Friday, January 15, 2021

 I was up at 2 and on the road by 3 am this morning.  Arrived in Austin to deliver the thing at 7 am.  Didn't have another load yet, and my dispatcher didn't answer my email, so I headed toward Houston.  After about an hour and a half later he sent me my next load information.  I load Monday in Baytown, Texas.  At least I was heading in the right direction.  I was due for an inspection so I went to the TA truck stop in Baytown and got that done.  After that, I went to the Daily yard in Houston for the rest of the weekend.

Thursday, January 14, 2021

 This morning I went over to load.  It was about 20 miles from The Big Texan.  Loaded on Pantax property.  There are these signs everywhere.  Pantex is a place where nuclear weapons are assembled and disassembled.  NO photographs and they are very serious about it. 

Loaded a Trex Vibrating Machine that is going to Austin, Texas.  It is the only one in the USA.  There are only three others in the world and they are in Russia. I have no idea what they use it for.  I didn't ask any questions.

Had to take my photos at the Pilot where I scaled.  Left there and drove to the Flying J truck stop in Tye, Texas.  That is just outside of Abilene.  Dyess Air Force Base is in Abilene.  They were flying B-1B Bombers.  They went right over our heads at the truck stop.  They were so loud that car alarms were going off in the parking lots and my truck shook every time they went over.  Really cool thing to see.

Internet Photo

Since I am only overweight I can drive at night.  I'll be leaving here very early in the morning.

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

 Left a half-hour before sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to Grand Prairie, TX, and delivered the dozer.  My next load is up in Panhandle, Texas.  That is just east of Amarillo.  You know what that means??!!!!   I drove straight to the Big Texan in Amarillo for dinner and to spend the night.

I had a 24 oz. porterhouse steak that was excellent!!!  Ate it all!!

One of my favorite places to eat.

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

 Left real early this morning and drove to Park City, Kansas. Got there a little before they opened.  That gave me time to get set up.  When they got there they loaded a Caterpillar D6T dozer that is going to Grand Praire, Texas (Dallas suburb).  Got it all ready to go but had to wait until 9 am until the Wichita curfew was over. 

Left there and headed south.  Met my Oklahoma Pilot Escort Car at the Kansas/Oklahoma line.  He fell in behind me as we continued on.  Stopped and scaled along the way.  I was a bit too heavy on my drive axles so I had to move the machine back some to get it right.  Finished that and continued on.  At the Oklahoma/Texas state line my escort car dropped off and I continued on solo.  Stopped for the night at a very small truck stop, more like a convenience store with a few truck parking places, in Valley View, Texas.

Congratulations Alabama !!!!!!!!

 

Monday, January 11, 2021

We got about 3 inches of snow yesterday.   Today at about noon eastern time, 11 central, I got my next load.  It is up in Park City, Kansas.  I started off that way.  The brilliance of the office scheduled my Oklahoma escort car for today.  He called me shortly after I entered Oklahoma from Texas and said he was at the Oklahoma/Kansas line waiting for me.  I hated to tell him that I wouldn't be there until tomorrow.  He understood.  I stopped for the night at a truck stop in Tonkawa, Oklahoma.  I'm about an hour away.  I'll be there when they open in the morning.

Friday, January 8, 2021

 Since the restaurant is closed at the Petro, this morning I moved to the Love's truck stop a few miles down the road in Hillsboro, TX.  There are several food options within walking distance available here.  It looks like I'll be here for the weekend.  My wonderful dispatcher is not answering any of my emails so I have no idea when I'll be moving again.  The local weather report is for snow Sunday.  They say possibly 1 to 2 inches.  

Thursday, January 7, 2021

 I really don't like the Dallas South TA truck stop. Very busy place and the staff are, well...to be polite, not the highest caliber of people. The food choices are poor too. Plus they gouge the Hell out of drivers. 

Parking at the Dallas South TA truck stop.

Since I didn't get another load today I moved down the Interstate about 50 miles to the Petro at Carl's Corner, Texas where the parking is free, as it should be.  Didn't know it when I left, the restaurant is closed here at the Petro.  The only thing here is a Dunkin' Donuts that is only open from 4 am to 4 pm.  Just great!!!  This stupid COVID crap is really getting old.  

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

 Left at 3 am this morning and drove straight through to Dallas, Texas.  Had no traffic issues at all.  Delivered the wheel loader.  Don't have another load yet so I went over to the TA truck stop in Dallas (south) for the night.  688 miles today.

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

 I left Jacksonville very early this morning.  Drove up to Newberry, South Carolina.  My loading appointment was at 9 am.  I got there at 8:30 and went right in.  Loaded a Komatsu WA320-8 Wheel Loader that is going to Dallas, Texas.

Got out of there in real good time.  Had some bumper to bumper traffic in Atlanta.  Other than that, no problems.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Lincoln, Alabama.  That is just down the street from the Talladega Superspeedway. Drove 634 miles today.

