*Crash Bang Whomp* - Single Axle Daycabs

Tuesday morning, August 12, 2008, Joe had to leave early to get a screw out of one of our pickup tires. He went from one tire repair shop to another in Council Bluffs, IA. THEY wanted to drive our pickup into the bays and Joe would not allow them to. They stated their insurance would not allow non employees to be in the bays so off Joe went. He finally found a place that let him back up to their bay and the tire got fixed.

My cynical mind thinks this foolishness is because of all the people that want to sue. In my opinion there is an enormous amount of idiots running the streets. Screaming and hollering for every hang nail they get to a lawyer.

It was after 9 a.m. before we got to Penske Truck Leasing in Omaha, Nebraska to hook up trucks. This has been our third time to get trucks from them. Single axle day cabs. Groan and sigh.

On the plus side, there is only one rear axle to chain up on the trucks we will be towing. There are no fairings to strap and secure. Our length is quite a bit shorter than normal so turning radius will be better. Hook and unhook will be less of a chore.

On the down side, these trucks are the roughest to ride in. Every bump in the road is felt, and every pothole or rut causes these trucks to skitter in the lane like a spooked horse. The work it takes to keep these *#%& trucks in our lane is constant.

These trucks are Internationals. I absolutely, positively, without a doubt, HATE to drive an International. They were built for off road use in the 1930's and have not changed much. Stiff, rough, and bone jarring.

These trucks are going to Crestwood, Illinois about 430 miles away. They are automatic transmission with no clutch so I don't have to figure out how I'm going to keep my butt in the seat while I bounce around pushing the clutch in to shift from a dead stop or a panic stop.

There seemed to be a problem with one of the trucks I had previously delivered. It seems the place that had bought the trucks had found damage on the underside. The oil pan had been dented quite badly, causing the oil plug to be crimped in the dent. Also, one of the tie rods had been extremely bent. I was blamed for the "Decking Damage". We don't deck so I don't understand how I could have done the damage that was found.

This trip we are going right on the delivery site all set up. In the past we had got there on Sunday evening and unhooked in their driveway. Leaving the trucks parked overnight in their driveway to return Monday morning with the keys and ready to be checked in. This time we showed up so they could see how we deliver the trucks. I sent Joe off to do the explaining how our boom and trailer works and to show these people the front end of the trucks don't leave the ground when we have them. I guess he did his job, the manager there could see that we did not "Deck" the trucks. We'll see what transpires from this. I'll either lose some pay in the future with our dispatcher because of this mess or I'll never hear a thing about it again.

At noon on Wednesday, August 13, we drove into the delivery site, creating quite a stir as usual with gawkers. The manager came out and watched us unhook for about 15 minutes then he and Joe disappeared into the building for the next 10 minutes to discuss the previous damage.

When we got unhooked the manager went to each truck and looked at what I had written up for damage. I had to leave on the pretense of changing from my greasy clothes to my street clothes. He was not happy with the condition of the trucks he had received. We had not done the damage, but he had been guaranteed these trucks would be in excellent condition and ready to go to work. The A/C went out of Joe's truck about an hour into our trip. Upon hearing this the manager got a look on his face that sent me off looking for a bathroom and leaving Joe to deal with him. Yes, I know. "Bawk, bawk, bawk" (chicken clucking sound).

Once we got delivered it was back to Omaha, Nebraska for us to get some trucks we had, originally, been dispatched on by another one of our dispatch offices.

This business is competitive by nature. Several Driveaway companies doing the same job. Their customers are not different than other customers, they jump ship and go to the next available Driveaway company for one reason or another. Sometimes the reasons are known only to the customers themselves.

That said, on Tuesday we were considering trucks out of Pennsylvania going to Rhode Island. We had not confirmed we would take the trucks. The main consideration was how far would we have to deadhead to get trucks once we delivered in Rhode Island. This same dispatch office called us on Tuesday and told us of trucks out of Omaha, Nebraska going to Clint, Texas - a suburb of El Paso. Yes we would take those.

About two hours later we got a call from the dispatch office that these trucks were pulled because we would not be able to get them in time and they wanted to go with someone else. That trip was off and the Pennsylvania to Rhode Island were still on.

Later Tuesday afternoon we were called by one of our other dispatch offices. We were asked if we wanted to go back to Omaha, Nebraska to get four trucks. Joe says "Let me guess, they are going to El Paso?" This surprised the dispatcher "How do you know?" he asked. Joe told him how he knew. Needless to say, we did commit to these trucks.

So once unhooked in Crestwood, Illinois Wednesday afternoon we headed for Omaha - again. Joe called our first dispatcher and told him we were going to Omaha. Joe was asked "Where are you going?" Joe's response was "You don't want to know". With shock and some frustration our dispatcher said "You going to El Paso I take it?" When Joe said yes, I guess there were some "#$%*!" words from our dispatcher upon hearing this bit of news.

Come Thursday our bodies are going to remind us of having taken the single axle daycabs. We will be stiff and sore. I have bruises up and down my legs and on my shoulders from those trucks.

