Friday, May 31, 2019

Went over to Pataskala, Ohio first thing this morning.  Loaded a Screener that is going to Covington, Georgia.

I positioned the truck camera to get video of the machine loading but, for some reason, the camera stopped recording just as he was ready to load it.  All I got was some video of it getting in position to load.  Oh well, I tried.

 

Once my Ohio permit came in I left.  Had to stop early today.  Still don't have a Kentucky permit. Stopped just inside Kentucky at the TA truck stop in Walton, KY.  Looks like I'll be here all weekend.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning and made my way over to Murrysville, PA and delivered the wheel loader.  Of course as soon as I got there and started to unchain the machine the heavens opened up and it poured rain.  Didn't stop until the machine was unloaded and I was done.  My next load is over in Pataskala, Ohio.  I left and drove over there.  Passed Three Rivers Stadium (now it's called Hintz Field) where the Pittsburgh Steelers play.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Hebron, Ohio.  When I got there I spent a couple hours fixing a few trailer lights that were out.  Had to replace one light and rewire another.  All good now.

Wewdnesday, May 29, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  Another uneventful day on the road.  Some bumper to bumper traffic going around Washington DC, but it wasn't too bad.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Breezewood, Pennsylvania.  I'll deliver in the morning about 2 to 3 hours from here.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Had a very nice weekend at home, except it was not long enough!!  Oh well, back at it again this morning.  Left a half hour before sunrise.  Very pleasent day on the road.  passed a grass fire that was burning in the median on I-95 in South Carolina.  Fire Department was just arriving as I was passing by it.  In North Carolina I saw a very large "dust devil" in a field just off the roadway.  Was pretty cool to see a mini tornado that close.  Aside from that, nothing else exciting today.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Kenly, North Carolina.

Friday, May 24, 2019

It turns out that there was not a crash on I-95.  There is a huge brush fire at the Duval / Nassau County line.  The smoke was so heavy that they closed I-95 in both directions.  The fire also jumped across the Interstate last night.  I spent the night parked along the shoulder of I-95 just before US-17, exit 380.  Obviously I didn't sleep very well and had nod food.  I-95 was still closed this morning.  They have no idea when it will reopen again.  As soon as my 10 hours was up, and coincidentally, a half hour before sunrise I left and exited the Interstate at US-17 and took that all the way home.  Traffic was horrible and getting worse!  It took a hour and a half to go the 22 miles it took to get to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Glad to be here!!!!!!!!   I'll be here until Tuesday morning.  Hope the fire is under control by then.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Left a half hour after sunrise this morning.  Drove in to the Port of Savannah.  It took them 2 hours to get around to unloading me.  Finally got the thing off my trailer.  Then went to a different area of the Port and loaded a Caterpillar 982M Wheel loader That is going to Murrysville, Pennsylvania.

Left there and headed to the Jacksonville terminal.  Will spend the Holiday weekend home.  Here is another one of those boneheaded drivers.

Stopped at he Petro in Kingsland, Georgia for fuel and get a shower.  I should have stayed there!!  There was a crash on I-95 way down near the Jacksonville Beltway.  The Interstate was closed.  I got into the back up about a mile before the Florida State line.  It took over an hour and a half just to get across the state line.  I ended up parking on the side of I-95 at mile marker 380.  I have no idea how long I'll be here, but it is well after sundown now and there is no signs of anything changing anytime soon.  

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Left this morning a half hour before sunrise.  Great day on the road.  Some bumper to bumper traffic in Nashville and Atlanta.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Atlanta.  While doing my post trip inspection found another flat tire. 

So I checked in at the repair shop ( at 3 pm) and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally they got to work on it.  Here is the culprit!

I got out of there at 7:30 pm. Good night.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

All the tornadic activity yesterday was south and west from where I was.  But I left at 2 am in heavy rain and a lot of wind.  By the time I got to St. Louis the weather had passed me by.  Continued on up to Decatur. Got there just after they opened.  I got loaded pretty fast (for a nice change!!) with a rear axle for a Caterpillar 793F Mining Dump Truck that is going to the Port in Savannah, Georgia. This thing weighs about 57,000 pounds.

Here is what the axle looks like with all the rest of the truck attached to it.

Got out of there in pretty good time.  Drove to the TA truck stop in Mount Vernon, Illinois for the night. 

Looks like more weather is coming tonight.

Monday, May 20, 2019

Left at sunrise this morning.  Had to time my arrival at Kansas City so that I did not get there before curfew at 9 am was over.  Once again, I timed it perfectly.  Went and delivered the dump truck.  Didn't have another load yet so I drove out to the Petro truck stop in Oak Grove, Missouri.  Had lunch and waited. This afternoon I got my next load, it is in Decatur, Illinois tomorrow.  I'll wait here and leave very early in the morning to go over there.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

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.