Red Wing, MN

Well, I am home! I arrived at 9:00 am today. Late in the afternoon yesterday I received a message from Schneider that I could go home after dropping off the load in Blaine this morning. I decided to get up early and try to beat the snow that was forecast. I awoke at 3:00 am and saw that the snow was falling and the wind blowing hard. I ventured out anyway. The road had 4 to 5 inches of snow and I could barely see tracks in the snow. I drove 20 mph for the first 2 hours. Fortunately there weren't many cars or trucks on the road. After a couple of hours there was evidence of a snow plow. Gradually my speed increased. By the time I got to the WI/MN border the roads were clear and I was zooming along.

I'll be off until the day after New Years Day, so I'll have plenty of time to celebrate with Erika and Greta., visit Frank and continue to work on my condo.

I hope the coming week will bring many unexpected gifts to you and those close to you. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Blaine, MN

I arrived in Fond du Lac yesterday morning a half hour before my schdeuled appt and with 30 minutes left to drive before I was over 70 hours. That was cutting it close. I spent the day at a truck stop in Fond du Lac. This morning I was sent up to Escanaba, MI to pick up a load of paper which I'm to take to Blaine, MN. I'm to drop off the trailer at the Schneider Drop Lot where I park my car. There is a chance that I'll be done tomorrow, but I probably won't know for sure until tomorrow morning. That would be quite a Xmas gift.

It has been foggy since Thur afternoon. I drove through for all day today. 1/4 to 1/2 mile visibility all day. A bit stressful. But I'm also excited by the possibility of being done tomorrow. I could only drive 8 hours today. I was able to make the pickup in Escanaba and get as far as 30 miles west of Wausau before I needed to stop. I have a little over 200 miles left to drive tomorrow. I may be driving in snow, but there shouldn't be much traffic.

I imagine you are all getting ready for your holiday celebrations. I hope it is not too stressful. I'll let you know if I get home early. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa
)

Fond du Lac, WI

I've stopped for the day. I'm 5 miles into Montana. It is snowing. I got stuck climbing up to Lookout Pass (on the ID-MT border). I had to get out and put on chains and then crawl at 5 mph to the top and then come down on the other side at 15 mph.

I started out this morning in Everett at 2:00 am PST and drove down to Portland (200 miles) and picked up chains there. Then I took I-84 east along the Columbia River. That was spectacular. After another 180 miles I headed back north into WA and picked up I-90.

Tomorrow I'll drive through MT and thursday I'll try to make it to WI. Quite an adventure.

My supervisor is trying to get me home on Xmas day. That would be nice, but I'm just hoping to be back by the day after.

Erika and Pat have decided they will be moving to near Portland, OR. Pat will be teaching at Linfield College in McMinnville, OR starting in Sept. '08. They are excited. It sounds like a wonderful place. I'm very pleased for them.

Well, I hope your week is going well. I'll let you knpw how the rest of my trip goes. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Easton, WA

I'm in the mountains and stopped near Snoqualmie Pass. It is snowing. The advisory says to use chains. I don't have any, so I need to wait for the snow to stop. I'm 60 miles from Seattle. I didn't expect any snow this close to Seattle, but what do I know.

After dropping off this load, I pick up another load at the same place and take it right back to the midwest. (Fond du Lac). I need to be there by Friday morning 12/21 at 8:00 am. I'll be driving down to Portland to pick up some chains before I head back east.

I hope your weekend was good and that today is going well. I'll let you know if I get out of the mountains. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

P.S. - Kara, could you mark down MT, I'd and WA? Thanks!

Bozeman/Butte, MT

I just stopped for the night midway between Bozeman and Butte ob I-90. Montana sure is big. I'll drive 700 miles from the eastern to western MT.

I started out from the Twin Cities at 9:00 am yesterday and got as far as Bismarck, ND. I started again at 7:30 am this morning and drove close to 600 miles.

I still have over 600 miles left to drive before I reach Everett, WA. The weather has been good. In the Twin Cities it was below zero, but clear. It only got down to 15 in Bismarck. Where I'm at now it is in the 30's. No snow which I'm grateful about. I hope that continues until I get to WA. The mountains are impressive. I haven't been able to see the tops of them. They are cloud covered. What I can see of them is snow covered. I was in MT once before, but that was during the summer. The terrain was quite different then. It seemed more hospitable.

I'll probably drive another 600 miles tomorrow and get as close as I can to Everett. I hope your weekend is going well so far. I'll let you know where they send me once I get to WA. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Everett, WA

Well, soon I'll be back at it. The driver before me won't be back to Blaine until tonight. So' I won't be starting again until tomorrow morning. He's bringing a load that I will be taking all the way to Everett, WA. (1700 miles). I don't need to have it there until Monday evening' so I'll have 4 full days to make the drive.

I think I'll go west on I-94 through ND, MT, UT and then WA. The other option would be to take I-90.

Once out there I'm not sure how or when I'll make it back. Heading south to CA or AZ would be ideal.

I'll have had parts of 10 days off. I've used the time getting settled in my new place and spending time with Greta and Tristan. It's been fun. I hope you all have had a good week. I'll keep you informed about my progress and next stop. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Birthdays, NY

Just a quick note about birthdays in NYC. Uncle Frank's birthday is today, Dec 8th and he is 61. Cousin Jason's birthday is tomorrow, Dec 9th and he will be 38, I believe. Happy Birthday to the both of them. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Red Wing, MN

I'm home. I arrived yesterday around noon. That was fortunate because it snowed all day here. (5") it would have been tough getting in any later.

I was in Chicago most of Monday. The traffic wasn't bad, so the day went well. I did stop for the night in Madison, but got there too late to visit Erika and the girls. On sunday night, Sydney was so excited about setting up the Xmas tree and making cookies that ahe had a hard time getting to sleep. Erika heard something in the living room at midnight and went out to look. There was Syd standing by the tree, just looking up at it. The magic of the season.

I just setup my new Blackberry. It took awhile, but now I'm all set. This one has a full keyboard so my emails might make more sense. However, in changing from Nextel to Sprint my address changed. Instead of nextel in the address you need to put sprint there. So the new address is jbarth9@sprint.blackberry.net

Please make this correction. I don't want to lose touch with you.

Have a great week. I'll be moving all the stuff from my garage to my condo (books' etc), and playing with my new toy. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Streamwood, IL

I had quite a day yesterday. I started out from Madison driving south to St Louis. I missed all of the snow which I was thankful for, but I did hit freezing rain about 60 miles north of St Louis. It lasted for about 30 miles, but that was enough for me. I drove about 35 to 45 mph. I saw cars in the ditch on both sides of the road. Fortunately, I didn't slip or slide at all.

After I dropped off the trailer in St Louis I was to pick up an empty trailer and take it to Jefferson City, drop it there and pick up a loaded trailer and being it up to Streamwood, IL by Monday morning. The place I was to pick up the empty was closed however. So they sent me another 100 miles to pick up an empty in Fulton, MO. When I got there they didn't have any empty trailers, so I was sent another 85 miles to Sedalia to pick up a trailer. By that time I had to stop for the night.

This morning I finally picked up an empty and then drove back to Jefferson City, dropped off the empty and picked up my load. I drove pretty much nonstop and made it to just north of Joliet. I'll drive the rest of the way early tomorrow.

When I woke up this morning near Sedalia it was 66 degrees. It got as high as 70 when I drove through St Louis. About 40 miles north of St Louis during a 10 mile stretch the temp dropped from 62 degrees to 39 degrees. Quite amazing.

On Friday night, I went with Erika and the girls to a mall in Madison and bought the girls Xmas outfits. They also got some slippers, sunglasses and Sydney got some ear muffs. They had to wear the sun glasses right away. So we went walking through the mall with them wearing the glasses. They looked pretty cute. When we went outside, Syd had her stocking cap on with her sun glasses and her ear muffs on. Quite a sight. Erika said they wore the glasses to bed the last 2 nights.

Hopefully, after dropping off the load tomorrow I'll start heading back toward the Twin Cities. It would be nice to get back on Tuesday. But, you never know. I'll keep you informed. I hope you've had a nice weekend. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

St. Louis, MO

I'm in LaCrosse, WI picking up a load of beer, and boy, is it cold (14 degrees). It also snowed here last night. Not much, but enough for it to feel like Xmas. I'll be taking this to the operating center in St Louis and need to be there tomorrow morning.

There is supposed to be a snowstorm in MN and WI tomorrow. Maybe as much as 8" of snow. Good thing I'll be down in MO.

I'll be able to stop tonight in Madison and see Erika and the girls. That will be fun.

To backtrack a bit, I dropped off the load in Tomah this morning at 8:00 am. Right on schedule. After a year, I think I'm getting pretty good at this.

It was one year ago today that I drove from Red Wing to Green Bay to begin my training at Schneider. I remember that day well. I was more excited than anxious and not quite sure what it would be like. I must say the training for the most part was challenging and fun.

I hope your coming weekend is good. I'll let you know where I'm headed when I hear tomorrow. Also a Happy Birthday to my nephew, Josh, who turns 40 today. I remember his birth well. I'm proud to say that I'm his godfather. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Tomah, WI

This has been an interesting day. I left Houston at a little before 6:00 am and drove non-stop to Jenks (south of Tulsa). I arrived at 2:30 pm and dropped off the load.

I pick up my next load at the same place, but not until 2:00pm tomorrow afternoon. So I had 24 hours to blow. I decided to get a motel room nearby and take it easy.

The load I pick up I will take to Tomah, WI which is about 1 1/2 hours north of Madison. I need to have it there by Friday. So if I play my cards right I'll be able to see Erika Thursday evening.

The reason for the delay is that I was running short of hours to drive. This will all work out great. Now I'll shower, get something to eat, work on the computer and sleep.

