Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Some driver was telling me he cuts an onion in half, leaves that over night. Dunno. What really worked for me was to steam and scrub the interior since I have those tools. Haven't done anything like that with this truck as Yard Boss keeps going back and forth on whether the Mother Ship will swap this one out for another. Gordon did have two spray can flavors, one to clean and one to deorderize. May have them out in the garage, will let you know.

I'm hoping that we have a 'non-owned equipment' clause or rider on our insurance already for 'power-only' as close as we are to Great Dane and Wabash, for example. More to follow on this anyway. The CFO asked for a phone conference in this regard, probably sometime today or soon.

So I don't really know if this will go anywhere. Understood you have truck, authority. Are you hauling freight yet?

 

Rain/Route Decision... Made!!

The first thing I planned to do when I got here to the Willow Creek Rest Area on I-39 northbound was check the weather map. Normally wouldn't stop at both Farmland Rest Area on I-74 westbound and here, too. But when I pulled into Farmland, had not yet made the decision whether to run the shorter route through Dubuque with the hills above it, or the longer, flatter route up I-39 towards Madison.

One look at the weather map back at Farmland and my decision was made. Now, at the Willow Creek Rest Area, I'm just following up. At Farmland I saw a long weather system stretched north-south, lots of green, yellow and red, red being intense rain and yellow and green less intense. It narrowed at the top, too, and looked about an hour and change west of Davenport. Go that way and I'd head right into the storm front. Best try avoid. Plus would have a tailwind up I-39 northbound, maybe miss some wetness.

If it were still narrow up near Madison, it would be charging east while I drove west toward it, shortening its duration for me. Now, here at Willow Creek, the system is no longer long and narrow, but almost circular. It has entered the Dubuque~Davenport area and looks to be here within an hour, maybe a little longer. Doesn't look like I'm going to avoid it but might hunker down up at that first rest area inside Wisconsin on I-39, if it's heavy. Let the worst of it pass by and then continue on.

Our instructions from Prairie du Chien were to pick up tomorrow, Tuesday, July 1st, deliver that Wednesday and pick up again Thursday, deliver that Monday, July 7th. Well, that won't happen. When I called receiving in Indiana this morning, learned that the coming shutdown starts on the 4th and continues until the 20th. That's good for me but means Indiana'll be closed then and this Saturday, too. Either we wrap up on Thursday or we'll have customer freight on this trailer until the 21st. No, no, no, no, NO.

Got permission last week from Bev who schedules in Prairie to pick up today (Monday). Not going to worry about outbound broker loads this week. Just roll up there, stay rested, get it done by Thursday afternoon. Indiana wouldn't be happy to have me pull up near to Thursday midnight, when they lock up until the 21st. Rather roll in around 5 pm or so. At least try keep 'em happy.

Long chat with the CFO on the phone on the way out. Thinks we have non-owned trailer insurance. He had sent an email that $1.71 to move an example trailer to Charlotte was 'marginal at best'. He hadn't understood we get paid 2x once for trailer and again for load we pull inside that trailer. So the end rate for 'power only' to move a new trailer, then grab a load to Charlotte gets $3.50-$4.00, adding $$ to move trailer and $$ for Charlotte area load.

Almost the last thing I did before leaving home was apply flea-and-tick stuff to both dogs. So far, so good, no evidence of fleas or ticks but I sure encounter ticks on the property. I want to be sure ticks and fleas don't bother the dogs while I'm gone. Getting closer to trip West.

It's all a juggling game sometimes, isn't it!


Written Monday, June 30, 2014 from Willow Creek Rest Area, northbound I-39. All rights reserved.

//Didn't take long to get to the Rest Area inside Wisconsin.

Had only sprinkles, tempted to keep right on. Decided to check weather map. Abundance of caution. Whoa!!! There is a red band of intense rain and I'm just on the leading edge. Takes mere minutes, for what look like 50-60 mph wind and rain, crazy loud thunder to overwhelm the rest area.

