Trucking

I’ve been home a couple of days, had the truck worked on, that’s always fun! I had them check a status message that keeps coming up on the dash. Basically it’s like the Check Engine light. It could be important or not. They wanted $4250 to fix it. At first I thought they said $42.50 because it’s such a minor deal. But apparently not. A couple of valves they replaced in Feb ‘07 need to be replaced again. Nope, don’t think so. It’s running fine. Maybe a small loss of power, but I’m hauling very light loads, I only notice it going up a hill, I don’t run up a hill as fast as usual. I think I’ll wait and/or get a second opinion on this one. The fog/driving lights fixed and a belt replaced that was getting worn. Minor stuff this time.

Twitter is what updates the top of the right sidebar “Where Are We”. Twitter has become so popular lately they’ve been having trouble handling all the traffic. Kind of a cool idea, I don’t update a lot because I don’t want to bother people just to say I’m having a cup of coffee. The video explains it very well and it’s kind of cute and entertaining. If you already have Twitter or decide to sign up, I’m AdvTrucking if you want to follow me.

Things might be picking up or I got lucky. Probably lucky. I did that load for Graebel Van Lines into Brooklyn. I had to drive all day to pick it up and then all night to deliver it. Bohemian had 5 trucks on the east coast, Graebel gives me a load immediately going west. I figure if I hadn’t have done one, I wouldn’t have gotten the load I’m on now.

Driving south on I-5 in Oregon, through a construction zone, I’m driving around a curve and a deer is in the left lane. He must have jumped over the barrier in the middle trying to get across. He stands there for a second, then moves into my lane. I didn’t have anywhere to go, I swerved a little bit and hit him with the left fender instead of the center of my radiator. I see his head and neck hit the top of my fender right above the headlight and he goes under the tires on the left side.

After the initial crunch and crash, I hear a scraping sound and it doesn’t sound good. Luckily there’s a small shoulder before the shoulder gets closed from construction. I’m on the side of the road trying to bend my fender away from my front tire. The headlight is fine, but the driving / fog light on the left side is smashed and the fender is bent and cracked.

Thankfully, It’s drivable, headlights work, nothing major bent and no fluids are leaking. Pretty lucky from a pretty big deer, I’ve seen a lot worse damage done to a truck. I’ve always wanted one of these and it’s always been on my list of things to get for the truck. It’s on my Christmas list if anyone’s interested Click on the picture for the site. These are built for Moose and really big deer in Canada. Almost every Canadian truck has one of these bumpers. I’m sure they are a little intimidating if you’re the car in front of a truck that’s tailgating, oh well. They do work. In the fall, Ohio and Pennsylvania are dangerous driving at night from all of the deer jumping on the road.

I’m in San Jose now getting unloaded and if there’s nothing going south, I’ll be going home empty. It’s been way too long.

Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less has a national ad campaign, here’s their 30 second spot.

If you haven’t signed the petition yet, immediately go to American Solutions and to contribute to keep this commercial going go here.

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If you zoom out you’ll notice this is Brooklyn. This is where I delivered today. I’ve said before I’m not going into NYC ever again. Oh well. I get in just fine, found the place, actually drove right by it because it’s literally a hole in the wall and went around the block. Had to drop the trailer and let the crew unload while I parked a mile away and tried to sleep.

This is from google maps, street view. Just imagine a big 53′ foot trailer dropped where the white car is.

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I had to drop the trailer because the tractor was blocking the intersection right in front. The problem I have is getting out of New York. Manhatten is the worst, I really, really don’t go into Manhatten anymore. Brooklyn is almost truck friendly, in a New York City kind of way.

One major problem with driving a semi around New York City is the low bridges. The problem is overpasses are not properly marked. I couldn’t find a quick example in google map street view and usually I’m a little too busy to be taking pictures. Maybe next time. Anyway, a bridge marked 12′ 2″ is usually a problem. Not always in NYC, it has something to do with the lack of snow removal or so I’ve heard. I know places that are definitely marked 12′2″ and they’re on the expressway and they’re safe because I’ve followed other trucks. That’s just one of the many challenges that face big trucks in New York City.

I’m sure I would get better if I did it more, but I really don’t want to do it more to find out. Between the traffic, the construction and the traffic through the construction, I don’t know why people would live there on purpose. I’d like to go back and take a car around, it’s definitely an interesting place.

Once you’re in, you would never have to leave. It’s incredible how each neighborhood had absolutely everything you would ever need within a few blocks. Every few blocks is like a different country. It’s no wonder almost every movie made has been in made or sometimes made to look like New York City.

And thirty years of “We need an energy policy” from both sides.

Now they say it will be 10 years before we see oil from offshore or from Alaska and it won’t make any difference. Not so much. If the market / speculators / OPEC saw that we were serious about using our own resources the fear that’s built into the market would diminish to next to nothing. There are some that don’t think it would take that long. Maybe for the offshore rigs because there’s more involved and we don’t have the equipment and ships ready to go, a massive offshore project would take awhile. But for ANWR? Probably a lot quicker. The pipeline is already there, the infrastructure and support systems are already there or close by.

Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less at American Solutions and American Energy Now.

