Heading For Little Rock! Maverick

After plowing the driveway I headed up to the truck and headed out. I made it to Racine WI and spent the night at the pilot there. I was able to get a good enough tv signal to be able to kind of watch the nfl games and listen to them on xm radio.
Made it to the consignee about an hour early and helped a Hornady driver with his tarps and then he in turn helped me. While he was pulling his tarps off, all of a sudden I see him flying backwards sliding on the ice. I think it slipped out of his hand and he went flying. He did not get hurt so it was very funny. They came over and unloaded me as soon as they were done with him, so there was no wait at all. Only sat for about 15 minutes before I got my next work assignment. It was going up to Kretz Lumber in Antigo WI, which is north west of Green Bay....so I am not heading for where it is warmer.
I had never been to this place before but was very impressed. The fork lift was big enough to set the load of lumber on the other side of the trailer from the far side. Loading was very quick. Of course this was a tarped load and it was very cold and windy...but was not too bad.
The load is going to Omega Cabinets in Waterloo IA. So I headed across country and spent the night in Minnesota and the last rest area before I headed south into Iowa. It was around -18 when I woke up and it did not get much warmer when I delivered.
Rolling the tarps up was a pure joy when you are on ice, they are slippery and it is -15 degrees. But I got them tight enough to both fit in the box so I was happy.
My next work assignment was at Gerdau Steel in Wilton Iowa. Again they got me in very quickly and I was loaded and pulled out to secure and tarp.
Early that day we got a message not to come to the Gary yard because it was snowed in.
This load is going to Crown Equipment in Celina Ohio, so I was heading in that direction.
As I approached Indiana everyone was saying not to go into Indiana as it was a mess and you would sit for hours. I was not sure of the route they were saying to take and by the time I understood them I was stuck in traffic on I 80. I was able to get off on US 41 going south, but it took an hour to get there, and it then took an hour to get down US 41 down to US 30. I of course ran out of my 14 hr clock, but there was nothing that I could do, so I did not let it bother me. I finally made it to one of the truck stops on us30 in Indiana and had gone over by 1.5 hrs.
Wednesday....got up after my ten hour break and then headed down to Crown Equipment. Got unloaded right away and then got a load to head up to SDI in Butler Indiana heading to Randleman NC. I thought I was going where it was warm, but was wrong....lol.
Got called up to the scale as soon as I was set up and had to wait in line a bit. Had to go up and wake a driver up who was asleep over his steering wheel, but other than that it was pretty quick.
Got a single coil around 45k. Checked on the weather and they were calling for snow storms again. In fact it was starting to snow as I left.
I did not take the most direct route, but I did not want to get on the state routes again going through ohio. So I headed down on the interstate through indiana and stayed at Spiceland.
Got up and was rolling by 0500 on Thursday and wanted to get through dayton before rush hour. It was below or near zero and the roads were very icy.
Saw a couple of wrecks, but was able to avoid them.
I made it all the way to Wytheville Va and pulled into the Flying J just as I only had 1 minute on my 8 hrs left. Got in line to get the truck washed.
