Vol 18 No. 3 - 30 May, 2014

After breakfast with Dave and Linda at the motel in Covington, Louisiana, we delivered two machines (two stops) in Houston, Texas - that was Thursday, 1 May.  Headed up to Waco ready to load two street sweepers on Friday morning.

Waco, Texas to Brewerton, New York.

Texas state wildflower - bluebonnets.

Spring time wildflowers in Texas are spectacular!

Internet:  Blue bonnets have been loved since man first trod on the vast prairies of Texas.  Natives wove fascinating folk tales around them….. the two predominant special of bluebonnets are found growing naturally only in Texas and at no other location in the world.

Another easy load! Drive on – drive off.  We ran that over the weekend to deliver Monday morning in Brewerton (near Syracuse), New York.

Deadheaded to Buffalo and had a day and a half visit with Jim’s family.

Thursday, 7 May we crossed the border into Canada and loaded in Niagara Falls, Ontario at Criveller Group.  Stainless steel tank, heat exchanger and pumps - for a brewery.  Seriously!  We had a load going to a brewery!

Niagara Falls, Ontario to Norfolk, Virginia.

Website:  Criveller Company was founded in 1978, with an emphasis on providing innovative processing and packaging solutions to the wine regions of Canada, specializing in stainless steel tanks.

The facility flourished, and in the mid-80’s, diversified with the production of brewing vessels, brew house process piping systems, and cellar tanks for the microbrewery and brewpub sectors.  With three state-of-the-art manufacturing locations (Ontario, California, and Italy), projects encompass the winery, brewery and now includes pasta sauce productions facilities, blending and metering systems for vodka production, tanks and packaging solutions to the bottled water industry and Olive Oil production.

The load consisted of a brew tank, catwalks and equipment.  

We delivered in Norfolk at noon on Thursday at O'Connor Brewing Co.  Several loads had already been delivered and the contractors were very busy in the old warehouse they were preparing for expansion of the brewery.  There was a crane and crew on site to unload the trucks.

O'Connor Brewing Co. delivery in Norfolk, VA.

The present brewery is on West 25^th Street, but we delivered to a larger building on West 24^th Street for the expansion phase.  At present the small staff produce 1,000 kegs and 15,000 bottles a month and supply bars and restaurants in the Norfolk area, but will be able to produce enough for the State of Virginia with the added plant.  That is the first time we have ever been to a brewery for 'work'.

Jim and I walked to West 25^th Street to check out the brewery and we bought samples for later when the truck was parked.

Jimmy was waiting for us at Big Charlie’s Truckstop at Virginia Beach.  He had delivered nearby, as well.  

We got the folding chairs out and sat behind the trucks in the clover and buttercups and wildflowers.  

The O'Connor beer was very nice and we had an enjoyable and relaxing afternoon and evening.

Jim and I were up early the next morning and went to West Point, Virginia with another Landstar driver to load at Rock Tenn Co.

Website: RockTenn delivers low-cost, high-value paperboard, packaging and marketing solutions to a wide range of markets.

RockTenn mill at West Point, VA.

The West Point location is a paper mill and we loaded heat exchangers/boilers that were rentals from ADCO and being returned to Bessemer, Alabama. The largest boiler company in Alabama and Louisiana, and headquarters in Bessemer.

West Point, Virginia to Bessemer, Alabama.

An easy drive to Alabama for the weekend.  We got to a truckstop south of Birmingham on Saturday afternoon.  Decided to explore around Tuscaloosa area.  

Unloaded the motorbike late Saturday and went for a ride, found some interesting roads and places.  Very ‘back woods’, and ‘down home’. 

Found the Green Lantern Pub, in McCalla; rated one of the oldest establishments in Alabama, believed to have been open since the 1920’s an old roadhouse on the Old Tuscaloosa Highway.  – an interesting place.

We got moving early Sunday morning and it was very foggy, but pleasant temperatures. Didn't have any destination in mind.  I did some research of the area and couldn't find anything of significance, so we wandered a bit.  These were great motorcycling roads: good clean pavement, with hills and sweepers – the kind we enjoy.  Not much traffic at all, though a couple of deer were out and about.

Website:  The Black Warrior, Bahaba and Coosa Rivers and their tributaries are among the waterways that wind their way through the region. The geography of the area varies from heavily forested hills to low-lying, marshy plain.

We travelled to the east and north of Tuscaloosa.  Found ourselves looking at a dirt road.  Got the map out to figure out the next move.  I had to get a photo of where we stopped – the corner of Blue Creek and Watermelon Road.

Map check!

