What am I thinking? I spent most of yesterday afternoon washing and waxing the truck - inside and out. I spend more time in it than anywhere else and it makes me happy. Then I waxed the bike. I had washed it a week ago after bringing it up from FL, in the rain. One of these days I'm going to learn that the water spots left after washing are very difficult to get off if I don't dry the bike immediately.
The morning dawns with clear blue skies and a high in the 70s. On top of that, it's Passover - a major holiday. I should be getting my 'therapy' with my face in the wind. I haven't ridden in several weeks.
No, instead of having fun I am sitting here waiting to load three pieces of pipe 30" x 20' going to New Hampshire. But I don't 'do' the northeast, you remind me. Well, yes and no. I don't like the I-95 corridor from Washington DC north past Boston. Too many people, cars, traffic, toll roads and just plain old congestion. It's not worth the headache to me.
The part of NH I'm going to is near the Vermont border. My route will take me across I-70 to Columbus, OH and then north to Cleveland and then along the Lakes past Niagara Falls. Interstate 90 then cuts thru a valley between the Adirondack and Catskill mountains and then I'll zig-zag up thru VT and into NH -- about 1200 miles. So no I-95 insanity.
My west coast trip has been slightly delayed. My cuz is on the road so I'm modifying my travel slightly. Since I'll be riding alot out there, I figured I better work now - play later. How mature is that? LOL
Oh - Oh ...my turn to load,
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
My Best Week Ever (Mostly)
I went to Minot, ND and back this past week - with a few stops in between - driving just over 2700 miles from Mon noon until Fri lunch. This was the highest gross $$$ trip I have done in a one week period. And more significantly, it was the highest dollar-per-mile week I have ever had also!
The miles I drove is slightly above average for me. I typically will do 2000-2500 miles in a week. But the freight rates seem to be higher in the last month and the volume of freight (number of loads I have to choose from) is as high as I have seen it in the 3 years I have been running hot shots! That makes picking the better paying loads easier instead of 'settling' for something just because it's going the way I want to.
I also calculate my dollar-per-mile figure off my odometer rather than a map. That's most unusual but it gives me a TRUE cost number since I have to burn fuel - my largest single-item expense - to deadhead from one to the next. My pay is based on "PC Miler", a map program invented by the government years ago and widely used in the transportation industry. Most brokers use the "Practical Mile" table, which accounts for types of roads between two points, rather than the "Shortest Distance." But the reality is that it is almost ALWAYS shorter than what the actual trip turns out to be.
VERY GENERALLY speaking, truck drivers are some of the nicest, hardest working people you will ever meet. But they are not always the sharpest pencil in the drawer, if you know what I mean. It is very easy to take advantage of a driver -- generally speaking. Between the shipper, the broker, the carrier, the consignee (receiver) and the truck driver -- it will be the driver who gets the shortest straw most every time. Yet he is the one doing the most work. No one else makes money unless he is doing his job.
There was one bad spot in my trip last week. There could have been more. I was 200 miles from the house Monday night when I went across the MO scale just east of Kansas City. I am legal up to 26,000 lbs total gross. I was sitting on the scale reading 26,720 on the digital read-out. A voice over the speaker says,"Make a U-turn to the right off the scale, park behind this building and come inside with all your paperwork, please."
After about 45 minutes and a Level 1 DOT Inspection - they look at EVERYTHING; drivers license, medical card, registration, insurance, lights, brakes, fire extinguisher, emergency triangles, tires, yada-yada-yada - they let me go! I was perfect except for being over weight for my type of registration. (I can buy whats called an apportioned plate and IFTA decal for about $1200 and then be legal up to 34,000 lbs).
The guy doing the inspection was one of the nicest (human-ist) DOT guys I have ever met. He could have given me a ticket for 700 lbs over weight but did not. I did get a sticker in my window designating my perfect inspection. Supposedly, other scales see this and show you the 'courtesy' of not stopping you again for the next 90-days. So potential disaster had a VERY silver lining. (p.s. That was the last scale I drove across for the next 800 miles. I wasn't pressing my luck. I have a map that shows all DOT scales that helps me plan my route)
Disaster did strike later that night. When I'm going down the road, I don't like to stop unless I have too. Fuel is about the only necessity. Other stuff is flexible and works around fuel stops. When I have to go "number 1" and can't wait to the next fuel stop; I pull off an exit ramp, cross over to the get-on side, pull to the shoulder, do my business, jump back in the truck and hi-ball. Much quicker than pulling into a rest stop, finding a parking spot and then walking to and from the building for 30 seconds of relief!