I hope your week is going well. I'll get back to you sometime Thur. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Jenks, OK

I just stopped for the day at a truck stop outside of Houston. I had a long one. I got up at 3:30 am and started driving at 4:30 am from Anna, TX which is about 40 miles north of Dallas. I made it down to Sealy at 10:00 am and then was sent to Port Arthur, TX to pick up a load of pulp. Port Arthur is about 150 miles from Sealy on the other side of Houston. I arrived there about 1:30 pm and was loaded up by 4:00 pm. Port Arthur is on the gulf coast and is filled with oil refineries. I had to drive into the port of Port Arthur, where ships dock and unload. There were also railroad tracks running every which way. Quite a convergence of shipping, rail and truck traffic. The load I picked up I'll need to drive up to Jenks, OK by early afternoon tomorrow (500 miles). Jenks is just south of Tulsa.

Last night I was fortunate enough to have dinner with Kara (my niece). She met me at one of the truck stops in Anna. It was great to see her. My good fortune continues with regard to seeing relatives.

I hope you all watched the Bears game yesterday afternoon. I wasn't able to watch, but followed along on my Blackberry. I prefer that. I get too anxious otherwise.

The Holiday season is upon us. I suppose I could decorate the inside of my truck, but I think I'll fore go that pleasure. I let you know where I'm headed when I find out tomorrow. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Sealy, TX

I'm heading south and it's time to break out the shorts. I made it to Effingham
this morning at 11:00 am and had the trailer unloaded. I was then sent back up north
to Spring Valley, IL, which is close to the intersection of I-80 and I-39. There
I picked up a load at a WalMart Dist. Ctr. I'm to take that to Sealy, Tx which
is down by Houston (1100 miles). I need to get there by mid-morning Monday. I drove
until 9:00 pm this evening and made it to an Schneider Operating Center near St
Louis. Tomorrow I hope to drive 11 hours or 700 miles and get pretty close to my
destination.

Again today the driving was easy. The weather cooperated and the traffic was light.

I listened to ESPN radio all day following college football. Tomorrow I'll listen
to ESPN following the NFL games. The Bears are really terrible this year, which
has taken some of the fun out of the season. I'm hoping Kansas wins tonight
over Missouri, but it really doesn't look good.

I hope your weekend is going well. One more day left in this long Holiday. I'll
let you know how it goes and where I'll be going next when I find out. - James
(Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Effingham, IL

Next stop, Effingham, IL. I dropped off the load in Wisconsin Rapids this morning and picked up another one there. This one has 24 rolls of paper (44,000 lbs). I have an appt to del it at 11:00 am tomorrow. I drove as far as Gilmore, IL this evening (exit 183 on I-57).

Again, it was a nice day. (20's and 30's) Driving has been easy. Not too many cars or trucks on the road. I drove through Chicago and only once needed to slow down.

Tonight, I'm going to watch movies. The first one will be `Live Free or Die Hard` with Bruce Willis, and if I'm not too tired I'll watch `Amazing Grace`, which is about the man who brought about the abolition of slavery in England in the early 1800's.

Living in a truck is pretty comfortable for me. I find I'm in more contact with people than when I'm home. I'm surprised by that, but also pleased. I celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday with many phone calls to family, and with a turkey sandwich which I bought at a truck stop. For once, I didn't overeat.

I hope yesterday was good and that the weekend is continuing as you hoped it would. I'll keep in touch. Maybe I'll head down south where it is warm. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Wisconsin Rapids, WI

I started out again this morning at 9:00 am. I had a great week and it was hard getting back to the truck, but once here, it is ok. They have sent me north to Duluth, MN to pick up a load of paper which eventually will be taken to Oklahoma City, OK. I only have to take it to Wisconsin Rapids. Someone else will take it from there.

Duluth sure has a nice view of Lake Superior. Quite awe inspiring. It is clear and in the 20's.

It will take them an hour to load the trailer.

I was able to move everything from my apt to the condo I purchased. Much of it however is in the garage. The next time I'm home I'll tackle that job. Tristan has been over almost everyday. We've setup a train in one of the bedrooms and as usual, we've been watching war movies. It's wonderful to have him around. Greta has been a big help with moving, as well as Tom and his boys. I only had to move less than a block. I put my books in plastic target bags (8-10 books per bag). I bet there are about 100 or more bags. It took 2 or 3 pickup loads to get them all over to the condo. A trucker with books.

I hope you are all having a nice Thanksgiving - eating a lot and watching football on TV, or whatever. I'll keep you informed of my travels. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Red Wing, MN

I'm finally almost home. I should arrive in Red Wing about 2:00 am. I left from Gary yesterday in the afternoon around 4:00 pm. The load I was to pick up didn't arrive until then. I drove straight to Shakopee with only one brief stop and made it in 7 1/2 hours. I then drove to Blaine 40 miles north, unloaded the truck and headed south to Red Wing.

Last night I spent from midnight to 3:00 getting unloaded in Oconomowoc and then drove 2 1/2 hours to Gary, arriving at 6:00 am. I slept on and off throughout the morning, and waited for my next load.

I've had strange hours the last couple of days.

Now I begin moving from my apt to my new condo. I have 7 days, so there is no big hurry. I hope the remainder of your week goes well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Shakopee, MN

I'm just about ready to drive 40 miles to Oconomowoc. I stopped this afternoon in Madison to take my 10 hour break. I needed to do that so that after dropping off this load I can drive for 10 more hours. I will next drive to the Gary operating center and pick up another load which I will then take to Shakopee, MN and after that head home. If all goes well I will be done by 2:00 pm. If not it may be closer to midnight tomorrow.

I again was able to have dinner with Erika and the girls. We went to a mall and walked through a book store. Each of the girls got a stuffed Minnie Mouse, a book and a small toy. Elsa got a rubber Ducky, Sydney got 3 little Thomas the Tank engines. Erika got two books. It was fine watching them walk around. They are very, very cute.

Wish me luck tonight! Driving through the night is not my favorite. I hope you are all doing well - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Fenton, MO / Oconomowoc, WI

A two-parter - After making a delivery in Sterling Heights I was sent into Detroit to pick up some automotive parts to be taken to Fenton, MO some 550 miles away. This is a JIT load (Just in Time). I'm delivering it to a Chrysler Motors Plant. I guess they need the parts. I'll get there tomorrow at 6:00 am. I stopped for the night in Edwardsville, IL at a Schneider Operating Center near St. Louis.

Then after dropping that off I travel to Granite City to pick up a load at a Proctor and Gamble plant which I need to take up to Oconomowoc, WI and deliver at midnight. That trip will be about 400 miles. If I play my cards right I should get close by about 1:00 pm. I'll take my 10 hour break and get to Oconomowoc by 12:00 am.

Hopefully, they'll send me home after that and I can arrive sometime Wednesday. I'll have to check it out with them tomorrow during the day.

My delivery this morning was to the Detroit newspaper plant. I was delivering pallets with newspaper inserts. It was fascinating to watch the unloading. They used forklifts to get the pallets out of the truck and then they placed them on a conveyor belt which took them to robotic carts which picked them up and took them into the plant. Empty robotic carts would come out and line up for the next pallet. There was no track they followed that I could see. It was strange seeing them move around on the floor, taking right and left turns, backing up and moving forward. It was a pretty efficient operation.

I hope your week is starting out well. I'll keep you informed as to my progress tomorrow. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Sterling Heights, MI

My good fortune continues. I was able to have lunch with Erika and the girls once again in Madison. Erika met me at the usual truck stop and we went to a mall in search of a battery for my Blackberry. (No luck). We did however find a McDonalds and had our traditional meal with Milk Shake. The girls each were given a balloon which were tied around their wrists. They were thrilled. I was able to spend 2 hours with them.

I arrived in Beaver Dam around 3:30 pm and then went further north and east to Lomira, WI to pick up another load. This one I'll be taking to a suburb of Detroit, Sterling Heights. I need to be there by 6:30 am Monday morning (500 miles). Hopefully, after that they will send me back toward MN.

I'm getting excited about my upcoming move into my new condo. I've got Greta, Tom and the boys lined up to help me. With their help it shouldn't be too bad.

I hope your weekend is going well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Beaver Dam, WI

Well, I got back to work this morning. I had a wonderful day and a half in NYC. I was sent this morning to Jersey City to pick up a load which I need to take to a Walmart Dist Ctr in Beaver Dam, WI (1,000 miles). I need to get it there by tomorrow early afternoon.

Currently, I'm in eastern PA. I'll try to get well into OH and even possibly into IN befor I stop for the day.

I was able to spend 4 hours yesterday talking with Frank, Gene, Neil and Crish. I also worked with Frank on the Facemask website a little. It was a day of great conversations. I took a cab later in the evening back to my truck in Kearny, NJ. It took 2 hours to get to the truck and I needed to guide the driver to the area where the truck was.

So now, it's back to driving. I wonder who'll I'll meet next on the road. I hope your week is going well and that you have a wonderful weekend! I'll let you know tomorrow sometime where I'm headed next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

34 hr Break, NY

Tonight I'm right outside of NYC in NJ. Early tomorrow morning I'll drive
into Brooklyn and drop off this load. At that point I'll only have a few hours
left to drive. I talked to my supervisor today and arranged to take a 34 hour break
in NYC. So I won't have to start driving again until Thur night or Fri morning.

Frank will be driving out to where I park my truck to pick me up and take me to
his place on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I'll also be able to see Gene,
Neil and Crish on Thur morning. Quite amazing.

Today I drove all the way on I-95 right through Washington, DC and Baltimore, by
Philadelphia and straight up to Newark. I never experienced a slow down in traffic.
I didn't expect that.

If you need anything from NYC, let me know. I'll have some time and a big truck
to being it back in. I hope your day went well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Jacksonville, FL

Get out your shorts and suntan lotion, I'm heading south to Jacksonville.

I arrived this morning in Clarksville, TN and was then sent back up north to Owensboro,
KY to pick up a load of paper. (they aren't rolls this time, but rather 40,000
lbs of packaged reams of paper / 840 cartons). I need to get that to Jacksonville
by 11:00 am on Monday. (750 miles). I got as far as Christiana, TN before I stopped
for the night. Christiana is about 40 miles south of Nashville on I-24.

Tomorrow I should be able to get all the way to Jacksonville if I choose. I might
not push it however. Somewhere in GA would be ok.

