After an exciting ferry ride, we've really just been busy driving and making money. A good thing, much better than not making money, or even worse, spending lots of money! After the ferry ride, the loads went like this:
Liverpool, NY to St. Augustine, Fl
Beaufort, Sc to Indian Head, Md
Indian Head, Md to Yorktown, Va
Lynchburg, Va to Roanoke, Va
Blacksburg, Va to Tonawanda, NY
Meadville, Pa to Fond Du Lac, Wi
Escanaba, Mi to Water Valley, Ms
That rounds out the month of July. Not a bad month! The drive up to Escanaba, Michigan was a beautiful one. We drove right along the west shore of Lake Michigan and there are some really cute cottages all the way up through there. It would be a really cool place for a group of family members to be able to take a summer vacation together.
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Ran out of Juice
After another weekend off, it was back to work on Monday. We picked up in Pryor, Ok and delivered next day to Goshen, In. Then a pickup in Lima, Oh and a delivery in Green Bay, Wi. The only thing I think about when I hear Green Bay is Brett Favre. Yes, I am a fan!
After that it was a pickup in Green Bay, Wi with a delivery to Somersworth, Nh. Unfortunately, back to the northeast. Only thing worse would be a trip to Canada.
After our deliver we went to a truckstop to rest up, eat and shower. Our truck has an apu on it so when we park we run the apu for heat and air and to keep the batteries charged. It has a voltage monitor that will make it start automatically if the batteries get down to a certain level. We have now learned that if your batteries are bad, they will drop voltage faster than the apu can react and it will not be able to start in time to charge up the batteries. We learned this the hard way by having them go dead and leaving us with no way to start the truck or the apu.
We contacted the owner who wanted us to see if we could find a truck driver in the area who would be willing to jumpstart us. We didn't have any luck with that so we had to call mobile repair service to come out and jump us. The owner looked around for a place nearby to get the batteries changed out. She said she didn't see any so we just have to keep the apu running until we can get the batteries replaced.
After that it was a pickup in Green Bay, Wi with a delivery to Somersworth, Nh. Unfortunately, back to the northeast. Only thing worse would be a trip to Canada.
After our deliver we went to a truckstop to rest up, eat and shower. Our truck has an apu on it so when we park we run the apu for heat and air and to keep the batteries charged. It has a voltage monitor that will make it start automatically if the batteries get down to a certain level. We have now learned that if your batteries are bad, they will drop voltage faster than the apu can react and it will not be able to start in time to charge up the batteries. We learned this the hard way by having them go dead and leaving us with no way to start the truck or the apu.
We contacted the owner who wanted us to see if we could find a truck driver in the area who would be willing to jumpstart us. We didn't have any luck with that so we had to call mobile repair service to come out and jump us. The owner looked around for a place nearby to get the batteries changed out. She said she didn't see any so we just have to keep the apu running until we can get the batteries replaced.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
We took our time getting back to Fargo. Thank goodness there were no more Alberta loads waiting on us. We had the entire weekend off and didn't get our next load until Tuesday. It was a shortie picking up in Fargo and delivering in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Just one hospital bed. We got to the pickup site and found out that we really needed a liftgate because the place had no dock. The shipper found a piece of metal that they leaned up against the truck and used it as a ramp to wheel the bed up. Those beds are very heavy and have to be treated with kid gloves. If they get scratched, the hospitals won't accept them.
After that, we got a load picking up in Medford, Wi delivering in Milwaukee, Wi. Another shortie but working our way back into the freight zones.
Next, we picked up in Machesney Park, Il and delivered that one to Olive Branch, Ms. From there we picked up in Memphis, Tn and took that one to Morganfield, Ky. Along the way we received notice from our carrier that we finally received our DOD clearances so we are available for government loads now. I have mixed feelings about that. Yes, the money is better, but nervous about all the extra security protocols and communications that are involved with those loads. It's been a while since we had our training so I hope I can remember it all when the time comes.
On an earlier trip in New York, a rock flew up and hit our windshield. It didn't do a lot of damage at the time, but now that it's getting warmer out, the sun seems to be making the crack grow. We are going to have to have the windshield replaced.
After our delivery we went to a truckstop to spend the weekend and another couple in an expediter truck parked next to us. I saw them looking our truck over and made eye contact with the lady. She came over to the truck and I rolled the window down. It turned out that they were friends with the owner of the truck we drive. They recognized it by the decal on the back doors. We talked to them for awhile and it was sad to hear about all the fun they had together and how it all suddenly came to an end with the death of the owners husband. He was only 42 when he had a heart attack. Fortunately, they were at home when it happened. It could have been a lot worse. Especially if he had been driving.
