January 10 – 16, 2022

Oh, I forgot to add this picture in the last blog, taken after church yesterday.

Monday, January 10, 2022

We were up early, and parted ways at the hotel.

It was a wonderful weekend together, and seems to get more difficult to say goodbye, having no idea how long it will be before we see each other again. But that is life right now. I met my driver and our HP guy, and we were off again toward our delivery out near Richmond, VA.

We were soon in the hills of West Virginia, which has it’s own beauty.

We never planned to make it all the way to the delivery site today. We can not unload until Wednesday, so can not park on site until tomorrow.

During the day, the dispatcher called me and asked if I would stay with this load, taking it back to the yard in MN by Friday afternoon or Saturday, and then leave with this same driver Sunday to load in Rockford IL, and take that load to Sterling VA. No problem for me! I already knew my diver was going back to the shop, but I also knew that with this little trailer, he no longer needed a rear escort after he hit the IL line, so now, because they need me from the shop on Sunday, they will go ahead and pay me to to take him all the way!

If I had just one more day, I could get the side slider door glass ordered in time for it to be there by Friday, and get my cracked one replaced Saturday. You may remember that a rock hit it several months ago, and it has about 10 spider cracks from that spot, but is not a stock item, and needs a week to get it to a glass shop, so though I made the insurance claim, I have just been living with it. Once again, with this short notice, it won’t work, plus, the place isn’t even open on Saturday. But, I am looking forward now to another visit to that Chiropractor! I’ll wait a day or so before making an appointment with him, though – just in case things change!

Our goal was to park at the truck stop just off interstate 81 in Raphine VA, and we made it there after many slow trips up those hills. It was a 406 mile day.

Now here is why I call these 7 axle trailers cute. Check this out. We parked our 7 axle trailer right next to a 13 axle trailer, like the ones I usually work with. Notice that the 13 axle trailer is parked ahead of our 7 axle. It is at least 10 feet longer here.

Now look at the back of the trailers. That 13 axle trailer is a lot longer still!!

That makes us feel so little! LOL But, everything is still just as serious. We are wide, heavy, long, and tall, and can never let our guard down.

Tomorrow we plan to make the short trip on into the site and park. The truck with the generator for our top shell (which is often referred to as “the house”) was a day behind, but plans to meet us there at the site.

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

We never take chances, and assume that since we have a short trip, we can just relax and leave a little later. No, there are too many things that can go wrong to do that. This is the same run, and the same driver that I came here with before Thanksgiving. Then the dispatcher let me leave from here to drive up to MA early, and replaced me for this part of the run.

Today, we took the rest of the trip in stride, and the truck with our generator caught up to us, as planned, just before we got to the site. In fact, after we made the final turn before the site, we pulled over, and waited about 7 minutes for him to catch us, and pass us, so he would be in front of us when we parked. Just like clockwork!!

We parked at the site just after noon, and parked next to a small crane. It was just after noon, and we had only driven 138 miles today.

Both drivers unhooked and we drove off to a hotel, which had no rooms cleaned yet for us. It would be several hours before they would have one ready for me, but since I am such a regular customer to their chain, they will call me when I can move in.

I went out to my van, did a quick search, and and found there was a Best Buy only about 15 miles away! I called, and they had stock on my drone, and said they would make the exchange. He looked up my account, and told me all I need to bring in was the drone and the controller, because we would swap out just those, and not all the accessories. He also told me that my exchange window was about to close, so if I didn’t do it within the next 48 hours, I would have to send it off to the manufacturer for a replacement, which could take a month or more. So I drove off, and was there within 45 minutes. The guy at the Customer Service counter was a drone enthusiast, and anxious to hear  what was wrong, because they very seldom see problems with these. I told him it will not fly sade to side, and when it goes forward, it will always climb up as well. I offered to show him, but he said that was not needed. He put the drone and controller in a plastic bag, and called an associate to got get a new one from their stock. He brought back a new one in the large package with the extra batteries and accessories, and put it on the counter. I began talking to that associate (a young guy in his late teens) about how cool it is to fly, and he began to ask me questions about it. I think he is going to buy one now! LOL

Then the guy hands me a receipt, and that new box, and I said “Oh no, you can’t do that! I just gave you the drone and the controller, you can’t give me this huge package!” He said “Oh no. You just take it!” “No”, I argued, “I’m not looking to steal anything here, let me talk to your Manager, and make sure that is what he wants to do here.” “No need,” he said. “I already talked to him, and he is the one who told me to do it this way, so just take it. Remember, I fly too, and know how much all of this is worth, so I made sure he knew what he was doing, but he said to give this to you.” WOW! That was worth hundreds of dollars!

