12/28/2009

It was pointed out to me that my previous blog photo was bad enough to frighten small children and could perform in some sort of pest control function. Hence while the Christmas cameras were flashing I was able to find a better photo. It still doesn't make me into a beefcake, but I guess photos can do only so much. :))

I took a small break from my vacation and took the tractor over to the local Freightshaker dealer to get an oil leak fixed. I think I made a mistake when I told them I was on vacation, but we will see.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and will Have a prosperious New Year

Bookerz out

12/25/2009

Well I didn't get released Wednesday mornng as I had hoped. The load I got picked up just outside of Jackson, MS and had to be taken over to Richburg, SC where some other driver will have to relay the load next week.

The load itself wasn't bad it was the waiting till noon to get the assignment that was agrevating. It is (the waiting) all a part of the business I just get antsy when it is time to head home. The good part is I'll get the miles between Jackson and Richburg on this pay period and Maverick didn't have to move an empty truck 525 miles. The coil I picked up was as tall as I am and weighed in at a hefty 44,000 lbs. I was a bit skittish about the height of the coil pushing the center of gravity that far off the ground, But in the end I just drove like it was glass and took it easy on the corners and all was good.

I made it home by noon on Thursday and got to spend Christmas eve with the wife and kids.

It is my furverant hope that everyone has had as a successful year both financially and job satisfaction wise as I have had this year and that it continues into the new year for you and yours.

I'll be on vacation until the 3rd of Janurary or maybe the 2nd if I can get a load with some teeth on it. I have a feeling I'll be chomping at the bit prior to that we will just have to wait and see.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy Newear.

Bookerz Out

12/22/2009

Well it turns out that the battery cables were not the only problem. But they were necessary to complete the diagnostic process. Anyway the other problem was a "Range value". Fortunately the service manager didn't bother to explain what a range value was and I didn't have to whip out my 'deer in the headlights' facial expression. So I got to nod knowingly and everyone was happy. They finished the truck around 6pm a full hour after I could get myself on the board. So it is time to wait around until morning.

Hopefully when I call in the morning I will get released to head to the house. It is only 525 miles to the house and perhaps I'll get there tomorrow evening.

Here is hoping

Bookerz out

12/21/2009

Well the day started out right.

I took off about 1am and made it over to Jackson/Richland, MS about 5:30. The directions were about the weakest I've encountered so far. They weren't really bad, but not specific enough to be as helpful as they could have been. Fortunately there was a Walmart not to far down the road and made a uturn in their parking lot and made it to the consignee before the traffic got started. As I pulled into the consignee my check transmission light went off on the dah board. I shut down the engine and restarted it and the light went away. Good enough or so I thought.

The unload was a bit of a pain because the crane they used was very limited. Once unloaded I headed over to a nearby Flying J on my way there the bloody light went off again and the transmission disengauged. So I coast over to the break down lane. I try my restart the truck routine and now at least the transmission would work. But................................ it wouldn't go above 5th gear. If you haven't guessed by now I drive an automatic. I made it over to the Flying J and sat around for about 10 min. I sent a macro off to Fleetnet. call the boss and let her know and then drove down to the Freightliner dealer about a mile away. I spent the normal amount of forever sitting around the dealership and still wasn't told a thing. finally about 6:30 I asked what the story was the nice lady behind the counter told wellllllll

"They've got some battery cables being overnighted here."

Oh really. When did we do this?

"About 2 hours ago."

I usually take a good long time to get mad. But this put me into the express lane. I've been sitting here for 2 hours with my thumb up my *** and nobody bothered to tell me. Grrrrrr I didn't say anything to the lady behind the counter because my anger would have been misdirected. Anyway off to a motel for the night I went.

Now as a side note: What the hell battery cables have to do with a transmission problem is beyond me. As we have spoken of before my mechcanical ability could be contained on a head of a pin

I've went through a spate of this repairs of late. Here is hoping that the new year sees a reduction. So far this is shaping up as one of the worst quarters I've had.

Now the real question is ..... Will they get the damn thing fixed in time for me to make it home for Christmas.

Here's hoping

Bookerz out

12/19/2009

Sarted the day at 3am and made it over to Corsicanna by 5. Had to step up the trailer I was pulling into glass mode. Having done that I grabbed my new load and headed off toward Richland, Ms. I wasn't going to have enough time in my log to make the entire way so I decided to pull off and do a reset in Greenwood, La. There is a Flying J there and so far it looks just fine. I'll stay here until Sunday evening and take off early enough that by the time I get unloaded I will have a fresh 14 hour clock available. Hopefully they will get me moving early enough to get another load that closes this week. With Thursday being Christmas eve we will just have to wait and see. Here is hoping though.

Have a good weekend

Bookerz out

12/18/2009 Jarrel, TX part 2

It seems that for the last 2 weeks I-35 in one portion of the coutry or another has been my home. Today consisted of a run down to Laredo, Tx and dropping a load of steel.

On my way down there I got a preplan. One to never complain about a preplan, but this one had an additional message. The preplan involved picking a load up in Laredo, Tx and taking it to Richland, Ms. The additional message spoke of a trlr I was picking up in Corsicanna, TX with a trlr number.

On the initial read I was going from Laredo to Richland, Ms with a load and then going to Corsicanna to a as yet undetermined location. I've gotten preplans before, but never two at once. So a quick call to the boss was in order and mustering all the intelligence I have "HUH? What is this telling me?". The email machine was fired up and after just a moment or three an answer was forth coming. I am to proceed to Corsicanna, TX and repower a load to Richland, MS.

With that all cleared up I proceeded to Laredo to get unloaded. On the way in I turn left one street too soon. Fortunately (in this case) it was a dead end and didn't have much traffic. I was able to back up a quarter mile and then turn to the right to get on the right street. Pulled in popoped the brakes and then was told were to go to check in. The guy I checked in with has as much personality as a rock. But I was unloaded and on my way in 20 minutes.

I had planned on fueling in Laredo at the Pilot on the north end of town, but there was a train gumming up the works there with a 1/2 mile of trucks backed up waiting to get in there. So a plan 'B' was needed. There is another Pilot northeast of San Antonio (176 miles away). At that point I would hace put 1100 miles or so on this tank of fuel. Meaning that I had enough fuel to get there but do I want to run the tanks that low and risk sucking up all that grime up into the engine. I don't think so. So a plan 'C' was needed. Grab a mere 50 gals at the Luv's at mm33 and then top off at the Pilot northeast of San Antonio. Plan in place and off I go.

Rest of the day was just a nice drive back upto the rest area I spent the night at yesterday.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

12/17/2009

Well loading this morning went extremely good. I spoke to an on site representative of our and he explained the process pretty much step-by-step. He also explained how to set up the trailer. And low and behold he was right on all accounts. Pulled in the gate at 6am rolled out of the gate at 6:30. Slid back over to our terminal, pop 4 chains on the load and away I went. Last night I plotted out my journey and todays target was a Flying J 140 miles north of San Antonio, TX. Well the Flying J was full but about 10 miles north there was a fine Texas rest area. As there is grub in the truck and I can make coffee in the truck for in the morning I'm all set.

Plan is to take off early enough to be on the far side of San Antonio, Tx at 6am and in Laredo by 9:30-10 am. Perhaps I'll get back on the board early enough to get a decent load. Only time will tell.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

12/16/2009 -- Two mints in one..

How I forgot to write a missive yesterday is beyond me but here we are.

Quick summary of yesterday:

Got to Dewitt, IA at about 4am and it was COLD! outside. Dropped the trailer I was pulling. The dropping would have went faster but the landing gear was in bad need of greasing. So bad I had to lower the damn thing in low gear. At any rate it was very slow going and did I mention it was cold outside. Grabbed the new load and made it out of there about 5:30. Most of the time the security guards at these places are dry as a bone and they treat you like your an intrusion to their day. Well this one was nice, almost too nice and about talked my ear off. I made it down to Lamar, MO and that just left me only a two hour drive to my first stop.

Alright took off early enough this morning to pull in an hour early at my first stop. It was in the middle of what would normally be considered a residentual area. On the way in I turned left instead of right and almost ended up in a bind thank god I can adjust my passenger to take a look down the right side. Becuase I was about ready to waylay a damn tree in this very tight turn. Anyway backed up a bit and reapproached the turn and made it safely around the corner. Got the two racks for that stop unloaded and proceeded to the Pilot in Springdale, AR to fuel. Went up to Roger, AR got the other eight racks unloaded. Sent in my empty call.

"Head to Fort Smith, AR" was the message I got about 5 minutes later. It is only 90 miles away and we have a terminal there so off I went. Almost as soon as I pulled into the yard there 'BEEP'. Work assignment to pick up steel across the street and head to Laredo, TX another 770 miles with the DH included. It is going to be another banner week, SWEET!

Have a good day

Bookerz out

12/14/2009

Well shortly after 8am got the beep. Proceed to Dewitt, IA. Fired it up and off I went for about 5 miles then for the next 25 miles crawled along 10-20 mph. Gotta love Minneapolis-ST Paul during morning rush with snow fall still being cleared. I'd been better off waiting an hour or 2 and then going, but live and learn.

Rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Except for the 18 wheeler with his cab and part of the trailer hanging off the over pass south of Owatonna. Hope he/she made it and no one was hurt.

About 2 pm got my next work assignment grab a load out of Dewitt and proceed to Springdale, AR for a Thursday am delivery. With that damned headache trying to work its way back I decided to pull up a bit short of Dewitt and make my way there in the am. It is a preloaded trailer so I can pretty much get in there as early as I want and take off with it. Plan to proceed to just north of Joplin, MO Wednesday. That will leave me with a 110 miles for a 9am appointment. Should be doable if the power that be at Dewitt have there ducks all lined up in a row.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

12/13/2009

Today's drive was a breeze. Stop off at Walmart in Bethany, Mo to get some coffee for the coffee maker and a bit of holiday cheer in the form of eggnog. I don't remember the brand, but it was a bit to sweet.

