Hartford, TN

One of the early Schneider truck and a just as old driver !!!

We stopped last night (Sunday) on I40 exit 447. The place is beautiful and peaceful. The welcome sign says Hartford, TN. It's on the Pigeon River, right in the middle of the Great Smokey Mountains, just beautiful. We spent the afternoon hiking around and enjoying the scenery.

Course my water baby had to play in the water. Next time through I'm sure we'll have to take a raft trip. It's about 2 hours round trip. Teresa HAS to do it.

While we were there they let some water out of the dam and the rock that the Funny Lady is on was soon covered up.

If you look closely you can see the trout in the middle. It's about 2 1/2 feet long. There was another actually bigger.

We're being unloaded in Salisbury, NC and not sure where we're headed next, except that TAH starts on Saturday so I imagine we'll be headed west. Don't bank on that it's only my imagination.

Headed to Salisbury, NC

Thusday we got the truck back and decided to hang there in Green Bay where it was fairly cool.

We made our plan for Friday; head for the IdleAire in E. St. Louis and then head out at 0430 for Neely's Landing. We got to where we could see the Arch and my navigator (Teresa) decided that she would prefer not to have to get up that early, se we headed all the way to Neely's Landing - 580 miles. We stopped at a nice roadhouse and had catfish and bbq pork sandwich then parked a mile away. Delivered this morning at 0600. Last night we got our w/a for this morning so we planned one out. We deadheaded back to St. Louis and picked up a load right across the street from the Edwardsville OC then came over and showered. The load is headed for Salisbury, NC. We HAD figured to stop off in Nashville. Seems like another driver wants to take it as it's headed his direction. Whoa, he's decided not to take it.

We're letting the heat pass in Nashville expecting to arrive there about 1900. We figured if we hung out at the OC for a couple of hours we would get to Nashville about 1900 then hit the honkey tonks.

Not much else going on ready to hit the road... Nope, Teresa's going to surf a bit then we're out of here.

A new first - I know Craig and Diane have had it a few times, but it's a first for us...

While we were in the OC one of the guys said to watch out for P&G loads, they can be poorly loaded. Since we only had 39,000 lbs I figured to put the tandems in the 9th hole and head for the hills. Since he made that comment I thought I had better run by the scale, just to check. Good thing. The steers were at 12,000 which is the max, the drive tires were at 37,080 and the tandems were at 29,000. I moved the tandems all the way up and got it to 35080. Now what ?

Back to the shipper to remove and reload. Turns out it wasn't loaded according to the load plan.
When they got done I was still over 80 pounds (9th hole) so I moved it the tandems up 4 holes and hit it.

Since we hung out for two hours and THEN scaled and then spent 2 hours unloading and reloading I didn't have enough time on my 14 hour clock to make it to Nashville. So we're hanging out at the IdleAire in Mt. Vernon, IL. Which means we'll have to cover some good ground tomorrow, at least 500 miles. Which will leave 200 left to arrive in Salisbury by 1215 on Monday. Seems like a good plan, we'll see.

Back Where it All Began

We arrived in Belgium, WI about 2130, still hotter than I was expecting but not too bad. Left at 1030 and stopped at the Green Bay OC. More showers and a WalMart run. Left for delivery at 1400 and then on to our next w/a; pick up at P&G in Green Bay for delivery on 6/27 in Neely's Landing, MO. I noticed that the front bumper was hanging a little loose and funny. We have hit some hellacious bumps in the last couple of days. They say the heat is causing the roads to buckle.

One bump even knocked both of our glasses out of the cup holders, that's really rough.

We didn't want to get on the road and have a problem develop so we've stopped in at the G/B OC to have them look at it. They are working on it now. I guess we'll stay here where it's a little cooler then head for the IdleAire in E. St Louis in the am - about 490 miles.

Got to run to the shop.

Hot as heck in the south

Monday we trekked on up to the Edwardsville, IL OC. We stopped in for a shower, seems like when it's so hot and you're out dropping and hooking trailers it gets really stinky after awhile.

Our next w/a was supposed to be a quicky; pick up a trailer there at the OC and deliver at 0500 on Tuesday in St. Louis. We grabbed the trailer and headed to the IdleAire in E. St. Louis, IL. Teresa threatened to pull out the mattress pad and sleep in the OC if we didn't have cool air overnight. Not really, but sort of.

Headed out at 0400 for 25 miles. Followed all of the instructions and ended up going through old residential areas. Finally after arriving at the destination at 0500 I was pretty sure it was wrong. Called the consignee and got real directions. Arrived at 0600. Not sure if that constitutes a late delivery or not, since the directions were all fouled up.

