Maxim 1

When life gives you lemons, make lemonaide.

I'm pretty sure there are bunch of folks at Schneider that are FOS. Last week we had the pleasure of driving across the country on Thanksgiving day so that we could deliver on Friday morning at 0900 and then sit for the rest of the day. I should clarify; we didn't mind driving on Thanksgiving but, to "need" to be available even though freight is slow and then have to sit on Friday just didn't seem like good planning to us.

Our delivery was in Plainfield, CT. After we hung around the mall in Lisbon for the day/night.

Saw the movie Four Christmases. Very good. Teresa got a new Vera Wang shawl. Isn't it wonderful !!!

Yesterday, Saturday, we got a w/a to go up, way up, to Bucksport, ME. We got there late in the afternoon. Had a nice dinner at the Seabreeze diner. Nice folks.

This is the Verso Paper mill and the town of Bucksport. That's not smoke but steam, it's was about 20 degrees this morning.

This morning we got loaded up and were well on our way to Maple Grove, MN, almost 1600 miles. Nice run. Except this morning the truck pooped... we were about 100 miles from Bucksport. Teresa was catching some morning snooze and pop - sounded like an M80 cherry bomb. Lost about 60% of the power. Pulling 44,900 pounds of the stuff I hate most, paper. Called Emergency Maintenance and they told me it sounded like the Turbo and to limp to the Freightliner shop in Portland, ME. Of course they are closed today so we're in a Super 8 down the road. I dropped the trailer and someone else is supposed to pick it up and take it to Minnesota.

We'll see what develops tomorrow.

Bob

Big Game Hunters -

Last Tuesday (I think) we picked up 43,000 pounds of Smirnoff drinks and headed for Tulsa and our TAH. Heading south on I55 there is a little town called Funks Grove, where there is also a rest area. Finally stopped. If you're a geography buff you may be interested to know there is a town called Funkhouser in southern Illinois.

We delivered the Smirnoff at 0600 Thursday and were actually lucky to use that day for bug oil changes (few VW dealers in OK - they love their trucks) eye check up and new glasses. Made it back to Ponca City about 1900 Thursday.

Saturday was the big hunting day. Opening day of deer season hunting. Here's Uncle Joe and myself. Tough guys, huh?

Joe mistakenly set his alarm for 545 pm instead of am so we got a bit of a late start.

No deer, dear.

Now the big game hunters get to rest.

We went back out on Sunday actually earlier than expected. I was making ham and egg breakfast sandwiches and the toast got a little dark and set off the fire alarm, so Joe was up at 0530 instead of 0545. Didn't help though. No deer again. I went back out at in the afternoon and tried to wait them out again. No deer. Oh well, was fun anyway, and I appreciate Joe hooking us up with the place and taking me out. Thanks, Joe.

Monday was back to the yard to get our truck. When we pulled in I noticed one of the other ones had been broken into. Wing window broken. No one bothered ours, with TV, and everything I was concerned. I'm guessing it was the previous disgruntled driver coming back to get something. But that's just guessing.

We zipped up to Coffeeville, KS and picked up a load of insulated wire and are headed to Brooklyn Heights, OH. We're spending the night at the Indianapolis OC. Dinner, shower, laundry and a haircut. Don't worry I put on the #3 whatchamacallit.

We deliver at 1500 tomorrow (Wed) and they estimate 3 hours to unload. Not sure what Thanksgiving day is going to hold for us yet.

If you haven't seen Craig and Diane's blog, you should. She has great pictures and are much like Teresa and myself. He drives and she's the team domestic. The site is http://shantztravels.blogspot.com/

I notice you can't see the letters above, just put your cursor over it and click.

Bob

Starting a New Week

Monday morning in Nitro, WV. Going to fuel and shower and make it to Gary today - about 450 miles. Got to watch DWTS tonight, surely by now you know the ritual.

Nitro - the WV mountains have a dusting of snow and it's getting cold. We were here Sat on our way to Browns Summit, NC. We unloaded there and picked up our next W/A in Fayetteville, NC Sunday morning and are now headed back to Dekalb, IL. The load to Browns Summit was our first repeat in 9 months, same pickup and delivery locations. On our way down I remarked that to Teresa that I was pretty sure that this route was the one we have traveled most and now we're doing it again.

On the way east we had noticed that all of the leaves had fallen and now the ground was covered with the same colors of leaves and the trees were bare. Now the leaves are covered with snow. Beautiful cycle of nature.

Talked to Rapid Reader Ron yesterday - he was at a soccer tournament that daughter Jennifer was playing in. The were winning 4 - 0. Go Jennifer !!!

We're supposed to get home Friday for TAH and have to work the Turkey Week. 'So okay, we get two weeks at Christmas in Vail and then in Feb we're going to Cancun. Can we stand it ? Yep. Oh, and if Uncle Joe gets it worked out we're going deer hunting, the deer hunting season opens on Saturday.

I wrote a letter to one of the Schneider big wigs last night. Turns out that there is a difference in driven and payed miles by about 6 - 10 percent. On an average week of 2,500 miles that 150 to 250 miles that we drive for no pay. That's 2 1/2 - over 4 hours of free labor per week. I find that unpalatable and told him so. I don't expect anything to change from it, but when we leave that will be one of the primary reasons and I thought they should know it. But at the moment, leaving isn't imminent.