Topped off the tanks in Clear lake, IA and meandered the rest of the way in to Albertville, MN. There is a C-Store there with a bit off truck parking. Got the final fuel results for the quarter and I'll will be receiving a .02 fuel bonus for the shortened quarter. I glad they shortened it because I think in one more week I'll be down to .01 cpm. Especially with spending as much time as I have lately in the great white north.

At 1am Monday morning I headed over to the consignee and attempted to enter the way they want us too. It consists of a left turn with a steep grade. Normally this wouldn't be a problem butttttt, there is a fresh layer of snow and I almost get to the top before the drives loose all hope of going any further. Finally their reciever came out and told me to come in the other way. So I ended up nosing into the building. When I leave I'll have to back out but that will be easier than the blind side back in would have been.

I actually woke up with a headache. The only thing I can figure is I didn't consume enough caffine yesterday. With that thought in mind I brewed a pot of coffee and popped 2 Tylenol. At this point the headache seems to be receding and here's hoping it continues to do so. Not sure what next on the agenda and won't know anything until the load planners get to work about 8am central. So I'll pull out of here and take a nap until the QC dains to give me a beep.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

12/12/2009

Took off at 2:30 am and made it a wee bit north of Oklahoma City and pulled it over for a 1 hour pre-dawn nap. I was start to feel like a bobble head and didn't think it was the way to go down the road. Sixty minutes later my Sceamin Meanie (Alarm clock brand) is crying the blues and away I gooooooo.

Stopped off in Joplin, MO topped off the tanks and grabbed a shower the line was long, but a driver that was in line ahead of me got frustrated and handed me his shower ticket (SWEET). Cut my wait time considerably.

Had some misting today and I amsure a few degrees colder and I would have been looking at a little bit of snow. Made it upto Cameron, MO and called it a day. That will leave about 425 to finish tomorrow for my 2am Monday delivery. If I hadn't been broke down and had my thinking cap on I would have thought to ask where to head next but alas that wasn't meant to be.

Have a good night

Bookerz out

12/11/2009

Ok the dinner menu last night was interesting. I have a bad habit of ordering chicken fried streak. I figure it is kinda hard to screw that up. Despite the couple of place I have ordered it and have been proven wrong with a vengence. But, tonight I had taken a vow to break out the mold and order something different. Now we are back to the interesting menu and the most interesting thing on the menu was "Fried Chicken Alfredo". Now they had some steaks on the menu, but truck stops seem to buy surplus combat boots cut them up into sections and call them steaks. And charge quality steak prices to "boot". Well anyway the fried chicken alfredo consisted of wide noodles with alfredo sauce poured on and a sliced breaded thin chicken breast placed on top with a soup and salad bar run included. Not to bad at all and filling. Enough about dinner last night.

Woke up at 1am and hit the road shortly after that. Usually when I start that early I end up having to take a short power nap before sunrise. True to form just south of Oklahoma City I had to pull over for an hour. Got to Wichita Falls about 7am and proceeded to get my load. The w/a instructions still speak of the former place where we drop our enpty trailers and to speak to the guard on CB channel 42. Hmm my CB only has 40 channels as do all the rest. Ok pull in talk to the guard yea drop them down the road over there he points. K good enough, drop the trailer get back to guard shack and get the paperwork for my load. As I securing the load I notice some black stuff on my steps upto the headache rack. At first I figured it was road grime from my stint in the ice and snow, but I decided to pop the hood once my load was secure. Damn I got and oil leak and my inexperienced eyes it looks like a large one. Off to the Frieghliner Dealer in town.

Nine hours later.

The leaks not all that bad and your shop will handle it next week. Wasted day but better safe than sorry. Out of curiousity I asked how long would the repair job be. About 12 hours and then went on to explain what all was involved. He lost me right after saying 12 hours but I didn't feel it was polite to stop him. The have to do this and that and the other was all a foreign language to me. I'm not knocking his intelligence he seemed sharp as hell it is just my mechcanical disability that interferes with my understanding. Well they released my truck and advised my to check the oil twice a day for a while and get a gallon of oil and carry it on the truck. Sounded vaguely like take two asprin and call me in the morning, but good enough.

I went a mile down the road to the Flying J and called it a day.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

12/10/2009

Except for lossing traction for a moment or two going up hill in southern Iowa this morning. It was for the most part today a nice drive. Made it down to Big cabin, OK I had enough time to get just beyond Tulsa, OK ,but I wanted to run this salt encrusted tractor through a Blue Beacon. I looked in on the one in Joplin, MO and they were lined up 6 deep. Too long, much too long for this driver. I'll try to swing into the one in Tulsa in the morning before it gets busy.

Got my next load assignment. Picking up in Wichita Falls, TX and..... going to Albertville, MN. Yes I know back to the great white north. Perhaps the weather will be more cooperative this time. I haven't looked at the forecast sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Plan on eating a resturant meal this evening, enough foraging in the truck for now. OH I have found for the first time this season a truck stop with eggnog and quart eggnog to boot. Anything less than a quart will just tease the taste buds. Things are looking up.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

12/09/2009

"What would you do for a Klondike bar?"

Wellllllll.... actual nothing. Sometime an old jingle pops in your head and your stuck with it.

I got a couple of hours in at 45mph before I had to once again call it a day. A 100 miles or so and the white-out conditions were just to much to safely proceed any further. When you can't discern what the big interstate signs say along side of the road it is time to get off the road and that is exactly what I did.

Fortunately I have enough grub and reading materials and internet access to ward off hunger and boredom despite my location. Also fortunately for me this company leaves the safe/unsafe to drive decision to the drivers. Finished one book and started another throw in a nap and quite a few hours can dissapear. About 3pm the winds started abating and I could have made some progress. It being that late in the day I decided against it for a real early start in the morning. It's still 776 miles to Wichita Falls, Tx so it will be early tomorrow before I make it to the shipper. If I get an work assignment sometime today I will adjust my arrival time to optimize how much ground I can cover after getting the load.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

12/08/2009

A bit of snow, a bit of ice and away we gooooooo.

Pulled out at 3am. Rest area where I laid my head down was dry as a bone. Got ten miles north of Bloomington-Normal and it all changed. Despite the snow I was able to maintain a fairly steady 55 until I got up around rockford. There the cars in the ditches materialized and even an 18 wheeler down in the median. Fortunately all the fender benders appeared minor in scale. I got to the consignee about 12 hours early. Went to check in and was told that it would 1am before I was unloaded. No problem that was when my appointment was for anyway. 30 minutes later he pulls around and tells me to back in a bay and untarp, but that it would still be late before I was unloaded. So I backed in pulled the tarps and went to bed. 8 o'clock got woke up "All done, you can just stay in the bay and take off in the morning". An offer I shouldn't have refused!

I got a dead head to Wichita Falls, TX and figured that despite the weather I could knock out a couple hundred miles before I got to tired. So I open the bay door and there is 8-12 inches of snow. I pull out, pop the brakes, plot my course with co-pilot and mosey back to the door to shut it. Get back in the truck to take off and I'm stuck. Sixty minutes of rocking, clearing excess snow, and cussing myself for ever stopping once I pulled out ensued. Finally I manage to break free and there is no way I'm stopping now. Heading south on I-35 you can't see the lanes you just follow the tracks of the trucks in front of you. About 30 miles down the road I get a call on the CB your rear running lights are covered in snow. I find an exit and gingerly pull off not exactly sure where on the ramp I am. I find a section that looks like the break down lane area. And pop the breaks. I walk back and there is no snow the damn lights just won't work. I got turn signals and four ways but not the rear running lights. Well there goes any forward progress at least until daylight.

Two hours later a snow plow comes through and scapes a fair amount of snow in front of me. Hmmm.... Another hour later another one comes through and piles it a bit higher. At this point I figured I should at least move forward into the plowed area so I don't get buried again. Only had to rock it twice to get clear this time. Tomorrow should be interesting to say the least.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

12/07/2009

It will be nice when they complete the four laning of US35 from I-64 over to the Ohio side. All in all it was a straight forward day. Saw a quick snow flurry in WV and a couple of flakes in Ohio, but it didn't last and the roads were clear. There was some lingering evidence of vehicular mishaps, but I'm not sure when they had occured.

I'm about 30 miles east of Bloomington-Normal, IL and that leaves me a mere 460 miles to traverse tomorrow. Should the weather turn to the worse I plan to have enough lee way in my scheduling to make the appointment anyway.

Earliest I can get out of the gate tomorrow is 2:30 am. But, the plan is at this point is to get up then fire up the beloved coffee maker and take off at 3am central. With any luck that should put me at the consignee 12 hours prior to my appointment. This client sometimes unloads you early and lately my luck has been real good with them. If so I might be able to scoot out of the fall out zone before it gets too ugly.

Well this driver needs to hit the sack if he is gonna arise at that early hour so off I go

Have a good night

Bookerz out

12/06/2009

Got off my lazy butt about 10 this morning. I had to drive over to Laurinburg, NC and grab my load to cover as much ground as I could just incase the second wave of the storm proves to have some teeth to it.

Had a real nice weekend. Went to our favorite haunt and consumed a few adult beverages and then went and saw the new Twilight movie. Also got a ton of new and previously read books (audiobooks) to listen to as I drive about the country side.

Up here there is a covering of snow on all the undeveloped areas grass and what not. Sometimes the world looks so clean with a covering of snow. And despite the potential hazards the inclement weather might impose it is nice to see it that way.

I am gonna try and cover 600 of the 1000 miles left tomorrow. I figure if the weather is to turn to the worse it will Tuesday as I draw closer to the consigneee. Also if I get there early enough on Tuesday it may be possible to get unloaded earlier than originally planned. Opening the potential for a better week mileage wise.

