Saturday, September 27, 2008

Great Circle Route

9/25/08
Headed south on I-81 from Northern PA, through Maryland, across the Patomic River into West Virginia,into Virginia and headed to Knoxville Tennessee. In a valley all through Virginia between two mountain ranges and one Civil War Battlefield after another. Never saw the sun all day as it was cloudy all day
9/26/08
In Tennessee today delivering in Knoxville in the morning and reloading in Chattanooga in the afternoon, and headed to Columbus OH.(Tennessee has become one of the worst States to drive a truck in. Speed limits for trucks have been dropped to 55mph within 40-50 miles of any large town, for no reason other then to create speed traps to make money off of big trucks. Also creates a safety problem between trucks cars because of a 10-15 mph speed difference. Stupid politicians in Tennessee seem to be trying to out dumb the ones in California)
9/27/08
Dropped my load in Columbus OH and headed back to Pennsylvania. Rain on and off all day. Will empty out in Pennslyvania with this load about 50miles from where I started on last Wednesday (an 1800 mile "Great Circle Route")
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Pennsylvania and Upstate New York


Crossing from Ohio into Pennsylvania on I-80 is like going into another world. Pennsylvania is all tree covered mountains with many rivers in deep valleys. Heading north into New York on I-81 is much the same with a few more lakes formed from the ice age glaciers. Getting to be that time of the year as all the trees are changing colors, and the temperatures are getting down in the 40's at night.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

I-80 Through Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio

Mostly much the same as going through Nebraska(without the Lakes), Iowa has a few more rolling hills, with a lot of fields of either corn or soy beans. I cross the Mississippi River from Iowa into Illinois and the speed limit for trucks drops to 55mph, giving me a $5 per hour pay cut from a 65mph state. (Only California, Illinois, Oregon, and Ohio still have a 55mph speed limit for trucks and it costs us truck drivers money) Illinois is pretty flat traveling and a lot of Chicago Metro traffic just before entering Indiana. Toll road across Indiana at 65mph, and Toll road across Ohio at 65mph (only place in Ohio where trucks can exceed 55mph as an incentive to get us to travel the toll roads and not clog up the old back roads)
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Interstate 80 in Nebraska


September 20
I-80 in Nebraska, going West to East, the first 100 miles are mainly rolling hills and ranch land. The remaining 350 miles keep getting flatter and follow the Platte River to Omaha. The Platte River is known as "The Great River Road",in that the Oregon Trail and the Mormon trail pretty much follow it through Nebraska. One interesting fact along I-80, is that there is a lake almost every mile along side the highway. When the interstate was constructed, the sand and gravel was dug along side the highway, and the remaining holes have since filled with water making the lakes.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Wyoming Towns on I-80

September 19
Interstate 80 in Wyoming, pretty much follows the old Trans Continental Railroad route. All the major towns along I-80, with the exception of Cheyenne, are spaced approximately 100 miles apart. At the western end is Evanston Wy, the 100 mile marker is Rock Springs, 200 mile marker is Rawlins, 300 mile marker is Laramie, and at the Eastern end is Pine Bluff. All these towns were established or grew out of being construction camps for the building of the railroal. The one big exception along I-80 is Cheyenne, which grew as a crossroads between Denver Colorado and Casper Wyoming.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

California Exempt

September 18
Headed north from Los Angeles to Utah on I-15. Just before the Nevada State line, there is a 55 mph construction zone (no workers as usual). Traffic was keeping between 55 and 60 and was pretty heavy through the work zone. In my rear view mirror,I noticed a red SUV, going at least 70 mph, swerving in and out of traffic, going from one lane to another, and following too close when other vehicles didn't move fast enough for him. When the Red SUV came up beside me I noticed the "California Exempt" license plates, and a big sticker on the side saying "Cal Trans". Now Cal Trans is the agency that has created the "Double Fine"in construction zones to protect their workers, and is the first to complain about speeders in work zones endangering their workers. Some example this guy set! I always thought "Cal Exempt" meant Government vehicles exempt from paying license fees. but I guess it really means "Exempt" from obeying the laws.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Grumpy Elves

Sept 17-18
Back on the road today, and took a load of baked goods to a warehouse of those cute little Elves (you know the ones)I've had many a load to other warehouses of this company across the country, and they've always been one of the better places to deliver to. Not so with the one in the Southern California area. Drove straight through and got only 4 hours sleep to meet their 4:30 am appointment. First I was ignored by the receiving clerk, who seemed to be more interested in her morning cup of coffee and shooting the bull with her co-worker, then doing her job. Next sent to the warehouse foreman, who seemed to have quite an attitude against doing any work for the day. Finally dropped my trailer and got the hell out of there. Don't these companies realize that every time they mess with a truck driver, they lose us as a customer of their products.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Blog Posts Information

Due to the fact that I'm not connected on a daily basis, In the future I might make multiple posts when connected to cover my travels.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Monday, September 15, 2008

Home Time

At home this week in California. What's a truck driver do when home? I spend most of the time trying to catch up with what went to hell while I was away. I spend some time with the family, and spend a day getting ready to hit the road again. Pretty much don't get any sleep doing too many things in too few days, and always glad to hit the road again, just to catch up on some sleep.
USC #1
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Friday, September 12, 2008

The Firemans Tree


The Sherman mountain range splits Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie Wyoming. Along this portion of the Interstate, in the center divider, grows a pine tree, seemingly growing out of a rock. The story goes: The railroad used to pass by this tree and the Fireman used to stop and water this tree growing out of the rock. The railroad has long moved it's tracks far away and was replaced first by The Lincoln Highway (US 30) which was again replaced by Interstate 80. The tree still thrives today. Also through the pass through the Sherman mountains is a statue of Abraham Lincoln, commemorating the "Lincoln Highway"
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Friday, September 5, 2008

US-287 From Amarillo Texas to Limon Colorado


Still on US 287 today. Rolling hills of grassy plains almost 300 miles. Only 3 towns of any size; Dumas Texas, Boise City Oklahoma, and Lamar Colorado, none much bigger then 2 miles from city limit to city limit. Dumas was a shock, as it is the first town I've seen in years that had the intelligence to time their traffic lights to the speed limit. Just north of Lamar I came across millions of yellow butterflies,on both sides of the highway for almost 3 miles.(Unfortunately a few hundred of the butterflies attacked the trucks windshield and won't live to see another day) One bad experience today; Stopped to fuel at a truck stop and pulled up behind a truck on the fuel islands with no hoses hanging down indicating he might be done fueling and was going to pull forward. Ten minutes later, the guy must have remembered why he was on the fuel island, as he got out of his truck and started fueling. After he finished fueling, he pulled forward and went inside the truck stop. I pulled up, fueled my truck, and backed out as the other driver was still playing in the truck stop. At lest 30 minutes of my time wasted for some inconsiderate asshole.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman

Thursday, September 4, 2008

US-287 From Ft Worth to Amarillo Texas

Headed back to Utah. In Texas today and traveling US 287 from Ft Worth to Amarillo. Came upon a couple of dumb ass girls, traveling in a convertible, spending more time talking back and forth and speeding up and slowing down instead of paying any attention to driving.I finally went to pass them and they stayed on my right side enjoying the shade of the truck for about 2 miles. As soon as I got in front of them, they sped up and passed me on the left and took off. Typical of the jerks you meet on the road.
Keep on Truckin
The Iceman