Feel bad for some who pulled out just as I pulled in. Probably won't last more than 15-20 minutes judging by the speed of the animation on the weather map. Has already dropped off to just a brisk downpour.

 

EF1 Tornado

Cresting the hill coming out of Dodgeville, I felt delighted to see a low-lying streak of yellow sky on the horizon, which meant I was closing in on the western edge of this storm that has had my attention since the Farmland Rest Area on I-74 west of Farmer City, Illinois early this afternoon.

A few miles west of Dodgeville, though, I came across a construction zone with utility crews, new utility poles on the ground near what was left of snapped utility poles, still with 15 or more feet sticking out of the ground.

In the front yard of the farm across the way I saw a large metal object, bigger than a car, that looked all crunched up, a boxy, metallic rolled up something. Couldn't tell what.

I could tell that the line of large trees along Hwy 18 were all similarly snapped and distorted just like the utility poles across the highway. Apparently Fennimore had some damage, too, Monfort less, and some broken trees on the way into Prairie as well.

Here's a report. The EF1 hit last night (Sunday) and there was more storm damage today: http://www.wkow.com/story/25900635/2014/06/30/storm-damage-in-grant-county

After I left that first rest area inside Wisconsin today where intense rain and wind hit all of a sudden and quickly moved on, a few miles down the road I decided a safe speed was 50-55 mph; and about that time a small red car comes zinging from behind on my left followed by a white owner op spec grain truck, not ten feet behind. Looked like a big white dog chasing a small red toy car and gaining on it.

The small red car was desperate to get out of the way of the crazed trucker, and with good reason. We had a hard wind from the west that rolled rain and spray, fantail-like, behind and on the right side of both trucks and cars. Visibility was limited.

Felt disgusted about that trucker.

Now, where in Hell, just tell me, where in Hell did he need to be running that fast with no visibility and still-intense rain. Cannot imagine why he felt it necessary to jeopardize the folks in that red car like that? Right on its tail, so close. Would not have been safe at my 50-55 mph, let alone his when he pushed by. I just don't get it and that wasn't the only instance today either.

There's a breed of jerks out there behind the wheel of trucks that just shouldn't be there. Get these unsafe drivers on the side of the road and have them stay there. I have no problem advocating with certain reckless behavior, just pull their CDLs.

The one wreck I encountered was on the southbound side of I-39, and what a long back up! Did not affect my progress northbound at all. It was north of the Willow Creek rest area, near where there have been numerous problems with trucks up around Baxter Road where, in fact, another grain truck recently killed one and sent others to the hospital. What's the rush?? Claim is he failed to slow for a construction zone.

Tonight, coming into Prairie, the sun was so bright, had to pull off my regular glasses and pull down my sunglasses, trade off, despite that it was fairly early evening. Can still see some clear sky off in the distance, while loading. Beautiful 260-300 foot cliffs overlook where I load, too. Beautiful sandstone, tree-covered cliffs. Could see them clearly earlier, not now. All dark.


Written Monday, June 30, 2014 from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, while loading. All rights reserved.

 

Heartland Shares Revisited

Volume on Heartland stock has dropped back to pre-acquisition levels, the price has held above $21/share, short sales have dropped back some, but it's still difficult for short sellers to get out without driving the price up, spiking the price, because of this lower daily volume.

Recall that a short sale is a bet against HTLD stock, a bet that it will drop in price as Heartland takes lumps as it absorbs and continues to absorb Gordon. Plus with 2nd Quarter 2014 wrapped up, in a few days HTLD will issue a new 10-K, provide more details to chew on.

As of 6/13/14, short interest was 4,893,032 (under 5 million shares), daily volume dropped to 304,877 and it would take over 16 days if ALL of that volume went to cover short sales. To cover your short sale, you buy the stock. Picture a rocket taking off if that happened, huge losses for short sellers, who only make money if HTLD drops below where they bought it.

And where did they buy it? Back at $14? $16? $18?

