Enjoying North America while earning a living...

February 20, 1992, 2012

2012-02-20T13:23:00.002-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(

February 19, 2012

2012-02-19T18:55:00.002-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(

February 18, 1992, 2012

2012-02-18T21:55:00.002-06:00

February 17, 1992, 2012

2012-02-17T13:47:00.000-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(

February 16, 1992, 2012

2012-02-16T13:28:00.000-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(

February 15, 1992, 2012

2012-02-16T13:26:00.002-06:00

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February 14, 1992, 2012

2012-02-14T01:47:00.002-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-traveling in Ohio)

February 13, 1992, 2012

2012-02-13T13:48:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Cleveland, Ohio)
I woke at the Cleveland Union Truckstop and went in and had breakfast(eggs, potatoes and sausage). I called dispatch and was given a load from Johnson Controls in Strongsville(Ohio). The load was going to the Ford Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Missouri; the problem is that the load has a pickup time of 6 PM EST.

I got over to Johnson Contrals as soon as I could but it didn't help with me getting my load. I got to walk around a little of the plant and found it interesting. Talked to shipping and they said it would be close to my pickup time before I could get my load. I helped move trailers around for awhile and then laid down for a rest and turned out to b a nap. I checked in with shipping again and was told they were waiting for a couple pieces. They finally got me out of there a 8 PM EST.

I headed down I-71 and stopped at our fuelstop in Berkshire(Ohio). I fueled(109 gallons) and got me a couple turkey legs to eat along the way. I continued on down to I-70 and went west told Indianapolis. My day ended with me passing I-75 on my way to Indiana...

February 12, 1992, 2012

2012-02-12T22:22:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Willoughby, Ohio)
I delivered my load and was empty by 8:15 PM EST. Called dispatch and was told that I should get out of the Cleveland today sometime.

I wasn't far from the Union Truckstop and so I went there to wait. I kept waiting all day and ended up sleeping there the night...

February 11, 1992, 2012

2012-02-11T20:36:00.008-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-McLean, Iliinois)
The day starts and I am doing my laundry at the Dixie Truckstop. Couldn't sleep so what the heck, I decided to do something other than just lay there.

I got done with my laundry shortly after 1:30 AM CST and laid down to try and sleep agian. I guess I dozed a little but I was up and awake again at 3:30 AM CST.

I headed for Cleveland(Ohio) on the back roads as the interstates seems less direst. I traveled up I-55 to Hwy 24 where I headed east across county. I went into Indiana and continued east to Hwy 24 to Huntington(Indiana). I got on Hwy 224 east into Ohio and kept going to I-71 at our fuelstop in Sevelle, Ohio.

Followed I-71 northeast to I-271 and then to I-90 where I found the receiver of this load in Willoughby....The place was closed so I found a parking space and settled in for the night...

February 10, 1992, 2012

2012-02-11T20:35:00.004-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Maryville, Kansas)
I was up early today and headed for Blue Rapids for my pick up. I wasn't really impressed with this chemical company, but who said I had to be. They had my load ready for me in 50 pound bags; 41,000 pounds of them. After I was loaded, they let me weigh on there scale but I wasn't convinced that there weighing was correct.

I left Blue Rapids and went back to Hwy 36 in Maryville. Went west into Missouri and got a certified weight. I turned out OK... Continued east through Missouri on Hwy 36, crossing into Illinois at Hannibal, Missouri.

Continued east on Hwy 36(I-72 not a formal interstate yet) to Springfield(Illinois) and then north on I-55. Stopped at the Dixie Truckstop at McLean, Illinois. I fueled(142 gallons) and had dinner. Tried to sleep but couldn't. As my day was ending at midnight, I found myself doing my laundry at the truckstop....

February 9, 1992, 2012

2012-02-09T09:30:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Sunday-Maryville, Kansas)
Stayed in motel room today typing, writing and watching TV.....

February 8, 1992, 2012

2012-02-08T14:31:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Norton, Kansas)
Simple day; traveled east on Hwy 36 and ended up in Maryville, Kansas after going down to Blue Rapids and finding the pickup location. Nothing in Blue Rapids so went back to Maryville and got a motel room through Monday morning...

