June 26 – 30, 2021

Saturday, June 26, 2021

My driver and I checked out at 4:30, right on schedule. In fact, both of us were a little early. We arrived at the truck at about 5 AM and got it started up. We then drove around the building to see when we should drive the truck up under the crane, and this is what we saw!

WHAT? That’s exactly where it was when we left! “We were up all night, and several of our guys dropped from heat and exhaustion, and we have decided that the tube just will not come out. We are calling an archetect this morning to get help on what size, and where to place a post or two in order to remove the one that is in the way. That should only take an hour or so, because we have a post we can use. So don’t worry, we will have you unloaded in a few hours. We went back to our vehicles, and waited. And waited. “Well, this is taking longer than we thought, but we can unload you after lunch.” “Well, sometime this afternoon for sure.” “We will stay late and get you unloaded this evening.” Nope. Not even close. They finally got the post in at 6 PM and said their crew was far too exhausted, and the crane crew wasn’t even on site yet, and they still have to get the tube out of the building. But it will go quickly tomorrow!

Back to the hotel, fast food, and checked in for another night. We will get almost 6 hours of sleep tonight. This is getting old. It is a 71 mile round trip to the hotel and back to the site! And, not only are we supposed to load Monday morning in IL, but once we deliver that one in KY, we are supposed to go right back for another. So this is actually making two loads late. Cranes are scheduled, and cost $1,000/hour to wait. Usually, they find another trucking company to come and replace the late truck, and you lose the load.

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Once again, my driver and I checked out at 4:30, right on schedule. Once again we arrived at the truck at about 5 AM and got it started up. We talked about weather to pull around the building and be ready when the cranes are, or ask first. We both agreed to just go ahead without asking. “I want to be in their face, and blocking their access road, in case that helps push them along. We need to get out of here!” So we pulled up and around the building as I steered the back end to avoid logs, log piles, saw dust piles, and concrete walls. Here is what we saw.

A crane at the entrance, but the tube was still not outside.

“Don’t worry, this will go quickly now” he said. Really? If it does, I will be amazed!! I sat in passenger seat of his truck so I wouldn’t have to run my van. Did I mention to you how miserably hot and humid it was? No, really, it was unbearably HOT! At 9:47 AM I took this next picture.

And at 11:02 this next one.

And to think . . . this is the fast part! By 1 PM they had the loading cranes set up.

And by 2 PM they had the old one set off onto the grass.

But now they had to move both cranes, and some other stuff so they could get us in. Did I mention to you that it was hot? Now I know my van is sitting at an idle, but notice the temperature on my dashboard. This is beyond human survival levels!

FINALLY, at about 5, they were ready for us to pull up under the crane! So we did, and got unloaded by 6. We then drove off into a lot where we could shrink the trailer back to 12′ wide, but our hopes of making the GA line by sunset were beginning to fade. The good news is that though we are supposed to load in the morning in Illinois, and obviously can’t – we have not lost the load! They still want us to come, and didn’t hire someone else. So, our dispatcher is sending another truck to meet us there, so we can load both, and at least the second one will be delivered on time!

As we began to shrink up, the heavens let loose and it began to pour. We kept working, desperate to at least make that GA line, but that goes a lot slower in the rain, and then the lightning began. So we quit, and packed up. Just before we were ready to pull out, the rain ended, so we finished shrinking it up, but knew we would never make it to the GA line now, so would have to spend yet another night here, and leave in the morning.

Soaking wet, we left for the hotel at 6:45 PM, We checked in, got dry clothes on, walked over for some fast food, and went to bed for another 5 hour nap.

Monday, June 28, 2021

We met our front car at the site at just after 5 AM, and pulled out. I steered the back end as we squeezed by the guard shack, and we were on the road by 5:45.  We were never so happy to be on the road again, and out of the furnace – heading north to Illinois! We made it 571 miles to Monteagle TN where we parked for the night.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

We got up early once again, and made it 538 miles to LeRoy IL. I like working with this driver. He is my age, likes things organized, and has no problem taking a little extra time to be sure we are taking good care of the equipment. For instance, if we start a corner, or start over a RR track, and realize we may touch bottom, he has no problem stopping, letting me get out, start the pony motor, and tower up the load a few inches before we cross. Then, of course, we have to stop, so I can turn the pony back off. Many drivers will just say “it will be a small rub” and keep going.  But that eventually wears down the thickness of the trailer rails, and makes marks in the road.

But, he also does not like sleeping in his truck, or making his own food. So I need to take him to hotels and restaurants every night. That costs me more time and money – giving me less sleep. Once I have the time to fix my generator, I will just drop him off, and go find a place to stay in my van to eat and sleep.

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

It was only 55 miles to the site, so we were there just after 7 when they all were arriving for work. When we parked, we could see that our other truck had loaded yesterday, and was ready to leave this morning.  You can see that truck in the distance in this picture.

They had a small crane help us take the trailer apart again, remove the 6 foot section, and reconnect back up. That took a little longer than than we had hoped, because we worked through several heavy rain showers.  Our configuration is different from the other trauck that loaded yesterday, and they had to make a special arrangement for us. Because my rear dolly is so long, they had to cut a hole in their wall to allow me to steer my dolly through it,

and into their next room! You can see that it was a pretty tight hole, too!

Then they loaded our piece on.

This is a distillery, and both identical loads are going to a place in Kentucky where I believe they make Jack Daniels. Everyone is hoping for a free sample of something – except me! I couldn’t care less about a sip of anything spoiled like that.  Makes me cringe just thinking about it! LOL

By the time we chained it down, and were ready to travel, it was too late to make evening curfew, so we checked into a hotel, and had supper at aa local restaurant. We plan to leave a daybreak!