Dubuque, IA

I just had a wonderful time with Kathy et al. (photos on blog: http://www.19thwheel.blogspot.com). Addie and Elias sure are cute babies. Jenna and Hil are good moms. Ben is a good dad. Jim picked me up at a truck stop not to far from Dubuque (Peosta), and drove me to the restaurant. They all came out to see the truck afterwards.

I was able to pick up my load earlier in the day and made it to Dubuque by 7:00 pm. There was no snow in KC and all the way up to within 40 miles of Des Moines. There was tons of snow on the ground in Des Moines and north.

Tomorrow I drive to Menomonie and then to Red Wing. I should be home by noon. I'll start driving again on Saturday morning. Hopefully, I'll be sent west for the next two weeks. But you never know. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

More Van Dine Pics

Waking Up

It's 3:00 pm on Monday and I'm finally waking up from last night/this morning.
Also just received my next assignment. Tomorrow at 2:30 pm I'm to pick up a
load and Kansas City, MO and then take it to Menomonie, WI and get it there sometime
Wed. It's almost 500 miles. I'll call in the morning and see if I can't
pickup the load earlier in the day.

I then have a couple of options. 1) I could drive straight thru and get into Menomonie
a little after midnight (Wed morning) and then drive to Red Wing. OR 2) I could
drive to Dubuque and get there in the evening tomorrow and visit some people I know
and then leave Wed morning for Menomonie.

Either way, I'll get Thur and Fri off and start again Saturday morning.

So, today I'll just rest up some more, watch movies and read. A couple of my
favorite things. It is clear and mild here today. A nice day. I hope it is nice
where you are. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Kansas City, KS

Well, I made it to my del. destination at 6:45 am. I've backed up to the dock which was a tight fit. (not much maneuvering room). This is a load that the driver is responsible for unloading. I was able to get, what they call, lumpers (workers) to unload it for me. Schneider pays for it. It will take them about 2 hours to unload.

After that, I have only one hour to find a place to park for the day. I'll start tomorrow with 11.5 hrs to drive. I should be heading back to Red Wing. My days off are to start Wed. But we'll see.

The drive from midnight to 6:45 am wasn't bad until the last hour. Then I got tired. I might take a nap while the trailer is unloaded.

Hope you all dreamt for me. I didn't have an opportunity. I'll let you know where I'm headed next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Mizzou

I've just left the St. Louis area. I've been driving for 3 hours. 3 1/2 to go. So far so good. Time has sped by, like the countryside.

I just watched 'Departed' last night. I heard it won the 'Best Picture' Oscar.

The moon is quite spectacular now.

James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Lookin' Like A Pumpkin

I just started out again, it's after midnight, and I look like a pumpkin. I feel rested and alert. Hopefully, that'll last for awhile. I've got my coffee and Code Red (Mountain Dew). My destination again is Kansas City, KS. About 360 miles. I hope you all are sleeping well! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Pics Of Flat Tire Process (and the engine)

How many lug nuts was that again?

Paw Paw, MI

I just passed Paw Paw on my way to Gary, IN. Three was Freezing rain last night,
but now it's just rain. Roads are wet, but not slippery. I can only drive 4.5
hrs today. I hope to get near Springfield, IL by 1:30, rest until midnight and then
drive to Kansas City, KS for a 7:00 am delivery.

I guess I was fortunate to miss the worst of the storm. I've had my coffee and
my sweet roll so I'm set.

I'll send a photo of the flat tire tonight for your viewing pleasure. Speaking
of viewing, I wonder if 'An Inconvenient Truth' will win the Oscar for Best
Documentary?

Have a nice day! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Battle Creek, MI

I've just stopped in Battle Creek, MI for the night. It was a long day, but I didn't encounter any bad weather. I imagine I'll get my fill tonight and tomorrow. I may just wait it out and start driving tomorrow afternoon.

I had a flat tire this morning which delayed me for about 4 hours. I was hooked up to 5 different trailers during the day and drove 350 miles.

I had an interesting conversation with the guy who fixed my tire this morning. He's Latino. He was on call and had to drive a long ways to fix the tire. I offered him some extra money so he could buy some beer when he got home. He declined. He said he drinks tequila to keep him warm. He called it his anti-freeze. He was a very nice guy.

As I reported in an email posted on the Blog, I've continued meditating on Lug Nuts, and their cosmic significance. I'm now the 101st Lug Nut.

Tomorrow I head for Kansas City, KS. I'm supposed to be there by 8:00 am Monday morning. It will be tight, but possibly I can make it. It depends on the weather and the number of hours I have available to drive. I'll keep you posted.

