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.