There were already people at our house for Bike Week: Jimmy, Joe, Michele, Art and Frank. The weather was cold, but the weekend was sunny.
Sunday afternoon Tim and Helena held a Moto Guzzi Bike Week Welcome party at their house in New Smyrna Beach. About 30 motorcycles there - lots of people from up north. Tim and Helena put on great food and it was a fun time. We left just on dark as it was getting much cooler.Had a group photo of the Guzzi Floozies in attendance: L to R at rear: Michele, Helena, Jan. Front: Mary Lyn, Cindy, Lesley and Penny. The ladies who ride their own or are passengers on a moto guzzi! (Thanks to Frank for taking the photo and Penny for sending it to me!)
A group of guzzi friends wandered around the tents and exhibits on Beach Street, weather was not good. Cold and rainy, then the five guzzi's parked outside The Helmet Shop in Daytona Beach and created some interest - the MOST moto guzzi's they had seen in one spot??? Frank and Penny, Art, Joe and Michele, Jimmy and Jim and I.
Had the annual guzzi gathering at the Pantheon Pizza on the Monday night. Lots of friends and fun!Jim and the others went to the AMA Flat Track Races Wednesday night, but the forecast was for near freezing temperatures, so I chose to stay at the house. Good decision - everyone froze at the racetrack!
By Thursday our visitors had departed (except Jimmy who has been living at our house since November and may be there for awhile yet - a casualty of the economic downturn).
By Thursday our visitors had departed (except Jimmy who has been living at our house since November and may be there for awhile yet - a casualty of the economic downturn).
Jim and I had business to get done - Federal income taxes were due and also Jim had to re-qualify with Landstar. Another physical and drug test, more paperwork to be sent in, we had done the majority of paperwork at the beginning of February while in Australia which sped things up considerably this year. The truck and trailer had to be inspected. Jim spent Thursday 4 March in Jacksonville for Landstar orientation, got new log books, manuals, door signs, etc.
The last weekend of Bike Week was much nicer weather. Chris and Judi Collins, Moto Guzzi friends from Wisconsin were around and we went to the Cycle Show at the Convention Centre. I spent some time with our neighbour, Diane.
We were ready to go back to work, and loaded Monday, 8 March in Davenport, Florida about 1 1/2 hours from Daytona at a heavy machinery auction, Ritchie Bros. We loaded a Ford F250 vehicle, a hydraulic hammer and a coupler. Then drove 1000 kms over to Lawrence, Mississippi for an excavator. The whole shipment was going to the same company in Ontario, Canada.
We got to the second stop in Lawrence, Mississippi at 10am the next day and it had been raining heavily for hours. We were taken to a forestry and to a CAT 314 C excavator, a small one. A soil loading ramp had been made the day before and the excavator was sitting on top of it. Because the soil was not compacted and with lots of rain, the excavator had already sunk in 20cm. We had intended taking the Ford F250 off, then loading the excavator in front of it (for weight distribution), but the state of the ‘loading dock’ would not allow us to attempt that! Also, it had a blade that made it 10 cms overwidth. No phone signal at the forestry, so we were taken back to the owners home to make all the phone calls because the cost of permits had to be approved. The shipper was nice, his wife made us hamburgers for lunch.
The excavator was temporarily loaded on the tail of the trailer at the forestry. Because the area in front of the ‘loading dock’ was on a slant, the whole rig was bogged there, just sat and spun in the red Mississippi mud. Luckily, there was other equipment there and we were towed out by a bulldozer. The loading proper was done on the side of the road - at least on solid ground. The shipper had a set of small ramps and the F250’s front wheels went up on the deck so the excavator could be put more towards the centre of the trailer with the bucket on the rear with about 60cm overhang . Took seven hours from when we arrived until we were ready to leave the shippers. The rain only let up for a little while, then more thunder and lightning and downpours.
Luckily there was a truckstop at the exit on the Interstate Highway, so we spent the night there. With an oversize load we had to wait for permits and also not allowed to travel between sunset and sunrise. The first few state’s permits were faxed to us that night, so we started at sunrise the next morning (after putting the flags and signs on the front, rear and sides). We didn’t put the oversize requirements on prior to this because legally we should not have moved from the forestry with out permits. This was impossible as we had no fax machine or internet access there. Barely a phone signal. (It was a frustrating day!)
