Floods

Hey people. Well things are starting to warm up, melting the snow in most places, which is great. The only places that still had a lot of snow was when I was going over northern Ontario and Quebec.

These guys went a bit far with the garden Gnome

These guys live in the middle of Know where.

hence the helicopter instead of a car

Everywhere else had either the odd patch or none. Where we live its totally gone. Even the river is clear now.

Down in the States, it was great to be able to walk around with no jacket on etc. I packed my shorts just in case, but didn’t bother with them this time round, even though while I was down in Missouri etc it was warm enough.

Well it has been crazy, busy this time round. Its always busy anyway, with no waiting around etc, but this time I needed a rocket powered truck. My first load was to Oxford, Pennsylvania, which had to be there the next day. Luckily I timed it right going through Manhattan, and New Jersey, so traffic didn’t slow me down. I got there the next morning as required. Got my reload from Hanover, PA after which I called at Aldi to get my lovely wife some British Chocolate and Haribo‘s. only place I know where to get them. Got to suck up some how. It’s the only Aldi I know that I can park my truck next to. I collect from Hanover regular, and Aldi is just round the corner, so if im loaded in the day, I try to call, time allowing. Then it was foot down to get to St Cesaire within receiving time the next day. When I got there, we had a couple of empty trailers in the yard, so they just got me to drop my trailer on a bay and hook to an empty. Normally that would have been great but this time, I had 10hrs to kill before my reload for Winnipeg would be ready at 1am. So I didn’t mind either way. I just took the empty and parked at my reload and waited. I had predicted I was going to Winnipeg AGAIN, because of the day I would be back in Canada near Montreal. That’s the day when single drivers take team loads out west with us having extra time over the weekend to get it there. At first dispatch asked me if I would take a Calgary load for delivery by midnight Sunday. I told them in so many words, they was nuts. That would have meant I had to drive for 13hrs a day at an average speed of 62mph for three days just to get it there on time. For two of the days, you are on back roads and you could not go that fast, as the speed limit on those is 56mph or less. As you go through many small towns. So legally it could not be done by a single driver. That’s one of the reasons I don’t like going out that way, is because of the slower speeds. I cant cover as many miles per hour so its like getting a pay cut with me been paid per mile. There are no four lane highways in northern Ontario just yet. Its all back road. They are building major highways up there, but they will take years to complete as there is over 1200 miles to cover between Ottawa and the Manitoba border, just to take the traffic off the back roads. So because I had pointed all this out, they gave me a Winnipeg load instead. Im the kind of person that when someone else is applying the pressure, it annoys me and I back off, because I don’t need someone telling me what I already know, but if im left to it, and provided its possible, I get the job done fast and efficiently. Because im that kind of person that likes to avoid pressure from others. Before I came to Canada, I owned my own company, and before that, when I did work for others, I worked in management, or worked up to management very quickly. That’s why I don’t mind doing this job, as its like been in middle management. You have others above you, but as long as you keep your department running smoothly, no one will bother you.

By the time the Winnipeg load was ready at 1am, I had had enough time off to allow me to drive up to 13hrs again, but if I can avoid driving at night, I will. Joe has said in the past, if its not really necessary to drive over night, not to do it. The Canadian roads are bad enough, never mind driving on them at night. They are pitch black, no street lighting, painted lines are a waist of space, as they have not mastered how to get the paint to reflect or stop rubbing out after five minutes yet. Plus there is a very good chance of getting some kind of wildlife as an hood ornament, as they roam the roads, and with it been dark you don’t see them till its too late. So with all that in mind, I went 15mins down the road, parked at the truck stop then set off in the morning. I had said to dispatch, because they was putting me through the pain of driving across Canada, I wanted a decent western US load from Winnipeg to make up for it. I was willing to stay out longer to do it too, but nope. I must be to fast for my own good because as im half way to Winnipeg, I get my reload. A rush load to East City, Missouri. 1049 miles away from Winnipeg. So from that point, accounting for the ten hours I had to have off each night. I only had two hours spare to get me there within receiving hours on the Monday, not including off loading time. Luckily I normally only stop for 15mins a day regardless of how many hours I drive, (plus my 10hrs or more at the end of the day of cause) so I managed to get there and be off loaded before the 2pm deadline. Despite the flooding in North Dakota for three miles of not been able to see the road if it was not for the road works bollards

