Here we are, another motel courtesy of Jade, thanks guys I know you read this. Only got an outdoor pool this time though but at $45 a night I don't think I can complain too much. Shawn got back to me at 11.30 as promised but hadn't been able to get around the problem of picking this load up Monday evening so here I am stuck in Sarnia through no fault of my own or Jades.

At least I have a choice of places to eat and drink here all within walking distance, oh and the free internet I have been "borrowing" for the last couple of days.

I can forget making it home Sunday night. I went to the shippers and was leaving there by 6.00pm but had to change the paperwork at another plant, you know customer buying it from one company but it is loaded somewhere else. It all went wrong from there, it was discovered I had been loaded with the wrong product. A couple of hours later it was agreed by the shipper to get me off loaded again but they won't reload me till Monday 5.00pm. Jade can get me another reload but haven't got anyone in the area on Monday to reload this one.
Have been here since Thursday afternoon but Jade are going to cover the cost of a motel if I have to stay till Monday, will find out soon.

Had another 24 hour layover today. I am due to load in Sarnia, Ontario 6.00pm tonight and got washed out here yesterday afternoon. I would still like to try and make it home Sunday night, only 2325km away. I need to do about 4 hours driving tonight after loading to be able to make it home.

HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY SUE

Tomorrow, the 17th, is our wedding anniversary. Normally we dont do much, just cards and stuff but this one is a little different. Tomorrow we have been married for 25 years. Gary bought us this lovely ornament which has now taken pride of place on the fireplace.

We still won't be doing anything special though lol, we are both working.

Sorry it has been a while since I last posted. Last week was a busy week, I had asked to leave again on Saturday but those loads were already covered so it would have to be Sunday so it was going to be tough to get my 5000 miles in for this pay period which ends on the 15th. I ahd only done 1800 miles last week. I left Sunday headed for Blue Island, Illinois to load back to Winnipeg and then got caught up in a snow storm on Wednesday on the way back. Sue had my car this week and I wasn't going to get back till late now so I asked dispatch if there was anything I could leave with that evening but also keep me in Canada because of my hours (more driving hours in Canada). They came good and gave me a load to Regina, Sk to deliver early Thursday afternoon and run back to Winnipeg empty, 700 miles. Still short of miles I asked if there was anything else when I got back, yes a quick turn around and back to Regina to deliver Friday evening and return again empty, bingo 5000 miles and the weekend at home.

We carry a lot of liquid fertilizers and chemicals for crop spraying so things are very busy right now, so busy that they haven't got a trailer for me to leave again this morning as planned.

I got some money given to me for my birthday and today I spent it all on a trolling motor for my boat. This is a low power battery operated motor that lets you glide silently on the water while fishing. All we need now is the weather, won't be long now.

HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY DAD

Have a great time, wish we were there!! See you all soon.

Today was another reminder how dangerous the roads can be when the weather changes. This time because it has warmed up a little, same weather you get at the beginning of winter, mild during the day then at night it cools down, gets damp and the roads freeze, then this morning it rained on top. It was like a skating rink. A journey from Rothsay Mn to Winnipeg that normally takes 4 - 41/2 hours took me 8 hours today.

Cars and trucks in the ditches everywhere. Got the load back safely to the yard and hoping to leave again Saturday.
** Since first publishing this post I have since heard that the driver of the truck in the top photo lost his life in this crash. He was a 33 year old male from Winnipeg and my thoughts go out to family and friends of this man **

Went to The Mid-Canada Boat Show at The Winnipeg Convention Centre today with Jason & Jenn, http://midcanadaboatshow.com/, where we were able to look at all the latest boats and jet skis.

We priced up a couple of luxury models but couldn't decide which one would really suit us so we didn't purchase one this weekend, maybe another time (yeah right).

