4145 miles, 7 days. 3 drops, 2 picks and 2 trailer swaps.

It's been quite a while since I last posted anything on here and after many requests decided it was time to bring you all up to date.
First thing you may have noticed is the picture at the top of the page, my current ride at Penners and by far the best so far. It's a Volvo 670 powered by a Cummins ISX and Meritor auto shift transmission.
Summer has been a busy time for me, both at work and home. Still getting good miles, being treated well by Andy and Penners so it's still going well there.
At home we have been getting out as much as possible, meals out most times I am home, concerts, casinos and generally enjoying life here.

Gary, our first born, is getting married next year to Amber and preparation for the social is well under way. 10th November will be a good time, as will the 11th when Andy & Donna are taking us back to Celebrations again for our Christmas party.

Beware of low flying aircraft.

Train crossing ahead.

Everything is bigger in Texas.

Charity bike run at Limon, CO

Our Garden 2 nights on the trot.

We looked after Gary's dog for 2 weeks and our newest addition, a stray we have named Misty, on the left.

I made a conscious decision to leave the blog alone for a while, it was getting harder and slightly tedious trying to keep it interesting so I have decided to cut right back on the postings and only blog when I have something that interests me or I think may be of interest to others.
Everything still going really well at work, 3 years service achieved last week and I am now at home for 16 days off while we have some special visitors come and stay with us.

2366 Miles, 4 days.

Taking a nap.

Just a short 4 day trip after spending 5 hours waiting at the border because of a screw up by Livingston, the customs broker (agent).
Only spending the one night at home as I want to get another trip in before we go away for the weekend next week.
Leaving tomorrow going to Oshkosh, Wi so that will get me home in nice time with good miles again this month.

4716 miles, 10 days.

Before.....

During.....

and after!!!!!

This was a very enjoyable trip where everything went according to plan, well almost. I had a collection in New Jersey which lost me about two hours and 50 miles trying to get to the place avoiding truck restrictions, weight limits and low bridges. It turned out to be a nightmare and wasn't any easier getting back out the place. I don't think I could find it again even after having been there!
The snow has completely gone and Manitoba has been experiencing some very nice warm and sunny weather, the shorts are back out and the bbq has been used, bring on the summer. 

2990 miles, 5 days

I94 Michigan

Minneapolis, MN

Left home Thursday morning with a delivery in Menasha, Wi. I had my reload Thursday afternoon which I would be loading in Appleton, Wi only 5 miles from my delivery and going to Mississauga, On.
I made my way to Appleton Friday morning to pick up my reload.
After loading  I was soon on  my way to Mississauga where I was to just switch trailers and head back to Shekopee, Mn for a delivery Monday morning.
On the bay 9am Monday and empty by noon, the poor guy on his own had to hand ball the full load off.
Now empty again it was up to Cloquet, Mn to switch once again and bring back to Steinbach.
3 days off now and will leave again Friday.

2916 miles, 5 days

2600 miles, 4 days then wrecker home

This trip took me to Kimper, Ky. I left Thursday mid morning and went out to Portage La Prairie, Mb to load and met up en route with Clarence, Bryn and Neal in Lebanon, Indiana Saturday night. These guys were travelling in style in Clarence's pick up truck going to Nashville to take delivery of two brand new Freightliners. I made my delivery Saturday evening and picked up my reload in Lawrenceburg, Indiana Sunday afternoon, going straight back to Steinbach.
On my way home I managed to catch up with Bryn and Neal again in their new trucks, unfortunately only one was able to make it home under it's own steam! They look really nice but maybe not on the back of a tow truck.
Got home Monday evening and leave again Thursday morning with two drops on, 1st in Wisconsin and 2nd in Illinois.

3179 miles, 6 days

Chilly

Winter Wonderland

Just had a few days at home after this last trip. During my time at home we had the heaviest snowfall this year, about 9" overnight, so I spent a couple of hours Tuesday clearing the drive while Sue cleared the path. It looked good until it snowed again in the afternoon.
Next morning we were going up to Steinbach and there was 5 cars in just a few miles in the ditch, the snow had frozen during the night and made the roads extremely dangerous.
The roads are mainly clear again now and tomorrow I leave to go to Kimper, Ky, a load I have done a few times.

