TO RAY

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. PLAN TO BE IN GARY MONDAY NIGHT IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED.

THE ITALIANS

Here is a foto of my friend Rick TOSI in the middle, with two friends from ITALY. LUCA, on the left comes most every year to hunt for a week with RICK. He usually ring others as well. This year it was RICARDO TOSI. NOTE that RICK and RICARDO have the same SIRNAME. LUCA and RICARDO will be going home in about a week.

BIG RACKED

Here id s dhot of me with my friend RICK. How's this for a TEN POINTER??

BY THE WAY RAY..KTBC&PH

WHITE DEER

Am TAH.. did a little hunting, saw a few, shot none..attached are a couple fotos my friend RICK took where he lives. NOTE that this is perhaps a ONE-IN-A-MILLION occurance.

I leave out on the road again on tuesday, after they upgrade the new technology in my truck. I'll also be taking out another new student with me for two weeks. Will send updates then.

MORE FOTOS

Here are a few more fotos from my recent trips west and north.. some others didn't come out very well.

GANDOLF

This is GANDOLF, my friend RAY's "BEST FRIEND". Last week while at Gary, RAy and I went to get his DINGY out of the water, and GANDOLF kept us company. He's really a gr8 dog!!

While at Gary, I released my student CHRIS. I was since messaged that he did pass his SQT. He should probably have his truck by now.

Since I left Gary, I finished my load to Roselle, Il, picked a load from CHICAGO to Jonesboro, AR. RAn a 3 stopper from West Memphis, AR, Memphis, TN, and SOMERSville, TN to Chesapeake, VA. Next a couple short loads around Chesapeake, and one up to New Hamshire, and then Maine to Atlanta GA. I'll finish this one on Monday. Am at our OC in Carlisle, PAfor a DOT10. Took some intersting FAll FOTOS, will post them later.

NEW STUDENT

Well, training is up and running again limitedly..this is CHRIS (SEE FOTO), my latest student. He's from Chicago, and seems to have a lot on the ball. He's been with me for a week now since my TAH. We've been to 7 states so far and are on our fourth load together. Today we're taking time to work on his trip planning. Tommorrow we head fro a few stops in IOWA, and then back to ROCKFORD.

TAH - With feet in a tree

Well, I got home in time for opening day WHITETAIL SEASON. Spent two days with my feet in a tree or three. May try again tomorrow, before I go out on the road again. Will attach fotos if I get some.

I did see 6 deer on opening day, but only one came reasonably close (+/- 20 yards) for a shot. Being borderline, I chose not to take it. Tracking a wounded deer, worse yet, losing it isn't worth it.

Got a call from Greenbay telling me I'll be taking out a student again from Chicago. That will be on Monday.

THIS ONE"S FOR GUS

Well GUS and I communicate regularly..always comparing notes and picking each other's ????

We spoke recently about a certain MILLEr load, 50000+ in the box. A new style 48ft trailer, narrower than most, and only nine holes for adjustments. Cound not run legal, but burned off enough fuel to cross a MISSOURI scale and get the green light... Made the delivery at West Memphis, and spoke with the driver picking up the load to relay to TEXAS. I scaled the load four times before being told to run with itMy next load is a ZERO paid miles load. Relay it just down the street...

THIS ONE'S 4 RAY

Well I'm sitting at a truck stop in Wausau, Wi. Just delivered a load of rolled paper. May be shut down for the night,,not sure yet. IF i don't get a load soon, I may push myself out til morning.

Lately, most runs have been a bit tiring..I did spent time at home and an afternoon with SANDY, yesterday. Left Rochelle this morning to deliver on time.

TWO MINNESOTAS, ONE NEW MEXICO 4 A WASHINGTON

Never made it to Washingtopn..Was pulled off the load for a hot delivery to Minnesota, back to Wisconsin and on to New Mexico. That too was pulled. long story. Maybe in the near future. I did get back to Dallas and Oklahoma though. Now in IOWA.

While at Dallas, they brought in one of our trucks which was involved in an accident about 2 weeks before.

FINALLY, WASHINGTON STATE

On my way to Washington State. I pick up a load tomorrow, Friday, in WISCONSIN, and deliver on TUESDAY in EVERETT, Washington..Right on the PUEGET SOUND. I've been asking for a NW load for some time. This load will add 4 of the last 5 continental states, leaving SD. MAYBE ALASKA or HAWAII??? NOTLIKELY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I may try looking up an old friend in MISSULA, MONTANA. I'll try to take FOTOS alaong the way.