We were only there a minute when a local towing a bass boat stopped and suggested, if we didn't mind 5 miles of dirt, it was a nice ride along a ridge and across a dam wall back into Tuscaloosa.  (He also told us that the small snake we just passed was a rattlesnake and we also saw a small turtle.)

Found a stretch of gravel road to make it more interesting!

Located along the banks of the Black Warrior River in west-central Alabama, Tuscaloosa is home to about 93,000 residents and a thriving business community.  It is home to the University of Alabama, and two Colleges.  Tuscaloosa has been traditionally known as the “Druid City” because of the numerous water oaks planted in its downtown streets since the 1840’s.

Around midday we had a look around Tuscaloosa. Because of the University and Colleges, it has a ‘party-town’ feel.  There are two breweries – we stopped at Druid City Brewing first and had their sample flight of beers – all very nice. 

We stopped at Moe’s Original BarBQue for a southern-style lunch – Jim had bbq pork and turkey, I had catfish with baked beans, corn bread and banana-nilla pudding.

To Black Warrior Brewery for just one of their Porter style beers.  Both breweries are small batch breweries and only supply beer in kegs (no bottles or cans) to bars and restaurants locally.

Back to the truck to load up the bike.  For not having any sights or destinations on the agenda for the day – it was fun and memorable.  Very impressed with Tuscaloosa!

Delivered the boilers/heat exchangers to Bessemer on Monday morning and over to a Tenaska Power Generating Plant near Billingsley to load six crane mats.
The next morning we delivered the mats to an equipment Rental place in Theodore, Alabama (west of Mobile).

Crane mats from Billingsley, AL to Theodore, AL.

Hurried over to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to load used plant equipment, got there late mornigng.  Yuk!  Our least favourite freight,   aways a challenging, dirty job - but at least it didn't require tarping.  It was a Wis-Pak Inc.

Website: Wis-Pak, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of Pepsi-Cola and other leading soft drinks.  Our corporate office is located in Watertown, Wisconsin.  We have production facilities and warehouses throughout the central U.S.

Hattiesburg, Alabama to Watertown, Wisconsin.

It was very hot and humid in Alabama when we loaded, but as we drove north the temperature cooled.  When we got up Thursday morning in Wisconsin, it was raining and 40 degrees F (4.4 Celcius) - a bit of a shock!  It did warm up a bit, but we didn't take our jackets off!

Delivered to the head office of Wis-Pak in Watertown, Wisconsin.  Then headed south to Chicago O’Hare Airport area to load Friday morning.

Loaded a stainless steel tank for another brew pub!

Brewery tank from Bensenville, Illinois to Lakeland, Florida.

On Sunday afternoon we stopped at a truckstop and had a few beers and catch up with trucker friend, Shane.  Getting to be like the old trucking days - hanging out and partying at a truckstop!

Shane and Jim having a cold beer between the trucks!

Delivered it on Monday morning, 19 May.  The Brew Hub is a new concept of brewery, and this is the first of five locations to be built.  Lakeland's anticipated opening date is 1 August.

Website:  Brew Hub provides an entirely new business model for the craft brewing industry.  With the right products and partnership opportunities, we’re putting the power back into the hand of the brand-holder – without the capital exposure. With our first brewing and packaging facility in Lakeland, Florida, we will become an incubation centre for partner brewers looking to capitalize on the fast-growing craft segment.

We had to wait for a third party crew to unload us, so we had a tour of the brewery.

Setting up a new Brewery.

Unloading at The Brew Hub in Lakeland, Florida.

Driving past the front of The Brew Hub, Lakeland, FL.

After leaving there the truck lost turbo boost, and with pedal to the floor could not get over 55 mph.  Jim decided to swing by the Detroit Diesel garage in Orlando to see what was wrong.  It was OK for a few miles, then lost power again.

When we got to Detroit Diesel it was running at full boost again but they didn't have time to look at it. Booked in for the next morning to get it looked at. We had to be up early in Daytona Beach to get to the truck, then the truck to the other side of Orlando by 7.30am.

I dropped Jim at the truck and on the way back to the beach I witnessed a beautiful sunrise at the World's Most Famous Beach!

The Atlantic Ocean at Daytona Beach, FL.

The truck ran as it should all the way to Orlando and when Jim got to the workshop, there were no computer codes registering, so other than replacing components randomly there was nothing to do, so Jim came back to Daytona Beach.

We had plenty to keep us busy with the truck and house.  Got to see a rocket launch from the beach – an Atlas V.

Internet:  A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) lifted off from Space Launch Complex on May 22.  The mission is in support of national defense.

Did not get a spectacular visual on a sunny day, just a wriggly rocket contrail.

Atlas V rocket contrail.

Some photos of mid-morning on the Boardwalk before opening and the beach crowds

Daytona Beach Boardwalk.

