Yeah and maybe a gallon of Gentleman Jack!!! :D :shock:

Well, the transmission didn't make it through Friday....

I think the training session is now complete with the five page report I handed the Truck Superintendent, who, witnessed the destruction of the Eaton 10 speed....

Well, I lose one Mack but inherit another pulling pneumatic tanks hauling fly-ash and cement, lots of fun. A great source of fun tales as this new adventure progresses

Just dont let it plugup DOC. Or overfill a cement bin. :P

Not to worry, I've seen first hand what happens when the line gets plugged. Let's see a HUGE cloud of plastic pellets and a very perturbed unloader comes to mind!!!

Ah yes as the memories come trickling back from years gone by...

WOOO-HOOO:

What a day today has been... TWISTY CLOUDS and the joys of hauling rocks, as was discovered by the trainee, not to mention a Merita bread delivery driver....

About 10:30 or so the wind speed increased dramatically as did the rain and the "DIME" size hail, which meant a serious moment was at hand. I warned the trainee to slow down and pay full attention to the surroundings. Did he pay attention??? NO!

The fast moving wind tore the tarp off of the trainees trailer as it also had done to two other company trucks. The Merita bread driver found his truck leaning real hard to the right almost to the point of rolling over, needless to say that driver had to stop and inspect his undies...

Fortunately no one was injured, except the nerves of the trainee, who, wouldn't get back behind the wheel for the rest of the day. Couldn't understand why!!!

The Foreman had some major concerns when all four trailer drivers came in with broken tarps but all the wagons had been repaired in time for the fun time ahead of us....

The way the weather has been it is going to be a real fun Spring and Summer... I can hardly wait!!!

Well the way you like to chase storms. You will probably enjoy it. 8)

You betcha....

An update is in order...

I was chatting with a friend at the National Weather Service last evening and he told me the "straight line" wind we had done battle with was recorded at 90+ mph...

Plus, in the town of Selma, NC the same storm system tore Hell through town blowing a 45' trailer over into a building and tearing roofs off of a couple of buildings, as I said it had been a real fun day....

Thought I'd add a funny little story that happened a few years ago. Well funny to US [me] :D ! We were hauling logs into New Brunswick. It was mid season and we were running hard.The two drivers involved in this story were the big belt buckle wearin kind of truckers.You know the ones who are the first to come on the CB when someone is having trouble backing or hooking up etc etc.The junior of the 2 "BUTCH" was finding the pace very tiring cause him wasn't used to the long hours.However he wasn't about to admit it. He idolized trucker #1 "ED" and was going to stick with ED at all costs. Well these 2 cowboys pulled into the "BIG STOP" to refuel after which they shrut themselves into the drivers lounge to get a coffee like acouple of peacocks. As at any driver"s lounge there was 8 or9 drivers milling about however just inside the door a tall rather good looking man was standing.He certainly looked out of place among the other drivers.You could easily tell this guy was no truck driver probably some 4 wheeler with problems.Ed breezes in past this guy, he certainly wasn't worth ED's time. But BUTCH saw this as an opportunity to score points with his idol ED. In a loud condescending way BUTCH blurts out"HOW YA DOIN!!". Well the whole place went quiet for a second. One of the local drivers asked BUTCH if he got an answer?. Before BUTCH could answer he realized all eyes were on him and the place was filled with laughter!The realization that he had just said hello to a card board cut of a man selling tires for good year was quickly sinking in! This was 10 years ago and poor BUTCH hasn't lived this one down yet!!! :D

IT'S AN OSTRICH part TRES

Coming soon but first, a few ANNOYING words from obnoxious car dealers and Cialis.....

HITCHING A RIDE

I had stopped at a BP fuel stop to refill the 1 million mile coffee cup which, by the way, cost .99 cents, needless to say that was the last time I would enter that establishment.
Moving forward.... As I was paying the huge ransom a female looking type person came to me and tried saying something in my deaf right ear. I turned to her and asked what her problem was and she shouted "I want a ride!!"
I told her that I would like a half million dollars but I didn't really see either of the two things happening in the near future. The cashier lady started laughing causing the hitch hiker to spout some obscenities and storm out of the store. The cashier lady thanked me for getting rid of the horror on two legs. I told her I want my next refill for free as I walked out of the store....


HITCHING A RIDE THE HARD WAY

This is from the "When Dad patrolled the NJ Turnpike" archives...

Back around the early '80's Dad received a call from the SP dispatcher alerting him to watch for a "truck with some odd goings on in the trailer!"
Dad being the skeptical person he was questioned the dispatcher and was told that someone had called from the rest area by exit 18 stating that odd noises were coming from inside a refrigerated trailer that was in the parking lot...

Dad found the truck about 30 minutes later, pulled it over and questioned the driver, at this point I had driven by and witnessed the opening of the rear door ceremony and saw a person leap from the trailer right into my Dads arms. Also, the CB had come alive with all kinds of interesting comments as the other occupants of the south bound lanes witnessed the dramatic scene... One other point to be made here, the truck that was pulled over was owned by the same guy I drove for, needless to say the driver would have a lot of explaining to do if and when he got back to the yard...

Later that evening I called Dad and asked about the commotion on the Turnpike, he told me that a person hopped into the back of the trailer in NYC, the driver didn't know, at least that was what he claimed, shut the door, turned the reefer down to -20 and headed back to NJ. The stowaway threw pallets and freight around to get some ones attention and/or tried to light a fire to stay warm.

I then asked Dad if he gave the stowaway a ride back to the GW Bridge, he said no he made the guy walk. Well, at least the guy would warm up real quick!
I asked the driver about the ordeal and he stood by his claim that he didn't realize anyone had climbed into the trailer...