Rookie Solo Adventures Of A Knuckle Draggin Primate (Rob D.)

Hay, Rob D. !!

I'm enjoying your progress and perils reports, as well~!

Thanks for sharing, for sure, sir.

I've got the same question as Rob T., as I've never been out w/my hubby on a pipe load, only concrete / jersey barriers and such.. Flatbed wasn't his favorite, nor his forte ... LoL~!

Next question: Is the 'failing' of the bunk heater in any was related to the low fuel in the rig? Just curious; await your replies as you can, and thank you!

~ Anne ~

Rob T and Anne

Putting back a piece of pipe that has walked out for the most part involves pushing it back by hand. The more stubborn pieces I'll push with my feet. The way the pipe is bundled it's like wrapping a rubberband around a bunch of straws. The friction of the rubber band only holds the outer straws.

As to the bunk heater, the low fuel was not the problem because it didn't work last night with a full tank. The tractor shop said do a full power reset and if that doesn't work bring it in to have it checked out.

As far as how I am liking this there are easy days and hard days. Monday was a hard day. Today was an easy day.

Overall, it is much better than my job before I have no regrets. I do miss seeing my wife as often.

11/1/2020 Update

I am on another 34-hour reset in Lido/Burbank, Ohio. The Bobcats were a four-stop load. Two in Tracy, Missouri, one in Springfield, Missouri, one in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the last one in Monroe, Louisiana, which I delivered early Friday morning

Next load was particle board out of Simsboro, Louisiana. Even though I got the load at about 0900, my appointment was not until 1830. But I never let that stop me. I got there about 1000 and checked in with the guard who said “you know your appointment is not until 1830.” Yeah, I know. Because they only had one other truck back in the loading area, they said they would pull my load. So, the guard sent me back. You back into a dock that is recessed into the building. Essentially like backing into a chute. When you are all the way in, your door handles are about even with the exterior wall of the building. And the docks are really tight. Just inches on either side of the trailer. After I got backed in, I couldn’t get out my driver door. I had to go out of the passenger door, but even that was tight.

They load you, you pull out to strap, then back in again, to tarp using the tarp machine. It’s one of those where ropes with hooks on them life the tarps from an overhead crane. You lift the tarp up on one side then use the crane controls to pull it over the load. After I was done dropping my three tarps (blue, black, blue) and putting the crane out of the way of the truck, I wondered if they would get upset if I hooked one of the ropes to my belt and “flew” across the loading area yelling “look at me, I’m Peter Pan.”

Once you get the tarps basically secure, you pull out into a large parking area to finish tarping. Because I had only a little over 1000 miles to go, and I would get almost there by Saturday night, I spent some extra time tarping. I’m pretty proud of the result and it got the Turtle seal of approval.

When I go to pick up the bills, I see that the load is over 47,000 lbs. This is the heaviest I’ve hauled so far. On the way out, you put onto the scale and the guard checks you out. When I walked up to the window she says “how are you on fuel?” I had about 2/3 of a tank. She says good, you’re 49,220 lbs. I roll and head out.

The route north does not follow the interstate until you get to I-40. So, lots of two-lane, no shoulder roads through small towns with 45 mph speed limits. I make it to the Love’s in Matthew, Missouri (Missouri bootheel) Friday. Then drive 609 miles to this Love’s in Lido/Burbank, Ohio. I’ve got about 70 miles to the receiver.

Going to make pork ribs in the Aroma, grillet tonight with onions, green peppers, and BBQ sauce.

Uploaded the rear twice.

Here is the front:

She says good, you’re 49,220 lbs

79,220

Rob T and Anne

Putting back a piece of pipe that has walked out for the most part involves pushing it back by hand. The more stubborn pieces I'll push with my feet. The way the pipe is bundled it's like wrapping a rubberband around a bunch of straws. The friction of the rubber band only holds the outer straws.

As to the bunk heater, the low fuel was not the problem because it didn't work last night with a full tank. The tractor shop said do a full power reset and if that doesn't work bring it in to have it checked out.

As far as how I am liking this there are easy days and hard days. Monday was a hard day. Today was an easy day.

Overall, it is much better than my job before I have no regrets. I do miss seeing my wife as often.

Thank you for this reply, Rob D. I sure did read it right after your posting of; simply waited until the next update(s) to reply. Thanks for the explanation on the 'walking pipes.' Man, that's scary, no matter HOW you slice it... IMHO. Sure sounds like you are getting this securement stuff like a champ; that's for SURE~!!!

I can't TELL you how hard it was being on the side of your wife at this point in time.. but I WAS. For .. maybe 5 years? Takes a woman of steel, and a man of man to do what y'all are. I commend you, as always~!

