Not So Happy New Year!!

Well it's New Years Eve and I had to go back to work today. By late morning, I still had not been given a load assignment yet. So I called in and asked about the possibility of having another free day and making plans to celebrate the new year with friends. They said it was pretty slow and it may be tomorrow or even Saturday before I got a load assigned. Wohoo! That was good news to me. So my wife and I talked about spending New Years Eve with some friends and we looked forward to that.

However, that was short lived. A few hours later I had a load assigned picking up at 6pm this afternoon headed to NC. But there was still a chance.

I left home about 2:30 and went just 18 miles down the road to Groveland to pick up the load. I was there at 3pm. I waited and waited and waited. At 6pm, I finally was assigned a dock door. But they still didn't even start loading the trailer until 9:30 pm. It was 10:30 pm before I got out of there.

Now what to do. I had already said my goodnights to my wife on the phone. If I decided to go back there, I'd probably be waking her up to come and get me. Then we'd have to wake up early in order for her to take me back to the truck. All this should would do for me just for another night at home. She's so wonderful.

But on the other hand, going back that way sends me eastward first and a long way to a truck stop. This is a load of bottled water and is heavy. If I just head west, there's a truck stop not far up the Florida Turnpike and I-75. There I can have it weighed tonight in case I need to go back and had the load re-worked to balance out. Also, by going in this direction first it's 20 miles shorter to Garysburg, NC.

So I opted for the shorter route. Get to the truck stop tonight, get weighed just in case I have to go back, and park for the night.

I get to the truck stop and the CAT Scale receipt says I'm OK. Now to bed after I write this blog post. So that it for my not so happy new year.

Good night and see ya next year!

Finally Going Home for Christmas!

Well I woke up this morning at 6:30 AM hoping for the best. I left the little truck stop and drove back over to Con-Way Freight to see if my load was going to be early. But it wasn't. They only had 40% of it there. The rest didn't show up until about 10:30.

So I drove back over to the truck stop and did my laundry to help pass the time. About 9AM after laundry was completed and put away, I walked next door to the Denny's for breakfast.

Then back over to Con-Way at 10:00 and waited.

Finally on my way home at 11:30 AM. South on I-77 into South Carolina, east on I-26, and then south on I-95 into Georgia. I stopped in Savanna, GA for fuel and lunch at a Pilot/McD's. Then off again south down I-95 into Florida. I took the I-295 loop around Jacksonville, FL to I-10 westbound.

About 15 miles west, I turned south onto US301 through the small towns in North Florida. Once I hit Ocala, I jumped over onto I-75 south into Tampa. I arrived in Tampa about 10PM at the Con-Way Freight yard and dropped my trailer there. Hooked up to an empty and headed on up I-4 towards home.

Finally, I arrived at home just about midnight on Christmas Eve. Gee, me and my grey hair driving a big red truck you'd think I was Santa! So now I'm off for a few days. See ya back in time for the new year. Merry Christmas everyone!

Still In North Carolina

So I get up this morning around 6AM, grabbed a shower inside the Pilot truck stop, looked at the McDonald's menu but then decided I really didn't want McD's again. Back to the truck, but before I hit the road I grabbed the GPS'r and went hunting for a Geocache. It wasn't far. Just around the front in the McD's parking lot.

By 7:30 AM, I'm driving south on I-85 headed to Charlotte, NC.

I arrive at Con-Way Freight at 9:45, dropped my empty trailer, and checked in to see if I can get loaded and out today. NOPE, gotta wait until tomorrow morning. That means I won't get home in time for a Christmas Eve gathering with family at my mother's house. That's not what I wanted to hear.

While I was sitting here depressed in my truck, another CFI driver pulls up and parks along side me. We got to talking and he lives in South Florida. His load was leaving this evening at 9PM. We figured that since my load was going to Tampa (closer to his Ft Myers) and his to Jacksonville (on my way to Orlando), it would be better to switch loads. I could get home in the morning of Christmas Eve and he would be able to get home that night.

But the dispatchers didn't see it that way because it would add an additional 40 miles to the routes. We didn't see it, but that's what their computer calculations showed it to be. After continuing discussions with the other driver, we decided to just accept what we had. Which was OK, because neither one of us was too thrilled about driving the 9PM until morning shift anyway. He was actually better prepared for it having known ahead of time and had purposefully not gotten much sleep last night so he could sleep this afternoon.

Anyway, so I left there around 1 PM, still not having eaten yet. I drove about 2 miles down the road to another Pilot. There was a BBQ place next door and thought I'd try it out. It was OK, nothing special to even mention the name.