I walked outside, drove to the vacant rear of the lot, updated the firmware, put the propellers on, and took it up. It flew side to side, and front and back without going up, and there were no error messages, so I brought it down. As I was putting it away, the hotel called and said my room was ready!

I went back, checked in, took both drivers to supper at a local restaurant. We went to a steakhouse to celebrate our safe delivery!

I took them back to the hotel, and went to bed early.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

We were at the site well before daylight, and had the tarps off the front truck with the generator, and had them all folded by the time the crane crew told us they were ready for him to unload.

They unloaded the generator, bolted it down, then unloaded another truck carrying the radiator and assembly, and installed that. It was well after lunch by the time they were ready to unload us, so we pulled up, and quickly got it lifted off, and shrunk our trailer back down to 14′ wide.

We left at about 2 PM, drove 228 miles just it into West Virginia, to a small truck stop there. That was our last good place to stop, even though it was still a little early. With about 40 minutes of daylight still left, I decided to take my drone up for a nice shot. Boy, was I surprised to see this come up on my screen!!

Oh, no! I have to return this one as well! Meanwhile, my driver had a Pilot Car guy come and talk to him. He was deadheading back home from being a 3rd car for one of our other drivers we had passed going the other way today. He said to him, “Do you already have your 3rd car lined up for tomorrow, or should I just stay here and do it for you tomorrow?” My driver said, “Thanks, but I don’t need a 3rd car.” “Check your permit, because since you are 14 wide instead of 12, you absolutely do need a 3rd car.” He did, and he did!

So the three of us went to supper there at the truck stop. I forgot to take a picture as the sun was setting.

I stayed up late in my van, researching this new problem, and finally found that there was no way for me to fix it without taking it apart, and seeing if something was stuck. I’m not going to void the warrantee after owning it for 24 hours, not knowing if I can actually permanently fix it. So now I need to get to another Best Buy with one in stock! I slept right there at the truck stop.

Thursday, January 13, 2022

We left the truck stop at daybreak, with our empty trailer, and front escort leading us up and down the hills of West Virginia. Our plan was to make it well into Illinois today, and then to the shop by Friday afternoon, although we knew we would eventually hit some snow along the way.

Our 3rd car dropped off after we left WV, and a few minutes later, dispatch called me. Plans changed!! LOL Now they need me to drop off with this driver once we reach the IL line, and he no longer needs a rear car. From there, I need to head south to meet up with another driver to pick up a used 13 axle trailer the company just bought in KY, take it to be serviced at the plant where they make them, in Cincinnati, pick up a brand new 9 axle trailer there, and then head to Rockford IL to load, and be this driver’s steerman to Sterling VA. No problem!

So we made it to the IL line after 506 miles, and I dropped off, took off my signs and flags, and headed south. It was an additional 255 miles for me, and I arrived at about 9:30 at the used trailer in that small truck stop. My new driver was already there, and decided we would hook up at 8 once all the trucks already parked for the night around it had puled out. So I went to a large gas station up the street that was a lot less crowded, and slept in my van there. It won’t go down below about 20° tonight, so I will be fine with no heat.

Friday, January 14, 2022

We met at the trailer at 8, and went over it. We needed to make sure it would be safe to pull, that all the lights worked, the 36 tires had air, pony motor runs, steering works, and all the wheels roll. It has been sitting there at that truck stop for just over 2 months. We found that everything worked, except the pony motor. So no steering, and no raising the towers. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem, since we will be only 12′ wide and empty, although we will be 154 feet long. By the time we had it ready to roll, our permits arrived by email. So we printed them out, and hit the road.

It was just 85 miles up to Cincinnati. We had no issues, and pulled in there late morning. After asking where they wanted it,, we pulled it around back past what I call their bone yard. (where they keep old pieces of trailers, and ones that are in for repair)

and parked beside their shop.

Check out the new one with a sharp new paint job, and classy chrome wheels!!

By abut 11:30 we were about ready to leave, and head to Rockford IL, so went inside to use the bathroom. Check out this painting on the wall in their breakroom. It is a picture of one of the largest trailers they have built here.