Well thats the plan and that the update for the night.

Bookerz out

12/03/2009

Woke up around midnight. Bungeed the load and took off. Made it down to Statesboro, GA about 6:30 and 90 minutes later was unloaded and waiting for my next destination.

Finally about 11am decided to call and see where to head next. Come back here was the response. KK so off I went. No DH or work assignment but it was the boss telling me this so all is good.

70 minutes later the qualcomm starts beeping. What is your eta, we need to schedule a physical. Physical I've only been here for 15 months and the dot cards are good for 24 months. Hmmm time to pick up the phone. Found out the person in charge of this area is out for the day so it is running behind for the GA- FL area. Also found out that the dot physical was actually for someone else. 5 minutes later work assignment comes through. Wednesday delivery for Owatonna, MN. Decision time. This is my weekend home so I can proceed to the yrad grab the load and then go home or go straight home and pick up the load Sunday. Sunday option it is.

While waiting in Statesboro, GA I ran the routing for home from there 191 miles straight up US25. Now I ran it again after driving for 75 min going in a different direction. 180 miles using every little back road I can find. Alright so off I95 I go down all the 2 bit highways I can find to make it straight home. So I'm home for the weekend.

Have a good weekend

Bookerz out

12/02/2009

By the time I got to the half point (heading out of town) the in bound side was starting to get backed up. Sweet! good timing and all that. Finishing my journey into Laurinburg, NC I got my next work assignment. Taking a load down to Statesboro, GA for a 7am delivery. Just a bit of rain on the way down but nothing impedingly heavy.

That brings my total for the week upto 4100 miles and 150.00 in detention and tarp pay. That would be fantastic if Uncle Sam didn't grab such a large chunk when the miles spike like that. Over all it will still be a nice bump right before christmas.

Got to get to sleep. Getting up at midnight to secure and drive the load down.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

12/01/2009 --- Two days in one

Surprise .. Surprise .. Surprise

Apparently the load I was under was in fact not the load they wanted at 6am on Monday. Just another screw up in a long list of screw ups on this load. My appointment wasn't untill 11am Tuesday, but they would try to work me in. It wasn't all bad. I am so out of hours I cannot even drive down to Laurinburg, NC without taking Wednesday off some where along the line. So I in effect took my 34 hour break there and got a reset in. Now I can get down to Laurinburg, NC on Wednesday which give me the possibility to get another load that closes this week. We will see how that plays out.

Anyway I was able to take off early Tuesday morning and make it down to Centerville, MD before my time ran out. And tomorrow be down in NC around 12-1pm. The drive itself was uneventful even though the early morning clouds looked like they wanted to drop a ton of snow. Perhaps they will save that for when I'm clear of the area.

Hope to get out of the gate early enough tomorrow to avoid the Washington am rush hour. As I can't legally move till 6:30 am it is at this point even odds.

Have a good night

Bookerz out

11/29/2009

What a comedy of errors.

1. Didn't get the customs invoice from the shipper before I took off. Just signed for the paperwork without looking beyond that the shipper and consignee was correct. This was at least inpart my fault.

2. The phone numbers for working out the border crossing provided with the work assignment were incorrect.

3. The broker listed on the customs invoice provided by the shipper was incorrect.

4. It was a long holiday weekend. Not an error, but a definite contributor to the added hassle of not having the correct information.

When I got to the border the Canadian agent kindly told me to pull it off to the side and go in and see about straighting it out. Phone call after phone call still no correct answers. Finally I ended up shopping the load around to the different custom brokers in an attempt to find the correct one. Finally 3 hours later everything is cleared up and I'm free to go.

The drive was nice other than having to traverse both Toronto and Montreal in the same day. Fortunately it was Sunday and the craziness associated with both those metro areas was at a minimum. I stopped east of Toronto at a service plaza to refill my internal tank. 2 Wendy's singles, large fry and a large Barqs and I'm on the road again. Finally pulled into the consignee about 7pm.

Time to call it a night

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/28/2009

Looks like I'm gonna have to continue my maximum speed traveling. I have to diverge today from the shortest route and stop by at least scavenge some pars stickers. It is a required stick that goes on the customs invoice as u traverse the Canadian border going north. Its my bad as a ran out quite sometime back and forgot to restock. So here is hoping I get lucky once again and find some.

Yesterdays travels were great. Clear skies, clear roads till 10 or 11 and then only up to normal amount of traffic. 650 miles knocked out and at 2pm to boot.

Spent some time meandering about the local Walmart. Walked over to the AT&T store thinking about ungrading my phone and they were either out of the model I was looking at or it was more than I was willing to spend. Think in some ways shouldn't upgrade anyway, still trying to justify it in my mind. Well the battle will just have to rage on for a while longer.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

11/26/2009

I usually research things a fair amount before I do purchase them. For some reason beyond ken I didn't research who had the better coverage when I purchased my aircard. Yesterday I an email from ATT that I am spending alot of time on foreign networks. I seen the warnings pop up but each time I wasn't near the national border so I dismissed it. Apparently ATTs idea of foreign is different from mine. Getting to the point as far as air cards the Verizon coverage is much better.

Yesterdays drive was uneventful. About 150 miles short of the goal a bad case of the lazies hit me and I pulled up short of the day's goal. I'll have to pay for that laziness somewhere in the next 3 days. I'm going to try and make it up today by driving full speed all day. That should knock out 100 miles of it anyway.

I stopped at the Flying J in Tucumcari, NM and treated myself to the buffet. I figured it being turkey day they would jack up the price, but they didn't and the food was quite filing.

I gave up on the audiobook "Brian D'Amato - In The Courts Of The Sun" the writing style and storyline were not to my liking. I started a different book "Michael Connelly - Nine Dragons". I've listened to another of his books and it was good and so far this one is good as well.

It is time to do the pretrip and hit the road.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/25/2009

I pull out early and swing into a 24 hour public scale, it was closed till 8am. As I was pulling out and looking for another scale that was enroute. I once again saw the banner still hanging under their road sign 24 hours it said. Nobody had bothered to tell the banner about the new hours of operation or pull it down. Anyway scaled all axles more than 1000lbs under max.

Rest of the day was a nice relaxing ride through the country side. Non of the packed highways with the weekend warriors that the east coasters are experiencing. I finished up the day in Winslow, AZ. Tomorrow's plan is to reach the eastern border of Texas roughly 620 miles.

In the reading/listening department.....

Audiobook -- (whilst driving)

Michael Connelly - The Lincoln Lawyer Just finished this one it was good

Brian D'Amato - In The Courts Of The Sun Started this late yesterday so far it is struggling to hold my interest.

Ebook reading

Over the last 2 weeks I've finished...

• Out of the Ashes (1983) finished


• Fire in the Ashes (1983) finished


• Anarchy in the Ashes (1984) finished


• Blood in the Ashes (1985) just started....

This is a series of 35 books by William W. Johnstone while very interesting I have a feeling that I'll need to take a break and read something else at some point or points along the way.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

11/24/2009

It was a most trying day.

I was scheduled to load at 8am pst, so rolling the dice like I normally do. I checked into the shipping department 90 mins early. Usually much earlier than that at a larger plant will get you a potentially firm dismisal until the appointment time. Sometimes you get lucky (Feel like a nut), sometimes you don't. Today was definitely unlucky day. Three of the stocces were not even made yet and wouldn't be until..... The shipping people trying to be nice, kept saying check-in at such and such time and we'll see. To cut a long story short at 11pm pst. I am finally collecting my bills of lading.

I was sitting long enough to get another 34 hour reset. It would have served me better to get the reset in almost at the end of the journey but you take where you can get them. So tomorrow it is off on my (almost) continent wide journey.

Hi Ho Silver Awwaaayyyy.........

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

11/23/2009

So...........

I made it down to Kingsburg, CA without any extra stops, other than a Fuel and Load check stops. I had figured on having to stop and grab a power nap and factored in extra time for just that. I guess the need to grab a power nap is more likely to appear if you don't allot time for it.

I get to the plant and wonder into the receiving area. Humm... no one in the office. So I mill around the area,being resolutely ignored by all that pass by. I am trying to scope out someone who can give direction or point me in the general direction of someone who can. I finally decide to roll the dice and walk up to a dude working on loading a intermodal container. I strike the golden goose, on the first try. Go ahead and untarp outside and then come see me. Ok so off I go. Once the tarp is removed I go back and am told to back into this bay. But.... be sure to back in a close as possible to this side because the crane only goes over this far. It will be about two hour before we get to you cause I have to load this one first. I get unloaded several hours later.

I didn't leave the plant once unloaded, because I figured there would be a good chance of getting a load out of there. And sure enough that is what they spent the day working on. Initially they were talking about a load to Denver, CO, but I wouldn't be able to get there early enough. Finally they settle on a load to Montreal, Quebec. I won't be getting anymore miles this week. I got 2100 so far not bad but not great. And next week I be sitting on Monday morning with 3000 miles and the entire week ahead of me. It is a live load at 8am tomorrow morning and then I can start my journey eastward

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/22/2009

The ride today was uneventful, but beautiful once the sun came up. By 1:30 central time I had covered the requiste 640 miles and I am properly stage for a 430 mile run to Kingsburg, CA. I'll let the dog loose at midnight the should put me down the around 7am or so central time of 5am Pacific. I've left myself tons of time in case I have to pull it over for a power nap. I like getting started early, but this is a bit early for me and I might require a nap along the way.

This flying J here in Flagman, AZ is nice enough, but if you have a tough time sleeping there are trains constantly running back and forth. And the line is only 100-200 yards from the parking lot. Fortunately for me sleeping is never a problem even with trains running by.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

11/21/2009

It's 2am my time. I've got about an hour before I finish my reset and can hit the road.

