She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy...

But what about my trailer?

Last week, after finishing up my first route, I was offered the chance to earn a little extra. Actually, I have been earning a little extra every week since the 3 drivers were terminated. I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I am not accustomed to working 6 days a week. However, I just can't seem to say no. So after a quick route through the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland, I hurried home to grab a load heading to our sister plant in Northern Indiana.

I was a little dismayed to find this trailer waiting for me! Ugh !!!!! Sure, everybody is looking a little grungy lately with all the winter storms, but this is just plain negligence. Looks like it has been sitting in a field for years.

The trip itself went well, I made the delivery on Thursday morning without any incidence of bad weather. I did here reports that on Wednesday morning, the very roads I was traveling on were slicker than owl snot, coated in ice and snow. But once again, I was

running just behind the weather. After making the drop , I then proceeded to Toledo to pick up.

Then next leg of the journey was very scenic, and I loved every mile of it. There is nothing like the solitude of a nice two lane, to keep your spirits high. It wasn't long before the winds picked up and the snow began its assault. But I managed to make it to Toledo and grab the ingots before conditions worsened. In fact, the snow stopped long enough for me to .... make it home. By the time I made hit Kentucky, all hell was breaking loose behind me. I spent the night in Georgetown with a 2-4in forecast for overnight showers. I awoke to find a mere dusting. I was told Jellico was a death trap, once again...nothing.

I should probably quit while I am ahead, I have been warned that Ol Man Winter is going to sneak up behind me and clobber me with a whopper of a snowstorm, but so far. Well, you get the idea! Now, where is that wood I should be knocking on?

New Year.... New Blog Post

Oh WOW!! Where have I been ?

This seems like a pretty good time to do a new blog post, don't ya think? So, let's get started, shall we.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season, if in fact there are any readers still checking in to this seemingly abandoned blog. Hi Dad !!

My year ended with a rush of many, many different emotions. Starting with my return journey from the East Coast the week before Christmas. I was able to spend some time with Geoff just days before Christmas in Elkton, Maryland. However, my trek back to the Southland left much to be desired. I encountered several traffic delays en route, which is common during the Holiday Season. But I can tell you that I never want to spend that much time in Washington DC, ever again. 150 minutes to travel a mere 30 miles. But the most anxious moment of the journey was crossing the Susquehanna River near Perryville, Md. There are warning signs on both sides of the river bridge warning of high wind gusts. I have felt the force of the gusts and tend to get a little nervous on a windy day. That day was exceptionally windy.

Having an empty trailer, I was hoping to find a heavy load to hide beside as I made the crossing. No such luck, but at least the wind was blowing me towards the middle of the bridge and not to the outer wall. To prepare, I slowed and watched as cars began to make erratic maneuvers ahead of me and that is when I noticed the trucks tipping to one side. I slowed even more as I began to fear the worst. I watched as the trailer in front of me lurched and swayed to the left. Then ever so gently, the tires on the right side began to rise into the air... This happened several times and thankfully, he never toppled over.

NO !! That is not the actual truck I witnessed. But how would you like to see that happening in front of you. My experience was with a trailer only rising about a foot off the ground, but that is still 12" too much !!

After all the delays and dastardly daredevilish demonstrations, I finally arrived back at the yard just before midnight, to find that my battery in my car was dead. The plant was closed, only 2 other souls on the premises. Luckily, I was able to get one of them to jump off my battery and I scurried home to bed. Too much excitement for one day. But the next morning held no reprieve. The battery was dead again, a battery just purchased 15 months before. I was able to hitch a ride, battery in hand, to the AutoZone where I had purchased it, and they handed me a brand new one. Once the new battery was nestled snug under the Pony Car's hood, I trotted back over to the store and had the alternator tested. Sure enough, bad diode! And I was expected to be in Bama for the Holidays. There was no way I was going to spend the Holidays at home alone. The dealership did not have one in stock, so my only option was to get a rental.

I did make it home for the Holidays and was pleasantly surprised by about 5" of snow on Christmas morning. We had a blast and a few arguments while we commenced to building the biggest snowman these parts had ever seen. Not really sure about that last statement, but we like to think he was. In the end, our Snowman stood at 8' and made the evening news (on the weather report) !!

So, I think that about wraps up 2010.... Or the best shot I am prepared to give it at this moment. I am really out of practice with this whole blogging thing, sheesh! But it is late, and I have work to do tomorrow....Oh, that reminds me...

Think I will save that for the next post.. Stay Tuned, I promise I will be back !!!

Love Lost

If you read the last post, you know I finished out the day with a feeling of elation. After blowing through the Bronx at rush hour and securing a parking spot at the Vince Lombardi Service Plaza, I set about my evening in a peaceful state of mind.