While in line to get the truck washed, a car jumped in front of me as the line moved forward. I blew my horn and then got out of the truck and walked up to the car. As soon as I got to it, he pulled up again. I got up to the car and he rolled down his rear window. i explained what he did...as if he did not know...and told him to get behind me. He got out of line and then decided he did not need his car washed.
After my break was over, I headed down to Brintle's and spent the night. I had a 0800 delivery on Friday and this was the nearest truck stop.
Friday Morning, I headed out about 0530 and got there by 0715. I was mt and waiting by 0800.
Got a load after about 20 minutes to pick up a pre loaded trailer at Charlotte Monroe for a three stopper going around Chicago.
When I got to my trailer, there was a big red envelope on the front of it. I thought....just great. It was a note from the former driver informing me that a tail light was out on the trailer and he had called it in. The light was still out.
A boyd driver tried to give me a replacement light, but it was the wrong configuration. He apologized...and I said for what....you were trying to help me.
I had a maintenance due on my truck...a b service. I decided to have it done on my way home at the wytheville va TA.
Got there around 1500. I purchased a new light for the trailer and decided I would fix it myself so that I could drop the trailer and make sure I had a place to park for the night. Around 1900 they called me and told me that the truck was ready. Backed back under it and hooked every thing back up.
Replaced the light and it did not come on. I could not see any cracked or loose wire, but the connector was bent and very corroded. So I bought one and it still would not come on. It is dark, cold and my hands were freezing. So I went in and made sure they were open all night and they were.
I then put in a break down call and told them to set it up for 0330. I got up at 0300, made coffee and went in. They pulled me right in and took a look at it. He was able to find the broken wire way back on the harness that I was not able to see. So he got me fixed up pretty quick.
Of course another snow storm was heading through Ohio and West Va. My hope was to get out of the mountains before it hit.
It started snowing just after I got on US35 in WV heading for ohio.
The ride was very slow and the other truck drivers were all being smart....except for this guy in a full sized van pulling a trailer with a car on it.
In ohio, just south of where us 23 and us 35 meet, on the last big hill, he decides to pass me going up the hill. I knew what was going to happen before he did. So I backed out of it and watched as he almost lost it 4 times in front of me. He finally got control and was gone.
I made it home around 1100. The roads were horrible and the wind was blowing the snow all over. It was very had to see.
So as I am backing it, I bumped the curb behind me....could not see it with the snow piled up....my fault...but just saying. It of course took off the rear mud flap. So I took it home, drilled new holes in it, shoveled my driveway, ate lunch, and then went back up to the truck and replaced the mud flap in bilizzard like conditions. Got that done and came home and re did the drive way....fun fun fun.
So now I am done until tomorrow. i am going to spend the night at the first drop, which has a 0700 appointment. I spoke with them today to make sure that I could and there was no problem. The first stop is south west of Chicago. The second is on the south side of Chicago and the third is on the north side of Chicago. There are no directions to the last one and looking at google earth, there is a low bridge right near it and a buch of one way streets. So I am definitely going to call them for sure.
My wife just came and told me that we are supposed to get another 2 to 4 inches with wind gusts of 40 mph....so it should be fun.
Be safe and no load is worth your life!

