JOHNSON'S CORNERS

It's great to find a truckstop of this caliber in the middle of nowheres (LOVELAND, CO). Their employees (see foto attached) seem to go out of their ways to meet trucker's needs. Their food facilities are awesome, with gr8 food and large portions, at reasonable prices. I also appreciate that they allow for a TRUCKER's CHAPEL service, for those of us who need this inspiration while on the road away from home.

I had been here going on 2 days now, to deliver about 15 miles away at Greeley, CO on monday morning. I also met a couple of more local drivers like NORM aka MR PRESIDENT. (see FOTOs)

Sitting here in the COLORODO ROCKIES is also beautiful, with the snowcaped mountains. Temps have been gr8, cold at night but in the 30s and 40s during the day.

Here at the JOHNSONS CORNER, they have an awesome cinnamon roll, enough for 2 meals. All their food portions are large, and reasonable priced. I'd recomment this place to all travelers to the area.

ALMOST MEXICO

Am sitting in LAREDO, TX, waiting to deliver a load tomorrow morning. It will be relayed tomorrow night into MEXICO. I hope my trip planner can find me something quick out of here. There are about 30 other drivers waiting for loads. SEE few in FOTO.

I picked this load, 44000# of beer in Minnesota. about 11500 mile run. Not bad considering it follows a 1200 mile run from JERSEY. This run brought through RAIN,SNOW, SLEET ICE STORM, WINDS FROM MINNEAPOLIS TO SOUTH OF OKLAHOMA CITY. I feel like a mail man, without his pay.

Prior to this run, I dropped LEE at GARY on saturday. He called me today and said he got a 99% on the first part and 100% on the second pat of his SQT. Now he'll take his CDL tests on Thursday. He seems quite pleased with himself. He should be. He worked hard.

I go home in a week. that will be good time spent with my family before CHRISTmas and my birthday. Maybe even a little deer hunting.

IT, CAN WILL

IF it can it will!!

Just can off of TAH. Picked up a new student, LEE SPELLS. FOTO included. We were assigned a trailer out of CSX railyard at Bedford PArk, IL to pick up a SEARS load going to MEMPHIS from HAMMOND, IN. Sufficient to say, complications and time restraints determined tha we needed three tires on the trailer, along with being potentially late. We gave the load to another driver, to get a 2fer. two loads one to APPLETON, wisconsin, the other from Milwaukee, to Conway, AR.

We thought things weree looking up until we hit holiday traffic. Nearly 1.5 hours through CHICAGO to APppleton, and the on Tuesday, nearly 2 hours to do 27 miles from BELOIT, WI through ROCKFORD, IL. Well we have till tomorrow to get deliverd at CONWAY. Stayed last night at the TA in Bloomington, drove to our EDWARDSVILLE OC for showers and lunch, and later on towards Conway.

I got Leee working on another future project for now. until we go eat and leave for the road.

TAH

IT'S BEEN A COUPLE WEEKS SINCE I'D UPDATED THIS BLOG. HAVEN'T HAD A STUDENT IN THREE WEEKS.

I'm about to leave out on the road again in the morning (Tuesday). In spite of students being scarce, I was just assigned LEE SPELLs, from Chicago. He'll meet me at the truck in the morning.

Last month I spent most of my time on the East Coast. Places like NY STATE, Baltimore, MD, VIrginia, Pennsylvania, etc., etc.,... I did get a chance to spend a little time with my MOM and BROTHER in KY, between JERSY CITY, NJ and Mississippi. By the way, the colder weather brings out the best in me.. HAIR)!!

SCHNEIDER DENTAL

Well the past two weeks were interesting. Been to the Carolinas, the Virginias and Pennsylvania. Also through those states leading to WEST MEMPHIS. That's where the title comes in for this blog segment.

Delivered my last stop on a three stopper near Memphis. Decided to see if I could get some work done on my truck. It had an aggrevating Air Leak. Ran up my IDLE time. Now at West Memphis OC, Schneider started offering a DENTAL service, using A MOBILE DENTAL LAB. I decided to take advantage of it. It was surprising that the unit wasn't busier. Especially considering that the dental insurance picked up the bill. I was able to have exrays taken, along with a good cleaning.

