Saturday, January 13, 2024

The local news said that the crash that for hours shut down both north and southbound bound lanes of I-57 in Ina, Illinois yesterday was caused by two cars and a semi-truck colliding and catching fire.  There were injuries, but according to the newscast, no fatalities.  At 9 PM last night, the northbound side was open but the southbound side was still closed.

 I left a half hour before sunrise this morning. That mess had been cleaned up and I didn't see any signs of it.  It was windy with blowing snow today.  Blue skies above.  Roads were pretty good until the northern part of Illinois.  North of Bloomington The crosswind was very, very strong.  Lots of blowing snow from west to east.  Between I-80 and I-88 on I-57, the road was very icy to go along with the severe crosswinds and blowing snow.  There were wrecks everywhere!!  Made it through there and continued on the the Caterpillar dealer in Milwaukee where I'll deliver Monday morning.  They are still plowing the parking lot here.  Hard to tell exactly how much snow is on the ground here, but it is at least a foot.

Friday, January 12, 2024

 I left a half hour after sunrise this morning.  Heavy wind to start the day.  Didn't start raining hard until I got to Tennessee.  Then it rained hard all the way through.  Surprisingly, I didn't have any traffic issues all day, not even through Nashville. Made it all the way up into Illinois.  Then I had to stop earlier than I wanted to because it looked like I-57 was shut down in Ina, Illinois.  Have no idea why, but I didn't want to get stuck in that,

I stopped for the night at the  Love's truck stop in Marion, Illinois.

Thursday, January 11, 2024

 I was a little later getting back to work because of a battle with the flu.  I'm over it now and back at it again.

This morning I drove up to Pooler, Georgia, and loaded a Caterpillar 950GC Wheel Loader that is going up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

I left there in pretty good time.  Had about 5 miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic just north of Atlanta but that was all.  Made it a lot farther than I thought I would today.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Cartersville, Georgia.

January 1, 2024

 

December 25, 2023

 

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

 Left at about 3:30 AM EST and drove the rest of the way to Morrow, GA, and delivered the drill.  I was out of there before 8 AM.  From there I drove to the Daily terminal in Jacksonville, Florida.  Will be home for the holidays.  See you next year.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

 Last night I ended up getting 3 new trailer tires.  Really messed up my sleep.  Even so, when my 10 hours were up, I left.  When I stopped for the required 30-minute break, I took a nap.  Two hours later I woke up and continued on to the TA in Commerce, Georgia.  I'm about 2 hours from delivery.  Will do that in the morning. Hopefully, I can get through Atlanta before the crush of rush hour.

Monday, December 18, 2023

 Delivered the wheel loader first thing this morning in the rain.  Then I drove down to Frederick, Maryland, and dropped off the thing.  After that, I drove to Strasburg, Virginia, and loaded a drill and a box going to Morrow, Georgia.  I was a day early to load but they were ready for me.  Got lucky!!  I didn't know I was a day early.  Oh well.  

While loading I noticed that I had a couple bad trailer tires.  After loading I went straight to the Love's truck stop in Tom's Brook, Virginia for the night and to get them replaced.  Here is the worst one.

They have quite a line waiting for service so who knows when they will get to me.

Friday, December 15, 2023

 I left Davenport at about 5:30 PM CST last evening.  Lots of "shooting stars" tonight.  Had an uneventful drive until I went through the Gary, Indiana area.  On I-80 heading west just east of Gary I passed a high-speed police chase.

Continued on to the TA truck stop in Youngstown, Ohio for my 10 hours.

When my 10 hours were up, I left.  Drove to the Petro truck stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Will be here until Monday morning.

Thursday, December 14, 2023

That thing I picked up in Wyoming is not going to Davenport like I thought, it's going to Frederick, Maryland.  Last night I left as soon as my 10 hours were up.  Had no problems on the road.  Night driving is so much better.  I drove 695 miles to John Deere in Davenport, Iowa where I'll pick up a machine.

I loaded a John Deere 544 Wheel Loader this morning that is going to Dunmore, Pennsylvania.  Couldn't leave until my 10 hours are up,

I sat in their parking lot until I could move again.

I left at about 5:30 PM CST.  Will drive all night again.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

 Last night I drove to Evanston, Wyoming, and picked up this little thing.  It's doing to Davenport, Iowa.

Left there and headed east.  About halfway through Wyoming got into ice fog.  Coated everything with a fine mist of ice.  The trees and grass were really gorgeous!!  Couldn't get any photos of it, too dark. Made for some slick spots on the road.  It is very tiring driving in that.  It cleared up around Cheyenne.  Stopped for my 10 hours at the Love's truck stop in Sydney, Nebraska.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

 Finally got my next load.  I'll leave tonight at about 7:45 PM MST drive to Evanston, Wyoming, and pick up a small rack of some kind that is going to John Deere in Davenport, Iowa.

