the street to fix.  I waited.  At closing time it still was not back.  I left my trailer there and went back to the TA truck stop in Morris, IL for the night.  Will try again tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Well after sleeping most of the day, I finally got another load.  It is tomorrow up in Montgomery, Illinois.  So I drove up to the TA truck stop in Morris, IL for the night.

Monday, August 28, 2017

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning and drove in to Fenton, Missouri and delivered the excavator.  Don't have another load yet so I went up to the Daily yard in Morton, Illinois for the night.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Left Baltimore at 3 this morning.  Nothing exciting today.  After yesterday, I didn't need exciting.  Although I did pass a nasty truck wreck in Dayton, Ohio.  A semi truck took the curve on the overpass too fast and fell off the bridge.  Other than that, I'm done for the weekend at the Flying J truck stop in Spiceland, Indiana.  That is about 40 miles east of Indianapolis.  Sure am glad I didn't go to Texas!!   Victoria, TX got the eye wall of the hurricane!!

Friday, August 25, 2017

Got up real early this morning to head in to Baltimore.  While doing my pre-trip inspection I found a problem with the air bags in the trailer.  Called road service to come fix it.  Three hours later it was fixed.  The load leveler was broken.  I left and drove in to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  As I was setting up to deliver the machine, A piece of lumber fell on an air line for the trailer and broke it.  While waiting for another road service truck, I was able to unload the machine.  Road service showed up and fixed the air line.  I put everything back on the trailer and went to another area of the Port for my next load.  Got there just before they closed for the weekend.  Loaded a Caterpillar 325F Excavator that is going to Fenton, Missouri.

Left there and went to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night.  Going to get an early start in the morning.  Have to be out of Maryland before noon on Saturday.  I need sleep real bad !!!!  Glad today is over.  Good night!!

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Nothing exciting today.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Grantsville, Maryland.  Will deliver tomorrow.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Left at 3 am this morning and drove to Caterpillar in Montgomery, Illinois and loaded a Caterpillar 824K Wheel Dozer that is going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.

Left there and drove until I ran out of hours.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Crawfordsville, Indiana.  I'm exhausted, and my back hurts.  Good night!!!

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

As soon as my 10 hours off was up, I left Ashland, VA.  Made it through Washington DC without any traffic problems.  That is amazing.  But that's why I waited until 3 am to go through there.  Had a real good day. Drove through three separate very heavy rain storms in western Ohio.  After 668 miles and running out of hours,  I stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Mount Comfort, Indiana.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Left Raphine, VA at sunrise this morning and drove in to Portsmouth, VA to the port and delivered the truck.  My next load is back in Montgomery, Illinois.  Because it took all day to unload, I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Ashland, VA.  As soon as my 10 hours is up, I'm outta here.

Friday, August 18, 2017

Had several goals to meet today.  The first one was to get through the Lexington, KY area before the curfew started.  The second was to get through the West Virginia Turnpike today because they do not allow permitted loads Saturday or Sunday.  The third was to get to the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia.  

As soon as my required ten hours off was up, we left this morning. Made it through Lexington with no problems.  First goal met.  The rest of the day was through the mountains.  Had rain for most of the trip too.  Stopped at a rest area on the West Virginia Turnpike do do that required stupid 30 minute break.  When it was time to go I started out.  There was a truck broken down at the end just before pulling out blocking the only way out.  I had my escort car block off the entrance so no one would come up behind me. Then I had to back all the way out of the rest area then drive through the cars only area to get out.  Got out of that mess and made it off the West Virginia Turnpike.  Second goal met.  Continued on and made it to the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia with less than 30 minutes left on the clock.  Third goal met.  Will be here for the weekend.  417 miles today and was quite a workout for both me and the truck.  I'm exhausted.  Good night.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Went over to Caterpillar first thing this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 775G dump truck that is going to the port in Portsmouth, Virginia.  Then it goes on an ocean cruise to Israel. 

Left there and headed that way.  Picked up my escort car at the Illinois / Indiana state line.  He will be with me until I deliver.  Timed it pretty good and got to Louisville, KY just as curfew ended.  Heavy rain going around Louisville.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Waddy, Kentucky.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

My next load is tomorrow in Decatur, Illinois.  Drove down there today and stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop just down the street from Caterpillar in Decatur.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Left Denver at 11 pm local time.  Chased a thunderstorm all day on I-80.  Made for great lightening viewing.  Finally caught up to it then drove through it east of Omaha.  Stopped at the Pilot truck stop in Des Monies, Iowa when I ran out of hours.  Had only 3 minutes to spare.  Now the thunder storm can catch me.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Went over to Henderson, Colorado first thing this morning and delivered the excavator. Didn't have another load yet so I went back to the truck stop in Denver and got the truck washed.  Then found a place to park and wait.

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Another great day on the road.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Denver, Colorado.  Will be here until Monday morning after curfew.  Deliver not too far from here.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Had to time leaving this morning in order to enter Missouri at 9 am when their curfew was over.  I timed it perfectly again.  Crossed into Missouri at 9 am.  Another great day on the road.  Light traffic, good weather, and all the weigh stations were closed.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Salina, Kansas.

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Left at sunrise this morning.  Started off in the rain but by noon I had driven out of it.  Clear blue sky the rest of the day.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.