Photos of the dental crew are included

DARELL

Sitting here at GARY, I was waitng for a new student. NEVER SHOWED. Called Greenbay to find out that he decided not to drive. While here, I ran into a friend and his wife Roberta, I spent time with them up in Wisconsin a few weeks back. Here is his PHOTO. Maybe I'll get to add her's later..

MORE OF THE PROCESS

Here are more fotos of the cotton gin process..It gets separated. scrubbed, bundled and shipped to the people who make our cloths, bedding etc., etc, etc.

Today I delivered the cotton seed to the co-op in bobduel, wi. dairy farmers will add it to their feed for it's high protien..

I'm now sitting in Green Bay, at the OC, waiting for a load, doing laundry, and sitting.

I released CHRIS yesterday at GARY. I hope he'll do well. He may be my last student for a while..Got word today that the company is hiring fewer inexperienced drivers. They say they have driver's waiting for trucks...While waiting, they're being paid a minimal amount as long as they remain available. I'm not sure we're getting sufficient loads as well

MORE GIN>>>THE PROCESS

Between the vaccumn and the van is the separating, washing, bailing and blowing. PHOTOS TO BE ADDED!!

MORE GIN PHOTOS

These are from the vaccumn, to the van. The process will be in the next posting. From the truck to the ground to the vaccumn, to the shute to the van. Question??? What do they do with COTTONSEED in WISCONSIN? HINT: They don't plant it!!! ANSWER to follow latter

This last shot is of the seed in the back of the truck. OVER 44000 pounds of it. It takes about 5 1/2 truck bails to fill my van

AT THE GIN MILL

Trivia: Who invented the COTTON GIN? If he could see his invention today... Picked up a load iof COTTONSEED in ALABAMA, going to WISCONSIN. VERY interesting! We backedup to a tube, coming out of the wall of a barn. PHOTOS tell the story of how they operate. It may take a few postings to put them on in some order.

The truck from the cotton field brings and drop the monster bail under a huge vaccumn.. The tractor and rails walk the bail off the truck onto the pavement.

An operator overhead, vaccumns the bail up into a COTTON GIN, where the FIBER is separated from the SEED, and the CHAFF. About one third of the bail is chaff, one third is seed, and one third is cotton fibre.

The fibre is washed and bundled. The seed is

blown into my truck, and the chaff is plown onto a waste pile. SEE NEXT POST!!

PLUMBING THE TRAILER???

PLUMBING is associated with what? Water, Sewer, and OBGY...My student telles me he's "PLUMBING THE TRAILER" when he pins it. QUESTION?? What trade did he come out of??? I hope he remembers not to plumb the trailer when he does his SQT on Monday.

Actually, Chris has been doing quite well. His shifting has gotten consideraby better, as well as his trip planning. I plan to release him on Sunday @ GARY. We're now under load to ALABAMA, and then we'll see how they get us back home.

TALK ABOUT TIGHT

This was a challange. Not only because of the setup, but moreso because i had to leave my doors closed - rather than chance tairing the off.

The dock bumpers left only about 1/2 inch on either side of the trailer. One couldn't judge this tightness from outside the bldg.

NOTE: Is Chris kneling being thankful that it went in...or tying his shoe?

We delivered the load on time in SC after having my PM done in CHARLOTTE. We ended up spending the nught in a hotel, getting the ntruck back in the late morning.

We picked up our next load within the window, but delivered late due to the previous maintenance issue, lousy directions to the shipper, and two detours along the way. Also was where the shipper said we were haling 19500 pounds of pallets, that scaled out to gr8ter than 42000 pounds. We were pulling uphills on interste 75 at 15 mph and less.

Now We're under loqd to Jackson,MN with 3300 pounds of metal.

New Student

Introducing Christopher Mateika, my newest student. I Picked CHRIS up this morning at Rochelle Petro. Picked up a trailer, our first stop for loading and are now relaxing at GARY OC..Our next of 2 stops pickups is in the morning and then down to South Caralina. Chris asks a lot of good questions, and cracking the books.

