Saturday, June 12, 2021

 Left Cartersville, GA a half-hour after sunrise this morning.  Did real well until I got to Kentucky.  About 50 miles from Paducah there was a serious car crash on my side of the Interstate.  Traffic was at a standstill.  I was about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the crash, but I couldn't see it. Two medical helicopters landed on the Interstate while we waited.

After sitting for an hour and forty-five minutes, we were back on our way.  Continued on to the Daily yard in Morton, Illinois for the night.  While there, I made a quick trip over to Walmart to restock a few things.  In spite of sitting on the Interstate for a while, I still drove 640 miles today.

Friday, June 11, 2021

 Checked out of the hotel at 4:30 AM and went to Daily to get my truck.  When I got there the APU was running but the A/C was not.  The control head was showing a fault light.  At least it kept the truck batteries charged and the inverter running so that my fridge was cold.  

Left there at about 5:30 AM and headed to Pooler, Georgia for my load.  Got there at about 7:30 and loaded a Komatsu D39PX Dozer that is going up to Savage, Minnesota.  

Left there at about 9:30 AM.  Did pretty good until I got about 35 miles south of Atlanta.  About 10 to 15 miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic.  Once I made it through that mess, I drove into another mess in Atlanta.

After I made it through the Atlanta mess, I looked at Chattanooga.  It was a mess too.  

I really wanted to get into Tennessee today, but after looking at that I decided to stop at the TA in Cartersville, Georgia for the night.

Thursday, June 10, 2021

 My computer died AGAIN this morning.  Unbelievable!!!!!  Went over to International at about 9:30 AM and lo and behold the truck was finished!!!! I took it to the Daily yard and hooked it up to my trailer.  Turned on the APU with the A/C and inverter to cool off the truck and to get the refrigerator cold again.  Got a ride back to International to get my pickup truck.  Then went to Best Buy and bought another computer.  Don't have time to get the other one fixed, I'll do that later.  Then back to the hotel.  Worked on getting the computer usable for the rest of the day and night. 

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

 Checked out of the hotel this morning after talking to International.  They said that my truck would be ready today. Then I went to International and sat there all day.  They didn't start on my truck until 2:50 PM.  They finished at about 5:30 PM.  While he was backing out of the shop bay, the DEF tank sensor went out and quit working.  They would not be able to work on it until tomorrow morning AND they didn't even know if they had the part.  Back to the hotel, I went. Unbelievable!!!!!!

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

 I'm still sitting in a hotel waiting for my truck to be finished at International.  Although I'm in a different, and much better, hotel.  Hopefully, it will be done tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath.

Thursday, June 3, 2021

 As usual, when I checked into the hotel yesterday my card key didn't work and I had to go back and get another one.  My room wasn't the best room in the place either.  It had a bit of an odor but the A/C worked good. When I got up this morning I found that there was about 2 inches of sewage that had backed up out of the bathtub drain.  I packed up my stuff, went to the front desk, and got a new room.  This one was much better.  Stuff like this almost always happens to me when I get a hotel room.  It is so rare that check-in goes smooth and the room fine. Unbelievable!!!

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

 Went over to International first thing this morning.  They diagnosed the problem quickly.  Has a couple issues.  The bad part is that they are backed up and won't start working on it until Friday, and then it will be there over the weekend.  I had them call the folks in Carlisle to let them make the decision on what to do.  They said to keep the truck until it is finished.  Once again, I'm in a hotel.

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

 Was at the John Deere dealer first thing this morning in Plant City.  Got there before they opened.  The gate was open so I went in and unloaded the mini-excavator and waited for them to open.  Once they got there and I got my paperwork signed, I left and drove over to Pompano Beach.  Shortly after I got started that way the "check engine" light went off.  Arrived at the Dealer in Pompano and unloaded the wheel loader.  Left there and headed north.  After several communications with the shop, they decided to send the truck to an International service center and get it fixed even though the light was off now. So I continued on up to Jacksonville and will go to International in Jax first thing in the morning.

Saturday, May 29, 2021

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left.  That was at 10:45 PM CDT.  Did good until Atlanta.  There was a roll-over crash that had 3 of the 4 lanes blocked.  Finally made it past that.  Just south of Macon my "check engine" light came on.  Have no idea why, everything was fine.  Continued on down to the Flying J truck stop in Dade City, Florida for the rest of today and tonight. I got here before noon.  Drove 680 miles today, 580 yesterday. I'm a little tired so I'm going to bed.  Good night.