I told myself yesterday, because I wanted to leave so early, I ought to move down where no matter how stupid another driver gets I'll be able to pull out without any problem. Well I wake up this morning and stupid materializes overnight. It's driving for "Sweet Express truck #971" and I might be able to pull out without waking his butt up. I'm going to try. But the trucks to my left won't be able to no matter what.Enough complaining.

Ate the breakfast buffet at the Flying J this morning. Went back and lazed around the truck a bit. Finally got up the gumption to clean up the cab. The mud I tracked in yesterday driving me crazy and all. It looks good atm the moment. All the surfaces are wiped down and floor is vaccumed.

The plan today is to run about 640 miles over to Kingman, AZ. I won't need to stop for fuel or anything but load checks. So with any luck I should arrive there about 1pm. That will allow me to pull out at 11pm tonight and try to make the original Monday 7am appointment in Kingsburg, CA. I've already pushed that appointment back to 10am just in case there is any problems, such as getting sleepy.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/20/2009

IF I had looked at what the weather was going to be I would have stayed up last night and tightened the ropes and bungeed this load. But, I didn't so there I was this morning doing just that in the rain. The mud in the yard turn into glue on my shoes and I tracked it into my truck. If I had had my thinking cap on and it was entirely to early for that to happen I would have shucked my shoes prior to climbing in the truck. Live and learn and clean I say.

Corsicana, Tx is an hour south of the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area and there is no good way to avoid it and I was going to traverse the area during morning rush hour on a Friday and it is raining. I had check the weather to see how far it extended and it reached just to the northwest of DFW area. So with considerable dread I head out. Amazingly the dunder heads stayed home today (must have called in sick). I averaged 50mph or better through out the area. I get just a little northwest of Fort Worth and the rain dissipates. Even the weather channel had it right what are the chances of that.

The only other planned stop today was to top of the fuel tnks in Amarillo, TX. Made it there only 15mins later that planned all is going good.

Pulled the pull on the day at Tucumcari, NM at the Flying J. Going to do a 34 hr reset here and take off Sunday morning. So the only question now is buffet tonight or in the morning. Feeling more like eating breakfast stuff so tomorrow morning it is.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/19/2009

Got up to Grenada, MS about 8:30am 1.5 hrs early. They told me to pull along side the building, where I would unload and untarp the load. Sometimes I would double check that there were sure they wanted me to untarp outside, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky so good enough. As I untarped the load I realized it could be monsoon season raining cats and dogs and this glass wouldn't get wet.

First, there was the tarp on the outside. There always is

Second, there was a sheet of visqueen (plastic). It was the nice and thick kind. Draped over each set of glass rack and glass. Laurinburg does this as well. Maybe the plastic isn't as thick but still a layer of protection.

Third, around each 2-3 stocces of glass was another thick layer of plastic sealing them up as tight as a well wrapped christmas present.

Forth. and I'm not sure the purpose of this. Each strip of stryphome used to seperate the stocces and up against the racks themselves, was in a plastic bag designed for just that purpose.

It was a bit of overkill and created a ton of extra garbage, but that glass wasn't going to get wet.

Once I was unloaded I still had 450 miles to go to get to Corsicana, TX. It was going to be tight getting over there before my legal drive/work time ran out. I was forced to ignore trying to get good fuel mileage and stand in the pedal the entire way. I got there and they were working on the trailer. It was initially suppose to load on a step deck, they didn't have any. Then they tried to load it on a flat bed but the glass with the crates around it was to tall. So........ fortunately for me they ended up having to put the load on a DGL trailer. The only one they had. The yard dog came over and said that this load screwed up about 2 or 3 other loads because of the trailer changes. Let me take a moment to explain why I like DGLs. I get about .5 more miles to the gallon of fuel, between better aerodynamics and the tandoms on the trailer being together at the rear. They are easier trailers to drive/pull as well. Another point is they are only good for hauling glass. Which means I'll either get a backhaul of glass (very easy load to tarp and secure) or they will deadhead me back to the middle of the country empty to get my next load.

Once I got the news that I would be pulling a DGL and it would be ready in the morning off to bed I went whistling a happy tune.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/18/2009

Made it to Kentwood, LA just before I ran out of drive time. There are two Kanagroo express here both clain to be truck stops. The back of one looks like it used as a drop yard and there is an 8-10 inch dropoff from the paved area into the parking area. Didn't want to traverse the drop with a load of glass, empty maybe. The other really didn't have any truck parking but I made a spot.

Preplan came across the qualcomm. Picking up in Corsicanna, TX to Kingsburg, CA. My second CA run. It's be tight on the log, but I can make it. Trying to make sure it's a preloaded trailer that will help with loosing up the log.

Still have 3.5 hrs to make it to Grenada, MS then off to Corsicanna, TX. Going to have to run as fast as possible today to stay legal.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/17/2009

At 6:15 the customer knocks on the cab. I was awake, so I think I startled him a bit when I hopped out of the bunk.and cheerily said "Good morning". He asked if I was ready to pull it in and pull it in I did. It was a nice pull thru bay, no backing skills required. Nice way to start the day. Wasn't ready to pull out of the bay till 8:30, but I imagine that I was still an hour to an hour and a half ahead of schedule.

The fastest, but not shortest, way to Laredo is to slide down TX Loop 8 to I10w and catch I35 in San Antonio and proceed south. A route I've taken once before. The slower and shorter way is to take some outer road around Houston down to US59 down to Laredo. The route less traveled you might say and never by me. So off I went and a nice ride it was. The hour and a half I had gained earlier in the day was use by taking this route, but it was in it own Texan way more scenic.

I got to the drop yard with about 3-4 hours of driving time left. I decided to at least knock out a 100 or so miles of the journey. With doing that I won't have to get up quite so early on Thursday. I stopped at a picnic area along US59. There are no lights out here except for the occasional vehicle passing by and the stars seem exceptionally bright. Nice, very nice would have been a perfect place to view the metier shower.

Side note: I need to find a blog tool with spell check

Well should be around 600 miles on the agenda tomorrow should put me somewhere in Mississippi.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/16/2009

Started my day at 3:30 central and had a good day save for hitting Baton Rouge, LA at morning rush hour. But even that wasn't all that bad. Stopped at a Casino/Resturant/Truck stop in Crowley, LA for lunch. I usually don't eat in the middle of the day but the hungry monster was in full attack mode. Couldn't smoke in the resturant not that is all that surprising, but it does cut short how long I'm willing to lounge around inside. I could smoke in the casino (weird). Now I didn't do any gambling. They only had machines and for some reason I have something against losing money to a machine. I'll play powerball and megamillions $1 at a time, but I want somebody on the other side of the table if I want to risk real money. Strange I know and logic has absolutely nothing to do with it. You can and will lose as much as you put up no matter what at least in the end.

I want to take a moment at Thank the TEXAS Department of transportation. You get off the wrong exit off an interstate in most other states and you will play hell getting back on the right track. In most places in Texas just follow the access road that parallels the interstate and you will eventually be able to correct your error. Kudos to the state of Texas from the directionally handicapped.

I got a preplan today and from here, at the consignee, after I get unloaded I'll be headed to Laredo, TX and picking up a load that is coming out of Mexico going to Grenada, MS for Thursday morning.

Now it is time to look around and see what kind of vittles I can dig up around here.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/15/2009

What a nice weekend!!

Took the wife our youngest and her boyfriend out to real nice dinner and didn't ravage the account to bad on Friday. Started reloading my computer with audiobooks to listen to as I treverse the highways and byways of America. Saturday we went and Saw the movie "2012". it was very good. Swap out my dvd library, not the entire library next time through the house I'll have to do that. We had some made at home lasgana as opposed to homemade lasgana. The homemade version while tastier is way to expensive and time consuming.

Took off at 7am. Stopped by the Pilot just south of Greenville, SC refilled the fuel tanks and my wallet. Made it down too Bay Minette, AL in what can only be described as an uneventful and pleasant drive. Not sure when I'll take off Monday morning got about 530 miles to go to the consignee. It will be a no alarm clock morning, but I got as feeling that a early start is still in the future.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/12-13/2009

Bout 10am got a load assignment. It doesn't deliver until Tuesday so earning for the week is done. The good news is I get home a day early buttttt I have to leave Sunday to make it there on time. It all balances out in the end. Figured (hoped) that the load would not be finished till just before 2nd shift went home for the day. I took a long nap from 1 till 7 pm so I could drive thru the night and get home in the early morning. The load was in fact finished at 10:30pm when I called to check on it.

The load was missing the rope for the ladder sections on the tarp so I had to go and dig some up. I got under way around midnight and made it to the rest area on I26 west of Columbia, SC before it was necessary to pull over and take a short nap. Those hours just before sun up are almost impossible for me to drive thru. Got home around 7am it is time to start my weekend at home.

Have a good day/weekend!

Bookerz out

11/11/2009

I was able to do my civic duty today. Upon reflection I could have done it a lot better perhaps next time. Anyway shortly after I started my day 12:45am or so. I was headed east on I26 and came unpon a Blue SUV drifting from one lane to the other and back, slowing down and speeding up. My first thought was how to get by this idiot without killing me or him. He had a pattern so I waited. He'd drift into the hammer lane, realize his error and then drift thru the granny lane and part way into the break down lane. Once he started his drift from the hammer lane I closed the gap and dashed by him as fast as this truck would allow me ( not very fast by the by). As I'm passing him I check my mirror often to make sure he didn't drift into my side. Once I was safely past I decided to call 911 and report the driver. Gave as many details as possible, excluding the plate number(duh). Hope for his sake and the other driver the police found him. Alas I'll never know for sure.

Here comes the reflection part.......

I should have stayed behind him and called the police from there. It would have been the safer choice and I could have warned other drivers better. Live and learn.

