You may not have noticed, but I haven't updated our blog in a LONG time.

With a few computer issues, network issues and just downright lazyness I have put it off.

I did want to post some pictures of Scott and Jennie's wedding from last Sunday. It was beautiful and we had a wonderful time.

Here's Jennie arriving and carrying baby Sophie.

This is Scott surrounded by Teresa and myself and Debra and Bill.

Debra is my ex-wife and Bill is her husband. We had a wonderful time.

Scott and Jennie prior to the nuptials.

Plus Hunter and Sophie. Sophies dress was the same color as
Jennies. Very pretty.

THE WEDDING

Charlotte, NC

We went to bed Friday night with expectation of waiting for a relay load to arrive in Edwardsville on Sunday morning, ohhh that hurts.


Saturday morning that load got canceled and our next w/a had us going across the street to Proctor and Gamble with a delivery today in Salisbury, NC. That's 742 miles and about three days to do it. That would give us time to stop in at Hartford, TN where they do the river rafting. Hooray, maybe. We got there Sunday and Saturday was the end of the season... Drat.

Anyway we had a nice evening there and delivered at noon today. We're at the Charlotte OC. Our next w/a has us picking up a load of rolled paper in Catawba, SC and delivering tomorrow night at 2100 in Danville, KY, 372 miles. We seem to be getting a lot of short loads, can't say that I like it.

While we in Edwardsville we watched these fellas piggyback 12 old Schneider trucks, 4 to a string. These old Schneider trucks are headed for Mexico.

For the record... tomorrow (8th) is my birthday - big 55.

16 days till TAH - headed to Boise for Scott and Jennie's wedding.

Not much else to report - see you in the funny pages, page 1.

Back in the Saddle

So, I made it home last week albeit a day late. Thursday instead of Wednesday. I had still opted to head back out on Monday taking 4 days off instead of 5. Low and behold, Schneider called on Friday and asked if I could pick up a load on Sunday that had to be in Lawrence, KS Monday morning. Although I told my DBL that I would prefer not, if there were no other options we would. And we did, and now we're back at it.

Back to my TAH for a minute. Saturday we went to the 133rd Annual Ponca Tribe Pow Wow.

Very interesting. Every event has a queen, just like me... this is Dana Clark.

Their costumes are very elaborate and colorful.

This little guy won the Fancy Dancer competition for kids.

After the Pow Wow we went country dancing at the Rocking Horse Saloon. Another couple saw us struggling (to put it mildly) so they each grabbed one of us and gave us a lesson. We learned three dances that night. Doesn't mean we remember them today but we had a great time.

Sunday we headed back to the truck and up into Kansas. Delivered Monday morning, right on time. Then on to Independence, MO for a pickup and delivery in Chicago Tuesday with a pickup in Chicago also on Tuesday. Then on over to an AutoZone DC in Zanesville, OH.

Yesterday after delivery we picked up at a KMart DC and dropped here at a Sears DC in Manteno, IL.

We delivered at 1300 and our next load is supposed to be ready at 1900 but my we're waiting out my 10 hour break and will pick it up at about 2300 tonight with 2 deliveries at Sears stores around St. Louis, MO at 0600 and 0900 tomorrow.

I'm not real fond of the overnight loads, since I don't sleep much during the day. After delivery tomorrow morning I'm going to make us unavailable until Saturday morning at 0700 so we gat back on a day time schedule. They (Schneider) may not like it. Oh well.

Anyway, we're back together and back at it. Since we're not independently wealthy and have to work, what more fun could you have...

My Queen likes it too.

Gary OC

Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. You know how it is. Right now the bear is getting me. I spent last night at the Indianapolis OC and left this morning for University Park, IL, on I57 just south of I80. My delivery was a drop at 1500. I got there at 0900 - had to wait somewhere. Instead of a drop, which is quick and easy, it was a live unload, which is not. Five hours. Now I'm at the Gary OC for the night.

I dropped the empty and picked up the loaded one. Delivers tomorrow 0730 in Waukegan, which is just north of Chicago. I'll leave here between 0530 and 0600 to make sure I miss traffic. Probably closer to 0530.

Today I covered 210 miles and so far tomorrow is 68. More dog bites in the butt, and not headed home yet.

We'll see what comes up after I arrive in Waukegan...

Ashville, KY

I know, lagging again, I'm blaming it on the Funny Lady for not being here to keep me in line !!!

