New Kenworths - Brand New

On Tuesday, August 19, 2008 we left the Days Inn in Del Rio, Texas. We have become regulars, of sorts. The people at the T&B Bar/Grill next door recognized us. It is nice to be welcomed to an establishment far from home.

Up at 5 am, out the door at 6:15, on the road at 6:30 (a stop at McDonalds included), finishing our deadhead to Laredo, Texas.

We arrived at French Ellison Truck Center in Laredo at 9:30 am ready to get these trucks hooked up before the day got too hot. It was ideal weather for it, overcast and a bit humid, but cool. The General Manager said the trucks weren't ready yet, we could wait in the drop lot for the trucks. We went to the drop lot and waited. While waiting we listened to more of the book on CD we have been working on for about two weeks. It helped pass the time.

The first truck arrived at 10:20 am. Since none of the trucks were assigned to either one of us Joe decided the first truck out would be the one I would drive. The trucks are all the same and they are all new so nothing major to consider. Joe did his work on the back of the trailer to get my boom extended and ready to be stubbed into the truck I will drive. I moved the first truck into position for my boom then got out and inspected the truck. Joe did his magic until I finished my job then I helped him get the boom stabilized so I can get it off the trailer and move the truck out of the way. That done we got back in the pickup and listened to more of the book.

The second truck arrived at 11:30. I moved it behind the truck with my boom then inspected it while Joe installed the axle chains. When I finished the inspection I put on the air fairing braces and straps, then helped Joe with the brake assembly and light bar. Now that both of my trucks were here and all the "work" was done on them we hooked them together and I was ready to go. Back to the pickup to listen to more of the book.

12:15 the third truck arrived. This would be Joe's back truck. I moved this truck behind the trailer in readiness for Joe to install his axle chains while I did the inspection. Once finished with these tasks I secured his air fairings and helped with the brake assembly.

By now the overcast sky had cleared and it was getting really hot. We both needed more water but didn't know if we should leave the drop lot or not. Joe decided we would at least get the trailer attached to his back truck and think about putting the pickup up. We got the trailer attached and HAD to leave for water, we both were about to fall down from heat exhaustion and dehydration. Off to the convenience store we went. Gatorade, water, and juice we loaded up on then returned to the drop lot. The fourth truck had not yet arrived by this time, 1:45.

We stayed in the pickup and listened to more of the book.

2:20 Joe decided to get the pickup loaded on the trailer. We could sit in my truck in the air conditioning until his truck came. At least all the hard work would be done by that time.

Getting the personal stuff out of the pickup into my truck took about 10 minutes. Getting the pickup loaded on the trailer and ready for Joe's last truck took another 15 minutes. We sat in my truck and watched the storm clouds roll in.

Wouldn't you know it, just as the guy brought Joe's truck in and backed it close to the trailer the rain came. Cats and dogs rain. A full on gully washer. In about 15 minutes the amount of rain that fell was about 4 inches. I didn't want to wait for the rain to stop to do my inspection. Leaving the inspection sheet and clipboard in his truck I check the stuff on the inside; washer/wipers, radio, A/C, gauges, and flipped the light switches on. While I was outside checking for damage on the truck Joe was honking and waving his arms at me from my truck. I waved him off and went about my business.

Soaked through, but done, I went to Joe and asked for my street clothes. Off I went to the French Ellison office for the bathroom to change clothes and get signatures on the load sheets.
Walking across the street to the office I encountered water ankle deep, and warm to the touch.

Once in the office I left a trail of water puddles on my way to the bathroom. Dry clothes and I felt better. Now in search of a trash bag to carry my wet stuff out and get papers signed I found the sales person I needed and off I went. When I got to the door on my way out the rain had stopped. Time to get going.

By the time I got back over to the drop lot Joe had his truck backed into the trailer and the pickup wheels strapped down. He was working in his rain coat, at least one of us had some sense. I only had about five minutes work to help him get all hooked up then get his stuff transferred from my truck to his.

Ready to leave and begin our trip to Calexico, California. This night we will be where we started the day. The Days Inn in Del Rio, Texas.

Taking A Leisurly Drive

This morning Joe tried to wake me at 6:30. I swatted at him and grumbled "Leave me alone", which he did. He snuggled right up to me and we went back to sleep until 8:30.

Joe said it rained during the night, I didn't hear a thing. One of those few nights when a bomb could go off and I'd sleep through it. I looked out the window to be greeted by sprinkles and an overcast sky. The local forcasters are warning about flash flooding. We are wondering why there would be that kind of concern in this Midwestern part of Texas.

The rain continued across Interstate 20 to east of Odessa where it was a good sprinkle, just enough to leave the wipers on intermitent. It finally petered out near Midland. West of Midland is miles of open range with oil pump things from near the roadway and off into the distance as far as one can see. I took pictures of it, send them later.