This time I picked the wrong exit ramp. The shoulder I pulled onto was not the customary asphalt. The 6" snow storm they had there two days earlier had melted and turned this gravel shoulder into quicksand. I ended up burying the right side of my trailer and truck to the axles. My 4-wheel drive truck probably could have got itself out but the 20,000 lb trailer wasn't coming with it.
I decided to spend the night there - it was almost midnight by the time I decided I wasn't getting out on my own. At 7 am I found a tow company just a few miles down the road (AT&T internet worked) and the guy said he'd send 'the boys' out.
About 40 minutes later, a beat-up 1/2 ton Chevy pick-up with more rust than paint pulled along side me and rolled the window down. There were several washers/dryers roped into the bed and two young kids - as dirty and mangy as the truck - inside. I assumed a couple of nice guys asking to help. Wrong. These were my saviors from Davis Towing. They planned to hook a chain to the front of my truck and pull me out. "We got four wheel drive!" he proudly claimed.
I don't think so. I could see the stuck trailer ripping the hitch out of the bed as they pulled my truck forward. Not gonna happen. So they called the boss, who has a real tow truck, and he's on the way. It wasn't long before Ron shows up in a slightly better looking 1 ton tow truck. At least he had his name painted on the side. Who cares that he had to turn the truck off each time he wanted to put it in reverse. My "Spidey Sense" should have been tingling big-time at this point but I suggest you scroll up to paragraph #4, line 2 above.
He hooked up to my trailer and was basically unsuccessful. His rig was just too small. (Some guys have that problem) He suggested another tow company in nearby St, Joseph. I called them but Ron ended up speaking with them. (My mistakes are now compounding themselves and there is going to be an expensive ending here.)
Less than 30 minutes later, a very professional tow truck pulls up (12,000# rig versus Ron's 8,000#) with a uniformed driver who moved with authority and knowledge about his job. My truck was sitting on the concrete in no time at all, dirty but no damage. While I'm surveying the right side of my rig, Ron and this other driver are conversing and then the other guy drives off. Here comes the bill.
"How about $585?" he asks. The rest of the conversation is not fit to print. I ended up paying $500 -- CASH! For the next several days, the phrase "Highway Robbery" plays thru my mind as I recount the event. All because I had to pee.
As my mother later pointed out - and I know all to well; it's not the first time I have been raped while broke down on the highway. There was the $400 labor bill (no parts) I paid Adventure RV in Fargo, ND for 1 1/2 hours work to fix a wiring issue on my trailer. Then there was the $150 labor only charge I paid for a guy to mount MY spare tire onto MY rim after removing the blown-up tire off the trailer.
But then there was Inland Truck service in Springfield, MO. I broke a fuel line near there and called them for help. They were immediate and professional and extremely fair! Unfortunately they are the exception to the norm. Breaking down on the highway is usually a VERY expensive deal. I am religious about getting preventative maintenance done on my vehicles and try to keep them in the best condition possible. But sometimes 'poo-poo occurs' and sometimes I just do stupid things - usually when I'm in a hurry. I try to remind myself that the faster I go, the slower I get.
The rest of my trip was absolutely fantastic. One of the bonuses of driving around the scales is you end up off the beaten path and see some REAL Americana. BTW, I'm not really violating any laws when I pick a route that has no DOT Inspection stations along the way. As long as I'm heading towards my destination according to my Bill of Lading.
Speaking of Fargo, ND, they are having significant flooding concerns again this spring. It is an amazing sight tho to drive over a small bridge and see the swirling waters lapping at the sides of the roadway. Some places were even sand-bagged to keep water off the pavement. And then the sunset as I'm heading west; OMG! The big orange ball settling on the horizon and the reflections from the water standing in both ditches and even many of the farm fields along the road -- words cannot describe.
After my delivery in Minot, ND (known to most people when they see their local weather report and the announcer highlights "the coldest temperatures in the US today ..."), I was shown a 'short-cut' down to Faith, SD that knocked 40 miles off my route. I followed US-83 south as it crosses Lake Sakawea. This lake is formed by a dam on the Missouri River. I turned off 83 and followed some State Roads along the bottom of this lake and over the dam. Breathtaking!
The lake is still mostly frozen except along the very edges of the shoreline. There are thousands and thousands of Canadian Geese. Some flying formation headed back north. Many are resting along the lake and shore. These are some very big birds. They have been the source of several airplane crashes when they get sucked into the engines. (Including Captain Sully's "Landing on the Hudson" I think).
