February 1 – 7, 2021

 

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February 1, 2021

When we left the site, our goal was to make it back to Columbus WI by the end of the day Wednesday so we could load Thursday morning. We needed to average about 500 miles a day to make it, and today was already half over! In our favor, our permit route was almost all highway because we were empty and just 12′ wise (so take up only one lane – all of it!)  We had no speed limit restrictions, but still had to abide by the city rush hour curfews, and the state sunset curfews that we pass through.

We beat the curfew through Albuquerque curfew with plenty of time to spare, and were on our way.

We were able to keep up our pace with no slowdowns and no stops, and 388 miles later, were parked at a wide spot on the side of a small road near     . . .

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. . . right at sunset curfew!

I don’t know how far the front car had to drive to find a hotel, but I drove back 14 miles to a truck stop, made supper, and slept in my van.

Tuesday February 2, 2021 

I got up early enough to go in and take a shower, bought two sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches, threw away the bread, and put it into one of my Keto friendly wraps to eat later.  I was at the truck early, did my checks, put my signs and flags back up on my van, and got my GPS system up and running before the other car showed up. We pulled out onto the road at the exact second that curfew lifted, and were again on our way! We passed through Liberal KS as we crossed into the state, and then on through the wind towers near Spearville.

There are windmills on both sides of the road,

and I helped deliver almost 100 of them as HP several years ago. And, they are still adding more by the looks of it!

What a huge difference just a few days makes! When we came through here on our way down, it was snowing, and in single digits. Today, it was 52* as we passed through the fields! After 606 miles, we parked at sunset in a truck stop. We had to pull in, then I steered him back and 90* to the right, and we made a U-turn, and backed him into a spot where we knew we could pull straight out of in the morning even though more trucks would surely park next to ours during the night. Our front car left for a hotel, and my driver and I went to the Mexican Restaurant at the truck stop, and then I slept in my van again in a quiet spot behind the gas pumps.

Wednesday February 3, 2021

Oh, my driver got a call yesterday. Plans changed! Remember when he drove back to the shop last weekend to have his truck fixed? Well, that was a temporary fix, and he needs to get it back to the shop to get a whole new axle put on.  The office decided not to have him pull another load until it gets the replacement axle, and is permanently fixed. So another truck will go to WI to load tomorrow, and we will drive back to the shop near Minneapolis today. I don’t know what my next assignment will be.

As we reached the Iowa state line, we no longer needed a front car, so our lead car dropped off and we continued on together. The temperature had been dropping all day, and we began to see snow on the sides of the road.

By the time we reached Minnesota, even the trees were covered in frosty snow.

We got through the Minneapolis curfew with more than an hour to spare, and reached the shop by mid afternoon. I went in to discuss my future with dispatch, and found that my next assignment will be to leave here Sunday with another driver and load in Columbus WI on Monday.  We will be taking another generator to Ohio.

Because of the weather prediction of highs below zero this weekend, I checked in to a hotel, made a Keto roll and cooked a hamburger for supper.

I scheduled a windshield replacement for Friday because one of the 4 large cracks is heading into my line of vision. Once it does, I could get stopped, which would jeopardize the load I’m with at that time. I’ll get an oil change tomorrow, buy some groceries, plan my meals and pre-cook some if I can. So it will be a quiet few days in the cold once again.

Thursday February 4, 2021

I slept in until almost 8, and found that they serve a hot breakfast here! Masks must be worn, with plastic gloves on before you may enter the room! LOL Then each egg patty or sausage patty is wrapped individually in aluminum foil! I took mine back to my room, because I’ve never eaten with plastic gloves on before! LOL

I was able to confirm with my insurance company and the glass company that my windshield will be replaced tomorrow, so stopped by the glass company for them to verify the windshield.  There are so many options that affect the windshield these days! Knowing everything was certain, I began removing the windshield lights and front dash cam so it will be ready in the morning.  Knowing I’d be doing this fairly often, I designed both systems so that the wiring has a plug for each at the right spot so it can be done rather quickly. I checked in at the dispatch office again, and did some grocery shopping in St Cloud. I found an 8.5 lb pork tenderloin for about $13 which will give me about 6-7 supper meals! Then I got my oil changed, stopped at the shop and washed my van, and had supper at one of my favorite buffet restaurants. The Pizza Ranch serves a wonderful pizza, salad, and chicken buffet with all the fixings. I haven’t needed to use my Instant Pot very much lately, so was happy to bring it in to the hotel. Since there was no room for the pork loin and rotisserie chicken in the little hotel refrigerator, I just left them in my van, since it will be down to about zero tonight. Speaking of the cold, I decided to spend 20 minutes in the hot tub before I went to bed.