Interstate 20 ends at Interstate 10. We went west on I-10 and stopped in Van Horn for something to eat. Usually our stop in Van Horn is at the Love's Truck Stop but today we went across the street to the Sands Restaurant which is a little dive. This little dive had garnered some fame a few years back when Tommy Lee Jones was in the movie "Three Burials for Melaquides Estrada" and some of the footage was shot at the Sands Restaurant.

We got into Clint about 8 pm and was done unhooking by 9:45. Tonight we are at the Red Roof Inn in El Paso. We'll get papers signed tomorrow and deadhead for Laredo.

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I Don't Want To Go...

We got to the house yesterday afternoon. I spent the next four hours doing catch up paperwork. Printing out each of the Corporate Lodging charges and getting them entered into the proper bookkeeping record, going through the mail. We get a ton of crap when we get home. Local store flyers, some weekly newspaper, office supply catalogs, and nuisance junk mail. I overheated the shredder yet again with the proponderance of junk.

Joe was in his chair printing receipts of stuff we had paid on the road for our house bills. It got to be so hard on him he went to sleep. I tease him about sitting quietly for three minutes and is out of it.

Our neighbor came for a visit. He got Joe caught up on the local gossip then they talked guy stuff for the next few hours. Our neighbor left near 10 pm and not long after that I went to bed. Joe went to his office for one quick game of Free Cell and woke up at 1 am not having finished the game he started.

I was real sluggish this morning and just couldn't get around. The laundry I had done last night was all folded and hung, ready to get into today. I didn't want to even get dressed.

We finally got out of town around 12:30 this afternoon and headed out.

If there is anyone interested in OLD courthouses I saw one this afternoon in Albany, Texas. That one just might be put on my list of photo opportunities next time we travel on TX 79, or was it on US 283? I don't remember.

We are in Abilene, Texas at the Days Inn. Time for bed.

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Conditioning A Smoking Pipe

I have "LifeCast" on my iPhone so I can do my daily writing while we are on the road. I had received a comment from the LifeCast people about the new feature that had been added. Take pictures with the iPhone and upload the photos to the blog site. I was so excited about this and took some pictures and tried to send them. Doesn't work without a computer. I have to have access to a computer to do this. Good luck with that while I'm 1000 miles from home.

So today I am getting caught up on our adventures.

When we left Florence, South Carolina the first time going to Monroevile, Indiana we stopped in Statesville, North Carolina at the J&R Tobacco store. http://www.jrcigar.com Joe had lost his pipe some time back and needed to replace it. After our shopping was done we stopped for lunch at a little chinese food place in the same complex.

Joe was messing around with his purchases and next time I looked at him I thought he was picking his nose with something brown. "What are you doing?" I asked him as I took a picture of him doing this strange thing (photo on left).

"I'm conditioning my pipe" is what Joe told me. The oils on the side of his nose, it seems, is the ideal oil to smear on the wood. I asked him to hold still while I took a picture to make sure I was seeing what I did see (photo on right).

Okay. Alright. These guy things are lost on me.

The Day I Spazzed Out

We don't very often take tractor trailers. As a matter of fact, this is the first time in seven years that both Joe and I have taken tractor trailers. I didn't have the lightbar to look for while going down the highway to make sure I'm still on the right path. As you can see, he blended in with all the other trucks on the road (photo right).



Out of all the trailers in front of me I had to follow the little red "Get A Way Farms" label on the back of the trailer (photo left).

Just in case you don't remember this days post, it was on Saturday, July 26, 2008. These trucks and trailers were going to Tunica, Mississippi for auction. http://www.tunica.miss.com

The thing about this spazz attach is a) I've never been to Tunica, Mississippi, b) I knew the roads to take to Memphis, Tennessee but not where to go from there, c) I do have the iPhone with the Map Feature that I could have used to get the directions if I had lost Joe in all the knot of trucks, d) my tail was not the usual truck I was used to seeing in my mirrors.

Change, of any kind, for me is critical meltdown. I get used to one way of doing anything. I get my routine set and I know what to look for and how to handle a situation. Put a spin on it, no matter how minor, and I have the voices in my head clambering at high volume. My heart races, by breathing increases, my senses are heightened to danger, and I just come to a full stop. If there were warning buzzers or klaxons emanating from me, during this time of panic, I would be one loud and noisy person.

Over the years I have been forced to deal with this part of me. Needless to say, I haven't quite got it down pat yet. The full on panic time and total function stop has decreased to mere seconds, maybe as much as 30 seconds, but it is still debilitating. Now if I could figure out how to deal with the recriminating voices in my head. Get them to just shut up. "What the hell was that all about? You know what you are doing, or did you all of a sudden become stupid? Look at all the people staring at you right now, what could they be thinking?" Unfortunately these voices in my head go on for longer than 30 seconds.

My way of dealing with the voices in my head (oh God don't tell them that, they will really think you've lost it) is to loudly say "Shut Up" or "Delete, delete".

