Friday, April 27, 2018

Was at Cummins in Harrisburg, PA at 6 am this morning, in the rain.  Good thing I washed the truck yesterday otherwise it might not have rained!!  They took my truck in and did whatever they needed to do for the recall.  I think they replaced the fuel pump.  Left there a little after noon and went back to Daily.  They did service on my APU and a few other things.  The trailer shop had my trailer inside and I explained a few issues to them so they could address them.  I also got some more chains and binders.  I didn't think I quite had enough.  When the shop was finished with my truck I parked it.  Took the company car to the laundry and did a few loads.  All my chores are done so I can relax until Sunday morning.  Then I'll go to Baltimore so I can be there to pick up my next load at the Port first thing Monday morning.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Left at sunrise this morning.  Drove up to State College, PA and delivered the wheel loader.  From there drove down to the "home office" in Carlisle, PA.  Stopped on the way and had the truck and trailer washed.  Have to have some work done on the trailer.  Tomorrow I have to have the truck at Cummins in Harrisburg to have some work done on it.  There is a recall on the fuel pump.  After that I have more work to be done on it back at the Daily truck shop.  Tomorrow looks like it will be a long day.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Left at sunrise this morning.  Started raining shortly after I got started and continued for most of the day.  Absolutely amazing day!!  Made it through Richmond, Virginia and all the way through the Washington DC area, in the rain, with NO traffic issues!!!  That just doesn't happen, especially in the rain!!!!  I really need to but a lottery ticket!!!  My Maryland pilot escort car met me right on time at the Virginia / Maryland state line and dropped off when I passed into Pennsylvania.  I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Breezewood, Pennsylvania.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Was at the Port of Savannah first thing this morning and, as usual, there was a paperwork problem.  Once that was taken care of I loaded a Caterpillar 982 Wheel Loader that is going up to State College, Pennsylvania. 

Left there and headed north.  South Carolina has a long detour for all loads over 100,000 pounds on I-95 north of I-26 all the way past Florence.  Took forever to get through it.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Kenly, North Carolina.  

Monday, April 23, 2018

Delivered the excavator first thing this morning in Ocala, Florida.  Next load is tomorrow up in Savannah, Georgia at the Port.  Went up there stopping at the Daily yard in Jacksonville on the way.  Had a mechanical issue with the trailer to get fixed.  When that was done I continued on up there.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, Georgia.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Drove to the Petro truck stop in Orange Lake, Florida this morning.  I'll deliver a few miles from here Monday morning.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Left at sunrise this morning.  Pretty good day on the road.  Made it through Baton Rouge, LA with no bumper to bumper traffic.  That is rare!!  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Marianna, Florida.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Went to Caterpillar in Victoria, Texas first thing this morning.  For a very nice change everything went smoothly this morning.  Loaded a Caterpillar 336F Excavator that is going to Ocala, Florida.

I was out of there before 9 am.  Not too long after I got on the road traffic came to a stand still because of a wreck up ahead. Earlier a flat bed semi truck carrying train wheels crashed dumping all the train wheels all over the place.  Fortunately my luck was holding and they started to let traffic go through just a few minutes after I got there.  They had removed the truck but were still picking up the train wheels.

Continued on without any problems.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop.  Did three loads of laundry tonight.  Glad that's done!!!

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Left at sunrise this morning and drove over to Prairieville, LA and delivered the dozer.  Next load is tomorrow in Victoria, Texas.  I drove that way.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Ganado, Texas.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Left the Daily yard in Jacksonville a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Had an excellent day on the road.  Traffic was light most of the day and the weather was perfect.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Hammond, Louisiana. 

Monday, April 16, 2018

Went up to Pooler, GA first thing this morning.  As usual there was a problem with the paperwork (I had nothing to do with the problem, it was all at their end) and I had to wait for over an hour and a half for it to get straightened  out.  So I went from second in line this morning to being last to get loaded.  Finally got loaded with a Caterpillar D6T Dozer that is going to Prairieville, Louisiana.

Left there but because of the delay this morning, I didn't get very far.  I stopped for the night at the Daily yard in Jacksonville, Florida.  Had to have some minor trailer repairs too so it was a good thing to stop here for the night.