There was one tiny little issue that was beginning to chip away at my serenity.

A few weeks ago, I asked the mechanics to check/replace my batteries. The truck seemed to have lost a little bit of cranking power and with winter setting in, it seemed like a good time to at least check them.

Tuesday morning finds me sitting in Fairfield, NJ. I was an hour early, so I had plenty of time to offload the 2 bundles and be ready to ride by the time the customer opened. But that was not to be the case. The crane did not want to work and it is powered by my 4 batteries. After checking everything pertaining to the crane itself, I determined the problem was simple. I was just not supplying enough power. I opened the battery box and was dismayed to find that all of my connections were corroded beyond comprehension. Serious green fuzz was taking over. I set about cleaning all of the connections and was beginning to show signs of utter frustration because had the mechanics checked the batteries, the corrosion would have been cleaned properly to begin with. I also found that the power supply line for the crane had multiple spots where the insulation was rubbed away and the cable was shorting out in several places. As I was cleaning one end, I noticed sparks coming from underneath the truck... The plugs themselves were corroded and the harder I worked to remedy the situation, the more negative emotions seemed to consume my mind.

It took me 3 hours to unload the 2 bundles. It was 12 degrees. My mechanics and boss were playing dumb and I was filthy from rolling around under the truck trying to clean cables. I could only get the crane to respond for seconds at a time. By the end of the ordeal, I felt like a small child who just needed to sit in some one's lap and be comforted. I was near tears.

Amazing how the job can be so perfect one day and 12 hours later leave you feeling so utterly helpless. Needless to say, I had no love for the job on Tuesday. After getting the crane secured back into its cradle, I decided to have the remaining 2 bundles dragged off the trailer at the next 2 stops. I was not going through that again !!

Mohawk Indian Trail

This week has gotten off to a rather lazy start. But after last week, I need to relax a little.

Sunday found me sitting in a Driver's Meeting, the first I have attended in over 2.5 years. I find them to typically be repetitive and full of useless information so I generally opt to be out of town each time one is being held. This one was absolutely mandatory, so much in fact, they scheduled my deliveries for Tuesday rather than Monday. Grrrr!

After the meeting, I retired to the house as I was feeling very little motivation to do any Trailer Truckin. I did manage to make it to Virginia that evening but only because I have bills to pay. Monday was pretty much the same. Still no desire, but I made good time getting to North Adams, Massachusetts. As soon as I left the Mass Pike, I lost all phone services for 14 hours. It was bliss. Too bad it couldn't have happened earlier.

So Tuesday is the new Monday and I was anxious to get my first stop delivered. As soon as I emptied out, I was to ride the Mohawk Indian Trail towards Haverhill, Ma for my second delivery. This is by far one of my absolute favorite stretches of asphalt.

Upon reemerging into civilization and cell phone service, I was tempted to toss the phone out the window and find another two lane. My job is typically high pressure, with numerous deliveries and primarily staying along the eastern seaboard. I seem to have forgotten the pleasurable indulgences that Mother Nature provides. I don't get to do too much scenic viewing. Today's trip thru the Berkshires has once again stirred up the old longing to head west... To lighten my schedule and relax the pace a little... To get lost...

SURPRISE

I have seen a lot during the course of my driving career. But just when you think you have seen it all, someone will surprise you.

Yesterday it was a fella in a Jeep. He seemed impatient to get through the hordes of slower traffic. He came around me and was blocked by 7 vehicles spread out in 2 lanes. Rather than flash his lights, blow his horn, or tailgate...he did not even hesitate as he straddled both lanes and passed all 7 vehicles while riding down the zipper.

I have seen this done with motorcycles, but never in a car. White knuckle moment for sure because I just knew he was gonna hit one of them, but he never flinched. Of course, all the other cars slowed down, putting me even further behind...lol

Ugh, My urge to head west is getting stronger !!

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My Favorite Loads...

I have been doing a little computer clean up recently and stumbled upon these pictures. I got a great big laugh out of all the creative ways that my load has been arranged. I know in the past that several of you think I should be able to get better load structure, but that is just not possible. I am out on the road delivering when the next trailer is being loaded, so the only thing that is in my control is how tightly the load is secured. Sometimes, there is just no hope! Since I have been working here for nearly a decade, I am accustomed to the misadventures and they rarely get me down, but sometimes they do absolutely blow my mind.

Therefore I present to you....

My Favorite Loads

It is not as bad as it looks...Okay, may be it is. But it is all part of the job and with some blood sweat and tears, I am usually able to get all material unloaded safely. For more load entertainment be sure to watch my video... Its All Down Hill

Gravy Run

Just another test...

