A traveling display of the Principles and values that the majority of America, and ALL 9-12er's try to live by on a daily basis.
CONTACT: timex39n01@ymail.com
Just a reminder, I have not quit, I have not gone anywhere. I am still on vacation...a much needed, long overdue vacation I might add, and I should be back soon. Maybe as early as next week but certainly no later than about the 8th of January 2010. We will be going back to work on or about then and look forward to getting back to Waking up America.
I hope you all have had a Merry Christmas, are looking forward to a safe and Happy New Year, and are preparing for the fight of our lives in defense of our Constitution, Our Country, and our Principles and Values.
God Bless and Stay safe during you New Year Celebrations.
In God I Trust Have a Great Day and a Better Tomorrow ADW
We got to Carson yesterday at about 1630. Promptly, upon arrival, we were asked to run a load to San Francisco, one that had been dropped at the LAX yard, and then they would get us a load to Dallas from there. We turned that down. We just didn't want to go to San Francisco.
Our trip here was pretty uneventful, except for the weather and road delays in and around Flagstaff AZ. Here are some pictures.
This is a picture of a government vehicle passing me, on the icy roads, with an amazingly safe, courteous, government employee flipping me the finger, the middle one, while passing. I didn't have my camera out in time to get a picture of his courteous gesture towards me but here is the license plate if anyone has the ability to find out who might have been driving and let them know that their picture is online.
We also, on our way to Carson, ran through a pretty bad wind storm just west of Oklahoma City, OK. There was an beautiful, an somewhat unique, cloud formation just above us as we drove. Here are some pictures of those clouds.
And finally, not that you care to see, but here is a picture of our dash top Christmas tree. I suppose it looks a bit tattered, but this little tree has traveled almost as many miles than most vehicles do in 20 years. That's right, Tina and I have had this tree for over 10 years and have used it in the truck for that loang. We usually put it on the dash just after Thanksgiving and leave it there until December 26th. thats about 22000 miles average in the average year and for 10 years that comes to 220,000 miles. The average driver drives about 12000 miles per year and in 20 years that would be 24000 miles. So, though tattered, it remains a tradition, that if Tina has her way, will continue. My guess is that Tina will get her way. I mean...I'm just sayin'.
Finally, we took a call at about 0300 this morning and we were asked to make a run to Denver, CO. I really didn't want to go to Denver, nor did Tina, but sometimes, you are given an opportunity to do something that will better your lot in life, and though you may not want to di it, you have to be thankful for the opportunity. We agreed to take the load if they would route us across I-40 to Albuquerque Nm then north on I-25 to Denver. The normal route would be about 250 miles shorter but would take us through the south western Rockies on I-70 into Denver. They agreed, we agreed, at first reluctantly and later, very thankfully. Somehow, I must find a way to make it a habit to just be thankful as an immediate response as opposed to reluctantly thankful.
Anyway, below is a map of our route into Denver. We have no idea where to from here, but we are hoping to head in the general direction of Orlando or Tampa. The closer vacation time grows, the harder it gets to go in the opposite direction of home. We, however, will do what is needed and take advantage of the opportunities afforded us to make better our monetary position, regardless how hard.
Hey, don't forget Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls. Just in time for Christmas. They are available now at Conservabid.com at the bargain price of $6.95 as an introductory offer and that even includes shipping to the continental United States of America. Check out the video.
For those of you that would rather have something other than a doll for Christmas or to give as a gift for Christmas, check out our T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at the links below.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 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
The load from Chicago to Los Angeles was ready about 2330 last nigh, long before one to Chicago from Milwaukee WI. I checked on the Milwaukee load at about 0001, and they told me it would be about another hour or so, possibly longer.
They finally called us at 0045 and said the load to Chicago was ready. I got up, cleaned up, went to the office for our paperwork, and hooked and inspected the loaded trailer. We were off and running, towards Chicago down I-94, at about 0115.
We got to Chicago at 0235, dropped the trailer and picked up the LAX load. We were out of there by about 0300 and headed south on I-55. About 70 miles south of Chicago, the snow started, and the roads got pretty bad for about 100 miles or so. We finally ran out of the bad weather just north of Springfield.
We stopped in Alorton IL this morning and fueled. We chose that stop because someone in the area had purchased, on conservabid.com, 10 of Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls, and we had made arrangements with the buyer to pick them up there.
We are now headed west out of Saint Louis MO and are about 70 miles west of the city on I-44 West.
Hey, don't forget Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls. Just in time for Christmas. They are available now at Conservabid.com at the bargain price of $6.95 as an introductory offer and that even includes shipping to the continental United States of America. Check out the video.
For those of you that would rather have something other than a doll for Christmas or to give as a gift for Christmas, check out our T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at the links below.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 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
We arrived in Chicago at about 1215 Sunday afternoon. We took a call on the way into Chicago and they asked to pull a load out of Chicago to Memphis then an empty trailer to St. Louis and a load, on Tuesday morning to Atlanta. We agreed, to get a little further south and somewhat warmer. The load out of Chicago was to be ready about 2330 on Sunday evening.