I was also hoping to be able to do laundry since I was to be sitting here all day. But this particular Pilot didn't have a laundry room so that was out. There were 2 Geocaches just down the street so I went and found both of them.

After leaving there, I came back over to near the Con-Way Freight. Right off the exit was another small Shell truck stop. I checked inside and there was a laundry room, but both washers were in use. So I decided to wait. They also had a Geocache in the parking lot and I grabbed it too.

While waiting, I managed to talk to an old friend whom I hadn't seen in probably close to 20 years who also lives here in Charlotte. We agreed to meet and have dinner. And as it was getting closer to the time, the other driver finally finished his laundry and therefore I didn't have time to start mine before having to leave.

My friend Jim came by around 7PM with his wife and daughter, picked me up and we all went out to eat. I had a really good time catching up and meeting his family. That's one of the great things about being a truck driver traveling around is having these kinds of opportunities.

So after a disappointing start, the day ended well. Hopefully tomorrow will start out great and I get loaded up and going early.

Thanks for dropping by. That's a truckers day. See ya tomorrow.

From New Jersey to North Carolina - 548 Miles

Chickens and Chickens everywhere, but not an egg to count! What am I talking about? Just wait and see...

Now back to this morning. Woke up along the Jersey Pike at a service plaza. My 10 hour break wasn't complete until 8AM, so I went inside to see what there was to eat. I guess because I was in the mood for bacon and eggs, the Cinnabon cinnamon roll just wasn't all that great. I don't know.

Anyway, I drove south non-stop through Baltimore, and then I hit the breaks in Washington DC. On the east side of the I-495 Beltway, they had lanes blocked due to snow removal. Southbound wasn't too bad, maybe 5 miles or so long. But I felt bad for the northbound side. I'd say it was a good 25-30 miles of stop and go traffic. Yikes! But I got through that and a couple of other short traffic jambs down through Virginia.

I arrived in Lewiston, NC at the Perdue Farms chicken processing center around 4PM. Once I got there, I discovered what I was hauling. No not chickens, but those yellow Styrofoam trays that the packaged chicken comes in.

As for the chickens, there were about 12-15 semi-trailers with 100's of trays each full of chickens sitting there waiting to be processed. I'd have to say there were about 5,000-10,000 chickens on each trailer! Hot wings anyone? By the time I thought to take a picture, it was already too dark.

So I'm there for 2 HOURS and they finally get me unloaded. At 6PM, I hit the road. US258 west to US64 west to I-440 around Raleigh to I-40 westbound. At 8:30 PM, I finally pulled into a Pilot truck stop near the town of Hawfields to park for the night and grab a bite to eat.

I'm on my way to Charlotte, NC. My next load takes me home to Florida. However it isn't scheduled to ship until 11:00 AM on 12/24. I'm hoping they'll be able to load me early on tomorrow. There's still a chance I may get home for a family gathering on Christmas Eve. It's cutting it way to close!

Thanks for stopping by. Find out tomorrow night if I'm still sitting in Charlotte or on my way home.

Ohio to Florida via New Jersey?

What a day! First I get stuck in the snow. Then I need to get home to Florida from Ohio and they send me to New Jersey. What's up with that?

OK, back to the beginning. I woke up this morning about 7AM to 28 degrees and about an inch of new snow overnight. That doesn't seem like much to me. Look at the photo. Not a lot of snow right? But it doesn't take much to loose traction. I could not budge the truck an inch! The wheels just spun in their place.



So I walked down to the receiving office, checked in, and then told them I was stuck. They told me where to get some rock salt from the shed on the side of the building. So I carried a 50 lb bag of salt 200' up to the truck and spread a little around the drive tires. That did the trick! Pulled out onto the pavement and then carried the salt back.

They got me unloaded around 9:30 AM and I left there and headed a few blocks down the road to a McDonald's which had truck parking behind it. Around 10 AM, they sent me my next load info. Actually they sent me my next few loads which get me down to Florida and home for Christmas. Not quite what I wanted though. Looks like I might be arriving on Christmas day!! NOT GOOD!!

But let's just see how it works out. Let get rolling.

After mapping out the first load, I run inside McD's to grab a quick bite to eat. By 11:00, I'm on I-80 heading eastbound.

A short 30 minutes later, I'm in Lordstown, OH at Con-Way Freight picking up my next load. Non-stop eastbound on I-80 and 4 1/2 hours later I arrive in Hazelton, PA where I relay that trailer with another drive who will take it the rest of the way to Rhode Island. As for me, I hook to his empty and head to New Jersey. But first I fuel up at the Pilot Travel Center there at that exit.