Monday, January 4, 2021

 Got my next load this afternoon.  It loads tomorrow in Newberry, South Carolina.  I was going to go up there this afternoon but when I was doing my pre-trip inspection found a flat tire on the trailer.  So I had the tire guy come out and fix it.  Too late to go tonight so I'll leave real early in the morning to go up there.

Friday, January 1, 2021

 

Saturday, December 19,2020

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I got back on the road heading north.  Drove to the International dealer in Jacksonville to get the 5th wheel cylinder replaced. I arrived right at 7:30 when they opened.  About an hour and a half and I was out of there.  All fixed.

Then drove to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Going to move a few trailers over to the Port of Jacksonville tomorrow.  More on that tomorrow.  Otherwise, I'm home for the holidays and a bunch of doctor's appointments.

Friday, December 18, 2020

 Left a half-hour before sunrise this morning.  Did pretty good time-wise until I got to south Florida.  Had several bumper to bumper traffic episodes down there.  My permit route had me do a "U" turn in the middle of heavy (and it was heavy too) Miami traffic. What the heck were they thinking!!!!!!??????  I just had to barge my way through because nobody was going to let me do a "U" turn.  

In the process of the "U" turn, a tire on the trailer blew out.  I continued on to my destination. When I got there, in the process of detaching the trailer, I flipped the switch to unlock my sliding 5th wheel.  The cylinder blew out!!!  Are we having fun yet???

I was still able to deliver the excavator.  Called the shop and they sent a tire guy to fix the tire problem. The 5th wheel issue can wait.

Over three hours later I was out of there and heading north.  This time a LOT more bumper to bumper traffic sporadically from there until I got well north of West Palm Beach.  Thought I'd never get moving!!!  Once I got past all that I drove up to the TA truck stop in Vero Beach for the night.  

Thursday, December 17, 2020

 Was worried that the fog this morning would delay my start for a few hours.  Fortunately, the fog had lifted just enough so that I could go at sunrise as planned.  Drove 515 miles down to the TA truck stop on the south side of Jacksonville, Florida for the night.  

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

 Got unloaded first thing this morning then headed for Kernersville, NC.  Saw quite a few Ohio and West Virginia road department trucks were staged and ready for the snow that was coming.  

The weather didn't start until I got south of I-70.  Started off as snow.  Didn't stick to the roads.  After a while, it changed to snow/rain mix.  Then some sleet.  And for the rest of the day until I got to North Carolina, rain.  I passed three big truck wrecks today on the way south.  The roads never did cover over or get slick.  Because of that, I was able to make it all the way to Kernersville just in time to be the last machine that they loaded today.  BOY did I get lucky!!!!  Loaded a John Deere 250GLC Excavator that is going to Miami, Florida.

After securing it to the trailer I pulled out front and parked for the night.  I'll be able to get a good start in the morning.  Hopefully, with luck, I'll be able to deliver this on Friday.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

 This morning went over to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  Loaded a blade for a Caterpillar D8 Dozer, the swing arms, and a parts box.  All going to a landfill in Dover, Ohio. 

I tried to make it a legal load (not needing permits) and thought I had it.  But it didn't work.  When I started to move the blade shifted.  Had to go back and have the forklift re-position it.  Now it was a permit load.  Oh well, I tried.  Left there and drove straight through to Dover, Ohio landfill, 408 miles.  There was plenty of room for me to park overnight.  There is a snow/ice storm on the way.  I pushed it hard to get there.  Didn't want to be stuck at a truck stop an hour or less away.  At least when I'm empty I can still drive in the snow or ice.  Can't with a permit load.  So I will get empty first thing in the morning.  My next load is in Kernersville, North Carolina.  That puts me driving right through the heart of the snow/ice storm through the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and North Carolina in the morning.  Tomorrow will be an interesting day.

Monday, December 14, 2020

 Didn't get my next load until noon.  It is up at the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  I left and drove to the TA truck stop in Baltimore. Rained all the way.  Had some bumper to bumper traffic in several places in the Washington DC area.  Didn't get up there in time to be able to load today, plus I didn't get the paperwork needed until 4 this afternoon.  So, I'll go over first thing in the morning and load.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

 The Country Pride Restaurant at this TA truck stop is closed.  So stupid!!!!   I wasn't about to sit there all weekend and eat Popey's Chicken and Pizza Hut.  This morning I fueled up and left.  Stopped at Wal-Mart and restocked a few things,  Then drove up to the Flying J truck stop in Ruther Glen, VA.  It was only 22 miles up the Interstate.  They have a fully functioning Denny's restaurant and a Cinnabon.   I'll stay here until they figure out where to send me next.  

Friday, December 11, 2020

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left this morning.  Drove to Mechanicsville, Virginia, and delivered the excavator.  Fortunately no traffic issues today!!  I do not have another load yet so I went to the TA truck stop in Ashland, VA to wait.  After two unanswered emails to my dispatcher, I still have nothing.  I guess I'll be here for the weekend.