Made it Swansea, SC got unloaded equipment put away and about 30 min later got the DH move to Laurinburg, NC. Had my FM setup an appointment with the shop to get the PM done. Once there I gave them a laundry list of other things needing looked at. 10pm I get my truck back 2 new steer tires front end alignment, new fog light, headlights aligned. The bunk heater that has never worked since I got the truck still doesn't work. They got to order the parts. But they did offer to put me in a different truck. Thats not happening, it is almost as bad and moving into a different apartment. I told them to just order the parts and I'll let them do their thing once they come in.

Didn't get a work assignment while the truck was in the shop. So I'll be waiting until 9am or so to see what is happening next. Got 1800 miles in this week and $50 in extra pay. Hope there is something in the cards for delivery Friday but not betting on it. Really hoping for a Jackson, MS delivery on Tuesday. That will be a nice way to start the next time out. Anyway.....

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

11/10/2009

I woke up at 1:30am and after starting the coffee maker. Always the second action of the morning after turning off the alarm. I got out inspected the load and truck. I found 1 chain while not loose it wasn't as tight as I wanted. As soon as the chain was tighten hop back in the truck and the coffee maker was done.

I plotted out today's journey. At the end of todays journey would be a Pilot perfectly placed for fueling and across the interstate was a TA. Where I could take the truck and get the PM the truck was due done. Ok plan laided down it was time to take off.

I make it to the scale at the 50mm in Kentucky. They have a huge truck parking area behind the scale and pulled in to sleep thru the pre-dawn hours. Set my alarm clock to go off in 2 hrs and crawl back to the bunk. Hour and a quarter later the phone is ringing. With the new blue tooth interface the ringtone is now piped thru the truck stereo, this could have a potential downside. Anyway this time it was my wife (a plus) and I could get up and continue on my way (another plus). I get to the north side of Nashville at the wrong time of day. There was a pretty thick back up at the I24/I65 merge once past the merge a bit it loosen up a bit and then I was headed out of town always a good place to be during the morning rush hour. Another thing I found out today is they have finally completed the work on I40 through Knoxville, TN.

Going to finish today's journey part ways through the I40 bypass around the rock slide. I was able to fuel at the Pilot, but alas I found one of the few TAs without a service department. With only 2 of 3 objectives accomplished today it is time to call it a day. The rest area 1 mile further down the road from the Pilot is home for the night.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/09/2009

Interesting day to put it mildly.

Getting to and backing into the customer wasn't nearly as difficult as I was led to believe. It might have been harder but for some reason my backing skills and luck were at a fever pitch. This customer's crane was only able to lift the lighter stocces of thinner glass. Once they got to the thicker glass (1/2 inch) they had to pull off the glass 1 sheet at a time. Talk about time consuming. As they were unloading me I got a preplanned load to pick up steel coils over in Granite city.

Back in early spring was the first and only time I hauled steel coils and there was someone there with a lot of experience who helped out quite a bit. This time I was flying solo and a bit worried I didn't remember all that I should. And this time there would be three coils as opposed to one. Turns out getting around to the different places on the plant were more of a problem than my remembering. 1 1/4 hours later pulling out of the plant fully secured and doubled tarped. Not a bad load at all and I got $20 for tarping as well.

We have a terminal near by and I'm going to grab a shower and call it a day here. Thinking on taking off about 3-4am and making my way over to Swansea, Sc for a Wednesday morning delivery. That will bring my total miles upto 1800 miles. Nothing compared to last week but not to shaby. Perhaps there will be another load in my future before the week closes out. Here's hoping!

Have a good day

Bookerz Out

11/08/2009

Let me start by saying.............................

The BUC's won.

The BUC's won.

The BUC's won.

Maybe the only time this year it happens, but the buc's won. Enough on that subject.

Usually on my weekends that I'm out on the road I get a 34 hr reset. This might serve to gum up the works as far as getting good miles this week. We'll just have to see. Got a couple of things going on with the truck as well. At sometime I am going to have to bite the bullets on these and get them knocked of my to do list as well.

1. Truck needs a dry pm. Not sure what this entails, but I'll leave that to the experts. My ability (or lack there of) has been explained in a previous post.

2. The bunk heater does not work. I am not going thru another winter without it working. It doesn't even looked assembled. Who ever had this truck before me thought they could fix it (??). Apparently they hadn't heard the addage "To thy ownself be true"

3. Drive tires are wearing unevenly. Driver side inside tire and passenger outside tires are worn down more. I need to let the experts take a look to see if they need replacing or not.

This place I deliver tomorrow is suppose to be a pain in the butt place. This evaluation is from a driver I know, but he whines about everything. So I cut the whining in half and still it might be a difficult place to deliver. We will just have to see in the morning.

Todays drive was nice and easy. Better weather doesn't exist. And to top it off I've never taken I-64 so it was some new road. May pay for it with the difficulty at a new delivery point (new to me anyway). Sometimes, well most of the time you got to take the good with the bad.

Tomorrow will be interesting at anyrate

Have a good night

Bookerz out

11/07/2009

On reading yesterdays post I realize I told you when, but not where I'm delivering Monday. It is in St. Louis, MO at a customer that is new to me. We have a terminal about 10 miles from there so that is the target destination tommorow tonight.

Back to today. I went to breakfast with a fellow driver that I went through training with. We determined we could run together to just west of Charleston, WV. Went over to Walmart to restock on drinks and junk food. Got back to the yard and the TV in the drivers lounge beckoned for the next two hours. Finally getting up we went over to the plant secured the loads. On inspecting his trailer he found a tire that needed replacing. So between everything we didn't even get under way till 3pm. We drove until 10pm and finally this day was over. Made it to the service plaze about the 70 mile marker. This will leave me with 530 miles for Sunday. Should be an easy run that I'll finish up about 7pm.

Have a good day

Bookerz Out

11/06/2009

Fell asleep real early last night and woke up fully rested at 12:30 am. Hmmmm... This opened some possibilities.

1. I could roll the dice and drive the rest of the way over to Statesboro, GA and see about getting unloaded earlier. Perhaps getting a better weekend load.

2. I could try to go back to sleep. Toss and turn the rest of the night and take off about 6am getting there about 11 am. Taking my chances on a weaker load for the weekend.

Seeing that tossing and turning would most likely make me feel worse in the long run I decided on option 1. Got there about 6 hrs early. At 4 hrs early I was backing in the bay and at 3 hrs early I was empty. Twenty mins later I had my new work assignment. DH to Laurinburg, NC for a Monday 7am delivery. 1,000 miles to start next week. There are about 3 glass load points within 4-5 hours from there, also this load is on a step deck trlr so it opens a whole world of system freight that I might be able to load. So next week looks fairly good so far. Don't think I'll be getting a 34 hr reset in but my hours are still in pretty good shape.

Ate at the local Golden Corral in Laurinburg tonight and trhen spent about an hour inside Walmart trying to walk it off. Man I shouldn't have eaten so much. Someday I'll learn.... well maybe not, but you gotta have dreams.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/05/2009

What can I say a nice and easy day. Rolling by 4:30 and 515 miles later calling it a day SW of Atlanta, GA.

Only hassle today was a 2 mile. stretch of US78 in Birmingham, AL just before I-20.

Debating about taking some back roads tomorrow. It will cut about 40 miles out of the trip, but I will not be saving any time at all. It might be nice to see some country side though. I'll just have to wait and see what the morning brings.

Bookerz out

11/04/2009

It was almost majestic. The line of trusty steads lined up looking like they were ready to bolt at any moment. Eighteen wheelers lined up 2 feet in front of another, 3 feet behind another all just a few feet off the asphalt. It was almost majestic looking. But I had placed my trusty stead there just hours before so I knew the truth.

The truth being fear to venture further back into the parking lot in Blackwell, AR was taking your own job security in hand. To obtain prime parking space in the front row required a leap of faith. Faith that the entire truck would not venture into a hole that it would not be able to arise from. The (entire) contents of my truck shifted from it's previously held spot as I crawled thru the pot holes and that was enough for me. Never again would I pass into the valley of pot hole death (until I find another).

I stoppped here last night, BUTTTT I was empty and I had entered a different way. This place is ok when your empty or don't care. But if you got product you care about or don't want to pay for I reccomend a different stopping point.

My day as a whole was great!!!. Quick in and quick out, but my choice of stopping point left a lot to be desired. Live and learn

Have a good night

Bookerz out

11/03/2009

I left the Flying J about 20 min to 7 wanted to get there abit early to pull the bungees and untie the ropes. I no sooner pop the brakes and hop in back to change into work pants and slip on my boots. Before I could get my boots on the unloader comes out and tells me to back in. Weird truly weird. Never before 7:55 have I been told to back in. Next weird thing is once I get the tarp off and the securement clear. They almost unloaded me quickly. It was at the very least a damn sight faster than normal. All very strange indeed.

I was concerned that I might not get another load that closed this week. Whilst I was unloading *BEEP* Preplan Tulsa, OK to Statesboro, GA delivering Friday. SWEET! Going to close the week with a shade over 2900. Best check in a while.

Once unloaded worked my way back to I-20 over to US65 in LA upto I530 then to I40w. All in all put on about 330mi for the day. That leaves me only 212 to get to the loader by noon tomorrow. I plan on trying to get there by 10 so I don't get caught up in the lunch break like last time. Then attempting to put on about 250-300 after loading.

Well thats the plan

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/02/2009

Weelll I got lazy last night and stopped just over the border in Alabama. That was about 50-60 min short of the initial objective and there might have a bit of luck involved in that stop. It seems that Talladega had the "Amp Energy 500" over the weekend and I have a feeling that getting through there at 7pm would have been fraught with peril.

