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

Sweet home Alabama

Hay guys, so I guess you have been wondering what I have been up to. Well I made it to Houston on time luckily. I had to drive from midnight the last couple of nights to get there on time. I dropped my trailer and picked up one of our empties. I then had to go to Silsbee, Texas which was just over 100 miles east of Houston. When I got there. I backed onto the bay. A few mins later, one of the loaders came and knocked on the truck door and told me they could not load the trailer because they could see a tiny little bit of daylight coming through one of the top front corners. They said I was not allowed to fix it as they wanted a receipt to show it was properly done. I was gutted as I had a choice of two trailers where I got this one from, and trust me to pick the one with a little hole in. anyway my place arranged for me to go 20 miles down the road, to have it repaired. It took them 2mins as it was just one rivet that had popped out. They even knew the company that I was picking up from, as they do it all the time. Anyway I then went back and got loaded, then went to the truck stop down the road as I was then out of hours that day. The following day, instead of taking the load to Ontario where it was destine. I had to take it back to Houston, drop it outside the place I had dropped the day before and pick up the other empty. One of our other drivers was making another delivery there later that day so he was going to take that load to Ontario. I then took that empty to Orange, Texas to collect there. That load was going to Nova Scotia, but I was just taking it to Woodstock. Because I had run hard down to Houston. I was running out of hours too fast so after my collection I decided to have the rest of the day off. Well it was 27 degrees. At midnight it was still 20 degrees. Just like been on holiday in Florida, walking around in T shirt and things. The following morning I gets three messages, two from dispatch wanting to know why I’m still in Orange and one from Joe asking me to call him. They are all just way to busy to just look at my hours to see why I had not moved. They would have realised then, but I had to explain it to Joe anyway. He was ok about it just said lets get a move on then now. So off I went, my hours back inline again so I would not run out before getting back to Woodstock. Then on the Saturday, my second day on the return journey, Seth, Joe’s son sent me a message asking me if I would switch trailers in Pennsylvania on the Sunday for one going to Moody, Alabama. Wicked, I get to stay south in the sun. To me that’s the way it should always be if you are a US driver. I’m sure I have mentioned before, but you can drive for more hours in Canada. So we can do 3500miles in the US a week and get paid the same as doing 4000miles in Canada. Your daily average hours should be 8.75hrs in the US and 10hrs in Canada so you never run out of hours. To me if you are a US driver, It is unfair in the middle of your two weeks out, they give you a load going across Canada. Because you would then probably be going into the US after, so you really have to stick to the 8.75 hours or you will run out of hours early, which makes you short on your daily pay with you getting paid per mile, as that would mean I would be about 80miles less a day while I’m doing loads in Canada. That’s a really long way of saying a US drivers should just do US loads all the time. You take a reload back to Canada then just pick another US load up and go straight back down again. It does not always work out like that though, but you know what I mean. I explained it a bit more this time, as some of you that have applied to come and work for us will not be long before your on your way. So you need to know these things. Anyway I made the switch yesterday and I’m currently sat in Knoxville, Tennessee waiting to set off again in the morning to make my delivery tomorrow. My reload is picking up at the same place. I just need to swap trailers for one going back to Ontario. From there I’m sure I will be going to Woodstock and going home for some time off. I should be home Friday privided there is no delays. That will mean over the 13 days I will have covered 6900miles which is average for me in the US. so have a great week and I will update you when I’m back on the road.

These roads our raised due to the fact for 28 miles we are driving through Marsh land.

Bikes and trikes out and about

Thats not suppose to happen

Best Cab over i have seen so far, and its from Canada

Thats the most RV's I have seen in one truck stop

The Amish people on their way back to their farms after church

Its not fair, His condo is bigger than mine.

I want that jacked up car. I used to own the standard version back in the UK as you can see below in the next picture.

These was both my cars in the UK. One of the reasons why I like living here as I love American Cars

A convertible Sebring and Ford Excursion

Texas here i come

Hay people.


Well when I got back to Woodstock on the Thursday. Instead of carrying on, I went home. The other driver I had to pick up in Toronto, I was so glad to get him out of my truck when we got back. He never shut up moaning from start to finish. He seamed to be one of these people that no matter what you do, you cannot please him. He kept stopping as well, which made us run behind time with a very urgent load. On the Friday morning while I was off, work phoned me up to apologise for having to put up with him. They must have read my mind knowing what he is like lol I just said, the next time they want me to pick a driver up, that no looser’s are allowed lol.

I had a great couple of days off. On the Saturday, we all went down to Fredericton to take the kids to a in door play place, but ended up in the shopping mall instead. They have a little play gym in there also, so they had fun on that for a while. We can not walk past a kids ride without the kids going on every single one. Luckily they are not bothered if they are moving or not. lol So they had loads of fun in the mall. Then it was off to McDonalds where they have another kids play gym so again we stayed in there for a while. Then it was the usual one hours drive back home.

My truck came back early again. Late Saturday night in fact. So Sunday morning I got back in the truck to have a great load going to Houston, Texas. A four days drive, but again the trailer sat in the yard for a day leaving me three days to get there, so I maybe late. They had not fixed the air-con when we got back last week as the truck have to go after a quick greasing. So before I hooked up, I got them to fix it, as I knew the weather is 27+ down there. Im sat in Wytheville, Virginia at the moment, just over half way. Im going to be setting off early hours in the morning, then the same on delivery day, so with the 2hr time difference and me setting off early, I may get there more or less on time. I will let you know.

My route im taking

Great to see some Colour on the trees again