Our Wedding Anniversary

When I left Fort Chiswell. I thought about stopping for the day without delivering it till the following morning, but because I was already a day behind, I decided to do a couple of extra hours and get my delivery made and get to my collection. I could get loaded while on my off time then. My reload was going to Nova Scotia, but again I was only bringing it to Woodstock.

It seems to be the norm at the moment to drop in Toronto and get a load back to the yard as most of the US runs are mainly coming out of Woodstock or Winnipeg. Most of the work coming out of Toronto is mainly Canada runs only. They let the Canada Only drivers take all those. We used to have loads of loads out of Toronto going to the US, but one of our biggest customers shut several of there Canadian plants down only leaving a few in Canada and the rest in the US, due to the recession, but it did not affect our work load. that’s where Ayr Motor was recession smart. We just adapted and took on other work to fill the gap. One of the ways was to take on more team work. We now run twice as many teams as we ever have. that’s one of the reasons why we are getting bigger by the day and trying to take on as many drivers as we can in order to expand.

Once I got to Woodstock and the truck through the shop, I then got a load to Avondale, Pennsylvania. With a reload from Hanover, Pennsylvania to St Damase, Quebec.

Not fun reversing onto a bay on a residential street

Then a reload from Joliette, Quebec, which was going to Nova Scotia, but again I was just dropping it off at Woodstock. I got back on the Thursday afternoon only been out for nine and half days covering 5100 miles this time, which is not bad but could have done better. I got held up at the Hanover pickup. Most of our loads the trailer needs to be totally clean and dry, but some of our loads are outside products. They tend to get the trailer wet and dirty. It then takes a couple of hours to clean and dry the floor as much as you can a wood floor. Its never totally dry though. So you have to wait till it is. It was raining that day which slowed it down even more. With the load I had. The trailer had to be extra dry or it would have ruined the load. By the time it was dry, my 14 hour window was over. So had to set off the next day. that’s one of the down sides to carrying multi loads.

While at home. It was mine and Emma’s wedding anniversary. So we got a baby sitter and went out on the Friday. On the Saturday I finally started on the land. Where the ground was not disturbed when the house was built. We have some grass, only about 20% of the land. It was well over grow. It took me eight hours and still not done. My next major purchase is going to have to be a ride on mower. I was shattered.

Some of the grass I still have to cut

Some of the grass I cut

I planned on doing more today. But we was invited to a friends cottage down the road. They are a retired English couple from Yorkshire, who have been here 30 plus years and still have the Yorkshire accent. They have an house a few streets behind us, but they also have a river front cottage 10mins down the road. They have all the Canadian toys like speed boat, sail boat, quad bike. Even a badminton court on the back garden.

My eldest on the back of the bike going down to the boat dock

View From the water up to the cottage

 So we had some fun playing down there. It was hard work with the kids not staying away from the water, but its something they need to learn to be around. And like other Canadian hospitality, we get to use their property even when our friends are not around. After leaving there, we went over to D&Q for supper. With the weather been 28 degrees I wanted some ice-cream. D&Q do the best throughout North America. I have always asked for the biggest portion in the UK. So I asked for a large, (which was not the biggest) when they brought it to the table, WOW how much. It came in a cup, the same size of a large drink at McDonalds. I could not move once I finished it.

Anyway my truck has shut down for the night only six and half hours away, so I’m defiantly out sometime today (Holiday Monday) a nice bonus for that. So I wonder where I’m off to next. Till next time, Bye for now.

This was at a Truck Stop. There was six of us at one point

I had fun trying to get over the George Washington Bridge

Fun at the Circus

Well my reload was not quiet to Woodstock. I had a load to St Cesaire, Quebec then reload from Granby to Montreal. Then Montreal to Woodstock. I got back on Friday night, doing 6600 miles in 12 days, usual average.

St Cesaire, Quebec

On the Saturday morning, I went to a safety meeting. They have one every 2-4 weeks and if you are at home, you are suppose to attend. I like going to them, as after nearly a year here, I still do not know everything.

Once I was back we decided to cross the border and go to Presque Isle, Maine. Its so handy only been 10mins from the US Border. Then 45 mins up to Presque where they had their annual circus. We had some great fun. The Americans sure know how to put on a good Circus. They had white tigers that did tricks just like dogs, all the trapezes artists etc. then they had these two bendy girls that both got into this little tiny clear box. It was amazing. The box was square and only came up to just above the first girls knee, so less than 2 foot sq. She bent herself in such a way and got in and filled this box. Then her sister got inside with her both entangled together. I have never seen anything like it.