On our way out the door, dispatch called my driver. Change of plans! LOL Can we both take my van and do a quick site survey before we leave? Sure, we will take a short trip up to that site, and see that the trailer planned for this load will get the control building into a new electrical sub station being built there. After all, we can not load in Rockford IL until Monday. We both got in my van. I put the address into my GPS system, and turned to my driver and said “Bob, this is no quick site survey! The site is over 200 miles away, and will take us three and a half ours just to get there!” Are you kidding me??!! Nope! We laughed, and pulled out, joking about spending some quality time together! LOL

These drivers all spend so much time alone in their trucks, that they find it difficult not to smoke in my van. But, they all know my rules: You must completely finish your smoke outside, and take at least 3 full breaths to clear your lungs, before getting in my van. I had to stop once for him to take a smoke break, so filled the van and used the bathroom! Along the way, the owner called me, and asked if I would send him the video from my front dash cam for the last 2 miles or so of the small roads.

I took a few pictures, and my driver took several more. The first problem is that left turn ahead in the video below. We could make the turn if it weren’t for that fire hydrant on the left. See it? Those have no mercy! We can pull the signs out, or have them removed before we get there. But the hydrant can not be moved, and there is soft grass on the right before the turn, and trees on the outside of the turn that won’t allow the truck to get a bigger bite on the turn.

This next picture may not seem like a problem to you, but there is a serious tilt to the right as we make the turn, so the trailer will have too have a lot of lift in order not to drag across that “hill”.

But the next problem was the biggest. We need to cross a tiny bridge that is only 24″ wider than the load, and immediately turn a hard right into the site. We took some measurements. The 100 foot trailer will still be on the bridge when the tractor is turning into the site road, so will not make it across the bridge at the angle that will result. In addition, there is a severe 6 foot drop-off on the right just after the bridge that the trailer tires will drop off into. While the trailer is still getting off that bridge, the tractor will then need to take aa hard left, which will put the trailer into a large tree there. Hope, the trailer will never make it! Not going to happen! This is why we do these site surveys!

My driver called the owner, and discussed it. There is just one solution: The customer will have to pay the extra needed to use one of the new trailers, like the one I took from VA to Nashville, where all the axles turn, so it pivots in the center, and can make the turns.

My driver took a “long smoke” and decided he could make it all the way back without a stoop. Ha Ha I knew that was not going to happen!!

Shortly after we left, we passed this office building. I have never seen anything like this before. They designed it to look like a giant picnic basket! My driver freaked out as I grabbed my phone while I was driving in the left lane, and got this shot!

Little does he know that I do that all the time! LOL

We strategically arranged a stop for a fast food supper on the way back so he could grab a smoke before getting back in my van. We arrived back at the truck, hooked to that new trailer in the yard. It was now about 9:15. After he got out, I called Annalou, and we talked as I drove to an all night gas station with the windows open to air out my van from the smoke smell on his jacket. I downloaded the dashcam video, edited it, and transcoded it before I went to sleep there in my van at 11:30. It was a 466 mile day.

Saturday, January 14, 2022

I got up at about 6 or so. I had filled with fuel last night, so just needed to get myself ready. Once I did, I set up my internet hot spot, grabbed that video of the site survey, and began the upload from my laptop to Vimeo, so it would do it’s thing while I traveled to truck and new trailer about 20 minutes away.

I arrived while it was still dark, and got my flags and signs on my van. Then I thumped all 50 tires on the truck and trailer to be sure there were no low ones, and checked the pony motor, as well as the steer system. I don’t ever want to assume it is locked in self steer, because I made that mistake once very early on, and it went wild on it’s own as he pulled out. Thankfully, it slammed into my van, bending the rear door hinge, instead of slamming into the truck parked next to us! I later had someone use a large sledge hammer to fix it, but it was a lesson well learned!

We pulled out at daybreak, and began our journey to Rockford, IL. My driver thought about stopping about 35 miles short today at a large truck stop, then driving in the rest of the way tomorrow, but we were making very good time, so I was able to talk him into just going the distance today. My feeling is that if I’m going to buy a hotel two nights in a row, I want to get the most out of it by having the day off there in between! So that is what we did, traveling 400 miles. We parked at the load site, he unhooked, and we both checked into the hotel. We each decided we had plenty of food onboard, so I was on my own for the evening. I looked out of my hotel room, and what did I see across the street? A Best Buy sign!!

