Remember in the last post we had 4 deliveries in the states. This was just some of the houses in one of the towns in New Jersey. Do you see a theme here.
The following day we went down to Fredericton to one of the bigger shopping malls to have a good look round. We expected everywhere to shut at 5:30 just like they all do in Woodstock. Even the restaurants are shut by 9 or 10pm at the latest in Woodstock, so expected the same in Fredericton. So was surprised when they said 9pm and 10pm. We must have been in there 8 hours including the trip to Dairy Queen for tea.
Sunday was our first Canadian Thanks Giving. So it was turkey dinner. First time Emma had made Yorkshire puddings before. They was great. One the Monday was the actual holiday and I was due back on the road. Bernie had gone out on the Sunday, taking a load down to New Jersey. I was told he should be back on the Monday to pick me up. Bernie new different with knowing where all the collections are in that area and where they normally get taken to. Monday came and I rang to see if he was on his way back to find out he was off to Pennsylvania for a collection going to Toronto, and that he would probably not get back for me till Wednesday. So I went and cut the grass for the last time this year. Have you ever tried to cut one acre of grass with just a petrol push mower? Most exercise I have had since I have been in Canada. Lol mind you it did not take me long without the grass box on. But I was covered from head to toe in grass lol
Anyways while I;m cutting the grass. The phone rang. Joe the owner wanted me to take 801 to Toronto leave that there and join Bernie back in 833. No problem I said. So after cutting the grass. I get my gear ready. I take so much, it only just fits in the boot. I gets to the shop and says “is 801 ready” they said yes it was over there. OMG. It was a day cab sat there. I’m thinking, where on earth am I going to fit all my stuff for one and two, where am I sleeping that night as it is more than one days drive. So I went in to dispatch and said” there is something missing off the back of the truck” they said “it’s a motel room, here is $100” so off I went. It took some doing getting all my gear in the truck, microwave as well, but I got it in. I didn’t set off till evening so it was 1:30am before I found a hotel with truck parking. I had driven past this place many times and always wanted to take pictures of the monster trucks and dinosaur’s around the property, so here is a couple I took the following morning.
Because of the time I was going to meet up with Bernie in Toronto, we both knew what our first reload was going to be, and we was right. A midnight collection going to Vancouver, but ended up with a Winnipeg instead. I was soooooo glad to get out of that heap of a day cab. After driving that for 2 days then getting back into 833, it makes you appreciate what luxury I drive round in. getting out of the day cab and getting into 833 is like getting out of a old farm tractor into a Rolls-Royce. I could hear myself think again. lol
Well we dropped off in Winnipeg. We was then suppose to take our original load from the other team and continue to Vancouver, but Bernie had to renew his licence. By the time he had done that our BC load had already gone. So we got a reload to Minnesota. We collected it and went down to the border. There was several trucks waiting so I pulled into one of the queues. We sat there waiting, so I got my passport out ready and thought, my I-94 was ready for renewal. This is a Visa waiver that allows me to go into and out of the US to work etc. you have to renew them every 3 months. Anyway, so I’m looking at the I-94 stapled in my passport looking at the date to renew and it said December, when it was only the other day when customs reminded me it was up for renewal. As I’m thinking what’s going on, I then notice Emma’s picture in it. OMG I had her passport. On the Monday just as I’m getting my stuff ready, I remember Emma saying, “I will just put your passport in your pocket while I remember” when I got dressed, I pulled it out to see it was there, so thought all was good. YEA RIGHT. I gets to the window of the customs officer. Explained to him what had happened. He did not want to make the decision, so sent us through x-ray to buy some time one of the officers in there said I would be ok, as we mainly cross the border there anyway. We then went into the office. After a very long wait. We find out they was not going to let me cross. For admin purposes they had to take my mug shot and finger prints. They said just go home and get your passport and we will let you straight over. I said I would if home was not over 2000 miles away lol. Joe the owner of Ayr Motor was spitting bullets. Bernie could not take the load as 1 man would not have gotten there in time. So we had to re book it back into Canada before we could move. Four hours later we was back on the Canadian side. I was ready to fly home to fetch it till I seen the prices lol, so they put me up in an hotel, so they could figure out what to do with me. If I had been paying for the hotel, I would have flatly refused. Heath and Safety would have closed it down back home. Joe was not about to let Bernie sit about too, so he got is re-load straight away going into the states for delivery by midday the following day. The problem was even though I had been driving all day, Bernie had been up all day to, so needed some sleep. He figured he could get 6 hours and still make it on time, so dropped me at the hotel, and off he popped. Next morning I got Emma to take my passport to work so they could fedex it over to me for Saturday delivery. I was expecting to be in the hotel till at least Monday. Then the phone rang. It was Bernie, I said “what you doing?” He said “get your gear ready and meet me out front in 10mins” he had only gone and over slept, not even hooked onto the trailer. Joe through fits at him, then gave him an urgent reload back to Montreal telling him to pick me up on the way. So both of us was not the flavour of the month. I had got a nice message waiting for me on the satellite from Joe when I got in the truck. He was not a happy bunny. When we got to Montreal, we then got a reload going back to Woodstock so I could get my passport. When we got there I was hoping dispatch would just give Bernie my passport, but Joe had took it off them and wanted to do that personally. Emma and the kids had picked me up, so I could go home for a shower and spend half hour with them while the truck was been serviced. When I got back, I went to get my passport. Joe basically said what he had said on the satellite, I apologised and that was it. Phewwww
It was great spending that little time with Emma and the kids as it is really hard been away from them all the time. Once the truck was ready off me and Bernie went. For the rest of the trip we just stayed in Canada, mainly just going between Montreal and Calgary. We seen a couple of snow storms. Only when Bernie was driving though. It would be bone dry when I got up. So if I hade not woke up and seen the snow with my own eyes, I would have thought he was telling me porkys. I videoed some so when I get round to it, I will put it on.
Anyway I have a very busy weekend off now. I will tell you more next time. Till then. Have a great day!
Snow still around this afternoon on way back home
Street in Downtown Winnipeg
One Frosty Morning
See how the trees had turned colour before they fell off
Rush hour in Toronto
I bet you know what they are fitted to the truck.
Snow chains
There is only one province that requires you to carry them compulsory. British Columbia. They must be carried by any truck that need to enter BC between the dates of October 1st and April 29th so guess where we are going lol.
1 comment:
Great post, love the pics.
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