Tristan is with his Dad this weekend. They got 15-18" of snow. He's hoping he won't have school on Monday. I always enjoyed snow days when I was young. Nothing better.

I hope you're having a good weekend. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Flat Tire Fixed

It's fixed and I've been to Melrose Park, Dolton, and Joliet. Now I'm
on my way to Coldwater. About the tires. if an inner tire were flat I could still
drive it to an operating center or tire bank. I think the duals are one piece. So
they would take off both. I'll check on that. A lug nut update. 10 lug nuts
per tire inside tires excluded. (10 x 10). 100 of them. So I'd be the 101st
Lug Nut. Kind of like the 100th monkey. I'll send an official email later. -
Jibs

plus a note from neil:

retty amazing....we all just had a discussion friday night about what you would
do if you got a flat tire and what the procedure would be if the flat tire was the
inside tire....i am assuming that both wheels are on the same axle and you may not
be able to get to the inside one without taking off the outside one....sounds like
an interesting logistical problem...especially if you have a full load...could be
a good opportunity for some blog photos...neil

Flat Tire, Ill

Just had a flat tire 5 minutes from my delivery destination in Chicago. (intersection of Manheim and North) in a safe location waiting for help. There was a 3 inch bolt in the driver's side front tire.

I've notified the appropriate people, now I just have to wait. Cab is warm. Just had some coffee and 2 rolls, so I'm comfortable. I'm glad it is Sat. Morning. Very little traffic.

I'm not sure how long this will take. I'll let you know. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

A Litany Of Cities

Well, I made it to Rochelle, IL at 2:30 pm. Then I went to Romeoville, IL to drop off an empty trailer and pick up a loaded one. Tomorrow I drive to Melrose Park, IL to drop it off. Then I drive to Dolton, IL to pick up an empty trailer and drop that in Joliet where I pickup a loaded trailer and take it to Coldwater, MI. I should be done with all of that by 3:00 pm tomorrow.

Fortunately, this morning my drive through customs was uneventful. It took 10 minutes. What a relief. I drove 10 hours today, which is more than I usually drive.

On the way through Michigan I got off I-94 at exit 46 (Hartford). I was in search of the gas station that Grandpa Barth owned when Dad was very young. I had directions from Dad. Drive into town and take a left and head west on the main street. The gas station was on the right side right after you cross a railroad tracks. So I did as he directed and with one hand on the wheel and the other holding the camera I took a photo of the first bldg after the railroad tracks on the righthand side. I'm sending the photo to Crish who hopefully can get it on the Blogsite. I also took a couple of others. One of the exit sign. One of the cemetery, because Dad's brother Gilbert died in Hartford and might have been buried there. I also think I took photos of other signs.

Anyway, it was interesting. I didn't stop because I had to get to Rochelle. So it was a drive by (camera) shooting, so to speak.

I'll let you know if I make it to all of these Cities tomorrow and where I'm headed next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

More Hartford Pictures

The Truck, the RR Tracks, The 1st Building After the RR Tracks, and The Cemetery Where Grandpa's Brother Gilbert May Have Been Buried...

The Gas Station

And the gas station...

London, ON

I didn't get my brakes fixed until 6:30 pm est. It took 4 hours, longer than
I expected. I had to stop after a little over an hour of driving because of high
winds and snow. A couple of trucks had gone off the side of the road. A major highway
(402) is closed. For awhile traffic was only moving at 35 mph (60 km/h). I stopped
near London, ON at a Flying J truck stop. I'm not sure what 'Flying J'
stands for.

I'll leave early in the morning and hopefully get into Rochelle about 3:00 pm
cst.

Try going on the following Blogsite:
http://www.19thwheel.blogspot.com Crish created it for me. I'm the 19th wheel.
(the big trucks are called 18 wheelers, in case you were wondering. ) I think there
are 8 lug nuts on every wheel, so I could also be the 145th Lug Nut.

I hope the weather is nice where you are. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

New Brake Chamber

I have a bad Brake Chamber that needs to be replaced. I'm at the operating center in Aberfoyle, ON. Once I get it into the shop it shouldn't take long. There are however, three trucks ahead of me. So, I'll wait. Hopefully I'll be able to get thru customs in Detroit tonight.

It is very windy here. It just picked up. 39 degrees. It snowed this morning when I drove to my pickup spot. It took 3 hours to get there only an hour and a half to return. I had to fax in more paperwork to customs to be sure I can get into the US. It's quite a deal.