I was almost without a laptop till I got home. The iGo power cord is basically in four sections. One goes to the wall or dc power (cigarette lighter), a fairly big power converter unit, then a cord from there to the final plug adapter, plugging into whatever device you are powering. Laptop, pda, phone, whatever. One piece broke, the same piece that broke last time. I knew I had a spare somewhere, last time it broke I couldn’t find it and ordered another one from ebay, this time I found the spare unit and all is well, God loves me and wants me to have a computer.

I should be driving instead of downloading podcasts at the Flying J in Limon, Co. I’ve got about 980 miles to go to Dallas and was hoping to be there Monday afternoon, but that was being a little too optimistic, seeing how I need to sleep and Willie can’t drive (yet). Tuesday morning will have to do, I’m still getting reloaded for Phoenix, the only question will be Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. Then it’s a 1000 mile sprint to get to Phoenix before the holiday. Then I’m going home.

I’ve given up on National politics, it’s too sickening. I did find some Nevada and Las Vegas podcasts I’m going to listen and pick the best ones to follow. Good thing we’re not electing a King, though it kind of seems like it this election. Whoever it is has to work with the Congress. This will probably be the first time I’m going to know what I’m doing in a local election. At least until I get tired of the rhetoric, lies and pandering of the local politicians.

I wrote in Life on the Road I didn’t think a freight recovery was going to happen any time soon, but hings seem to be picking up, it may be just a fluke and may not last. Up until now I’ve would complete a load and then wait for days and days for another load. Lately, I’ve actually had one load right after another and I actually had bonus freight on this last trip, which hasn’t happened in forever. I seem to be busy, but still broke. I’m getting decent rates, but fuel is out-freaking-ragous. I haven’t personally seen $5.00 a gallon, but it’s out there. I’ve mostly seen above $4.60 - $4.75.

I could have been loading today (Saturday) if someone would have called the shipper before everyone left on a Friday afternoon. The load is ready and they’re ready for me on Monday, oh well. At least the weather is cooperating so I don’t have to idle or even have the generator running. I’ve got food, WIFI a nice area for Willie walks and no one parked next to me. I’ll take the weekend off and get loaded on Monday and drive like a bat… to Dallas to deliver Wednesday morning and reload Wednesday afternoon for Phoenix, as long as nothing changes, which has been known to happen a few times before.

I don’t believe it! I had 40′ of truck leftover after one stop and actually found something decent to fill it up with. Office furniture going to Idaho. Pays pretty well, especially on top of the truck load that the 10′ is pay for. Chairs are going to be a day late getting to Salt Lake City, but they’ll get over it.

I’ve been driving about 65 mph and getting about 7.5 and 8.0 mpg, chairs are really light. Had to do something to make up for all the tolls going east out of upstate NY. Between Ohio and Indiana it’s starting to add up. I decided to spend the 50 miles and go 80 to 39 north going way around Chicago instead of 294 toll and 90 toll roads. It’s tough enough to get a decent paying load and between fuel and tolls, there really isn’t much left. That’s why this extra bonus freight came up at a good time. I’ll have to blast through Nebraska at 75 blowing any gains in fuel mileage.

Oh well, it’s always something.

I’ve been using Jott.com for over a week and it is SO COOL! If I’m listening to something on the radio while I’m driving, I speed dial Jott and jott “self” and speak whatever I want to remember for later, even set a reminder. I’ve got my Jott setup with my Google Calendar so if I want something on my calendar, I jott “calendar” and the event is set in my Google calendar.

I can also Jott a blog post. Haven’t tried that yet, but I have sent a Jott to Twitter. When Jott sends something to Twitter, it also has a link to the actual voice recording if you want to listen to the actual voice message. If you’re using almost any other online reminder system Jott will interface with it.

I also have my office as a contact so all I have to do is Jott an email contact and speak my email. Good for checking in my location if I don’t need (or want) to talk to the office. If I remember something I need the next shopping trip I make, I jott my Shopping list and whatever I say goes on a seperate list. I also have a ToDo list I can Jott to. Pretty cool.

I’m procrastinating getting back in the trailer and folding blankets for a new trip tomorrow morning, This is the first time in a long time I’ve had a trip back to back. I’m in Connecticut and reload in upstate NY going back west to Salt Lake City. Things are good at the moment.

With all of the new cell phones coming out, I was usually in the store the next day when I was eligible for the “free” phone upgrade. Not anymore. Cellphones have kind of peaked. They’re not getting any smaller and the features have been about the same for a couple of years. Except for Smart phones which I didn’t feel could replace my laptop and since my laptop was always with me in the truck, why spend the extra just so I could get my email a little faster? Smartphones have come down in price now and I think my free upgrade would actually be free or for very little for a Blackberry.

I’m now month to month with Verizon since my two year contract ran out and I haven’t upgraded anything. Cindy’s two years is up in September. The new Blackberry Bold is very tempting and has great reviews from almost everyone. In September we may be getting new phones and I need to look at the difference between Verizon and Sprint. Verizon service, quality and coverage has been pretty good. Sprint I think comes in second or about the same for coverage. So it may be time to switch. I may keep my laptop card Verizon only because no one gives a package deal (that I know of) so I can split services with no problem.

A Blackberry might be pretty cool. Real email everywhere, almost real browsing and the screen on the Bold is supposed to be bigger and brighter, might be worth waiting a couple of more months. It’s supposed to be at Sprint and AT&T in August and Verizon in September.