912 Truck is Back to Work, Headed for Dallas, TX

After a much needed, long vacation we are back to work. We had a lot of fun during our time off, hunting, traveling, visiting family etc. We also, had a lot of grief with the 912 truck and dead batteries. Our battery problem actually started in D.C. a few weeks ago, during the 912 rally. Our batteries went dead there, then when we got home, we parked the truck and they went dead again. After getting back home from my hunting trip I proceeded to work on the truck and found two bad batteries. I had just replaced the batteries in March of this year, with what were supposed to be the best available for this application. I replaced them with Optima, yellow top, group 31, deep cycling and starting batteries. They worked well for a while but then they started going dead quicker and quicker and finally had left me stranded in D.C., where one of my best friends in the world, had to come to the rescue and jump start the truck so I could get moving. Anyway, I charged and tested the batteries, according to Optima instructions and Optima stepped up to the plate and replaced the two batteries that actually tested bad. The other two didn't show bad but we'll see. They were all 4 bought at the same time,my guess is that they will be bad in short order as well. I then decided to isolate another bank of 2 batteries, for starting alone, so that I would never have the problem of not being able to start the truck again. That was done, again, with the brain aid of the best technically minded person I have ever know, one of my best friends in the world, Colon Ampersand. This guy is one of the smartest people I have ever had the privilege to meet or know, and to call him a friend is truly an honor. I also had a bit of advise from another tech, another brainiac, at Clearwater Truck Center, in Clearwater, Minnesota. He helped me to figure out what some of the wires were for, originally connected to the starter by the factory. Colon is no longer in the repair business but if you ever get to Clearwater, MN, or break down in that area, I suggest you get a hold of the folks at Clearwater Truck Center and have the truck fixed by the best available technicians in the business. Thanks again to Todd. So, the truck is fixed, it will always start, or at least always crank and should always start, and we are on our way to Dallas, TX.

We left Orlando on Monday night, Tuesday morning at about 0345 and headed for Columbus, OH. We ran up I-95 to I-26 and ran that to I-77. We stopped in Rock Hill, SC for fuel and went on to Ravenswood, WV where we got on 33 west and ran that to Columbus, OH. Before our arrival in Columbus last night, dispatch had contacted us about a load to Seattle, WA. I told them we would run that if it was all they had but I'd rather not if they could come up with something else. They came up with a Dallas to leave at 0500 this morning. Fantastic, I'll, that we'll take. You see, I just don't like running Washington, or Oregon either one. Takes more fuel, weather is always nasty, D.O.T. bad in that area, (even worse than most other parts of the country), and I stay out of the area in the summertime just so that we won't have to run there in the winter. I figure if we go during the summer months we can't turn down the winter, so we choose to do neither, should work both ways but I digress...

We hooked a trailer this morning, and headed for Dallas. We were barely out of Ohio when we took a call from dispatch and asked if we could load for Las Vegas when we get to Dallas and then that was switch for us to go back to Columbus to accommodate another teams vacation in Phoenix, long story but the readers digest version goes like this, That team will go to Phoenix with a Vegas load and another team will take it to Vegas, we'll go back to Columbus and remain the happy 912er's, for which we always strive.

We should be in Dallas by about midnight tonight then load back for Columbus about 0500 Thursday. If you, or any of your 912/Tea Party Groups or Candidates have any interest in meeting up with and signing the 912 Truck, please feel free to contact us here and we will, when we are on a route that will get us near you, let you know and meet up with you for a brief meet-up and photo/signing of you and the 912 Truck.

Please be sure to check out 912candidates.org and try to attend the 912candidates convention in late February. Make plans now. The 912 Truck has been invited to be there and with the Good Lord's Blessing and assuming the rivers don't rise too high, the 912 Truck will be there. Thanks for the invitation Jacob Roecker.

In closing, we hope that you can find it in your budget to help with a small purchase or a donation in support of our mission.
We have launched into a couple of apparel stores so that everyone can show their support of the 912 Truck. Click here to show your support, or go to www.printfection.com/912truck. For those of you that would rather have a hat or mug you we have another outlet at cafepress.com/912 Truck. You can also use any of the donate buttons on this page to make a contribution directly to our endeavor to Waking up America.
Thanks for your support.


In God I Trust
Have a Great Day and a Better Tomorrow
ADW