Because of the daylight only driving restrictions, we try not to stop during the day as it is better to get as far as we can before sunset, when we have to stop. Arrived at the Canadian border at 5pm on Thursday afternoon and the customs broker had not completed the paperwork (an important document had been misplaced). We were there until 9.30pm waiting to be cleared, then it was dark and we could not drive any further, so spent the night in the parking lot.
It was an interesting delivery - there was NO loading dock to get the excavator and F250 off. There was a big pile of dirt! The consignee used a front end loader and deposited heaps of dirt at the back of the trailer. Then got in the excavator on the trailer and used the bucket to pack the dirt and bring it up higher than the trailer. Then just drove it off. No worries! The F250 unloaded the same way. Jim pulled the truck forward and he scooped all the dirt and put it back on the big pile.
We had already lined up to load in Buffalo on Monday morning, so had the weekend at Joe and Michele’s. The RV survived the winter - it had up to a metre of snow on it a few times over the winter. Always worry the weight might be too much. Jim had to shovel snow from previous falls so we could get in the door on Friday afternoon.
Wet and windy all weekend, with about 10 cms of fresh snowfall on Sunday morning. Visited a few people, and ate at a couple of our favourite places.
We were ready to go back to work, and loaded Monday, 8 March in Davenport, Florida about 1 1/2 hours from Daytona at a heavy machinery auction, Ritchie Bros. We loaded a Ford F250 vehicle, a hydraulic hammer and a coupler. Then drove 1000 kms over to Lawrence, Mississippi for an excavator. The whole shipment was going to the same company in Ontario, Canada.
We got to the second stop in Lawrence, Mississippi at 10am the next day and it had been raining heavily for hours. We were taken to a forestry and to a CAT 314 C excavator, a small one. A soil loading ramp had been made the day before and the excavator was sitting on top of it. Because the soil was not compacted and with lots of rain, the excavator had already sunk in 20cm. We had intended taking the Ford F250 off, then loading the excavator in front of it (for weight distribution), but the state of the ‘loading dock’ would not allow us to attempt that! Also, it had a blade that made it 10 cms overwidth. No phone signal at the forestry, so we were taken back to the owners home to make all the phone calls because the cost of permits had to be approved. The shipper was nice, his wife made us hamburgers for lunch.
The excavator was temporarily loaded on the tail of the trailer at the forestry. Because the area in front of the ‘loading dock’ was on a slant, the whole rig was bogged there, just sat and spun in the red Mississippi mud. Luckily, there was other equipment there and we were towed out by a bulldozer. The loading proper was done on the side of the road - at least on solid ground. The shipper had a set of small ramps and the F250’s front wheels went up on the deck so the excavator could be put more towards the centre of the trailer with the bucket on the rear with about 60cm overhang . Took seven hours from when we arrived until we were ready to leave the shippers. The rain only let up for a little while, then more thunder and lightning and downpours.Luckily there was a truckstop at the exit on the Interstate Highway, so we spent the night there. With an oversize load we had to wait for permits and also not allowed to travel between sunset and sunrise. The first few state’s permits were faxed to us that night, so we started at sunrise the next morning (after putting the flags and signs on the front, rear and sides). We didn’t put the oversize requirements on prior to this because legally we should not have moved from the forestry with out permits. This was impossible as we had no fax machine or internet access there. Barely a phone signal. (It was a frustrating day!)
Because of the daylight only driving restrictions, we try not to stop during the day as it is better to get as far as we can before sunset, when we have to stop. Arrived at the Canadian border at 5pm on Thursday afternoon and the customs broker had not completed the paperwork (an important document had been misplaced). We were there until 9.30pm waiting to be cleared, then it was dark and we could not drive any further, so spent the night in the parking lot.It was an interesting delivery - there was NO loading dock to get the excavator and F250 off. There was a big pile of dirt! The consignee used a front end loader and deposited heaps of dirt at the back of the trailer. Then got in the excavator on the trailer and used the bucket to pack the dirt and bring it up higher than the trailer. Then just drove it off. No worries! The F250 unloaded the same way. Jim pulled the truck forward and he scooped all the dirt and put it back on the big pile.