There is still alot of snow on the ground too. Especially where the wind has drifted it into low spots and ravines or retailers have plowed it into 10' high piles off their parking lots. Many times my travels have taken me to different parts of the Lewis and Clark Expedition trail. Each time I vow to buy a book because it is such an interesting part of our history and I am continually crossing their path. (hint hint - Chanukah gift idea!)
I have noticed before how most of the ranches have planted a natural barrier on the north and west sides of their buildings. Usually it's two or three rows of evergreens both bushes and trees. It was easy to see now why.
They get alot of snow up there and the wind blows constantly causing it to drift. The shrubbery slows the wind so the snow drops out before hitting the buildings and piling up there. The result is obvious when it starts to melt - like now. The area around the house and out-buildings is clear. But the snow pile in and just south of the tree line is substantial, several feet even now.
My second delivery in SD was quick and then it was 100 mile deadhead to Spearfish to reload. Spearfish Canyon is on my All Time Top 10 Favorite Places to Ride list. I have been there many times - the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is 10 miles away. In fact, of all the rallies I have been too, when it comes to riding scenery, Sturgis is easily #1. There are just sooooo many wonderful sights within 100 miles of there - Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, Iron Mountain, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon, Devils Tower, and many more.
I loaded a Ford F-250 truck and then headed back to St. Louis (two deliveries and one reload all on Wednesday). Thursday morning, I found a small partial I could add on with a very slight change in route - metal fencing (panels actually) for holding barnyard animals. This is the key to making the best money doing what I do - adding a second load on to a trip I'm already on. When you can do that with-out significant increase in miles it's like the icing on a cake. And I did that both coming and going last week. That's why my week was so good. And all because freight volumes are up.
Friday morning I delivered the panels, drove 100 miles to STL, delivered the Ford truck, and drove 40 miles to the house all before lunch! The end to a mostly wonderful week.
I have been talking with a lady in Muncie, IN who has an older car hauler trailer that I think is exactly the style I am looking for. I found it on Craigslist. My current wagon is a gooseneck flatbed with a dovetail and flip ramps that I modified with 36' extensions. It's built for heavy loads (general freight) but the ramps make it possible to load vehicles. Bigger things like pick-up trucks, tractors, bobcats, etc are easy to get on. But many cars sit lower to the ground and are more of a challenge. The relatively steep incline of the 5' ramp and 5' dovetail - even with my extensions - makes putting some cars on a stomach turning experience.
This new (to me) trailer has a 9' dovetail and then 4' ramps that slide into the trailer. The incline is more moderate, the surface more smooth (solid steel deck) and the ramps don't take up trailer deck space when stored. But the trailer also has a flat deck area rather than the arch you see on more typical car haulers. this would allow me to carry general freight too. It also has a ramp up from the front of the deck that goes over the hitch and truck bed so I can get probably three cars at a time on. I'm going to Muncie and look at this tomorrow. I'm taking a pocket full of money with me (less than she's asking tho. I AM Jewish and have a reputation to maintain).
My schedule next week is uncertain at the moment. But I am prepping for my West Coast journey beginning as early as next Friday perhaps. I will be taking my bike this time (of course) and headed first to Phoenix. AZ Bike Week begins Apr 9 and I plan to be there. Also, my cuz Adrienne, who lives there, has offered to take me on my first kayak trip. There should be a Kodak moment or two there, I think.
Coincidentally, the Harley Owners Group (which I belong to) is having their Nevada State Rally in Pahrump the weekend of Apr 16th. That will be along my route to LA where I plan to see another cuz before she immigrates to Israel. More on that story later. From LA, I will go north to Sacramento and see her mother for a few days and then even further north to Boise, ID and visit an uncle from the other side of my family. I was in Boise actually last year (see "2009 August" archive on your left) but what the heck.
This will probably take 3 weeks or so I'm thinking. I AM working (sort of). I think a new truck is in my near future, especially if I get this trailer, so I better plan on working alot. I am pretty much debt free and plan to stay that way so I will need a wad of cash to go shopping with. Debt free (and lots of family with spare bedrooms) allows me to Travel the USA.
The miles I drove is slightly above average for me. I typically will do 2000-2500 miles in a week. But the freight rates seem to be higher in the last month and the volume of freight (number of loads I have to choose from) is as high as I have seen it in the 3 years I have been running hot shots! That makes picking the better paying loads easier instead of 'settling' for something just because it's going the way I want to.
I also calculate my dollar-per-mile figure off my odometer rather than a map. That's most unusual but it gives me a TRUE cost number since I have to burn fuel - my largest single-item expense - to deadhead from one to the next. My pay is based on "PC Miler", a map program invented by the government years ago and widely used in the transportation industry. Most brokers use the "Practical Mile" table, which accounts for types of roads between two points, rather than the "Shortest Distance." But the reality is that it is almost ALWAYS shorter than what the actual trip turns out to be.