We didn't actually go to buy but just to look, nothing wrong with dreaming is there? All joking aside we had a great day starting with breakfast in the city, the boat show and then went to Pony Corral, http://www.ponycorral.ca/, for supper on the way home.

Had some of the worst weather this week that I have had to drive in this winter. Snow, blowing snow, ice and then finally back to -34c in Manitoba this morning. All the salt and grit on the roads in Ontario made for a really dirty truck and trailer.

I made a real early start this morning and was home in the house just before 9.30am which now gives me a nice 3 days off and it's Sue's weekend off too.

The whole trip took just over 11 days with two days layover and 5300 miles covered.

Michael and I both unloaded Monday morning and then ran to Georgetown, Ontario to wash out. Then it was over to the truckstop at Milton for some food and wait for the reload. We got the food but I did not get my reload till Tuesdsay afternoon and Michael is still waiting.
I also got the chance to meet Phil, another blogger and brit that drives across North America, nice to meet you Phil, http://montedarlo.blogspot.com/
My reload is from Shell Chemicals in Sarnia where we just spent two nights this week already but to give me all my driving hours on Wednesday I decided to travel here tonight and be ready to load first thing in the morning.
If the loading goes ok I should get back home Friday and take the weekend off.

This trip has been a little different than others. After washing out on Tuesday I got a call from despatch asking if I would mind waiting a while, a new driver was also going to Washington to load and deliver at the same place. We have now been following each other since Tuesday afternoon.

The scenery is also spectacular, we have been in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Washington, Montanna, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indianna, Michigan and finally Ontario. Even if I wash out and reload on Monday back to Winnipeg I still have around 1500 miles to go making this month the best so far.

Haven't been able to post all week as I have been extremely busy and only once did I find a wireless connection but it was so slow I couldn't do anything.

I left on Monday headed for Calgary. It was a holiday in a few provinces on Monday and I really hate the holiday traffic seen in the top two pics. Once tipped and cleaned out in Calgary on Tuesday I had to run empty to Central Ferry, Washington to pick up a load and tip in Alvinston, Ontario on Monday, by the time I deliver this on Monday I will have covered more than 3600 miles in 1 week, with today off.

The top two pictures are crossing the Mississippi River, the top one looking towards Memphis, Tennessee and the second one coming back into West Memphis, Arkansas. The bottom one is of an ice sculpture as you come into Winnipeg.

Got back home on Friday morning from this little jaunt and will be leaving on Monday for a delivery in Calgary Tuesday morning.

Got a fairly busy weekend planned, it's Sues weekend off too. We are having lunch with Jason and Jenn, they are just back from Mexico, then going out this evening with Craig and Jacey.

Maybe Sunday will be a little quieter.

Nice to get away from the snow and ice for a while and with the teperature shown above even the air con was switched on.

I would like to thank Ali, Mark, Emma & Scott for a lovely breakfast on Monday morning (haha).

Sitting in West Memphis, Arkansas tonight and washing tank out tomorrow, no rush getting paid layover for tomorrow as I can't load till Wednesday.

I left this afternoon with a loaded tank going to Roanoke, IL and it looks like I am pre planned to run empty to Memphis, Tn to wash out reload and back to Winnipeg.
A nice little run taking me to somwhere I haven't been before.

This is very sad, I know but remember I am living and working in a country where you even have to buy your own boots, overalls and gloves. Since joining Jade at the beginning of December I haven't had to buy a thing and yesterday I was handed a binder complete with notepad and pen to keep all my paperwork and log sheets in, very unusual for a Canadian trucking company.

Got to Hancock, Mn this morning, made my delivery and after a couple of phone calls it was decided to bring me home empty, so back home for a couple of nights.

The temperatures were very mild at the weekend, above freezing for all of my journey and warm enough to clear the snow in some areas. All went according to plan with no breakdowns or delays and I got back to the yard about 4.00 this afternoon.

Going back out again tomorrow but with a tank this time, doing a load of tallow to Hancock, Minnesota.