Then it was off to Jefferson City, to reload leaving me no more hours to drive on once loaded, as I had already done nine hours to get me to East City then two to Jefferson City. So I stayed there over night. The following day I could only drive for three and half hours, because of all the above average hours I was having to do to get me to places on time, so that was a nice easy day. Then it was off back to Toronto the next day. From there it was back to Woodstock for my time off, covering in ten days and 47 minutes 5775 miles. (the truck records the time im in it )

Anyway its back on the road on Monday so till next time, Have a nice Dayyy

Ski Slops in northern New Brunswick still snowed over

Crossing the Border back in Canada.

Detroit on left, Windsor Ontario on right

TV series opportunity

Hey people. So winter in Canada is still not willing to give up just yet.

Just before I went out last time. A TV Director from Dragonfly Film and Television Productions Ltd contacted me asking me if I was interested in been in a new TV series they will be filming this summer. Im still thinking about it, but they are looking for others too. Here are the details.

Dragonfly TV is currently looking for intrepid truck drivers to take part in an exciting new series entitled 'Worlds Toughest Truckers' (working title). The series will feature highly skilled truck drivers from around the world competing against each other in a competition of skill, pace and mental strength. They will be taking on trucking routes around the world which include some of the world's most infamous roads and hard to handle cargo. The series will be filmed between June and August and any professional truck drivers who believe they have the skill and strength to become the 'Worlds Toughest Trucker' should Contact truckers@dragonfly.tv


I got my truck back on the Monday and seen where I was going. I had the biggest smile on my face. We have several loads go there every week, but Its been exactly a year since I last went there, but finally I get this fantastic load, down to where the sun was hot, the Lone Star State

 Texas. I was well happy, even though at first I thought my Air Conditioning was faulty. I didn’t care, I was willing to put up with no AC, just to be able to take this load. It takes four days at nine hours per day to get there. The first day was snow flurries most of the way, but by the third day it was really warm, so I decided to connect my AC back up and see if it would work, and luckily it worked fine. I had to disconnect it at the end of last summer. Some how it was making my engine fan come on and run all the time, which takes some power of the engine. With the weather cooling down, I was not worried. Im told all the AC parts have been replaced, before I got the truck, but it still not solved the problem, but turns out it behaves as long as the AC is turned on all the time. Well I got to Houston, mid afternoon their time on the Thursday, with temps in the region of 30 degrees C. it was great.

My new Temp Gauge

 I switched trailers, then went straight down to my reload in Sugar Land, Texas. It was one of our big customers that normally have a 24hr operation, That way then they could load me on my off time. I get there at 5pm, im told to back onto a bay and they will come get me when finished. I watched TV for a few hours then dosed off. 2.30am I wake up, popped in the office to see if they have loaded me. I sleep like a brick, so I don’t normally notice. They tell me then, that they only load between 7am and 3pm. What a pain that was. I could have stopped at a truck stop all night, got up, fuelled and showered, then got there for 7am. Well I got to have a lay in, but that ment I had to stop in the day for fuel and my shower. I’d rather do that first thing before I set off for the day, so the only stop I normally make, is once for the bathroom and make my lunch time sandwiches, which takes 10mins then its straight back in the seat and off I go again. The only other reason I stop is to go grocery shopping about once a week. I usually go to a Walmart, or Target, but only ones I can see from the Highway, as I quickly look to see if there are any other Semi‘s in the parking lot. I know I can get mine in then.

Once loaded, it was back up to the Great White North. At one point about hundred miles south of Memphis, it only took fifteen minutes to go from 21 degrees down to 11 degrees, which then by the next day was down to minus again as I enter back into Canada. I off loaded and reloaded at the same place, then back to Woodstock I went. I was short on US driving hours but had plenty Canadian driving hours, so for the last couple of days before it was home time again, I just went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Waterville NS back to Halifax, to Belledune, NB, Inkerman, NB back to Woodstock, then Moncton, NB, Hartland NB then back to Woodstock and home, getting back Thursday afternoon. weather was that nice I got the BBQ out and friends came round.