Lately I seem to be working less.. Lately I seem to be working harder. I have been spending more time "off duty" while in the truck and less time at home. It is all that bedbugger's fault!

While I am still doing the same route, I am finding myself lucky enough to locate the Big White Volvo parked somewhere en route to my home. After spending quality time with my handsome bedbugger, I race home to grab another short load and finish my week.

This week is was the Gravy Run...

I start out by hauling a load of logs !!

I swap it for a load of scrap 100 miles away.

The scrap load can be complicated. Flat tires or poorly adjusted brakes are usually the issue, but this week the load was slightly over size. Standing at about 14'6", I had to try and shake it down to make it legal. No problem if you can find a parking lot full of nice sized potholes.

It is an easy run. After swapping for the load of scrap, I head to Tennessee to dump it and drag the empty wagon back to the yard.

In all it takes about 12 hours to complete the circuit, but at $300, it is worth it !!

For those of you new to the blog, I finish with a video I made... "Gravy Run"

Hmmmm, can't figure out how to add the embed the video, so it looks like I have more testing to do !!

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A Little Vaseline, Please

Today just happens to be one of those days where I unknowingly will be able to test out my driving skillz.

My second drop of the morning was in Washington, North Carolina. This customer has a bad habit of filling the parking lot with lots of random pallets of stuff, making it difficult to turn around. The more they scatter, the harder I work. This is the normal routine. But today, they caught me off guard. There would be NO turning around inside the gate today.

Parked right in the middle was this lovely dumpster.

So, I had to back out of the gate

And back out of the parking lot. Could not make the swing to the right because of the grade and angle of the street. I did not want to rip my exhaust pipes off the truck.

I had to continue backing until I reached the county road about a quarter of a mile behind me. And then a nice blindside back into traffic to get front and center once again. But these are the simple challenges that I love, and not so challenging with barely anyone to blow their horns at me. Makes me miss New York City !!

But this was not so difficult. After I made a few more deliveries, I ended up in Richmond, Virginia. Getting into the customer is a tad bit challenging dodging the cars, chain link fences and telephone poles, but getting out is even better. There is only one way out, and holding ones breath to squeeze through is a requirement !!

First, I have to place my fender against the fence, because I am turning into this alleyway

SQUEEZE !!!

With literally only a couple of inches to spare, I squeeze through and make a hasty exit back into the streets of Richmond. Dodging more telephone poles just to get back to a nice 4 lane. Who designed this city, anyways ??

I am currently sitting in Ruther Glen, Virginia because I know better than to attempt to make good time riding around the streets of DC in afternoon rush hour. Been there, done that ! After another 3 deliveries tomorrow, I will be heading home. And rumor has it that a handsome bedbugger will be in the area !!

Texas Two Step

Don't you just love it when life throws you a nice little curve ball. You swing, you swing, you swing...but inevitably you strike out !!

Last weeks load started in Lynchburg, Virginia. After saying my "goodbyes" to a very handsome Bedbugger, I headed to the shop to put on my Little Trucker cape.

I am the only driver I know that actually uses a tire pressure gauge to check actual tire pressure. I got in this habit years ago and it has probably saved me a lot of time by avoiding unnecessary blow outs. At least that is my logic. But not today. I checked every tire before I left but, I barely made it through Atlanta when I sent traffic into a frenzy by chunking large pieces of rubber at those who were tailgating me... Bet they wont do that again !!

After sitting roadside for over 4 hours, I managed to make my way into North Carolina and found a suitable camping spot. I prefer to sleep on location of my first delivery, but the delays would have kept me driving until 3am, and I was not going to get much accomplished Monday anyways with the mileage between customers exceeding a normal hop, skip, or a jump. So early to bed, early to rise!!

Once I climbed inside my load, I was deflated when I realized that the masterminds of metal mobility had been hard at work while structuring my load. I no longer question WHY things are done in a certain fashion, but I do become quite impressed with the different techniques they employ to make my week a living nightmare. Each of these bundles are EXACTLY the same length... 14 Feet. I assume they were stagger stacked in order to give the 28' items that were placed on top a better foundation. It did not work!! This picture was taken at my 4th delivery, after I rerouted myself and tried to salvage the bundles that had already fallen into the great abyss. I was determined to deliver the product with as little damage as possible, and that was going to put me behind.

I left Lynchburg, and opted for Stop # 3 next. Williamsport, Maryland. Because I had the crane, I was able to unload myself while the receiver dealt with other trucks. I then made a mad dash over to Baltimore and arrived 15 minutes before closing time. With 20k of material to offload, I was parked for the night.