February 7, 1992, 2012

2012-02-07T01:18:00.003-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Bennett, Colorado)
I was up and left the Bennett truckstop by 6:30 AM MST. The traffic was there but minimal. The directions I had were "right on" and finding the GNB battery warehouse was no problem. I was totally unloaded and calling into dispatch by 9 AM MST.

Dispatch had a load for me at my first call....deadhead to Blue Rapids, Kansas to pick up a load of chemicals Monday to the Cleveland area. I decided to leave immediately. I left westbound on I-70 and stopped at our fuelstop in Bennett, Colorado for fuel(108 gallons). Shortly after leaving Bennett, I came to Byers(Colorado) and decided to take Hwy 36 east. I got on Hwy 36 and decided to pull over on the highway and look at my map. I did and looked at the towns coming up. I wanted to get some packing materials for mailing the T-shirts I had bought for some of the kids I knew. Note: The towns I passed before I got to Kansas didn't even have the populations to support a small store.

As I was sitting there, a driver driving a PST truck went by and shouted out on the CB radio asking if I was OK. I said I was ans we ran with each other into Kansas. We had a great time chit-chating back and forth. We got into Kansas and the PST driver needed to go south. I said "bye" and he said "Bye JIM". I ALWAYS CALLED MYSELF "PT" AND NEVER USED "JIM". As he was going out of CB radio range, I asked how he knew my first name was "Jim". His last words were, after a little chuckle, "I tell you later" and then he was gone...

Got to Norton, Kansas and called it a day. Found a convenient store with truck parking and parked for the night....

February 6, 1992, 2012

2012-02-06T14:29:00.004-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Kansas City, Missouri)
I was in the drivers' lounge waiting for a load by 8:30 AM CST. It was at 9 AM CST that I was called to the dispatch window with 5 other drivers. I was the fifth of the 6 drivers to get A choice of loads. I took the load to Denver, Colorado. I talked with a couple of the drivers who chose before me. They thought the load I picked was a load of tires; it was a load of auto batteries. I had to go to Lavenworth, Kansas to get the load. The load was waiting for me when I got there. I was on my way to Denver by 11 AM CST.

Traveled out of Lavenworth on Hwy 7 to I-70 west. Went through the toll road potion of Kansas, through Topeka and on west on I-70. I got to Hays, Kansas around 3:30 PM CST and decided to have lunch/dinner at the out the interstate buffet. After dinner I walked over to the Wal-Mart and found really cute t-shirts(pictures of either a parrot or bear cub and the saying "we bad" on it). Got 6 shirts for 6 kids I knew: 2 in Carlsbad, 2 in Laredo and 2 in Fulton)
Left Hays and continued west. I got to Bennett, Colorado and stopped at the truckstop there for the night at 9 PM MST...

February 5, 1992, 2012

2012-02-05T23:47:00.002-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Joplin, Missouri)
I was woken up at 2 AM CST with the word that my tractor was finished with the repairs. I parked the tractor in the tractor parking area and went back to sleep until 5 AM CST.

Went into the truckers' lounge and waited for somewhere to go. At 9:30 AM CST dispatch gave me a "bad" load. I had to deadhead to Lamar(Missouri), where I found the load NOT ready. When I got it to the address I was directed to, I was told that it was the wrong address and no one knew the right place it needed to go. I called the Kansas City terminal and was told to bring it to our terminal yard and drop it....

I got on the TRB but I won't be going out until tomorrow....

February 4, 1992, 2012

2012-02-04T23:55:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Monrovia, Indiana)

I woke up at 4 AM EST and walked around for a few minutes. I did my vehicle inspection and paperwork. Was moving west on I-40 and entered Illinois. Stopped at our fuelstop in Effingham(Illinois)at 6 AM CST and had the breakfast bar(had to wait awhile for them to set it up). I was in the restaurant nearly 2 hours: waiting, eating and talking.

Left for Joplin, Missouri and went through St. Louis and ended up on I-44 southwest. Got to Joplin at 3 PM CST and had to go through the vehicle inspection bay.

The mechanics found a number of repairs I needed--including a water pump--and they called dispatch. They asked that I shut down for at least half a day as I told them I had a "hot" load. Dispatch instructed me to drop the loaded trailer and get the tractor fixed.

