Saturday, September 28, 2024

Yesterday morning when I arrived at the truck stop there was no power and it was still windy and raining.  I went to sleep. When I woke up yesterday afternoon the rain and wind had stopped and it was sunny.  The power had been restored.  There was a line of cars over a mile long waiting to get gas.  I learned that I-40 in North Carolina, south of the Tennessee state line, in "the gorge" was gone.  It was washed away.  Same thing for I-26 in Ashville.  Both will be closed indefinitely.  I'm so glad I got through there before any of that happened.  Part of those areas was shown in the video from yesterday.

I-40 when I went through...

Internet Photo

I-40 after I went through...

Internet Photo

Internet Photo

My 10 hours were up at about 7:10 PM EDT. and I left.  I had no problems at all driving.  The downed trees had been cleared from the travel lanes of the Interstate.  I could see that the power was still out in most places along the way.  I drove to the Daily terminal in Jacksonville and got there just before 2 AM.  I'll be there for the weekend. We have power in Jacksonville and no storm damage here, other than the usual tree droppings.

Friday, September 27, 2024

 I left at about 1:15 AM EDT in the rain.  I didn't get ahead of the hurricane, instead of going west it went east.  That meant I drove right into it.  It rained the whole time I drove today.  The storm's most powerful wind and rain and I met in North Carolina south of Ashville.  By that time it had downgraded to a tropical storm.  Heavy rain and strong winds.  Trees were down all over the place.  I sat still in traffic for an hour and a half while crews opened at least one lane for all of us to pass through.  I put together a video of what it was like driving through Tropical Storm Helene.

I stopped for my 10 hours a bit earlier than I had wanted to because the Interstate ahead was still a mess with downed trees.  Stopped at a truck stop in Inman, South Carolina.  When my 10 hours are up I'll check the road conditions, and if they are ok, I'll go.

Thursday, September 26, 2024

 I went back to load this morning and sat there waiting all morning.  Finally loaded a Caterpillar 3512 Engine and 6 boxes going to Savannah, Georgia.

I left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Waddy, Kentucky for my 10 hours.  Going to try to stay ahead of the hurricane.

Wednesday, September 25, 2025

 I left at about 2:30 AM EDT and drove the rest of the way to Lafayette, Indiana.  Delivered the engine. My next load is right there but not until tomorrow.  It wasn't ready yet today.  So I went over to the Love's truck stop that was just a few miles away.  I'll be there until tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

 I left this morning at about 1:30 AM EDT.  No traffic problems in Atlanta or Chatanooga this morning.  Not so lucky in Nashville.  Quite a bit of bumper-to-bumper traffic there.  After that, I continued to the Petro truck stop in Glendale, Kentucky for the night. 562 miles today.

Blog readers for the past week...

Monday, September 23, 2024

 Went to St. Augustine Caterpillar and delivered the telehandler when they opened this morning.  After that drove back to the daily terminal in Jacksonville to wait for my next load.  Didn't take long to get it.  I drove to Ocala and loaded a Caterpillar 3516 Engine that is going to Lafayette, Indiana.  Then it had to be tarped!  93 degrees, no shade, and no breeze.  HOT!!!

Left there and drove to the Pilot truck stop in Tifton, Georgia for my 10 hours.  This happened this evening in front of my truck.  Expand the video to full screen and watch the back of the trailer on the truck pulling out of the parking spot in front of me.

Sunday, September 22, 2024

 

Saturday, September 21, 2024

 I left at about 1:45 AM EDT and drove 620 miles to the Daily terminal in Jacksonville, Florida.  I'll be here until Monday morning.  Now it is time for an afternoon of great SEC football!!!  GO GATORS!!!

Friday, September 20, 2024

 This morning we took the Daily truck off my trailer.  Then I went to McConnellsburg, PA, and loaded a Caterpillar LT943 Telahandler that is going to St Augustine, Florida.  

Left there and drove to the Flyig J truck stop in Ruther Glen, Virginia.  Lots of bumper-to-bumper traffic in Washington DC, Fredericksburg, and Quantico.  

Thursday, September 19, 2024

 They didn't start to unload me until after 9 AM EDT.  I finally got the container emptied.  Then I had to return the container back to the Port.  I went back and dropped off the empty container.  Then had to reload another one.  The paperwork was screwed up so I had to wait again.  Got that straightened out and loaded another container that is going back to the same place in Manassas, Virginia except I only took it as far as the oversize lot at the TA truck stop in Baltimore.  Someone else will be taking it from there.

After dropping the trailer I went back to Carlisle, PA bobtail.  So glad to be done with that nightmare of a mess!!!