Tonight I'm going to watch Spiderman 3. I didn't get to see it in the theaters
this summer. I also splurged and bought a meal at McDonalds. Usually I eat something
I brought from home. They had a special deal. Two chicken sandwiches, a large fries,
a large pop and two apple ours for $5.50. It was called a 'Trucker's Special'.

I don't have to worry about the Bears losing tomorrow. They don't play.
What a relief.

I hope your weekend is going well so far. Enjoy your day tomorrow. I'll let
you know where I'm heading after Jacksonville when I find out. - James (Jibs
- Dad/Papa )

Clarksville, TN

I'm heading south to Clarksville, TN, which isn't too far from Nashville.
I'll be dropping off a load which another driver will be taking to Birmingham,
AL. I drove today from Madison, WI through Chicago to Fort Wayne, IN. As usual,
it was slow going around Chicago, so it took me longer than I had hoped. I dropped
off a load in Fort Wayne and then drove down to Decatur, IN and picked up my current
load.

I was able to have dinner with Erika, Sydney & Elsa last night at our favorite
McDonalds in Madison. Erika picked me up at a truck stop and both girls were sleeping
when she arrived. The night before they had gone trick or treating in their neighborhood.
Sydney was a firefighter and Elsa was a baby chick.

I was tired driving today. I imagine I'm recovering from my week off. It takes
me a few days to get back in the swing of things. I hope I'll be sent to NY
tomorrow after dropping off the load in Clarksville. Gene and Neil will be having
dinner with Frank and Melinda on Sunday and I thought it would be fun to drop in.
The chances of that happening though are slim to none.

I hope you all have a great weekend. I'll let you know if I'm sent to NY.
- James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Yoder, IN

I'm back on the road. I was sent down to Faribault to pick up a load of food
which I will take to General Mills in Yoder, IN, which is close to Fort Wayne. It's
only about 600 miles, so I'll get there tomorrow sometime.

I had to get a DOT (Dept of Transportation) physical this morning. The doctor was
a chatty sort. I got there at 8:00 but didn't get out until 9:30 am. We were
talking about therapeutic techniques. I mentioned to him that I was once a counselor.
It was interesting.

I closed on my condo yesterday. That went very smoothly and then I took Tristan
trick or treating. He was a Civil War Union Soldier. We had a good time. I had brought
him a hat and tshirt from Gettysburg which he wore. We stopped at a house where
the couple there participates in Civil War re-enactments. Tristan was talking to
them about the battle at Gettysburg.

The trip to Gettysburg with grandma and grandpa this past weekend went very smoothly.
We saw a lot of relatives and visited the battlefield at Gettysburg. Brother, Frank,
went to the seminary there, so he was able to show us around.

I hope you all had a good week. I'll let you know how this trip goes and where
they send me next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Fort Wayne, IN / Duluth, MN

Two deliveries to report. I'm now in Fort Wayne picking up a load which I'll take to Gary, IN and drop off. Someone else will be it down to Waco, TX. After that I drive to Manteno, IL pick up a load at a Sears Dist Ctr. I am to take that load to Duluth, MN by Wed morning. I should be back to Red Wing Wednesday afternoon sometime. Possibly, I'll be able to drop off the trailer tomorrow afternoon, but we'll see

Now to talk about the important stuff. Did you hear about the Bears? What a game! They were losing 16-12 with under 2 minutes left. They had 97 yards to go for a touchdown with no timeouts. They methodically passed their way down the field and scored a touchdown with 9 seconds left. Their quarterback, Brian Griese said that his headset wasn't working so he had to call his own plays. Quite a game. So now I think the Bears will win the Super Bowl. Next week if they lose, I'll think they're worthless. What a fickle fan.

Hope your week is starting out well. I'll let you know how the next two days go. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Elizabethtown, KY

-- also a Cameron Crowe film --

I-65 has become a parking lot. I'm sitting amidst a bunch of cars and trucks. There is an accident north of here. It might be a truck rollover, but don't know for sure. So, I'm listening to ESPN on my XM radio. People are walking around, doors open. It could be awhile before we get going again. The skies are blue, it's 80 degrees and the leave are turning. Not a bad place to wait. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Elkhart, IN

I'm headed North once again. This time to Elkhart, IN. I need to be there by Monday Morning. (1100 miles).

I did get my previous load dropped in Fort Worth yesterday. I had to get up at 2:30 am in order to make it on time. I then needed Tristan do to Dallas for some training (Winter Training) where they basically scare you about the dangers of driving during the winter. I did however, get a new pair of boots and a free meal. I then had to go to Arlington to pick up the load going to Elkhart, IN. I was delayed a couple of hours there, but finally headed east toward AR on I-30. It was a long and tiring day. I'm now close to Texarkana, hoping to get close to Memphis. Tomorrow I'll drive the rest of the way. Hopefully, I can catch up on sleep tonight.

I'm guessing I'll be back in MN sometime late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The weather is great down here today. Skies are clear and the temp is 80. I hope you will have a nice weekend. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Fort Worth, TX

I'm waiting to be unloaded in Milan, IL. I'll then head south and a bit west to Fort Madison, IA to pick up a load. Then I'm heading back to TX. Fort Worth to be exact. I need to be there by Friday morning at 7:00 am.

Fort Madison is on the Mississippi River almost as far south as you can go in IA. I've never been to that part of Iowa before. From there I'll be heading south on 61 into MO and eventually getting on I-70 to Kansas City. It's 850 miles to Fort Worth from Fort Madison.

I was thinking of starting another website that would would encompass all the others I've created. I was going to call it Jibber.com. I thought for sure the name would be available. It wasn't! Who, besides me would name a website Jibber.com. Jibber.net and Jibber.org were also taken. I think they are either into making sails (jib) or they're into not making any sense (jibberish). What's this world coming to.

I also want to mention a very important day that is coming up a week from Sunday. I'm doing this so you can get ready. It's October 28th and it's little Julia Van Dines birthday (4 years old) and it is my birthday (58 years old). Start planning. I'll be in Gettysburg, PA that day. Julia will be at Disney World.

I hope you are all doing well. Enjoy your day. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Milan, IL

I'm down in Laredo, TX. I arrived at about 1:00 pm. I went to the delivery location and they were closed. They won't be open until 8:30 am tomorrow. I tried to arrange to have someone else deliver it tomorrow, but they weren't open to that. So I'm here for the night.

In the meantime I received notification of another load that I'll pick up in Laredo and take to Milan, IL, which is near the Quad Cities. (1400 miles). Unlike the last two weeks where I had many short loads, this looks like a 2 week period with long ones.

I also must admit that I was following the Bears game on the computer. When the score got to 31-17 Vikings with 4:00 left in the game and the Bears quarterback had just thrown an interception, I switched to watching a movie. It turns out the Bears scored 2 touchdowns, but lost in the final seconds 34-31. I'm glad I'm in Laredo, TX and not in MN. Vikings fans are so hard to get along with sometimes. I owe Tristan's dad a 6-pack of beer, and bottles of pop to another 3 people. Oh, the pain!

I hope your weekend is going well. Greetings from Laredo! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Rerouted: Laredo, TX

-- THE 151st POST --

My run to Green Bay was cancelled. I'm now in Menomonie, WI waiting to pick up a load to take to Laredo, TX (1500 miles). I need to get it there by early Monday morning. That won't be a problem.

Once I pick up the load, I'll head back to the Twin Cities and then head south on I-35. I believe I-35 ends in Laredo. I'll drive another 150 miles today. 600 miles both Fri and Sat and the remainder on Sunday. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Green Bay, WI

I just heard. I'm Bobtailing (tractor, but no trailer) to Eau Claire, WI and picking up a load at Menards. I then take it to Green Bay, WI. I'll drop it off early tomorrow morning.

I'm on my way....

Waiting, MN

I'm in my truck in Blaine waiting for an assignment. I didn't have to start driving until today, Thur so I had an extra day off which I used to pack.

The transition from days off to driving is not too bad, once I get to the truck. As usual, I have no idea where I'm going, but I should hear soon.

I had a good week off. I spent a lot of time with Greta & Tristan. I'm getting ready to move to my condo. I packed some things and have an idea how the actual move will go.

It's cool up here this morning (high 30's). I'm back to wearing jeans and have a coat on.

Now that the Cubs have lost, my focus is on the Bears. I hope you all have had a good week so far. I'll let you know where I'm headed as soon as I hear. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

The Long Ride Home, MN

My apologies for not keeping you up to date with my travels. I am home now in Red Wing. I arrived yesterday late afternoon. Getting from Kansas City to Red Wing was anything but a straight line or the shortest route between two points. Let me elaborate.

Monday, October 1 - I arrived in Kansas City around 10:00 am and had my load of beer taken off the truck. I was then sent to. ,MO where is was to pick up a loaded trailer and take it to a WalMart Dist Ctr in Beaver Dam, WI just a little northwest of Milwaukee. When I arrived the load was not ready so I had to wait 3 hours to be loaded. I had only 3 hours of driving left and was able to maked it to just north of the IA-MO border.

Tuesday, October 2 - Departing at 4:00 I drove through IA and into IL and diagonally up into WI and arrived in Beaver Dam at 12:00 pm and was quickly able to drop the trailer and pick up an empty. My hopes were that I would be sent northwest to Mpls-St Paul, but to my disappointment I was sent up to Escanaba, MI, 200 miles straight north, to pick up a trailer of paper rolls. After picking it up I would then need to drive 400 miles to the Twin Cities. I had only 4 hours left before I had to stop for the day. To add insult to injury I wouldn't be able to drop it off until midnight Wednesday night-Thursday morning. Which meant I wouldn't get home until Thur aft sometime. That would be almost 2 days later that I anticipated. I talked to the dispatcher seeing if they had any alternatives that would get me back sooner, but this was the only option. So, I headed north. I was able to get to Escanaba by 5:00 pm Tues night.

