Saturday, May 18, 2019

Left at 2:15 this morning. I couldn't go into Indiana until a half hour before sunrise.  I was three minutes early getting to Indiana.  Timed it pretty good.   I drove very s-l-o-w-l-y across the bridge into Indiana.  Had a great day on the road.  Did 585 miles today.  Stopped at the TA truck stop in Foristell, Missouri when I ran out of hours.  Had only 15 minutes left when I finished.  Will be here until Monday morning.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Was up at 2 am and on the road at 2:45.  It is so nice to be able to get out of Baltimore long before all the traffic starts up. But still had to time it so that I didn't get to West Virgiinia before sunrise.  Nice day on the road, nothing exciting, just all the ups and downs through the western Maryland and West Virginia mountains.  Drove to the Flying J truck stop in Catlettsburg, Kentucky for the night. Ran out of hours.  I'll get another early start in the morning.  Kentucky is another state that I can drive at night in, so I'll time it so that I cross into Indiana a half hour before sunrise. Turning the phone off again and going to sleep very soon, I'm tuckered out!!

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Was on the road at midnight.  Drove the rest of the way to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  Got there an hour before they opened.  When they opened, I loaded a Volvo A40G Articulating Dump Truck that is going to Kansas City, Kansas.

After I finished loading, I went to the TA truck stop in Baltimore.  I was basically out of hours for the day.  I was parked before 10 am.  Got a well deserved (needed) shower, some lunch, and now going to sleep.  Turning the phone off again!!!   Good night.

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to Londonderry, New Hampshire and delivered the excavator.  Was empty before my dispatcher got to work!! Don't have another load yet but headed toward Baltimore anyway.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Maybrook, New York.  I'm really tired so the phone is turned off and I'm going to sleep now.  Good night!!!

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Left real early this morning.  Got to Pennsylvania right at sunrise.  Then beat the Harrisburg curfew.  Continued on up to New York.  Crossed the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge without having to stop (for a change).  I was just under the weight limit so I could go right across.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Willington, Connecticut for the night.

Monday, May 13, 2019

Got unloaded very quickly this morning.  My next load is back in Baltimore, Maryland at the Port.  Drove down there.  Got to the Port to check in one minute too late.  They go to lunch at 11:30, I got there at 11:31.  Had to wait to check in an hour and a half for them to come back from lunch.  UNIONS!!!!!  Then loaded a Caterpillar 326FL Excavator that is going up to Londonderry, New Hampshire.

Left there and went over to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night. 

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Was on the road at 2:45 am in the rain. It is so nice driving at night, no traffic!!  Drove all the way to where I'm delivering tomorrow morning in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Left a half hour before sunrise.  Nothing exciting today, just a nice day on the road.  Stopped for the night at a truck stop in Grantsville, Maryland.  Will get a very early start tomorrow.

Friday, May 10, 2019

Left at 3 am this morning and drove the rest of the way to Creve Coeur, Illinois. That is were the new Dozers from the plant are stored for shipping by either truck or by train.  Got there just before they opened.  Loaded a Caterpillar D6 Dozer that is going to Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

Got out of there in really good time.  Drove to the Flying J truck stop in Spiceland, Indiana for the night.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

After the Louisville curfew was over at 9 am I left and drove to the power plant in Rockport, Indiana. No, it is not nuclear, it is coal.

Internet Photo

Have you ever wondered what it looks like under one of those big cooling towers at a power plant?  Well, here it is.  That is a fine spray of water cascading down, and a lot of it too!!!

Close Up

Here is what it looks like when it is inactive.

Close Up

I delivered the motor.  Was supposed to reload right there with another motor and take it back to where I got this one from.  Unfortunately, the crane that they were going to use to lift the old motor was broken.  The old motor won't be ready to go until next week sometime.  So I left there and headed toward a truck stop.  Drove over to the TA truck stop in Mount Vernon, Illinois.  Got my next load assignment, it is up in Creve Coeur, Illinois.  That is right next to Peoria.  I'll leave here very early in the morning.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Found out that my refrigerator quit working.  Went over to the truck wash at 2 am and got the truck washed, I was 3rd in line.  At 3 am I was done and left to continue my journey to South Charleston, West Virginia.  Got there at 7:30 and loaded a water pump motor that is going to a power plant in Rockport, Indiana.

The reason it is up on blocks is that there is a part that sticks out under it.

Then it had to be tarped.