After that, we got a load picking up in Medford, Wi delivering in Milwaukee, Wi. Another shortie but working our way back into the freight zones.
Next, we picked up in Machesney Park, Il and delivered that one to Olive Branch, Ms. From there we picked up in Memphis, Tn and took that one to Morganfield, Ky. Along the way we received notice from our carrier that we finally received our DOD clearances so we are available for government loads now. I have mixed feelings about that. Yes, the money is better, but nervous about all the extra security protocols and communications that are involved with those loads. It's been a while since we had our training so I hope I can remember it all when the time comes.
On an earlier trip in New York, a rock flew up and hit our windshield. It didn't do a lot of damage at the time, but now that it's getting warmer out, the sun seems to be making the crack grow. We are going to have to have the windshield replaced.
After our delivery we went to a truckstop to spend the weekend and another couple in an expediter truck parked next to us. I saw them looking our truck over and made eye contact with the lady. She came over to the truck and I rolled the window down. It turned out that they were friends with the owner of the truck we drive. They recognized it by the decal on the back doors. We talked to them for awhile and it was sad to hear about all the fun they had together and how it all suddenly came to an end with the death of the owners husband. He was only 42 when he had a heart attack. Fortunately, they were at home when it happened. It could have been a lot worse. Especially if he had been driving.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
One of Our Busiest Weeks
After the last Canadian debacle, we had a nice peaceful Mother's Day off. Time to rest up and get ready for the next adventure. We didn't have to wait too long. Next up was a pickup in Syracuse, NY. And, true to form, a delivery in Ontario. This time in Ottawa. The capital of Ontario. It was quite a drive, but nothing too exciting.
After that load was completed, we turned around and went right back to Syracuse for the next pickup but this time we were spared the return trip to Canada and instead we headed for St. Paul, Minnesota. The scenery along the drive was beautiful.
It was a busy week with no breaks. We delivered and immediately went to Eagan, MN for the next pickup to be delivered in Hartland, Wi. This was followed by another immediate pickup in Elkhorn, Wi with a delivery in Fredericktown, Ohio. From there we went to Groveport, Ohio and that one delivered direct to Asheboro, North Carolina.
What a week! We actually felt like real truck drivers this week with all the nonstop action. Now that it's Saturday, we'll see if there's any freight for the weekend or if we manage to get a couple of days off.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Heading Home for the First Time
After our delivery to Winnipeg, we deadheaded back down into the states. We delivered on Friday and had to wait until Tuesday for our next load. This one picked up in Mounds View, Mn and was delivering in Wrightstown, Wi.
I enjoyed the drive through Minnesota and Wisconsin. Very pretty scenery. A lot of references to cheese in Wisconsin. It brought back some good memories of a family vacation that we took with my sister and her family a few years back. We all rented a condo in Wisconsin Dells and had a great time. We went in August and it was already chilly outside. We visited an indoor water park, rode the ducks, John, Shelley and Rob got tattoos and Shelley and Johnny did a tandem skycoaster together. Those two are crazy!
From Wrightstown we headed to Portage, Wi for a pickup, Delivered that one to Morenci, Mi. We highlighted for hometime which at our carrier means that they will look for loads for you that get you closer to home. We are so ready for our visit home after being out here on the road since February!
Dispatch came through for us and we next picked up in Wyandotte, Mi and delivered in Opelika, Alabama. This still left us almost 500 miles from home but it was a Saturday and experience has shown that we wouldn't get any other load offers until Monday at the earliest. We decided to deadhead home and get started on our hometime vacation.
We plan to stay home about two weeks. We have a lot of catching up to do there!
I enjoyed the drive through Minnesota and Wisconsin. Very pretty scenery. A lot of references to cheese in Wisconsin. It brought back some good memories of a family vacation that we took with my sister and her family a few years back. We all rented a condo in Wisconsin Dells and had a great time. We went in August and it was already chilly outside. We visited an indoor water park, rode the ducks, John, Shelley and Rob got tattoos and Shelley and Johnny did a tandem skycoaster together. Those two are crazy!
From Wrightstown we headed to Portage, Wi for a pickup, Delivered that one to Morenci, Mi. We highlighted for hometime which at our carrier means that they will look for loads for you that get you closer to home. We are so ready for our visit home after being out here on the road since February!
Dispatch came through for us and we next picked up in Wyandotte, Mi and delivered in Opelika, Alabama. This still left us almost 500 miles from home but it was a Saturday and experience has shown that we wouldn't get any other load offers until Monday at the earliest. We decided to deadhead home and get started on our hometime vacation.
We plan to stay home about two weeks. We have a lot of catching up to do there!
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