Burbank & LODI ? Great shopping there; used to take the kids to the Lodi mall; even had indoor skating (ice) and INDOOR SOCCER fields.. back in the pre Covid days. Nice place; a bit tricky if you don't know your way around, I'd guess.

I know, Ohio had to 'dump' some 'powder' early today, as well. Sorry.. NMF, haha!

LOVE the pix, Rob D. Always.

Stay safe; hiya to the wife from usn's too~!!

~ Anne (and Tom today!) ~

11/16/2020 Update

I’m on another 34-hour reset in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Weather is nice and I walked over to the Blue Swallow Motel along Route 66.

My next load after my last update is out of Reno, Ohio. Not a particular spectacular load visually, but interesting nonetheless. Guard rail blocks. Pallets of small plastic blocks that go between the guard rail and the post. Pretty easy securement and no tarping. And it’s a gravy run going all the way to Centerville, Utah. 1935 total miles.

As I’m in Utah, I pretty much expect a Charlotte Pipe load. It’s midmorning when I drop off the guard rail blocks, so FM tells me to head to Cedar City, where I know that I will pick up Charlotte Pipe. I make it there that night and then go to the Charlotte Pipe yard in the morning to wait for my load. It’s Friday and I can’t deliver until Monday, so I spend the weekend in Boise. See my other thread “Get Off the Truck.”

After that load, I pick up lumber in Weiser, Idaho, heading to Montgomery, Illinois. Chicago area. Nothing good comes out of Chicago. For the first time since driving, I had to make the decision to shut down because of weather. My fuel stop was Wamsutter, Wyoming and the last 10 miles there was some of that washboard packed snow on the road. Not horrible, but did require focus. There were already three trucks overturned in just that last 10 miles. One was right at the exit. I had planned on taking a 2-hour break anyway, so I waited to see how the conditions would be after my break. They got worse and I made the decision to shut down for the night. As it turned out, it was a good decision. I got rolling about midnight and the roads were clear and dry east of Wamsutter. I make 652 miles. Even though I shut down for weather, I ended up delivering at my scheduled time. Because I could get rolling earlier. I just did not have much time after I delivered.

As I said, nothing good comes out of Chicago and I got a shipper that Turtle considers one of the worst. Allied Tube out of Harvey, Illinois. Normally, it’s a live load, but I had a preloaded trailer. The process is you check in and wait for them to load you. But because I had a preloaded trailer, I just needed to find my trailer, hook up and strap. Then, you have to back into a bay where they use a tarp machine. But you have to unhook from the tractor and then hook back up after your all tarped. Also, you have to wait for them to operate the tarp machine. While I was strapping there was a driver next to me that was tarping. I assume because he did not want deal with laborious tarping procedure. Then when I was in the bay tarping, some driver was on his load tarping and refused to get down after they told him to get off the load.

So even though Harvey is a ****show, my total turn around time was four hours. Not bad. I went to the Pilot in Gary, Indiana. It’s kinda tight and its one of those where there are two rows of parking and then a curb at the end. Of course, the sight-side spaces were taken, but there were several blind-side spaces available. While I’m waiting for another flatbedder to back into the last sight-side space, I make a u-turn in the middle of the lot where there was plenty of space to set myself up to sight-side back into the blind-side parking spaces. I get in no problem.

This load is 300 miles delivering in Columbus, Ohio. I deliver about 11.

My next load is out of Middletown, Ohio. Steel coils, all non-skidded. So coil racks and chains. I get three coils each weighing a little over 14,000 pounds. The procedure is similar to Allied Tube. Check in, wait, back into a bay, load, strap, and then tarp in the yard. No tarp machine here. I get done about 18:30 and drive about and hour and a half to a rest area in Indiana. This load delivers in La Mirage, Arizona. Phoenix area. Total miles 1925. Three plus days of driving. But I only have about 25 hours left on my 70-hour clock. So, my plan is to drive Saturday and Sunday. Take a 34-hour reset, then finish Tuesday. I end up needing to ask for the appointment to get rescheduled because I-40 west of Oklahoma City was shut down for an hour. So I was not able to get the over 600 miles that I needed to be able to deliver on Tuesday. I send a message to my FM early Monday morning and 10-4 as a response and then another message resetting my appointment.

I will deliver this load pretty much at my 3 month solo mark. I will have a total dispatched miles of 34,354. I also received a quarterly on time award and 6 month safe driving award. So all in, I’m doing well. I am actually get to the point where I feel less overwhelmed with the learning curve. I still have my frustrations with securement, the time it takes, and protecting my tarps, but all in I feel pretty satisfied with my progress.

Sounds great man. I’m, Happy you are doing well!

