Vol 22 No 1 - 31 March, 2018

Our flight from Australia, had one mishap - our flight coming into Toronto, Canada was late, and with completing customs and immigration and walking to the other side of the terminal, we missed our connection to Orlando, Florida.  Made our arrival in Orlando after midnight, early hours of 2 March. Thankfully our good friend Ron, was hanging around waiting to pick us up!

Weather was warm when we arrived for one day, it did not last.

There were a few days we did not do too much to let the jet lag ease before Bike Week.  Bought the prime mover to the house.  Jim did some work on it, and wanted to give it a light sand and polish.  The weather was cold, so jobs kept being left until it warmed up.

Jimmy arrived back in Daytona Beach the first weekend.  The Oasis Tiki Bar is not as popular in the cool weather - deserted!

Took a drive down Main Street prior to the official start, and vendors and businesses were gearing up for the event.  Quite a few motorcycles already in the area, at the bars on Main Street.

Diane and I walked Main Street the next day, on our way back from the Post Office.

On the Thursday evening, 8 March, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers were on at the Bandshell.  Joe, Jimmy, Derek and Jim Bird met us at our place and we all attended the show, and it was very entertaining.  We all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Internet:  Red Hot Chilli Pipers are an ensemble consisting of pipers, guitarists, keyboards and drummers formed in Scotland in 2002.  They won the BBC talent show When Will I Be Famous? In 2007.  (Their name is a play on the American band Red Hot Chilli Peppers.)

The pipers, guitars, keyboards and drums create ‘bagrock’ sound.  They perform a fusion of traditional pipe tunes, and contemporary pieces.  Notable covers include We Will Rock You by Queen, Clocks by Cold Play, Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple, and Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

The band has released 6 studio albums as of 2016.

Weather was cold for the next week. It is not as much fun when it is cold!

Went out to the Swap Meet on Saturday, 10 March.

Interesting bikes and bike parts for sale, all we bought was lunch!

Caught up with Moto Guzzi friends there and stopped at Daytona Beach Brewing Company on our way to Jimmy's.

Jimmy’s new house – plenty of room for motorcycles, cars and trailers.

Gathering at Jimmy's.

The annual Moto Guzzi meet at Pantheon Pizza was well attended and a nice catch up.

At Pantheon Pizza

Tuesday was cold, but sunny.  A group of the men took a day out of Bike Week activities to go on a half day fishing charter.

Early morning start - the sun coming up headed east over the Main Street bridge.

Fishing charters leave from Ponce Inlet.

Gathering in the parking lot.

The fishing boat Super Critter, part of the Critter Fleet.

L to R:  Bronson, Cody, Derek, Jim, Jimmy, Joe, Bob (in front), Danny, Lemont, Jim and Barry.

They had a great day fishing and catching.

Another Bike Week favourite is lunch at Ormond Crab House beside the Tomoka River.

The little pier on the Tomoka River at Ormond Crab House.

A great place to see a bald eagle!

Jim went to the International Speedway for the AMA Flat track Races, it was cold in the stands.

With visitors at the house and parking there, Jim and I wandered Main Street a couple of afternoons.

Friday was another gathering of moto guzzi's at Martin's Restaurant in Flagler Beach.  Then a group stopped at Beachside Brew Pub in Ormond Beach.

Gathering at our house on the last Friday evening of Bike Week 2018.

Because it had been so cold during the week, Jim had put off polishing the truck, so on Saturday morning Joe, Jimmy, Danny and Bob came over to get it done quick.  They were great help and very much appreciated!

Back to work on Monday, 19 March for us.  Loaded at Peri Formwork in Groveland, Florida - a small shipment of forms and braces.  Headed north to the really cold weather!

Groveland, Florida to Bolton, Ontario, Canada.

The fourth winter storm in as many weeks was coming through.  We hit it near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Fog.

Snow Tuesday afternoon, but we woke up to about 6 inches that fell overnight, and it was snowing heavily all morning.

Snow that fell while we were sleeping.

There was a ban for double trailers and empty trailers on the highway.  We had a partial and light load, so very treacherous travelling.  The snow ploughs and salt trucks had not cleared the northbound side of the highway.  Very slow going all morning.

Snow stuck on the wipers.

Ice Road Trucking!!

Drove north out of the storm and stopped at the truckstop in Erie, Pennsylvania.  After a break, Jim started to leave the truckstop when a message over the CB said that the trailer lights were totally covered with snow!  The LED trailer lights don't get warm enough to melt snow, so they have to be cleaned off.  We had forgotten that happens!

That afternoon, Wednesday, we caught up with Aussie friend in Rochester.  Steve met us at the truckstop in Buffalo to pick up the Aussie goodies that we bought back for him and Teri.

Crossed the USA/Canadian border early Thursday morning to deliver at Peri Formwork early in Bolton, then over to Burlington to load at Landmark.  This takes several hours to load all parts and pipes correctly, they make the internal workings for water towers.

Burlington, Ontario to Louisville, Kentucky.

We were back across the border that afternoon.

Friday evening we arrived at the Louisville, Kentucky Fairgrounds for the annual Mid-America Trucking Show.  The show pavilions were closed for that day, but the 'show and shine' trucks were accessible.  Considering rain for forecast for all of Saturday, we wandered through the trucks that evening.

A left over pile of snow - it was still cold!

The rain started during the night and continued all day.  We spent the whole day wandering around the four pavillions of displays.

Monday morning, 26 March we delivered the Landmark equipment to a new water tower under construction south side of Louisville, Kentucky.

Delivering in Louisville, Kentucky - cold, miserable weather!

Only 12 miles to load one dryer assembly that was over width.

Louisville, Kentucky to Horseheads, New York.

Headed north again - crossed Lake Chatauqua and there was still large sections of ice on it.

Frozen Lake Chatautaqua, NY.

Had to wait for a crane to be situated to deliver the dryer to Elmira Road Materials, in Horesheads, New York on Wednesday morning.  Part of their asphalt plant.

Just a few days on the truck, exposed to the elements and rust settles in.

Once the crane was in place, and Jim backed into the spot, it unloaded quickly.  We already had the flags and oversize banners off and put away, so a quick trip to Endicott, NY to load at National Pipe and Plastics - plastic pipe for Florida.  Enough cold weather - we were headed south!

Endicott, New York to Bradenton, Florida.

Delivered the pipe to a jobsite near Bradenton, FL Friday morning. Lots of pipe already there and 50 truck loads still to come.  A large orange grove being removed for a new housing sub-division.

Then to the house in Daytona Beach for a few days to warm up!