I've been from Syracuse, NY to Pittsburgh, VA to West Virginia over to Winchester, VA thru the Washington beltway and down to the southern most part of Virginia and now in Ashville, KY.
Took 2 hours to travel 30 miles last night down I95 from D.C. I hear on Friday's it's even worse.

The load I have now was a 3 stop picker upper and it delivers in Evansville, IN tomorrow. I figure about noon.

I am pretty sure I have been over 2 of the hardest routes in my year and a half on the road, and they are both in Virginia. One is WV-55 over to VA-55. I took the other today VA-58 from Martinsville, VA to I-81. Ten percent grades and not quite hairpin turns, could hardly keep my tandems in my own lane around the sharp corners.

AND SLOW... I've had enough of the hills in VA, ready for some relatively flat land of the midwest.

This load is headed for TJ Maxx. I've got Ralph Lauren Polo stuff, roasted red peppers and artichokes and Nautica stuff.

In a perfect world I should be home some time Tuesday for TAH, looking forward to it.

Next TAH we're headed for Boise for Scott and Jennie's wedding.

Not much else to report.

Binghamtom, NY

I was trying to talk myself out of updating our blog this evening. Obviously I lost that one.

The w/a I had to be in NJ by 0900 tomorrow was canceled, the driver doing the pickup didn't make it. How does that happen ? I haven't figured it out either.

By the time I got to Warren, OH I was really pooped and hungry, not that many miles (521) but some of it was Sunday afternoon traffic and construction. Most of all the route from Canton to Youngstown was horrific. I couldn't keep track of how many 1 light towns I went through, some at 25 mph.

After delivering I was headed to a Pilot I knew of in Youngstown on I80. Didn't make it. I passed an outdoor mall with a Cici's Pizza and a Border's bookstore. Teresa doesn't particularly like Cici's, but for $5.71 I figure you can't go wrong, so I took advantage of the opportunity and then wandered around the bookstore for an hour. The parking lot was empty so I got a good quiet night of sleep.

While I was eating my next w/a came in; pick up a relay at the Seville OC and deliver in Norwich, NY between 0700 and 1000 tomorrow. So I've stopped in Binghamton for the night. Let me tell you it won't be a quiet nights rest...

Funny thing, last week Joe was giving me a geography lesson related to the location of the Watkins Glen racetrack. Guess what ? I had not yet been through the Finger Lakes region. Now I have. Drove right through on I86, beautiful country. I have also discovered the worst interstate in the country, also I86.

Tomorrow after delivering I am to deadhead to Canada. I don't have the w/a yet, just instructions to get to the shippers location.

I almost ran myself out of hours the past 7 days. I have 7 1/2 hours left for tomorrow. Will be enough to get to Ontario, but not very far after. Guess I need my navigator and watchdog...

By the way, my bruised dog bit butt has healed.

I just talked to Teresa she's just leaving Bartlesville, OK, should be home within the hour. Sounds like she had a wonderful week with Andrea and Tracie, she's a lucky lady.

Friday in Charlotte

Looks like I lost my update from yesterday.

Anyway I stopped Thursday night at the Atlanta OC. Showered and DID MY OWN LAUNDRY!!!! Yes I can do it.

This morning I left at 0430 headed for Orangeburg, SC. Only got misdirected twice. I say misdirected as I knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be but I also knew where I was supposed to be. I just couldn't find the correct roads to get there. NO ROAD SIGNS.

As I was trying to get to the Husqvarna plant my next w/a came in. From Orangeburg I went down to Savannah, GA and picked up a load and 4 hours later went right back through Orangeburg enroute to the Charlotte OC. I made it using all of my 11 and 14 hours available for the day. Hopefully I can lighten up or I'll be forced to do a reset for the first time in a year.

This load is headed for a Kmart distribution center in Warren (north of Youngstown) Ohio.

I already have my next w/a. Pick up an empty trailer there at Kmart and deadhead over to the Seville OC (also Ohio) and pick up a relay load 450 miles headed to Somerset, NJ with a 0900 AT delivery on Tuesday.

Busy Bobby...

Teresa and the girls are back in Champaign, IL. Party is over tomorrow their going to move Andrea and Josh into their new apartment.

Teresa just called and she and Tracie are relaxing in the hot tub at the Hilton Garden Hotel. Andrea got them an employee discount.

And here I work my butt off so they can soak. Something is wrong with this picture, don't you think ? NAH.