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??