VERY GENERALLY speaking, truck drivers are some of the nicest, hardest working people you will ever meet. But they are not always the sharpest pencil in the drawer, if you know what I mean. It is very easy to take advantage of a driver -- generally speaking. Between the shipper, the broker, the carrier, the consignee (receiver) and the truck driver -- it will be the driver who gets the shortest straw most every time. Yet he is the one doing the most work. No one else makes money unless he is doing his job.
There was one bad spot in my trip last week. There could have been more. I was 200 miles from the house Monday night when I went across the MO scale just east of Kansas City. I am legal up to 26,000 lbs total gross. I was sitting on the scale reading 26,720 on the digital read-out. A voice over the speaker says,"Make a U-turn to the right off the scale, park behind this building and come inside with all your paperwork, please."
After about 45 minutes and a Level 1 DOT Inspection - they look at EVERYTHING; drivers license, medical card, registration, insurance, lights, brakes, fire extinguisher, emergency triangles, tires, yada-yada-yada - they let me go! I was perfect except for being over weight for my type of registration. (I can buy whats called an apportioned plate and IFTA decal for about $1200 and then be legal up to 34,000 lbs).
The guy doing the inspection was one of the nicest (human-ist) DOT guys I have ever met. He could have given me a ticket for 700 lbs over weight but did not. I did get a sticker in my window designating my perfect inspection. Supposedly, other scales see this and show you the 'courtesy' of not stopping you again for the next 90-days. So potential disaster had a VERY silver lining. (p.s. That was the last scale I drove across for the next 800 miles. I wasn't pressing my luck. I have a map that shows all DOT scales that helps me plan my route)
Disaster did strike later that night. When I'm going down the road, I don't like to stop unless I have too. Fuel is about the only necessity. Other stuff is flexible and works around fuel stops. When I have to go "number 1" and can't wait to the next fuel stop; I pull off an exit ramp, cross over to the get-on side, pull to the shoulder, do my business, jump back in the truck and hi-ball. Much quicker than pulling into a rest stop, finding a parking spot and then walking to and from the building for 30 seconds of relief!
This time I picked the wrong exit ramp. The shoulder I pulled onto was not the customary asphalt. The 6" snow storm they had there two days earlier had melted and turned this gravel shoulder into quicksand. I ended up burying the right side of my trailer and truck to the axles. My 4-wheel drive truck probably could have got itself out but the 20,000 lb trailer wasn't coming with it.
I decided to spend the night there - it was almost midnight by the time I decided I wasn't getting out on my own. At 7 am I found a tow company just a few miles down the road (AT&T internet worked) and the guy said he'd send 'the boys' out.
About 40 minutes later, a beat-up 1/2 ton Chevy pick-up with more rust than paint pulled along side me and rolled the window down. There were several washers/dryers roped into the bed and two young kids - as dirty and mangy as the truck - inside. I assumed a couple of nice guys asking to help. Wrong. These were my saviors from Davis Towing. They planned to hook a chain to the front of my truck and pull me out. "We got four wheel drive!" he proudly claimed.
I don't think so. I could see the stuck trailer ripping the hitch out of the bed as they pulled my truck forward. Not gonna happen. So they called the boss, who has a real tow truck, and he's on the way. It wasn't long before Ron shows up in a slightly better looking 1 ton tow truck. At least he had his name painted on the side. Who cares that he had to turn the truck off each time he wanted to put it in reverse. My "Spidey Sense" should have been tingling big-time at this point but I suggest you scroll up to paragraph #4, line 2 above.
He hooked up to my trailer and was basically unsuccessful. His rig was just too small. (Some guys have that problem) He suggested another tow company in nearby St, Joseph. I called them but Ron ended up speaking with them. (My mistakes are now compounding themselves and there is going to be an expensive ending here.)
Less than 30 minutes later, a very professional tow truck pulls up (12,000# rig versus Ron's 8,000#) with a uniformed driver who moved with authority and knowledge about his job. My truck was sitting on the concrete in no time at all, dirty but no damage. While I'm surveying the right side of my rig, Ron and this other driver are conversing and then the other guy drives off. Here comes the bill.
"How about $585?" he asks. The rest of the conversation is not fit to print. I ended up paying $500 -- CASH! For the next several days, the phrase "Highway Robbery" plays thru my mind as I recount the event. All because I had to pee.
