Saturday, April 22, 2023

 Had no traffic issues in Chattanooga or Atlanta today.  Drove to the Love's truck stop in Garden City, Georgia for the rest of the weekend.  Deliver a couple miles from here Monday.

Friday, April 21, 2023

 Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Drove through the weather system we had last night.  Shortly after I got to Tennessee the rain stopped.  I have a feeling it will catch up to me again tonight.  Passed what looked like another fatal car crash this morning.  Had a little bumper-to-bumper traffic in Nashville, but not too bad.  Stopped a little earlier than I wanted.  Chattanooga traffic was backed up most of the way through Chattanooga.  Didn't feel like dealing with that.  Stopped at a very small One 9 Fuel Network (Pilot) truck stop in Wildwood, Georgia for the night.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

 Drove the rest of the way to Mokena, Illinois, and delivered the wheel loader.  I like it when they have a ramp.  I can drive it right off the back and not have to detach the trailer.  It is so much faster that way.  From there I drove down to Decatur, Illinois to the Caterpillar plant and loaded a rear axle for a Caterpillar 789 Mining Dump Truck that is going to Savannah, Georgia.

This is what one looks like all put together.

Just the rear axle weighs 44,520 pounds.  Just imagine how much the entire truck weighs!!  Left there and drove to the Petro truck stop in Effingham, Illinois for the night.  Another 525 miles today.  It got really windy this afternoon.  As I am writing this we are under a severe thunderstorm watch.  I love a good thunderstorm.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

 I left Baltimore at 2:30 AM EDT.  Real good day on the road.  Passed a real bad crash on the eastbound side of I-70 in Indiana.  The eastbound side was completely shut down.  We were stopped briefly while the helicopter landed, picked up someone, and took off again.  

Stopped for the night with 41 minutes left on my clock today at the Love's truck stop in Knightstown, Indiana.  586 miles today.

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

 Got a lot done while I was in Carlisle.  My truck got fixed this morning.  I left there and drove to the Port of Baltimore and loaded Caterpillar 950 Wheel Loader that is going to Mokena, Illinois.  

Didn't have any permits so I went to the TA in Baltimore for the night.

Friday, April 14, 2023

 Once again, I left when my 10 hours were up. That was about 1:30 AM EDT.  Drove the rest of the way to Fredericksburg, Virginia, and delivered the grader.  My next load is at the Port of Baltimore.   I started off that way.  On the way, my truck gave me a warning light on the dash.  I called the Daily shop and they decided to have me go to Carlisle for it to be evaluated and repaired.  I diverted towards Carlisle.  Didn't have enough hours left to get there so I stopped at the TA truck stop in Greencastle, Pennsylvania for my next 10 hours off. 631 miles today.

Thursday, April 13, 2023

 When my 10 hours were up, I left.  Had a very good and uneventful day on the road.  666.8 miles today.  Stopped for my next 10 hours off at the Petro truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

 Left about 45 minutes before sunrise this morning.  Drove the rest of the way to Texarkana, Arkansas, and delivered the dump truck.  My next load was on the other side of the Interstate at the Caterpillar dealer.  Loaded a Caterpillar 120 Motor Grader that is going to Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Didn't have a lot of options on places to park for the night.  Stopped at a convenience store with a few truck parking places out back for the night.

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

 I left the Jacksonville yard a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Last night I got an email that said that my truck was due for an oil change.  I stopped at the Love's truck stop in Milton, Florida, and had it done.  From there I drove to the Love's truck stop in Biloxi, Mississippi for the night.

Monday, April 10, 2023

 This afternoon I went over to the Port of Jacksonville and loaded a Volvo A25G Dump Truck that is going to Texarkana, Arkansas.  While I was securing it to the trailer noticed that I had a flat tire on the trailer.  

Called the shop and got road service started my way.  Finished securing the machine then limped outside the Port gates for the guy to fix my tire.

When that was done I went back to the yard in Jacksonville for the night.

Saturday, April 8, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I drove home to Jacksonville for the weekend.

Friday, April 7, 2023

 I left this morning to time it so that I got to Georgia a half hour after sunrise.  Had no problems going around Atlanta.  Some slow n' go traffic south of Atlanta though.  Continued on down to Chiefland, FL, and delivered the tractor.  From there I went to the TA truck stop in Lake City, FL for the night.  Another 600 miles today.  

Thursday, April 6, 2023

 Left about an hour before sunrise this morning. Had a pretty good day.  Got another 605 miles behind me.  In Kentucky, I got stuck in a bit of a traffic backup caused by a semi-truck crash that they were cleaning up.

Don't know how anyone could survive that.  Made it through Nashville with minimal traffic problems.  WHEW!!!!  Continued to the Love's truck stop in Christiana, Tennessee for the night.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

 When I left at 11 PM CDT from Concordia it was 76 degrees Fahrenheit (24.4 Celsius).  We didn't get any more weather, it just got very windy.  I drove through the cold front on my way.  When I got to Waterloo it was 38 F (3.3 C).  I was 18th in line to load this morning.  When it was finally my turn, I loaded a John Deere 8R 280 tractor and four tires that are going to Chiefland, Florida.

I only had enough time left to drive to Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcot, Iowa.  Will be here until tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left.  Drove the rest of the way to Sedalia, Missouri, and delivered the track loader.  From there I went to the TA truck stop in Concordia, Missouri.  668 miles today.  I had only 8 minutes left on my driving clock when I stopped.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Waterloo, Iowa.  Supposed to get some really bad weather tonight.  Right now, as I'm writing this, we are under a severe thunderstorm warning.  It rained some and we had some pea-sized hail but it has since stopped - for now. The rest of the night should be interesting.

Here are last month's adventures.

Monday, April 3, 2023

 This morning I drove over to Ephrata, PA, getting the truck washed on the way.  Loaded a Caterpillar 963K Track Loader that is going to Sedalia, Missouri.

This was supposed to be a permit load but it turned out not to be.  I like that!!!  Left there and had a good day on the road.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Millersport, Ohio.  Glad to be here.  My back is a mess tonight.  Hope it is better tomorrow.

Friday, March 31, 2023

 Left at sunrise this morning.  Traffic was heavy all day.  Lots of RVs and Canadian cars heading north.  The snowbird migration is in full swing!  LOTS of bumper-to-bumper and stop n' go traffic today.  Thought I'd never get to Myersville!!  But I did and delivered the dump truck.  From there I drove up to the "home office" in Carlisle for the weekend.  I load Monday not too far from here.  Glad today is over!!!

Thursday, March 30, 2023

 I left Vero Beach at 3 AM EDT and drove to the Port of Jacksonville.   Loaded a Caterpillar 730 Dump Truck that is going up to Myersville, Maryland.

Left there in real good time.  Heavy traffic on I-95 all day.  In South Carolina had a lot of stop n' go traffic.  Also had two construction detours.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Dunn, North Carolina. 646 miles today.

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

 Left at 11:00 PM EDT last night.  Drove to Cutler Bay and delivered the mini-excavator.  Was out of there by 6:30 AM.  Beat the traffic going in, but not coming back out.  Lots of bumper-to-bumper and slow 'n go getting back out of Miami.  My next load is in Jacksonville.  I stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Vero Beach, FL.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up, I left.  Drove 716 miles today stopping only once for that required 30-minute break.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Brunswick, Georgia with only 3 minutes left on my available driving time clock.  Not too shabby!!