Friday, March 3, 2023

 Left a half hour before sunrise this morning with hopes of delivering today.  My hopes were quickly dashed when I figured out how long I had to go to get there.  If Waterloo hadn't screwed up and loaded me when they should have, I would have been able to deliver today.  The weather didn't help much either.  The rain started when I was in Pennsylvania.  By the time I got to Maryland, it was starting to change to snow.  

And it got worse.

Then much worse.  A lot of plows and salt/sand spreaders were out doing the best they could.

Once I started going back down from the highest elevations conditions improved a lot.  As it was, I would get to the Port 15 minutes too late.  So now I have to sit and wait until Monday. Instead of going into that "Hell hole", Baltimore, I stopped for the weekend at a truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland. By the time I got there, it was just raining.  No more snow.

Thursday, March 2, 2023

 Left early this morning and stopped at Iowa 80 on the way because I needed to get some stuff that I knew they had.  Did real good until Indianapolis.  There was a crash on the beltway that had traffic backed up several miles.  I decided to chance it and went around Indy the other way, which was not on my permit route.  I got lucky and made it without getting caught.  Continued on to the Love's truck stop in Springfield, Ohio for the night. Another 586 miles today.

Tuesday, March 1, 2023

 Left real early this morning and drove the rest of the way to Mason City, Iowa, and delivered the excavator stuff.  From there drove to Waterloo, Iowa, and loaded a John Deere 7R 290 Tractor and a couple tires that are going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, Maryland.  It took them an hour and a half to load me.  Ran out of hours so I had to spend the night at the Flying J truck stop just down the road.  522 miles today.

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up, I was back on the road.  Drove straight through the middle of Dallas with no traffic issues at all.  Drove 648 miles today to the Flying J truck stop in Nevada, Missouri.

Monday, February 27, 2023

 Delivered the genset first thing this morning in Corpus Christi.  Next load was up in Victoria, TX.  Drove there and loaded Some stuff from a Caterpillar excavator that is going to Mason City, Iowa.  

From there drove to Richie Brothers Auction in Humble, Texas.  Was to load an excavator bucket that another truck was unable to take when he loaded the machine.  But unbeknownst to us, I needed a loading appointment.  They wouldn't load it without one.  SO, I called my dispatcher and told him of this development.  He said to disregard it and continue on.  They would send someone else to get it.  I left and drove to the Flying J truck stop in New Caney, Texas for my 10 hours.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

 Early this morning I drove to the Flying J truck stop in George West, Texas for the rest of the weekend. Now I can catch up on a LOT of sleep.

Friday, February 24, 2023

 Once again I left when my ten hours were up.  When I started off this morning the temperatures were in the 60s.  Drove through a cold front and watched the temps drop.  By the time I got to Irving, it was in the mid-40s.  Drove to Irving, Texas, and delivered the four parts boxes. Left there and headed towards Corpus Christi, TX where the genset and a parts box will be dropped off.  Stopped for the rest of the day at the Flying J truck stop in Waco, Texas.  Another 626 miles today.

Thursday, February 23, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left and drove to Griffin, Georgia.  I wasn't supposed to load until tomorrow but I got very lucky and was able to load today.  That doesn't happen very often.  Loaded four parts boxes that are going to Irving, Texas and a Caterpillar Genset, and a parts box that are going to Corpus Christi, Texas.

Left there but didn't get too far before the shrink wrap disintegrated.  Had to stop just west of Atlanta and cut it all off.  They did a lousy job wrapping it.

Last night I got an email that said my truck was due for maintenance.  So when I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Meridian, Mississippi I went to the shop and had it done.  635 miles today.  I'm pretty tired tonight.  Good night.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

 Left at sunrise this morning and drove the rest of the way to LaVergne, Tennesse, and delivered the wheel loader.  My next load is Friday morning in Griffin, Georgia.  I'll head that way tomorrow.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop a mile from where I delivered.

Tuesday, February 21, 2022

 Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  LOTS of bumper-to-bumper traffic from south of Houston and all the way through Houston.  Took forever to get through there.  Then more delays from construction!!  Very frustrating morning.  To top it all off, just north of Houston a bird flew into my mirror and knocked off the plastic cover.

Because of all the delays, I didn't get as far as I wanted to today.  I pushed it, against my better judgment, and tried to get a bit more miles instead of stopping when I normally do.  The truck stop that I had in my sights was totally full.  I was lucky to even get back out again.  It was very tight.  So I went to another, and it too was full.  I ended up stopping for the night at a convenience store with some truck parking in the back.  Crap for food options.  

Monday, February 20, 2023

 Went over to the job site in San Antonio this morning and delivered the drill stuff.  My next load was over in Freeport, Texas at the Port.  Drove the 4 1/2 hour drive over there and loaded a Caterpillar 972 Wheel Loader that is going to LaVergne, Tennessee.

Left there but didn't go very far.  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Angleton, Texas.

Saturday, February 18, 2023

 Left early this morning and arrived at the TA truck stop in San Antonio, Texas before 9 AM CST.  Will be here for the rest of the weekend.  deliver Monday morning.

Friday, February 17, 2023

 When my 10 hours were up I left.  It was 70 degrees.  Drove through the rainy cold front going through Alabama.  When I got to Slidell, LA it was 43 degrees and very windy.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Beaumont, Texas.  635 miles today.

Thursday, February 16, 2023

 Drove up to Pembroke, Georgia this morning, stopping along the way to get the truck washed.  Got there at about 7 AM EST.  There was some confusion about what I was supposed to take.  Once that got straightened out I got loaded with a counterweight and a drilling sleeve that are going to a job site in San Antonio, Texas.  

Here is the drill that this goes on.  There is another truck here with 12 axles to load it.  Tomorrow there will be another truck loading some more stuff for this drill too.

After I got loaded I sat there for three and a half hours waiting for them to complete the paperwork.  I wasn't a happy camper.  Needless to say, I didn't get very far today.  Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Smith's Station, Alabama.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

 I left at about 2 AM EST and drove the rest of the way to Boynton Beach.  Delivered the skid steers.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Pembrook, Georgia.  I started off that way and stopped for the night at the Jacksonville yard.  Didn't have enough hours left today to get up to Savannah.  Pembrook is just west of Savannah.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left.  Very good uneventful day on the road.  Drove 660 miles stopping only once for that stupid required 30-minute rest break.  Stopped for my next 10 hours off at the TA truck stop in Lake City, Florida.

Monday, February 13, 2023

 Left real early this morning to beat the Dallas rush hour traffic. Arrived at the delivery site with no problems.  Delivered the excavator. Left there and drove to a Caterpillar dealer in Cleburne, Texas, and loaded two Caterpillar Skid Steers and two buckets, and two forks that are going to Boynton Beach, Florida.

Left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Monroe, Louisianna for the night.  For some reason, I'm really tired tonight.  Phone is off.  Good night.

Saturday, February 11, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up, I left.  Drove 625 miles today stopping only once for that stupid required 30-minute break.  Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the TA truck stop in Terrell, Texas.

Friday, February 10, 2023

 Went over to the Port of Savannah first thing this morning and loaded a Volvo EC160EL Excavator that is going to Fort Worth, Texas.

Left there and was on the road at 9 AM EST.  Had some slow-'n-go traffic just south of Atlanta.  Stopped a little earlier than I wanted because of a fatal crash just east of Birmingham, Alabama.  I stopped at the Love's truck stop in Moody, Alabama.

Thursday, February 9, 2023

 Well, I finally finished everything in Jacksonville so now it's time to get back on the road.  I drove to the TA in Richmond Hill, Georgia for the night.  I load at the Port of Savannah in the morning.