Monday, December 11, 2023

 Went to deliver this morning and when I got there they changed the delivery address, so I had to go about 17 miles to deliver.  It took an hour to get there.  I finally delivered.  Then I went back to the truck stop to wait for them to give me my next load.  Nothing today, hopefully something tomorrow.

Sunday, December 10, 2023

 Left early this morning.  Very nice drive through the mountains of Utah.  Went through the town of Moab, the gateway to the Arches National Park.  It was a beautiful drive.  The highest elevation was 7,400 feet.  Stopped at a truck stop in Salt Lake City, Utah for the rest of today.  I'll deliver about 1 mile from here in the morning.

Saturday, December, 9, 2023

 Last night just as I got settled in I got an email that said my truck was due for an oil change and routine maintenance service.  I called the shop at the truck stop where I was.  They said they had no wait and come on over.  I did.  I got the oil change done and out of the way.  Then I went to sleep.

Since I got to bed late, I got started a little later than I wanted. Even so, I still got started very early this morning.  Had a very nice uneventful day on the road.  A coyote ran across the road in front of me and when he got to the side of the road he stopped and looked at me as I passed him by.  Always like to see wildlife.  I also saw a great shooting star.  It was a very bright downward streak of light with a bright "pop" type flash as it burned out.  Very cool!!!  Drove 602 miles to a small truck stop in Monticello, Utah for the rest of the day and part of the night.

Friday, December 8, 2023

 I was asleep around 6 PM last night.  Woke up a couple times during the night, but basically slept good.  Left a little later than normal because I really needed the extra sleep.  It felt good!!   Drove up to The Big Texan this evening for a really good meal. The place always looks great at Christmas.

This time I had the 18oz ribeye steak.

A woman was trying the 72oz challenge, but she couldn't finish it.  She didn't even get half of it eaten.  Now with a full belly, I'm going to sleep.  Good night. 

Thursday, December 7, 2023

 

Early this morning I went back to where I left the flatbed trailer and secured the load with chains.

That is the chassis for a rock crusher.  I took it 8 miles down the road to where it will be assembled.  After unloading I went back to the Daily yard, dropped off the flatbed, and picked up my trailer.  My next load was in Waco, Texas.  I drove down there and loaded a bunch of parts for something, I have no idea what.  They are going to Salt Lake City, Utah.

I left there but didn't go very far.  Stopped for the night at the Flying J truck stop in Waco, Texas.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

 Went the rest of the way to Wichita this morning and was early for my appointment.  Loaded a New Holland C362 Skid Steer that was going to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  

Daily wanted me to go to the OKC terminal before I delivered.  I was to drop my trailer and take a flatbed trailer to a place in OKC and load a Terex chassis.  It was going about 13 miles away to be delivered.  Then go back and get my trailer and deliver the skid steer.  When I got to the Daily terminal in OKC I got the other trailer and was told that I would only need straps to secure the Terex chassis.  I went over there to load.  When they brought the chassis over and loaded it on the trailer I knew that straps would not work.  I needed chains.  They were back on my trailer at the Daily yard. I left the trailer there and Bobtailed back to the yard.  By this time it was too late to deliver the flatbed load so I got my trailer and went over and delivered the skid steer.  At least that was done.  Then went back to the Daily yard for the night.  I'll finish the flatbed load in the morning.

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

 I left when my 10 hours were up.  Drove the rest of the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and delivered the motor grader.  My next load is tomorrow morning in Wichita, Kansas with a loading appointment of 9:40 AM CST.  I headed that way.  Stopped for the rest of the day and night at a very small convenience store with truck parking in Leon, Kansas.

Monday, December 4, 2023

 When the Port opened at 8 AM CST, I went in and loaded a Caterpillar 150 Motorgrader that is going to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The last one I had was steered with a steering wheel.  This one was done using joysticks.  I like the joysticks so much better.  I left there in pretty good time considering that there were over 20 trucks there to load this morning. Stopped at a scale and found out that I was 2,420 pounds overweight.  This was supposed to be a legal load.

Called the office and they ordered a Texas permit for me. Didn't need an Oklahoma permit because I'm registered for 90,000 pounds in Oklahoma.  So there I'm legal.  Waited a little over an hour for it to come in, then I left.  I stopped at the TA truck stop in Dallas, Texas for my 10 hours.  Didn't get anywhere near as far as I wanted to today.