We had already lined up to load in Buffalo on Monday morning, so had the weekend at Joe and Michele’s. The RV survived the winter - it had up to a metre of snow on it a few times over the winter. Always worry the weight might be too much. Jim had to shovel snow from previous falls so we could get in the door on Friday afternoon.Wet and windy all weekend, with about 10 cms of fresh snowfall on Sunday morning. Visited a few people, and ate at a couple of our favourite places.
Sunday morning was the Western New York Moto Guzzi breakfast, the second Sunday of each month, so we all attended and met with other guzzi friends in the area. (We did NOT go to the restaurant on motorbikes!)
Loaded used machinery on Monday morning in Buffalo and delivered it the next day in Detroit, Michigan. Reloaded rolled roofing and adhesive (hazmat) in Toledo that afternoon. Delivered near Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday morning. A quick trip over to Schenectady, New York (300kms) and loaded two large steel casings. These went to Bay City, Michigan.
Trivia: So, who remembers the Bay City Rollers???? (I am guilty of having a poster of them on my wall in the early 1970’s.)
Wikipedia: The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish rock band of the 1970s. Their youthful, clean-cut image, distinctive styling featuring tartan-trimmed outfits, and cheery, sing-along pop hits helped the group become among the most popular musical acts of their time. For a relatively brief but fervent period (nicknamed "Rollermania"), they were worldwide teen idols.
The group was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1966 as “The Saxons“. Shortly afterwards, seeking a less English-sounding moniker, they chose a new name allegedly by throwing a dart at a map of the United States. The dart landed on the map in the state of Arkansas, but since "Arkansas Rollers" did not sound quite right, and might also lead to problems with pronunciation, they tried again and this time the dart landed near the community of Bay City, Michigan.
Bay City, Michigan is a lovely town though we didn’t see much - drove through the city, delivered then back out. Loaded 120kms away in Remus, Michigan. Three tree munchers - poke trees in one end, blades munch it up and chips come out the other end. Delivered one the next morning (Saturday) south of Pittsburgh, PA.
We had Sunday off in Harrisburg, PA at the truckstop. Caught up on laundry and maintenance on the truck and trailer. There was still Mississippi mud to clean up. Weather was a beautiful Spring day - warm and sunny.
Raining the next morning and we delivered one tree muncher in Harrisburg and the last one in Marlton, New Jersey near Philadelphia. Reloaded that afternoon in Philadelphia - two Ford F250 pick up trucks. Delivered them near Detroit the next morning and loaded shelving in Detroit late morning. Martin Sprocket and Gear closing a plant near the Ford Factory and relocating to Nashville, Tennessee. We had large, steel shelving racks and the wood shelves that had to be tarped. Detroit is fast becoming a ‘has been‘ city. We drove through the inner city last week at 9am and it certainly didn’t look like peak hour traffic - more like Sunday morning and whole neighbourhoods of vacant, boarded up, or burned out homes from what we could see from the highway.
Delivered the shelving in Nashville the next morning (Wednesday) and went a bit south of Nashville and loaded two jumbo steel beams going to Marion, Indiana (between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne) to the GM plant.
A busy three days - didn’t have much time to spare for anything. After the rain the weather was clear and warmer.
We arrived at our next pick up Thursday morning, but it wasn’t until 3pm before the shipment was ready to be loaded in Michigan City, Indiana - six Sullair generators going to Miami, Florida. The large generators on their own trailers.
Another winter storm was coming across and we experienced heavy rain, freezing rain, high winds and below freezing temperatures again! We hope that will be the last of winter we experience for this year!
Friday afternoon we stopped in Louisville, Kentucky for the Mid-America Truck Show.
The 39th Annual Mid-America Trucking Show encompasses more than 1,000,000 square feet of indoor exhibits and more than 200,000 square feet of outdoor exhibits. Showcasing the most innovative products and services the industry has to offer. The latest innovations in trucks, trailers, and equipment; advanced product services and a wide array of cutting-edge trucking technology. The largest annual event in trucking.
The event goes for three days, and it would take three days to cover the area. We spent five hours there and covered as much as we could - Jim had an agenda, so we made a beeline for certain exhibits. (There are more than 10,000 exhibitors.) We haven’t been to this show for several years. Stopped by the Bekins Van Lines recruiting and visited with our friend, Steve Yacko whom we knew from our tradeshow days with Bekins.
I forgot to take my camera in, but took a couple of photos with the phone camera.
