Friday, November 17, 2023

 My hotel was fully booked for tonight so I had to check out this morning.  Today I used the shop truck and took a step deck trailer over to McConnellsburg, PA, and loaded a Caterpillar TL642 Telehandler.

Brought it back to the Daily Yard in Carlisle and unloaded it.  Then, I dropped the trailer and put the truck away.  After that was done I went to my new hotel and checked in.  Tomorrow I'll go back to the original hotel for the rest of the weekend. Have a headache tonight.  I'll go to sleep soon and hope it goes away.

Thursday, November 16, 2023

 I left and timed it to get to York, PA at 9 AM.  Just north of York and south of Harrisburg, my dash went nuts!  All kinds of warning lights and check engine lights.  The truck was running fine.  

I went to the Daily Yard in Carlisle.  Talked to the shop and they said my truck had to go to International in Harrisburg for that to be repaired.  I dropped my trailer.  Then we took the truck to Harrisburg and dropped it off.  I checked into the hotel in Carlisle.  I'll be here until it is fixed.  

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

 I left at sunrise this morning.  Some bumper-to-bumper traffic going around Washington DC.  I didn't have my Pennsylvania permit so I stopped at the TA truck stop in Jessup, Maryland to wait for it.  That is the last place to stop before getting to Pennsylvania.  I had just backed into a parking place when my permit came in.  When I tried to print it, the printer broke.  Spent 45 minutes trying to get it to work, but couldn't.  Something was broken inside.  I dropped my trailer there and went down the road to Walmart and bought a new one.  When I returned I hooked back up to my trailer and set up the new printer.  It worked fine.  BUT by this time I couldn't leave because of the curfew in York, PA and Harrisburg, PA.  No place to stop before getting there. SO tomorrow I can't go through York or Harrisburg before 9 AM, because of curfew.  I'll have a very late start in the morning.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

 I was the first one in the gate this morning.  Loaded a Link-Belt 210X4EX Excavator that is going to Skowhegan Maine.

Left there and drove to the Petro truck stop in Kenly, North Carolina for the night.  My back is really hurting tonight.  Glad to be lying down, finally.

Monday, November 13, 2023

 I left in the rain this morning and drove the rest of the way to Medley, FL, and delivered the excavator right when they opened.  Then, I headed toward Pooler, GA for my next load.  Took forever to get out of South Florida today.  Lots of heavy traffic and bumper-to-bumper traffic.  But that was expected during rush hour.  I parked for the night outside the place where I am loading in the morning In Pooler, GA.  609 miles today.

Sunday, November 12, 2023

 Early this morning I drove down to the Flying J truck stop in Ft. Pierce, FL until tomorrow morning.  When I got here there was no line at the truck wash so I washed the truck.  That means it will rain tomorrow.

Thursday, November 9, 2023

 Delivered the Caterpillar stuff in Ocala first thing this morning.  Then drove up to Pooler, GA, and loaded a Volvo ECR 145EL Excavator that is going to Medley, Florida.

Left there and drove to the Daily Yard in Jacksonville, FL for my 10 hours.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

 As soon as my 10 hours were up I left.  Drove 721 miles to the Petro truck stop just north of Ocala.  Stopped with only 4 minutes left on my driving clock today. That's cuttin' it pretty close!!  I'll deliver first thing in the morning.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

 First thing this morning I loaded a few things for a BIG Caterpillar Excavator.  They are going to Ocala, Florida.

Left there and had a pretty good day.  Some bumper-to-bumper traffic in Houston.  Stopped for my 10 hours at the Love's truck stop in Iowa, Louisiana. 

Monday, November 6, 2023

 When the staff arrived to work this morning I got my paperwork signed and I left to head to Victoria, TX for my next load.  It takes 7+ hours to get there from Odessa so I didn't get there in time to load today.  I stayed there for the night and will load first thing in the morning.

Sunday, November 5, 2023

 I left at midnight EDT (11 PM CDT) and drove the rest of the way to Odessa, Texas.  I arrived at about 7 AM CST.  When I got there the gate was open so I went in and unloaded the motor grader.  There were only a few mechanics working in the shop but no one from shipping/receiving was there.  I didn't expect that there would be.  I was surprised that the gate was open.  After unloading I parked just outside the gate to wait until tomorrow morning.

Saturday, November 4, 2023

 I left at about 1:15 EST this morning.  That's the best time to go through Atlanta.  Drove 662 miles today to the Petro truck stop in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Friday, November 3, 2023

 I left early this morning.  Passed a fatality wreck in Georgia.  It was on the south bound side of I-95.  The south bound side was totally shut down.  It was hard to tell what happened but I saw a semi-truck, tank truck, laying on it's side all burned up.  It was bad!  I think there were other cars involved but couldn't tell.  Anyway, I went to Richhmond Hill, GA and delivered the mini excavator right when they opened.  From there I drove to the Port of Savannah and loaded a Caterpillar 140M Motor Grader that is going to Odessa, Texas. 

Left there and drove to the TA truck stop in Jackson, Georgia for my 10 hours.  Going to sleep early so I can start early.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

 Another driver had loaded a mini excavator on a step-deck trailer that was going to Richmond Hill, Georgia.  When he got there to deliver they didn't have a ramp for him to unload. He brought it here to the Jacksonville yard and unloaded it.  I put it on my trailer and will deliver it in the morning on my way to Savannah to load.

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

 

Monday, October 30, 2023

 Left Jackson, GA a half hour after sunrise this morning.  Drove the rest of the way to Lutz, Florida, and delivered the dozer.  Then drove to the Daily Yard in Jacksonville.  Will be here for a few days.

Sunday, October 29, 2023

 Well, the Gators didn't do very well against Georgis yesterday. But no one expected them to anyway.  At least it wasn't a shutout.

I'm glad I stayed put yesterday.  Traffic was still a mess in Chattanooga at 6 pm last night.

When I left this morning it was a lot better.

When I got to the weigh station in Georgia found that I had a flat tire on the truck.  I stayed there and had road service come out to fix it. 

I finally got out of there at 12:30 pm.  Made it around Atlanta without much trouble. BUT south of Atlanta, it took over 30 minutes to go five miles.

Needless to say, I didn't get very far today.  Stopped at the Pilot truck stop in Jackson, Georgia.  Good thing I stopped when I did. I got one of the last 3 parking spaces left.

Saturday, October 28, 2023

 I was going to leave this morning to time it so that I got to Georgia a half hour after sunrise, BUT there was a multi-vehicle wreck in Chattanooga that totally shut down I-24.  Instead of leaving, I went back to bed.  Woke up an hour later and saw that the Interstate was open again so I left.  After getting through Monteagle, Tennessee I saw that the Interstate in Chattanooga was again shut down.  This time a semi rolled over blocking the Interstate.  I stopped at the Love's truck stop in Jasper, TN to wait it out. I'd rather sit in there than on the Interstate.  

Looks like I'm here for the night.  At 2 pm this is what Chattanooga looked like, a parking lot!!

Hope they get that mess cleaned up by tomorrow morning.

Friday, October 27, 2023

 I left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Nothing interesting at all today.  Stopped for the night at the Pilot truck stop in Oak Grove, Kentucky.

Thursday, October 26, 2023

 Arrived at the Caterpillar dealer in Eau Claire just before they opened.  Delivered the wheel loader.  Then drove down to the John Deere plant in Dubuque, Iowa, and loaded a John Deere 750 Dozer with a blade that is going to Lutz, Florida.

Left there and drove to the Daily Yard in Bettendorf, Iowa for the night. Lots of great autumn color up here.