Bullet dodged and all that we come to todays leisurely drive through the country side. At a mere 322 miles and a delivery appointment of 8am on the 3rd another lazy day ensued. Done by 2pm I lazied about at the Flying J and about 5pm decided it was time to grab a bite. By 7 was back in the truck laying down reading and............ Midnight I wake up way to early and decided to putzes around a bit before I go back to bed.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

11/01/2009

Naught but two months remain in 2009. Christmas is looming on the horizon and this husband did good for once. I usually wait until almost christmas before I ponder what to get my spouse as a gift. Usually we are poor as church mice by then because we got to get this that and the other to get. Either to eat for christmas or a couple of last minute gifts pop up and deplete the remaining funds. For the last sixteen years we have refused to go into debt or increase the debt level for one day. And my wife ends up with nothing as a gift for that day.

So there I was Saturday morning, drinking copious amounts of coffee and watching previously recorded program on the dvr. When a bolt of lightning in the form of a TV commercial strikes. The perfect gift a balance between the monetary funds available and price. Something with which she could start the day slightly spoiled and still not require a stop by starbucks.

My wife drinks single cups of tea or coffee. So this Keurig single cup brewer was the perfect answer. She manages the money on a day to day basis, so I had to get clearance so that I wouldn't screw up the bills. Off to Sear's we went to get her a personal coffee/tea maker. It comes with 18 k-cup variety pack which includes a couple of teas. After we got home and set it up. I commenced to do some web surfing looking for some tea varieties (her preference). We found 4 different teas and a pumpkin spice coffee (yuck) and ordered them. There is also an adapter you can get which allows you to use the pods that are made for different single brew makers so I ordered that. That should all be in by the end of the week. This doesn't make me a perfect husband. The jewerlry makers would definitely prefer I dumped my money on thier products. But I'm most assuredly a happy one and my christmas shopping is already done.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...........

Took off Sunday about 2pm wanted to get beyond Atlanta, GA. Top off my tanks by the pilot just down the interstate. Made my way over to the Alabama border rest area and called it a day.

Last week I ordered a bluetooth add-on for my truck stereo and it was at the house when I got there. I have been using one that you place in your ear. But sometimes I have a hard time hearing the person on the other end of the line. Somedays and sometimes the truck seems nosier than others. Anyway this thing will allow me to hear the other person on the truck stereo speakers. Now I got to hook it up to get it working. And then I'm going to see if there is anyway to hide the additional wires. My dashboard is getting overloaded with wires for this and that.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/31/2009

As I sent my breakdown message Wed. I got a deadhead move to Mount Holly Springs, PA. This is my least favorite load point. In fact I hate it. It invaribly involves a flatbed or step deck and the tarping work is twice at much work. Last time I was there was the screwy two stop load to FL. and even the loading there took extra long because the load had to be rearranged.

So now it is Thursday and I had hoped the Mount Holly Springs ship had sailed so to speak. At 1pm they released my truck. I had my nav aids back up and running and I could again make coffee in the truck. Life is good. I kinda figured that this being my hometime weekend would disuade them from sending me to M.H.S. and they would send me to a preload point. NOPE "DH to MHS will advise". Damn and double damn what a way to end this roadtrip. So I'm tooling down the road and couple hours later the W/A comes through. Proceed to ..... Laurinburg, NC for a Jackson, MS load delivering Tuesday. Hooray!!!!!! Old fart dancin in the driver's seat. Now I'm big time happy.

I didn't have to change direction because I was told well before that would be needed. OK. New plan driving till my 11hrs were exhausted would get me to southern VA or Northern NC. I proceed down the I-86- I-180- PA322 - I-81/PA581 US15s I270-I495 I95 corridor. I get to Ruthford Glenn south of DC and see the Aunt Sarah's Pancake House on the right. there are a couple of parking spaces available and I'm hungry as I can be. Pull in and park it. It's 11pm and the place is closed. Well darn alright maybe it will be open for breakfast. I won't be able to legally leave until 9am so a nice leisurely breakfast is the plan. Off to sleep I go. Wake up at 6am and the joint is still closed. Aunt Sarah's didn't make it. Oh well putzed around on the computer till 9 and away I go.

About 12 I pull into Sadler's at xt75 in NC and decide I can't ignore the hunger any more. I take a look at the buffet there as I head to the restroom. Hmmmmm... Nah I just order something off the menu. The buffet looked a little weak. Later I realized the buffet was only 6.95 and that included the drink during lunch. So the buffet wasn't a bad deal after all, but I had a taste for some breakfast food.

About 3 o'clock I pull into the yard drop the trlr and head inside to hassle a friend who just got back on the road. Spent a few minutes doing that and got over to the plant to grab my load. Cinch up the ropes check out the securement and away I go. About 9pm drop the trlr where I rent a space for when I'm home.

Get home wife is not feeling good and she has been tending my daughter who just got 4 wisdom teeth pulled out the day before. It could be an interesting weekend. My new bluetooth interface for the truck radio has just arrived. Plan on getting it installed this weekend. Hopefully it works as well as advertised.

Have a good week end and talk to you on Monday

Bookerz out

10/28/2009

I left off last with the truck acting screwy. Much better term than I'm using in my mind.

Next question I ask myself (because we have clearly determined maintenance is no help). Can I make it to the consignee safely?? I shut down the tractor and restarted it.

*Tractor ABS warning disappears

All outside lights work. Small wiff of smoke disappears (opening windows helped that and closing didn't increase smell). Put auto tranny into gear rolls -increase speed- shifts normal. Test brakes -- they work fine.

All critical systems seem to be working fine. I make the decision to roll.

Five hours to consigneee. No XM radio (middle of the night), no college lectures on the computer (no power). buttt...... the regular radio works gotta find a new station every 15 min but it works. Made it to the consignee with 10 min to spare (don't think they were watching or worrying all that hard) but I wasn't late my own personall pet peeve.

Made it to the consignee. Got unloaded. Time to deal with Fleet net. Fleet net responds head to Rochester, NY. Address is such and such.... break out the atlas... not visible. Call Freight shaker dealer in Rochester. Directions a blind man can follow. It's a good thing too because my computer/gps is out of power. Get there nice as pie staff, Pull my tractor into the bay 45min later. They got to order the part (overnight) won'tbe here till tomorrow. Time to find a hotel for the night.

And here I sit in the hotel. Someone smuggled in a few adult beverages. Gonna call it a day at this point

Have good good day/night

Bookerz out

10/27/2009

Let's see..... I left you in Laurinburg taking off at dark 30 and making a dash for PA.

Well I got up at 1am cinched down the load and hit the road. Made it just shy of the VA line on I-95 and figured my mind and eyes were drifting a bit too touch. Time to grab a nap. Pulled off before I got to VA and grabbed a 1:45min nap. Woke up somewhat refreshed (at least no wonering mind) and took off yet again. Gonna try a different route that avoids the DC metro area. Turned off on US17 to I-66, I-81, then back to the (now) normal route to upstate NY. It adds 30-40 miles to the route but avoids the stress of the DC area. Fair trade if you ask me. Made it to New Buffalo, PA and Angie's Truck stop/Resturant. I could have driven an hour more but I didn't like the Petro at I-80/I-180. More specifically I didn't like the buffet there or the parking. Nuff said. I thought about eating at Angie's but there was never enough cars parked at the resturant there to give an indication thast it was any good. So I didn't. Made sandwiches in the truck andcalled it a night.

I made it there early enough to get up at midnight and venture the rest of the way to my consignee.

Now a little background. When I sleep, I sleep, the sleep of the dead. Idling trucks, reefers turning on every 10 minutes, boneheads with thier jake brakes running through perfectly flat parking lots be damned. I'm asleep.

10:30 last night my dash board is beeping and flashing to beat the band. It actually wakes me up before it goes nuclear. This isn't your typical low voltage regulator gonna shut everything down because the battery is low thing. What do I do? I fire up the truck. So far so good. Beeping stops, dashboard isn't flashing. Only warning light still iluminated is the tractor abs is out. KK now we are idling turn the heat on it is a bit cold after all. Ten minutes later XM radio cuts out, Computer is on battery and I can no longer make my morning coffee. Not good especially the coffee part. And I still have an hour before I can head to the consignee 11/14 rules afterall. I don't have any interior lights and the cig lighter plugs and my inverter won't work. I called maintenance in Laurinburg (wasted phone call) "Did you check the fuses?". I could have called myself and got that answer even though I'm mechcanically handicapped or disinclined depending on which way you want to look at it. To be PC (politcally correct) or to not be PC that is the question.

The rest of the saga belongs on tomorrow journal/blog entry.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

10/26/2009

Today was pretty straight forward. Drive 90 min to consignee. Check in. Pull in and and unstrap. Wait 45 min for them to start unloading me. Found out later some snafu in the paper work delayed my unload. All in all in and out in 90 min not too bad. Sent in my empty call and 10 min later work assignment arrived. DH to Laurinburg, NC take load to Manchester, NY for Wed 6am. KK NP. Get back to Laurinburg, NC by 1 pm. Loads not ready and won't be until it is too late to effective go anywhere.

Plan B -- Get up at dark 30. Tighten down the load and boggie. Plan is to make it where I-180/I-80 and find the Petro there and call it a night. Should leave about 150 to do Wed morn before 6am. Stop off in Dunn, NC top off the tanks. Not necessarily in that order.

Got to try and sleep after almost doing nothing today and resting too much over the weekend

Have a Good day

Bookerz Out

10/25/2009

Leave it to the Bucs to screw up a perfectly good weekend. Almost half way through the year and not 1 win.

Spent the morning reading, putzing around with the computer and last but not least cleaning the truck. The truck looks much better now at least on the inside. Tomorrow might try to find a Blue Beacon to spritz up the outside.

Went over to the Nottoway resturant for lunch. The prices were more in line for a fancy joint than a mom and pop place. For instance chicken fried steak $11.95 with two sides. It tasted ok and filled the void in my stomach so I guess I shouldn't complain so much.