So picture this in your head. You see a woman in a big truck, stopped at an intersection or driving on the highway. You look up into the truck window to get a better look at this woman you think is confident and you have a degree of awe. Now you see this woman swatting her hands around her head like she is chasing a fly away and her mouth is moving. You kind of know what she is saying because you've said this a few times yourself "Shut Up". She keeps repeating this "shut up shut up shut up" and her hands are waving around. Now you no longer think this woman is confident or someone to, momentarily, admire. You are sure she has just been let out of the looney bin and you want to put as much distance between her and you as you can.

So if you do see me on the highway or at a stop light telling myself to shut up, don't worry. It is just me dealing with my demons. All will be well in a few minutes.

A Look At What We Do For A Living

Transport Driveaway is a multi faceted field. The big bus type motor homes and the Class C motor homes are one area of Driveaway. Cement trucks, fire engines, and dump trucks are another area. The part of the industry we do is called "Class 8 Truck Driveaway". The Class 8 truck is the semi truck with a fifth wheel.



In 2001 Joe designed and built the trailer we use in this business. In 2003 he designed and built my boom. We take four trucks, three trucks, and occasionally two trucks in this work. The two trucks Joe would take with his trailer. When we have three I will drive the single truck while Joe has his trailer loaded.

The lightbar on Joe's back truck is what I follow. This is what I see as I drive these roads.

The Trucks Are Not Ready!!!

Thursday morning, August 14, 2008 we arrived at Werner Transportation yard, their Fleet Sales Division to get the trucks that had gone from one dispatch office to another. 9 am we were there and ready to get to work.

Three of the trucks were parked in the lot, the fourth one was still in the body shop being repaired. I figured this would be an ideal time to get the available trucks inspected while we waited for the arrival of the other one. One of the perks with these trucks was two of them would be full of fuel for this trip. It turns out that the two trucks full of fuel were assigned to Joe. We made a decision to change the truck assignment then inform the dispatch office later.

Continuing in my inspection, one truck has a noisy sound that is not "normal" to my ears. There is a very loud air hissing noise coming from behind the cab. Go inside to the Fleet Sales Manager and inform him there is a problem with one of the trucks. A service person is called to check this out. I continue with my inspection. The next truck I inspect is the one I will drive. The tail lights are not very bright and when the left turn signal is one both rear lights flash, same happens when I turn on the right signal. Back into the managers office to tell him there is another problem.

There were a total of five trips into the manager's office to have service out.

The truck with the hissing noise, the governor failed (haven't a clue what that is except it has something to do with the build up of air for the air brakes and other items that use air - wipers and windows).

The truck with the rear lights blinking, the ground post had rusted badly enough it had broke off the truck frame. The service person had to do some torching and soldering to get that post reconnected to the frame.

From 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. we messed with these trucks until we finally got hooked up. All day long working on these trucks that we were told "Were Ready and Have to be in Clint by Monday". Part of the job, just deal with it.

Our plans of being home for the night were off. One more night on the road in a hotel then home to our own bed.

We took Interstate 80 out of Werner Transportations lot in Omaha, Nebraska. Cross the river into Iowa and merge onto Interstate 29. Take I-29 to exit 10 and get on Iowa State Road 2 over the river that divides Iowa and Nebraska on another border and onto Nebraska State Road 2. Take this road to US 75 at Nebraska City, Nebraska and take that road all the way to Interstate 70 in Topeka, Kansas.

Going down US 75 we first encountered rain passed Nebraska City, within two miles the rain had some hail in it. This is a two lane road with twists and turns, oncoming trucks splashed my windshield with a huge amount of water my wipers could not keep up. This rain and hail lasted for more than 15 miles. I was on the edge of my seat and just this side of panic by the time I got through the worst of it. I made it through and no one suffered, all turned out well. We passed out of the storm and you would not know there had been one.

Dawson, Nebraska is a small town divided by US 75. This little hamlet is about six blocks long, and maybe just as many wide. About four years ago, the last time I had been through there, this little town looked like it was on the brink of falling down. Going through Dawson on this day the town looked as though it had perked up. There is a fairly steep grade in this town and trucks in the past would go through with their engine brakes rumbling. I have often wondered how upset the towns people would get being woken in the night by the loudly rumbling engine brakes and hear that loud noise during the day. This would be almost constant because it is a major road for truck traffic. Going through the town on this day I noticed a sign just before entry that "Engine Braking Is Prohibited". The towns people must finally be getting some sleep. That might be the reason the town looks to have perked up.

One of our stops on US 75 is near Hiawatha, Kansas. The Sac and Fox Casino. It is out in the middle of no where it seems but there is always a lot of vehicles in their parking lot and several trucks in the truck parking area. We stopped for something to eat and just a couple hours of entertainment. Joe is the only one that left with the money he came with. The machines kept all my money.

We are not going to be home this night. Wichita, Kansas and the Comfort Inn is as far as we are going. It was real late when we finally checked in. I didn't do my paperwork, I just got undressed and went to bed.

Today was spent driving home. We arrived here at 1:30 this afternoon and I have several hours of paperwork to do and a little bit of laundry. Tomorrow, Saturday, we are leaving for El Paso.

14 days remain before we see all of our kids in Colorado. I am getting excited.