As my mother later pointed out - and I know all to well; it's not the first time I have been raped while broke down on the highway. There was the $400 labor bill (no parts) I paid Adventure RV in Fargo, ND for 1 1/2 hours work to fix a wiring issue on my trailer. Then there was the $150 labor only charge I paid for a guy to mount MY spare tire onto MY rim after removing the blown-up tire off the trailer.
But then there was Inland Truck service in Springfield, MO. I broke a fuel line near there and called them for help. They were immediate and professional and extremely fair! Unfortunately they are the exception to the norm. Breaking down on the highway is usually a VERY expensive deal. I am religious about getting preventative maintenance done on my vehicles and try to keep them in the best condition possible. But sometimes 'poo-poo occurs' and sometimes I just do stupid things - usually when I'm in a hurry. I try to remind myself that the faster I go, the slower I get.
The rest of my trip was absolutely fantastic. One of the bonuses of driving around the scales is you end up off the beaten path and see some REAL Americana. BTW, I'm not really violating any laws when I pick a route that has no DOT Inspection stations along the way. As long as I'm heading towards my destination according to my Bill of Lading.
Speaking of Fargo, ND, they are having significant flooding concerns again this spring. It is an amazing sight tho to drive over a small bridge and see the swirling waters lapping at the sides of the roadway. Some places were even sand-bagged to keep water off the pavement. And then the sunset as I'm heading west; OMG! The big orange ball settling on the horizon and the reflections from the water standing in both ditches and even many of the farm fields along the road -- words cannot describe.
After my delivery in Minot, ND (known to most people when they see their local weather report and the announcer highlights "the coldest temperatures in the US today ..."), I was shown a 'short-cut' down to Faith, SD that knocked 40 miles off my route. I followed US-83 south as it crosses Lake Sakawea. This lake is formed by a dam on the Missouri River. I turned off 83 and followed some State Roads along the bottom of this lake and over the dam. Breathtaking!
The lake is still mostly frozen except along the very edges of the shoreline. There are thousands and thousands of Canadian Geese. Some flying formation headed back north. Many are resting along the lake and shore. These are some very big birds. They have been the source of several airplane crashes when they get sucked into the engines. (Including Captain Sully's "Landing on the Hudson" I think).
There is still alot of snow on the ground too. Especially where the wind has drifted it into low spots and ravines or retailers have plowed it into 10' high piles off their parking lots. Many times my travels have taken me to different parts of the Lewis and Clark Expedition trail. Each time I vow to buy a book because it is such an interesting part of our history and I am continually crossing their path. (hint hint - Chanukah gift idea!)
I have noticed before how most of the ranches have planted a natural barrier on the north and west sides of their buildings. Usually it's two or three rows of evergreens both bushes and trees. It was easy to see now why.
They get alot of snow up there and the wind blows constantly causing it to drift. The shrubbery slows the wind so the snow drops out before hitting the buildings and piling up there. The result is obvious when it starts to melt - like now. The area around the house and out-buildings is clear. But the snow pile in and just south of the tree line is substantial, several feet even now.
My second delivery in SD was quick and then it was 100 mile deadhead to Spearfish to reload. Spearfish Canyon is on my All Time Top 10 Favorite Places to Ride list. I have been there many times - the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is 10 miles away. In fact, of all the rallies I have been too, when it comes to riding scenery, Sturgis is easily #1. There are just sooooo many wonderful sights within 100 miles of there - Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, Iron Mountain, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon, Devils Tower, and many more.
I loaded a Ford F-250 truck and then headed back to St. Louis (two deliveries and one reload all on Wednesday). Thursday morning, I found a small partial I could add on with a very slight change in route - metal fencing (panels actually) for holding barnyard animals. This is the key to making the best money doing what I do - adding a second load on to a trip I'm already on. When you can do that with-out significant increase in miles it's like the icing on a cake. And I did that both coming and going last week. That's why my week was so good. And all because freight volumes are up.
Friday morning I delivered the panels, drove 100 miles to STL, delivered the Ford truck, and drove 40 miles to the house all before lunch! The end to a mostly wonderful week.
I have been talking with a lady in Muncie, IN who has an older car hauler trailer that I think is exactly the style I am looking for. I found it on Craigslist. My current wagon is a gooseneck flatbed with a dovetail and flip ramps that I modified with 36' extensions. It's built for heavy loads (general freight) but the ramps make it possible to load vehicles. Bigger things like pick-up trucks, tractors, bobcats, etc are easy to get on. But many cars sit lower to the ground and are more of a challenge. The relatively steep incline of the 5' ramp and 5' dovetail - even with my extensions - makes putting some cars on a stomach turning experience.