Rolling Hills Of Iowa

Monday, August 11, leaving Walcott and driving the remainder of our deadhead I watched corn and soybean fields as we passed.

I thought about the phrase " Rolling Hills" and the Iowa landscape, how it looked to me. All 290+ miles on Interstate 80 is uphill and down hill. The landscape undulates like ocean waves. The crops and fields on both sides of the highway resemble a heavy sea with waves cresting 20 to 30 feet. Troughs between the waves, or the lower parts of the fields, look in some places like whirlpool eddies. There are some fields high on the crest with other waves breaking below the surface. Joe tells me these are known as "Terrace" farming. The slope of the hill is not leveled out to one long curve. For rain runoff and snow melt the terraces keep the water from eroding the soil and being washed to the bottom of the hill. Corn fields are high on the hill at the crest, the terrace is below the highest level then another stretch of land has corn with a terrace at the end then soybean fields continue the contour down the rest of the hill and up the next one. The crops continue to alternate between corn and soybeans broken up only by small towns and hamlets.

In a month or more all the verdant green of these crops will be replaced by yellows and browns as the crops mature and are harvested. Come late fall and early winter this landscape will look forlorn and almost naked.

The swells, undulations, and eddies will not be as noticeable. The fields will look like dirt and weeds. Not as fanciful as they look now covered in lush greens.

Everything changes.

Posted with LifeCast

Summer Is On The Wane

100 degrees and stifling humidity is giving way to cooler temperatures. At least in the high 80's and mid 90's. In about two months I'll be whining about how cold it is becoming.

Saturday night we got into Monroeville, IN at dusk. We were on farm roads in an unfamiliar area and didn't want to traverse them in full dark. Leaving the trucks behind at the delivery site we took our pickup down, cleared our personal stuff from the trucks and headed 39 miles to Ft. Wayne and the Baymont Inn.

Sunday morning, fairly early, we went back to Monroeville and unhooked our trucks. The weather was refreshingly cool with not a rain cloud in the sky. Got that finished and now a 700 mile deadhead to Omaha, NE.

I have laundry to do. About five loads. Being tired from all the driving and the thought of laundry for three hours is making me testy. Ideally we would get to a hotel around 3 pm to do the wash and get rested. I did say "ideally", however it was not to be. Around 7:30 pm we got to the Comfort Inn in Walcott, IA. Yes, they have a guest laundry. One washer and one dryer. $1.25 for each load. 30 minute wash and 45 minute dry. This is going to be a long night. And it proved to be, nearly 11 pm by the time I finally finished. I was so put out at Joe, when he sat beside me on the bed, during one of my waiting cycles, I almost shoved him off the bed and onto the floor. He caught himself before he went too far. I nearly laughed out loud when I saw the surprised look on his face as he tried to keep from falling.

Monday morning, leaving Walcott, I was in a better mood.

Posted with LifeCast

18 Years Together

Yesterday, August 11, 2008 was our 18th Anniversary.

Joe will tell a story on me of how nasty I was on our first anniversary because I thought he had forgotten it. Then he will tell you of the next six years we both forgot it. As much as two months passed before we thought about our anniversary. We managed to remember it closer after the date, getting to two weeks past, by the sixth year. This year we remembered it about four days before and we each put it on our phone calendars to remind us.

Each of us had been married previously and we each had children from our previous marriages. When we got together we had a bunch of kids and maximum noise. Our lives were so busy with getting ourselves sorted out, blending the children, our work and just life in general. It was not an easy thing by any stretch of the imagination. Frankly, I figured it would be over by year five.

My youngest daughter and Joe's youngest daughter got us together. I thank God every day that those two girls had more sense than I did and could make better "Man" choices than I could. My husband is so patient and loving. It has, truly, been his patience and love that has held us together and allowed me to grow into this relationship. We now have a fantastic family. The "Function" has replaced "Dysfunction" in our family.

All but about one year Joe and I have been together 24/7. We have worked side by side every day except the times that he had worked far from home while I stayed behind. My personal growth has been because of Joe and his constant love and patience with me. Like I said, the first five years were really hard and I drove a lot of people away during that time, but Joe stuck with me and helped me through. Yes, we had counseling through those years but I owe all of my growth to Joe.

Back to our Anniversary. We celebrated by stopping early on the road in Council Bluffs, IA, taking a few hours to do something not work related and just enjoying ourselves.

As I had mentioned earlier, our youngest daughters got us together. Joe's youngest daughter and my youngest daughter were best friends in grade school in 1988 and 1989. At that time a book series geared for preteens and teens was "The Babysitter's Club". One book dealt with two best friends who wanted to be sisters. These girls conspired to get their parents together to reach their goal. Our daughters thought this would be the best idea for them so they took matters in their hands with Joe and I.

At the time I thought men were lower than snakes bellies and Joe had enough of women always wanting to know why he had custody of his children. We both were not the least bit interested in getting married again. Our two girls saw a way to be sisters and they cranked up the propaganda program and worked at both of us. The end effect was they became sisters in August of 2000.

