OF BAILING WIRE, DUCKTAPE AND PEN CASING

What do the above 3 items have in common?? Answer later.



Finally got out of Colorado (Pueblo) on thursday afternoon. The shop helped me strap on the old driveshaft to take back to SCHNEIDER.

Picked up a trlr @ Target DC, and headed to Anhauser Busch for a load in Fort Collins. Spent the night at Denver TA with Idle Aire. The load for Dallas wasn't supposed to be ready until Friday @ 11 P.M. So what's new. I've never gotten out of AB before midnight, so I decided to take my time. Then plans changed, when I chose to get there early, drop my trailer after having it powerwashed (AB bound trlrs require washing the inside before going to Fort Collins), and then take the Budwiser tour. Afterall, I had a day to KILL.



Arriving at Budweiser, I checked in and was informed that my load was already ready, (OR IS THAT ALL READY?) and that I could take it. This was almost 12 hours too soon. I hadn't planned for this. Well, one more day to drive and take it easy over the road.



Headed out, I made it to GAYLORD, TX and spent the night at a small LOVES (about 12 parking spots is all they have). Using the CB, I asked a trucker who was flying by on US287, where to stop for the night. He suggested this little LOVES.



Got up at about 7 in the A.M. and headed to Dallas, Planning to make use of a layover combined with a restart. The load couldn't be delivered till MONDAY (tommorrow).



Somewheres near HEDLEY, TX I got a call over the CB from a trucker following me, informing me that my trailer lines were dragging. I made it to the next rest area and proceeded to check it out and fix the problem. I found that one of the suspension springs had broken, causing the lines to drag. The lines, by the way, give air to the trailer BRAKES. Here's where the title items comes in.



Looking at what I had available, I took a PEN CASING, cut off the tip, and inserted it as a splice between the two sections of hoseline. I then used BAILING WIRE to secure the hose around the pen casing. Then using DUCK TAPE, I put a covering over the repair. (FOTOS INCLUDED) IT WORKED and got me to DALLAS OC where a fitting was replaced by mechanics, only to be told my repair was ILLEGAL by DOT standards.


At At the rest area, I met a new friend who came over to assist THIS OLD/VETERAN TRUCKER. OLD MAYBE, VETERAN NOT!! This new friend was THOMAS JENKINS, who drove for SHAFER TRUCKING. HE had FIVE years to my ONE. After reparing the line we parted our ways. HE first, me after breakfast in the cab or the truck. About 150 miles later I past him comming out of another rest area. We hooked up on the CB all the way to DALLAS. Hopefully we'll run into each other again. THOMAS, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, THANKS FOR BEING THERE NEW FRIEND. THE LORD DOES PROVIDE!!



Now I'm sitting in the cafeteria, had a good breakfast, and meeting new friends/acquaintences. The OC also gives me the chance to catch up on laundry, emails and computer work, and shopping at walmart. THat's for later in the day.