We went to bed early to get a nap before we had to leave, it was about 1800 or so when we laid down. The phone rang at about 2130 and the load to Memphis had canceled. They asked us to pull a load to Cleveland Oh and I declined that one due to the ability for us to get into that facility so they had us pull a load to Paw Paw Mi, meet another truck, swap trailers with another driver from Detroit MI, and pull his empty back to Chicago. I agreed to make that move.
Our load to Paw Paw was ready about 0001 and we hooked to the loaded trailer, performed our inspection and headed to Paw Paw. We arrived there about 0315 and the other driver arrived about 15 minutes or so later. We made our trailer switch and turned back towards Chicago.
Once again, before we even got out out of Michigan, we were contacted and given a sob story about needing someone to pull a load to Milwaukee WI and an empty right back to Chicago. The load would be ready about 0500, by the time we got back to the Chicago terminal and we could leave right away. Dispatch told me that they had three other trucks accept the load and then give it back. Two of the drivers put their trucks down for maintenance and the third, according to dispatch, said he was out of hours. Again, we accepted the load.
The snow was falling pretty hard by the time we got into Indiana and the roads were getting slick. I was beginning to regret the fact that we had accepted the load, but oh well, we gave our word. By the time we got back to our Chicago terminal there was about 1 1/2"-2" of snow on the street and they were getting feeling pretty greasy. It was about 0630 when we got there and the load wasn't ready. I laid down for a nap and the call came at about 1130 that the load was ready...5 hours late.
We hooked the loaded trailer and headed north. When we got here we took another call from dispatch and were advised that if we would hang here, for a little while, and wait for a load back to Chicago, instead of hooking an empty trailer and going right back, that they would give a a load to Los Angeles, out of Chicago, tonight. We agreed to wait and they sent the load information. The load, out of here, Milwaukee, is to be ready at 2200.
We will leave here about 2230 or so, assuming the load is ready on time, head back to the Chicago terminal and, if the load to Los Angeles is ready on time at 0200 like they predict, we will head that way at about 0230. We shall see.
I have placed a map below so that you can see the route to Los Angeles out of Chicago. You'll notice that the route takes us south and west to I-40 rather than I-80 east to Salt Lake City then I-15 south to Los Angeles. The reason for this is weather. Dispatch runs us out of route like this, and pays us for the miles, to keep freight moving and not stuck in transit due to poor weather and or road conditions.
From what I can see, the weather, and roads, in Flagstaff AZ is pretty nasty right now but I am hoping that it will have moved north east by the time we get there.
Hey, don't forget Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls. Just in time for Christmas. They are available now at Conservabid.com at the bargain price of $6.95 as an introductory offer and that even includes shipping to the continental United States of America. Check out the video.
For those of you that would rather have something other than a doll for Christmas or to give as a gift for Christmas, check out our T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at the links below.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 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
We arrived, as expected, at our DFW terminal in Irving at about 0130. We went to bed, promptly, after arriving and got a great nap. Nice and cool outside, no trucks or generators running, just quiet.
We got up about 0900 or so, got cleaned up and decided we'd have breakfast at Cracker Barrel. We are lucky enough to have one located just about 4 miles or so from our terminal and they are in an area with plenty of parking.
After breakfast, we went back to the terminal and just kinda relaxed. It was way too cold outside to do much so we just vegged inside the truck.
We took a call from dispatch at about 1600 or so and they offered us a Sacramento load and an Atlanta load, our choice. We chose Atlanta so that we could stay out of California. They hate trucks and when I left there I brought everything with me to Florida so I really don't have any reason to go back unless it is for a load when nothing else is available.
The Atlanta load was to be ready at about 2330. As usual, the load was late. It ended up being about 0045 before we got notification of the load being ready to go. I hooked and inspected the loaded trailer and went for my paperwork. Then I had to pull around to the fuel island and get fuel. I had planned to buy 205 gallons. I pumped the first 53 gallons, like the brainless wizard I seem to be at 0100, in the generator tank. I didn't want to do that but oh well. After I woke up and realized what I had just done, I pumped the other 153 gallons, in the correct tanks and then promptly dropped the fuel hose, in the on position, handled locked, on the ground and proceeded to pump another 4 1/2 gallons on the ground. Okay, so I'll take the d/a of the week award. so what?
I happened to have 20 lbs of oil dry in my tool box on the back of the truck, that I usually carry during the winter, for getting unstuck on icy parking lots. I used the 20 lbs of oil dry to clean up my unbelievably careless mistake and off we were, to Atlanta, but only after ruining a pair of boots, a pair of gloves and drenching my jacket and jeans with diesel fuel, and wasting 20lbs of oil dry. What a way to start a day.