Friday, May 28, 2021

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left, which was at 2 AM CDT.  Had rain most of the day.  LOTS of traffic back-ups in Nashville, Tennessee.  I was able to find a way around all of them so they didn't affect me much.  WHEW!!!  Stopped for my required 10 hours off at the TA truck stop just south of Nashville in Antioch, TN.

Here are the photos I tried to show you yesterday.  They were finally was able to upload.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

 Timed it so that I would arrive in Kokomo to deliver first thing this morning.  They were expecting me at 7 AM.  I was early.  Got unloaded very quickly and was on my way to Davenport, Iowa for my next load.  Arrived at about 12:30 CDT.  Loaded a John Deere 26G Mini Excavator that is going to Plant City, Florida.  Also loaded a John Deere 524 Wheel Loader with its bucket and forks.  That is going to Pompano Beach, Florida.  

For some reason, Blogger won't upload photos right now.  I'll try again after I wake up.

I left there and went to the Iowa 80 truck stop for my 10 hours.  I'm really tired and going to sleep very soon.  Good night.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

 Was up at 1 AM and on the road again at 2 AM.  Got stuck in wreck traffic on I-79 just south of I-70 in Washington, Pennsylvania.  Fortunately, it was on the other side.  Our stoppage was from the lookie-loos.

Once I got past that mess there were no other problems, except for the rain in western Ohio. Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Spiceland, Indiana with only 6 minutes left on my clock today.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

 Was up at 1 AM and on the road at 2.  Drove to the Port of Baltimore.  Got there at 9:25 this morning.  I didn't get unloaded until 1 PM.  Then I was reloaded with a crate containing a CNC Machine that is going to Kokomo, Indiana.  It is a bit top-heavy.

Left there but didn't go very far, I was almost out of hours for today.  Went to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night.

Monday, May 24, 2021

 Went over to Caterpillar first thing this morning.  Was first in and first out.  Loaded two struts and a cab for a Caterpillar 789 Dump Truck.  They are going to the Port of Baltimore.

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Hebron, Ohio.  I'll be back at it in 10 hours.

Saturday, May 22, 2021

 Took my time getting started this morning.  Washed the truck before I left.  That means it will rain soon.  Drove to St. Louis.  Had every intention of parking in their parking lot until Monday morning when they opened.  When I got there one of the employees was there doing some work. He accepted delivery!!!!  Much to my surprise.  So I unloaded the wheel loader and headed over to Decatur, Illinois.   Stopped at the Love's truck stop over there for the rest of the weekend.  I load Monday.

Friday, May 21, 2021

 Left Carlisle, PA at 2:45 am.  Drove 683 miles to the TA truck stop in Effingham, Illinois,  stopping only once for fuel.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

 Went up to Kreamer, PA this morning.  It was only about 45 minutes away.  It was in a doozy of a place to get into.  Once there it was a tight fit getting in and out.  Anyway, got unloaded and then went down to Carlisle to the Keen yard for my next load.  Of course, the paperwork was screwed up.  Took 2 hours of sitting there waiting for the office staff to get things straightened out.  Finally got loaded with a Hyundai 655 Wheel Loader that is going down to Maryland Heights, Missouri.  That is a suburb of St. Louis.

Left there and went to the Daily yard in Carlisle for the night.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

 Left Knoxville timing it so that I arrived at the Tennessee / Virginia line right at sunrise.  Continued on up into Pennsylvania.  Stopped at a small truck stop in Duncannon, PA for the night. I can sleep in tomorrow.  Crane to unload won't be ready until about 10:30.  In reality, it will probably be after lunch before I get unloaded.  We shall see.  Hope I'm wrong.  I'm only about 45 minutes away.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

 This morning I was in Coolidge, GA to load at 6:45 AM.  It was not ready yet so I waited.  Finally loaded a Boiler that is going to Kramer, Pennsylvania.

And a small parts box.

Left there at about 9:30.  Had about a 4-mile traffic back up in Atlanta because they had a lane closed for some repairs.  Then north of Atlanta had a 12-mile traffic back up because of a crash.  That seemed like forever to get through!!!!  Continued on to the Petro truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee for the night.

Monday, May 17, 2021

 Went down to St. Augustine first thing this morning and delivered the thing.  Was out of there before 7:30.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Coolidge, Georgia.  I drove to a small truck stop in Thomasville, GA for the night.