NEW STUDENT

Here,s a FOTO of my latest student (TONY). He did pretty well. I picked him up at Gary two SUNDAYS ago, and spent 10 days with him..Released him for testing on TUESDAY. He called me today and said he passed his testing. He will be going to a SEARS dedicated account.

The two FOTOS of ME, he took just before we parted ways.

WHERE TO START???

It's been an interesting two weeks.. between PA to TX, to GA, SC, MI, and NV. At AUGUSTA, GA, I was parked at a truck stop, when an individual, asked me for money. First a dollar, then a quarter. When he asked for the quarter, he said he had $.98, and needed the quarter to make $1.18 for a quart of beer. I told him I'd buy him a meal, but nothing for beer. He put his beer back, and left very upset with me. Later he must have found someone to give him the quarter, because he came back and left the truck stop with his quart.

The load I'm on now, I picked up in Grand Rapids, MI, and delivering it on Monday, here in VEGAS. I drove through some of the most beautiful, GOD CREATED, country to be had. Coming through Colorado, (this first foto is of NO NAME CITY sign on I70 in COLORADO..What movie with Clint EASTWOOD and LEE MARVIN does it bring to mind??), Arizona and Nevada. Coming through various canyons, the ROCKIES and gorges.

The shot of HORSES are in BRUSH, COLORADO with the ROCKIES in the background.

This also must be the best CHRISTMAS weather I ever had seen. It is CHRISTMAS in JULY?? RIGHT?? I was called into GARY before I went home and they gave me the new truck..Leaving Grand Rapids, I got a message to come through GARY OC, and have the new technology put in. This one foto is of the new QUALCOMM HEAD. It show the daily logging portion. It allows for EMAIL, internet service, and soon it should have GPS MAPPING.

This last foto, is of DUCT TAPE and not-yet BAILING WIRE. The weather stripping on the passenger door, was weakened by the heat of TEXAS (113 degree). and came loose. I needed to tape it up. I also had time to put a coat of wax, and chrome polish on the unit.

Now I'm sitting in a FLYING J in VEGAS, starting a 34 restart, with hopefully layover pay. It's interesting listening to the various authority (drivers) stories on all subjects known to man.

WEST MEMPHIS to DALLAS

Got a good load out of PA going to DALLAS, TX. Spent a 34 restart at West Memphis, AR..while there I took a picture..ANYONE know this character??? Also at WM, I put a coat of wax ont the truck. Looks good. As a matter of fact, while fueling, another driver asked me how I kept the BLACK so clean and shinny..I did come through a H___ascious thunderstorm this morning. It washed the WM dust off, and wind dried it.








The load delivers tomorrow morning at 9. En route I filled the fuel at HEBRON, OH. and 1010 miles later at CADDO MILLS, TX. Thus the picture of the fuel guage. It reads MT, but the truck took only 155 gallons. The yellow fuel light was also on. Although I have 2 , 100 gallon tanks, we can only fill up to 95%, or about 180 to 190 gallons. I guess that tell me that I may have still had 25+ gallons when my guage read MT.

Truck has been running well. the shifting and familiarization curve is getting better

SITTING AT HOME

Spent a couple days at home. Was suppose to go out yesterday at noon. Something got cross in communications so I spent more home time. Maybe Today?? MAYBE AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED--TOMORROW??

CHRISTMAS in JULY

First the great news..I GOT A NEW TRUCK!! It only had 25.5 miles on it. I put 4 times as many on it just driving home. HEY RAY..NO MORE BREAKDOWNS/DRIVESHAFTS?? And to GUS..WORKING HARDER HAS IT'S REWARDS..YOU WILL GET YOUR'S, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE.. Now here's the jist of it..

I was messaged that BOB (my DBL) wanted to talk to me on Friday about my truck. as you'll recall, I've had several breakdows.. I got in early to relay a load out of GARY, 41 miles in Chicago, so I went in t see BOB early. His first question was "WHAT DID I TELL WAYNE LUBNER (SCHNEIDER VP)?" Since I had coppied bob, I knew he knew..

Next he asked me to walk over to JOHN's (HIS TOM) office area where he tried indicating that I was in trouble of sorts. In the end he told me to clean out my truck, and he was sending me home early. BY THE WAY..PUT MY STUFF IN THE NEW 2009 FREIGHTLINER (YA only 25.5 miles on it). Over 4 hours later, I was headed home. It was like moving to a new apartment/home..I did a reasonable job of cleaning my old truck for the next driver to get it that afternoon.