Now to the good stuff. Last night I had my last opportunity for whitetail before I come home a month from now. Last LIGHT, I got a young DOE. Looking forwards to cooking up the tenderloins.

TIME AT HOME

Spent a few days at home. Got home early on Tuesday, should have ben home Monday. 2nd time in a year and a half. Not bad considering the stories I hear from drivers at the OCs..went deer hunting for a few days. Saw several, including a NON-TYPICAL, MONSTER BUCK. He was well out of my shooting range. Tried a few spots, relocated two stands, saw more than I had shots on. Could of had a shot on a young one, but If it's not a perfect target, I won't take the shot. I don't want to wound it and lose it.

My friend Rick got a nice DOE the opening morning. about 140 pounds big. If I get a digital of it, I'll add it later.

Am leaving out in the morning with a new student from Rockford. Will add his bit to the blog then.

RAY: KTBC&PH

ONE MORE DOWN, MANY MORE TO GO

Well I just released Fidencio today at Gary. It's been a gr8 two weeks. Fidencio has done quite well. He will go far as a driver. I wish him well.

BLANKEE???

CHECK this out. The other morning, Fidencio was geting up from his nap. His BLANKEE dropped onto my bunk. BLANKEE?? He tells me his wife made it for him, and how warm it is.

Back to the serious stuff. Fidencio continues to do well. His only shortfalls are in the trip planning the way SCHNEIDER wants it done. His MAPPING skills are GR8...His putting it on papaer needs work. We'll get it down by the time I release him, Tenatively tomorrow evening. He's anxcious to see his family, take his SQT, and get on the ROAD.

We've had several good loads together, some laughs, and few trials. COULD I TEAM WITH HIM??? HUMM!!!

RAY if your reading this KTBC&PH..MAY be spending FRIDAY night in GARY..WILL CALL U

DOUBLETIME??

Here's another shot of FIDENCIO while driving..Very intent!!!
Doing quite well, all-in-all. Worked on his 2nd EVAL, what can I say??

We're on our way to TULSA, OK to deliver tomorrow. For a while today, Fidencio can work on his trip plans.

Met JERRY these past few days in West Memphis. Seems like drivers gravitate to the
TE in me. It's gr8 to be able to help the newER guys out....

LIKE A BAD PENNY

HE KEEPS SHOWING UP!!! Actually, it's a good thing. every so often I run into one of my past students. This is the second time since I released him, that Rob and I had met at an OC. Today we're at WEST MEMPHIS, AR . Last time it was SEVILLE,OH, about a month and a half agoThe good thing is he has his wife TERRY with him. I believe she keeps him in line whiledriving and under other situations. He calls her the FUNNY LADY.

Right now he's updating his blog, while she watches tv. Now back to business!!

I'm considering releasing FIDENCIO a few days early. Once we get past the trip planning, he'll be ready to fly. He realy can handle the truck. Backing, he can put it in the hole every time, first shot.

Last night we spent at GARY. This morning I ran into DANNY, my last student. He's there for his SQT. I expect he'll do well. Others have.

Here at WM, we visited the WALMART and did some shopping for next week.

WHAT A DAY

For Fidencios benefit, I gave probably the best EVAL ever . He's really progressing well...Heres a foto of him behind the wheel.

Boy whata day...We left Green Bay on Tuesday to pick up a load at Wisconsin Rapids, going to Warsau Indiana. Wednesday at 4PM.Plenty of time right??? If things can go wrong they will. We went to load by 5PM, only to be told we couldn't load till &AM Wednesday. No way could we do the miles by 4PM...We headed out at about 730 AM and finally delivered at 9PM. 5 hours late.

Since we left GARY, They closed 80/94 for flooding, 30 in Valporaiso, and numerous other roads due to flooding. I believe we drove parts of every truck route between Chicago's south Suburbs, and Warsau, IN.

This morning we were assigned a load from ELKHART, IN to LAREDO, TX. (1500 miles) Gr8, right??? Well a couple hours later, we were reassigned a load from Grand Rapids, MI to INDIANOLA, MS. We're now sitting at GARY for 10 DOT hours, till tomorrow to contiue to WEST MEMPHIS and all points SOUTH.