I watched my TV while I laid in my bunk while the mechanics fixed my tractor. I fall asleep and was snoring away as my day ended....

February 3, 1992, 2012

2012-02-03T14:22:00.005-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-traveling in Michigan)
I got to my destination shortly after 1 AM EST and was allowed to park on the assembly plants property. At 6:30 AM EST I was woken by the security guard and told what dock to back up to. All the parts I was delivering were on racks and easily removed. I was unloaded and done by 7:30 AM EST.

When I called dispatched and reported I was ready for another load, they said to "call back in an hour". There were no truckstops near where I was so I drove 5 miles to the "76" truckstop where I found a Team from my company; there handles were "Pee Wee" and "Driver".

Pee Wee and Driver had been there 3 days because they had made a couple bad mistakes:
1--They decided to drive their tractor to a bar. If the law enforcement people want to, they can follow you to your tractor after you have just one drink and arrest you, after you start your engine, for operating a commercial vehicle under the influence. This could ruin your career...
2--They parked behind the bar--to hide the tractor--and found a dead female in the snow. They chose to leave the scene without notifing the police. Someone saw them and the police chased them down and took DNA samples from them. They were cleared after three days of waiting.

I called dispatch about the fourth time to find I had a load to pick up in Flint, Michigan going to Oklahoma City. Went to Flint after I finished breakfast. Got to the steering gear plant and was loaded shortly after I got there. The load was not that heavy(29,568 lbs) so the ride wasn't bad at all. I headed down(southwest) I-69 to Lansing, an around it. I-69 wasn't hooked up with Lansing yet. Stayed on I-69 into Indiana and through Indianapolis on I-70. Went I-70 westbound to our fuel stop in Monrovia(Indiana) at 7 PM EST. I decided to send the night there and did...

February 2, 1992, 2012

2012-02-02T01:25:00.003-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Sunday-Taylor, Michigan)
Was up early but found that me getting out today was far from reality. Sat around the terminal and did the regular stuff: talk, type and watch TV...

Layed down a 5 PM EST and was gotten up by dispatch at 10 PM EST as they had a load for me. They wanted me to take a load of auto parts to a factory at Saginaw(Michigan). It was only two hours to Saginaw so I hooked up to the trailer, got fuel(121 gallons), and updated my paperwork. I took off up I-75 at 11 PM EST. Traveling and getting close to Flint, Michigan as my day ended...

February 1, 1992, 2012

2012-02-01T01:10:00.003-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Lake Station, Indiana)
Woke up from a bunk's full of sleep at 7:15 AM CST and was in the truckstop restaurant having breakfast by 7:30 AM CST. Filled up at the barfet, and was heading for the Taylor(Detroit) terminal by 8:45 AM CST.

Followed I-94 into Michigan and onto the Detroit area. Got the the terminal at 1:30 PM EST. I took my paperwork into dispatch to be prepared for Canada and was told to drop the trailer in the trailer yard. They had no delivery time for my load and since it was just empty racks there was no rush for it.

Spent the day and evening at the terminal talking and typing.....exciting????

January 31, 1992, 2012

2012-01-31T14:00:00.005-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Kansas City, Missouri)
Woke up after a good night sleep in my tractor bunk to find no loads for me. I sat the whole morning either typing on my computer or talking to the occasional driver that wanted to talk.

At 1 PM CST I got called to the dispatch window and the dispatched offered me one of three loads, all nothing new. I had a choice of picking--as a destination--Canada, Michigan or Wisconsin. Even though Wisconsin seemed to "stick out", I picked Canada. This was a nice light load of empty racks coming from the Ford Assembly plant and going back to a parts manufacturer in Canada.

I left out at 2 PM and headed up I-35 swinging east on I-80 when I got to Des Moines(Iowa). Stopped at the restaurant and truckstop south of the Williamsburg, Iowa exit and thought of having dinner but didn't. Time was now around 7 PM CST and I even thought of watching a couple movies in their movie room but I didn't. I was gone moving east on I-80 after a stop of only about 15 minutes.

I went over and around the Quad-Cities into Illinois and followed I-80 into Indiana. Shortly after entering Indiana, I stopped at "Just a Truckstop" at Lake Station. The day was just ending as I parked for the night...

