thoughts from the road

long time since last post

2008-09-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well I've been busy trying to keep my head above water, running as hard as I can. I can't complain about the frieght, or money. Just the expenses. Cost's seem to keep going up every day. there was a time that I thought a 3000$ week was a good week, now it's just about what I need to make any money, and thats not alot because for a 3g week, I'll burn 1500$ in fuel. That bites. With the looming financial debacle in washington, and wall street, I'm not sure what the future holds for trucking. If no one can barrow money, they can't build things, if they don't build things I can't haul it. If I can't haul it, I'll go fishing. (I've got to be a hunter-gatherer you know)
Were getting into my favorite time of the year, fall. I love the musky, earthy scent of fall, leaves, and cold air. Time for the trees and most of nature to rest for the winter. Wish I knew what crops to plant in the fall. I wish I'd have been a farmer. I love watching things grow, I'd have a machine shed, complete with welder, cutting tourch, nut and bolt bin, and I'd be building stuff, alot of stuff. Maybe in my next life.
I had planted a garden up at the farm the last week in may, alittle early for planting, but luckly enough, when the last two frosts came, they hadn't broken thru the ground, and I was there to cover them with black plastic. It would have done quite well if everything hadn't died out from lack of water. Next year I'll have a 300 gal water tote on a small tower near the garden with a drip system. Lots of water for the garden next year. I also have a well on the property, probably about 200 ft. from the garden. It's 300 ft deep, and water is up to 90 ft from the top. That means there is 210 ft of water in the well. Now, anyone know how to figure how many gallons that is?
L8ter, I need to watch the debates.

2008-05-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

2008-05-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

Instructions for reading this post.

2008-04-11T22:05:00.001-07:00

Ok, after I put the pics up, I realized that you have to start with the old'st first, or just backwards of the way I did it. So, start from the bottom and read up. That will probably make more sence. (like anyone is reading this)

2008-04-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

And here it is, all back together agian. All I need to do now is chain it down, and take it home. Well not home, but I can stop at home on my way to kingsford mi. to unload this gem.

2008-04-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

Thru much pulling, pushing, and draging, we have it on the trailer. The wrecker has to park behind the trailer. We pull the cable out across the trailer and winch the truck onto the trailer. This truck doesn't run, so with out the power steering working, it took two of us to turn the wheel enough to steer this thing onto the trailer.

2008-04-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the wrecker bringing the truck that doesn't run, to load onto the trailer. (very large wrecker)

2008-04-11T21:56:00.000-07:00

this is what the trailer looks like while patiently waiting for the load. Notice the ramps on the front of the trailer, that makes it easier to drive a machine, truck or what ever you have.

2008-04-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

This is how the trailer works. First, I uncouple the front part of the trailer, and pull far enough away so you have room to work, or manuver the load onto the trailer. (nice truck hey?)

still trying to figure this out

2008-04-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've been trying to find how to put another post on here for the last hour. Much harder than driving a truck.
Well, I finally made it out of Oklahoma City on mon. afternoon. I found a load on the load board, and a very nice lady by the name of Kathy, working for Jamison logistics, gave me a load from Ft. Leonardwood Mo. to Ft. Rucker Al. It was a 400 mile deadhead (no load) I woke up at 6:30, am, and called my customer to get directions to my pic up. I was told that there was no load going to Ft. Rucker. Being a bit disapointed, I called Kathy and let her know what was up. She said she'd check on it and call me back. After a while, I got another phone number, to the people who actually had the load I was looking for, (the trouble with a large army base) and I was on my way to get my load. It was raining like crazy, but I found where I was supposed to be. I had to pick up a 2 1\2 ton truck, duce and a half. I didn't have to break the trailer down, I just backed up to a loading dock, and he drove it on. So much nicer than to have had to break the trailer down in the rain. I chained it down and away I went. Now Ft. Leonardwood Mo. is a really nice place, (if your not staitioned there) But going from there to Ft. Rucker Al. is not a good route. By that I mean, there is no good way to go. I got on sr. 17, which goes thru the hills, and woods. Not so bad at that, but the thing only has 8 foot wide lanes. My truck is that wide, which ment that I had to keep my drivers side wheels on the yello line all the way. The road had no shoulders at all. It went from black top to ditch. It took me four hours to go 120 miles, and I hadn't stopped once!!! The other interesting tidbit they forgot to tell me about was that the parking brake didn't work on the duece and a half. Most of the army trucks nowdays have automatic transmissions, so you can't park them in gear, you have to park them in nuetral, and apply the parking brake.....if it has one. This one didn't. I had to stop the first time I had a chance, which was 120 miles later, and put a pull chain, and a drag chain on it, plus nail boards in front of and behind the tires to keep it from rolling back and forth on the trailer.
Other than that, it was uneventful. Got it off in Ft. Rucker today around 2;30pm, 814 miles, left yesterday morning around 11:30. 27 hours. Not to bad seeing as though the law says that I must take 10 hours off after driving or being on duty for 11 hours. Too bad the people makeing the law hasn't spent a little time in a truck or done any trucking. They might understand why their logging rules are so out of touch. I could go on, but I won't. This is boring enough.
I'm in Pensacola Fl. tonite, sitting at the knights Inn off exit 7, on us.10. It' not the nicest motel I've been in, but it's clean, I have my own bathroom, (you can't appreciate that unless you've spent time in a truck, a week at a time.) My own shower, (equally as important) a comfortable bed, and last but not least, wi-fi.
I'll load my load tomarrow morning, I had to call today and let them know when I'll be in so they can have a wrecker, (very large wrecker) there to load my burned out garbage truck. It weighs around 30,000Lbs. and it doesn't run. The cab caught fire, and everything is burned out. I'll haul it back to the factory where they made it, and they will disassemble it, and rebuild it like new. And, I'll get home. I haven't been home for two weeks, I get cranky after not being home for two weeks. I need Rhondas soothing voice and really good cooking to revive me.
OK, enough for tonite. I'll log on again when I can, and I'm working on getting some more pics from my camera to the computer. More on that later. L8ter

