October 7 – 11, 2021

Thursday, October 7, 2021

We all arrived at the site before 7. We wanted to help the last two trucks get a head start on heir unload before we left. After all, though they had the day off yesterday, they came out to help our two trucks. So we had all the drivers and steermen, and made quick work of taking the bungees off, pulling tarps and felt, rolling them all up, and stacking them in a pile. It was a nice 48* when we started, but a hot 75 by the time we were finished!

We were ready to pull out at about 9:05, but the site supervisor decided we needed an escort to lead us out of the site. Are you kidding? We can see the gate from where we are sitting! We have been in and out of here so many times, I could do it at night blind folded! But we waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, 45 minutes later, a guy drives up in a little 4×4 ATV and leads us out. We were the first truck, and our front car was outside the gate waiting to lead us as soon as we got out. Oopps! The ATV took a left turn, and went the wrong way! LOL We can not fit out that way! So we just drove on the correct way without him. He made a quick turn, and quickly drove across the desert sand to catch back up to us, and reached the gate as we did. But the gate was locked! So we waited another 15 minutes for this guy to drive up and very slowly walk over, unlock it, and open it. We pulled out at 10:05!

We were out of New Mexico before noon, and into Colorado. I love the scenery in this part of the country!

However, as soon as we entered Colorado, the weigh station was open, so we had to pull in. Usually, they either wave us on through because we don’t fit on the scale, or just ask the driver to bring in a copy of his permit. But this time, they had us pull across the scale, and weigh each axle, then asked us to pull over, and each of us bring in our paperwork. This always takes a lot of time! But, they waved the second truck right on through!

The lead car was first” Pilot Certification. Driver license. Registration. Proof of insurance. Insurance coverage.

Then it was my turn. Pilot Certification. Driver license. Registration. Proof of insurance. Insurance coverage. “By the way”, she says, “You need to put up your roof sign before you leave here.” Oh no! I forgot to put it up before I entered the state!  There are only about 8 states that require an Oversize Load sign to be on your roof. Every other just requires them on your front and rear bumpers. Their reasoning is that if another vehicle is close behind you, the cars behind that will not see your sign down on the bumper. OK, I get that, but of those 8 states, 3 or 4 of them agree that if your sign is more than 4 feet off the ground, it satisfies that. BUT, Colorado does not agree, and though mine fulfills the spirit of the law, I am in violation of the letter of the law. They proceeded to to inspect all of Eddie’s paperwork, and after 45 minutes, we were free to leave – after they wrote Eddie a ticket for my violation. We all knew the only reason they stopped us at all was because of my sign! So they take their time in order to make it as painful as possible.

So why don’t I just put it up all the time? When it’s up, it costs me 7-9 mpg, which translates into about 200 or 300 miles less per tank of fuel. That translates into 1 or 2 fuel stops a day, as opposed to none. That is a HUGE difference when you do that every day!

The states are very clever. They write the ticket to the driver for any violations, even for the Pilot Cars, so they will help enforce that state’s laws. Some states, like NY, would write us both a ticket for it. This happened to a friend of mine in CT, and her ticket was $350. So I was expecting at least that much. I was relieved when I asked Eddie, and he told me it does not go on his driving record, and was only for $50.

Because we wanted to stay together, the other truck (now almost an hour ahead of us) parked in a large gravel lot behind a gas station just before Pueblo. We can no longer make it through Pueblo before their 4-7 curfew starts, so will have to stay here for the night, and continue on before their 6-8 morning curfew starts.  We only got 332 miles in because of the late start and early stop. Had we gotten out of the site on time, and I had my sign up, we could have made it through, and driven until dark. The other two trucks got unloaded, shrunk up, loaded their tarps and felt, and left the site shortly after we did, so may catch up to us at some point, before we split off and go in different directions. We are the only truck going back to the yard. The rest are going on to their next loading site. I got filled with fuel, and went with our lead car and the other two drivers to supper. The other lead car and steerman decided not to come with us. I bought Eddie’s supper because of the trouble I caused, and wrote him a check for $50.

During supper, we heard from one of the other drivers, and they planned to catch up and park with us before sunset. So just after we got back, and I parked between our two trucks on the left side, the other two pulled in and parked, and I took this shot as the sun was setting behind the mountains. Our two trucks were off getting fuel, and the last truck on the right was just backing in.

Friday, October 8, 2021

We left before daylight, because we can travel in the dark in Colorado! So I got this shot before the sun rose.

And these as it was rising.

We drove to York, NE after 598 miles, and parked at a truck stop there. We will have to stay here all day tomorrow because Eddie has to take his required 34 hours off. So I got a hotel, in order to spend the day there at the desk doing book work, and catching up on blogs. I had hoped to get back to the yard tomorrow, so I could attend my MN church tomorrow!

Eddie and I had supper together, as the other truck had split off, and our lead car was no longer needed, and left us as soon as we entered Nebraska.

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Today was sleeping in for 10 hours, made sausage, egg and cheese breakfast

1. 

did book work, made phone calls, and did two loads of laundry. I also picked Eddie up and we went to supper.

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Once again, it was an early start (have you noticed the theme, since May when I have been running with Eddie?) so we could make it back to the yard today. It is less than 600 miles, but we never know what traffic will be like in the construction around Minneapolis.

As we drove through a weigh station (and got flagged through) we saw one of our newest trailers sitting behind the scale house.

I’m not sure why the driver had to leave it there, but for now, it is advertising for us as all the trucks pass by! LOL

We made it just before sunset and since our route took us on the small roads around Minneapolis this time, we dodged curfew as well. We pulled in and dropped the trailer.

Look at the one we are going to take tomorrow! It’s so cute! There are 6 less axles, so 24 less tires on this one! And steering will be so simple!

I will spend the night in my van in the yard here, and get a shower in the morning before we leave.

Monday, October 11, 2021

We had several things to do on the trailer, so didn’t leave until almost 10 AM. But here we are before we pulled out.

Look at how much smaller this rig is! We are only 105 feet long instead 154.

We drove 333 miles to Fall River WI, and you better believe that I remembered to raise up my roof sign for Wisconsin before we left!

When we arrived, the driver who will be hauling the generator that our cover is for, told us we will not get loaded until tomorrow. It was only 4PM when we had stretched this trailer from 13′ wide to 15’3″ so Eddie and I went to a restaurant for supper, and got rooms at the local hotel. It was raining, and easier for both of us this way, though I missed staying at my favorite campground by the lake as I have the last three times!

Tomorrow we load at 5 AM, and will leave on our trip to Gallatin TN, just north of Nashville. Eddie already told me that our HP is a new one to us, so if he is a rookie, he will ask me to run HP, and run back to steer as needed. No problem! I have done that several times!