A funny thing happened on the way to.......

4324 miles, 8 days.

This trip was going extremely well until........ I loaded and left Friday and delivered in Johnson City, Tn Monday morning. My reload was from Orangeburg, SC going to Mississauga, On to deliver Wednesday morning.

I informed dispatch I would be there Tuesday afternoon and was cleared to just switch in Mississauga and deliver my next load in Oakdale Mn. That's when my luck started to change.

I arrived at US Customs at the Detroit border Thursday 5.30am, the officer asked me the usual questions, handed back my passport and "FAST" card and said "Have a nice day", if only!

90 mile west of Detroit my phone rang, it was dispatch, "Dave, where are you?" "90 mile west of Detroit" "How did you manage to clear customs?" So I explained the process and the line went a little quiet then "ok I have a contact name and number at CBP (Customs and border patrol) Detroit that you need to call asap"

I called and it turned out that my load had been selected to go to x ray at Detroit before leaving, one problem..... the officer didn't ask me to go to x ray. There was no way around this, I had to return to detroit for x ray or they would come looking for me and if they had to do that I would be arrested.

5 hours later, a personal escort through the scanner and an encounter with the k9 unit at CBP I was now free to leave and head towards my delivery.

I arrived 3 hours late at my delivery because of this fiasco but they were very good about it, and I was now planned to switch trailers only 15 minutes away and take that load to Winnipeg. 

Back home safe now and don't want to ever repeat what happened this week, it's not a nice feeling.

A WORD OF WARNING

It came to light this week that a certain forum "British Truckers Abroad" has been getting paid by recruiters. That in itself is no big deal but they actively promote these companies as a good option to come to Canada, the latest pays 24.5 cents per mile, well below the average and would be almost impossible to live on. Their is plenty information out there and it is up to the individual to distinguish between fact and fiction.

I pride myself in being totally honest , although outspoken, and will continue to be so.

It seems I got banned from this forum for being abusive, I called the recruiter a liar when he claimed it was a great job with good opportunities, well sorry but 24.5 cpm is abysmal at best and would almost certainly lead to failure here in Canada.

If considering emigrating ask yourself a couple of questions before choosing your new employer. 

If the job is as good as they promise why are they having trouble finding drivers and keeping them? Why are they spending a huge amount of money hiring full time recruiters and trainers to recruit from abroad?

Also be careful of some of the drivers sitting in their ivory towers claiming to know best, a few on this forum have already claimed that this is a good opportunity but yet would not do that job for that money themselves.

*UPDATE*

It seems that it is acceptable to have a go at drivers as a group but not as an individual, that will get you a ban and reported lol
This doesn't count by britincanada
quote "bleating, moaning, pessimistic British truckers who quite frankly would not get a job back in the UK anyway. Lets face it would you want to employ these wasters who slag off and slate everyone who trys to give others a chance there are to many on here"

Fame but no Fortune

Found in Truck Stops Across Canada

I was approached a number of weeks ago by a writer, Kathryn Thorpe Klassen, and asked if I would like to be featured in an article in the magazine. I agreed and made it into the February issue.

The online version can be found here. I think it turned out rather well even if I do say so myself although the hard copy is much better.

MISSING

Buster has been missing since January 16th. He was out with our other dog, his sister Jasmine, when they both roamed off. That is not very unusual, they often go hunting together but what was unusual was when Jasmine came home an hour later on her own.

There has not been any sightings since then and we now fear the worst. It is possible he has been caught in a trap or maybe picked up by someone.

We still hope for his safe return but in our heart of hearts feel it may be too late. Jasmine has been very timid without him, it is the first time they have been apart from birth.

We have always accepted that something like this may happen, we do live in the country and hunting and trapping is a big way of life out here.

We will continue to hope that one day he may show up.

Left to right. Sue, me, Neal, Samantha, Tiffany, Clarence, Bryn,  Majka,  Annette,  Martyn.

We had a really special night out last week. Martyn and Annette were over on a visit and it was there last night in Canada before catching the flight back home.
A limo was booked and paid for, thank you very much you know who you are, and took us all to Tony Roma's in Winnipeg. The food was excellent as was the company, what a great night.