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.

RELEASE

Yesterday, we made it to GREEN BAY where I relased LOUIS to take his SQT. In the last few day, we all but ran out of hours on my 70 while at a live unload in SUPERIOR, WI. We spent the balance of the day until 3 A.M. on Thursday, when we drove to LAKEVILLe, MN to drop and hook for a load going to YODER, IN. At Superior, we found a small/gr8 truckstop (NMEDJI T/S) where the driver's lounge had leather rocker recliners, couch tables free fax, coffee and pop. GR8 place to rest. Parking 4 about 30 trucks. Exchanged war stories with other more veteran truckers. Having time to kill, Louis and I added some pin stripping to the hood and fenders. Dressed it up a bit.



Running to Lakeville, going thru Minneapolis/St. Paul, we hit a detour (no trucks) on I-31E. Needless to say we were able to recover withoout losing much time and added miles. Leaving Lakeville, we chose to take Wisconsin 29, all the way from EAU CLAIRE, WI to Geen Bay. GR8 route, lots of T/S.



Got to Green Bay to drop our load, now a relay at the OC. Also dropped LOUIS, my student at the training academy. Hes ready as he can be 4 his SKILLS TESTING. He has been a gr8 student working out his few driver issues on a day by day basis.Spoke for a time with my TE Supervisr (RICK) about the traing, and other misc. GPS issues. LOUIS, I wish you the best in this new carrier.



Having used up all but 2 of my 70, I spent the night, and now the morning at the OC. I have a noon liveload (AT), and taking it to GARY OC for aother relay.. THEN HOME!!

NORTH EAST AND BACK

Picked up Louis at Seville on the last day of APRIL. Met his girlfriend and after their goodbyes, settled into the preliminaries/paperwork/expectations. Retiring for the night, HE IN THE UPPER BUNK, we got a decent night's rest and headed to deliver our load. Prior to delivery we got our next assignment headed to VERMONT for a 1430 pickup. All went to HECK in a handbasket about an hour before we were to get to the DROP (we would have been on time--BUT). We hit heavy construction traffic about 30 miles away. Three lanes to one. WE called the next shipper to say were stuck in traffic, could be there one hour late. NO PROBLEM, but the load has to be in Vermont by the 2nd at 4 P.M. We got to the DROP at KC a day early, made our drop, and were routed to SEARS to pick up an empty.

Finding the EMPTY with a slashed tire, we looked for another to substitute. Now we're going to be even later. NONE available, we were directed to take the TBOd trailer about 40 miles north of our pickup point, switching it for still another trailer. MORE phone calls, and told that if we can be there by 0730 on the 2nd, we could still load. HUM??? Not much time to deliver 306 miles into vermont by 1600. IN THE MOUNTAINS YET. WE got our trailer and drove to about 4 miles from our morning pickup. Staying the night at a PETRO, we finally got supper, and needed rest.

Headed to the SHIPPER, guess who got LOST. Lucky that we left early!! about 20 miles in a circle, we found the shipper, printers making sixpack cases for microbrews.

EARLY that mornig , we got out of the dock by 9, and on the road, still needing to scale 35,000+ pounds. We found a scale enroute and headed further north to BRIDGEWATER CORNER, VERMONT. SHIFTING, BRAKING, STOPPING ON HILLS, etc., etc., Louis is getting a lot of shifting practice. The grinding keeps me awake. We arrived at the delivery about 20 minutes to spare. At the delivery, live unloading, casees for LONG TRAIL BREWERY, we had time to get supper. They had a great restaurant, with SAMPLES of their PRODUCTS. Sorry to say I couldn't have any. We finished our meals, took a tour of the brewery, and waited for our next assignment.

NEXT LOAD: Deadhead to SKOWHEGAN, MAINE (WHERE???) to pick up 43000# of rolled paper, going to OBERLIN, OHIO, Menominee Falls, WI, and Lomira, WI.. 3 stops, LOTS of MILES, heavy through the mountains. Louis is realy getting to practice shifting. DOing better, Louis is really determined to get things down, and evaluating his accomplishments and errors. Driving hard not to waste time, we spent the next night at a PILOT, and the 4th at a rest area in NEW YORK STATE, making it to SEVILLe, OH (where we hooked up) last night.

It looks we may have a LAYOVER/RESTART today. I need to call in to my HANDLERS to determine if we may relay the load here, or sit on it till morning. While here, if we sit, I'll work with Louis on backing and more paperwork. Assuming we sit, deliver at all points, I may be able to release him for SQT this week. I need to call Green Bay to see what the possibilities are.

So having had my shower, getting my laundry done, and about to have breakfast, it's sit and wait until my people are at their desks. More later, including FOTOS.