AT&T - Your Lucky today 'cuz I have something good to say (but not about YOU)

I have been thinking about AT&T wireless and planned quite a diatribe about their service. But instead - today - I have something nice to say instead about a bad situation that could have been a WHOLE lot worse (obviously a testament to my clean living).

Last week was relatively slow for me, business wise, so I decided to find something off the load board and go on a road trip. I booked a Chinook helicopter blade going to Ft. Rucker, AL - 30' long and only 1000 lbs made it a nice deal. I loaded Friday and then grudgingly left Sunday morning to make a Monday delivery. I say grudgingly because I REALLY wanted to watch the New Orleans - Minnesota football game. I settled for listening on the radio.

Ft. Rucker is in the southeastern corner of Alabama and pretty much out in the sticks. It is a very large Army post with a whole lot of helicopters (obviously). I like to try and set-up my NEXT trip while still completing the one I'm on. In this case, I was trying to access the load board on Monday morning from Ft. Rucker. AT&T (my wireless Internet provider) was not cooperative. Since my topic for today is "good news", I'll leave details of this for another time.

Normally, when I'm 'out' like this, I look for something close to where I am (I do a 'radius search' based on zip code) and then pick the best paying load. But because I'm trying to stay close to the STL area, I did a destination search looking for something within 150 miles going back to STL. I ended up booking a Ford cargo van going from an auction place on the AL/GA line into west-central Missouri. It was a few more deadhead miles - on both ends - than I prefer but it accomplished my objective - get back to STL.

I picked that up Monday afternoon and then pointed my "tall" load into a vicious wind from the northwest and headed out. I also began looking for something to add-on along the way.

This morning, while coming into IL, I got a call from a broker (I love it when THEY call ME) looking to move a skid steer (Bobcat) from the STL area to southwest MO. Ironically, my trip with the cargo van took me THRU St. Louis. So I grabbed that on my way thru and continued west with my now full trailer.

The wind today was still quite gusty and mostly 'in-my-face' as I went out I-44. About halfway across MO it becomes quite hilly as you get into the Ozarks. So now my old Dodge diesel is fighting it's way up these big hills, into the wind with 19,000 lbs of trailer hanging off it's ass. Oh, and if I want to deliver today I need to go 300 miles in less than 6 hours; not impossible but certainly will require the pedal screwed to the floor.

About 100 miles from my destination - and I'm on-time so far, btw - without any warning or unusual sounds, my truck begins to vibrate violently when accelerating - which I'm doing ALOT of. Long story short, I broke one of the fuel lines that feeds the injector. The vibration was from one of my six cylinders being 'dead' because of no fuel. (This is the good news part)

First of all I was able to continue driving although at significantly reduced power. I'm also pouring fuel out of this busted line as I try to get somewhere and have this looked at. I lost probably 15 gallons of fuel (at $3/gl) driving the 40 miles necessary to get to a town of significance and seek repairs. I'm embarrassed to say the trail of diesel I leaked thru the parking lot of the truck stop as I pulled in reminded me of one of those water trucks that sprays down the dusty roads in a construction site.

Not only was I able to find a repair shop that would look at my problem 'right now' but they even were able to get the part from the Cummin's dealer 1/2 mile up the street. $218 and 2 hours later I'm back on the road again! Other than the terrible stench of diesel that still coats my truck, I'm good as new. I could have been broke-down on the side of the road waiting for a wrecker to tow me to Joe's Garage in Down-Under Missouri where they would order the part and have it 'maybe next week.'

So, if you happen to breakdown anywhere near Springfield, MO; please call Tim at Inland Truck Parts and Service. They gave me the ULTIMATE HOOK-UP, as far as I'm concerned. I can tell you, my experience with repairs on the road rarely have a happy ending. When you drive 100K miles/year, s@%^t gonna happen. Typically it's 'open season' on your wallet. Not this time.

THANK YOU TIM!

So tonight I sit outside Branson, MO waiting to deliver my skid steer loader first thing in the morning. Then it's 130 miles north to drop off the cargo van. Just a few minutes ago, I saw a post for a pick-up truck going back to St. Louis. I'll try to hook that up on my way to deliver the van.

Next time I will vent on AT&T and their lousy network.