Well every man needs a "kickn around town" pick up truck right? I bought me one today. I drove out to Madison (15 miles) and bought a 1990 Ford F150 Lariat XLT. Its a pretty nice truck for $1350.00. It needs paint but it has good rubber and only 127,000 miles, runs great and doesnt smoke or leak any oil. I may or may not paint it but knowing me I will paint it, put rims and nicer tires on it, maybe headers and a nice dual exhaust. May as well redneck 'er on up right? GitRDone
Later days
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Montgomery, Alabama
Well I brought this load from Chicago and will deliver in the morning. It was a good trip down after a very nice visit with Jim and Janet (Keystrucker on YouTube) up in Chicago.
Yesterday after I got loaded, I was on some back roads south of Joliet, Illinois cutting across to I-57. I took the back roads so I wouldnt have to go into Chicago at rushhour to hit 57. Actually the trip into Chicago wouldnt have been bad, the bad part would have been going south out of Chicago on 57 at 5pm. So I cut across and came out 60 miles south of Chicago and missed the traffic. But while I was doing so, Jim called me and informed me that a 2 fatality accident had just happened near the Minooka Pilot where they were. He said a flatbed had rearended a bulk tanker and both were killed. I immediately thought of Brian (BTJohnson on YouTube) because he pulls a bulk tanker. I didnt really think it was him but he came to mind, and what are the chances he was in Chicago. So I get down to Effingham and stop for the day, I was at the shipper all day, big load, 2 lumber tarps. I parked and got online only to find an email from Brian saying "hey man, I see you are picking up in Chicago, I will be in Chicago today, give me a call"...So then I was like Oh Man, Brian was in Chicago. Still what are the chances but I immediately called him to make sure....A very sad story about the 2 fellow drivers who lost their lives. Everyone please drive safe!
Ok so, I deliver this load in the morning and head home (200 miles North) for a week off. Wow!!!
Later days
Yesterday after I got loaded, I was on some back roads south of Joliet, Illinois cutting across to I-57. I took the back roads so I wouldnt have to go into Chicago at rushhour to hit 57. Actually the trip into Chicago wouldnt have been bad, the bad part would have been going south out of Chicago on 57 at 5pm. So I cut across and came out 60 miles south of Chicago and missed the traffic. But while I was doing so, Jim called me and informed me that a 2 fatality accident had just happened near the Minooka Pilot where they were. He said a flatbed had rearended a bulk tanker and both were killed. I immediately thought of Brian (BTJohnson on YouTube) because he pulls a bulk tanker. I didnt really think it was him but he came to mind, and what are the chances he was in Chicago. So I get down to Effingham and stop for the day, I was at the shipper all day, big load, 2 lumber tarps. I parked and got online only to find an email from Brian saying "hey man, I see you are picking up in Chicago, I will be in Chicago today, give me a call"...So then I was like Oh Man, Brian was in Chicago. Still what are the chances but I immediately called him to make sure....A very sad story about the 2 fellow drivers who lost their lives. Everyone please drive safe!
Ok so, I deliver this load in the morning and head home (200 miles North) for a week off. Wow!!!
Later days
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Chicago
Actually I am in Gary, Indiana but close enough. I delivered that load of lumber in Shelbyville, Ind yesterday and got a load picking up Monday up here in Chicago. Joliet actually, but close enough. This load delivers Wednesday in Montgomery, Ala and from there I will be going....where?...Yessss!!!!....HOME!!!! Home in Huntsville, Alabama for a week.
I sit here in this Gary, Indiana TA awaiting the arrival of Jim and Janet of the world famous Keystrucker YouTube channel. They should be here in a few hours. We will visit, eat some good food, and shoot a video or 2. Should be fun, this is the second time we have met. They are great people. Visit their YouTube channel and subscribe...http://www.youtube.com/user/keystrucker
I have been pondering the idea of venturing into a different trucking field. I love flatbedding and will probably do it for a while longer but I have been thinking a lot lately about trying my hand at pulling long and heavy loads. Like really long and really heavy. I would like to try pulling the big windmill blades that are like 160 feet long or the big cylinders that take up both lanes. What an extreme job! I dont see this taking place anytime soon but maybe down the road. I know me, I grow bored very easily. Your average ordinary flatbedding may not be enough to satisfy the extreme inner child of this SillyTrucker forever. I love my current company and have no plans of leaving or even looking any time soon....Just a thought, or maybe just a fantasy.
Later days
I sit here in this Gary, Indiana TA awaiting the arrival of Jim and Janet of the world famous Keystrucker YouTube channel. They should be here in a few hours. We will visit, eat some good food, and shoot a video or 2. Should be fun, this is the second time we have met. They are great people. Visit their YouTube channel and subscribe...http://www.youtube.com/user/keystrucker
I have been pondering the idea of venturing into a different trucking field. I love flatbedding and will probably do it for a while longer but I have been thinking a lot lately about trying my hand at pulling long and heavy loads. Like really long and really heavy. I would like to try pulling the big windmill blades that are like 160 feet long or the big cylinders that take up both lanes. What an extreme job! I dont see this taking place anytime soon but maybe down the road. I know me, I grow bored very easily. Your average ordinary flatbedding may not be enough to satisfy the extreme inner child of this SillyTrucker forever. I love my current company and have no plans of leaving or even looking any time soon....Just a thought, or maybe just a fantasy.
