October 2 – 6, 2021

Saturday, October 2, 2021

I slept well last night! Those days when we load and tarp are the hardest work I do here. And, when we do it three times in one day, that just wears me out!

We were all ready to roll at 6:45 as planned, except for one of the steermen. He just came back to work after a very serious operation, so everyone went easy on him as he pulled in near 7 AM. We pulled out as soon as he was ready. Eddie and I, with our HP gal pulled out first in the line of 4 trucks. That does make for quite the traffic congestion when we all maneuver turns and intersections one after the other. So as the day wore on, we arranged for the 3rd and 4th trucks to lag back a little, yet stay together.

It was a very productive day, because we made it 458 miles to Atlantic IA, just as we did last trip. In WI, there are several time consuming turns and round a-bouts to maneuver, so we always get off to a slow start mileage wise. We parked in the same little truck stop in Atlantic IA. I was just about to set my drone down on the ground for take off, when it began to rain. So, I had to put it away. Very impressive to have all 4 trucks parked together, though. The picture below has all of them. Right beside my van is one, but the tractor is off getting fuel. Then there is the one in the middle that is prominent, and behind it is my truck. The fourth is parked along the drive, and you can see just the tip end of the rear dolly on the right. We had to back them down a very long drive, and then turn into that spot.

After taking Eddie and another driver to a restaurant for supper in my van, I slept in my van right there, but most everyone else went to a hotel.

Sunday, October 3, 2021

We were up and ready to roll at sunrise, but three of the drivers got into a very serious conversation about where to park tomorrow night. Eddie and I left the discussion in frustration. “Daylight is burning away, and we are wasting it talking about tomorrow. For heavens sake, lets talk about that tonight after we stop!” So we finally rolled out 45 minutes behind schedule. The goal was Great Bend KS again, which is almost a 500 mile day!

Because of the way we were parked, we became truck number 4 for the day. The first two trucks run faster, so developed almost a 1 hour lead on both of us. However, during the day, the truck in front of us needed to stop and get fuel, so we became truck number 3 with about a 30 minute gap in front of the last truck.

All the roads on our route in Kansas are two way traffic roads. Speed limits of 65 and 70, and occasional passing lanes on one side or the other. I asked my team on the radio, “Is it just me, or has the general public gotten more rude, selfish, and in a hurry during the past year or so?” They both agreed with me whole heartedly, saying it is very obvious to them as well. In Kansas, more than once an hour, someone will pass us with far too little clearance, forcing the oncoming vehicle onto their shoulder to avoid a head-on collision.

So it goes something like this. . . As I see a vehicle pull out to pass, I say “Four wheeler (or 18) up. . ” and Eddie will immediately say “bad decision!” or “He better hurry!” or “This is going to get ugly!” And then I watch as there is a near miss ahead. Very scary!!

Well, today it happened! A red Prius was next behind me to pass. It pulled out to pass “Four up” I said, and Eddie said right away “This is going to be ugly!! Bad decision!” Though it was a passing zone, there was a curve ahead. I saw a white car coming around the corner just when the Pius did, but the Prius made a move I have never seen before. Instead of holding his ground and forcing the oncoming white car onto the shoulder, HE hit the left shoulder – just as the white car did! In order to avoid a head on crash on the shoulder, the white car then turned farther right, and drove into the grass, just as the red one made a hard right turn back out onto the road.

By doing that, the red car avoided the white car,  but crashed right into the front of our trailer as it passed by! It hit one of the dual wheels so hard that they stopped, leaving skid marks, then the red car bounced off, turning it back to it’s original direction, but getting hit again by the front arched neck. That catapulted the red car off into the field, bouncing over the rows of crops! Watch this video, and you will see what I saw.

I was waiting for the massive slow down, because I thought the Prius slammed into Eddie’s tractor, but he kept right on going. Our truck and trailer are so massive, he never felt it, and asked “Dave, did someone hit me?” as he saw the red car bounding across the field through his driver mirror. “Sure did!” I said, so we pulled over and stopped. People ran for the red car, and found the driver hurt, but alive.

We were there for about 3 hours. While I stayed behind our trailer to protect it with my flashing lights, Eddie went with the HP car back to the scene, and met with witnesses, and eventually, Police and ambulance.  The driver was a college girl on her way back to campus. Her father arrived on scene, and shook Eddie’s hand and said, “she made a bad decision, and lived through it. I certainly hope she learned her lesson well enough!”

Eddie filled out an accident report while I downloaded my dash cam video, edited it on my laptop,, met with one of the officers, who watched it on my laptop. The footage obviously released us from any fault. Then I found an extra USB thumb drive I had, formatted it, put the footage on, and gave it to the officer. I bet they don’t see THAT every day! LOL I also had time to look at the damage to our trailer. He told me the girl was OK, but complaining of a stiff neck. She refused the ambulance, and left in the back seat of her father’s truck.

Here is a picture of the initial point of impact.

Notice the red paint on the left wheel rim,

and the broken glass on the rail ridge, but there isn’t even any scratched paint! The steel is just too strong to be affected by that kind of impact

Then there was the spot where the rear of the car hit the neck of our trailer, which catapulted it off the road. We were traveling at about 55 mph. Here is a picture through my mirror of the Prius on the wrecker.