While unloading at WARSAU, we saw a new type chocking system for the rear tandems. See foto attached.

GOOD MORNING GLORY

It's about 8 AM and we're sitting at the Green Bay OC. We will be live unloading at the consignee at about 10 AM. Hopefully we'll get a gr8 load out of either Escanaba, MI, or P&G, or KC. FIDENCIO is hitting the books already, working on his trip planning. I think hes more dedicatted then most. He's woring on the run we're on now.
Fidencio let his family know about this BLOG so that they can follow what we do and where we go. If he wants to, he can add his comments to his family and friends. I'll get back to this later, need to deliver the load.

Back at the OC. We did a little pre-trippin on the tractor/trailer. delivered our load, and returned to the OC to wait on our next assignment. Fidencio is at it again. cracking the books. You can see how intent in the picture. Should wish for more students in his frame of mind to learn. He's DEDICATED, and knows that his success will help him and his family in their goals.

NASTY WEATHER AND WAITING

Under the weather with a head cold, and loss of voice, I sat at the Gary OC. My newest student managed to make it to the OC. As a matter of fact, he was up and running before me this morning and I found him in the OC, cracking the books.

There was heavy flooding in the area and I80/94 were shut down. Apparently a levee broke somewheres in the MUNSTER, INDIANA area. Now I'm feeling better enough t travel, and waiting for a load. Hopefully, It will be to somewhers not flooded.

While at GARY, I took pictures of my student and RICK (THUMPER, a nickname I dubbed him with) He thumps the tires on the trailers and trucks as drivers pull into the fuel islands.

Another driver I met and made friends with was DAVE. We've had a few good conversations. these past couple days

DOWN FOR THE COUNT

IT'S BEEN good, interesting two weeks with DANNY. We had laughs and frustrations..All-in-all, things went well. First is probably this cold/sore throat I picked up. I lost my voice yesterday, but got it back today to some degree. I'm taking time for myself at GARY, between students. I released Danny today, and tomorrow, I meet with FIDANCIO. Today I picked up some cold stuff to get a good night's sleep.

By the way: RAY ...Till the nxt time, KTBC&PH.

AT IT AGAIN

Well I went home last week for a few days, and nextime I go it's whitetail season. Been looking forwards to the season. I picked up a student inChicago on Monday. DANNY has been with me for a week now. We covered 5 loads with about 2800 miles. Am sitting at a WENDY's inGeorgia now, planning on taking a 34 restart. Able to work with Danny on some paperwork and miscellaneous, so I can release him for SQT at GREENBAY some time late next week.

Here's a SCHNEIDER trailer We pulled for a short distance from a WALMAT DC to a SAMS CLUB DC. There we picked up this disaster relief load to deliver here in GA. THeir preparing for the HURRICANes that are on their way.

WORKING MY WAY BACK HOME

Been on the road 3 weeks now and this load is taking me closer to home. FAYE has been chasing me for the past week, from Florida KEYS, to northern states and WEST towards Louisiana. I've been keeping a few steps ahead. I don't expect she'll make Illinois, although we'll probably get some remnant weather from her.

Am in West memphis OC for the evening to deliver by Monday in Woodridge, IL..NO PROBLEM. MAY take some time for myself tomorrow and go fishing. I'll still deliver by Sunday.

Tomorrow I'll get my laundry done and other shopping for necessities.

When I get home next week, I'll finish oving with the help of my WIFE and SON.

BY THE WAY .. RAY....YOU CAN COMMENT ON THIS WEBPAGE IF YOU WISH.

PLAYING CATCHUP

Well Ray, I said I'd try to catchup on this site when I got to an OC..Well, I'm sitting in ATLANTA, and may deliver to Walmart in Louisiana, tomorrow or Thursday. This and my last three loads were to WALMARTS. I don't have a student with me, lost him on his first day out. He decided he didn't want to drive afterall. His name was EARL. FROM EARLVILLE, IL of all places. I don't have a foto of him. Perhaps its for the best. After leaving him, I proceeded to deliver my load, and enroute, I dropped my driveshaft (AGAIN) in Council Bluffs. Spent a day there, went to deliver the load, that evening to be told it was rescheduled to the next night. Well I did get breakdown and layover pay for those days.