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

 We were supposed to leave this morning at 9 AM EDT when the curfew was over.  My pole car got stuck in heavy rush hour traffic and was an hour late getting back to me.  

When he arrived, we left and drove the rest of the way to Manassas, Virginia.  Once again, one hand doesn't know what the other is doing!  They had no idea I was coming and they were not ready for me.  I won't be unloading until tomorrow morning.  I settled in for the rest of the day and night.  As you can imagine, I'm not really pleased.

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

 Sat all morning waiting for permits.  They finally came in and I went back to the Port, hooked to my trailer, and left.  Here is the first half of my Maryland permit route.

Here is the other half of my Maryland permit route.

That is all I did today, 118 miles. Normally that is a 51-mile trip.  Stopped for the night at the oversize lot on I-95 just before the Hoover Draw Bridge because of the Virginia curfew.  I'll start again at 9 AM EDT tomorrow morning.

Monday, September 16, 2024

 This morning I hooked up to the stretch trailer at the Baltimore terminal and drove over to the Port of Baltimore.  I was loading at the container area of the Port.  Totally different area from where I normally go.  My first time in here.  Once I figured out where to go in there I got loaded with an open-top shipping container that was going to Manassas, Virginia.  The load is 14' 10" high.  I'll have a pole car escort for this.

Once I got loaded I had to wait for my permits to come in.  Sat there looking at what used to be the Key Bridge.

A Panamax container ship came in while I was waiting.

There were some problems getting permits today, so my pole car waited all day, as did I. Finally had to drop my trailer there at the Port and bobtail to the TA truck stop for the night.  Hope the permits come in tomorrow morning.

Sunday, September 15, 2024

 Well, the Gators didn't do very well. I expect to see a coaching change very soon.

Yesterday I forgot to tell you about the car chase that passed me.

I was north on I-95 in Washington DC at the I-95 and I-495 split.  I-95, I-495 East splits off to the left and I-495 West splits off to the right. A car with no lights on went flying past me doing at least 120 MPH (193 KPH).

After he went by, the cops chasing him came. But they went to the left at the split and the "bad guy" got away.

Blog readers for the past 7 days.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

 I left the Flying J last night at about 10:00 PM EDT.  Lost about an hour in construction bumper-to-bumper traffic in Washington DC.  Drove up to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and dropped my trailer in the Daily yard.  Took the securement stuff off the load and put it on my truck.  Then drove bobtail to the Daily Terminal in Baltimore, Maryland.  Monday morning I'll attach to a stretch trailer for my next load.  I'll be here until Monday morning.  Finished all that before 4:30 AM EDT.  Now it's time for a nap and then a day of great college football!!!  There are some really good games scheduled today.

Friday, September 13, 2024

 I left Jacksonville last night at about 10:30 PM EDT.  Drove 654 miles to the Flying J truck stop in Ruther Glen, Virginia for my 10 hours.

Tomorrow...

It ain't gonna be pretty!!!

Wednesday, September 11, 2011

 

I left at 1:30 AM CDT.  Drove the rest of the way to the Daily terminal in Jacksonville, Florida.  Lots of convoys of power trucks, tree trimming trucks, portable toilets, portable showers, and food bank trucks heading west.  

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

 This morning I loaded a Daily truck that has been sitting at the Houston Terminal since March.  It is going back to Carlisle, PA but I'm routing through Jacksonville because I have a couple things to take care of at home. It wasn't easy loading.  The batteries were stone-cold dead. Had help from another driver.  Together we got the battery charger out of the shop (there is no mechanic there right now)  and charged the batteries. After getting it started, found that there was a large air leak.  The tanks could fill enough to release the brakes but not enough to raise the suspension airbags.  Then when we tried to move it, one of the brake shoes was stuck and wouldn't release.  Finally broke that free and went to put it on my trailer.  Was only able to get it halfway on.  Had to get the big forklift, raise the back of the truck, and then push it the rest of the way on.  It was quite an ordeal that took a good chunk of the morning to accomplish.

There is a hurricane heading toward Louisiana, but I'll be well into Florida before it gets there.

I drove 305 miles to the Petro truck stop in Hammond, Louisiana for my 10 hours.  

Monday, September 9, 2024

 I left early to beat the rush hour traffic.  Not too far from the Daily terminal, I came across this...

Glad I was paying attention!! I was early when I arrived at the Port so I got in line with the rest of the trucks waiting to get in. I was about 12th in line. When the Port opened I went in.  Checked in at 8 AM CDT.  Then waited.  To make a very long and frustrating story short, I finally got empty at noon.  I left there, got fuel, and then went back to the Daily terminal to wait for my next load.

Sunday, September 8, 2024

 

Enjoy it while it lasts.  Their one and only win this year.