Wednesday, October 3 - at 6:00 am I picked up the trailer of rolls of paper in Escanaba and headed west into WI and the northwoods. It was beautiful. The air was cool and clear, the leaves were turning and there were wonderful small towns placed every 15 to 20 miles. I was encouraged, mostly because my team leader arranged to have the driver replacing me make the delivery at midnight. I just needed to get to Blaine and drop the truck off. I drove for 7 hours and finally got into the Twin Cities in the middle of the afternoon.

So, to make a long story very short, what I thought would be a day and a half journey from Kansas City to the Twin Cities (450 miles) turned into a 2 1/2 day ordeal from Kansas City to Beaver Dam to Escanaba to the Twin Cities (1200 miles). For the two week period I drove 6850 miles which was about 700 miles over my average. Oh, the travails of a trucker.

So, I am home now resting and eventually preparing for my move to a condo in November.

I hope your week is going well. I'll be back with my Travel Blog in a week. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Kansas City, KS

Next stop Kansas City, KS with a load of Miller Lite Beer, but it weighs 44,000 lbs. This morning I left from Shrevesport, LA at 4:30 pm and arrived in Palestine, TX at 7:00 am. From there I took an empty trailer up to Fort Worth, TX. I was supposed to drop it there and pick up the loaded trailer of beer. The people in Fort Worth decided they weren't going to take any empty trailers, so I had to drive back to the Dallas OC and drop the trailer there and then drive back to Fort Worth. (60 miles). Eventually I picked up the load of beer and currently about 20 miles south of Oklahoma City.

Tomorrow morning I'll drive to Kansas City and then hopefully head north possibly getting to Des Moines by tomorrow night. I'm hoping to get home on Tuesday, sometime.

Two birthdays this week. Today, Tristan's step brother, Damian is turning 10. Tuesday, Tristan is turning 10. They celebrate their birthdays together. They have a lot of 'boy' energy. They are on the same flag football team, but unfortunately, Damian is a Vikings fan.

Now that the Cubs have made the playoffs we'll have to see how far they get. I'm not even going to mention the possibility of them going to the World Series.

I hope you all had a nice weekend. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Palestine, TX

Go Cubs! They almost blew it, but they're in the playoffs, thanks to the Padres. (Thanks Pat!) Now I have a breather before I get anxious again. What would I do without anxiety.

I'm currently in LaGrange, GA. I'll taking a load of store merchandise to a WalMart Dist Ctr in Palestine, TX (700 miles). I'll get there tomorrow morning and then hopefully, they'll send me north. I'll be driving most of the time on I-20, and I'll be listening to ESPN on the radio. Not a bad way to spend a day.

Kathy and Jim are on their way to Cincy to watch the Cubs play this afternoon. Jim got some tickets on the internet. I'll be emailing them throughout the day. It's my way of keeping them awake while driving.

I hope your weekend will be a good one. I'll let you know tomorrow where I'll be headed next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Dublin, GA

Currently I'm in Georgetown, KY. I slept in this morning because I can only drive 6 hours today. I'm heading down to Dublin, GA with a load of electronics for a Best Buy Dist Ctr. (666 miles). I need to be there by 7:00 am tomorrow morning. This load is light, only 9,000 lbs. So, I can fly like the wind. I'm heading straight south on I-75 through Lexington, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Atlanta.

Being a Cubs fan sure isn't the most pleasant experience in the world. I found myself with a sympathetic response to them yesterday. I was choking throughout the day. But as Kara said, the Brewers only need to lose 3 more games. You have to be masochistic to like the Cubs.

Grandma and Grandpa's Wedding Anniversary is tomorrow (9/28). They'll have been married 67 years.

Well, I'm going to drive my 6 hours and then listen to the Cubs lose. Hope your day goes well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Reynoldsburg, OH

I'm waiting to pick up a load in Hodgkin, IL, a south suburb of Chicago. I'll be taking it to Reynoldsburg, OH which is just east of Columbus, OH. If I get the load soon I should be able to make it there tonight.

I spent the night at the Gary Operating Center. It is probably the busiest OC Schneider has. Lots of trucks come and go during a day.

I'm getting close to my 70 hours in 7 days. I'll probably need to take a 34 hour break soon. I'll have driven 3,000 miles this first week which is my goal.

I hope your week is going well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Sturgis, MI

I'm at a dock in Sturgis, MI just north of the border between IN and MI. I'm waiting to be partially unloaded. I'll take the remainder of the load to Alsip, IL tomorrow morning.

It's already been a long day for me. 7 1/2 hours of driving. I started out from Nitro, WV (nice name) this morning at 4:00 am.

Yesterday I arrived at Buena Vista at 12:00, but my load wasn't ready until 1:30 pm. I then had to drive thru the mountains of WV hauling 43,000 lbs of Paper rolls. Three were inclines where I was only going 25 mph. As I mentioned to Tristan however, I drove right by Marshall U in Charleston, WV. I had watched the DVD 'We Are Marshall' with him last week. It is about Marshall's football team back in the early '70's.

I'm tired. Getting up at 3:30 am is getting harder each day. I went to sleep at 8:00 pm last night and missed most of the Bear's game, which turned out to be a good thing. They got killed by the Cowboys.

I'm not going to mention anything about the Cubs being in first by 3 1/2 games with 6 games remaining.

I hope you all had a good weekend! I'll let you know tomorrow where I'm headed. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

South Boston, VA

Short Note - I've been having strange hours lately. Getting up at 3:30 am. Driving until 6:00 pm and asleep by 8:00 am. I'm on my way to South Boston, VA which is close to the border between NC and VA. After unloading there I'll head to Buena Vista, VA and pick up a load and take part of it to Sturgis, MI and the other part to Alsip, IL.

I've had more runs this time and shorter ones. It's different, but ok.

I've been following the Cubs. My hopes are starting to rise, but I imagine the baseball gods are just toying with me.

I'll let you know how the day goes. I hope your weekend is going well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Knoxville, TN

I just finished for the night. I'm just outside of Knoxville. This morning I delivered my load to the post office in downtown Indianapolis. I was close to a new football stadium being constructed and Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers. Indianapolis is a nice city. After dropping part of the load there I went to Plainfield, IN southeast of Indy. I dropped the rest of the load there. I was then sent to Dick's Sporting Goods and picked up a trailer filled with hangers. (30,000 lbs of hangers). I was to take the hangers to Knoxville, TN and someone else would take them to Atlanta, GA on Monday. I finished that at 6:00 pm this evening.

Along the way I followed the Cubs game. I can't listen to it. I get too anxious. They won 13-8, thankfully.

Yesterday, I was emailed an Excel document that had my pay information for the past year and raises I'll be getting in October. What was most interesting is that the document also contained a list of about 600 drivers in this region. It had a bunch of info about each driver. (I don't think they meant to send that along). What I discovered is that about 85% of the drivers started since I began (Dec 2006). That was pretty amazing to me.

I just got my next assignment. I need to go to Diffield, VA (115 miles away) and then bring it back to Knoxville and drop it off at the same place I dropped this evening's load. Interesting!

I hope you all have a good weekend! I'll keep you informed about where I go. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Now It's Indy, Not Cincy

Correction - I went to pickup the load in Rogers and found out Schneider had made a mistake. After waiting on hold for over 30 minutes I am being sent to Indianapolis, IN instead of Cincinnati, OH. The delivery will still be Friday morning.

I'm currently waiting for Erika and the girls to pick me up. It's time for a Big Mac and a shake. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Cincy/Grove City, OH

Good Morning! I'm back on the road. I'm picking up a load in Rogers at noon and then delivering it to 3 different locations. Two of them are in Cincinnati and the third is in Grove City, OH which is a suburb of Columbus. The first is at 8:00 am on Friday. The second is at 10:00 and the third is at 1:00 pm. I will have a load of catalogues.

I'm hoping to get to Madison by tonight so I can have dinner with Erika and the girls. We will have to go to McDonald's for milk shakes.

During my week off I made an offer on a condo in Red Wing. It was quite a but lower than the asking price, but they accepted it. So I'm going to be a trucker with a condo. The closing is Oct 31 st. I'll move in between Nov 14th and 21st. I have to be out of my apt by Dec 1st. The Condo is across the street from my apt, so it won't be a big move. It has a similar floor plan to my apt, but is just a bit bigger. The sellers are also throwing in a nice sectional couch which has two recliners as part of it. It will be great for watching Dvd's.

I also went down to Madison with Tristan and visiting Erika and family. It was wonderful seeing my three grandchildren playing together. There's nothing better.

I hope you all had a good week. I'll let you know how this trip goes. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Blaine, MN

I'm on my way home and should be in Blaine at 7:30 and Red Wing at 9:00 pm. This morning I drove from just east of Gary, IN to Brookfield, WI. I arrived in Brookfield at 10:15 am just 15 minute later than planned. I'm pleased with that considering I had to have two tires replaced at 6:00 this morning. That took 45 minutes. Also driving thru Chicago took longer than I had hoped.

After Brookfield I went to Neenah, WI and just picked up a trailer that I'll drop off in Blaine. It's final destination is Wa.

My final mileage will be around 6250 miles.

The task for my week off is to decide on whether to buy a condo or a house. I have 3 that I'm considering. It should be an interesting time. I also plan on visiting Erika and the girls for part of the weekend.

I hope you all have a good week and weekend. I'll get back to you next week. James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Brookfield, WI

I'm in OH heading toward WI. I started out this morning from Scranton, PA and hope to get as far as Gary, IN tonight. I've been driving in hills and mountains since ME. It is leveling out now. With such a heavy load my speed varies greatly. (between 35 - 70 mph).

I should be done with this load by noon tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be sent to Mpls after that.

Another birthday. Tomorrow, Melinda celebrates her birthday. If you want to extend a birthday greeting her email is mhaas9@gmail.com.

I will surpass 6,000 miles again during these 2 weeks. I've been pretty consistent with that the last few times out. On the 15th I will have been driving on my own for 8 months. My training started back in the beginning of Dec 2006. It has been a fascinating experience so far.