Hope your day has been going well. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Aberfoyle, ON

I'm done driving for the day. I'm at a Schneider operating center in Aberfoyle, ON not too far from Guelph. It is just off exit 299 on 401 west of Toronto. Tomorrow I travel to Port Colborne to pick up a load at 9:00 est. Port Colborne is south of St Catherine and west of Buffalo, NY right on Lake Erie. I then will drive to Rochelle, IL. I need to be there Friday 2/23 by 1:00. I'll cross the border in Detroit once again sometime tomorrow afternoon or early evening.

Toronto is a big city. 2.3 million I think. I didn't have any problem finding the delivery location which was a relief. In the area I was in it was multicultural. People from many different parts of the world. All very nice.

In Detroit this morning and a ways into Canada it was really foggy. 1/4 mi visibility. It was approriate weather for my encounter with US customs.

On the way thru MI I may try to stop in Hartford (exit 46 on I-94). That's where Grampa (Dad) lived for 5 years in the '20's. They had a gas station and an orchard, I believe. And Uncle Norman was born there. A sacred place. If the gas station is there I'll take a photo.

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

Oh, Canada

I'm singing their national anthem as I drive easy on 401. I should make my delivery around 2:30 est. Then I'm not sure where they will send me.

I'm traveling at 100 kph (62 mph) and have about 260 km (160 mi) to drive.
I think that about right.

Since my load originated in Mexico, I had to go through US Customs. They needed verification that the load was leaving the US. So the US was a drive through country. It took an hour to get through customs. Not because there were so many in line, but rather because the officials acted as if we didn't exist. Absolutely no eye contact. They were talking amongst themselves and very slowly processing paperwork. It was quite amazing.

There is an operating center near Toronto that I might stay at tonight.

Crish said he might setup a Blog with all my entries. Kara, I'll take a picture of myself in the can and send it to you. Recently, I added Aunt Marge and Uncle Norman, who I was almost named after, to the list.

I'll keep you informed of where I'm headed next. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

North York, ON

Well, I'm heading into Canada tomorrow. Crossing the border at Detroit and then driving to North York which seems like it is right in Toronto.

I just did a massive amount of paperwork. Ok, it wasn't massive, but it was more than usual. I had to fax some paperwork to a broker and make copies of different forms for both the US customs and Canadian customs. This will be interesting.

I leave tomorrow morning and need to be there around 1:00 pm. It's a live unload, which means I stay there until it's unloaded. After that I don't know where I'm going. There is a Schneider operating center in Toronto, so I may stay there for the night.

There just happened to be a Schneider driver from Canada at the operating center and he showed me how to do the paperwork. I was fortunate.

So, from inner city Detroit to Toronto Canada. Kara, pls mark Ontario.

Well, I should get something to eat and then get some sleep. I'll keep you informed. - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Detroit, MI

Still in Detroit. Didn't start unloading until 2:00 pm EDT. We finished at 4:30 pm. They didn't have a dock, just a forklift that didn't work very well and 2 pallet jacks. 28 skids of Tv's. I jockeyed them to the back of the truck another guy lifted them out with the forklift and a third guy brought them into the store with the other pallet jack. Quite an operation. Very nice people. It is a flea market.

Now I just need to wait for my next assignment. Who knows where I'll go.

My experience of inner city Detroit is that it is very friendly and helpful. A bit run down, but not bad.

Enjoy the rest of your day. I'll let you know where I'm off to when I find out.

James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Detroit, MI

Just arrived in Detroit. In the less than desirable area of Detroit. There has been a mix up on when they can unload the trailer. I may need to wait until 1:00 pm EST. Interesting.

I drove 550 miles yesterday. Stopped in Gary at the operating center and got the truck washed as well as the trailer. It's just like a car wash except huge. I drove through at a crawl. It worked pretty well.

I stopped at a rest area near Jackson, MI last night. I was tired yesterday. I think my days off are more demanding than driving the truck.

I'll find out later today where I head next. Have a good day! - James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )

Bloomington, MN

I was able to get an earlier dropoff time (1:00 pm today) so now I'm waiting to be unloaded. Then drop the trailer off in Blaine come back to Bloomington and pick up a loaded trailer at a different location and take that to Detroit, MI. I don't have to be in Detroit until Wednesday, but I'll see if I can bump that up too. Lots of driving back and forth.

I imagine I'll be leaving the Cities sometime around 6:00 pm tonight.

James (Jibs - Dad/Papa )