Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Up in the Air

This 'shutdown' runs from the 4th to the 20th (of July); our Indiana customer goes back into production on the 21st. No Prairie runs until then. In the meantime they have much going on, construction and revamping, including runs we are taking from their plant to a scrap yard in Indy. I think the Yard Boss was trying to feel me out on whether I'd take any of these and I'm not much interested.

He's already said they (the trucking outfit I'm driving for) would be 'thrilled' if I'd shuttle some trailers out to its various units where we have trailers that need to come back for repair. Again, not much interested. I've got plenty to work on of my own, including a Cat 955 track loader that sits just down the hill with a track off due to a broken pin and has just sat down there for a year plus like that. I figure the shutdown gives the time off I would have had if there had been just one Prairie run a week as I had been hired on for. We'll see.

My original thought was to make the much put-off trip West; that trip has moved back over to a back burner; Spencer has a jewel of a small YMCA that auto-withdraws a small monthly from one of my checkings and I haven't stopped by for I don't know how many months. I feel stiff and out of shape.

There's plenty of put-off yard work; a 2-axle dump truck that hasn't been started in a year; at least one of two car haulers that should be cleaned up and sold; a garage that looks like Mr. Clutter came through; some 10-foot tall chain link I bought a while back that hasn't been picked up yet; tons of work inside where I'm furring 2x4 walls out to 2x6, installing new R19 insulation...

There's at least 300 feet of 6-foot chain link to go up so that chickens and dogs can roam or be moved around without worry that any get out into the highway out front; think I have about 5 good-sized rolls of 6-foot chain link. The chicken coop needs some work as do both the front porch and the back deck.

I bought a bunch of evergreens, different flavors, from shrubs like boxwood, arborvitae, to azalea, all to plant on a mound out front; lots and lots of shovel work needs done. I just need a path through all these started and not-started projects so that I can get a few things done and have, hopefully, a little fun doing it. Hey! Two weeks is NOT enough!!


Written Sunday, July 6, 2014 from home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana, while I try separate out what I can or might get done in next 2 weeks from what will just have to wait. All rights reserved.

 

Gary the Mechanic

This morning (Tuesday, July 8th) I'm with Gary the Mechanic on my own time. Yard Boss swung by shortly after I got here and again made the pitch about the loads into OmniSource, an Indy salvage yard. Not really interested. Once I say yes to any of that my two-week break's broken, probably irretrievably. Need this time, got lots to do.

We had been over getting parts for his two-stage compressor and he was re-assembling everything after installing the new coil and spark plug. The unit vents right out the side, through piping out to a hole cut in Gary's 28-foot box truck. Same with the Miller generator/welder, vents on the passenger side.

A couple small bolts had gone for a walk when he drove over for the parts and we searched on the floor for them. Found them among the on-the-floor toolbox--that is, tools and stuff loose on the floor.

Most-used tools he keeps within arms reach off the back of the box.

Turns out to be a productive morning, just what I'd hoped for. Better, even. First order of the day after the compressor was an outer driver-side rear drive flat. (You'd say, 'Left-Rear-Outer Drive tire flat' in tire lingo.)

I brought the tractor around and backed it under a big barn that has storage units on either side and enough space between the storage units for Gary to work under cover. High enough for both a truck and trailer. Economy workshop. Truck parts overflow in a couple storage units right there, too. Easy access.

I backed up to his service truck, a Freightliner, regular cab diesel. He pulled the tire off with a large tire tool, a puller I had not seen before, brass business end, two wheeled prongs above and a prong a couple inches below, also with a wheel. Works a lot faster than the old double straight pry bars.

With the tire off, Gary reamed the hole in the tire, roughed up the inside and when that dried, applied a vulcanized patch that he pulled through with vise grips. It worked. Once he had the tire mounted back on the wheel, aired up and sprayed with soapy water, no leak. It's all good.


To be continued...


Written Tuesday, July 8, 2014 from our yard in Indiana. All rights reserved.

 

Gary the Mechanic (continued)

I parked that truck and brought over a truck and trailer with a Left (Driver side)-Rear-Inner tandem (trailer tires) flat. For this repair, both wheels had to come off. He replaced the tire with a 'new' retread. There was some tread left, but since the tire had to come off the rim and would be replaced in the near future anyway, best do it now.

Gary used the 'bead-breaker', a large, sledgehammer-like tool we've all seen, I think, with a wide, flat wedge coming off the head; after removing the valve stem core, heavy blows on the tire (not rim) break the bead loose.