I hope your week is starting out well. I'll let you know where I'm heading tomorrow. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Rumford, ME

Short Email - I just picked up a load in Rumford, ME. Rolls of paper weighing 45,000 lbs. It's beautiful up here. Even nicer than MN. Nice and cool. Hilly, Trees and green. Houses nicely taken care of. Now I'm heading back to Brookfield, WI. (1200 miles). Del at 10:00 9/11. More later! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Perryville, MD

I'm in Perryville with no load, waiting for an assignment. I arrived here last night to pick up a preloaded trailer and take it to Westfield, MA. The trailer had not been loaded because they didn't have a trailer. So I backed up my empty trailer to the dock and they said it would be ready in the morning. When I arrived this morning it still had not been loaded and the only person at the business was the guard at the guard shack. So, I'm sitting here waiting for a message on my truck computer.

Yesterday, I arrived in Charles Town, WV at noon and was unloaded quickly, but had to wait until 2:30 to be assigned another load. It took me 4 hours to drive 100 miles to Perryville because Baltimore was in between the two and it was rush hour.

Neil sent some info about Charles Town which is below:

Charles Town was laid out in 1786 by Charles Washington, who donated the four corner lots at the intersection of George and Washington Streets for public buildings of the town and county. Charles died sometime between July and September, 1799, only a short while before the death of his brother, George.
Charles Washington, was born in Huntington Creek, now Fairfax County, Virginia, on May 2, 1738. He was the youngest full brother of General George Washington. He came to present Jefferson County between April and October, 1780.


What is particularly fascinating about this is that I drove through the intersection of George and Washington Streets on my way to the company. It's quite a nice downtown.

I was looking on my calendar this morning and noticed it is Grandparents Day tomorrow. So, those of you with grandparents, you may want to take note. It is also Neil's birthday tomorrow. I won't mention her age. Happy Birthday, Neil!

I'll let you know where I'm going if and when I find out. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

PS - I just found the paperwork for the guard. It was misfiled there. So I've got my load and I'm heading to Westfield, MA.

Charles Town, WV

Above is my destination. See if you can find it. I'll be delivering a load there tomorrow morning.

Waiting, IN

I'm waiting at the Indy operating center for my next load. I've just finished a 34 hour break at a hotel. I spent 2 nights there. One was paid for by Schneider and I paid for the other. It was really quite nice. I had room service, watched TV, slept and worked on the computer. What a 'slug' I was.

My truck needed a new starter and received its periodic maintenance. So, I should be good to go for the final 6 days of this 2 week period. I just hope I don't have to cross the US/Canadian border.

I watched a fair amount of the tennis on TV. I'm hoping Federer wins it all again. He's in the semi-finals.

The NFL season begins tonight. This is the year Da Bears win the Super Bowl. I probably cursed them by writing this.

I hope your week is going well. When I get my next driving orders I'll send a quick email. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

On The Road Again, IL

The Road Service started the truck at 7:45 pm and I'm on the road and will drive until 10:00 pm. Enjoy your evening! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Breakdown, IL

I'm on I-57 about 30 miles from the southern border of IL. I stop at a rest area for a short break. When I tried to start the truck nothing happened. When I turn the key, nothing. The battery is fine. I believe it has to do with the starter. The same thing happened Friday night. After about 45 minutes it did start. This time however no such luck. The advice I've been given is to hit the starter with a hammer. I called Schneider maintenance and they are sending out a service vehicle from a nearby town. I hope it doesn't take long to get it started.

I have about 400 more miles to drive by 2:00 pm tomorrow. I should be able to make it.

I'll let you know how this turns out. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Fremont, OH

Busy day and it's not quite over. I'm in Morrilton, AR once again, waiting to be loaded. I'm at the Green Bay Packaging Co picking up rolls of paper. I did the same thing two weeks ago. This time however I'm taking them to Fremont, OH. Fremont is in Northern Ohio a little east of Toledo.

This morning I dropped a load off at West Memphis, AR, took a shower and then picked up another load there and drove it west on I-40 to Clarksville, AR. I dropped it off at a WalMart Dist Ctr around 3:00 pm.

I have to stop at 7:00 pm tonight. The load to Fremont needs to be there by 2:00 pm on Tues. 9/04. It's about 800 miles from here.

I got up at 4:00 am this morning, so I'm tired now. I'm getting old, you know!

I hope your weekend is going well. One more day. Tristan and his step-brothers start school on Tuesday. He's entering 4th grade. He'll be 10 in October. I'm getting old, you know!

James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

West Memphis, AR

I've just stopped for the night about 20 miles west of Nashville on I-40. I'm on my way with a load of clothing to West Memphis, AR. It is not to far from Memphis, TN Schneider has an operating center there. I'll be dropping this load off tomorrow morning and someone else will take it from there.

This morning I picked up this load in Eden, NC not to far from Browns Summit. It's a High Value load, which means someone would like to steal it. The trailer that the clothing is in isn't very good. It took me 45 minutes to raise the landing gear. The crank wasn't working properly. A bolt was sheared and I needed to find a replacement.

I was listening to ESPN on XM radio and heard them talking about Appalachian State's victory over Michigan. They're saying it might be one of the biggest upsets ever in College Football. App. State is in a lower division than the major colleges and Michigan was ranked no. 5 in the nation. I'm not going to mention how the Cubs did. I don't want to jinx them.

I will have driven 2,200 miles by the time I reach West Memphis tomorrow, so I'm on target for my 6,000 miles in 2 weeks.

I'm going to watch more episodes of 'Ice Road Truckers' tonight. I bought a T-shirt at this truck stop that is dark blue with the Chicago Bears logo on it, and above that it says in bold white letters 'DaBears'. What a find.

I'll let you know where I'm going next. I'm pretty sure it won't be out west. Probably back east. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Browns Summit, NC

I spent the night in Crawfordsville, IN. I'm in the process of delivering a load to a Proctor & Gamble Distribution Ctr in Browns Summit, NC. I'll probably drop it off at about 7:00 pm tonight. I have about 600 miles to drive today.

Yesterday, I spent part of the morning getting additional training on 'Backing'. It was very helpful. I learned a lot of tricks and did quite well. Positioning the truck is critical. The trainer said most drivers make the mistake of thinking they are 'truck' drivers. Really, they are 'trailer' drivers. My tendency is to over steer. (turn the wheel too much).

I then was sent to Iowa City, IA to pick up a load. It is fairly light. 28,000 lbs. I left there at 2:30 pm and drove until 9:00 pm.

In case you weren't aware of it, the Cubs are in first place by 2 1/2 games. I probably jinxed them by mentioning this.

I've been watching episodes of 'Ice Road Truckers' on my computer. It's a TV series on the Discovery Channel about trucks that haul loads up into northern Canada over frozen lakes. The ice is only thick enough to drive on for 60 days. Some trucks have fallen thru the ice. Rarely, does the driver survive something like that. You can make in 2 months what other truckers make in a year. Temps can get as low as 50 below zero. It gives you a good idea of what it is like to drive.

It is, my daughter, Erika's birthday today. She is doing really well in life. She's raising two wonderful little girls, Sydney & Elsa, and working on a doctorate in Sociology. Just doing one of those is a full-time job. She is quite a remarkable woman. Happy Birthday, Erika!

I'll know tonight where I'm going next. I'll keep you informed. Have a great Labor Day Weekend! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Des Moines, IA

I started again this afternoon at 1:00 pm in Blaine, MN. I picked up the tractor and empty trailer and headed to Rosemount, MN right where Hwy 52 and Hwy 55 split. I'm picking up a load of ingots. I'll be taking them to Des Moines this evening and dropping them at the operating center there. I don't know what I'll do after that.

Grandma and grandpa spent much of the weekend and the last two days in Red Wing. We went looking at Condos and one house. We saw a nice condo in the same area as my apt. I might make an offer on it.

Tristan and his step brother, Damian, spent the night last night at my apt. They have a lot of 'boy' energy. It was fun. We watched 'The Shooter'. They loved it.

I asked to go out west these 2 weeks, but I don't know. I'll find out soon.

I hope you all had a good week. I'll let you know where I'm headed next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Escanaba, MI

I arrived in Wausau, WI yesterday at 9:00 am got unloaded and then was sent to Escanaba, MI to pick up another load of rolls of paper. Escanaba is in the U.P. Of Michigan right on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is quite a hall. I had to stop in Green Bay for fuel. That made it a but longer. The drive along Lake Michigan reminded me a lot of the North Shore of Lake Superior. Very nice. I picked up a loaded trailer around 3:30 pm and realized I didn't have any more hours to drive, so I got a motel room in Escanaba. There weren't any truck stops nearby. I watched the Bears-Colts game emailed Kathy on her new Blackberry.

This morning I'm heading back to the Twin Cities to drop off this load. I should be done with that about 2:00 pm. And then hopefully, I get to go home. I will have driven 6200 miles these past two weeks, which is about what I've been averaging.

On Sunday afternoon I met grandma and grandpa, Kathy and Jim in Mendota, IL and have them a ride around the truck stop. G/G were laying down for awhile in the back bunk. They also brought me treats (gatorade, protein shakes, cookies and last, but not least, 5 or 6 bags of Snickers bars. Life is good. We also went out to eat. It was the first time they were able to see the truck.

I hope you all had a good weekend and that this week is starting out well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Wausau, WI

I'm in Morrilton, AR picking up large rolls of paper to take to Wausau, WI by Monday morning at 9:00 am. I've backed up to the dock, bought 2 Snickers from the Shipping clerk and now I'm waiting for them to start loading. After they load I'll have another hour and 15 minutes to drive before I have to stop for the night. Tomorrow I have 9 hours to drive and I'm trying to make it to Rockford, IL. Grandma and Grandpa, Kathy and Jim will meet me there.

I had quite a day. I drove from just east of Little Rock to Ochelatta, OK (300 miles). I dropped off a loaded trailer, picked up an empty and then drove almost all the way back to Little Rock (265 miles).

Tomorrow I figure I can drive 585 miles at the most. (9 x 65 mph). I may have to drive 40 or 50 miles past Little Rock before I stop tonight. That might give me a shot at Rockford. Most likely it'll be Rochelle, IL.

I stopped at a place last night where I could pump in cool air into the truck and hook up my computer to the internet. If I had a TV I also could have downloaded movies or got cable TV. It's quite a nice deal.

