Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

You sold it right? LOL

 

I don't think the company'd like that.

 

Sounds like you had a full week wrapped up in 3 days,Wheathauler.If you keep that up,your going to have to grease and adjust your trap door bearings every week,plus you will wear your trap handle out. Many ''3 day spells'' like that and an electric remote trap opener will be a good investment

 

$2.89 to $2.95 to $3.05 in the last three weeks in my little town. The Pilot & Loves outside of Springfield,IL were around $3.11-$3.15 today. Funny wasn't that bio blend suppose to lower fuel prices? Not sure what the blend difference is, but my truck runs worse on the truck stop stuff verse my home town fuel station.

 

And today added another to the pile

 

Yours too, hunh? Wonder if they see a pattern there somewhere..... Incidentally, I know of 2 more trailers not in the lot, so that would make 19 hopper trailers and counting.

I got an email yesterday asking me if I'd be ready to hit the road on Monday..... and I replied with a big fat no. Considering I'll have been out 3 weeks and 4 days by the time I actually get home tomorrow, and then have to tend to everything that's been piling up while I've been gone. (IFTA, taxes, honey-do's, truck maintenance, and setting the trailer up)

Technically, you could say that I got stranded in CO by a lack of freight - but then again - it depends on what amount of deadhead you call stranded. I decided to deadhead through to the house just to get there, from CO to GA, via NE and OK Expensive, but I'm getting used to not making anything right now - just trying to get set up for paying work.

On the plus side, I want to thank Kansas for making good on that steak dinner offer - it was a great steak! The tour of the local trailer yards helped alot, and gave me some ideas on setting one up. There are more hoppers in that area of Wichita than there are in some states! I'm always glad to meet good people, and he's at the top of that list.

I picked up the trailer this morning, basically exchanged a check for a receipt, hooked up to it and looked it over. I've gotten used to the "flake factor" when dealing with equipment - most of the time it's probably on the customer side, but I don't play games. If I say I'll be there to pick it up, and will pay "x" amount for it - that's the deal. Even though there were some "glitches" in the condition, I made good on my blind bid.

The welder was coming out this afternoon to weld the bows and the gearbox hanger, and I couldn't wait around - they had a month and I have to get home. The doors were open when I got there, and they're working for now, I'll go over them once I get it to the house. The ride is alot smoother than the standard Wilson I was pulling before, but it drifts to the opposite (left) side! Must be the age of the trailers (both 99's), and/or my luck! They also replaced alot of the lights on it recently, and I noticed a brand new set of brake shoes in one of the drums this morning. If I have to buy a couple bows, that's what I'll do - good to have my own equipment for a change.

On another note, Kansas pulled the trailer I just picked up until about 3 months ago - talk about a small world!! Glad to know it was in good hands there for awhile, and someone had a history on it. It is a solid trailer, just needs some "polishing" for OTR work.

 

Dairyman, looking at the radar, you surely got rain last night didn't you? It looked like it split and went north and south of us, which was just fine. Looking at the extended forecast it might clear off and dry out here. It would be nice to see corn planted in April this year instead of none till May like 2009.

 

Ehhh, why worry about planting? There are still a few guys playing with their combines around here. One is legitimate though, had a field covered in trash from a tornado in Williamsville, IL. With the wet spring of 09 & then again a wet fall that caught some guys, this one in particular didn't have an option, the whole town is kind of dumped in his field. Insurance states he has to attempt harvest...