Later days
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Birmingham, Ala
Howdy yall!!!! Well after I delivered in Irvington, Ala, I then picked up a load of lumber in Cypress, Fla, that was actually this morning. Not a particularly fun day at the shipper. They loaded me, I strapped it down, then before I tarped it I wanted to make sure they didnt load me too heavy, they had a scale at their yard. I was 81,250. I knew I was heavy, I could tell by looking at the tires on the rears. So I had to unstrap the entire load so they could take a bundle off and reaarange the load. Then I had to tarp the load, 2 eight foot drop lumber tarps, 100+ temps, fun fun....Oh yea, I almost forgot, this load is going to Shelbyville, Indiana, just south of Indy....Ok, so I drove today from Cypress, Fla to Birmingham. I would have gone further but the trip up Hwy 231 into Alabama was a tough pull with 48,000lbs of lumber, there are about 794 traffic lights through there and it wore me out, so I stopped here at our Bham terminal. I will take it on up tomorrow.
Later days, thanks for reading
Later days, thanks for reading
Monday, June 15, 2009
Irvington, Alabama
Well, had I known that I would get a load at 7am this morning, I wouldnt have stayed up so late last night. 7am straight up and my Qualcomm is beeping like theres no tomorrow. I get up and its a load picking up in Cleveland, Tx going to Irvington, Ala(Mobile) due as soon as I can get it there. I got it here!!! It was a good load, no tarp, just 8 straps and roll with it. I unloaded about 1030pm here in Irvington, it was a good trip across I-10 and I am very tired. I think I will go ahead and crash just in case my Qualcomm wakes me at 7am again.
Later days
Later days
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Baytown, Tx
First of all I want to say thanks for reading my blog. I am new to this and I am trying to figure what to do as far as replying back to you guys. Just know that I read each comment and appreciate them greatly.
I left Knoxville early Saturday morning and did make it to Baton Rouge that night, about 640 miles. There is absolutely nothing better than a 600+ mile day and then laying down in this bunk, complete with 2 foam matress pads, and an idling 500hp deisel caterpillar engine. When I go home, I wake up many times during the night, its just too quiet. In my truck, I can sleep 8 hours and never wake up..... I woke up this morning early, walked Jack, ate me a bowl of Kashi, and hit the road headed here to Baytown, Tx (Houston). I arrived here at around 1pm, unloaded by 2, and was sitting in this truckstop by 215. I showered, ate a grilled chicken sandwhich (thats about the only decent dish TA truckstops can make, IMO), and did my laundry.
Overall it was a very uneventful trip down here fron Pa. I will take uneventful any day of the week.
I hope I get a load out of here tomorrow but this is a very heavy flatbed area and there are many many flatbeds sitting in this and nearby truckstops waiting for loads. The last time I was in this truckstop, it was snowing and I sat here 3 days waiting for a load. But that was winter and flatbed freight slows to a crawl in the winter months. I expect to sit here until Tuesday at the latest but I may get a load first thing tomorrow, who knows. I wont complain if I sit because I have been running pretty hard lately. San Fran to Reno to St Louis to Atlanta to Baltimore to Pittsburgh to Houston in just the past week and a half, not bad considering theres a lot of time spent strapping, chaining and tarping in there.
Later days
I left Knoxville early Saturday morning and did make it to Baton Rouge that night, about 640 miles. There is absolutely nothing better than a 600+ mile day and then laying down in this bunk, complete with 2 foam matress pads, and an idling 500hp deisel caterpillar engine. When I go home, I wake up many times during the night, its just too quiet. In my truck, I can sleep 8 hours and never wake up..... I woke up this morning early, walked Jack, ate me a bowl of Kashi, and hit the road headed here to Baytown, Tx (Houston). I arrived here at around 1pm, unloaded by 2, and was sitting in this truckstop by 215. I showered, ate a grilled chicken sandwhich (thats about the only decent dish TA truckstops can make, IMO), and did my laundry.
Overall it was a very uneventful trip down here fron Pa. I will take uneventful any day of the week.
I hope I get a load out of here tomorrow but this is a very heavy flatbed area and there are many many flatbeds sitting in this and nearby truckstops waiting for loads. The last time I was in this truckstop, it was snowing and I sat here 3 days waiting for a load. But that was winter and flatbed freight slows to a crawl in the winter months. I expect to sit here until Tuesday at the latest but I may get a load first thing tomorrow, who knows. I wont complain if I sit because I have been running pretty hard lately. San Fran to Reno to St Louis to Atlanta to Baltimore to Pittsburgh to Houston in just the past week and a half, not bad considering theres a lot of time spent strapping, chaining and tarping in there.
Later days
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