opinion

2008-04-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to list this under opinion. I've been trying to watch a movie on netflix instant download, and the first one I started was really bad. I think the name of it was, "he came from earth". Ok, I know. With a name like that what can you expect. I'm a firm believer that you need to watch a few bad movies so you can appreciate a good one now and then.
Well the bad movie came thru just fine. I watched it till I wanted to scream, then stopped it and found a movie I really did want to see, "the Philidelphia experiment". I tried and tried but because of the fluctuating wireless internet signal, it kept stopping and starting all over. I'm still at the flying "j" in oklahoma city. Flying "j", your wifi SUX big time!!!Because you've wasted so much of my time tonite, I'm not going to eat your breakfast buffett tomarrow morning. I'm going to eat a bowl of cheerios in my truck! That should show them!!!

2008-04-05T15:04:00.001-07:00

getting going

2008-04-05T14:10:00.003-07:00

I drive a 2000 kenworth w-900l, very purple, and for the last 6 weeks pull a rgn. Thats a trailer that I can drop the front of the trailer on the ground, and drive on what ever machine I need to. I can also carry loads up to 12 foot tall, which is an advantage at times.
I run mostly from the upper midwest, (kingsford Mi.) to the southeast. I've been pulling out of pensecola fl. for the last 5 weeks. I've got another 2 weeks to go, and I'm going to take a week off. I haven't had more than a day and a half at a time since christmas. (except this week end, but not being at home, I don't count this)
I don't have alot of time to do the things I like to do, but the pics of the trees on this page is from my camp. It's in northern wi. near the upper mi. border. I go there in my mind when I get bored, or agitated, or just when I need to take a break from reality. There isn't much there, just an old trailer, some where around a 1965 vintage travel trailer. It's 27 foot long, and in pretty good shape. In front of my trailer, I have a fire pit about 10 foot across that was built by my youngs't daughter. She did a great job.
One of the greatst parts of being leased to the company that I am, is that their yard is only about 6 miles from my camp. A lot of times, especially in the summer time, If I get in, and can't load until the next day, I'll go to the camp, cook alot of food on the grill, build a really big fire in the pit, drink a few corona's, and gaze at the sky and stars. One only needs to spend one night at the camp to realize how great it is to be alive. I love watching the chipmunks, red squirls, turkeys and deer.
Last summer, I had one young chipmunk who I think recognizes me. When ever I got to the camp, he'd come running and I'd always give him some corn, or cookies. I hope he made it thru the winter. Last spring, when I opened the trailer after sitting all winter, I found one of my drawers in the kitchen filled to the brim with pine cones. One of the red squirls had moved in. I found out that pine cones, a nice pile of them, work really well in the fire pit. Those things will burn for hours!!!
I didn't mean to go on about my camp, this is "thoughts from the road", but I've added this to give a little information about what keeps me going, and what I do in some of my free time. If anyone wants to know more, just let me know. I love talking about my camp. I'm in the process of planting fruits, and trees, and making my own shangrala.
This being my first blog, I'm learning as I go. I'm going to put some pics of my truck on here, of me, and of what ever I think is interesting to who ever may read this. I have no idea if anyone will or not, as I said, this is all new to me. Usually when I get on the computer, I surf just about as many sites as I can. I'm interested especially in making your own energy, building things, and ufo stuff. I'm listening to an internet radio show as I'm typing, The ufo show with Aaron Moriarty on blogtalkradio.com. Pretty interesting, give it a try.
I'll go for now, and if I see or think of something later, I'll be back. I've been told I'm like a bad dream, I keep comming back. L8ter

still trying to figure this out

2008-04-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

Ok, I just typed an hours worth of stuff for my blog, and I lost it. Yup, it's out there some where in blogger land, I have no idea of where it is. I may have deleted it, or sent it on to the great blogger's beyond. I'll try it agian, after I figure out how to get-er-done.