After I get to Wausau on Monday I'm not sure if they'll send me to the Cities or have me make more deliveries in WI.

I'll let you know if I meet up with Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow. They said they would being me some Snickers bars so I have some incentive.

I hope your weekend is going well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Ochelata, OK

I had a short day today. I could only drive 5 hours before going over my 70 hours in 7 days. I started the morning a couple of hours east of Mobile, AL. I drove there and picked up a load at a Kimberley-Clark plant. I need to take it to Ochelata, OK and get it there Sat sometime. I drove another couple of hours out of Mobile and ended up in Biloxi, MS. Tomorrow I'll head up toward Memphis and then over on I-40 to OK. Ochelata is about 20 miles north of Tulsa.

It continues to be hot. Today it was in the upper 90's. I heard it was 77 in the Twin Cities today. That sounds wonderful.

The place in Mobile (K-C) that I made the pickup at is the same place that I made my very first run to, back in January. It brought back memories.

I'm hoping after OK that I'll be sent back up north somewhere close to Dubuque. Grandma and Grandpa just arrived there this afternoon and we're hoping they get a chance to see my truck.

Yesterday when I stopped I decided to stay at a motel. I took a shower and got all cleaned up, bought some beer and sandwiches and watched movies on TV. And of course, I also spent time on my computer. I got up late and left at 11:00 am. Not bad.

I hope you all had a good week and that you weekend will be enjoyable. I'll let you know where I'm heading after Ochelata. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Panama City, FL

Currently I'm at a truck stop in Birmingham, AL. I arrived here at 8:00 pm after driving 11 hours (650 miles) today. How did I get here?

Well, yesterday morning I dropped off a truck load of exercise equipment in Canton, OH. I was then sent to Shelby, OH north of Columbus to pick up a load of snow blowers to take to Memphis, TN. I thought that was a bit strange since it was 107 in Memphis today. It took 5 hours to get loaded in Shelby. I had to wait 3 hours to get to a dock. From Shelby I got as far as Louisville, KY last night. This morning I drove south on I-65 to I-40 to Memphis and arrived at 2:30 pm. I dropped off the trailer and immediately got another one which I need to take to Panama City, FL. It's called a 'JIT' load. 'Just in Time'. It has to be delivered by thur morning at 7:00 am or else. I'll have plenty of time. In fact, I'll be there around 1:00 pm tomorrow.

It was really nice this morning in Louisville. I would guess in the low 70's. But, as I mentioned, it was 107 in Memphis and around 90 when I arrived in Birmingham. The AC is working great so the heat hasn't bothered me.

I bought a small printer to use with my computer in the truck. I tried it out for the first time tonight. It works great. I have my own little travelling office. It's amazing what we can do now-a-days.

I hope you are all keeping cool. I'll keep you informed of my whereabouts. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Bucksnort, TN

Just passed Bucksnort, TN. Thought you'd like to know. I wonder how it got it's name. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Memphis, TN

Short note - I'm heading back down to Memphis, TN into the 100 degree heat. The AC is on. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Canton, OH

I spent the night in Canton, OH (Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame). I have a delivery to make this morning at 8:00 am. A trailer load of exercise equipment. I don't know as of yet where I'll be going next.

Yesterday I drove from just south of Louisville to Lima, OH and dropped off a load of pallets (504 of them) and then drove north on I-75 to Findlay and picked up the exercise equipment. The pallets were dropped off at a large Proctor & Gamble Dist Ctr.

I've driven 1900 miles the first 4 days, so I'm on pace for 6,000 miles for these 2 weeks. I'm curious about where they will send me from here.

I've also been working on my computer. I installed something called 'Fusion' which allows me to run Microsoft Windows on my Mac. It is really quite good. I need to access Windows to be able to backup my Blackberry and to access Outlook.

Some of you know this already, but for the rest of you, Frank has started a Blog on www.facemask.biz entitled Monday Morning Quarterback. Each week he will offer some analysis of the football in general and the NY Jets in particular. You can find the Blog by clicking on 'Chalkboard' after entering the website. Take a look if you have time.

I'll let you know where I'm heading once I'm informed. Have a nice day! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Lima, OH

I'm in Memphis, TN. I dropped off the trailer in Olive Branch, MS late this afternoon. It was 100 when I arrived. Tomorrow morning I pick up an empty trailer in Gallager, TN and drive down to Southhaven, MS and pick up a load of pallets. I'll then take that load to Lima, OH and hopefully drop it off sometime Sunday. I drove just under 600 miles today.

Yesterday, I was able to drive over to Eyota, MN near Rochester on my way down to MS and pick up Tristan at his Dad's and take him out to lunch at a convenience store. It was fun. It was the first time he had taken a ride in the truck. He also helped me check it over (checked the tires with a hammer). We also ate our lunch in the truck.

Then I drove across on I-90 which merges with I-94 and goes through Madison, WI. I stopped there and had dinner with Erika, Pat, Sydney & Elsa. That was also fun. Those two girls sure are cute. I feel pretty lucky that it all worked out.

I don't need to get the trailer loaded tomorrow until 11:00 am so I'll be able to sleep in. I made a discovery that I sleep better in the truck than I do at home. Pretty weird.

I hope you all had a good day and I hope your weekend is a good one. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Olive Branch, MS

Good Morning - I'm in Blaine, MN waiting to hear where I'll be headed. The guy before me got back yesterday late afternoon, so I didn't need to start yesterday. I was ok with that. These weeks off are pretty taxing and I appreciated another day to rest up.

I had a great time in SF visiting Gene, Neil, Josh and Crish. I flew out with Kathy and Jim. I spent 3+ days at their house on Stinson Beach. We had good conversations, good food. It's a very comfortable place to stay. We watched some Dvd's, ordered shoes from NikeID and saw the new Bourne movie 'The Bourne Ultimatum'.

On Monday, I took Tristan and his step brothers out for lunch and a movie and then took Tristan down to his Dad's.

I've got the truck loaded with my stuff, which takes about 30 minutes, but now I'm all set. It'll be interesting to see where I'll be headed.

Just found out I'll be heading to Olive Branch, MS which is just south of Memphis. I need to be there by noon tomorrow. It's about 900 miles from here. I'm delivering store merchandise. (20,000 lbs) I'll let you know how it goes. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Bridge Collapse

A bridge on I-35w near the Metrodome and the U of M collapsed this evening. Whole sections of the bridge fell into the river. Phone lines are jammed so it is hard to call in or out. Greta and family are fine and I was in Red Wing when it happened. I did drive over the bridge yesterday on the way to Blaine. The bridge carried 100,000 cars a day and was built in 1967. It is reported 6 people have died. Fyi. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Lakeville, MN

I'm in Lakeville, MN. I dropped off a load in Green Bay this morning, picked up a load at the Schneider operating center in Green Bay and headed to MN. I'm to del this load tomorrow morning at 10:00 am. There is a good chance I'll be done after that.

In Green Bay at the operating center I met someone I went through training with. His daughter was traveling with him for 2 weeks. He's really smart. He was frustrated though that he was only getting 2,000 - 2,200 miles a week. He was somewhat envious of my 3,000 miles a week. I told him about being in the Home Run program and he seemed interested.

I then met a man who is just starting his training at Schneider. He asked how I liked driving. I mentioned I did. Also that I was part of the Home Run program. He wasn't aware there was such a program. He was my age and talking to him brought back memories of my training. I'm glad I'm 7 months into driving and not starting the process now.

Also saw some of my trainers helping others. I don't think I could or would want to train. So, it was an interesting day. I'm shifting my focus from driving to my upcoming week off. I'll be heading to SF with Kathy and Jim to visit Gene for a few days. We are looking forward to it.

I hope your week started out well and will continue that way. I'll let you know when I'm done tomorrow. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Memphis, IN

I stopped in Memphis, IN for the night. Memphis is just 16 miles north of Louisville, KY on I-65. This morning I drove from Charlotte to Patterson, NC to pick up a full trailer of tissue paper. It only weighs 8,000 lbs. I'm taking it to Green Bay, WI and need to have it there by Monday morning at 7:00 am. I'm about half way there. I need to drive anothe 500 miles tomorrow. So, I'm heading toward home. Hopefully, I'll be back sometime on Tues.

I made it to Charlotte last night around 6:00 pm. Marc, Rachel and Julia picked me up at the Schneider operating center and took me to their new home. It is really nice. Little Julia gave me a tour of the whole house. She is very cute. She had made some peanut butter bars with chocolate chips with the help of Rachel. She let me eat 2 of them and had to put two more in a Baggie for me to take back to the truck. I was fortunate to be the first one in the family to see their new home. I spent time trying to talk Marc into getting a Blackberry and Rachel into getting a computer at home, but with no success. Rachel does scrap-booking and I was telling her how much fun it would be to do it on the computer and develop a web page. My words fell on deaf ears.

The accident I talked about in my last email was a auto-transport truck that had gone into the median of an interstate and I think tipped over. 2 or 3 of the cars had fallen off and were burned. The truck itself was charred with 2 or 3 cars still on it. No one was hurt, but I was stuck in traffic for 3 hours.

I hope you are all having a good weekend. I'll let you know where I go after Green Bay. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Charlotte, NC

I'm sitting in traffic on I-59 in Alabama north of Birmingham. About a mile ahead of me there was black smoke billowing into the sky and I could are flames. I haven't heard anything for sure about what happened, but um guessing it was an accident. Cars are stopped ahead of me and well behind me. People are out of their cars trying to see. Kids are running up and down the highway. I'm guessing I'll be here for awhile. Some cars have crossed a wide grassy median.

I have to drive up to Scottsboro, AL and picked up a load and drop it off in Charlotte, NC in the afternoon tomorrow. It's what they call a relay. Someone will pick it up in Charlotte and take it to CT. I hope they start sending me back to the Midwest tomorrow.

There is a birthday party for Marge Hove on Sunday in Decorah (her 80th). It would be something if I were sent through Decorah.

