Sunday

Found out my Truck was gelled up. Not a problem, I'm at home so it will get fixed tomarrow during regular business hours.

Monday

-38 below outside. Manage to get a towing company out to tow my truck to a local shop. The shop knew I was coming, so they made room for my big ole Peterbilt. After I got it in there, I spent another 4 1/2 hours working on it to get it running. The shop didn't charge me anything since they didn't touch the truck.

Tuesday

Leave the house at midnight in plans to get my trailer & do what I was suppose to have done on Monday. I get a 130 miles from the house, hook up my trailer, and am ready to head to Marshall, MN, Sioux Falls, SD, & finnally Aberdeen, SD.
Crap, I have no fuel cards with me. I left them at home, Here I go travelling 130 miles north to get my fuel cards just so I can drive that same 130 miles south before I actually acomplish something.
Made my first drop in Marshall at 7:30 that morning. That even gave me a half hour nap that I really needed. Now I have dispatch trying to reload me at noon in Shakopee. Normally I like it when they do that, but they can at least wait until I have a empty trailer. I told them nope, I still had 2 drops to go & at least 300 miles before I was empty.
Everything else was much uneventful. Got lost in Sioux Falls & finnally made it to Aberdeen and emptied out. Told dispatch I couldn't go much further. I was up all day working on the truck Monday, & then up all night & all day driving the damn thing. It was time that I took a rest. They agreed and gave that same Shakopee load they originally tried to give me & told me to get it in the Morning. 5:30 PM I crawled into bed and snored the night away.

Wednesday

Was suppose to wake up around 1 am. That is what I wanted so I could be in Shakopee before the metro rush hour. I could even get loaded & then down to Kansas City to be unloaded today if everything went alright.

8 am. I wake up screaming in Aberdeen, SD. It was like a bad dream, but I guess my body needed more rest then what I thought. So no big deal. I also don't feel right. Maybe because I slept to long, perhaps I'm getting sick.
Got myself to Shakopee about noon/1 pmish. Got my Shingles & commenced my way down to Kansas City. No problems, even got there to get a good nights sleep before I have to unload in the morning.

Thursday

Wake up at about 6:30 am, and prepare to unload at 7:30 am. This is what I was giving for a unload time. So I untarped and unstrap my shingles for then to lift off as soon as I pull into the gate. Now I'm confirmed sick after vomitting 3 times. Hope somebody here doesn't get that pallet of shingles.
7:35 am, gate is still locked up. they unlock it around 15 minutes later. I pull in ready for them to take their crap & let me go. Nope, another hour went by before I even saw a forklift. Finnally they took car of me, and I missed KC rush hour.

Got reload info out of Atchinson, KS. Large Diameter Rusted Steel Pipe. Oh how can I be so lucky. I have seen many drivers lose it up around Hiawatha with this stuff. Fortunatly I haven't, but It scares the hell out of me. They also don't care for stepdecks. so here I go, running around KC looking for a flatbed.
Got hooked up to my trailer and find I don't have brake lights on the truck or the trailer. Did several different things, but still didn't get them going. I finally said to myself, "What am I worried about? I'm in KC. They don't even know what brakes are let alone what brake lights look like." And off I go to get loaded.
Get loaded heading for Dickens, IA (HEY People In Iowa, I know the town may be small. But please contact Rand McNally & let them know it is there). Still working with my brake lights & trying to brainstorm going down the highway (you can probally smell the rubber burning). I decided to run without them until I could get to the shop in IA and have them checked out by a mechanic. Maybe some "4 WHEELER" will actully learn the meaning of tailgating.
Got to the Terminal Shop around 6:30 or 7 that evening. told them what was going on. No problem, drop your trailer & pull it into bay #7. I circled around the building and go to drop the trailer. When I hit the brakes to stop the truck, everything behind me lit up red. I said forget it & went to bed.

Friday

7 am, wake up in Iowa sicker then a dog. left the termininal after checking to make sure I had brake lights. Headed up to Dickens, IA to unload this pipe.
Got there & didn't have any brake lights again. Now I know I'm not on drugs. So after unloading, I go back to the terminal & get it into the shop. Mechanic saw what was happening and started working on it.
I got to thinking......
Hey, my car is here. Yep, my 1991 Camaro RS. The one I spend all my time & money on when I can. Instead of eating out of the snack machine, I will just run up town & get a good warm meal. Maybe that will help me.

Walk over to the car. looks good, a little dirty from sitting outside but nothing a car wash can't fix. Call it habit, but I always walk around a vehicle before driving it. I look for flat tires and such. Well, I found that my passenger window had been busted out & the stereo system has been stolen, They never touched my CD's though. Don't seem like I am getting much support with who is going to pay for the damages or stolen property. But at least they gave me some stuff & garage space to put plastic over the broken window.

Damn Theives, if your reading this, next time don't be in such a hurry to bust out windows. Always try to open the door with the handle first. you may be surprised. Also, hope you enjoy the eBay special Sony Cd deck. I'm sure it will bring you lots of money at the pawn shop, expecially with that MC Hammer CD stuck in it. And the speaker, well they weren't really alpine. They were those speakers that you get in the box you buy at Kmart. You know the box with the stereo and speakers included for $34.99. The only thing alpine about those speakers were the grilles, and you left those behind.