Friday February 5, 2021

I was up early, took the frozen meat out of my van and put them in the bath tub, dropped off my van, and came back with the loaner car, and cooked the pork loin in the Instant Pot.  Look at all the pulled pork I got from that!

I went to pick up my van, and learned something you may not know. Auto glass is not what it used to be.  All the glass manufacturing plants in this country are owned by China. So all the glass for new vehicles or replacement is either shipped over from China, or made here in a China owned company.  That means there is no competition, quality has gone down, and prices have gone way up. I remember replacing my windshield for my pickup truck for a little over $100.  Today’s replacement cost the insurance company well over $700!

I stopped in at the office again, picked up two more packages I had received, and found that plans have changed again.  The load I was scheduled for Monday from Wisconsin as steerman to Omaha has been delayed indefinitely by the receiving location. So, I am now scheduled for Tuesday from Wisconsin as HP going to Salt Lake City. A HP load is welcome right now, having just had my windshield replaced.  I love to get at least one job in before I get the first ding or crack in it – and I just might do that by being in front!  I put the cut up chicken and the pulled pork back in my van to deep freeze tonight. For supper, I cooked some thin slices of steak, mixed with sliced onions and green peppers. Another 20 minutes in the hot tub finished my day.

Saturday February 6, 2021

Chilly morning! 6 below zero! Getting stir crazy! Still busy with plenty to do, so no time to watch TV or anything, but I want to get back on the road and make an income!

Yesterday, a driver from Maine who I have worked with enough to consider a good friend, called me, and asked me if I would consider a rather different request.  He will be with his friend and producer in a Christian radio station in Maine, and they would like to help encourage people to call in between songs with testimonials. That sounded like fun, and I had a devotional ready several months ago that I never had the chance to give, so I called in just after lunch.  It was different for me, and felt rewarding.

Because it was Saturday, I drove over to the shop to see if I could find an empty bay there and not be anyone’s way. I found one, and noticed that the owner and his son were in the office.  I went in to ask, and they said it was fine, and if I want, I could pull my van in for the night, and stay there for the night! Wow! I would, but had already bought the hotel room. However, it was tempting, because I’m a little uncomfortable with what might freeze inside tonight because it is supposed to get down to 17 below! I used the heated shop to replace the broken flag holders on my roof that were delivered yesterday, and got my roof strobe lights working again.

Check out my awesome steak, onion and green pepper, double cheese pizza for supper at the hotel!!

I plan to start my van several times tonight with the remote starter, because of the super cold temperature. I want it to start for me in the mornig so I can go to church.

Sunday February 7, 2021

It was 20 below zero when I got up, and warmed up to -18 when I left for church. It was an Assemblies of God church of about 200 people. The Pastor is in week 3 of a 9 week teaching on End Time prophesy, and spoke on Daniel 9, which I thought was very well done, and I learned a lot, and had a lot of questions.

I didn’t get a chance to talk with him, but they told me I was welcome to come to their Superbowl Bash this evening which included a Chili Cook-off contest. So I did.

It wasn’t until after their halftime events and winner’s presentation that he came over to me. We talked through the 3rd quarter, and there was only 5 minutes left in the game when we were finished! Fascinating! He has been studying End Time prophesy for quite a few years. Though I have never had the opportunity to get into studying it in depth, I have always been fascinated with it.

I learned a lot from him, and he was very interested in my perspective. So glad I got that opportunity!

So the plan is for me to check out of the hotel at 10, fill up with fuel, and drive over to the shop. I will be with the same driver I had for the last few weeks. He has to move out of his truck, and into a loaner so his can be repaired. (Parts got delayed) Then someone will drive his out to him, wherever we are, when it it finished, and drive the loaner back to the shop.