This new (to me) trailer has a 9' dovetail and then 4' ramps that slide into the trailer. The incline is more moderate, the surface more smooth (solid steel deck) and the ramps don't take up trailer deck space when stored. But the trailer also has a flat deck area rather than the arch you see on more typical car haulers. this would allow me to carry general freight too. It also has a ramp up from the front of the deck that goes over the hitch and truck bed so I can get probably three cars at a time on. I'm going to Muncie and look at this tomorrow. I'm taking a pocket full of money with me (less than she's asking tho. I AM Jewish and have a reputation to maintain).
My schedule next week is uncertain at the moment. But I am prepping for my West Coast journey beginning as early as next Friday perhaps. I will be taking my bike this time (of course) and headed first to Phoenix. AZ Bike Week begins Apr 9 and I plan to be there. Also, my cuz Adrienne, who lives there, has offered to take me on my first kayak trip. There should be a Kodak moment or two there, I think.
Coincidentally, the Harley Owners Group (which I belong to) is having their Nevada State Rally in Pahrump the weekend of Apr 16th. That will be along my route to LA where I plan to see another cuz before she immigrates to Israel. More on that story later. From LA, I will go north to Sacramento and see her mother for a few days and then even further north to Boise, ID and visit an uncle from the other side of my family. I was in Boise actually last year (see "2009 August" archive on your left) but what the heck.
This will probably take 3 weeks or so I'm thinking. I AM working (sort of). I think a new truck is in my near future, especially if I get this trailer, so I better plan on working alot. I am pretty much debt free and plan to stay that way so I will need a wad of cash to go shopping with. Debt free (and lots of family with spare bedrooms) allows me to Travel the USA.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Qwik Trip to Texas and Back
It's late Thursday night and I'm about to lay my head down. I drove 650 miles today and more than 600 miles yesterday so I'm feeling a wee bit tired. I am enroute to a small town just north of the OK/TX border about 130 miles north of Dallas. I am carrying a small - looks to be an antique - grader (not the kind you use on cheese). I say small because most graders - the kind you see leveling dirt in a construction zone - are bigger than I can carry. This one is still 20' long and almost 13,000#.
This journey started yesterday after I had blood drawn for my upcoming physical. I loaded two long pieces of pipe, 30" diameter and 29' long which will hold a big sign in the air. Those delivered this afternoon near Houston. I picked up this grader and will deliver this in the morning.
Next I'm looking at a couple of cars back near Dallas going to STL. I don't like to deadhead that much - 130 miles back to Dallas - but their are more options going to STL from there.
But right now, it's beddy-bye time.
(addendum - from the time I wrote this until my next regular post (Mar 27 above), I ended up getting just one car - a 1997 Chevelle - from Sherman, TX that took me back to Belleville by the weekend)
This journey started yesterday after I had blood drawn for my upcoming physical. I loaded two long pieces of pipe, 30" diameter and 29' long which will hold a big sign in the air. Those delivered this afternoon near Houston. I picked up this grader and will deliver this in the morning.
Next I'm looking at a couple of cars back near Dallas going to STL. I don't like to deadhead that much - 130 miles back to Dallas - but their are more options going to STL from there.
But right now, it's beddy-bye time.
(addendum - from the time I wrote this until my next regular post (Mar 27 above), I ended up getting just one car - a 1997 Chevelle - from Sherman, TX that took me back to Belleville by the weekend)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Back in IL ... For a Minute
I left FL - grudgingly - last Monday and headed back north. My two weeks there was really nice even with the weather being colder than usual. But that's been the story around the country this winter - which officially ends next weekend! WOO-HOO!
As I mentioned before, I am really liking this new load board I'm using that features vehicles (mostly cars but some trucks and bikes) that need to move. There are a ton of loads available going almost anywhere I want and many of then are Cash on Delivery -- SWEEEEET!
I loaded my motorcycle for the first time on my new trailer. It was a challenge and took almost 2 hours. This trailer sits almost 4" higher than my old one. Doesn't sound like much but that increases the angle of the ramp so the bike bottoms out more quickly at the transition onto the deck as well as being more steep. Add to that the wet grass from the early morning dew makes for spinning rear tire as I go up. The real kick-in-the-ass was I did not have all the parts of the ramp with me.
My mcy ramp is two parts. The 8' main section I brought down from IL with me last November when I hauled the bike in the back of my pickup truck. There is a 4' extension that I forgot about (didn't need it to load into the truck) and left in IL. Sure could have used it here! For you non-geometry types, the longer ramp reduces the angles and flattens the incline.