Next on the list, a driver had complained that his drive tires wobbled, wanted 4 new tires. Gary said he'd probably get 2, we'll see. First we checked the depth and all 8 had plenty of tread left. Finding no obvious problem, Gary bottle-jacked the back driver side up, slipped a small sledge head hammer about a quarter inch back and spun the wheel.

The outer was out-of-round enough to make it a junk tire. Had a spot that actually pushed the hammer back some. Oddly, so was the inner out of round; and I commented on that. "Well, that's what it shows..." Gary said.

It is what it is, unexpected or not.

Gary pulled both, made work with truck tires look rather easy, unlike the service truck techs I'd seen come out and huff-and-puff, pump themselves up before starting on a tire. When we got them back on the truck, I had a chance to run the lug nuts up with the big air impact. Big, heavy thing. Of course, Gary makes it look easy, too.

In front of Gary, I'd told Yard Boss earlier this morning, "Gary's too small to do tires, he's no bigger than I am." They both smiled. Yard Boss laughed, "You don't have to be big to do tires, Vic. Gary's plenty big enough. You'll see."

With two new retreads on the left back drives, Gary checked the front rights for out of round, too, and they were within tolerance.

With that done, I parked it.


To be continued...


Written partly at lunch, partly at the yard, finished up at home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana. All rights reserved.

 

Gary the Mechanic - Yard Check (continued)

Two drivers came in from runs to OmniSource in Indy, both relatively new hires, newer than me. One, at 77, is our second-oldest. We have another, a spry and healthy 81-year-old who's still going strong and been with Yard Boss for over 10 years. The other new driver is a younger guy, probably late 30's. Company hires experienced drivers, good safety and security backgrounds.

Gary checked his lights and after some yackety-yack we headed over in the box truck to a nearby yard where we have more equipment. Gary handed me a small sledge to go check tires, PM's due and inspections due. Found two that needed PMs, one needed inspection this month and a nail in one tire.

Took diagonal cutters to pry the nail out and a metal, cylindrical soapy water squirter. Didn't find any leakers (we found other nails); two need replaced.

Gary has a company laptop with VPN (Virtual Private Network) software to post and update what he's done and needs to be done. Has had new laptop only since Friday, 5 days, and only first used it in the field yesterday. It's quite time consuming but better, he says, than what he had before.

We did both PMs, lubed the trailers, adjusted brakes to ensure the slack adjusters work properly, checked for air leaks, ABS issues, and lights. We replaced one upper marker light and found we needed a new ABS module, which Gary did not have on the truck. Usually does.

By 7 pm I was in my car headed over first to Aldi's and then to Wal-Mart, left Gary at the yard to complete updating the laptop. I had rolled in this morning about 9 am, he had left his house at 6 am, lives about 10 miles away. I've always thought that if a driver really wanted to work for a living, he could/would have become a mechanic instead of a driver...

Sadly, Gary lost his Mom Sunday after a long battle with lung cancer, funeral's tomorrow. She was 88. There's a BBQ Saturday at one of the driver's home, done every year. Haven't met him. Everybody brings something so there's beaucoup food. Gary doesn't know whether he'll go this year.

I've got the RSVP, too. Hadn't thought much about going.


Written Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana. All rights reserved.

 

Apparently so, over 39,000 views right now. July 8, 2014.

 

Greg from TruckMovers...

Rolling up to I-70 this morning I remembered what Pete had said, "You don't need it, Vic." I replied that I wanted it. "You're just throwing money away." Told him, that's okay, wanted the accumulator/drier along with the new a/c compressor, which had locked up and fried my serpentine belt a few blocks from his place.

"Can you get it over here?" Pete asked. Told him I probably could if I cut the serpentine. "Got a knife?" Pete asked. The belt was scorching hot. Now, with the temp dial almost straight up, the fan low and both a shirt and T-shirt on, it was still too cold while warm and humid outside. Arizona car.

In back lay my 90GR, Hitachi cordless nailer. "Never seen one like that," said the gal at the service center. It was $20 for an estimate and the slide where you push in the new rack of nails, the slide would not slide back. Stuck. I was hoping that the tech would open it up, a piece of plastic would fall out and it would be fine. $20 bucks.

Well, if I were really lucky.

The real decision of the day would be where to have lunch, but that was for later. Greg had called Saturday, had an 'open house' in Indy he said. Monday thru Wednesday. Told him I might come out Monday for a meet-and-greet, the 25-cent tour. Greg called again Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday, I told him. Had something else to do in Indy that I'd been putting off, too. "I'll be back on a plane for Kansas City by late afternoon," Greg said. 'No problem', I told him.

I'm not looking for a job. Yard Boss would flat have a cow if he thought I were. Very curious, though, 'How do they get those trucks up and down from piggy-backed', I wondered.