Main Street, Daytona Beach.

Jim accepted a load for Friday morning before the long weekend, another early morning.  Jim got to Lake Mary before 6.30am and loaded – the load was to go to Ontario, Canada and we could spent Saturday in Daytona and leave Sunday morning.  Jim was loaded and picked up the paperwork and noticed the shipment was destined for Manitoba, Canada (a western Province).  Our trailer is not legal there with the spread axle, and we didn't want a load to there because there is nothing coming back to the USA expect a long deadhead.  Jim had loaded and unloaded by 7.30am.

The truck had low power again right from starting out that morning, so he took it over to Detroit Diesel and waited until they could look at it.  This time the computer code indicated turbo boost sensor malfunction.  Less than $500 repair, and so happy it was fixed!

Now we had the three day long weekend to spend in Daytona Beach.  Friday evening was a concert at the Bandshell - we watched and listened for an hour or so.  Local performers, from the local colleges.

Saturday afternoon we met with friends, Sharon and Ron Brogan.  They were camping the weekend in Port Orange and we enjoyed an evening of grilling and laughter with them. 

A raccoon wandered into the area and found something to eat.


Monday was the Memorial Day holiday, we went for a motorbike ride north along the beach to Flagler Beach, took the 1970 moto guzzi ambassador had lunch at Johnny D’s, stopped at a couple of other places on our way back to Daytona Beach.

The International Speedway Boulevard bridge decorated for Memorial Day.

International Speedway Boulevard bridge.

Tuesday morning we packed up and went to St Augustine to load at a CAT dealer.  Sat there with another driver for an hour, then told our loads were in Orlando.  Down to Orlando, and loaded in the afternoon – six large air conditioner units.  Then headed north to deliver them in Kenilworth, New Jersey on Thursday afternoon at Ring Power – Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer.

Orlando, Florida to Kenilworth, New Jersey.

The next day, Friday 30 May we loaded in York, Pennsylvania.  The Honeywell plant was being disassembled.  (Moving operations to Mexico.)  It is located in the centre of the city and obviously been there for a long time.

Internet:  More than 100 employees worked at Honeywell Process Solutions, making materials that are used in the gas industry.

We got there before the cranes, and the tank still had to be emptied.  It was not far to the historic downtown York, so I went for a walk around.  York is an old city with a lot of history.

Internet:  York, also known as Yorktown in the mid-18th to early 19th century, was founded in 1741, and named for the English city of the same name. By 1777, most of the area residents were of either German or Scots-Irish descent.

During the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), York served as the temporary capital of the Continental Congress.  The Articles of Confederation were drafted and adopted in York.

York styles itself the FIRST Capital of the United States, although historians generally consider it to be the fourth capital, after Philadelphia, Baltimore and Lancaster.  The claim arises from the assertion that the Articles of Confederation was the first legal document to refer to the colonies as "the United States of America".

During the American Civil War (1861–1865), York became the largest northern town to be occupied by the Confederate army.

In the Postbellum era (1865–1877),York remained a regional center for local agriculture, but increasingly became an important industrial center, with such industries as steam engines, railroad manufacturing, and papermaking coming to the forefront. 

York also features some unique architecture ranging from colonial era buildings to large gothic churches.

The York Motor Car Company built Pullman automobiles from 1905 through 1917.  A model was driven to San Francisco and back over about one month to prove its reliability several years before the creation of the Lincoln Highway, which ran through town, connecting New York to San Francisco.

York notes:

The York area had been home for more than 100 years to the Pfaitzgraff pottery company, which built its first factory in 1895 and continued manufacturing in York until 2005.

**Though now produced by the Hershey Company, the York Peppermint Pattie was created in York in 1940. (Favourites of mine - York Peppermint Patties!!)

York Barbell is a reseller of barbells and other equipment for weight training and bodybuilding, and is the home of the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame.

A large Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory is located in York and employs roughly half of Harley's production workforce.

The Stauffer Biscuit Company is rooted in York and has produced animal crackers since 1871. A major regional department store,The Bon-Ton, is headquartered in York. Just north of York is one of only four Starbucks roasting facilities in the world.

An interesting walk!

The city has been called an "architectural museum" because the downtown features numerous well-preserved historic structures.

I got back to Honeywell as they were draining the nitrogen from the tank before loading it on the trailer.

York, Pennsylvania to Bolivar, Ohio.

After loading, we took some back roads to Middleburg, Pennsylvania and picked up a used truck transmission for Jimmy.  We were on roads much better suited to a motorcycle!  Through the mountains and valleys, small towns and Amish country.

The nitrogen tank is going to Bolivar, Ohio to deliver on Monday, 2 June.