But ultimately I got it done - as usual. In fact my creativity got another work-out a few days latter when I went to pick up a load that turned out to be 'not as advertised.'
I loaded a Mercedes from Sarasota, FL going to Savannah, GA about 2 miles from my parents house. Because my bike was also on the trailer now, I did not have enough deck space left to add a second car. Oh well, that's the price I pay for the benefit of taking my fun with me.
I spent two nights with my parents and found a Chevy pickup truck going to Columbus, OH. I also found a 4 wheeler going the same direction and actually loaded it first. When I got to my 'pickup truck' it turned out to be a medium duty cab and chassis truck with a sleeper. It was way bigger than I had planned resulting in the 4 wheeler not fitting on the trailer - either lengthwise (3' too long) or sideways (about 6" too wide).
Two and a half hours latter I had it figured out. I put the truck on first and then backed the 4 wheeler on as far as it would go. The front tires of the ATV were still on the flip-up ramps. I used some wood blocks to raise the ramps 12" off the ground thus raising the front of the rear-facing ATV off the tail of the trailer. Next I took the two wood ramp-extensions I had made and stacked them together so that the right-angle triangle shape of each formed a square box. I used these to block the belly of the ATV off the tail of the trailer. (A picture is worth a thousand words). At this point the weight is off the front tires so the ramps were loose. I strapped them up to the ATV to keep them from dragging the ground. And away I went!
I am happy to say it rode perfectly. The ATV came off first, that evening actually, and then it was on to OH. Thursday morning I delivered the truck; loaded an auction car; drove 40 miles west and added a Honda 'crotch-rocket' motorcycle destined for Japan (does anyone else see the irony of a Honda going to Japan?); and then headed for 'my bed' in Belleville some 450 miles further down the road. It was a VERY long day. But at 9:30 that night I was walking thru the back door.
Yesterday I delivered the two vehicles. BTW, the Honda was going to a guy in the Navy serving in Japan. I made arrangements to get my truck serviced Monday morning and then went to dinner at some friends. My oldest son joined me, I'm happy to say.
Today, I am suppose to be going to the St. Patricks Day parade in St. Louis. In fact, I have less than an hour to get there. Cya next time.
As I mentioned before, I am really liking this new load board I'm using that features vehicles (mostly cars but some trucks and bikes) that need to move. There are a ton of loads available going almost anywhere I want and many of then are Cash on Delivery -- SWEEEEET!
I loaded my motorcycle for the first time on my new trailer. It was a challenge and took almost 2 hours. This trailer sits almost 4" higher than my old one. Doesn't sound like much but that increases the angle of the ramp so the bike bottoms out more quickly at the transition onto the deck as well as being more steep. Add to that the wet grass from the early morning dew makes for spinning rear tire as I go up. The real kick-in-the-ass was I did not have all the parts of the ramp with me.
My mcy ramp is two parts. The 8' main section I brought down from IL with me last November when I hauled the bike in the back of my pickup truck. There is a 4' extension that I forgot about (didn't need it to load into the truck) and left in IL. Sure could have used it here! For you non-geometry types, the longer ramp reduces the angles and flattens the incline.
But ultimately I got it done - as usual. In fact my creativity got another work-out a few days latter when I went to pick up a load that turned out to be 'not as advertised.'
I loaded a Mercedes from Sarasota, FL going to Savannah, GA about 2 miles from my parents house. Because my bike was also on the trailer now, I did not have enough deck space left to add a second car. Oh well, that's the price I pay for the benefit of taking my fun with me.
I spent two nights with my parents and found a Chevy pickup truck going to Columbus, OH. I also found a 4 wheeler going the same direction and actually loaded it first. When I got to my 'pickup truck' it turned out to be a medium duty cab and chassis truck with a sleeper. It was way bigger than I had planned resulting in the 4 wheeler not fitting on the trailer - either lengthwise (3' too long) or sideways (about 6" too wide).
Two and a half hours latter I had it figured out. I put the truck on first and then backed the 4 wheeler on as far as it would go. The front tires of the ATV were still on the flip-up ramps. I used some wood blocks to raise the ramps 12" off the ground thus raising the front of the rear-facing ATV off the tail of the trailer. Next I took the two wood ramp-extensions I had made and stacked them together so that the right-angle triangle shape of each formed a square box. I used these to block the belly of the ATV off the tail of the trailer. (A picture is worth a thousand words). At this point the weight is off the front tires so the ramps were loose. I strapped them up to the ATV to keep them from dragging the ground. And away I went!