During Tuesday morning's unload, I found some material that should have been shipped to Atlanta, tucked in amidst my Baltimore freight. I set it aside, and followed the protocol of reporting such mistakes. Baltimore's delivery was going to be short. Ninety minutes after leaving, I received a phone call telling me to go back and pick up some items I had left that did not belong. Grrrrr! How could this have happened, I am pretty good at checking freight. I asked what product it was and Customer Service could not tell me, they suspected it was more Atlanta freight. I want confirmation, damn it!! I did not get it.

Being half way to my next customer, I scheduled my return to Baltimore for Wednesday since it would be on my way home anyways.

Stop #4 was in Ringtown, Pennsylvania. No worries there, except afternoon was rapidly encroaching and I had to make my Scranton delivery before 3pm. I phoned Scranton is an attempt for a reprieve, but was informed that 7am to 3pm was firm. I arrived in Scranton at 3pm and headed straight for the truck stop, knowing the drive thru town would put me at the customer 15 minutes after the mandated closure time. So with another 16 hour break ahead of me, I was able to kick back and relax. This probably helped keep my frustration levels at a minimum, because even with the blown tires, missed deadlines and mis-delivered freight...I was still in a radiant mood and was able to find humor in the turmoil that was encasing my trip.

Bright and early Wednesday morning, I arrived at the Scranton customer with plenty of time to offload myself and wait for someone to come in and check freight at 7am. It was then that I was informed that the receiver had waited yesterday until 5pm for my delivery because he needed to ship the product out yesterday. Huh?? But?? So, in return, I had to wait until 8am for his arrival to check my freight in. Nice....17 hour break due to miscommunication between the office and the warehouse. I had been sitting on me arse, while he was waiting for me, only because 3 pm was confirmed by his receptionist. Oh Joy!!

Moving forward, I reached Stop # 6 and within 10 minutes I was on my way back to Baltimore. From Clifton, New Jersey (#6), I would normally head back towards Interstate 81, as I find it a much more peaceful than 95, but with the mis-deliveries..ugh!!

I made several calls to Baltimore to ensure that someone would be waiting for me at the warehouse. It is a new facility and has not officially opened, so I am at their mercy. Unsure of what I am trying to retrieve, the Baltimore Boss personally meets me and we determine that I never left anything by mistake. The items I set aside the day before were, in fact, the items that my employers sent me back to pick-up. The items that never left my trailer !!

It is 2pm and with Washington DC looming in my windshield, I leave Baltimore without any additional items. Thinking I could clear the Capitol Beltway before rush hour, I start grabbing gears only to find the Anti-Destination League is already in full effect. Traffic is creeping at about 15mph. Knowing I would not have been here, had they given me confirmation the day before on exactly what had been left behind, I begin to feel the first twinges of angst.

...but I am finally on my way home. What should have been an easy 3 day trip, turned into 5. It seemed that for every two steps forward, I was forced to take one step back. And so it is, in my trucking life. Surprisingly, I was able to keep a delightful attitude through it all. Even when I got back to the yard and learned that I will be getting reacquainted with Maggie next week.

Sight Seeing

So much easier to look at this way! Minnesota Sunset

Shouldn't this guy have an Oversize Load sign ?

Typical Florida Thunderstorm

Artwork at Regional Airport in Owatonna, Mn

Temporary Insanity

The one thing I fear the most when I take a few days off is 1) Who is going to drive my truck and 2) What are they going to tear up.

After being off duty for several days, I was a bit apprehensive to climb back into Seabiscuit's saddle. After a quick walk-around inspection to make sure the exterior was intact, I climbed inside for a once over.

The floors were a little dirty, but that is to be expected. I would never presume someone else, especially a temp driver would actually clean up after themselves. There were a few smudges that needed to be wiped away. The windshield was atrocious. But everything else seemed up to par...

Of course it is mandatory that I remove all my valuable personal belongings before surrendering my truck to someone else's care. I don't clean out the truck, just grab those items that would be costly or hard to replace, not to mention the bedding.

So after my initial inspection, I begin to reload my stuff.

And here is what I found....

The temp driver managed to break my cabinet. The door will not stay closed and the shelf no longer can support any weight. How he managed to do this is beyond me. Oh wait, maybe he really likes green beans... Yes, folks, he ate my stash of canned vegetables!!

After loading the truck, I took at quick scan at the daily inspections he turned in to make sure there were no new issues that I should be aware of. BINGO!!