Oh, it's now 7:10 pm CDT. It is in the low 80's and humid. I'm listening on the CB but there isn't much of value about what has happened. In the next email I'll let you know what happened. Hope you all had a good day! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Arkadelphia, AR

note from James on previous (subjectless) email: I forgot to put anything in the subject line. I was trying to eat and type at the same time. If better stick to one thing at a time.

I'm in . After dropping off the load at the Oklahoma State Fair I was sent to Paris, TX (200 miles away) to pick up a load at Kimberley-Clark to take to a WalMart Dist Center in Cullman, AL. (560 miles away). I realized I couldn't make it all the way without going past my 70 hour limit, so I arranged to take a 34 hour break beginning at 6:00 pm tonight. I'll begin driving again at 6:00 am Thursday morning. Instead of staying at a truck stop in the truck, I did decide to splurge and I got a motel room for 2 nights.

I think I'll watch TV, sleep, eat, work on the computer and take a nice long shower. And then repeat.

Baseball Report: Tristan had a very successful last game, even though his team lost 4-1. He made a running catch of a fly ball in left field. He asid he even had to jump a little to catch the ball. He was also called in to pitch. The starting pitcher didn't make it through the first inning. Tristan got the third out in the first and then pitched 2 more scoreless innings. He also got one hit in three at-bats. He did make contact on all 3 at-bats. He was thrilled with the game. I thought it was a great way to complete a season. I asked him if I could let you all know about it and he replied, 'Sure, you can let the whole world know.'.

During this first week of trucking I drove 3600 miles. Not bad. It will be interesting to see how the 2nd week goes.

I hope you had a nice day. I'll let you know how my day off goes. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Braman, OK

I spent the night in Braman, OK. There was no phone signal, so I couldn't send an email until this morning. Since I wrote last I've been driving. From Bismarck I took I-94 east to Fargo and fueled up and then drove down on I-29 to Sioux Falls, SD and spent Sunday night. Yesterday I continued down I-29 to Omaha and then traveled west on I-80 to US Hwy 81. I took that south into KS and eventually got on I-135 and then I-35. I've driven 1200 miles in the past two days.

I need to get to Oklahoma City by 9:00 am this morning. I'm not sure where I'll go after that.

In the midst of all of this I continue working on the website www.facemask.biz. We hope to officially launch it tomorrow. So, I've been editing, getting an email list together, coordinating tasks with Frank, etc. It's amazing what one can do while trucking.

Tristan's last baseball game was last night. Greta, her birth parents, her sisters, and Tom's boys were planning on going down to watch. I'll find out soon how the game went.

I'm guessing Wednesday might be a day I take off. I'm getting close to working 70 hours in 7 days. I was thinking I might splurge and get a motel room. Luxury!

I hope you all have a good day! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Bismarck, ND

I'm almost to Bismarck. I was detained at the border last night and needed to spend the night in Portal, ND. The border guards unloaded the whole trailer while I waited in their offices. It took them 2+ hours to unload and load the trailer. I guess I looked suspicious. They asked me 3 different times if I was a US citizen. I think the problem was that I didn't have the right seal on the back door of the trailer. It was an uncomfortable experience, to say the least.

This morning I woke up to fog and for the first 2 hours averaged 40 mph. It has burned off now and I'm back to 65 mph. I'm not sure how far I'll get today. I have plenty of time to make it to Oklahoma City. I'm hoping everything goes smoothly from here on.

Have a great day. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Deadzone, SK

I'm heading into the deadzone. I won't have phone contact or email for the next 8 hours or so. If you need to reach me you'll need to send a message by Telepathy, channel 1. I'll let you know when um out of the deadzone. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Edmonton, AB - 2

Good evening - I had a full day. I had to get to my delivery point by 2:00 pm today. It was tight. I arrived at 2:30 pm. I was delayed getting fuel in Saskatoon, and then was given the wrong directions to the company. Fortunately, I was able to call them and get everything cleared up. I next needed to get to the pickup location in Acheson before they closed at 5:00. Otherwise, either I would need to wait until Monday or they would need to send me 300 or 400 miles to get a different load. I arrived there at 4:50 pm. I had to drive across Edmonton to get there.

I finally got a phone connection around 11:00 am today as well as my email connection. I had 18 emails waiting and 8 phone messages. It took me awhile to get through them all.

I'll attempt to cross the border tomorrow sometime late afternoon. I've already faxed the paperwork to the broker. Hopefully, the crossing will go smoother than yesterday. I need to drive 1700 miles with this load of wood chips and arrive at the OK State Fairgrounds on Tues 7/24 by 2:00 pm. That shouldn't be any problem at all.

I'll be without phone connection probably from 10:00 am tomorrow until 7:00 or 8:00 pm tomorrow night.

Baseball report - Tristan had three hits last night in his baseball game and he scored 2 runs. He was pleased. He really likes playing on a team.

Well, I think I'll get to bed. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Lumsden, SK

Good Morning! - I lost a phone signal just north of Minot, ND and haven't had it since. You'll be receiving this after the fact. I had to wait in Portal, ND 5 hours and I tried to get my paper work cleared. Quite frustrating. Finally, I walked into Canada to the Customs office there and they said I was cleared to cross. I drove for 3 hours after that and got as far as north of Regina. I'll be leaving soon and hope to make it to Edmonton by 1:00 pm MDT.

I parked across from an Esso gas station last night. They offer full service. There was a young woman out there washing windows and pumping gas for customers. I haven't seen that in a long time. And across the street from the gas station was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police station. But it was closed. Interesting.

Well, I'm heading out now. I'll keep writing these and will send them when I get a phone signal. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Edmonton, AB

I started out again this afternoon with a wonderful surprise. As I was driving to Blaine to pick up the truck I received a call from Schneider. They needed someone to take a load to Edmonton and then make a return trip to Oklahoma City. (3,000 miles total). I quickly volunteered. I haven't been in that part of Canada, and that is where Kathy et al lived for many years.

I'm currently in Fargo, ND for the night. I needed to fax papers for the border crossing and get fuel. I'll be crossing the border at Portal, ND. I'll be traveling part way on Hwy 52, my favorite hwy. I need to deliver this load by Friday around noon. And I'll be delivering the one to Oklahoma City sometime on Monday or Tuesday of next week. I'll be delivering to the Oklahoma State Fair.

I had a great week, but didn't get enough sleep, so I'll have to catch up on it during the next week. I did see Erika and Family, Tristan twice. I didn't have Jury Duty on Monday, thank goodnessl and I fed Greta's dogs which I enjoyed.

I bought some things for my computer. See if you can figure out what they are. I bought a sleeve, a skin, an airport, and a case. The one who guesses them all correctly gets a Snickers bar.

Well, I hope to cross the border tomorrow and get 200 miles into Canada. But we'll see.

I hope you all had a good week. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Red Wing, MN

Well, I'm about to begin my final leg. I'm in Des Moines. The load I had of pallets I dropped at the Des Moines operating center. Someone else will finish the del. I'm now waiting for a load which I will take up to Shakopee early this evening. It should arrive in Des Moines at 5:30 pm. After delivering that I'll bobtail to Blaine, drop off the truck and drive to Red Wing. I should be home by midnight. This is all working out perfectly. Thank goodness!

I'm sitting here now working on a couple of websites.

I don't know if I mentioned, but I'll have driven about 6300 miles these past 2 weeks. I think that is a record for me. I didn't drive at all one day so my average miles per day is (6300 / 13 days) 484.61 miles. When I was little I kept stats like this for our trips all the time. I'm a little weird in that way.

After today, I won't be in the truck again until best Wednesday 7/18. Have a great week! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Des Moines, IA

After delivering in Champaign, IL, I was sent south to Olney, IL to pick up a load of pallets at a Walmart Distribution Ctr. I've picked them up and am now heading north again with the eventual destination of Des Moines, IA. I have an appt to del these tomorrow at 6:00 pm. I'll be getting there tonight so I'll check on getting an earlier appt for tomorrow.

I arrived in Champaign yesterday aft and went right to the company I was to del to. My appt wasn't until today at 6:30 pm, but I was able to get it unloadedat 8:00 this morning. I'd like to get home tomorrow night if possible, but we'll see .

This coming week I'll be taking care of Greta's dogs (they're going to Chi to see a Nascar race.) I'll also watch one or two of Tristan's baseball games, and drive down to Madison to see Erika, Payand the girls for a day. I'm also on Jury Duty on Monday. I doubt I'll be called in. Not much happens in Goodhue Cty.

Tomorrow, Pat defends his dissertation, so after that I'll need to call him Dr. Cottrell. He's getting his Ph D in Political Science. Despite being a Padres and Chargers fan, he's a wonderful son-in-law.

I hope it's not too got where you are. I'll keep you informed about my travels.
- James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Champaign, IL

Well, it's been quite a day. I overslept this morning. First time in 6 or 7 years. I set the alarm for 2:30 am, but it either didn't go off or I didn't hear it. Anyway I woke at 4:30. I was an hours and a half late for the del. Fortunately, another Schneider driver was early. He took my spot and I took his.

After delivering in Lachine, PQ I was sent to Varennes, PQ, northeast of Montreal to pick up a load of Plastic Bags at Johnson & Johnson. The lady who have me the paperwork spoke to me in English, and when a french Canadian driver came in she spoke to him in French. She went back and forth between the 2 of us. Speaking English, then French. I was impressed.

I had to drive back through Montreal into Ontario and I crossed the border at Alexandria Bay, once again. Both border crossings went smoothly which was a pleasant surprise. I dropped off the load of plastic bags in Syracuse and am now at a truck stop in Syracuse right where I-81 and I-90 intersect.

Tomorrow I pick up an empty trailer in Syracuse and then drive east to Utica, NY which is about 50 miles away and picked up some vegetable oil (about 40,000 lbs of it) and head to Champaign, IL. This load needs to be dropped off on Monday. It looks good for me getting home on Tuesday.

I must say that reading the road signs in Montreal was an adventure. They were all in French. At first it was disorienting, but after awhile I got used to it. It certainly helped to have the little pictures alongside the French words.