So I called, and yes, they had stock, and yes, they would do the return tonight before they closed at 7. I drove over, just so I would have access to everything I had. But this time, the plan was to return the entire package for a new package. This time was much like the last, in that the guy behind the Customer Service desk was in his late teens, a fellow drone enthusiast, and extremely interested in my story. He also had never heard of anyone having either of my problems – much less, having both! So he also was eager to make the swap, and help me get back in the air again! I walked out, but this time it was already dark, so I did not want to take it up on it’s first test flight when I couldn’t see it!

So I went back to my room, unpacked it,

and began the firmware updates, and did the calibrations before going to bed.

Sunday, January 16, 2022

I was not able to find a church that interested me, and had a full day planned, so did not go to church. the main thing on my list was to get my van washed. It’s not just the looks, although that is horrible. I just can not stand the thought of all the salt, chloride, and sand mashed up in my radiator! Because my van is so tall, here is what I do. I do a search for self service car washes in my area. I never will fit in an automatic wash of any kind, nor do I want that high pressure, or cloths or rollers damaging my vinyl logo on the sides and back. I mush prefer doing it myself. The searches bring my back both self service, automatic, as well as short and tall bays. Each has a phone number, and several have pictures, but here’s the thing. No one answers a self service car wash phone, so I basically have to decide on a route that covers about 8-10 places, and spend sometimes almost two hours driving from one to the next to find a self service wash with high doors I can fit in.

I ran into my driver while I was having breakfast. Yes, this hotel had a real breakfast. Eggs (fake, of course) and sausage, instead of just carbs and sugar. We discussed our day, and he mentioned he was going to stop by and stretch out the trailer this afternoon, so I offered to help him.

On just my third stop, the automatic wash place had a guy outside taking orders for detailing inside. So I asked him if he knew of a place in town that would take on my van, and he said they could. Really? Yes, they had an inside bay where they can hand wash it. Well, for an outrageous price, of course. But I felt that the rest of my day was worth the $50 fee, so I pulled it inside. My van is so long, that there was less than 2 feet from the back to the garage door, so I figured they’d have to open it to wash the back. I barely had room to fit in there to loosen my back sign so they could wash it. I also put up the roof sign so they could wash that, before going t wait in their customer room.

They called me to come get it, and the first thing I saw was that they hadn’t washed anything on the roof! What a contrast of a bright clean van with a horribly dirty roof AC on top! We argued, and finally they said their manager could possibly reach it. They called me back again, and I saw they had done a sloppy job, but I knew it was all I was going to get. So I backed  out, feeling as if this should have been the best wash I could imagine, and it was the worst. Oh well, at least the radiator was cleaned out!

As I was backing out, my driver called me, and said he was at the trailer, so I told him I’d be there in 10 minutes. We stretched the trailer out in15 minutes! the fastest ever, even though it was well below freezing. That’s because it’s brand new, with no roads dirt inside all the sliding cross members. So now was the perfect time to make a test flight with my new drone!

And it worked!!

I was soooo relieved! FINALLY back in the air again after almost 6 weeks!

As I was putting my drone back in it’s case, I noticed that the wash guys had apparently used the pressure washer on the vinyl on my rear windows without opening their garage door, because they destroyed the top layer of it! I stopped for some errands on my way, but went back to the wash place. I showed the their damage, and explained that it will now cost me $300 to have it replaced, but all I want is my money back. The guy admitted that he did not open the door, and did use the pressure washer, so there is no possible way he did not do the damage. The manager didn’t agree. He said I would have to prove that it was in perfect condition when they closed the door on it, and that it was destroyed before I backed it out. He made it clear they would do nothing about it, and that there was no way I could prove they did. By then all the guys in the place were standing around, watching, and began to laugh and mock me. Can you even believe that? They obviously knew they were at fault, but won the stand-off. These certainly are the End Times, where people are selfish, lovers of themselves, and money! I just got in and drove away.

I returned to my room, and caught up on invoices, receipts, deposits, emails, reconciled a bank statement, did some food prep, looked over the permits, and spent 2 hours putting the route into both GPS systems. Then I went to bed.

Tomorrow we meet at the site at 5AM. I know how it will go, so let’s see if I’m right or not. Three other trucks arrived today, and we are pretty sure we will not be the first to load. My guess is that we will all be there at 5, and will help other trucks load before us, but we will not load until after lunch by ourselves. Then, we may not have time to even travel tomorrow. Let’s see how this goes!