Monday, June 30, 2008
Home Time
We got home for a few days of rest and relaxation. Mowed the lawn and doing some work around the house before we head out again. It is good to be home. The weather is beautiful and we hope to go to the lake tomorrow. On the 4th we go to Midway Community Center for fun and games. They serve homemade ice cream, grill burgers, and have several bands playing during the day. It is all in a good country setting with fire works at night. It is always enjoyable time.
Two days before we got home our inverter in the truck went out and we had to get rid of stuff from the refrigerator. I tried to find a cooler in a truck stop but couldn’t find anything but the electric type. I have a cooler in my vehicle in Joplin. I am going to spend some time to get things better organized in the truck while I am at home. We use the top bunk for the refrigerator and a crate for Sweet Pea but it is mostly wasted space. In the T600 you don’t have much space for two people so I need to make the best use of what space we do have.
We got a Garmin navigation system that we are going to take with us. I hope that it will make it a little easier to find places.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Middletown, NY
Thursday, June 26, 2008
NY
The days pass so fast. You are in Texas and then a few days later in NY headed for Tennessee. It all starts to run together. We left Texas and went with a load to Ohio. Then we went to Pennsylvania and then to Middletown, NY for a load to Alcoa, Tennessee. We have highlighted for home so we have been routed to Tennessee. However we don’t need to be there yet. We pick up a load 20:30 tonight and I will then talk to the dispatcher tomorrow about my home time.
The weather up north has been cool and we haven’t had to idle at night. NY is a no idle state so it being cool has been a blessing. It rained a little today but rather than that we haven’t had much rain to deal with although I hear that the Mississippi river valley that had been flooding got more rain.
NY
The days pass so fast. You are in Texas and then a few days later in NY headed for Tennessee. It all starts to run together. We left Texas and went with a load to Ohio. Then we went to Pennsylvania and then to Middletown, NY for a load to Alcoa, Tennessee. We have highlighted for home so we have been routed to Tennessee. However we don’t need to be there yet. We pick up a load 20:30 tonight and I will then talk to the dispatcher tomorrow about my home time.
The weather up north has been cool and we haven’t had to idle at night. NY is a no idle state so it being cool has been a blessing. It rained a little today but rather than that we haven’t had much rain to deal with although I hear that the Mississippi river valley that had been flooding got more rain.
We have now been to 19 States.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Eagle Pass, Texas
TX 53
Friday, June 20, 2008
Eagle Pass, Texas
We went from Iowa to Laredo, Texas and then to Eagle Pass, Texas when we got a load of Air Conditioner parts to take to Indiana. That seems a little ironic with it being 110 here. I have enjoyed this trip. The trip from Laredo to Eagle Pass was real pleasant. We traveled TX 53. It is a straight 2 lane road that runs up the South West part of Texas. We are loaded and spending the night here tonight
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Iowa
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Iowa
We got to Iowa today about 12:00 but we have to wait till 07:00 tomorrow for our appointment. I called dispatch and ask then to get it sooner but they sent back a message that they couldn’t get it changed. I don’t know if he even tried. I am not to sure about my dispatcher. After I get unloaded tomorrow I will give him another call. I have only had two loads since Thursday. One trip was for 750 miles and this one for a little over 400.
It is at least it is pretty weather today. It is sunny in the 70’s and we have a cool breeze. We saw several wind farms in the Iowa area. They are pretty neat. Rather than that there was not much to see. It is pretty country but flat and all large farms. Lot of the new corn fields are standing in water from all the rain and flooding.
It is at least it is pretty weather today. It is sunny in the 70’s and we have a cool breeze. We saw several wind farms in the Iowa area. They are pretty neat. Rather than that there was not much to see. It is pretty country but flat and all large farms. Lot of the new corn fields are standing in water from all the rain and flooding.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sakateh Lake in Minnesota
Monday, June 16, 2008
Headed to Iowa
We got a load of paper towels and toilet tissue and taking it to Iowa. It is another short trip of 420 miles and we have till 07:00 Wednesday to deliver. We will get there tomorrow and hope they will take it. It is a distribution center and they are open 24/7. We sit all day Sunday so I hope we don’t have to do it again so soon. I need to get some miles.