Now for the other FOTO. My 2 years old GRANDSON, at the Marengo truckstop, where he and my daughter picked me up, took me home, where she cooked up a great lasangna.

While on the road this last time out, I did manage to run into



DARREL (GUS) and











ROBERTA (2U2), at GARY, where we had SMOKED VENISON SAUSAGE and TROUT (very hard to light). Gus also burned a Hawiian CD. GUS, I need a new one..I forgot that one in the player of the CD player. Language lessons for the next driver of this truck?? HE GUS, WHEN YOU GONNA UPDATE YOUR "IT IS WHAT IT IS BLOG"? ON THE BIG ISLAND??

3RD TIME'S A CHARM???

Here I am resting at Schneider's expense in Evansville, IN. For the 3rd time in a year, my truck dropped it's drive shaft. I had a 43000# load of aluminum blocks. I was on an off ramp at bypass 60 and sr54 in Owensboro, KY. Starting from a stop sign, in the middle of the intersection, the rear U joint broke. Same as before.

Now talking to my daughter for father's day.

ALSO: Sent an Email to MR W. L. about the status of the new technology.

Plsying "CATCHUP" I guess!!

Till my next opportunity

MORE BULL??

RIDING THAT IS!!

Sunrise at lake flying J..there was the foot deep hole in the parking lot. as you can see it looks like a small lake. Several big rigs bounced their tandoms and/or cabs, many not realizing how deep it was. I would consider it a load shifter.. supposedly, one truck blew its cab's airbag suspension bouncing through it. The driver is ike a roller coaster ride.

While parked, tronadoes came through the area last night. not very far, but a few miles. heavey rain and hail..

AND NOW FOR THE BULL..Here is a shot of T. C. (TOMCAT) MATTHEWS. He tells me he's here in North Platte, NE for a RODEO. He's 63 years old, and still rides the BULLS. He was a trucker for a few years and decided to get back into bull riding.

Now referring to the previous blog piece, I guess the people involved, some being ex truckers, know how to make a go of it in the truck stops. YES, some ask for cash, WHICH I NEVER GIVE, but I will by them a meal. Other NON-TRUCKERS, realize that unless they are complained about being there, can sit and sleep, not making a niusence of themselves. AGAIN...BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD..THERE GO I..

BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD...

THERE GO I..

Wel I'm parked at a FLYING J in North Platte, NE. You run into interesting people on the road.

This morning I got up to get my coffee, and in the trucker's lounge were 3 gentelmen, fast asleep in the chairs. Outside, in the grass near the truck parking, was a tent...pitched. Still a "roof" over someone's head for the night. Later this morning, the individual was picking up his domicle for the night, with a carboard sign indicatig "I-80, ILLINOIS OR BEST"

It's hard to see and realize there's little one can do for these people, most homeless, and strugling to survive.

One individual, in the lounge FOTO, was from BOSNIA. prviously a trucker, on his way into CANADA, turned awas by the border for whatever reasons..LOST his load, no longer trucking, and considering going back to BOSNIA. I see he spent the night here as well. Not very comfortable..

WINGS AMERICA

I'm sitting and watching the history channel, a program about gangs in ANCHORAGE, AL..Later a progam on ICE ROAD TRUCKERS.

These fotos are from the parking lot, the blades are from the WIND GENERATORS that are popping up all over the country. I spoke with a few drivers and escort car drivers. these blades are 123 foot long. they weight about 28000# per pair. the trailer weighs another 28000#... Total load is typically 78000# +...The blades can be as long as 148 foot. The one foto is how they steer the real axle for turning. It can be controlled remotely from the rear escort vehicle. The towers these generaators sit upon are upards of 300 feet tall.

WHAT A WEEK!!

From a load that took 4 stops to make 1 drop..to getting a DOT stop today on the "OK-HAND-IT-OVER" state..I came out of TAH on Tuesday, waiting for a CENTERPOINT load that didn't come about. Instead I got a load of papaer going to MENASHA, WI. Delivery ended up with four stops to do 1 drop. Then sent to P&G in Greenbay to get a load to Tunkhannock, PA. I was on the load, off the load and back and forth 3 times. Finally was told no one else could take it. Even LATE. Not having enough hours to deliver it, I relayed it to our Seville, OC. At Seville, I got a load going from Orrville, PA (SMUCKER'S), to near ALLENTOWN, PA.