My youngest son cant get enough juice. They was selling the traditional American snow cones. So I got 3 for me, Emma and eldest son. And kiddie juice bottles for the two young one’s. next thing I know, my youngest son is helping himself to my snow cone which set me off in hysterics because he got himself it such away as to stop me taking the cup and straw from him. The more I tried to get some, the more he drank. Tears was running down my face with laughter. I finally managed to get a sip, but before I could swallow he muscled in again causing me to burst out laughing and I sprayed everyone in from of me. Luckily not one person turned around. I just could not see for laughing. He has this really cute grin when he is up to no good. It was so funny.

The Sunday and Monday, we just relaxed. My truck came in Monday night, so I expected to go out that night with a load going to Evans, Georgia, but he got in about 11pm so by time it would have come out of the shop I would have been no better off, so I set off early Tuesday just before Joe go in. with Georgia been just above Florida, it was going to take two and half days to get there and as usual it sat a day or two in the yard. They wanted it the next day, so we rearranged delivery appointment to this morning. I had to set off at 5am from the exact truck stop im sat at now in Fort Chiswell, Virginia, just to get there on time. It was still dark then, but warm enough to walk round in a ‘T’ shirt, but when I arrived at the drop and jumped out the truck. I nearly jumped straight back in again. The heat just hit me, and I did not have the Air con on at that. It was so hot. Instant sweat. I was off loaded straight away, then my reload was one hour down the road in Lexington, South Carolina. I switched trailers there then set off up to Ontario. I stopped here at Fort Chiswell because North of here on the I77 and I79. There are no good truck stops for a long time so it was best I did an extra hour to get back here today, so tomorrow I can get to another good truck stop when I finish for the day. so till next time, have a great day.

First time I seen one of these coming towards me I thought it was going backwards.
The front is on the left if you did not know.

Sunny Florida

Hay people. Well I got to Tampa, Florida on the Monday afternoon, 3 days early.

It was beautiful weather all the way down. Nothing below 28 degrees. Even in Woodstock it was lovely, about 25 degrees. Glad we don’t live in Alberta, they are still having snow. Because I was going to be early for delivery, they had to make me another appointment. They did not come back to me and let me know what it was knowing I would go straight to my delivery anyway to try and get it off loaded early. I was there by 3pm my time, but the guy was not helpful at all. He told me they would not touch me till 8pm and to come back then, even though there was no other trucks there and empty bays. This spoiled my plans. I was planning to get off loaded, my reload was in Orlando the following morning. So I was going to go into the one of the water parks for the rest of the day. Well it was 32 degrees. I was well gutted. Instead I went shopping in Tampa, plus had the best all you can each seafood buffet at one of the shopping malls. Normally I cook all my food in the truck to save money. Sandwiches for while im driving in the day, so I don’t have to stop then cook at night once parked up, but when I seen this Chinese place, I just had to treat myself. Four servings and a bowl of ice cream later, I was well stuffed. I then went to get off loaded, then straight to Orlando I went. I knew they was open 24hrs with it been one of our biggest customers, so managed to get loaded that night instead. It was dark on the way up there. I wanted to take loads of pics for you guys while driving through Orlando, but my phone does not take good pics on the move at night. I did manage to pass the hotel we had stayed at before. It was great been in Orlando again. Emma wants us to hire an RV and drive down for a vacation. There is a couple of places I want to stay in South Carolina on the way down too.

This is one of the places, called South of the Border

My load is going to Ruthven, Ontario, which is just over the border from Detroit. From there im guessing my reload will be taking me back to Woodstock as im due back for the weekend. So I will let you know what adventures I will be up to next time. Till then, have a great day.

one of the main streets in Tampa

Start of the Palm Trees at the South Carolina, Georgia Border

These RV's get bigger. Must be going Golfing in Florida.

 You see alot of golfers with their own golf karts.

Even at the golf course in Woodstock. you see loads of Golf karts parked at peoples houses around the course. 

This Limo was going into New York City

Trust me to get to Atlanta, Georgia in rush hour

Some of the town houses in Cincinnati

These Ex Cop cars are the most popular pimped up car you see around the US

My best destination yet

Well I managed to get back on the Thursday night, a day early than I thought, due to driving for 11 hours on the Wednesday and 13 hours on the Thursday. I had a great three days off. I promised Emma I would take her to Bangor, Maine. So on the Saturday, we took the two hour drive down there. Its only one road all the way there, so Emma drove down. We was told it was one of the better places to go shopping. I drive through there all the time, but never stopped there before. It reminded us of the shopping malls in Orlando, Florida. We spent all day there and got back about midnight. We bought a proper American BBQ Grill. Not a massive one, but one a lot bigger than the ones you normally get in the UK. I will be setting that up when I get home next. The massive one will be the next step up lol

My truck got back Sunday night, so Monday morning I was back on the road. My first trip was to Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Very Posh place

My reload was in Ohio which was going back to Toronto.