We drove straight through, other than a driver change in Vicksburg MS, and arrived in Atlanta at about 1500 on Friday afternoon. It was cold in Atlanta too. Down to about 50 degrees of so and as far as I am concerned, anything below 68 is cold and below 60 might as well be freezing. I had chores though, so I put my insulated coveralls on and went to work. I just had to grease the truck is all but the ground is cold.
Dispatch contacted us before we arrived in Atlanta about pulling a load back to Dallas for another company. The load would be ready about 0400 and we had to go north of Atlanta to get the loaded trailer. We went to bed early and got up about 0130. I found an empty trailer to take to the customer facility and headed that way. by the time we got there, dropped our empty and hooked the loaded trailer it was about 0345 and we were on our way back to Dallas. Hutchins really is where we are going with this load. We will drop the loaded trailer and grab an empty trailer that is parked at the customer and head for our terminal in Iriving, about 22 miles to the north.
Again, before we ever got to Jackson Ms, dispatch contacted us and wanted to know if we'd pull a load to Chicago out of Dallas tonight. I didn't see a problem with that, other than the nasty weather, so we accepted the load.
We should be in Dallas about 1730 or so and the load to Chicago is to be ready at about 1700, so that should work out well. Our route out of Dallas and to Chicago will be US 75 to US 69 north to I-44E to St. Louis area where we will get onto I-55N and take that all the way into Chicago. There is a map posted here to show the route. View Larger Map
Given the distance and the route, and if we leave Irving by about 1830,we should be in the St Louis Area at about 0630 tomorrow, Springfield Il by about 0800 and then in Chicago, if we don't make any stops along the way, by about 1200-1230 tomorrow afternoon.
We don't expect to get a dispatch out of Chicago for tomorrow but stranger things have happened. Our freight volume, despite the liberals obvious attempts to destroy our economy, has been unexpectedly high, so who knows what might happen.
Hey, by the way, did I mention Tina's Scream-n-Fling Dolls. Just in time for Christmas. They are available now at Conservabid.com at the bargain price of $6.95 as an introductory offer and that even includes shipping to the continental United States of America. Check out the video.
For those of you that would rather have something other than a doll for Christmas or to give as a gift for Christmas, check out our T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. at the links below.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 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
We left Miami, the night of the 29th and into the morning of the 30th, and went to Orlando. We arrived in Orlando at about 0330 and decided that rather than sit there for the day we'd go home and check on the house, make some small repairs on the truck and just basically, relax...away from work for a bit. We got home at about 0530 and I had to have a short nap.
I got up at about 0800 and went outside to my shop to do some work on the truck. I had to replace a mud flap and an anti sail bar, then I had to repair the pigtail that hook to the trailer. We had some work done at a shop a few weeks ago, on the ABS system and they took the pigtail apart and didn't put it back together correctly. After that I had 3 slight air leaks that needed attention , my water tank was loose on it's cradle mounted to the side of the truck and I had to check and adjust the air pressure in the tires for winter driving. When the air gets cold it gets more dense and the tire pressure drops, I had to add about 10 pounds to each tire.
I piddled around in the shop working on the truck the biggest part of the day, busted my knuckles up pretty bad, ruined another pair of britches, man that makes Tina mad, truly enjoyed the day, alone, in my shop.
I had called dispatch early and found out that they were going to send us to Dallas out of Orlando and that the load would be ready at about 0500. I just wanted to make sure the truck was ready to go and will get us through the next 17 days. Yes, 17 days and counting. Out of the truck for at least 3 weeks and maybe longer. WooHoo. Oops, sorry, I tend to get a bit excited about impending vacations.
We headed back to the terminal at about 2000 last night and got there at 2200. I had to repair a tail lite problem that was discovered and reported to me by a motorist with some very colorful descriptions about our truck not having any tail lights. I found that I had inadvertently grounded a power lead by mistake. Boy, was I mad at me.
I got cleaned up and went to bed at about 2300. We got our load ready message at about 0500 and off we went. I got up made myself presentable to the world, retrieved my paperwork from the office and went to hook to the loaded trailer. I looked for the trailer and the number on our manifest didn't match any of the trailers in the dock doors. Back inside I went and found out that they had the wrong trailer number and the wrong dock number on the paperwork.
After getting the correct information, I hooked to the load, shut the doors and sealed the trailer, performed my pre-trip inspection, caught up my log book and we were off. We stopped in Reddick Florida for fuel at the Petro Stopping center and that will be our last stop, except driver changes, until we get to Dallas.
We will be traveling I75 N to I-10 west and run that to I-65N in Mobile. We will run that about 5 miles to U.S. 98 and go west to Hattiesburg MS and access MS49 North. We will run that up to Jackson MS where we will get onto I-20 west. That will take us to Terrell TX and we will go north west on 80 to I-30 and the TX 183/114 to our terminal in Irving. We should be in Irving at about 0130 I would guess. Map Below.