Enroute we got a flat tire on the trailer. By the time I got stopped to check it out most of the rubber had already thrown off so I figured to go ahead and deliver.

Whilst unloading we got our next w/a; pick up a load of scrap paper to deliver in Owensboro, KY. I was in a bit of a quandry; a) go back to the OC to get the flat fixed, or b) go ahead and pick up the 40,000 pounds of scrap paper. I called support and they told me they would be unpaid miles, so that made the decision pretty quickly. Each tire can handle 7000 pounds so we're good.

Picked up the scrap paper, headed to the OC and got two tires replaced. The flat one and one with a nail in it. And another shower.

Owensboro was only 210 miles away so we headed out straight away and delivered at 1500.

Sometime in the morning I mentioned the unpaid miles issue to my DBL and she said she would have taken care of it. Problem was she comes in at 0630 and this was at 0600 and I was dealing with the overnite folks in Green Bay. Not very helpful. I also mentioned that I could deal with a w/a to north country to get out of the heat.

After delivering the scrap paper we picked up a load of paper at the same place and this one is headed to Green Bay.

After dropping and hooking the next load it was 1600 and I was pooped and hot. We checked into a Motel 6 had ANOTHER shower , dinner and a swim.

Our delivery is 6/25 in the afternoon so we're hanging out in the motel room for the morning. I figure if we leave hear around noon, we'll get to Chicago around 1900 and through without much traffic. Hopefully through Milwaukee and stop for the night in Belgium, WI, real close to the cool waters of Lake Michigan.

OK, I'll get a few pictures today. We missed a good one Monday. We were behind a very old jalopy being passed by a Rolls-Royce Bentley. Quite a juxtaposition.

ANOTHER shower this morning and then hit the road.

Ha - Staying on top

Going back a couple of weeks, we were on our way down I95 through North Carolina on our way to Florida. We started seeing signs for "South of the Border" advertising Mexican food. Since we both enjoy Mexican food and love "On the Border" I ( note I here, not we) thought we should stop in and have lunch. Boy what a cheesey place. The food was horrible and over priced. If you happen to be in the area, don't stop.

Makes for a couple of good pictures, though.

On our way through Alabama on I59 yesterday we stopped at this rest area that had an old rocket on display.

We're at the Memphis OC showering and doing laundry. Waiting for the car to go over to WalMart . It's right a 100 degrees out at this time, hotter than heck!!!

This is a picture of the Charlotte OC. Can you tell which truck is ours ??

Lots Of Catching Up To Do

Have you ever procrastinated on something and then it got worse and worse ? Me too ! Once I missed a day or so, which I'll explain, I kept putting off updating the blog, and it got worse and worse. I've got some time now and there is no excuse except that I'm pooped.

Here we go... We had a great weekend slumming out at the Four Points hotel. We delivered in Chicago on Monday and headed over to the Hinsdale Oasis on I294 to wait it out. Had a Gyro and turkey leg. They were both excellent, wouldn't quite expect it at the oasis, but it was. We waited a bit more. Then my DBL sent us over to the Gary OC to wait some more. About 1300 we got our next w/a; pick up an empty trailer in Sauk Village and take it over to Toys R Us for a 1900 pickup with a delivery 370 miles away in Lexington, KY at 0600 the next morning(Tues). Yep an all nighter. Of course I new it and tried to snooze, to no avail.

We stopped at the border of Indiana and Kentucky and took an hour nap about 0200. Helped a lot. We made the delivery at the Toys R Us store with 2 hours left on our 14 hour clock. While unloading we got our next w/a. I figured we were going to have to sit until Wednesday. Nope they had us run 35 miles south to Lancaster, KY and pick up 44,000 pounds of scrap paper to deliver in Loudon, TN. On paper we were done at 0700(CST) for the day so we could not start back up until 1700, which we did. We hung out in the little town of Lancaster to run out our 10 hour break. Of course not much sleeping in the daylight.

This trip was 173 miles and we finished real close to 2100. Somewhere in there we got our next w/a to pick up a load of toilet paper from the same place we dropped the scrap paper. So, have you figured it out yet ? We're essentially using shredded documents that has been refined into toilet paper.

Friday we delivered the t/p in Cincinnati and ran over to the Smuckers plant close by and picked up a load of jam headed for WalMart in Robert, LA. We had another great evening in Nashville, wandering through the honkey tonks and watching Teresa play in the fountains, with the OTHER little kids.

We were planning on delivering the jam this afternoon after a long day but got a flat tire and had to wait 4 hours for a guy to come out on I59 in Mississippi to fix it.