January 30, 1992, 2012

2012-01-30T00:58:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Monroe City, Missouri)
We, Shadow(from yesterday's blog) and I, left the truckstop at 5 AM CST and traveled Hwy 36 west to I-35 where we went south. We got to out Kansas City Terminal and got to drop our trailers in the yard.

I was still pretty tired so I went and took a long nap; Shadow took a load and left Kansas City. When my nap was over, there was no load for me to take. Tomorrow is another day....

January 29, 1992, 2012

2012-01-29T21:03:00.001-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Westland, Michigan)
Just found the receiver before my new day started and I checked with the guard on duty. He said for me for park in an assigned space and go to bed until about 7 AM EST.

About 6:30 AM EST I got a knock on my cab bunk and it was the guard; he gave me a dock to back up to . It wasn't long after the docking that I felt the forktrucks going in and out of my trailer emptying it. It didn't take long and I was empty. I called dispatch in Taylor(Detroit) as to what to do and they assigned me a load to pick up in Utica, Michigan The load I was going after was a " drop & hook " load going to Kansas City, Missouri. I got the assigned trailer hooked up and vehicle inpection done and then another company--my company--driver drove in. It was a female driver with the handle "Shadow Dancer"(She said to just call her "Shadow"). She was going the same place as me so we decided to run together after I told her how I was doing the route. We got her hooked up by 10:30 AM EST and left south on Mound Road to I-696 to I-75 south. When we got to I-94, we headed west.

We stopped at "Just a Truckstop" in Lake Station, Indiana for fuel(119 gallons) and dinner. After dinner, we were moving west on I-80 only to turn south on I-55. We stopped for a short break at the Funk's Grove rest area. We continued to Hwy 36 at Springfield, Illinois. We took Hwy 36--now I-72--west into Missouri and stopped for the night at the truckstop on Hwy 36 just as Hwy 24 joins it...There we stayed the night...

January 28, 1992, 2012

2012-01-28T14:56:00.002-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Ridway, Illinois)
I was up before the unloaders got here. I knew their times as I have been to this place many times before. They got me unloaded from the parking lot---strange from before but the job got done.

Called dispatch when unloaded and was given a load to pick up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Checked to map out and decided to take Hwy 13 west to I-57 south. At Hwy 146, I took it west and followed it over the Mississippi River into Cape Girardeau. The directions to my pick up were strange but I found the place. Checked in with the shipping department and was given a dock to back into.

I was loaded and leaving the shipper by noon CST. I left Cape Girardeau the same way I came in, Hwy 146 over the Mississippi River following it to I-57. Took I-57 north to I-70 and stopped at our fuel stop in Effingham, Illinois for fuel(105 gallons). Because this fuel stop had attendants that filled our tanks, I went into the store and bought some munchies for the road. Continued east on I-70 to Indianapolis and took I-69 north to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Went east through Ft. Wayne(I-469 not built yet) to Hwy 24. Took Hwy 24 into Ohio where I went past the most worthless stoplight in the US is, Antwerp(Ohio).

Got to I-475 west of Toledo, Ohio and followed it north. Since I was well beyond my driving time and didn't want to stop, I decided to go into Michigan on Hwy 23 to avoid the Michigan truck scale house on I-75. Followed Hwy to I-94 and them east to I-275. Took I-275 north to Westland where I found the receiver just before midnight EST....

January 27,1992, 2012

2012-01-27T01:45:00.004-06:00

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Kansas City, Missouri)
I woke at 3 AM CST and just couldn't go back to sleep. I got up and went into the terminal truckers' lounge and worked on my computer. Just typed and talked with various drivers until 10:30 AM CST when I got called to the dispatch window. I got a load of empty containers to Ridgway, Illinois(self proclaimed "popcorn capital" of the world).

I took this load and then found out that the load wasn't at the terminal yet, A local driver brought it in and I hookuped to it and was gone--east on I-70--by 1:30 PM CST. I stopped in Kingdom City, Missouri for dinner and then it was onward to Ridway, Illinois. Got on I-64 east in Illinois and followed it to Hwy 45(exit 110). Followed Hwy 45 south to Hwy 1 which I follow south to Ridway.

It was around 9:30 PM CST when I pulled into the popcorn plant yard and no one was there. Just pulled to a good parking space and went to bed....