Also, I bought coffee and some rolls at a coffee shop, paid with a 20 dollar bill and got Canadian money in return. Before I crossed the border back into the US, I stopped at a service area and bought candy bars with the Canadian money I had left over. The woman behind the counter thought I was nuts as I was figuring out how many bars I could buy. (6).

I will drive about 500 miles tomorrow, and drive the remaining 400 on Sunday.
I hope your weekend is relaxing and enjoyable. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Alexandria Bay, NY

I'm in Alexandria Bay, right at the Canadian Border. I'm in a fairly long line of trucks waiting to go through customs. Once through, I'll drive about another hour northeast towards Montreal.

I took a 34 hour break from 3:30 pm Tues to 3:30 am today. Otherwise I would have been driving only 3 and 4 hours the last two days and I would have needed to start driving again at midnight tonight. I'm learning that I don't like to drive through the night. I should have only an hour left to drive tomorrow (from 5:00 am to 6:00 am).

I don't know yet where I'll be going after this load. Hopefully, they'll send me back toward MN. I spent the Fourth at a truck stop in Greenville, VA. I hope yours was more eventful. I'll let you know where I'm headed when I find out. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Lachine, PQ

Well, I think this is in Quebec, though I can't find it on the map. Probably somewhere near Montreal. I first need to deadhead (drive with an empty trailer) to Covington, VA, drop it off and pick up a trailer full of paper and then head north on I-81. I will eventually ease my way over to I-87 and head up to Champlain, NY where I will cross the border. I need to have it delivered by 7/06 at 6:00 am.

So, another border crossing Thur night or Fri morning. Not my favorite. I do like Canada, but getting there is another matter.

I'll have to communicate with the Schneider people that they start sending me back towards Red Wing. After that.

Yesterday as I was driving in AL I came across a semi stopped on the right lane of a bridge. His air hoses became disconnected and the emergency brakes came on. He couldn't move the truck. I gave him a ride to the next exit so he could get help. He was from Mississippi and thanked me even though I was a 'Yankee'. His son went to college with Brett Favre. I told him I was a Bears fan. He was a nice guy despite liking Brett. I gave him a bottle of green tea and I headed north.

I believe this is my 101st entry. And I'm wondering if I'll turn into a Lug Nut. In case you haven't checked it out, my trucker website is www.101st-lugnut.com.

James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Mobile, AL (the 100th post!)

I got as far as Mobile last night. I was hoping to get farther, but discovered before I took off yesterday that one of the tires on the trailer had lost all of it's tread. It had fallen off the day before. I had to stop at the Houston operating center and get a new tired. It set me back an hour and a half.

I have 900 miles to drive before 10:00 am tomorrow. 700 today and 200 tomorrow morning. I should be able to make it fine. I am approaching the time, however, when I may need to take a 34 hour break.

It's been warm and muggy these last days with the threat of thundershowers. The AC works great in the truck which is a relief.

On the website front, I'm working on 2 websites simultaneously. Frank's (FaceMask) and Frank's colleagues (JungNYC). I've just figured out how to put a forum/bulletin board on the sites, so that has been fun.

I'm either on the computer, driving the truck or sleeping.

I hope you all had a great weekend and that you have some time off this week to celebrate the 4th.

By the way, I'll be heading north out of Mobile in I-65 and pick up I-85 in Montgomery and head northeast into GA, then SC, then NC, and finally into VA.

James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Richmond, VA

***note from Crish: Woops. Guess I was wrong. This is the 99th post. The next will be 100 (although in the inner workings of the blog it does say there are 100 posts, but, alas, the public display area says 99)***

I got to Laredo, TX on time (12:00 pm) and dropped off the trailer of 'popcorn'. They then assigned another load that needs to be in Richmond, VA on Tues morning 7/03. That's 1600+ miles. I'm transporting 'bubblebath'.

I left Laredo by 1:00 pm and made it just shy of Houston this evening. I drove 620 miles today. Tomorrow I'll drive 11 hours (hopefully 700 miles) and probably the same one Monday. Texas is really big. I-35 is 540 miles long. I-10 is over 800 miles long. I'll be driving on I-10 most of the way east and angle up on I-85.

The Cubs got creamed today so I'm not going to mention them anymore. I jinxed them.

There were only a few scattered showers today, so the driving went well. I hope you all had a nice day. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Temple, TX

I stopped last night in Temple, TX just a bit north of Austin. I have 300 miles to drive this morning before I arrive in Laredo at noon. Yesterday was a rainy day. It rained in Wichita, KS and for that matter most of the way through KS. It rained as I was driving through OK, and there was a downpour just north of Dallas, TX. This morning the skies are dark and it is very warm and humid.

Driving has been fine. Visibility for me in the rain has been fine, but I can't say the same for those behind me.

I realized yesterday that except for the section from Duluth to Mpls I will be driving the whole length of I-35. It ends in Laredo. It's a long stretch. 504 miles in TX.

I continue to work on websites on the way, when I'm not driving. I'm now in the process of finding a bulletin board or forum for the Jungian website.

In case you haven't been following, the Cubs have won 7 in a row, and my hopes are high. But alas. . . They are the Cubs.

I hope you all have a nice weekend. I'll let you know where I'm heading next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Laredo, TX

Well, I'm back at it. I drove to Blaine, MN this aft, picked up an empty trailer there, dropped it off in Shakopee, MN and picked up a loaded trailer of popcorn which I'll be taking to Laredo, TX. I need to be there by Monday morning, July 2. I think it is about a 1500 mile trip. I'll have plenty of time to make it. Currently, I'm in Albert Lea, MN for the night. The route down there will be to take I-35 south from the Twin Cities to Laredo and take a left. I don't think I'll get lost.

I had a full weekend in NYC and it was fun. Frank and I worked all 4 days (fri-mon) on the renovations. We took out the front doors to the two apts and framed a wall that created a nice entryway which helped to merge the two apt. We installed a new front door and put up the sheetrock around it. I built shelves for an area which was the kitchenette for the front studio apt and which will now be a closet. We moved in furniture to the new space. It looks really nice. Both Frank and Melinda are pleased with it. I met with his colleagues on Monday evening at a nice restaurant on the upper west side. We had dinner and I showed them the website I created for them. They were impressed with the way I set it up. We also talked about the next steps we needed to take. I would have to say it was a very successful trip.

My next trip is to SF to visit Gene and Neil. Kathy, Jim and I will be flying out at the beginning of August for a few days. I'm thinking I might need to go to NYC ever 3 months or so.

I hope you all had a great week. I'll keep you informed as to how my drive to Laredo goes. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Red Wing, MN

I just found out I'll be able to go home after the truck is unloaded. I'm at the dock in St Paul and it is being unloaded. It'll take another hour. I'll need to drop the truck in Blaine and then drive to Red Wing.

I drove from a little north of Kansas City yesterday all the way to the Twin Cities. Stopped twice along the way for extended rest breaks. A leisurely 420 mile trek.

Now I'll have the rest of today, tomorrow and Thursday to spend in Red Wing before I fly to NYC to help Frank with his apt and meet with his colleagues. I'll start driving again a week from tomorrow.

I hope you all will have a nice week and I'll get back to you for sure next Wednesday. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

St. Paul, MN

Well, I'm heading home. After delivering the trailer to Oklahoma City this morning, I was sent to Tulsa to pick up a trailer and I'm to deliver it to St Paul Tues morning. I'll be done sometime on Tues. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. My strategy worked.

I'll get as far as northern MO today and drive the rest of the way tomorrow. It's about 700 miles.

As I drive I'm listening to the US Open on XM. I'm for someone other than Tiger. I hope you all have a nice Sunday. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Oklahoma City, OK

I'm in Carlisle, PA at a Schneider Operating Center and will take off in the morning for Oklahoma City. It is about 1400 miles and will take parts of 3 days. It needs to be there by 6:00 am Monday morning 6/18. I'm not sure if I'll head west on I-76 to I-70 and through OH, IN and IL or head south on I-81 to I-40.

I had a short haul this morning. (26 miles) through southern PA. What beautiful country and what winding roads. I took a route recommended for trucks, but it wasn't the fastest trip.

I communicated with my team leader and his associates about getting home on Tuesday night. They said they'd try. So, we'll see. At least I won't be in Canada like the last time I was trying to get home.

I looked up the Jeff Gordon Racing School. It's web address is: www.jeffgordoneracingschool.com. That's who I picked up the cars for. Also I read a review in the Washington Post of a movie entitled 'Big Rig'. The title of the article was 'Open Highways, Empty Checkbooks'. It talks about the struggles of truckers.

And then I talked to a driver who went through training with me back in December. He's a real nice guy. By the way, I found out there are 45 of is left driving out of a class of 72. Anyway, he was none to happy with his driving experience. He wasn't getting enough miles and said he was ready to quit. Getting enough miles hasn't been a problem for me. It was interesting to hear his story.

If any of you have thoughts about which way I should drive to OK, let me know. I hope your day went well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Newburgh, NY

I drove all day from Max Meadow, VA to Wurtsboro, NY (11 hours). The drive went well. The trailer was light enough (25,000 lbs) that the mountains were easy to navigate. I did encounter some showers in PA, but they were scattered and only lasted for a few minutes at a time. I delivered the load to a Kohl's Dist. Center at 7:30 pm EDT. There wasn't another load available so I bobtailed to a truck stop near Newburgh.

I have just finished transferring the photos of the Atlanta Motor Speedway onto my computer, sent some to Crish to put on the 19th wheel Blog and also put them on my website:
www.101st-lugnut.com

Take a look at them if you want. I'll find out tomorrow morning where I'm headed next. I only have 11 hours of driving time left before I have to take a 34 hour break.

I hope you all had a good day! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Race Track Photos

1) This is a photo of one of the trailers. It was black. Sorry you can't see it more clearly.
2) One of the cars I took back to Lowe's Motor Speedway.
3) The race track from the infield near where I was parked.
4) I believe this is where they would make pit stops during the race.
5) The cars lined up ready to be put in the truck.

More Race Track Photos

6) The cars being loaded into the 2 trailers.
7) The two Schneider trucks waiting for the trailers to get loaded. Mine is on the left.