31st January 2008

Started heading to Texas on Friday morning and by Saturday afternoon I had left bitter cold temperatures of -45 with wind chill far behind and was basking in the warmth of the winter sun in southern Oklahoma and Texas on Sunday.
Tipped on Monday morning and got a sattelite message to head to Houston, Texas. Loaded in Houston Monday afternoon to tip Calgary, Alberta on Friday.
I am now sitting in Swift Current, saskatchewan running short on my hours so limping on towards Calgary tomorrow. I have enough hours left tomorrow to tip and pick up a loaded trailer in our Calgary drop yard then need 36 hours off to reset before heading for Colorado.
The middle picture is a statue of Sam Houston, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Houston , at the side of I45 between Houston and Dallas. This is the largest statue of an American figure.

23rd January2008

Got home Saturday morning but had already been sent my reload details which had to be loaded Monday so was going to have to leave in the afternoon again to tip Edmonton early Monday. Asked Sue if she fancied coming with me on her first trip as we knew we would be home Tuesday.
We left at 4.00 Saturday afternoon and tipped Edmonton 08.00 Monday, 2 hours up to Whitecourt to load lumber for Longview, Texas.
Got home Tuesday and need 36 hour reset so will leave again Friday morning to tip Texas on Monday.
Sue really enjoyed the short 4 day trip, except the -45c Saturday night, and is looking forward to the next one.

17th January 2008

Today was certainly not the best day for travelling on the highways in Wisconsin. Black ice and snow was the order of the day which put cars and trucks in the ditches everywhere.
Done the load of pipes to Portage on Monday but had the van load of lumber to Texas taken off me. A few strong words were had with one of my dispatchers (not Chad) and I took another day off on Tuesday. Hopefully things are sorted with him.
Wednesday seen me leave with a flat deck load of lumber to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Tipped that Thursday morning and went south to load out of Delavan, Wisconsin Friday morning. A load of concrete slabs to tip Edmonton, Alberta on Monday.
If everything goes according to plan I may get home for a night on Saturday.

11th January 2008

Got to Saskatoon at 15.30 had 8 hours off and went round to the steelworks where I was due to tip at midnight. The gates were open so in I went only to be told to park in the corner till midnight. Took off the tarps and straps ready but then my truck wouldn't start, flat batteries. Nothing had been left on and it just refused to turn over so had to call the breakdown company. They were out within the hour and jump started it. The truck has an auto shut off that cuts the engine after about 5 minutes idling, there is an override but you can only activate that once the warning light starts to flash 5 seconds before shut down. I managed to keep it running till I had tipped and run round to the shop that would test and change the batteries.
Parked up at 4.00am and was woken at 9.00am by the shop wanting the truck inside to load test the batteries, result was 4 new ones.
Got a reload of fence posts from Glaslyn, Saskatchewan to Neepawa, Manitoba then reload lumber from the same place in Neepawa to Winnipeg then back to Steinbach 18.00 Friday.
Monday I am taking a load of plastic pipes to Portage La Prairie then into Winnipeg to swap trailers, a box van loaded with lumber to go to Dallas, Texas.

8th January 2008

Not sure how all these cafes get in the way of my pictures!!
Got sent to Seattle (pic above), Washington for my reload to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Loaded 45000lbs of steel Monday afternoon and drove across Washington state for a couple of hours before parking up Monday night. It snowed most of the day Tuesday, all across Washington and into Idaho, it only started to clear in British Columbia.
Made it into Alberta Tuesday night and I cant tip till midnight Wednesday so no rush in the morning only 820km to go, so wont leave till after lunch.

7th January 2008

Left on 3rd January with 10 snow mobiles and 1 quad on board. I had a collection to make in Decker, Manitoba that night then 1 drop Saskatchewan, 2 drops in Alberta and 2 drops in British Columbia. Got the collection and first 3 drops off by Saturday morning and set off for my first trip across "The Rockies" into BC. Got into BC and sat for 3 hours about 10km short of Golden without moving, a truck had decided to try a balancing act over the edge of a steep drop.
Made it to my first drop for 5am Monday, round to the truckstop in Chilliwack for laundry and breakfast. Was empty for 8.30 back to the petro at Abbotsford for shower and internet connection.

1st January 2008

We counted 56 men, women and children at our new year party last night with plenty to eat and drink and one of Adrian's fires and fireworks to bring in the new year. Curt brought his poker table which was very popular with some.

We eventually made it to bed, with the spare room taken too, around 4.00am.

The only thing that could have made this any better for us would have been to have our families from England here with us in our new home.