It was cool today. It only got up to the mid 60’s and we had wind. The most of the day was cloudy so we wore long sleeves. It has now gotten sunny and it’s a very pretty day.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
34 Hour Restart
Sunday, June 15, 2008
34 Hour Restart
For you that don’t know; in trucking we are limited to the hours we can drive each day so to protect the public against tired truck drivers. Inattention to driving usually brought on by fatigue is the number one cause of accidents in trucking so the federal government regulates how much we drive. They don’t regulate us from having midnight delivery appointments excreta. I guess those don’t leave us tired. Anyway we live by the 11 hour rule (we can drive up to 11 hours before taking a 10 hour qualifying break) the 14 hour rule (we can drive those 11 hours in a 14 hour period from the time we start either driving or on duty not driving) and we can not drive more than 70 hours in a 8 day period. Okay you got all that but of course that is the simple version without all the exceptions. The 34 hour restart: If you are off duty for 34 consecutive hours then you can start with a clean slate on the seventy hour rule. Okay we got a 34 hour break. We got in Wisconsin Saturday afternoon and we don’t deliver till Monday morning. Okay that is more than 34 hours so we don’t start counting time till we start Monday morning, not driving but on duty. I log a 15 minute Vehicle Safety Inspection before I start driving. That starts my 14 hour clock for the day. I have to shut down in 14 hours from that time. I have a delivery and hopefully get a load during that time and still have some driving time. We get paid for the miles driven. Loading and unloading time is free. We all wish for long hauls that allows us the maximum miles for our time. It also allows us the freedom to decide when we drive and we are left alone during that time. It is the most enjoyable part of this job.
The weather here has been nice today and we have truly enjoyed the day off. It has been windy, sunny, and very comfortable. I like the Wisconsin area. The people have been friendly, and we are in a convenient location. We are close to restaurants and Wal-Mart. We got some shopping done and went to dinner. We are at a Kwik Trip Truck Stop in Tomah, Wisconsin. They have good showers and lower prices than most truck stops
34 Hour Restart
For you that don’t know; in trucking we are limited to the hours we can drive each day so to protect the public against tired truck drivers. Inattention to driving usually brought on by fatigue is the number one cause of accidents in trucking so the federal government regulates how much we drive. They don’t regulate us from having midnight delivery appointments excreta. I guess those don’t leave us tired. Anyway we live by the 11 hour rule (we can drive up to 11 hours before taking a 10 hour qualifying break) the 14 hour rule (we can drive those 11 hours in a 14 hour period from the time we start either driving or on duty not driving) and we can not drive more than 70 hours in a 8 day period. Okay you got all that but of course that is the simple version without all the exceptions. The 34 hour restart: If you are off duty for 34 consecutive hours then you can start with a clean slate on the seventy hour rule. Okay we got a 34 hour break. We got in Wisconsin Saturday afternoon and we don’t deliver till Monday morning. Okay that is more than 34 hours so we don’t start counting time till we start Monday morning, not driving but on duty. I log a 15 minute Vehicle Safety Inspection before I start driving. That starts my 14 hour clock for the day. I have to shut down in 14 hours from that time. I have a delivery and hopefully get a load during that time and still have some driving time. We get paid for the miles driven. Loading and unloading time is free. We all wish for long hauls that allows us the maximum miles for our time. It also allows us the freedom to decide when we drive and we are left alone during that time. It is the most enjoyable part of this job.
The weather here has been nice today and we have truly enjoyed the day off. It has been windy, sunny, and very comfortable. I like the Wisconsin area. The people have been friendly, and we are in a convenient location. We are close to restaurants and Wal-Mart. We got some shopping done and went to dinner. We are at a Kwik Trip Truck Stop in Tomah, Wisconsin. They have good showers and lower prices than most truck stops
Friday, June 13, 2008
Trip to Wisconsin
Friday, June 13, 2008
Trip to Wisconsin
S P riding in our bunk.
We deadheaded from Schodack Landing, NY to Dunkirt, NY to a juice processing plant where we go a load of totes to take to Warren, Wisconsin. They didn’t get them loaded till around midnight. We have till Monday 8:00 – 11:00 to deliver. It is only a trip of 750 miles and we have 3 ½ days to get it there. We only drove half way today. We are pretty tired from having two mid night appointments. We are going to drive the rest of it tomorrow and then hang around in Wisconsin and get a 34 hour restart by Monday. We are now in Indiana and I will be driving through Chicago tomorrow. I am hoping that it being Saturday that it will not be too bad.
Trip to Wisconsin
S P riding in our bunk.
We deadheaded from Schodack Landing, NY to Dunkirt, NY to a juice processing plant where we go a load of totes to take to Warren, Wisconsin. They didn’t get them loaded till around midnight. We have till Monday 8:00 – 11:00 to deliver. It is only a trip of 750 miles and we have 3 ½ days to get it there. We only drove half way today. We are pretty tired from having two mid night appointments. We are going to drive the rest of it tomorrow and then hang around in Wisconsin and get a 34 hour restart by Monday. We are now in Indiana and I will be driving through Chicago tomorrow. I am hoping that it being Saturday that it will not be too bad.
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