Eddie was pretty shook up by the fact that three people almost died today. If that girl hadn’t yanked the wheel, driving right into our trailer, she would have hit the white car. That driver told Eddie that his wife was asleep in the passenger seat as he rounded the corner. At first, he didn’t even see the red Prius against our red trailer, and since he didn’t expect to see a car coming at him in his lane, it took a second for him to react. When he slammed on the brakes and went for the shoulder, his wife woke up to see the Prius doing the same thing! So he turned right into the field, just as the Prius turned the other way into our trailer!

Eventually, we got back on the road, but now had to find another place to park. Since we were now 3 hours behind the other three trucks (the truck behind us passed by us), and only about 90 minutes from sunset.

We parked in a small truck stop about an hour away in McPherson NE after a total of 418 miles today. It was after 8 PM when we checked in to a hotel, which had bugs in the rooms! After the other two reported unclean rooms, I never went to my room, and we all asked for a refund.

After almost an hour of negotiations with the manager, she refused to give us a refund, or give us different rooms, so we just had to walk out, and will have to dispute the charges on our cards. The two of them checked in to another hotel, and we all had supper at about 9:30. They went to their rooms, and I just drove back to the truck stop, and stayed in my van! (picture was taken the next morning)

What an ending to an already difficult day!

Monday, October 4, 2021

We were all glad yesterday was behind us now, but Eddie found out that we are supposed to be the second truck unloaded of the four, which is scheduled for tomorrow morning. LOL Never going to happen! The other three will not even get there until tomorrow afternoon, and since we are at least 3 hours behind them, it will be at least late morning Wednesday for us. We left at 7 AM as soon as sunrise curfew lifted, and did our best, but one thing Eddie and I agree on, is that safety is always first. We absolutely will not be pressured into rushing, or taking chances. There is just way too much at stake here. We had almost 500 miles to drive today, and only 10 hours of drive time to do it in. That would be easy in a car, but it means no wasted time in an Oversize Load!

We left narrow Kansas roads,

through Liberal,

crossed the pan handle of Oklahoma, and into Texas,

stopping once for restrooms and for the HP car to refill on fuel after about 5 hours. That is one thing I really like about this van as well as my last one. I can go 600+ miles on a tank of fuel. I have done that many times with no stops at all, but I have to admit that it is nice to stop for a restroom every 5-6 hours!

We stopped at a very small lot in Wheeler Texas beside a restaurant, and parked beside several other Oversize Loads.

We had supper in the restaurant, and checked into the only hotel in that area. It was a nice one. When on a trip, choose the chain hotels, not the tiny Mom and Pop ones. Unfortunately, they are usually 50 years old, cold and drafty in the winter, hot in the summer, and are so outdated that they are impossible to keep clean. And, they usually cost about the same anyway.

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

We left at the very second curfew lifted, and were on our way!

We made our way, winding around across Texas on a route we have never taken before. All small roads, of course.

Each time we had another near miss, Eddie would say “I’m really getting tired of this!” Once it was a motorcycle, then an 18 wheeler, and several times it was a car. Each time, the oncoming traffic was forced onto the shoulder to avoid the head on collision. It really is becoming pretty normal for us to see, which is scary!

Eddie had to get fuel in Roswell NM, and the truck stop was under construction, and the truck pumps were not working! So I went and sat my van at the car pumps while he dropped the trailer,

and he drove his tractor over there to get fuel. Of course, he could only fill one side, and those pumps pump much slower, but we got enough in him to finish the trip, and drove on. Now we were about 4 hours behind the others, who were already on site by this time.

We drove past my favorite neighbors again

and stopped at a truck stop in Vaughn, NM for the night. We backed in next to six blade trailers. Don’t we look cute next to them? LOL

Eddie and the HP got hotel rooms, but I stayed in my van again, and made supper there as well.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

We were off as early as possible again, and the really nice looking sunrise was behind us. But it was still pretty for us.

New Mexico has it’s own flavor.

We made it to the site just before noon, and the first truck had already gone in to unload. However, the ground crew was behind schedule, so hadn’t even noticed that we were not there yet! LOL

The driver and steerman for the other two trucks helped us remove the 200+ bungee cords, the tarps, the felt, and roll them all up. We were ready when they called for us, so I steered as we drove in under the crane.

Once we were empty, we pulled back to the staging area, and had thee same help removing the bottom tarps, and folding them up. We then shrunk the trailer to 12′, and were ready to go.

BUT, it was almost 3 PM by then. We know that if we don’t leave the site by 1 PM, we will not make it through Albuquerque before the afternoon curfew, so we could not leave until morning. The ground crew was far enough behind now that they knew they would not be able to move the crane and unload the next two today. Everyone booked rooms, and I guess I was the last to try, because the only rooms left in town were $150+ for the night. No way am I going to pay that. So I drove 12 miles to a truck stop, and stayed there.

I cooked up the rest of my pulled pork on my hot plate

and then made a pulled pork, onion, and double cheese pizza for supper.

I’ll have enough pulled pork left for several more meals.

The plan is to meet at daylight (7AM) and help the last two trucks pull off the bungee cords, tarps, and felt, roll them all up, and leave with the first truck to head back north while they unload.

Plans have changed for us. Instead of going back to WI for a another generator to take to Salt Lake City, Eddie and I are going back to the shop in MN to drop this trailer, pick up a smaller one, go to the same plant in WI, but load just a top enclosure, and take it down to Nashville.