Prior to Earl there was STEVE. He was a truckfull of laughs. He even liked my jokes. He called me on Saturday while I was visiting my mom and brother in Shelbyville, KY. He got through his testing and is on the road.

I ran into SIMRANJIT again at Gary, Ray...you remeber him.. we went to eat on Ray's boat. That was a good evening.

Before Steve, was Carl. I was worried about him, but found out he got a 92% on hiws testing up in Greenbay. He met me in Gary also and showed me his CDL, and introduced me to his wife., I need to find his and Steve's fotos so I can update the site.

ANGELS SENT TO SERVE

Well we were stuck in Dallas for 2 days. couldn't get a load out for living. refused 2 loads south because we needed to go north. After fighting with trip planners and support shift, I was frustraded. Here's where the ANGELS come in..I you been following htis, I need to get Mike home on Wednesday..FROM DALLAS.

Dave heard me in upset mode, and ended up giving me this load, 1500 miles to Canada. Thereis a picture of Me, DAVE, Rachel and Mike. Dave and Rachel were Angels in my book. GOD bless them both. Earlier i n the day, Dave went to Walmart to be burgers and hot dogs, and grilled out for all who wanted to eat.

THE McDANIEL SHUFFLE

I'll get back to the shuffle latter.

I picked up MIKE at the CHICAGO yard a week ago SUNDAY. Needless to say, no 2 student experiences are alike. The shuffle is from his ball playing day at JJC. Mike has good driving skills and pays attention to detail.. we've been working more so on his soft skills. We've had loads that took us to MICHIGAN, MISSOURI WISCONSIN, and Texas. Some routes repeat themselves, and thisis where the SHUFFLE comes in. In trip planning we needed to take the Interstate system, I70, 55, 39, and 43. back and forth on several occasion. To help MIKE remember his routing, we named it the McDANIEL SHUFFLE. (70, 55, 39, 43, HUTT, HUTT).

While on the road, we had a blowout on the right rear trailer tire. When it went, Mike thought he was going to have a heart attack, not knowint the sound. We got changed within a hour and were back on the road to spend the night at idleaire in Bloomington, IL

Now we're sitting in DALLAS waiting on a load. Mike had a couple family issues, so we ended up relaying a SAN ANTONIO load to DALLAS, and now hoping for aload routing us back home to Gary.

While here at Dallas, I ran into and had supper with Rich and MARITZA. She passed her SQT and got her CDL. They're here picking up an 07, and headed on load to North Carolina. I'm sure she'll do well, and wih them the best of the LORD.

BEST TO YOU MARITZA

Well today MARITZA and I parted company, only to look forwards to the day(S) ahead when we meet again on the road. We had 11 gr8 days together. As a student, She's been the best. I couldn't have ASKED THE LORD for a student with a better attitude. After loosing my previous student, to accept a challenge in a FEMALE student, I find the LORD put both of us together for a purpose. Perhaps to re-enforce both or our needs. She being a CHRISTIAN, perhaps needing the understanding nature of another CHRISTIAN, and vise versa. I want to believe we were there for each other. We worked through a number of different senarios, between the loads, the scales, the paperwork and the MOTEL arrangements. We ate some gr8 meals at he CHINA HOUSE in WOOD RIVER, near EDWARDSVILLE OC, and LAMBERTS, in SIKESTON, MO.

We arrived DALLAS on FRIDAY, met Rich, went out to eat at the local ROADHOUSE, and got to our hotel rooms. We came back to the DALLAS OC, and I continued working on her backing (with help from her husband, RICH) today. Together, we found a new explaination for "GET UNDER IT", describing the manueuver as a broken trailer, stearing the tractor in reverse, to straighten it out. BY GOLLY, I THINK SHE's GOT IT!! (FROM what musical??)

Well at about 3PM, Maritza and Rich, left for their hotel, to stay the weekend, and prepare to take her SQT on MONDAY, with a CDL test later in the week.

I just got a load (RELAY) from DALLAS OC to TULSA, OK, delivering on Monday @ 0800. Plenty of time.

I guess I'll be holding her up as a standard, for future students.