Yesterday, I got a load from KC in Chester, PA to NORTH PLATTE, NE. This morning, enroute, I got stopped for a DOT check in OHIO. He FOUND SOME TRAILER LIGHTS OUT. I hadn't had my lights on during the daylight hours, he might have never stopped me. I brought the trailer to our INDY OC for repairs. There's enough time on this load so I should be good.

While at the Carlisle OC, I took a couple shots of our "PRIDE" truck. Also a trailer with chained axles. Could it be SCHNEIDER's way of saving rubber/fuel?

DARREL

THESE TWO ARE 4 U.. this larger foto is of me and MULE. from one HAWIIAN and friend to another these two are for you...In this week I found this three wheeler motorcycle. VERY INTERESTING!! the two steer wheels with one drive wheel..

Had a couple interesting loads. one coming from OHIO to KALEEN, TX which I relayed a day early to our OC at Dallas. It would have delivered this morning. Cost me about 130 miles, but by doing so I picked up two loads out of FORT WORTH area, totaing about 4oo miles, picking up 45,450# of flour. Both from CARGILL, I had to have a trailer washed out and dropped there, picking up 45,450. The first grossed out at 80,000 pounds , (34000 on the drives and over 34260 on the tandems). I call that a "BURN-OFF load---Burning off fuel to get legal and shifting weight to the drives). I relayed that one back to the Dallas OC, picked up another MT, had it washed out, took it to CARGILL and picked up this load to HEB Bakery in San Antonio, the home of the ALAMO. I stayed last night at a new FLYING J TS, at I-35, exit 274, JERRAL, TX. It's only been in business about 3 weeks. It has a DENNY's restaurant, NICE LOUNGE, GREAT PARKING. Stopped for breakfast in NEW BRUNFELS, at a TA. Probably shouldn't, have, but also bought some saltwater taffy.

I'm now waiting to unload, and the bakery has a great tempting aroma out side. can't spend money here though, and no samples.

FOR now that the news. FOR RAY...KTBC&PH, FOR R&D-AHOLA

BEING FUELISH

Got to West Memphis OC and fueled up before making my delivery to Family$. Took about a half hour break, went out to my truck, started it, and rolled about 20ft. Couldn't start it and keep it running. ALL said, I walked over to maintenance, explained the situation, DANNY came over to help..After draining a couple gallons of water from my fuel, and three filters later, and 3 cans of ether, I was back on the road and made the delivery.

Already got my next load from OLIVE BRANCH, MS to WOOD DALE, IL. I guess I'm on my way home for friday.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO

ALL YOU MOTHERS READING THIS BLOG.

My MOTHER, in the foto with my brother and myself, turns 92 years old today. ALL-IN-ALL, she's doing well for herself, being she has my brother to take care of her. I had a little time on my last run to NORTH CAROLINA to visit and have breakfast with her.

Another load that I was supposed to run down here was cancelled. My trip planner made up for it with this last one to P&G. For a moment I had 2 other back2back loads, short ones, for tomorrow in the Charlotte areas. They were taken off me, hopefully making me ready for some longer hauls.

I stayed out an extra week due to the short miles last week. I was supposed to be home yesteray (sounds like a john denver toon, "COUNTRY ROAD") but I need the miles to pay the bills. Should be home this weekend though.

XTRA TAH

Not expecting it, I got to spend time with my family over this weekend. I'm on a load to CEDAR FALLS, IA, but can't deliver til MONDAY. I stopped at GARY, and was to;d I couldn't deliver early, and to sit on it, taking it through home. Got home Friday afternoon, spent time with family, WIFE, GRANDKIDS, and SON/DAUGHTER-in-laws, on saturday. We plan to g to church this morning, giving a little time and lots of thanks to the LORD, for all he's given us. Then---nack on the road again.

Friday starts my scheduled TAH for a few more days.

OOH! AAH!

THAT'S THE SOUND OF THE MEN WORKING ON THE CHAIN GANG!

NOT ME--but driving through SOUTH CAROLINA, a group that years ago may have been a chain gang, were cleaning the roads. Instead of stripes, they were wearing SCHNEIDER ORANGE JUMPSUITS. Although not in chains, they were guarded by the "BOSSMAN" with his DARK SUNGLASSES and SHOTGUN over his shoulder.

I could just see these two friends , especially the guy with the hat (NEIL), as the "BOSSMAN".

NOTE: THE DARK GLASSES..After all, he is from GEORGIA!!!

The other guy (DARREL), could have been wearing the SCHNEIDER ORANGE as well.

Delivered my load and got another going to TRENTON, MI. tight delivery time, 9AM on thursday. Now I'm down for the day, other than planning tomorrow's load.