Here's a recap on volume:

10/31/13 -- 365,450

11/15/13 -- 821,073=====After acquisition
11/29/13 -- 514,247

12/13/13 -- 467,902
12/31/13 -- 506,380

1/15/14 -- 615,466
1/31/14 -- 461,422

2/14/14 -- 546,870
2/28/14 -- 502,561

3/14/14 -- 585,064
3/31/14 -- 522,145

4/15/14 -- 534,604
4/30/14 -- 596,111

5/15/14 -- 432,066
5/30/14 -- 354,038

6/13/14 -- 304,877

You can see that at 304,877 on 6/13/14, HTLD volume dropped to below the level it was at on 10/31/13 (365,450), before the acquisition.

The day after the acquisition, volume peaked at 821,073 and remained elevated with only two reports (1/31 461,422 and 12/13 467,902) below 500,000. So there's been a big change, less activity in the stock.

To be continued...


Written Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at the Willow Creek Rest Area on I-39 southbound. All rights reserved.

 

Heartland 10-K Due Soon

A fly got in my cab today up in Prairie du Chien and absolutely refused to leave. Window up, window down, nothing worked. It would swoop past my nose, land on my steering wheel. Ah, until Willow Creek. While I was writing (typing) at Willow Creek, it landed 'just so'. And got smacked.

But it DID get to travel 200 miles first. Everybody has a bucket list, eh?

Okay, enough of that. We need to look at some important boring stuff.

HTLD 10-K for Second Quarter will be out soon.

10-K Reports provide investors and the public information on how a publicly-traded company has fared in the last quarter compared to the year before in the same quarter. Earlier we looked at HTLD's 10-K for First Quarter 2014, January 1 through March 31st, 2014. We learned a few things, for example:

1) HTLD completed purchase of Lathrop terminal (Lathrop, California);

2) Paid the Gordons another $3 mil, I think it was;

3) Made a big pay down on the revolver loan from Wells Fargo--wasn't it $13 million or something like that?

4) And made $5 million less operating profit in 2014 First Quarter with Gordon than HTLD made without Gordon in the First Quarter 2013.

5) HTLD stated that finding and hiring experienced, safe, customer-service-oriented drivers is difficult at best. And my few interviews with HTLD and GTI drivers suggests a difference, a qualitative difference between Gordon and Heartland drivers.

Gordon cared about three things: that you drove safe, legal and arrived on time. That was about it.

If you could pull off those three, had a clean CDL and driving experience to prove it, you could find yourself a home at Gordon. Your hair, your teeth, your accent, your clothes, your whatever did not matter. Well, except if you had a pet you better lease. Otherwise it isn't happening for Fido. Bring a picture. Hey! That's unconditional love.

You won't get that from your... your whatever.

I forget the term Heartland used, but 'customer-service-oriented' will do. That's code for, 'you look and dress just like us in the Mid-West'. Well, I've been in the Mid-West; I grew up in Minnesota; and believe you me, we've likely got lots more flavors than Heartland does.

The three Heartland drivers I met were great guys, all three.

All HTLD's were pretty 'normal', maybe above average 'normal's.

The three Gordon drivers were also great guys, all three. It's fair to say these Gordon guys are not 'average' men, though; there's something extra there. More individuality, pony tail, gold necklace, attitude. Take your pick. Was different with each Gordon driver. A 'je ne sais quoi', which is my pidgin French for something 'extra' but can't put my finger on it.

And it may be that individualistic streak that Gordon never noticed or cared about that has long-time Gordon drivers moving off from Heartland, where inconspicuouity counts. (I made that up 'inconspicuouity'--inconspicuous-ness.) Okay, how about 'uniformity'. Might work.

It's not there yet, but you get the drift...


Written Tuesday, July 1, 2014 from home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana. All rights reserved.

 

I think there's a little-known power-only world, just judging by the number of loads listed out of Indiana on Trulos.com. Some states have few. So, yeah, there's a challenge because deadheading can kill you financially. (Hint, hint.)