My appointment for the morning is at 9:30 after that expect to dh down to laurinburg. Debating on getting the engine looked at to see what the mpg problem might be. I'll cross that bridge tomorrow.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/24/2009

Showered, fueled and armed with a fresh pot off coffee and away I go. Basic route today consisted of I86, US15, I180, PA147, US11/15, 322/22, I81, PA581, US15, I270, I495, I95, I85. Almost full speed all day except for a short stretch on I270 where it was raining hard enough to make you slow down a bit. I guess my timing must have been good was on the cell with a friend as he headed north and he told me I270 was at a stand still when he went through later in the afternoon. Stopped at exit 39 in VA leaves me about an hour to go Monday morning after my 34 reset is completed. Checked my mpg for the day still to low for comfort.

Watched a couple of movies. Bought that Ken Burns Civil War series a little while back might make a marathon of that today will see. Sundays goal outside of watching movies and reading will be clean to interior of my truck.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/23/2009

It had to happen. The last four or five times I've loaded out of here I had been able to get loaded quite early. Today not so much. The order isn't ready yet. It is still before my appointment time and I'm parked in a rather large gravel field waiting for a loader to come get me. It's very quiet here as the hussle and bussle is over at the loading area. Here is hoping I get loaded early enough to be able to get stateside and find parking. The plan as it stands is to make my way for Kanona, NY and call it a day and proceed on down to Butner, NC tomorrow.

About pm they pulled me over and loaded me. If it hadn't been cold, raining and windy it would have gone nicely. So I've strap it down and hands are stiff and frozen. You have to run over and scale the load before you can get your paperwork so off to the scale I go. Scale and walk inside and the girl/lady behind the counter ask "Have you had a nice day?". So far I reply. She then proceeds to tell me I'm 800 lbs over gross. Wonderful so back to the shipper but instead of paperwork its to gety a bundle removed. Each bundles weights in at a hefty 2500lbs or so. So I tell the loader and he point to were to park yank off 2 straps he pulls one I restrap and walk in to get the paperwork.

Off to the border I go. I let co-pilot for trucks do the math and it says Kanona, NY 8pm. KK np if not the Pilot there the truckstop across the street will have parking. Rain and Buffalo metro area rush hour traffic slow me down a bit. Somehow so far I had missed rush hour in Buffalo, NY to date. It wasn't too long though and on the NY thruway I go.

Still made Kanona by 8 and went in to grab a shower. There was 6 drivers waiting in line. Hmmmm tomorrow morning it is.

There is either something still wrong with the engine or this trlr sucks to hell and back. My fuel mileage has tanked in a large way. Gonna continue to watch it for a couple of days to try and see which it is.

Have a nice day

Bookerz out

10/22/2009

Yesterday afternoon and evening went like this... Nap, read, watch movie, read, watch movie which was extremely cool, but it gets better. Across the way from the Pilot in Kanona, NY I was park at was a truck stop that had a mom and pop dinner. I ordered the Angel spagetti with italian sausage sauce (one of the specials of the day) it was amazingly good! simple but good. I recommend it highly.

Woke up this morning left with plenty of time. Projected myself at consignee with 2 hours to spare never know when u might get lucky and get unloaded early. Alas it wasn't meant to be. The place was hopping and while I pulled in 45min late. I pulled out at 3pm which is a very good unload time.

While there got a preplan to pick up a load of lumber in the morning (actually between 12pm & 2pm) usually if you show up early and they can work you in they will. Nice place to get a load and you dont have to tarp it. It doesn't deliver until Mon in Butner, NC so an extremely leisurely weekend is in store.

There is a rumor of an purveyor of adult beverages just down the street where I'm parked for the night. So I figure to go check it out and perhaps grab a bite to eat. Oh and there is a free wifi spot here man if I'm not batting a thousand.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/21/2009

Started my day early, real early. I wanted to be at the I95/I495 split in Washington at or before 6am. I made it with 20 mins to spare so I was headed out of Washington while the maddness going in was beginning. Caught upto a little back up on the south end of Harrisburg where the construction is on going where US15 and PA581 meet. Fueled up at the Pilot on the North end of Harrisburg. Man the Pilot is laid out weird, it is likely due to the river. Got up to Kanona, NY before noon and called it a day. 225 miles togo before 13:00 tomorrow should be able to that standing on my head even with the border crossing.

It seems today that hurry hurry hurry is the montra of the day. When I was at the fuel pumps some jack*** of a driver decided to see how fast he could pull into the pumps. I was personally impressed with his driving aplumb (dumba**). Now I been bored and have been watching the drivers race around this parking lot. I usually avoid watching such things but like I said I was bored.

The great debate is still raging inside me. To go across the street and get a cooked meal or eat out of the truck. This Pilot only offers Subway and I've eaten within the last two weeks so I'm not hungry enough for that. As the debate resumes....

Have a good day

Bookerz Out

10/20/2009

It was quickly determined that I would not in fact be using a loner truck. A somewhat sedate celebration insued at this point. It was decided that I would attempt to find a FL dealer along my route and slip in and effect the repairs that are needed and avoid the downtime or switching trucks.

After finding out that I got a w/a to Etobicoke, ON for midday Thursday. There is an excessive amount of time on this load but it will make for a couple of short days. Made it to the Davis travel plaze @ exit 33 in VA today a mere 225 miles for the day. Tomorrow plan to take off early enough to be in the Greater Washington DC metro area at 6am and leaving as the four wheelers are pouring into the area. Only challening area will be Harrisburg, PA and only because PA seems to have decided that big trucks are only a figment of our imgination. And fail at almost every turn and instance that we do in fact exist. Other than that tomorrow should be a peaceful journey to Canona, NY.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/19/2009

Successfully acomplished nearly nothing outside spending time with my wife and family this weekend.

Took off this morning about 3:30 and made my way over to Conway, SC. Looks like a sleepy town just outside of Mrytle Beach. Missed the turn into the consignee's driveway and spent a lot of time working my way back around town to get to the driveway again. After accomplishing that unloading went fairly quicky. Sent off my empty call and got the obligitory looking for a load message. By the time I had got the truck postioned on their driveway off to the side received a dh move to Laurinburg, NC. It's only 90 miles, but all of them are back roads so 2 hours later I pull into the yard.

On my way over I decided that if I didn't get a load I would put the truck into the shop and have them look for this hissing sound I had been hearing since the work had been done on the head gasket. Turned in the write on the truck at noon about 4 they pull the truck in. I wlked over to the mechcanic and asked if if he had heard what I was talking about when he pulled the truck in. He stated "No" I explained it better to him. He told me to get in and fire it up and try to duplicate it. KK no problem. Apparently when they put it back together the big hose that runs from in front of the raditator back towards the block had so extensive air leaks. Took about 2 hours to get all the leaks eliminated and away I go.

There is some recall work that needs to be done to this tractor. It will entail a couple of days to get into the dealer and all that. At this point they are talking about sticking me into a loaner truck. If so that means my Tuesday may suck pretty bad. We'll see..........

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/16/2009

Really need to trade in my steel tarps for some lumber tarps. In the last year I've had to tarp one, maybe two loads of steel and I'm not sure how many loads of lumber. It was enough that I should have made the change a while back. So the next time I get to the terminal (maybe Monday) I gonna make the change.

Anyway after moving to Jacksonville, FL by 8am I got the dubious honor of waiting around till noon to get my w/a. Normally I'm a roll with it patience kinda of guy. Today was not that day. Finally at 11:15 a message "Can you make it to Blackshear, GA by 15:30 (3:30pm for the non military types) and get a load weighing 47100". Now I still have to break down the glass racks but we are only talking 106 miles so that part is do able. As to the weight hell I don't know off the top of my head. So I look it up in our handy dandy securement book that Maverick provides. The whole time I'm thinking your the load planner why are u asking me. Anyway the book says this trailer is rated to carry 47000 and that's what I send off in my message. No response.

11:55 w/a comes through proceed to Blackshear, GA for a 15:00 pick up.

Now lets do some math

Lost 45 min waiting for this to come through

Lost 30 min because the pickup time is 30 minutes earlier.

Still have to break down the racks. that that takes 45-60 minutes if there is no problems.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I already ticked for having to wait 3 hours to get a hint of a load. Then another almost 60 min to actually get the load. Now I've got to haul ass to get to the pickup in time.

I've known for four days where I would be today. They've known for four days where I was gonna be today. Why in hell should I have to haul ass.

Anyway made it to the shipper with (according to the w/a) 10 min to spare. Come to find out they load until 4 or 1600. There was a back up when I got there because it had been raining and they can't load lumber when it's raining. The loading crew was extremely efficient (something to do with it being Friday) and they drop 2 bundles off the load to get me under the legal limit. Did the math prior to loading so that saved a lot of time. Tarping went very fast. I must be getting better at the tarping thing. I would be embarassed to tell you how long in took for me to do that the first time. This time loading and tarping 2-2.5 hours later I'm on my way. Considering what I expected that was extremely good.

Didn't make it home last night because I stopped before getting to Jacksonville, Fl and I ran out of time but I got home before the chickens this morning.

Gonna work on doing as little as possible while here and then Monday morning it will be off to Conway, SC to drop this load. Good bet is I'll be headed to Laurinburg, NC to get a glass load next, but we all know how my bets work out.

Have a good weekend!

Bookerz out

10/15/2009

Back into the door 25 minutes before my appointment nice way to start the day. Ripped the damn tarp as I was pulling it off the back racks. Unloaded in short order. Fortunately I had some plastic that will help cover the glass and provide some extra protection. Resecured and tarped and on my way at 10:30. Figured I would arrive 10 min before the delivery window closed at Tamarac, Fl. My experience so far is if you arrive that near to the end of the day they will push you to tomorrow.