11/16/2020 Update

I’m on another 34-hour reset in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Weather is nice and I walked over to the Blue Swallow Motel along Route 66.

My next load after my last update is out of Reno, Ohio. Not a particular spectacular load visually, but interesting nonetheless. Guard rail blocks. Pallets of small plastic blocks that go between the guard rail and the post. Pretty easy securement and no tarping. And it’s a gravy run going all the way to Centerville, Utah. 1935 total miles.

As I’m in Utah, I pretty much expect a Charlotte Pipe load. It’s midmorning when I drop off the guard rail blocks, so FM tells me to head to Cedar City, where I know that I will pick up Charlotte Pipe. I make it there that night and then go to the Charlotte Pipe yard in the morning to wait for my load. It’s Friday and I can’t deliver until Monday, so I spend the weekend in Boise. See my other thread “Get Off the Truck.”

After that load, I pick up lumber in Weiser, Idaho, heading to Montgomery, Illinois. Chicago area. Nothing good comes out of Chicago. For the first time since driving, I had to make the decision to shut down because of weather. My fuel stop was Wamsutter, Wyoming and the last 10 miles there was some of that washboard packed snow on the road. Not horrible, but did require focus. There were already three trucks overturned in just that last 10 miles. One was right at the exit. I had planned on taking a 2-hour break anyway, so I waited to see how the conditions would be after my break. They got worse and I made the decision to shut down for the night. As it turned out, it was a good decision. I got rolling about midnight and the roads were clear and dry east of Wamsutter. I make 652 miles. Even though I shut down for weather, I ended up delivering at my scheduled time. Because I could get rolling earlier. I just did not have much time after I delivered.

As I said, nothing good comes out of Chicago and I got a shipper that Turtle considers one of the worst. Allied Tube out of Harvey, Illinois. Normally, it’s a live load, but I had a preloaded trailer. The process is you check in and wait for them to load you. But because I had a preloaded trailer, I just needed to find my trailer, hook up and strap. Then, you have to back into a bay where they use a tarp machine. But you have to unhook from the tractor and then hook back up after your all tarped. Also, you have to wait for them to operate the tarp machine. While I was strapping there was a driver next to me that was tarping. I assume because he did not want deal with laborious tarping procedure. Then when I was in the bay tarping, some driver was on his load tarping and refused to get down after they told him to get off the load.

So even though Harvey is a ****show, my total turn around time was four hours. Not bad. I went to the Pilot in Gary, Indiana. It’s kinda tight and its one of those where there are two rows of parking and then a curb at the end. Of course, the sight-side spaces were taken, but there were several blind-side spaces available. While I’m waiting for another flatbedder to back into the last sight-side space, I make a u-turn in the middle of the lot where there was plenty of space to set myself up to sight-side back into the blind-side parking spaces. I get in no problem.

This load is 300 miles delivering in Columbus, Ohio. I deliver about 11.

My next load is out of Middletown, Ohio. Steel coils, all non-skidded. So coil racks and chains. I get three coils each weighing a little over 14,000 pounds. The procedure is similar to Allied Tube. Check in, wait, back into a bay, load, strap, and then tarp in the yard. No tarp machine here. I get done about 18:30 and drive about and hour and a half to a rest area in Indiana. This load delivers in La Mirage, Arizona. Phoenix area. Total miles 1925. Three plus days of driving. But I only have about 25 hours left on my 70-hour clock. So, my plan is to drive Saturday and Sunday. Take a 34-hour reset, then finish Tuesday. I end up needing to ask for the appointment to get rescheduled because I-40 west of Oklahoma City was shut down for an hour. So I was not able to get the over 600 miles that I needed to be able to deliver on Tuesday. I send a message to my FM early Monday morning and 10-4 as a response and then another message resetting my appointment.

I will deliver this load pretty much at my 3 month solo mark. I will have a total dispatched miles of 34,354. I also received a quarterly on time award and 6 month safe driving award. So all in, I’m doing well. I am actually get to the point where I feel less overwhelmed with the learning curve. I still have my frustrations with securement, the time it takes, and protecting my tarps, but all in I feel pretty satisfied with my progress.

Leave it to me .. sorry! The italics just made me spit my pop, haha! (Getting kix on Rte. 66 .. at the Blue Swallow . . . NVM!!)

Back to business; WOW, just wow, Rob D. ... I'm not Turtle, nor is my other 1/2, but I'm awed. You are kicking it, man. Got an O/S protege in the house!

Be safe as ef w/those coils as you know. Wish you could video some of it, yet understand you probably cannot. Pix will suffice. Thanks for sharing!

Your doing awesome sir!!! Doesn’t suprise me though. I could tell when we had supper together in st louis you would do well. Keep up the great work