ANOTHER WEEK DONE

Am sitting @ INDY, waiting on a load assignment, working with Maritza on trip plannig. She's been asking a lot of good questions throughout the week. We've put on about 2500 miles together in 5 days. We took turns at staying in the hotel vs the truck. Schneider requires that with a female student we get a hotel for one of us. Some TEs maintain that the student stays in the truck, even at truckstops. I decide based on the area and conditions at the truckstop and/or hotel.

Yesterday Maritza was put from the PAN INTO THE FIRE...She had to drive thru the mountains of NC, VA and WV. I guess descriptively one could say she had her ups and downs that day. Her shifting improved gr8ly since we first hooked up together last tuesday. She really tries hard, talking to herself (driving narratives), sometimes a little frustrated, knowing though that tomorrow will be better.

I'm supposed to have her back in DALLAS this next weekend, in time for her SQTs and my headed back home. Naturally she's looking forwards to seeing her husband (RICH) and teaming with him after passing her tests. I believe she will do quite well.

STUDENT FROM DALLAS - MARITZA

HAving delivered my last two load since releasing odilon at Gary, I arrived at DALLAS on Saturday. I checked with the DALLAS TE supervisor this morning and asked if she had a student available. As luck would have it, SHE DID!!

I met with MARITZA this morning, along with her husband, RICH. Rich is a 6 yr veteran with SCHNEIDER, and when Maritza finishes training, they paln to team together. He didn't want to be the one training his wife.

I received our assignment, a relay load from the Dallas OC to NEW BERN, NC. about 1300 miles. INTERSTATE most of the way, the last 250 Miles (+/-) on state truck routes. Should be interesting. Will keep you posted. Will try to add a foto when one becomes available.

Lost a Student II

Odilon, decided that trucking wasn't for him. That decision was made after I gave him a less than favorable evaluation. In the end, he decided for himself. Enough said!

ANOTHER NEW STUDENT

Well I met ODILON (DILON) at Gary this morning. Seems like we'll get along fine. Dilon is bery inqizitive, aming to better his driving skills. PHOTO to FOLLOW

We had a relay going from GARY to BUFORD, GA. Another KC load.. Tomorrow, I plan to introduce DILON to the hills and DALES of Georgia, improvong his bump and runs.

Whiete Knuckles here I come

MY INDIAN DAYS ARE OVER FOR NOW

Well it's been a gr8 2 weeks with SIMRANJIT. He introduced me to INDIAN cuisine, tried teaching me to speak PUNGABI, (I hope I spelled that right), words like TRUCK aaa, CARaaa, ROADaaa, etc. It seems that they incorporated much of the English nouns into their language. Of course I didn't understand a word of it when he spoke it with his GIRLFRIEND. He shared a lot of knowledge about INDIA and their government and way of life.




While we were together, he grew a reasonable amount of facial hair (beard) and tended to comb it with his fingers in a thinking manner. to describe it like HUMM--thumb on one cheek, four fingers on the other, in a downwards motion. Sim let me use his camera for a foto, and if I ever get it in email, I'll put on a before & after of him on this blog.

We had our last load together on Sunday, and I left him at Green bay on Monday. I'm gonna miss this new friend and wish him the best. Hopefully I'll get a chance to go to his family's restaurant in Madison, WI. SIM, (GUY) if your reading this, you left your flashlight and tie down strap in the truck.

I'm TAH now after taking a load from Green Bay to Indy, and then one from Indy to Gary. I plan to go on the road on Sunday or Monday, hopefully with another GR8 student. The past few will be hard to match.

MORE PROBLEMS

We left INDY this morning at 7 with a relay to Greenbay. While at INDY, they turned down my speed to 60 MPH. No big deal 64 was better, but now 61 is OK.
Just south of the Wisconsin line on the TRI-STATE, our truck got sluggish, loosing power in most gears. Figured it could be the fuel filter. Got stopped in an emergency stopping area in the construction zone, figured where we were, call SEM and then proceded to the TA on Russel road (EXIT 1). I had a filter but couldn't change it on the road because of SAFETY along the roadway.
Arriiving at the TA, they changed the filter while we ate breakfast/lunch. Got our load delivered on time, and SIMRAN was complimented by the wharehouse manager on how well he backed into the dock (without taking out a trailer door, as a previous driver did). I have to give it to SIMRAN. He pays attention and follows instructions. Makes me feel good too!