Friday was just a lazy day, starting off like this,

snow mostly gone except for St Johns river behind our house is still frozen, but then in the evening it only took three hours to get like this.

Saturday morning, we ended up driving through snow just to get the car out of the garage. We was going down to Bangor, Maine to stay the night, which is just over 2hrs away. Lots of shopping malls but one day was not enough to get round. We had to be back for my eldest sons birthday party Sunday. It had warmed up again melting a lot of the snow.

Now its back on the road again Monday. Hopefully going somewhere really hot again. This time ive packed for it just in case. So till next time, Buy for nowww

The US Part

The Canadian Part

Both total 6150 miles over 11 days

This is the St Johns river an hour and half east of Woodstock

This is how much snow was left up the east cost of New Brunswick

before it started again Saturday

Houston, Texas

The 18 mile Bridge in Grosse Tete, Louisiana

A Bit of Colour Down south

Spring?

Hey people. So what a great couple of weeks I have had with going to South Carolina a couple of times. On my last time off, we just did our usual shopping in the states and snow removal, which turned out I didn’t need to do as the Saturday and Sunday it rained constantly, slowly washing some of the snow away. This was the snow bank in front of our house at the side of the road, before it started to rain. Emma posing to give you an idea of size

I went back out on the Sunday. It rained all the way to the truck stop I normally stay at 572 miles away in Maybrook, New York. When I got there, they had had so much rain, combined with the melting of the snow, that it flooded the bathrooms and showers. I guess through the drains.

At first they would not let me use the bathroom, as they was still cleaning them up, but I had not stopped the full 9hr drive, so he let me, otherwise he would have had another flood on his hands.

My family that read my blog moaned at me, because I go into all the details of where I have been, but to them, without having a North American map in front of them are no wiser so I have said I will put maps up with my routes on that I have covered on each trip.

This was the map for my last Post 5900 miles

This was my first week on this trip 3600 miles

And this was my second, 3100 miles getting back early Friday morning

It has rained most of the two weeks, but I don’t care, its much better than the snow, which I did get at the end of my first week. I had parked up the night before at the customer in London Ontario, ready to off load in the morning. When I got up at 6am to back onto the bay, the truck was covered with several inches of snow. They was just trying to clear the yard too. It never stopped the four hour it took to off load me, then my reload was in St Mary Ontario, but that meant taking back roads, with very high winds as well as the snow.

As for driving on snow covered roads. I have been really lucky this year, as this was the first time snow really affected driving conditions for me since New Years Day. I have either been in front of snow storms, or arrived after the clean up. I guess I had to have one last taste of bad weather before spring really kicks in. Well I hope thats the last The wind was that strong, my trailer was been pushed sideways as im driving down the road. I couldn’t believe it. I had never had that before. It was not fun, just an extra gush of wind could have pushed my trailer into the ditch, and all I could think about is Joe wont believe me if the wind pushed the trailer in the ditch. I got to the road I wanted to find it blocked off by police. Apparently there was fifteen trucks and a bus all jack knifed further up the road, so I could not get to my reload. I was only due to take that to the yard then get a load for not my favourite place, Winnipeg, but luckily for me, I had been in intense pain all week with swollen gums, so I asked if it was ok to switch for a load going back to Woodstock so I could pop to the dentist and in minutes, my reload was changed. wicked, it was well worth the pain to not have to go to Winnipeg. I didn’t get back in time for the dentist, so A&E was good enough. Then it was straight back on the road, back to South Carolina, not so sunny this time. It rained most days this trip with plus temperatures, but I didn’t mind. Loads better than snowing and minus temps.

Anyways its back on the road on Monday, so till next time, Have a nice dayyyy

See how the trees shine?

This was the Morning after leaving the flooded truck stop

That was ice on the trees from the Ice Rain the night before

See how the trees bend over with the weight of the ice

One way of taking your Smart Car on Vacation

Pimp my Ride

Tennessee weather

This is Rural Hill, Tennessee, where none of the houses are small

This is Sonic, the new American Drive-ins that are popping up everywhere

you pull into a bay, order your food and get it delivered to your car

by people on Roller Skates like the olden days. Cool Hey