I get to Somerville, NJ at 7:30 PM, check in, drop my empty trailer, hook to loaded, and by 8:30 I'm back on the road. Taking US22 to I-295 to the Jersey Turnpike (I-95) southbound. At 10:00, I pull into the Walt Whitman Service Plaza located on the Jersey side of Philadelphia. That's where I'll be parking for the night.

This load goes down to Lewiston, NC. The delivery time is set for 12/23. Hopefully I can deliver it tomorrow. My next load going to Florida is supposed to pickup on 12/24 in Charlotte, NC. Hopefully it will be ready early too.

Will I make it home for Christmas? Stay tuned...

OH, and that loud squealing noise I was hearing yesterday... Nice and quiet today!! Good News!!

See ya tomorrow.

From Carson, KY to Streetsboro, OH - 323 Miles

Woke up this morning at the Love's Travel Center in Carson, KY around 6AM under a thin layer of snow. Fortunately I was inside the truck where it was warm! Outside it was 29 degrees.

Anyway, after getting dressed with a shirt, sweater, AND jacket, I ventured out into the cold to go inside to the McDonald's. I sat down with a sausage egg and cheese McMuffin and sweet tea at a table. They had Fox News on the large flat screen TV, so I took my time eating.

I got underway at 8 AM, driving north on I-71 through Cincinnati and Columbus. I stopped once at a rest area near Congress, Ohio for a quick walk in the snow for a Geocache. Hey, I was getting bored. By then it was up to 35 degrees, but I wanted a break. Found the Geocache quickly and back to the truck to thaw out!

About 30 miles south of Cleveland, the truck started making a loud squealing sound like a belt noise. Checking the gauges, I knew the belt was still intact. Also the noise seemed to only be above 1100 RPM. So I kept it around 55 MPH or if going down hill, I let it coast faster in neutral so that the RPM's stay low.

I turned east on I-270 and then north on I-77. When I reached the I-80 Turnpike, I was supposed to turn east again. But because I was half focused on the truck problems, I went west instead. I hate when that happens! Especially on a toll road because there are even fewer exits and opportunities for a u-turn. I had to go about 8 miles down, take the exit, go through the toll plaza, make a u-turn, back through a toll plaza again, and then head east now!

Finally I reach the Streetsboro, OH exit. Just a few miles later I reach my destination around 2:30 PM. The place is closed today, but they have overnight parking. So I'll hang out here until morning.

Microwave oriental noodles followed by popcorn for dinner. At least I have some leftover sweet tea. Hmmm, I think it's time to re-stock my groceries!

OH, I checked the engine out and couldn't find any loose pulleys or anything. Couldn't get the noise to re-occur either. Hopefully, it won't hinder me from getting home in time for Christmas!

Stay tuned...

From Arkansas to Kentucky - 633 Miles

I'm Back!! Well after a month without posting, I decided to start up again. I'll try it daily, but I may miss one here or there.

Today I started out in Lake Village, AR. It's a small town in Southeast Arkansas along the Mississippi River. Just a few miles north of Louisiana and west of Mississippi. There was a small truck stop there and that's where I finished up last night with a load coming up from Houston, TX.

A nice cold morning at 34 degrees, but clear skies. The sun was just starting to rise up from beyond the horizon when I crossed the US82 bridge over the muddy river.

Just a few miles into Mississippi, I turned north onto US61 all the way into Memphis, TN. Instead of heading east at Memphis towards Ohio, I crossed the river back into West Memphis, AR. I wanted to stop in to our terminal there and talk to the dispatcher.

I was thinking of swapping this load with another who may be needing to get to Ohio and I would take theirs south towards Florida. Just wanting to make sure that I get home for Christmas! After a brief discussion, she concluded that I shouldn't have a problem getting home in time. We'll see next week!

Back across the Mighty Muddy River into Tennessee and headed east on I-40. I stopped at exit 85 in Jackson, TN to grab a geocache, fuel, and lunch at Denny's. By 2PM, I'm back on the highway.

East on I-40 into Nashville, then north on I-65 to Louisville, KY, and then east on I-71. I finally decided to pull over into a Love's Travel Center near Carson, KY for the night around 8PM.

While the day started out clear and cold, it ended WET and cold! Chance of snow tomorrow in Ohio. YUK! Hopefully it will have passed by the time I get there.

That's it for now. See ya again next time.

Coming Back Soon

OK OK OK, I'll be back soon with updates once again. Sorry for my absence.