Thank you girls for getting us together.

The Democratic National Convention Is At Fault

Planning a SPUR OF THE MOMENT family reunion can be filled with drama, suspense, and pathos.

This all came about last Monday when our son in Kansas said he and his wife were taking a couple weeks vacation and wanted to go to Colorado to see siblings. An innocent question, such as, "Do you think you will be anywhere near?" started the sequence.

A father's rich memories of him and his children traipsing around Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs, and the Sangre de Christo mountains of Labor Day weekends past fueled the upcoming events. The subsequent trip down memory lane and the reminder of Labor Day Weekend brought long ago to the here and now. See what Manitou Springs has to offer a visitor at http://www.manitousprings.org

His grown children, some with families of their own, were magically made young again in his heart and mind.

Telephone calls followed and plans were made to reclaim those long ago days of a loving father spending time with the children of his heart.

A daughter in Denver with her family and a new child on the way says "Yes". The son and his wife from Kansas say "Yes". A daughter in Parker says "Yes". A son in Denver says "Yes". A son temporarily in Platteville, and lives in Kansas, says "Yes". A daughter and her husband in Chandler, AZ says "Yes. A daughter in Los Angeles, CA says "Yes".

This father, Joe, had a spring in his step, a smile on his face, and a song in his heart. His life couldn't be any better. He counted himself rich beyond any means. He was going to have his children with him again for a family outing over Labor Day Weekend. Just like long ago.

Joe called the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs and reserved a whole table section for Saturday, August 30, 2008. More telephone calls were made informing the children of the date and time for the Flying W Ranch. These calls included a lot of " Do you remember when we...". This man was feeling young again. Check out Flying W Ranch here http://www.flyingw.com

The next round of telephone calls brought him crashing down in a tail spin. Not one hotel room would be available on August 28th from Castle Rock, CO in the south to Cheyenne, WY in the north. Not one. He was devastated. The last hotel he called and was turned down he asked why there were no rooms available.

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, CO this year and every hotel is booked.

The Democratic National Convention had ruined all his plans. He was hurt and really bummed.

Text messages flew then. Stop, we can't have our reunion. We'll have to do it another time. Maybe the following weekend. The children were disheartened by this news but reluctantly agreed to the change of plans.

Two days later a clearer head prevailed. We are still having our family reunion as originally planned. We will be leaving for Colorado a couple days later.

AFTER the Democratic National Convention.

Posted with LifeCast

My Hero!

We almost made 350 miles yesterday. From Florence, SC to Dandridge, TN where we stayed at an EconoLodge that used to be Tennessee Mountain Inn. Right across the street is a restaurant called Captain's Galley we go to. The food is good, the Hush Puppies are excellent and the service is great. Joe likes it because of the seafood they serve. He likes fish, I find it yucky.

When we were leaving this morning I had a yellow Check Engine light on after I started the truck. Within a minute or two an accompanying red flashing Engine Shut Down light came on and the truck died. What now?!

Joe checked the oil for me while I climbed the engine compartment to remove the radiator cap. I didn't see any water. Joe went in search of a pail or bucket and water. He came back with a, in his estimation, four gallon bucket full of water.

After five trips for water, including the first, I had enough water in the radiator that I could see it. Let me see; 20 gallons brought out, about 10 gallons escaped between the mouth of the bucket and the radiator spout and hit the ground, so 10 gallons were put in the radiator. How did I get nearly 350 miles??!!

After I put the cap back on and got the lid fastened, I started the truck again. The yellow light came back on and I waited, expectantly, for the red light. The yellow light went out and no red light. I was now good to go.

My Hero saved me again. I am a very lucky (make that Blessed) woman to have the husband I have.

Posted with LifeCast

Fuel Filter Change

I am sitting at Bay 3 at Petro Truck Stop in Florence, SC getting a fuel filter changed. It is so plugged up the filter sight glass is full of fuel instead of only showing about two inches.

Yesterday we went to West Union, SC to get Joe's truck. His other one and my two are in Florence, a little over 200 miles away. In West Union the people at Johnson Controls didn't know where the truck was and didn't want to sign it out when we were ready to leave. Once Joe found the truck it didn't start. He put jumper cables from our pickup to the truck and we listened to a book for about an hour while the batteries charged enough to start.

On the way to Florence it was so hot and humid the air conditioning in the pickup struggled to keep up. One time I checked the outside temperature and it was 101. About two hours later I saw a clearly distinguished line of sunlight and rain. The closer I got to the rain I saw how hard it was falling. Once we entered the rain it lasted for more than 20 miles. When I checked the outside temperature again it had dropped to 75. A little while later and out of the rain the temperature went back up to 84.

The rain had not quite finished when we got to Florence. Joe decided we had done enough for the day and we went to the Holiday Inn.

Today we finished the hooking up and we will be leaving for Monroeville in a little bit.

Posted with LifeCast