The journey begins - purchased a truck.

Had a screaming great time today.

Just the flat out best. Yesterday wasn't much better, but the whole story is too long. Let me explain with pictures.




Stretch trailer to 73' mark. Load 75' poles. All good. Well not really - but it's a long story.



Above - look at the red turn, realize that ain't gonna happen. Take the yellow dots and (thank God for the Baptists), back her up in the church parking lot. Reassume route (green).



Above - Rockingham NC, the town square. Using all available real estate, make this turn, lightly pruning the tree planted on the corner and riding over the kerb . . .




The next left just as much fun . . .





And the townspeople cheered as McArthur Transport left town, NEVER TO RETURN . . .




Even the final turn into the delivery road was tighter than a ducks rectum - and that's water tight.


Many lessons learned today -

• Don't call on a load because you think the agency needs saving.
• Don't book loads when you haven't researched them - FULLY!
• Don't think NC will get a permit approved quickly.
• Just because SC thinks the load doesn't need a permit, it doesn't give you the right to assume all their roads are good to go at 110'.
• If you 'think you can make it', when researching by satellite, there will be vehicles parked in the way.
• $11/mile to the truck doesn't compensate for your hair turning grey.
• At the end of the day, the complete responsibility lies with . . .
• You!

The route was Lancaster SC - to Aberdeen NC.
The first messy turn was my fault, but the Rockingham mess is NC's default to destination.
Anyway - that day is done.

 

A 3 way struggle has erupted over the T2000.

A chap in Florida talked to me this week, saw it through TTR.

A guy in Ohio saw it on Facebook, and said "I'll buy it - I just need to see it".

A guy in North Carolina saw it on The Truck Paper, and when he found out I was in NC, pestered me all day (the nightmare stretch day), and wound up driving 3 hours due to traffic to see it with his wife. He swore that it was the truck for him - and said his finance lady would contact me on Monday.

Florida calls on Sunday and wants to strike a deal, regretting not doing so earlier. I tell him I shook on a deal waiting on Monday.

The Ohio guy texts, and upon finding out there is competition, gets bent out of shape that "I don't sit still for long enough" (My wife would beg to differ). He adds that "I hope you (me) don't go back on your word" . . . . (!!?)

So - NC's finance lady did ring for the details, seems fairly familiar with the process, has the details - and I'll have to give him (her) the benefit of the doubt till I hear otherwise tomorrow - or else I think FL is ready to tap some keys and make some numbers appear.

I had to give NC the benefit of the doubt for effort - the drive out to look. I'd hate for anybody to buy it sight unseen, as it could lead to disappointment depending on expectations - but it was tempting to take FL's offer on the "$ talk, BS walk" principle.

I'd really like to sell it to FL - I think he 'gets it' a lot better - NC was happy to negotiate down and lose the bypass system - he actually said "What's that?", didn't seem too mechanically inclined, and I fear the truck will sink into a poor maintenance schedule and disrepair -I'd really like to see someone make the kind of revenue I have out of it - but maybe I care too much. It's just nuts and bolts at the end of the day.

Crane deliveries suck the big one.

Just a counterweight and a jig - loaded Saturday deliver Monday, but didn't get out till 6pm on an 8am appointment. The delay didn't bother me as much as the lack of communication - or the crickets I heard from the agent when DETENTION was brought up. Barnhart is off my list of Crane companies to load for. Again - another $5/mile with strings attached.

Cut and Paste

With time to capitalize on, it seems the Alabama area was filled with cut and paste white noise. GWH, mainly. I decided to waste some time with one - for amusement, double brokered junk that I couldn't be bothered even attempting. A deadhead 500 miles to a half decent stretch load going close to home seems feasible - on a familiar route, no escorts - permits off the top, and see how the sale pans out, it may be old red's final journey, sniff - sniff.