Left there and headed toward Indiana.  Stopped along the way and bought a new refrigerator.  Then drove to the Flying J truck stop in Waddy, Kentucky.  Couldn't go any further because I didn't have an Indiana Permit yet.  While doing my post trip inspection I found I had a flat tire.  There is a  place on the other side of the Interstate that can fix it, but there were 3 others ahead of me.  So I waited at the Flying J.  Went inside to the Denny's to have dinner.  They sat me, left a menu, and never came back.  I watched several other people get seated, their drinks brought and their orders taken.  Me?...nothing!!!  Once again I was ignored.  I'm exhausted, my back hurts, and I'm very hungry.  I did not need that tonight.   I let them know how I felt as I walked out - like they really care!!  I'll figure out where to eat later.  My Indiana permit finally came in, but too late to go anywhere.  

Here is the culprit of my flat tire.

I finally gt to bed at 8:30.  Good night!!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Got my truck and trailer back this morning.  Left Carlisle and started off toward my next load which is down in South Charleston, West Virginia.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia.  Will go to sleep very early tonight and get up very early in the morning.  I'm still about 3+ hours away.

Monday, May 6, 2019

My truck is still in Kenworth.  They say it should be done tomorrow.  My trailer looks like it is done.  But I'm still in the hotel. 

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Took the truck to Kenworth to get some things fixed.  Got a rental car and a hotel room for the weekend.  There was some kind of street festival in Carlisle today so I went over there for a little while.  Left when my back gave out.  Tomorrow is laundry day.  Have a "boat load" of laundry to do.

Friday, May 3, 2019

Left at sunrise and drove the rest of the way up to Buffalo.  Rain off and on all day. Fortunately it was not raining when I delivered the excavator.  They were having an open house today and everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  But I finished unloading and was leaving when the guests were starting to arrive.  Drove back down to the "home office" in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  Will be here for a bit.  Taking the truck over to Kenworth first thing tomorrow morning to get the APU fixed.  I'm very tired and my back hurts so I'm going to sleep now.  Good night.

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Left at 3 am this morning.  My strategy to beat the traffic worked.  Drove to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  As I unhooked the air lines from the trailer one of them snapped in half.  Fortunately I was able to complete loading.  A service truck came out and fixed the air line.

While he fixed my air lines, I finished securing the Link Belt 350X Excavator that is going to Buffalo, New York.

Left there and met my Maryland pilot escort car at the Port gate.  Had a little bit of bumper to bumper traffic on the Baltimore beltway.  When I passed into Pennsylvania my escort car dropped off.  Stopped for the night at a small convenience store that had a pretty good restaurant and truck parking in Trout Run, Pennsylvania.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way into the Port at Portsmouth, Virginia and delivered the Dozer.  My next load is up in Baltimore, Maryland at the Port.  Started that way but stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Ashland, Virginia.  I just didn't feel like battling the Washington DC traffic.  I'll go to sleep very early and get started very early in the morning to try to beat the madness.

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  Drove to I-77, exit 89 and waited there for my bridge escort and WV Bridge Monitor.  My appointment with the monitor was for 10:30.  I was way early.  My escort arrived and we waited.  Once my bridge monitor arrived we left.  Had to go across a bridge at mile marker 83 at 30 MPH and alone on the bridge.  They held back traffic as I crept across the bridge.  Once across, they opened the road up again and They dropped off as I continued on.  My Virginia permit didn't come in until I was well inside Virginia.  I stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Raphine, Virginia.  After my shower I went into the restaurant for dinner.  The server brought me a glass of water and a menu.  She never came back.  I waited, and waited, and waited some more.  I really hate being ignored!!!!  I got up and left.  Walked across the road to a BBQ place and had a half rack of some of the best ribs I have had in a long time!!!  They were great!!!!!  If everything goes right, I should deliver tomorrow.

Monday, April 29, 2019

My West Virginia permit didn't come in until this afternoon too late to go anywhere.  I'll leave here tomorrow morning.  Have to have a bridge monitor in about 90 miles.  He/she is scheduled for 10:30 tomorrow morning.  So, another day of sitting.  I'll leave here in the morning.  Still don't have a Virginia permit. Hope it comes in tomorrow morning.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Well, two nights ago at 1 am my APU decided to quit working.  I have been idling the truck since then.  I left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  Nothing exciting today.  Still do not have my West Virginia or Virginia permits so I could not go as far as I would have liked to go today.  I stopped at a dumpy truck stop in Mineral Wells, West Virginia until I get a WV permit.  Also sometime today some of my trailer lights quit working.  I couldn't find the problem so I had someone come out to fix them.  He was able to get most of them working but it will have to be looked at in more detail some other time.  He did the best he could.  Unable to get under the trailer to see the last 2 nonworking lights wiring. Hopefully WV permit will come in early but delivery Monday won't happen now.