He wrote up that the passenger side wiper blade was flopping around and needed to be checked. But what I found was that he had swapped the passenger side blade for the driver side blade, left all my tools helter skelter in the tool box and somehow managed to not actually reattach the passenger side blade so it slipped off and now I have nasty scratches on my windshield. It took me all of 2 minutes to actually clip the blade into place, but the damage was already done while he had possession of the truck.

So much for respecting each others possessions, or equipment !! Poor Little Seabiscuit !!

They're Creepy and They're Kooky....

mysterious and spooky...

They're altogether ooky.......

Don't you just love it when everything about your day seems to be perfect.

Nothing like a ride on a deserted highway in the middle of the night, so serene. That in itself seem to set the mood for how my Monday would progress. First stop, Memphis.

I was able to make both Memphis deliveries without any turmoil. Sure, I had to climb around all over and underneath the trailer, but that is just part of the job. I was concerned that I might not make my Kentucky delivery on time, but I was well within delivery hours when I arrived.

I arrived at the truckstop with plenty of time to get Seabiscuit and myself thoroughly cleaned up....

Hold up, right there!!

While I was driving up Hwy 51, heading towards Madisonville, Kentucky, I noticed some sort of crud all over my leg and seat. I brushed it off without too much thought. But then, shortly thereafter, I noticed even more crud on my leg. What the hell?

At first, it resembled "fluff" and wood splinters, which would be no big surprise... I carry a wooden shim with me to prop open the curtain on the trailer. Thinking perhaps, it was time to get a new one, I dismissed the ick as remnants of that wooden shim, which I put in my back pocket.

I brushed it off again, and was beginning to really get frustrated when even more manifested on my leg. I stopped for a bathroom break, and that is when I noticed my seat was full of ????

After cleaning out the seat, I was convinced that the problem has been resolved, until I made my way into the shower.

Ahhhh, bliss. After soaking in hot water for an eternity, I started to wash my hair and that is when I found out where all the crud in my seat was coming from. It seems that while I spelunking and exploring the dock at my first Memphis delivery, I inadvertently walked through a huge cobweb. This thing was tangled throughout my hair!!

And not only was it loaded with bits of dust, fur, and other unidentifiable debris, it was also filled with the skeletal remains of numerous bugs!!!!!

ACK!!!!

At least I no longer had to wonder where all the crud was coming from, and I can only hope all the critters were already dead !!

ACK !!!!!! Is something crawling on me?? Great, now I have the heebie jeebies!!

But all is well that ends well. I am camping out in Earth City, Missouri after a beautiful but blinding sunset. The rest of the week should be a breeze with only 2 deliveries per day, that is unless, I can so some sweet talking..

MerryLand

A long time running joke between myself and AA, is that the nice folks in Maryland are out to get me. I am more convinced that the fine folks of South Carolina have me in the cross hairs, but I will let the facts speak for them self.

Every time I have ever had a MAJOR breakdown, it has been within 50 miles of Washington DC. Every time I have had a MAJOR breakdown, it has been on I-95. I travel this area with fear and trepidation because this is where I lost a drive shaft in a spare truck during rush hour, going up hill in the center lane. I loathe this area, because this is where I blew the air compressor fittings and was forced to come to an immediate halt, barely making the shoulder of the road in time to clear traffic. Okay, seriously, there is not much fear or trepidation, but I am reminded that IF I am going to break down, this will probably be the place I do it.

Today's adventure starts out no different than any other. I am making the rounds, grumbling about slow vehicles riding the center lanes. The unnecessary slow downs due to the fact that Joe Bob in his fourwheeler cannot multi-task, so everyone has to dodge him as he answers his cell phone and immediately becomes a nuisance to other motorists. But it is not just Joe Bob. It seems to be his entire entourage of friends and family, car and truck drivers the same. The WHOLE traffic pool of Maryland motorists seem to have forgotten what they are doing today. With only 42 miles from the state line to my customer, it almost seems ridiculous that I become so agitated in such a short period of time. But this is where I make my mistake.

Innocently enough, I make a bold statement on FaceBook, that everyone should steer clear of Maryland because the lunatics are out in full force. It seems Maryland must have been logged on at the time and read my proclamation.

Upon leaving my customer, I travel 41 miles back towards Virginia and just as I exit the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, my warning lights come to life.

WARNING: COOLANT LEVELS LOW

CHECK AT NEXT STOP

WARNING: COOLANT LEVELS CRITICALLY LOW

STOP NOW

STOP NOW

STOP NOW!!!!!

In rapid succession, I glance at the gauges, I scan the roadway and I immediately reach for the Emergency Pilot Seat Ejection Button. Oh crap!! I am in the far left lane and my truck has just stopped running. Thankfully, the little pickup truck beside me acknowledges my turn signal requests and I am clear to dive right for the shoulder. Crossing 2 lanes of traffic, I find a nice wide shoulder to access the emergency.

