Superior Carriers 2013-2014

9/21-9/27

Had some vacation planned for this week. My Brother in law rented a house in Gatlinburg and invited my wife and I up for the week. My wife found out 2 weeks ago that she would be having shoulder surgery Oct 1. I didn't have enough vacation days to take this week and the end of next week off so I came back from the mountains early and ran a N Chicago load Wed-Fri. Doing a shorter one Monday and Tuesday to Mcintosh Al and back then off Wed through the weekend to finish out my vacation week.

 

10/6-10/9

My wife's surgery went well but she had more to be repaired than they originally thought. Rotator cuff was torn above and below so 4 rather than 2 scope holes. She also has a few screws in there to repair bone chips and cracks. Its almost more work being home these days.

All I ran this week was a Plaquemine Monday to Thursday. I was off most of today after delivering and won't go back out until Monday. We are heading up to Hawks Nest State park in WV for the weekend. Hopefully it will cure some of her cabin fever.

 

10/13-10/15

This was another short week. I headed out Monday and ran to Iowa City and back to pick up a scope load. Its just under 1900 miles so they usually plan these over 4 days, 3 nights. Its usually drop and hook on both ends. They needed this load ASAP so I had to run pretty hard. Left Monday around 6 AM and dropped it at 5 PM Wednesday. Had to average 630 miles a day to make it. That's no problem empty but gets a little tight loaded through the mountains. I took the rest of the week off since my wife still can't drive from her surgery. Probably head back out Sunday or Monday.

 

10/20-10/24

This is turning into the best week I have had in a while money wise. I headed out Monday to pick up a moonshine load from Washington In. It delivered Wednesday morning for around 1200 miles to start the week. I got home around noon Wednesday.

I am hauling my wife around today to various appointments. I was joking with Scott yesterday about his freight not being nearly as needy as my freight waiting at home.

Friday I will head out to Iowa City to pick up a scope load that will deliver Monday. That adds another 1900 miles to the week. If I run hard I will get home Sunday night. I did the same load last week in 2 nights out.

I may just take my time though and stay out 3 nights since I will still need to deliver the load Monday morning. That saves an hour and a half commute to and from the terminal, I won't feel near as rushed, and can stop to watch some football on the way back Sunday. I gave my Panther Seahawk tickets away as a wedding present so this worked out great. Its also easier for my wife to get friends to haul her around on the weekend so having a couple of days off during the week is a good thing.

 

I don't know. They call it practical miles. Its pretty close to hub. I just looked at my pay stub for the Iowa City load I did a couple of weeks ago. I was paid for 1,869 miles. My elog qualcom miles for those 3 days was 1,870.

 

10/25-10/28

Had a nice trip going to Iowa City and back until Sunday afternoon. Had a trailer tire blow on me on I-70 a few miles from the truck stop at the 115 in Indiana. It was a left outside and the shoulders are narrow so I limped it into the truck stop. Glad I did and so did the repair man when he got there 2 hours later. They have some pretty good food at that truck stop and I was surprised to see a new Loves going up right across the street. There is another one only 30 miles away in Richmond. I dropped the load in Monday morning just a little late.

That 3 hour delay cost me a little time at home but we were still able to get my wife's errands run. I will be glad when she can drive again. They are keeping me busy. Running on recap hours now to grab a dry bulk load in N Chicago Wednesday that will deliver Thursday. Should get home in time to watch the Panthers Saints game Thursday night. My son is using my tickets to take a friend to the game. Its his first game without one of us. He is driving from Raleigh to Charlotte for the game then home on the way back so I will get to see him Friday morning.

 

Well it looks like my day is getting a little longer. I woke up to this on my pre trip this morning.



I think the belt broke when I started the truck this morning. I did my pretrip while fueling. I considered having the Loves shop work on it but decided to head 3 miles back down I-65 to the TA since we have a service account there and it was 4:30 in the morning. I would have had to wake people up for a com check at Loves.

That turned out to be a good move. The truck boiled out a little coolant heating up to 240 or so but I made it. Turns out the belt broke from a frozen AC compressor so it's a good thing I am at a real shop instead of what Loves offers.

Sitting in a holding pattern now. TA doesn't have a compressor in stock so can't do anything until 8 AM or so.

My pick up appointment in N Chicago is at 8 AM. That won't happen but no sense in waking anyone up to tell them. I figure it's at least noon before I am up and running.