This is Cincinnati

Then it was a reload going to Moncton, NB, but I was just taking it back to Woodstock. There was still snow around in Quebec.

I was kind of glad to go back to Woodstock as my AC belt and fan belts started to look like they needed changing. So when I got back Thursday night, I had them changed along with the service. I went home for the night, so they did not disturb me while working on the truck. I then came in this morning to find it still in the shop, waiting for me to take it round to the dealer, as my exhaust muffler was cracked and needed changing under warranty. When I got back. I went to see dispatch to find out where I was going to. I was well chuffed. I rang Emma and said ‘can you tell me what the weather is going to be like on Monday in Tampa, Florida‘. lol. I cant repeat what she said. So that’s where I’m off to.

Anyway I have wanted to do a post for a while about essential things you need when you are a long haul truck driver, and it is coming to a point when some of you new guys will be coming over and will need this info. Ralph did tell me the first ones, but I cant remember as I have a tendency to shut off when people introduce them selves or I get told names etc. sorry guys, Ralph will tell you soon.

There are several things you need, but three things you cannot do without is a truck specific GPS, Laptop and satellite radio.

North America is a very large place, 9,365,000 sq miles to be exact. There are hundreds of radio stations throughout, but they are only local stations. By the time you have driven 10mins down the road, you have to find another radio station because the one you was listening to is already out of range. Satellite radio works the same a satellite TV. It works all over North America. You can listen to the same station whether you are in New Brunswick, or in California. The only down side is like TV, you have to subscribe. For your money, you get over 130 stations covering every kind of music there is. a lot of the stations do not have adverts, so its just music music music. Then there are entertainment stations like Howard Sterns chat shows or Comedy stations, travel, weather, and sports. So what ever your taste, they have it covered. You can either buy the ones you stick to the windshield or you can be lucky like me and have it built into the truck.

With you been new to the country. You are not going to know your way around, and in this game time equals money, so the quicker you get to one place the faster you can get to the next. That’s where a GPS comes in. These days its no good just getting a normal car GPS, because they are not going to put you on the right roads. You will end up going down a wrong road to find a low bridge or weight restriction, and your are not going to be able to turn round. It is bad enough trying to turn round 50ft of European truck never mind 75ft of American truck. The police will end up coming out to block the road off, then you will get, not just one ticket, but as many as they can throw at you, costing more than it would getting the right equipment in the first place. Truck specific GPS’s have been around a couple of years now. I had one when I was in the UK, so when I moved here I did my research. My first one was a PC Miller. That was pants. Stay well clear, they still mess you up. Then I got to try the Garman Nuvi 465, which is a great one, except it is only truck specific in the US. In November the Cobra 7700 Pro and the Rand McNally TND 500 both came out at the same time. I Sold my PC Miller and straight away got the Cobra 7700 Pro. It has the exact same software as the one I owned in the UK so trusted it straight away. It uses vehicle height, width and limits along with national and state truck restrictions to provide the best route possible. Truck-Specific Points of Interest which includes all major travel centers (truck stops) with detailed amenity information such as food options, internet access, shower availability, etc. Commercial Vehicle Service & Support Information quickly find towing companies, repair shops, truck-friendly motels and emergency services. Camera and Driving Hazard Protection will avoid costly tickets with speed and red light cameras location alerts as well as speed traps and dangerous intersection notifications. So you can see they are an essential piece of kit. I could not do without mine. Even when I know where im going, I still have it on. I can give accurate eta’s and when its coming to the end of my driving hours, I can just ask it where and what are the truck stops along my route, so I just pick one and it takes me straight to it. Out of all the GPS’s on the market. The Cobra is the only one that will allow you to put the Canadian postal code in to set your destination address. You don’t even have to get the road exact as it will give you all the roads with the letters that you have typed in, even if you start to type the middle word first.

Im currently at the truck stop at the top of the list

Last of all, is a laptop. I have a program called ‘streets and trips’ on the laptop which I use to have a look at my over all routes. I mainly find my destination and see which way the GPS is going to get me there etc. I also use the laptop for internet access, plus watching TV that I have downloaded when ever I get chance.
That’s my tips to you. Well its time for bed as I have sunny Florida to get too so I will update you soon.

Sorry Sir you cant park that there, lol