Having already dealt with 3 coolant leaks, I was prepared to top off the fluids and get the hell out of DC before rush hour. This was not to be the case today. My radiator was empty.

After a search for the problem, I discovered I had blown the radiator hose, the main artery that cools the engine.

Oh joy of joys!! After sitting on the side of the roadway for 4 hours, I finally managed to get rolling with new hose installed, just in time for the 10-20 mph commute out of town.

Lesson Learned. No more fussing about a particular state while I am in that state. I literally coasted across the Virginia state line while spewing coolant all over the roadway. Maybe AA is right. Maybe Maryland does have a personal grudge against me.

As a quick aside... One would think our shop would provide us with spare hoses and such to prevent these types of occurrences. But NOOOO! This expenditure cost the company well over $300.00 just to replace a $20 dollar hose that I could have replaced my self, not to mention 4 hours of my time.

It's All in the Timing

Yes, I am a truck driver. Yes, I do my fair share of complaining about certain things that occur in my day, career, life, etc....

One of the things I do not understand about other drivers, is the constant need to complain about traffic conditions, congestion in certain areas of the country, weather and accident delays. Really? How long have you been driving, Driver?

So you can imagine my delight when I am able to scoot through certain areas with minimal or no delays, just because I know a few tricks of the trade. For example...New York City, one of the most dreaded locations for a driver to be sent into. No problem for me, because I am usually going against the grain, I have secondary shortcuts and as a rule, I never take the EXPRESS LANES to the George Washington Bridge on a Sunday Night. Don't let that word EXPRESS fool you. And if I do get caught up in a major delay, well, it is to be expected.

Atlanta is another fabled area of major turmoil. I have heard all the stories... Oh, that city is always backed up... There is no good time to go through. The people drive like idiots. It is a freaking nightmare... Blah, blah, blah. Hey folks, I live near Atlanta and the rumors are not true, but I don't think I will ever be able to convince anyone else of that.

Atlanta, just like any other major city has its own flow. Yes, if you enter the perimeter after 6:30am, you will notice congestion starting to build, but that normally dissipates after 9:30. Lets call it Rush Hour. And surprisingly, 4:00pm to 7:00pm is fairly similar. As for the rest of the day, it moves reasonably well. Also, another tip to consider, the south side always moves much better than the northern stretch of the loop. Just sayin...

So, last Wednesday, I am flying south on 85, heading into Atlanta during Rush Hour. As, I approach Spaghetti Junction, I scan the horizon and what to my wondering eyes should appear... Traffic is at a dead stop in all directions on the Perimeter. Time to make a quick decision. Top Side, oh hell no!! Bottom Side, not looking too good either at the moment. So what do I do at 4:19 pm?

I slide left one lane and make the executive decision to shoot through the Middle of Town. I know, I know. All Thru Trucks Must Use 285. I have seen the sign a million times and from experience, I know that if I stay to the right and don't exceed the flow of traffic, I will be just fine. My only concern is that going downtown is one of those nightmares, drivers commonly refer too. The Grady Curve usually backs up and The Connector is always crawling during rush hour, but after weighing the odds, I had decided to chance it anyways. This based on the fact that 285 East should not be stopped so far north, I am thinking there must be an accident ahead.

It is 28 miles around the southern end of the loop to my exit. Even further around the top at 33 miles. Through the middle, it is only 26 miles, but is notorious for the worst in traffic snafus during Rush Hour.

Looks like my gut instinct was right !!

It only took me 25 minutes to go straight through town !!

After reemerging at the bottom end of the perimeter, I heard numerous complaints about travel times being an hour plus for the 28 mile route I normally take. What did you expect at Rush Hour? Sometimes, you just have to go with your gut, and once again, mine paid off for me! Woohoo !!

And as an added Bonus, just thought I would throw this at you. Heading into New York via the George Washington Bridge on a Monday morning at 6:00 am.... See folks, it is not as bad as people make it out to be !!

The Long Road Ahead

So I took Seabiscuit out for a "getting to know you" trot up in New England last week. I know, New England, right...

Or maybe you didn't know. I have not been to the North East in over 2 months.

Seabiscuit is the spare truck I took into the mid-west a few weeks ago, the one with the leaking coolant sensor. The one that put me on the side of the Interstate last Sunday. Because I do not hardly ever trust the Stooges diagnosis, I was prepared for the worst. After "repairing" the leaking fill cap, I managed to make my round of deliveries and decided to take some extra time off in Connecticut.