I am happy to say it rode perfectly. The ATV came off first, that evening actually, and then it was on to OH. Thursday morning I delivered the truck; loaded an auction car; drove 40 miles west and added a Honda 'crotch-rocket' motorcycle destined for Japan (does anyone else see the irony of a Honda going to Japan?); and then headed for 'my bed' in Belleville some 450 miles further down the road. It was a VERY long day. But at 9:30 that night I was walking thru the back door.
Yesterday I delivered the two vehicles. BTW, the Honda was going to a guy in the Navy serving in Japan. I made arrangements to get my truck serviced Monday morning and then went to dinner at some friends. My oldest son joined me, I'm happy to say.
Today, I am suppose to be going to the St. Patricks Day parade in St. Louis. In fact, I have less than an hour to get there. Cya next time.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Final Days of Vaca in Paradise
I have been home here in FL for almost 2 weeks now and the talk-of-the-town has been what a cold winter this has been. The highs are typically in the low 70s by now but we have been in the upper 50s to low 60s most of the time. And the wind - relentless yesterday. It was blowing 25-32 mph making it feel even cooler.
The big winds have also made for some very large waves - which we rarely get here. The surf on my part of the beach is generally 1-2 feet; more of a rocking motion than a wave. Tuesday night at high tide the waves came a good 20' further up the beach than usual. The erosion overnight was dramatic. There is now a 18" step where the waves crashed high onto the beach. Several years ago they dredged the pass going into the Intercoastal Waterway from the Gulf next to where I live. They pumped the sand onto the Beach and then raked it out with tractors. It looks like we lost in 24 hours about 40% of what they pumped up there in 10 days!
I have had company these last 8 days from IL. We have not been able to ride as much as I would have liked. Just too chilly to go any distance. It's at least 30 miles from my house before you get away from 'town' and the traffic that threatens you for space on the roads. But I do believe they have had a great time anyway. The weather is still 20 degrees warmer than in IL and rain was only a factor a couple of times. Shell hunting on the beach seems to be their number one entertainment. They have at least 3 bags full.
And I'm beginning to think about my near-future plans. They will leave tomorrow - Friday. I plan to stick around til Monday. I need to finish my taxes mostly. Then it's up to Pooler and see my parents for a couple of days and then work my way back to the St. Louis area. I will continue west later in the month and go visit my cuz who is immigrating to Israel the end of April.
I plan to take my bike with me when I leave here. I have never loaded it onto my new trailer but I have a plan in my head. I plan to swing thru Phoenix probably after my visit to CA. AZ Bike Week is April 9th and I have never been before. We'll see if that works out. Plus I get to visit another cuz, if she's not out-of-town. Her job takes her to 6 or 7 different states. She is a big-time kayaker and I'm anxious to try that also.
So the next 5 or 6 weeks is somewhat laid out - an outline, if you will. I'm anxious to get back on the road with my bike again; Travelling the USA!
The big winds have also made for some very large waves - which we rarely get here. The surf on my part of the beach is generally 1-2 feet; more of a rocking motion than a wave. Tuesday night at high tide the waves came a good 20' further up the beach than usual. The erosion overnight was dramatic. There is now a 18" step where the waves crashed high onto the beach. Several years ago they dredged the pass going into the Intercoastal Waterway from the Gulf next to where I live. They pumped the sand onto the Beach and then raked it out with tractors. It looks like we lost in 24 hours about 40% of what they pumped up there in 10 days!
I have had company these last 8 days from IL. We have not been able to ride as much as I would have liked. Just too chilly to go any distance. It's at least 30 miles from my house before you get away from 'town' and the traffic that threatens you for space on the roads. But I do believe they have had a great time anyway. The weather is still 20 degrees warmer than in IL and rain was only a factor a couple of times. Shell hunting on the beach seems to be their number one entertainment. They have at least 3 bags full.
And I'm beginning to think about my near-future plans. They will leave tomorrow - Friday. I plan to stick around til Monday. I need to finish my taxes mostly. Then it's up to Pooler and see my parents for a couple of days and then work my way back to the St. Louis area. I will continue west later in the month and go visit my cuz who is immigrating to Israel the end of April.
I plan to take my bike with me when I leave here. I have never loaded it onto my new trailer but I have a plan in my head. I plan to swing thru Phoenix probably after my visit to CA. AZ Bike Week is April 9th and I have never been before. We'll see if that works out. Plus I get to visit another cuz, if she's not out-of-town. Her job takes her to 6 or 7 different states. She is a big-time kayaker and I'm anxious to try that also.
So the next 5 or 6 weeks is somewhat laid out - an outline, if you will. I'm anxious to get back on the road with my bike again; Travelling the USA!
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