An old man's career goes flat, Snackbar moves to open deck

Well...other than issues with this conestoga, the load went o.k. They needed me to open from the front...and one of the latches didn't seat into the notch on the slide bar, so the front trolly partially came off the bar...thanks to my personal ratchet straps, I got it lifted back up and on the slide bar and got it latched good the 2nd time. Then, when it was time to close...I had to fight the releases to get the front trollies to roll all the way forward once I had them on the upper deck's track.

Not what I was expecting for a load though








And securing some of it was a ##### because the boxes on the top deck needed just enough tention to keep the strap winder under the trailer from jiggling. And, under those big yellow pieces on the is what looks like railroad track...but he wanted it secured over the blocks so it didn't warp them...but on the back, the block is over the wheel well on a step, so you can't get a strap over it. Plus the machine has well placed securement points under the middle, but they put some pallets of stuff under the middle of the machine, so getting a good forward and backward pull on the chains was impossible, so I got as good an angle as I could... I made it to the T/A at exit 46 on I-44 in MO, with a lot of US routes between the shipper and Joplin and nothing moved, so I did an adequate job of securing.

 

Speaking of the T/A at exit 46...They are building a brand spanking new one across the interstate from this rink-e-dink location. The lady at the desk said it's gonna have 20 diesel pumps (so more mega seat warmers have a place to do their 30 I guess), plus a huge parking lot. She said they're planning on it being done by Thanksgiving...which I think is optimistic because right now the only building that is there is the shop/service building and the main supports for the sign and fuel awnings.

 

Just paid like any other day.

 

I thought both latches were secure...musta been some gunk in the drivers side because that's the side that dropped just the front slider off.

During the slow times we need to get Chubby to pay some drivers to hose down the inside of the empty conestogas sitting on the yard. I looked like a coal miner from the 1800's after fighting this trailer...I finally figured out which 4-letter name to call it...either that or I cussed it into submission.