Okay, I didn't just decide, it was actually planned out in advance. You see, I have spent a great deal of time casually running into my favorite bedbugger (that would be a household mover, for those not in the know). And really, it was not too casually either. Well planned, in advance, "Fancy meeting you here, giggle~giggle" kind of casual.

So back to relaxing in Connecticut... I arrived early, and he was destined to show up mid-afternoon. After enjoying dinner and spending some time playing games with his 10yr old son, I decided it was time to hit the dusty trail. I had been keeping an eye on the coolant levels, but after the cap repair, it seemed all was well. That is until I decided to leave. We noticed a large puddle under the truck and sure enough, another leak had sprung. This time it was the line flowing from the reservoir to the radiator. The clip which holds it in place had stretched and was allowing a steady stream to poor from the innards of Seabiscuit. Grrrrrr !! I had already stayed longer than I should, but my Knight in Shining Chrome grabbed some supplies, climbed under the hood and made emergency repairs to get me safely home... Swoon !! You just have to love Zip Ties.

Upon arrival back at the ranch, I promptly wrote up that the sensor was still leaking....

Errr, um, I wrote up the real issues and was pleasantly surprised to find both repairs were made, 2 other repairs were acknowledged and there was even a promise of replacing some of the surface damages.

Maybe I should cut the mechanics some slack? Not in a minute.. I think the only reason the repairs were made is because I was able to pinpoint the exact problem and request the parts on my own.

Next week, I will tackle an air leak, seal leak, and the APU.

The Ending Of An Era

You may or may not be aware that in the past 3 years , I have been almost at my wits end with this series of Volvo trucks provided for us by the Company.

The first truck, Maggie, had an exhaust leak that I endured for nearly two years. It was never found, and was presumed to be a result of my sensitive snout. After becoming disoriented not once, but twice, I finally convinced the shop to issue me an alternate truck...

That is where Frankentruck entered the picture. I was ecstatic to claim him, but it did not take long to realize I had just swapped one problem for many more. The first being a suspension issue. The second being a mildew issue which caused me to be sick for nearly a year and a half. And amongst other smaller concerns, the third major issue was the discomfort my body was subjected to by the driver's seat. Numb legs were the first symptoms, but it quickly escalated to sever joint pain in both my knee and hips, plus a constant inflamed sciatic nerve. Needless to say, I have not been a happy camper for much of the past 3 years, but I have persevered.

Well, it is time to say goodbye to Ol Frankentruck. I just cant deal with him anymore. After driving 3 different trucks in one week and discovering that ONLY mine rode rough, only mine caused physical discomfort, only mine created instantaneous congestion...I decided to give him up. The mechanics AND the corporate monkeys are all fairly positive that all my problems are a figment of my imagination... I suppose I am only highly imaginative in my own truck, as the other two had none of the same problems.

...but I digress. This is not a post about the inadequacies and failures of my Stooges.

This is an Announcement Post !!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you....

SEABISCUIT

Looks just like Maggie or Frankentruck, doesn't he? I have named him based on the fact that he is a little truck with a big heart. He pulls fairly well, doesn't struggle too much and gallops in near perfect rhythm...Not too mention, his saddle is a good fit for me. But he is a little beat up !!

I really hate to drive a piece of equipment that has damages, but I think that physical comfort is more important, so I will embrace him for the little truck he is, scars and all !!

Full STEAM Ahead

I really want to blog.... I really, really do. In fact, my intentions were to get a few saved up posts published tonight for you to read. Pretty good stuff, actually.

But, after spending more than an hour and a half sitting in a back-up on 81 due to an accident, and then another hour or so on the shoulder of I-78....

Well, you get the idea. I am too pooped and with my first delivery scheduled tomorrow morning in the Bronx, I really need to de-stress and get some sleep

Oh, yeah, sitting on the shoulder of Interstate 78, you ask.

The truck I am driving this week has been written up for the past 5 weeks for a coolant leak. This is not my beloved Frankentruck. This is a spare. The write-ups were addressed by simply topping off the fluid. I drove this truck last week and also requested the repair. I was informed that the only thing wrong with this truck was the coolant sensor..

Oh yeah? Then why do I actually have to add coolant?

So, after about 600 miles into my trip, the sensor begins to indicate that my fluid levels are low. By 850 miles, the levels have dropped to critical and the engine shut down. I was able to coast to a stop on the shoulder where I let the old boy cool off as I searched for his malfunction. I checked clamps, fittings and hoses. Could not find the source of the leak as everything was wet, everything was stained, EVERYTHING !! I topped him off and proceeded to my destination, but the sensor was triggered again. This time I was able to get into a rest area and do a more thorough search.