You don't even want to know how today is going.....

 

So other than that how was the parade Mrs Kennedy I know just how you feel Parks, been there done that got the knuckle prints in the roof to prove it

What works for me is repeat.... "I love me job...I love my job" It dont work but it is time consuming

 

my hands got real cold at work yesterday

 

Yea, I though my nose was gonna freeze up, it was like 40 degrees yesterday. bbbbbbrrrrrrrr

 

I am a big wussy!!!!!!! I could never do what you long haulers do, KUDOS to you!!! I consider that regional and long haul stuff my last option. I am so happy that I drive my pick-up to the same place every day, hook-up and run the same route every day, and I get to return to the same yard, and 4-wheel it back to my house. Local drivers have it good, come on over to the other side. The only draw-back is alot of "hands-on freight"

So I take it that you don't have any security at this terminal?? What kind of people are hanging around, I couldn't work if I thought my personal ride was unsafe back at the terminal.

 

....you did notice his first day, the temperature was "minus" 38, didn't you? That's almost eighty degrees colder than nose freezing weather...LOL

 

And I thought that stuff only happened to ME!

 

parks that was on heck of a awful week, been there done some of it also, new york to cali for seven years 3 turns a month for carretta trucking "no longer" i truely feel sorry for people having to deal with those mid west temps as we drove into several trips that the engine could not even heat the cab, finally parked in a stop left it running and got a room,

take care shiny side up man, safe driving

 

Nope, no security at all. But all the other vehicles are mismatched color or rusted pretty badly. Then in the middle of it is my mint rust free Camaro. The car is going to be moved next month when I move to Tennessee. I know it will be safer there.

Today got even worse. Due to the storm last night, they were shutting roads down because of poor road conditions. Fortunatly I was able to sneak past them to get home.

I got home about 3:30 this morning. Just enough time to launch my truck off into a snow bank & block 2 roads. 30 minutes of rocking clutch popping & I had her free.
Continued to my parking area to drop my trailer. Lowered my dollies, pulled my electric & air lines, unlocked my 5th. wheel and started to pull away when I notice that the trailer was getting lower and lower. I jamed it in reverse & got back under it quickly before it was to late. After connecting back up to the trailer I noticed that one of my dollies was starting to collapse.

Went to the doctor & found out that I have the flu & a severe case of sinus infection again. I'm on codene for the pain so I'm a little loopy right now.

I was at the local gas station tonight for a couple hours talking to the ladies that work there. They vary in age from 18 to 60. I enjoy talking to them & they enjoy the conversations I bring. I like it because it is the only real female interaction that I have in my life.

Well while chatting, the local Barney Fife came a strolling in. At this time, I have the 3 younger girls rolling in laughter. Barney does his thing & leaves. A few minutes later the phone rings & the older cashier answers the phone.

All I here is "Hello, He's OK, No he is fine, yeah he is here all the time, He'll be going home soon, yep he is a fine gentleman & we really enjoy his conversations, goodbye".

Now I'm thinking it is my mother. She knows I go there a lot & also knows I'm on codene. She must be calling checking up on me. Nope, it was that cop. He Wanted to make sure I was harrassing the woman there. I think that was being a chicken crap. The man was just in there, if thre was a doubt in his mind he should have said something right there. not leave & then call to see if everything was OK.
I know the man is only trying to protect & serve, but in my mind if he had any doubt at all he should have mentioned it right there. Not leave & then call when his coffee & donuts are safe back at the office.
Just thinking about it made me furious, so I decided to leave before he came in again & I open ed up my big mouth. I wished my lady friends a good night & here I am.

 

I know, I was just joking. I have to give serious kudos to you parks, I could never live where you live and do your job.

 

Parks - I'm shivering for you. I've had weeks like that, and it is lonely as heck when you are sick and on the road. Been there, Done that, don't want to do it again!!!!!!!!
As fas as the break-in on your 4 wheeler, I never leave my vehicle at the terminal if there is any way possible not to. Usually a wide open spot and invitation to scum (thieves) to come and get your stuff. My Pete is out in my driveway and I dare you to come into my yard and try to get in it!!!
Time to go to work this week, been off on vacation babysitting the wife who had surgury on tues. Must be getting better cuz she's getting mean. Mon. morning need to find an empty skateboard in the yard and go to work.
What fb company do you work for? I know of 2 in Ft Dodge, Ia, I work for the company w/ the blue and white trks.
Keep the faith, keep stroking, and have a safe week.

dave s

 

oofff hang in there it has GOT to get better

 

Hey, I have a blue & white truck.

They also have a terminal in OKC. Must be the same company.

 

Must be!!! I'm out of the OKC terminal, but do not drive a blue/white or dark blue. Mines is metallic blue w/ gold stripes. They call me superdave on cb. Hope to run into or with you someday. trk 9021

 

Yep it is the same company. I was just in OKC last week, but didn't stop at the terminal. My trk # is 4630 & have been called everything good & bad on the CB.

I think they still have a terminal in Alabama. If so, I'm going to try & get my truck based out of there next month when I move to Tennessee.