Ron, to answer your question - yes we are thinking about our next adventure, are you thinking for us, too ? It has to be the same kind of work situation where we work together. We'll take your ideas for a short time and then I'll tell you one of the situations we have agreed on.

I hear there is also snow in Chicago... see you there, Bob

Ha !!! Twice in one week

Made it up to Champaign Tuesday night and had dinner with Andrea and Josh and Tracie. Josh being Andrea's current flame. Nice fella, musician type. You know, artistic and stuff.

Good burgers at Ruby Tuesday. Took my camera and of course left it in Andrea's car. More on that in a minute.

This morning we headed for Peoria and dropped off our CAT tractor parts. You can really tell that is tractor territory.

Got our next work assignment - a first. We scooted all the way across IL to Milford and picked up 40,000 lbs of BIRD SEED... who new we used that much bird seed. Thinking about it, I'm sure it was the remotest pickup we've made.

So last night not only did I not take any pictures, I left the camera in Andrea's car. Not to worry. This load took as right past Champaign on our way to St. Louis. Andrea met us on I57 and gave it back. Still no pictures though.

I do have one 0f the Charleston, SC docks though.

We're staying tonight at the Edwardsville, IL OC which means showers and laundry. Headed out to the truck to watch Criminal Minds.

Busy Little Beavers

We waited and waited Wednesday for the shop to be done... finally at about 7:30 I pushed it a bit and they acknowledged they had another 2 - 3 hours left. Of course you know that means 4- 5 or more. So we headed back to the Best Western. Should have done that earlier in the day, but I guess my "stuff" isn't that big. I tried to wait 'em out. This next morning, we went back and boy was I happy. They fixed the air leak and replaced 4 batteries and fixed Teresa's door handle. Almost like Christmas.

We picked up a relay load there in the yard at Gary and popped it out to Morris, IL and then picked up a load in Bolingbrook headed for Brown's Summit, NC. Can you believe it we made it down I64 passed right by Tamarack without even a blink. We stayed Saturday night in Wytheville, VA. The hills there are losing their colors, most of the leaves have fallen and the grey woods are now more dominant. EXCEPT for some of the yellows. They are so bright they almost glow.

Then we picked up a load headed for the UK... right we'll take it! Except all we got to do was drop it in Charleston, SC and they off-loaded the trailer to put into one of those big ocean containers. We dropped it this morning and picked up a load of Caterpiller parts, from one of those big ocean containers in Hanahan, SC and are outside of Knoxville, TN headed for Champaign, IL. Teresa called the girls and we're having dinner with them tomorrow night.

Got a couple of pictures on the docks, but forgot my camera in the truck.

Rapid Reader Ron had previously sent me some poop on those "creepy" creepy vines.

For the enquiring minds: http://www.jackanthonyphotography.com/yahoola/kudzu/

Kudzu is native to Japan and China, however it grows well in the Southeastern United States. Kudzu is a vine that when left uncontrolled will eventually grow over almost any fixed object in its proximity including other vegetation. Kudzu, over a period of several years will kill trees by blocking the sunlight and for this and other reasons many would like to find ways to get rid of it. The flowers which bloom in late summer have a very pleasant fragrance and the shapes and forms created by kudzu vines growing over trees and bushes can be pleasing to the eye during the summer months.
Kudzu vines will cover buildings and parked vehicles over a period of years if no attempt is made to control its growth. A number of abandoned houses, vehicles and barns covered with kudzu can be seen in Georgia and other southern states. Many of the photos of kudzu shown on this web site were taken in the vicinity of Dahlonega, Georgia, a beautiful historic town in the mountains of North Georgia best known as the site of the first major gold rush in the U.S. in 1828.

If you can't tell, I hate KUDZU. I am getting great delight in seeing it die from the cold. But I'm sure it will be back next year...

Bob and Teresa

We're at it Again

For the record - the Funny Lady that has been following me around the country is gone...

Teresa is now an authorized rider on the truck. We're whole again.

We ended up in KC, MO at the end of last week and on Friday dropped the trailer at the drop lot in OKC about 7:30 Friday night. We had an abbreviated TAH - three days and got back on the road Tuesday.

You may recall that since we sold our truck we no longer have any way to transport anything bigger than a couple of suit cases. Problem solved; couple of weeks ago I ordered a Piggy Backer trailer and had a hitch put on the bug. Saturday Grandpa helped me put it together.

About three hours later, just in time for dinner... we finished.

So now we throw everything into the trailer and swap back to the truck.

We're going to use it at Christmas to take stuff to Colorado, too.

Tuesday we picked up a load of TP. I guess that's one thing that doesn't get hit by a slow economy !!! Hauled it up to Romeoville, IL yesterday. Then we came over to Gary for an oil change. They call it a PM-B. Every 50,000 miles they change the oil and service the truck. In addition it's developed a couple of air leaks so every time I turn the engine off it loses a bunch of air in the tanks. They finished the PM and they're supposed to take it back into the shop soon to work on the air.

Whilst here I took the required winter training and am all trained up.

Since the truck was in the shop last night Schneider pays for us to stay in a hotel close by. Not sure if it will be completed by this evening or not, or we'll be "forced" to stay there again.

Bob and Teresa