We're sitting now at the Greenay OC, eating supper, working on our own projects, and taking showers as they become available. Soon time for sleep, and hopfully a load early in the A.M.

A DAY OF REST

Am doing a 34 hour restart in INDY. Its just past 7 a.m. Simran is still in the upper bunk, while I sit in the OC catching up on whatever. I'll take time for breakfast, shower, call my TP and whatever else comes to mind. Maybe CHRIS will have good loads for next week that he can give me early. Later this morning I'll call home and get updates on activities there.

Yesterday we were able to burn the last couple hours of my remaining 70 on backing practices. Sim is getting better. At this time, I plan on releasing him for his SQT on Monday. Later today, we'll do a little ore work on pretrips. It's been raining lately, so I may go shopping for wax and such. Weather permitting, I may clean the truck.

SIMRAN

After spending TAH, I met with my new student at the petro on 5/13 in the A.M. Hitting the road we had a pre-assigned load, very unusual to get, picking up in the Joliet area taking items to the $tree in "OK HAND-IT-OVER" (OHIO). we actually got there early. It was due on the 14th by 0300, and we burned our 14, delivering it n the 13th. next we got a load from springfield, 1 of many, OH, to Marietta, OK. again we delivered a day early, This allowed us to be loaded and going to INDY for my recert. They deadheaded us 191 mile to load, with 853 to INDY.

While at Marietta, We stayed at a small truckstop in walking distance of a BBQ shack. VERY small, but great food. I was surprised when I walked inside and was invited to sit with a buch of guys in the back room. Thoughts were, DO I GO IN? VERY friendly-ONE was the owner of the place, "HICKORY RIBS BBQ". His name was LARRY. Then was TED, BRAD and as any small town would have a BILLY-FRED.

Larry guaranteed His would be the best ribs I ever tasted. I nin turn, guaranteed they'd be the best I ever tasted in OKLAHOMA. Of course, I never had BBQ ribs in Oklahoma before. Also as could be expected, the music of choice was being played on the BOSE. Three choices were COUNTRY, COUNTRY, AND MORE COUNTRY!! lARRY'S PLACE CLOSED AT 7 P.M. Kinda early I thought, but considering where its located (EXIT 15 on I35). Larry sid I could park my truck behind this location, but I was already settled in at the TS on the opposite side of the interstate. As I was leaving for a good walk back to my truck, BILLY-FRED offered my a ride in his pickup back to my truck. AS I SAID, GREAT PEOPLE.

Leaving Oklahoma we fueled at a petro at JOPLIN, drove a few more hundred miles and stayed a night at the VOSS TS on I44 exit 208. Excellent food, gr8t parking. When we got there, early evening only a few dozen trucks. By morning there were hundreds. SEE FOTOS

Again delivering a day early (WE'RE GOOD), We got to the drop, only to have a female yard jockey scrape a trailer accross my nose of the truck. Now for the accident reports, at least it's not my fault, and I won't get into the details here. Enough said--watch out for irrate yard jockeys.

Now at INDY, I finished my recert on Sunday. After recert, Simran and I met with my son's godparents PAUL and MARKEY. Simran introduced us to INDIAN cuisine in the INDY area. SUPER FOOD, at SHALIMAR @ 1043 BROAD RIPPLE. I can't begin to tell you what I had, other tha the sample platter. Finished my Spring training on Monday, burning my 70 hours. Now e're on a restart for which Ill get layover. BACK ON THE ROAD @ 4 on Wednesday.

Now back to my student, SIMRAN. Originally from INDIA, a great guy, and dedicated to learn. He's had his SHIFTING MOMENTS, but is progessing well. Like most student, his grinding keeps me awake in the passenger seat. The shifting is getting much better, as he transfers the grinding to me. Simran does great in his trip planning and catches on fast, with his reading signs and decision making skills. At this rate, I anticipate sending him to SQT on the 26th at Green Bay.