January 25 – 28, 2022

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

We were all at the site early, well before 7AM. Four drivers and three steerman. That one new steerman that was not catching on, was released after we parked last Friday, along with all the HPs – except one. She will replace that steerman as a chase on the way back. If the trailer needs to be steered, one of the other three of us will jump in and do it for her. We all sat and waited for instructions. I was in the middle, with two trucks in front of me

and two trucks behind me.

As it turned out, they had a much larger crane there than they needed. So he was positiond where he could unload all four generators without having to move. Very unusual, and as you may know now from my blogs, moving a crane can take hours and hours! So they took us in rapid succession. The truck in the rear backed up under the crane, and we all helped loosen the chains, put them away, and then he pulled up and off to the side. While most of us helped that one shrink to 12 feet wide, the next one backed under.

Once they lifted that one off,

we repeated the process, until we were all unloaded and shrunk up. There were four new lead cars waiting, so we all immediatel pulled out at 11 AM. Four hours to unload 4 trucks. That has to be a new record! We were off and running!

We just didn’t know yet where we were going! We all had permits for half way back to the yard in MN. That is not unusual, because remember, they are only good for a few days, so if we get delayed for some reason, they don’t want to have to spend hundreds of dollars to update the dates on all the remaining permits. But in this case, when there was talk of parking the trailers along the way, everyone was wondering. . . .

We were truck 3, and the other two trucks managed to pull away from us, so a gap developed. By the time sunset was approaching, we knew that we would not make it to where the first two were planning to park. We just did not want to take the chance of not making it, and getting busted for it. Not in Ohio anyway! So the second two of us just made it 316 miles to Belmont OH, and parked in a rest area there. It was too cold for sleeping in my van, so I took a hotel.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

We had high hopes for the day, so pulled out 30 minutes before sunrise, as the curfew allows. We hit the road running, and didn’t let up!

Somewhere along the line, we all got the rest of our permits, and knew we were all heading back to the shop. Why don’t they tell any of us what is going on, or what the plan is? None of us know the answer to that!

We made excellent time, but had a significant head wind most of the day. As a result, we had to stop along the way to let me top off my fuel tank. I get between 400-600 miles to a tank, depending on the wind, if I have my top sign up, and how big the load is in front of me, blocking the wind. Today we were empty and narrow, and though my top sign was down, the wind cost me at least 6 mpg.

But we made it to our destination. The largest truck stop in the world. The Iowa 80 Truck Stop in Walcott, IA.

There are 900 parking spaces, a restaurant, several fast food places, a gift shop, and a huge truck accessories shop. My goal was the largest CB shop in the world, across the street. Remember that CB antenna that broke off in Phoenix? I’ve been running with a spare magnetic mount ever since, and this is about the only place I know of that sells a replacement. So I was glad we made it a little before the sun went down, BEFORE the CB shop closed!!

I got him parked, then as he got fuel and took a shower, I got my replacement antenna, checked into a hotel, and we met in the restaurant with the other driver for supper.

Thursday, January 27, 2022

The two trucks in front of us will be back at the yard by mid morning, and we hope to be there by early afternoon. The first driver hopes to get right in the wash bay, and be finished by the time we get there. So we hope to drive our right in when we arrive, and I offered to help my driver wash it. Each  driver is responsible to was his own truck and trailer every time he gets back, before going home. It takes him about 3-4 hours to do that, so I’m hoping to shave off almost half of that for my driver, because I don’t have a home to go to!!

It was just a 400 mile trip, and the driver wanted to stop for fuel along the way, so just after we crossed into Minnesota, we stopped at a truck stop. He pulled up to the pump, and I left to go top off as well, and use the bathroom. When I got back to him, he had just finished, so he very carefully pulled through the pump as I directed him (with about 4′ to spare in each side). The other truck did the same, and followed us out. We made great time, and were back at the yard before noon. BUT. . . . .

The first driver was not able to protect the wash bay, and two other trucks had pulled in! Though it was still up around 30°, it is expected to go down to 17 below tonight, so both trucks planned on leaving their rigs in the bay to drip dry until the end of the day. If not, they will be coated with ice, and not function properly.

So instead, we pulled him directly into the shop, where they will work on his dirty truck and trailer. He has a list, which included replacing the busted water line to his bunk heater. The brand new trailer needs logo and numbering put on, as well as replacing that rear strobe light that quit working.  Our job was the drive it into bay 2. (second from the left)

That might look simple enough to you, but with that black pickup truck there, and coming in from the far right of where I took this shot, my driver asked me if I thought it was even possible to steer it in there. “It will be extremely close, but I’ll give it my best shot!” I did. and we made it in one try, with less than 3″ to spare on the right door post.

I went in the the office, got my package of Ketones from the receptionist, stopped in to say hello to the HR gal, who I’ve now known for 4 years, and stopped in to see the dispatchers. It’s as if they never thought of me until they saw me! “Next job? I have no idea! But I will try to find you one by tomorrow.” Oh, how we all miss that guy who retired!  He’d have figured out a job for me that leaves within a day or so – or even today, and would have sent me the info for it 2 days ago! Or, if there was none, he’d have told me that two days ago, so I could be trying to line one up. Oh well, I will take whatever comes!

On the way out, I noticed the new 2022 company calander, so stopped to look through, and see if any of my pictures are in there. Woohoo! I have two pictures in this year!! Check ’em out! One from my phone on the back. . .

. . . and another from my drone!

So, I guess at 17 below I should get a hotel, right? Oh, and I called and made an appointment at the Chiropractor for tomorrow morning, too!

Friday, January 28, 2022

I got up and packed my bags, hoping for the best. Perhaps there is a job for me right away. Perhaps not until Monday. If there is a lapse here, I can also try my other contacts and brokers. However, I have been spoiled here, so have not been in contact with them for several years. They will need all my updated credentials, like current driver license, certifications, auto insurance, liability insurance, and all the standard stuff.

I went down for breakfast at 8, and waited. My appointment is at 11, which is when I need to check out, or pay for another day. At 10:30, when I had not received a call yet, I called the dispatcher.

Do I check out, or stay? “Oh, I have nothing for you, Dave. But I guess I could check with the other dispatcher to see if he has anything”, and put me on hold. (That means he still hasn’t even thought of me yet today, because that other dispatcher works for him, and he delegates jobs to him to cover) He came back on, and said “No, there is nothing except that one day job on Wednesday. You can have that one if you want it.” But what after that? Anything else this week? Next week? “Nothing this week, and I have no idea after that. The boss is gone on a business trip this week, so I won’t see him to find out until next Monday.” I told him I’d let him know my answer by Monday morning.

I checked out, went to my Chiropractor appointment. This guy is great! I’d go every week if I lived here! Then I sat in my van and did some searches, and made some calls.

One of them was to a friend I made at the local church here. My MN church. We are going ro have supper together this evening.

I went over to the yard, and met up with the crews of several empty trucks that just pulled in. Eddie was one of the drivers, and was really sick. Too sick to talk, which is why he didn’t answer or return my call yesterday. One of the steermen is a contractor like me, and also a broker. He found me a possible job leaving tomorrow from the Iowa line, going across IL and IN to the Ohio line. Perfect. That would pay most of my way home.

I had supper with my friend, and found out that the truck driver had already lined up a car, and his dispatch didn’t know it yet, so no job for me.

I checked into a less expensive hotel in the next town for the night, and will spend the weekend here searching for work.

I never know what the next adventure will bring, but I am looking forward to going to church here Sunday if nothing comes up tomorrow!