Friday, April 13, 2018

Left this morning a half hour after sunrise. Didn't have too much trouble in Atlanta.  Traffic was very heavy and some slow downs and a little bumper to bumper.  It is always interesting in heavy traffic when I am wider than the travel lane.  Made it to the Port of Savannah and delivered the dump truck.  Here is an edited video of me unloading it.

My next load is Monday morning in Pooler, Georgia.  I went to the TA truck stop in Richmond Hill, Georgia for the rest of the weekend.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  About 45 minutes before I got to Kentucky I got a call from my new escort.  The one scheduled had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night and wasn't coming today.  The good news was that the new one was on his way to meet me.  He arrived at the state line about 30 seconds before I did so I didn't have to stop and wait.  Great day on the road.  weather was perfect.  Only had a minor slow down in Nashville.  Once I got to the Georgia state line my escort dropped off and I continued on.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Cartersville, GA.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

This morning I drove the rest of the way in to Caterpillar in Decatur, Illinois.  Took forever for them to get around to loading me, but finally got loaded with a Caterpillar 772G Dump Truck that is going on an ocean cruise from the Port of Savannah, Georgia.  My gross weight is about 129,000 pounds (58,513 kg).

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois for the night.  Tomorrow I pick up my rear escort car at the Illinois / Kentucky state line.  He will be with me until I get to Georgia.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Getting my reset out of the way so tomorrow I will load in Decatur.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Left this morning and drove up to Indianapolis, Indiana and delivered the Wheel Loader.  Don't have another load yet so I started off west on I-74.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Champaign , Illinois.  That is a good spot to wait.  Decatur, Peoria, and Montgomery are not too far from here. Chances are pretty good that I'll go to one of those.  If I was to place a bet, I'd bet on Decatur.  We will see.

Sunday, April 8, 2018

I wasn't planning on going anywhere today, but I changed my mind.  I  left this morning around 10 am.  Drove up to London, Kentucky to a truck stop there.  I had about a 110 mile detour in Kentucky and that's where it started.  While in the detour route I have to have an escort car.  We were planning on meeting tomorrow but he was available today, so I waited for him to get there.  When he arrived we left.  When we finished the detour he dropped off and I continued on to the Flying J truck stop in Waddy, Kentucky for the night.

Saturday, April 7, 2017

Left this morning and drove in very heavy traffic all day.  All the spring break people are going back home and really clogging up the Interstate.  Stopped at the Petro truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee until Monday.

Friday, April 6, 2018

Left the Daily yard this morning and drove up to Pooler, Georgia and delivered the crane.  Then went over to the Port of Savannah and loaded a Caterpillar 982M Wheel Loader that is going up to Indianapolis, Indiana.  Had one Hell of a time getting that thing loaded.  For some reason I just couldn't seem to get it centered on the trailer.  After about two hours, I finally got it.  Very frustrating!!

Left there and drove to a truck stop in Pulaski, Georgia for the night.  Once again I'm exhausted and hurt all over.  Good night.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Went over to Richie Brothers at 8 am when they opened.  Once again, there was no key to the machine.  They borrowed one from another machine so I could load.  Went to the machine, the key worked.

This is how the machine is when I get to it, yesterday's machine was the same way. Sorry that the focus didn't work very well.

Loaded it on my trailer.

Left there and immediately upon entering I-4 it was very slow bumper to bumper traffic.  Took an hour to go 20 miles.

 It was pretty much slow bumper to bumper all the way past the attractions, Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World. Cleared a bit then all the way through Orlando it was back to bumper to bumper.  Finally cleared just south of Sanford.  Did pretty good until about 15 miles south of the Jacksonville Beltway, I-295.  There was a wreck that caused a 15 mile back up.  Sat in that for a while.  Finally cleared that mess.  Then more bumper to bumper traffic for about 5 miles on the South Beltway.  Cleared that.  Then just past one of the exits that I take to get to the Daily yard in Jacksonville, traffic came to a very rapid stop.  When I braked real hard the machine shifted and fell off the blocks it was sitting on.  Fortunately it stayed on the trailer and all the wheels were still off the ground.  I slowly drove to the next exit and headed for the Daily yard.  When I got there, I took off all the chains and raised the machine, re-positioned the trailer under it, put new blocks under it and set it back down.  Chained it down again.  Good to go now.  Didn't damage anything.  Replaced the wood that broke too.  Stayed here for the night.  I'm exhausted, my back and feet are very sore.  Good night!!