We're in Slidell, LA, just outside of New Orleans tonight and will be in Robert by 0800, and we already have our next w/a; pick up an empty trailer there at WalMart and run up to Brookhaven, MS to get a load of pallets headed to St. Louis, MO. With an AT deliver of 1500 we should be done by 1630 on Monday.

It does seem like freight has gotten a bit busier the last week, but it could be just a mirage.

14 days till TAH.

I'm up-to-date now, no more procrastinating.

Final Stats from Las Vegas

Final report - nobody beat the house in Las Vegas.


Tracie, Teresa and Grandma, three generations.






My Mom and Baby Sophie, four generations.

Quite a gathering we had.










Tracie, Andrea, Josh and Sophie.






I left my remaining funds with Grandma and Grandpa to deposit in our bank. Surprise, surprise Grandma added a significant amount to my deposit to help pay for the airplane tickets. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa !!!


After delivering Friday morning in Little Rock we got what could be considered to be a lousy load. Pick up in Little Rock and deliver in Chicago on Monday - 600 miles - three days.


We overnighted at the W. Memphis OC on Friday and then hustled up to Cicero. We were in the middle of the storm that went through there - we didn't see a tornado but we heard there was one and the sirens were going off.

We're staying Saturday and Sunday nights at a Four Points (Sheraton) just south of Midway.


This morning we headed to Teresa's favorite breakfast place; Walker Brother's Pancake House.

One shuttle, two trains with 30 stops all the way to Wilmette, then a one mile walk. But it was worth it. We got there and walked right in, when leaving the line was out the door. They have five locations, all excellent.

















Then we headed over Millenium Park and the famous "Bean" and then to the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant park. Very busy day.












Quick trip across the street to Costco for some staples and we're ready to deliver in the morning.

Little Rock, AR

We had a GREAT TAH in Las Vegas. Andrea's boyfriend was the only one beating the casino as of the time we left on Wednesday. Grandpa paid his dues, had fun and never got lost...

I think I took 4 pictures in 5 days, we're really bad at it. Will have to post later, forgot cam in the truck.

I spent much of my time being the shuttle driver, at least it kept me from the tables.

Teresa and Grandma thought the Donny and Marie show at the Flamingo Hilton was fabulous. Grandma did have to ask the guy next to here to quit singing !!! She figured she paid to hear Donny and Marie sing not the other guy. Seemed to work, but he she thinks he held a bit of a grudge.

We left Tracie, Andrea, Josh, Scott, Jennie, Hunter and baby Sophie to spend out the rest of the timeshare week. The Hilton Vacation Club was new and very nice.

We were headed back to OKC yesterday and planning to go up to Ponca City for the evening and drive back this morning. My DBL called yesterday while we were at the airport and inquired ast to how early we could make it back on Thursday. She said another driver was on a high-value load and had a family emergency. I told her I would have Teresa drop me there Wed night instead of Thurs morning so the other driver could head home. When we got to the drop lot the driver told me his daughter had fallen off a horse and was in the hospital with a lacerated kidney. We were glad to help.

Teresa zipped up to PC to exchange our vacation bags for our work bags and got back about 2130. She was pooped out when she got back.

Now we're in Little Rock, AR at a McDonald's, cooling off. Deliver at 0800 tomorrow. Teresa will get to sleep in till 0700.

Back at it...

Tech Assist

For those not quite so tech savvy, click on the baby pictures and it will bring up the whole picture. Do it, they're very good.

Bob

Slow Blogger

Ok, so occasionally I am a recalcitrant blogger. Had a bunch of stuff going on this week with kids.
I hope that will let me off the hook a little, we've all been there.

Last night we were in Nashville, TN. Parked at the TA across from the Tennessee Titans stadium, like last year. No football game though, instead we got Taylor Swift. Not really, just her tour trucks. Looked like she had a concert there the night before.

We wandered over to Broadway where all the honky tonks are and wandered through all the places listening to the bands. We really liked the one called "Greg Campbell" appearing at the Stage. The others were so so.

This morning we motored on to St. Louis and dropped our trailer at the OC, then picked up an empty and headed out for another load. We're in Springfield, MO headed for Muskogee tomorrow. Not sure what happens after that but we're hoping they'll send us on home so we can get ready for Las Vegas.

It's misting and cold here in Springfield. Doesn't seem at all like June 3rd in MO. While I'm blogging at the McDonald's Teresa is watching Bride Wars. They have a Red Box here at the Macs, so Teresa's happy, and I don't have to watch Bride Wars....

I am surprised no one has commented on my beautiful first grand daughter. Come on get with it !!

Probably the last blog until Sunday and things start happening in LV. Take care.