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We headed south to Daytona Beach and arrived there Saturday evening. Weather is much warmer anyway.
Jim went to Miami on Monday 29 March to deliver the Sullair to a freight forwarders - they are bound for Peru.
Loaded used machinery on Monday morning in Buffalo and delivered it the next day in Detroit, Michigan. Reloaded rolled roofing and adhesive (hazmat) in Toledo that afternoon. Delivered near Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday morning. A quick trip over to Schenectady, New York (300kms) and loaded two large steel casings. These went to Bay City, Michigan.
Trivia: So, who remembers the Bay City Rollers???? (I am guilty of having a poster of them on my wall in the early 1970’s.)
Wikipedia: The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish rock band of the 1970s. Their youthful, clean-cut image, distinctive styling featuring tartan-trimmed outfits, and cheery, sing-along pop hits helped the group become among the most popular musical acts of their time. For a relatively brief but fervent period (nicknamed "Rollermania"), they were worldwide teen idols.
The group was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1966 as “The Saxons“. Shortly afterwards, seeking a less English-sounding moniker, they chose a new name allegedly by throwing a dart at a map of the United States. The dart landed on the map in the state of Arkansas, but since "Arkansas Rollers" did not sound quite right, and might also lead to problems with pronunciation, they tried again and this time the dart landed near the community of Bay City, Michigan.
Bay City, Michigan is a lovely town though we didn’t see much - drove through the city, delivered then back out. Loaded 120kms away in Remus, Michigan. Three tree munchers - poke trees in one end, blades munch it up and chips come out the other end. Delivered one the next morning (Saturday) south of Pittsburgh, PA.We had Sunday off in Harrisburg, PA at the truckstop. Caught up on laundry and maintenance on the truck and trailer. There was still Mississippi mud to clean up. Weather was a beautiful Spring day - warm and sunny.
Raining the next morning and we delivered one tree muncher in Harrisburg and the last one in Marlton, New Jersey near Philadelphia. Reloaded that afternoon in Philadelphia - two Ford F250 pick up trucks. Delivered them near Detroit the next morning and loaded shelving in Detroit late morning. Martin Sprocket and Gear closing a plant near the Ford Factory and relocating to Nashville, Tennessee. We had large, steel shelving racks and the wood shelves that had to be tarped. Detroit is fast becoming a ‘has been‘ city. We drove through the inner city last week at 9am and it certainly didn’t look like peak hour traffic - more like Sunday morning and whole neighbourhoods of vacant, boarded up, or burned out homes from what we could see from the highway.
Delivered the shelving in Nashville the next morning (Wednesday) and went a bit south of Nashville and loaded two jumbo steel beams going to Marion, Indiana (between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne) to the GM plant.
A busy three days - didn’t have much time to spare for anything. After the rain the weather was clear and warmer.
We arrived at our next pick up Thursday morning, but it wasn’t until 3pm before the shipment was ready to be loaded in Michigan City, Indiana - six Sullair generators going to Miami, Florida. The large generators on their own trailers.
Another winter storm was coming across and we experienced heavy rain, freezing rain, high winds and below freezing temperatures again! We hope that will be the last of winter we experience for this year!
Friday afternoon we stopped in Louisville, Kentucky for the Mid-America Truck Show.The 39th Annual Mid-America Trucking Show encompasses more than 1,000,000 square feet of indoor exhibits and more than 200,000 square feet of outdoor exhibits. Showcasing the most innovative products and services the industry has to offer. The latest innovations in trucks, trailers, and equipment; advanced product services and a wide array of cutting-edge trucking technology. The largest annual event in trucking.
The event goes for three days, and it would take three days to cover the area. We spent five hours there and covered as much as we could - Jim had an agenda, so we made a beeline for certain exhibits. (There are more than 10,000 exhibitors.) We haven’t been to this show for several years. Stopped by the Bekins Van Lines recruiting and visited with our friend, Steve Yacko whom we knew from our tradeshow days with Bekins.
I forgot to take my camera in, but took a couple of photos with the phone camera.
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We headed south to Daytona Beach and arrived there Saturday evening. Weather is much warmer anyway.Jim went to Miami on Monday 29 March to deliver the Sullair to a freight forwarders - they are bound for Peru.
We will be working around the house and truck for a few days. Had a profitable three weeks on the road, so that is great!