 

I like the electronic logs. If I can not make a living working 14 hrs a day, then I need to find something else to do!

 

Sunday: It was just starting to snow as I was loading up the car to head up to the truck. By the time I left the truck stop after fueling, the roads were completely covered with snow and it was coming down hard. Viability was limited and the roads were slick. The wind was blowing it all over the place.
Fortunately there were not that many trucks on the road, nor cars and the ones that were out, were driving for the conditions...ie...slow.
I stopped for fuel along the way and made it to the first stop in Makena Il before dark. There was alot of snow and the wind was blowing pretty hard.
I think the temperature at the time was around 3 degrees. Had a nice spot to park on the street and no one bothered me.
Monday: Got up at around 0500 and started the truck. I immediately got two engine faults and both engine lights were on. It was below zero. Eventually two of the faults went out and one of the engine lights. I was told to pull into their lot at about 0645. In order to get to their pipe, they had to remove 5 bundles of the second stop. That meant that I had to remove every strap that I had on the load....around 12 including portable staps and roll them up. The yard was very icy and it made moving things with the fork lift very tedious. At one point, he dropped on of his bundles of plastic pipe and it went every where. None of the pipe broke, but it all came apart. This added about an hour to to the process.
Finally got everything back on the truck and was headed to my next stop in Chicago.
As I approached the customer, I stopped and called them and asked them where to go. They were right next to a viaduct. I was told to go to the left of the viaduct, turn left and then into the gate....which they would open for me. I got to the gate and it was closed. I had to get out of the way for traffic to I got all the way to the right. I called them back up and they sent a guy to open the gate. As it started to open, I backed up so that I could make the swing into the gate...Before I could get up to it, it started to close. I honked at the guy as he was walking away, but he did not hear me. So now I am blocking traffic on the street. He finally heard my horn and immediately started yelling and screaming at me as he walked over and opened it again.
I pulled through the gate and parked the truck. I walked over to him and explained what had happened. Once he understood, he was ok.
I had to walk all through their warehouse to find the shipping department. They said they would send someone out.
Finally got unloaded and only had one box left for my third stop. I called and got directions to my last stop as there were none from Maverick.
I had to blindside back out of the yard onto the street in order to get out of there. Finally got out and was on my way into the north side of chicage from the south side. The road I had to turn on, just after another viaduct, had a no left turn sign on the viaduct. Right before the viaduct, there was a one way street, so I took the sign to mean that street, so I made the turn. There were cars parked on the left and right side and with the snow, there really was not room for two vehicles to pass each other, let alone two trucks.
I came up on a container hauler in a day cab who backed into a dock, but was blocking the road. I got out and followed him into the building and informed him that he was blocking the road. He said the door was stuck and that they were working on it. When I went back out to my truck, cars behind me were honking their horns. So I walked to each car and explained the situation and told them as soon as I could get by I would.
Finally got past him and had a couple of tight squeezes along the way. Got down to where I had to unload and got the last crate off.
That morning I had received a message that there was work on my truck that the Mav shop still had to do....adjust the overhead. So I am pretty well mentally exhausted at this point so I told my fleet manager to just let me come into the shop at Gary. He said it might not be until the evening and I said that was fine by me. So I headed to Gary. My appointment was at first scheduled for 0430 the next morning which was fine, but it then got pushed up to Midnight. So I went in and told them that I would need a room so I could get a good nights sleep.
So I spent the night at the hotel and had a big screen tv and a hot shower! Sweet!
Tuesday: Got back to the the terminal around 0800 and by 0830 had a work assignment to pick up at US steel in East Chicago at 10:00. You can check in a the gate 30 minutes before or after. I got down there right at 0930 and went and checked in. Went over to door 61 with another Mav and was told that they did not have a craneman, and we had to go over to another door. We were told to pull our tag and come back to door 61 and verify our coil before going to the scale... When we got back to door 61, the cold was not allowing the computer to work properly. So we got one of their guys to reboot it and then scan our tags.
Finally got on our way. This coil is going to Nextech in Turltecreek Pa...Pittsburgh....yuck!
Made it to the last service plaza in ohio near youngstown after fueling at the Pilot on SR 7. It was small and crammed and took a bit.
Wednesday: Got rolling by about 0500 and made it to the receiver by about 0615. No one else was there, so I got right in and got unloaded. I then went over and parked and had some coffee. By around 0930 I got a work assignment to go to Wheeling Nisshin in Follansbee WV...a mere 39 miles away as the crow flies. When I got there they were not busy and I was able to get right in and get loaded. This coil is going to Portage Indiana.
I made it into indiana and stayed the night at one of the service plazza's on I80.
Thursday: Got rolling by 0400, stopped and got fuel and made my delivery. I only had to sit for about 20 minutes before I got my next load.
Pick up at Plymouth Tube in Winamac Indiana goi9ng to Waynesboro Pa. Got down to the shipper, backed right in and got loaded with three bundles of tube weighing in at 10,000 lbs...a very nice load. Headed out and ended up spending the night at the same service plaza in ohio that I did earlier in the week.
Friday: I had a pre plan, so I knew when i got mt I was going to Mittal Steel in Conshohocken Pa with a load of plate going to twinsburg ohio. So I would get home and not have to leave until Monday morning and I would be able to watch the super bowl at home.
Got right in and unloaded and then got on over to Mittal Steel. Got right in there as well and was able to make it up to Breezewood Pa and spend the night and get a shower.
Saturday: Got rolling by 0400 and was home by 10:30. Will leave out at 0600 on Monday so I can get my 34 hr reset in. Even with getting the truck worked on, I still got 4 loads in with over 2400 miles....so I was very pleased!
Enjoy the weekend and see you next week!