Thanks to a quick phone call, it was suggested to me that perhaps the fill cap itself was stripped out because the moisture seemed to be coming from the top.... Ah ha!! So after donning a roll of electricians tape and wrapping the mouth of the reservoir, I was able to continue forward on my journey. I managed to use the tape just as a plumber would by insulating the threads of the cap... You would have thought that after 5 weeks, the mechanics would have figured that one out, but they insist that it must be coming from the overflow tube (where there are no signs of leakage). That is after trying to convince me that it is only a sensor problem.

This saved the day and hopefully my week, but I will be sure to let the Stooges know that the sensor is leaking again.... as if....LOL

You know, today was not so bad. Minor roadside repairs are and will always be a part of my job. But the level of frustration I feel when something like this happens is another story. This truck was written up for the leak five weeks in a row.. I should never have had to made the repair on the side of the Interstate !! But, then I would have not been able to make my deliveries either...

I am committed....or maybe I should be committed...

Crane, Crane... Take Me On Out Of This Town

So, what have you missed?

The past month, I have given up on flatbedding...

GASP !! No, I did not quit my job or get fired. I have in fact been pulling the Crane Trailer.

It is a pleasant change for me and as with everything else, I find a certain satisfaction in operating the crane, almost like playing with a new toy. There are however a few downsides to running the Crane. Number One being that during the summer, I am enclosed in an unventilated trailer for hours and it feels like a sauna. Within minutes, I am drenched in sweat...

Lucky for me, most of my customers are quick to make sure I have everything I need, such as plenty of water and Gatorade. I have had a few close calls where the crane would come off the tracks, rendering the task at hand to become stalled. Some quick work with the forklift and I am set to proceed with the unloading process.

There are plenty of opportunities for this trailer to cause mayhem for my work schedule. Any malfunction could send me home with a half loaded trailer... One such instance occurred last week.

You see, the Crane is controlled with a single battery powered remote control. There use to be a controller that plugged into the crane itself, but that has long since been removed from the trailer. Not sure why that was done, but I don't feel it was a very educated decision. So, with the single remote, not only do I have to worry about the actual crane, but a remote malfunction can send me packing as well.

Last week, at my first stop, the inevitable happened. While un-securing the crane, the remote was knocked down in amongst my load. Having fallen behind 5000 lbs of metal, against a wall, 4 ft below me, I begin to feel the first frustrations of the week. With much determination and struggling, I was able to retrieve the ONLY means by which I could offload my freight. But not before suffering a few minor injuries. Trust me, it is very hard to scurry into tight spaces with razor sharp edges at every corner and not come out with some blood loss.

It was not the struggle to retrieve the remote control that caused my angst. In fact, it is the decision of the Boss' to have only one remote available to me. There are a total of SIX remote controls for this trailer, but the Boss' have decided that a cabinet drawer in Georgia, is the best place to store the remaining FIVE. I had asked for a spare remote the previous week, but was denied. So after this little incidence occurred, I immediately called and ask for a reprieve. I explained how unfortunate it would be if I had to return to the plant with a loaded trailer because of a slight remote malfunction. The Boss, not sensing the true nature of my predicament, remarked that they could always send me one via Fed-Ex if that happened again. HAR DE HAR HAR..... Seriously folks, they would rather store the extra remotes in a locked drawer and ship one out to me, than just allow an extra one to ride along in the trailer.. Funny Stuff, but then nothing surprises me when it comes to the new bosses.

It has been a good month, and even with the blood, sweat and tears, I have really enjoyed pulling the crane. I do tend to get a little bruised up, so I try not to make it a habit to pull it too often.

after a typical unload....

And as an added bonus, I think I will throw in a little public service announcement at this point.

DONT EVER PULL OUT IN FRONT OF A MOVING TRACTOR TRAILER !!!!!

This is what my load looked like after another semi pulled off the shoulder of the highway directly in front of me. He was moving at about 10mph when he lurched into traffic. I was rolling along above 65mph. Thankfully, the fella beside was paying attention and let me have the left lane. But because of the sudden swerve to the left, my load fell over... Had I not swerved, I would not be here to tell you about it. Had the fella beside me not been paying attention, there could have been a major catastrophe. I did publicly chastise the driver of the other truck for making such an asinine decision. To this, he only remarked about silly women drivers, and a few other choice lewd remarks. Geeez, I love steering wheel holders...

All is well, that turns out well. It is a great big world, with lots of exciting stuff going on. Pay attention people, it could be my life you are saving. And on that note, I think I will take the convertible out for a ride....