Even on the phone, Greg sounded all sales. Don't have to ask this one if he's on commission, I thought. All red flags. Didn't know much; their 'contractors' pay for fuel, get re-imbursed only the FSC (fuel surcharge) and are liable for damage, rock chips and whatever. Greg makes it sound like an easy gravy train on the phone. "So what do YOU want to do," Greg asks.

Got the 25-cent tour, talked to a driver, met the three-man crew at the Indy 'depot' that breaks down the trucks brought in and get delivered out from there. Hub system. TruckMovers was probably just as desperate for drivers as Greg sounds. "See, we had a couple drivers who kept bumping into things, just couldn't not hit things..." It doesn't take long for him to double back through his spiel several times.

Back in my car, the Service Center's timing is really, really good. "$40 bucks, Victor," the gal says, "Had a nail stuck and some bent piece he had to unbend." It's all good, I thought.

I'm on my way, I told her.

To be continued...


Written Wednesday, July 9, 2014 from Kazablanka Grill, near Sam's Club (my next stop) here in Indy. The waitress is thin, super-efficient, doesn't miss a note. Attitude, she's always on top of it. Brisk. Walks quickly, struts--quick, but casual. No airs. Good buffet, always the same. With a Negra Modelo. No, PackRat, they don't have the Victoria. All rights reserved.

 

Rhode Island Reds

"So these are my new girls, eh?" We transferred them from her tan, plastic dog crate to my black, wire metal dog crate. The seller had them on CraigsList this morning, wanted to meet at McDonalds in Spencer. Sure, okay.

Two maybe year-old, Rhode Island Red hens, noisier than my Golden Comets; but the Golden Comets are noisier with these two in the next pen, too.

Beak to beak with the fence between them, the Golden Comets peck at the younger Reds. Cost me $20 for two; last year paid $20 for the 3 Golden Comets and drove 50 miles for them, over to Nashville, Indiana. And back.

The Reds will have fertile eggs for the next 7-10 days. This should fix that broody hen, since getting what you wished for is often a sure cure. Especially if you wished for offspring. Oh, yeah! We'll see.

Now, who actually wishes for offspring?? I ask you...

In the middle of this 'new' chicken business, Yard Boss called, asked if I'd call Bev in Prairie du Chien, who does scheduling. They've got us picking up on the 17th, next week, and delivering the 22nd, the week after. Our customer will still be on shutdown the 17th.

Why tie up a trailer??

It takes some explaining and a wait for the okay, but the okay comes through. We can pick up on Monday, the 21st in Prairie and deliver the 22nd.

To be continued...


Written Thursday, July 10, 2014. Started at the China Wok in Spencer, then wrapped up at home here, six miles north of Spencer.

All rights reserved.

 

Our Scrap Metal Transfer Operation...

Yard Boss tells me we've run 35 loads to OmniSource in Indy of the industrial shelving. Probably another 60-70 loads to go and some loads have only 4K, others 10K, 20K at most. He's worried whether he can wrap it up next week.

Yard Boss is a great worrier, a real mother hen, sweats the details. Whatever he worried about yesterday, he's worried about the opposite today. Nice, neat 180-degree swings. Sometimes up to a week apart.

Stopped in to see Dewey, who used to own and run 28 quad-axle dump trucks, hauling coal from Indiana coal mines to Indy.

The quads hauling coal no longer run up and down this highway; Dewey manages a scrap yard down the road. It takes a little yada-yada but there's a 36-foot dump gondola trailer we could run for nothing, and they'll sweeten what they pay for unprepared sheet steel (same as car bodies). Fewer trips, faster loading, unloading. It's all good.

They also have a 53-foot gondola that runs up to Indy daily, could stop on the way back and load up, take to their scrap yard. More about gondola trailers here: http://www.epakmanufacturing.com/about

Right now, Yard Boss is fussing whether the fewer trips we'd run that way make it better to keep the inefficient way we're pushing this stuff into dry vans. We don't have wet kits to use the dump function, but open-top heavily side-plated double-wall gondola trailers would allow just dumping the shelves and frames over the sides into the open trailer for stuff that's too awkward, unruly or irregular to push in with a fork.

Stuff'll come off faster, too, 'cause they'll grapple it out from the top with a huge magnet instead of chaining and forklifting it out of our swing-door vans. General guide to trailers here: http://www.chrobinson.com/en/us/-/me...pmentGuide.pdf

Also: http://www.pinnaclefrt.com/specs.asp



Written Thursday, July 10, 2014, some edits later and on July 11. All rights reserved.