Just for fooling around, I connected Lafayette, Indiana, to Charlotte, then Jacksonville, Salt Lake City, Houston and Chicago with good paying loads. Of course, they were on the board the same day and listed their rates. Most rates aren't listed. More of the power-only do than general freight. These loads could all look different a day or two later. Dunno.

Based in California, I'm not sure how it would do for you. Here, in this part of Indiana, it would be silly not to find out more. And that's what I hope to do.

Things that look too good to be true, usually are.

 

Woman Murdered at Illinois Willow Creek Rest Area

Both Illinois Willow Creek rest areas on I-39 were closed today. Surveillance cameras caught the assault of a woman and the description matches a guy already hunted for a prior murder Monday morning. The second murder occurred yesterday, Tuesday, July 1st.

Media: http://rockrivertimes.com/2014/07/0...ptured-doddy-killing-woman-at-i-39-rest-area/

Also: http://wqad.com/2014/07/02/rockford-man-wanted-after-woman-found-dead-at-illinois-rest-stop/

The suspect was reportedly seen leaving the rest area in the woman’s car, a gray 2013 Nissan Altima with Illinois license plate BARGMN2.

Anyone with information about Terence Doddy of Rockford, Illinois should call 911 or Illinois State Police at (815) 632-4010.

Do not approach.

 

Like a Line of Dogs Running and Sniffing Each Other's Butts

Finding Willow Creek rest area northbound closed, I proceeded to the Wisconsin Welcome Center rest area, just inside Wisconsin. That's where I learned about the woman's murder back at Willow Creek. The rain had started a pretty thorough, but off and on drizzle by then. A couple of the 'attendants' in yellow tops were obviously cops, undercover flavor. No weapons visible.

They didn't stay very far apart from each other. Sometimes just stood outside singly, looking out into the parking area.

Soon after I pulled out realized there was a Gordon behind me. How cool! Car traffic was very heavy, still very wet, not as bad as Monday, though. Up ahead in my lane (outside lane) I saw a slow up, and the Gordon came around. He looked like a Gordon hire with his dirty-looking beard. I pressed down on the cruise to let him easily by, still keeping 300-400 feet clear ahead of me.

For a while, I matched to his speed and just tagged along behind. Thought he might even head to Prairie du Chien. Soon along comes a string of trucks, nose-to-tail, running along like a line of dogs trying to sniff each other's butts and run at the same time.

'Is this a Wisconsin thing?' I wondered. The heavy car traffic was so close to each other that any wrong move would cause a multi-car pile up. Add to that a string of trucks too close to each other and it's a recipe for catastrophe again. What's the rush????? I don't, just don't get it. Why run faster than you have at least a game chance of getting stopped??? Just don't get it.

So I was surprised when the Gordon pulled in behind that clump of too-fast-too-close for wet and rainy conditions. It was too close if dry for that matter. You see it all the time.

This truck is no where near as fast as the Haz truck I had, but it rolls along at 66-67, sometimes 68 so I could give Gordon 5 miles and still catch him if he went to Prairie. Didn't matter here or Dodgeville, unless like the other day the Gordon took off after poking along in the 65 mph up to Dodgeville and then burned the road up after Dodgeville, speeding in the 55 mph.

Who can figure these drivers out.

I hung behind a flat who seemed the only other like-minded one out there, leaving that 300-400 feet between us. Saw 2 Kenan Advantage (Klemm) cut him off when they cut in and several cars do the same. But those are gas tankers, rolling bombs.

When I pulled off 39 onto 12/18, looked over and saw that it was Roehl!! Of course. Roehl out Gordoned Gordon. Better runs, better money, good equipment and as good a 'starter' company as Gordon ever was. (Or so runs my impression of Roehl. I have no personal experience with them.) That's why the driver did not push beyond safe. Didn't need to, didn't want to.

There is a little sanity out there.


Written Wednesday, July 2, 2014 while loading in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. All rights reserved.