So I mossied my way there and arrived at 13:50. Grabbed my bills and figured I had to at least try. As I was walking upto the receiving door one of the supervisors walk out and spotted my truck and told me to back it in. Ok better than I expected. I pull up toward the door and the actual unloader walks out and says let me see your bills. Suddenly it is not looking so promising. He fed me a line about a 4 o'clock delivery and they are waiting on that glass. Ok so where can I park this beast so I'll be out of the way. He points over that way and away I go. About ten minutes the supervisor that originally told me to pull it in. Comes over and tells me that they will take me today (now). Feeling like a ping pong ball I start backing it in. Two hours later I'm unloaded and pulling out the bay. I pull over to the side out of the way. Catch up on the log bog and generally screw off waiting for some direction from on high. On a side note the mysterious 4pm delivery never showed. I'm not saying -- I'm just saying

Got a deadhead move to the greater Jacksonville, FL metro area. They are trying to find something in that area for me. KK good enough and off I go. It got to be 6 O'clock and I realize they won't find me anything at least till 9am tomorrow. By the time I get to Jacksonville there won't be any parking available. My butt is worn out and therefore I decide going all the way up there tonight is nonsense. I pull over in a rest area and will get up in time to be in the area at 9am. Good enough.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/14/2009

Well today went as planned. Took off about 9:30 headed down I-95 and everything cooperated to keep the left side door closed except for load checks. Stopped in Brunswick, GA to top off the belly tank and Sampson, Fl to top off the fuel tanks. Made it to Oralndo by 10:30 and here it gets a little funny.

I had scoped out the place on google maps and they indicated the consignee was on the corner. Having made the final turn and not seeing the consignee. I went down the road pulling as close to the curb as possible and I pop the brakes. It's an industrial park so I figured ignoring the no parking sign for a few minutes would be fine. Besides the truck would be in view so I might be able to head off any erstwhile law enforcement types with a burr in thier saddle. I walk back to the corner and took a closer look at the businesses on the corner to make sure I hadn't missed them. Nope no luck there. Hmmmmmmm. As I walk back to the truck I'm now checking out all the businesses and lo and behold. I had popped my brakes 5 foot from the driveway from my heretofore lost consignee. Extra exercise aside not bad.

So plan for tomorrow. Untarp and unsecure back racks. Consignee unloads thier portion of the load. Tarp and secure (not neccesarily in that order) the back racks. Either JET or mosey down to Tamarac, FL for the second stop on this load. If Tamarac's recieving window is still possible I'll jet down and try to get unloaded otherwise I'll mosey down and park in thier parking lot for the night.

Not sure where I'm headed after that but this is my hometime weekend. Kind of hoping that an Ottawa, IL load is in my immediate future. Got a sausage burger on my mind and there is a place right next to our drop yard that serves a mean tasting one.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/13/2009

Well ok. As we resume our search for the trailer I was to grab we/I come to the conclusion it is not on site. QC (qualcomm) the office and I was told well grab another step deck and let us know which one. Alright no problem except there is only two and one is missing half the glass rack and neither is step up in glass mode. Let me explain a bit. If we drop a trailer at a glass plant it is suppose to left there in glass mode. This is two times running I've had to set up a glass trailer at a glass plant before I could get a glass load. Some will argue it is not worth the twenty dollars to set up the trailer and to be frank (although that is normally Frank's job) I agree, But it is what we are suppose to do and I have yet to drop a trailer without setting it up proper like. To top it off the trailer I was to grab had been stripped of it equipment. No problem the trailer I just dropped had the equipment I needed and I knew the tarps were good. Trailer is set up totally equipped and ready to load with two hours to go before load time.

By noon backed into the door and ready to load. This load has two stops very unusally for glass at least in my experience (first one) so it required some forethought by the loaders. Turns out there was too much on the second stop to get it all on the front racks. So they were going to have to put a single stocce on the back rack. Well that is gonna suck retarping it and it will look like hell going down the road but oh well. Turns out there was still too much slot to go on the front racks so the load had to be rearraged. They had to unload part of the front racks and move more to the back racks. Well at least now there will be a bit on both sides of the back rack now. It will still look bad as the tarps are designed to cover a lot more glass but it will be better.

Finally about five-thirty everything is done and ready to roll. Still got to put on about 350 miles to make a Thursday morning delivery possible. Wasn't looking forward to trying to find a place to parking on the I-95 corridor at midnight, but that is why we get paid the big bucks or something like that. Found a spot in northern North Carolina for the night. Cant roll till 9:30 so I should be in the greater Orlando metro area well after the traffic dies down. Consignee has overnight parking so that is the plan for tomorrow.

Have a good night/day!

Bookerz out

10/12/2009

Woke up this morning slid down to the lobby to lay on a bit of grub. A bowl of oatmeal, a bowl of cereal, and copious amounts of coffee. Done!

Nine bells roll around I call the repair shop. I waited till then knowing full well how Mondays are especially to people that get the weekends off. I do the same thing for my FM for the same reasons. The news I receive is that it will be very late this evening maybe even Tuesday morning before they release my truck. I relay this infomation to my FM who in turns relays the info to Fleet-net. So far, so good. Fleet-net doing the same I would in their position calls the repair shop on their own and receives a different assessment of the situation. They tell fleet-net that it will be late afternoon before they can release the truck. They inturn tell me that I will need to check out of the motel and proceed to the repair shop and await the release of my truck.

All I can see at this point is a very pissed off truck driver namely me waiting around a repair shop for hours on end without a nearby location to get something to eat. In the end having to return to the motel and spending another night. At this point an extremely pissed off driver.

So noon rolls around (the check out time) I call the shop and get the same dude on the phone and he sings me the same song and dance. After that I explain that someone was singing fleet net a different song. (Juke box analogy almost exhausted). He turns and apparently asks someone who knows what they are talking about and finally everyone gets on the same tune. They give me a ride back to the shop about an hour later. And thirty minutes later the truck is released.

NOT the train wreck of a day I had envisioned.

I let the boss know and she said to proceed to Geneva, NY and they would work on getting me a load. KK everything looking good. Trucks running fine gauges look good life is great. 15 miles before I get to Rochester, NY I get redirected to Mount Holly Spring, PA. Perfect timing if you ask me. Make a right onto I-390 and head south. 280 miles later I'm at MHS and drop my trailer. Now I was directed to pick up a specific trailer to get loaded at noon tomorrow. I haven't found the specific trailer but I will resume my search in the am. It's off to bed for the night. Plan on running over to the Flying J in the morning to see about getting some grub and resume the search for my trailer.

Have a good night

Bookerz out

10/11/2009 pt 2

The Bucs confirmed they suck. Oh well maybe next year. Watched some tv and finished book 5 in the Left Behind seriesApollyon. Gonna start book six after taking a short break. Walked over to a chinese joint about a mile or 2 away. It was good and the walk would have been nice too except for the wind. This hotel is nice and the staff seem to have the customer service angle down.

In hopefully 24 hours or less should be under way again destination unknown at this point but we will see what the future holds. Should get breakdown pay for Monday and perhaps part or all of Sunday not sure how that all works but I'm sure I'll get it all cleared up tomorrow. Would have been nice if there had been a picture show within walking distance but I reckon you can't have everything.

Have a good night

Bookerz out

10/11/2009

What a long weekend! The Cards lost their bid to remain in the playoff's. My alternate team is the Rockies and only because they came back so well. So no investment there. The Tampa Bay Buc's look like the very early Buc's. In other words they are sucking.

Went for a walk yesterday. Basically down what would be a main street in most places. Almost as bar on every corner and a lounge/resturant half way through the block. All mom and pop places not a chain place within sight. It was kind of charming in a way. None of them allow smoking inside which was a pain for a dedicated smoker such as myself. Plan on another walk today and perhaps I'll remember to bring my camera today. Hope to find a gold mine of good food somewhere along the way today and perhaps take in the Buffalo game I imagine it will be playing almost everywhere they have a TV.

As it stands my Betsy should be up and running Monday evening. After they fix whatever and throughly test it. They are suppose to release her to me. Here's hoping.

I may post again today and regale you with my adventures be those as they may.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/09/2009

It's offical. Buffalo is home or my home for the weekend. At 9am this morning they hadn't dug deep enough into the motor to determine what the ailment was. A decision had to be made by checkout time as to wether to extend the accomdations or not. Well they (the powers that be) decided to go ahead and book me for the weekend.

Not going to be a bad deal I got my book reader. A good internet connection. Plenty of resturants in walking distance. And the baseball playoffs. Life could be a lot worse.

Well here's to chillin the weekend away and hopin for a rapid fix for Betsy.

Have a good day

Bookerz out

10/08/2009

Bad News, Good News, Bad News yada yada yada

Bad news lost the forth coming load Geneva, Ny - Fenton, MI expected so not so bad

Good News could be just a EGR cooler (whatever that is).

I dump 2 gallons of coolant into the truck and off to Buffalo I go. They are expecting me or so I'm told. Pull in find the service manager "Hi I'm with Maverick I was told to come here to get my truck fixed". First it seemed like whatever I needed to get fixed wasn't worth his time and then he tried the we are to busy to even look at the truck. Finally when he quit crying the blues and I got to attempt to describe the problem.

On a side note. Talking to me about a truck problem. Has to be like two peole trying to talk to each other. One only speaks and understand Japanese and the other only speaks and understands french.

Once we got beyond the language barrier I could see the dollar signs popping up in his eyes and things started getting a whole lot easier. Strange how a few greenbacks can do that.

At any rate they were real busy even me the mechicanically challenged could see that. They pulled Betsy over and took a peek under the hood.

Bad News its not the EBR cooler (already covered but whatever that is).

Good News off to the hotel room for the night. Baseball playoffs televised!!!

They are gonna dig deeper (visions of a needle trying to dig out that splinter) and see what it might be.

Hopefully it won't be too serious because my FM (figuratively) cussed me by saying the "loaner truck" phrase. Let us hope it doesn't come to that

Well it's off to the playoffs

Bookerz out