Wednesday 30 April, we loaded in Laredo, Texas. Eastbound with a light and low load, equals less
fuel consumption and good paying freight.
Nice start to May! Two large
metal rings originated in Mexico and we picked them up at the Landstar crossdock
in Laredo.
Delivered to General Electric in
Greenville, South Carolina on Thursday afternoon. Friday morning over to Sumter, South Carolina
and loaded shelving.
Shelving for Home Depot in Delray Beach, Florida |
The company was still painting when we got there and we waited three hours
for the paint to dry on the shelving before it could go on the trailer.
The load went to south Florida, and we got to Daytona Beach Friday evening
3 May. We had left a week ago, Jim had a
couple of things to do around the truck, otherwise we had a relaxing day there.
Met with Lis and Harvey at a Mexican Restaurant that had recently opened
and we wanted to check it out, Lime. It was casual, lots of hot sauce and salsas
and nice food, but music was too loud for socializing which is what we wanted
to do – talk to each other. We decided
to go somewhere else, as we were leaving it had stopped raining, so we got a
table on the outside patio under a big umbrella – no one else was there and no
music playing, we had a good catch up with them.
Sunday afternoon we headed to south Florida and delivered the orange
shelving on Monday morning at a Home
Depot in Delray Beach (north of Miami).
Then over to Belle Glade to load at TKM
Farms.
Website: TKM Farms, the largest
lettuce grower east of the Mississippi, is a family operation that has grown
lettuce for three generations. In addition to iceberg and romaine, the rest
of the 4,500 acre farm is growing baby spinach, spring mix and arugula, as well
as escarole endive, Boston, cabbage, parsley and cilantro.
TKM has farms in Quebec as well – VegPro
International, and each Spring they move their farm equipment from South
Florida to Quebec to get year round growing.
Driving out of the farm over the irrigation canal. |
Wikipedia: Lake Okeechobee is the
headwaters of the Everglades. Until
about 6,000 years ago it was dry land.
As the sea level rose, the water table in Florida also rose and rainfall
increased. From 6,000 to 4,000 years
ago, wetlands formed building up peat deposits. The wetlands built up layers of
peat reaching 4 to 4.3 metres (13 to 14 feet) thick to form a dam, until the
lake overflowed in the Everglades.
There is a network of irrigation ditches and
canals that bring water to surrounding farms for irrigation. Saw
some alligators in the canals!)
Our load was a bit of a mixture: a large irrigation pump, 630 lengths of irrigation
pipe, a ‘bobcat’ vehicle, wire arches that go over the lettuce, a flatbed
agricultural trailer (upside down on the pipe), and rolls of mesh that goes
over the arches were on top of that. It
was an interesting load, 3849 pieces. It
took a long time to load.
Before crossing the USA/Canadian border near Champlain, NY. |
Sherrington, Quebec lettuce farm. |
Bombardier Recreational Products shipping in Valcourt, Quebec |
On Friday we loaded 16 Sea-Doos.
Quebec Province of Canada’s first language is French. Most people speak good English as well, but the road signs are in French which cause some anxiety! Out in the small towns where we were, English is not common so we surprised people in the shops when we went for a walk in Valcourt. The people were great though.
We changed our mobile phone carrier, and added a global plan so phone calls
in Canada are not as expensive, but internet is still very expensive, so unless
we find a free or inexpensive wi-fi we don’t go on the internet unless it is
urgent. Some truckstops have a 'pay by
the hour' internet between $2 and $5 for an hour.
The most direct route to northern Wisconsin was through Montreal, into
Ontario through Ottawa and the northern highway to North Bay and we crossed the
USA/Canadian border at Sault Ste Marie, Ontario to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 560 miles / 900 km through Ontario – we had
not been on that highway before.
Soon after we entered the Upper Peninsula it started snowing! Snowing heavy too! We had planned to go for a motorcycle ride on
the Sunday – those plans changed.
In Hurley, Wisconsin we found a motel with truck parking. Hurley is just over the Wisconsin state line
from Michigan, 18 miles (28 km) south from Lake Superior.
Wikipedia: Hurley is located next to the Montreal River, the border between
Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
It was founded to serve the interest of both lumbermen and miners. The discovery of high-grade Bessemer ore on
the Gogebic Range prompted the iron boom in the mid-1880’s, and saw recurring
booms and busts from 1884 to 1967. The
Timber Industry remains a prosperous industry in Iron County still today,
second only to Tourism.
It was an interesting day for us, we enjoyed the day in Hurley and Ironwood
(across the Montreal River) in Michigan.
Lumbermen and miners needed somewhere to spend their spare time and
money - Silver Street in Hurley, about a one mile walk from the motel.
Long known for gambling and prostiution Hurley ignored Prohibition. The historically lively nightlife drew the likes of Al Capone, and his brother Ralph, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and others. Ralph Capone retired to Iron County and died quietly in a Hurley nursing home in 1974.
Long known for gambling and prostiution Hurley ignored Prohibition. The historically lively nightlife drew the likes of Al Capone, and his brother Ralph, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and others. Ralph Capone retired to Iron County and died quietly in a Hurley nursing home in 1974.
Trivia: Ralph "Bottles" Capone, Sr. (January 12, 1894 – November 22, 1974) was
a Chicago mobster and an older brother of Al Capone. Ralph Capone got his nickname "Bottles" not
from involvement in the Capone bootlegging empire, but from his running the
legitimate non-alcoholic beverage and bottling operations in Chicago.
Silver Street bar and restaurant
area is just three blocks, and one block is "gentlemen’s" clubs (strip
joints) and saloons, we heard it referred that as ‘lower’ Silver Street. A
friendly bar attendant told us there were 40 liquor licenses in this three
block area – there were a lot of bars!
Many were closed on a Sunday, but we did investigate several of them. (The
‘lower’ Silver Street establishments did not open until 6pm each evening, so we
didn't investigate any of them!)
Over a dozen beautiful welded sculptures are on the lampposts along Silver
Street. The artwork compliments the historic photos displayed on red
banners. Each depicts a prominent aspect
of Hurley's Heritage.
The beautiful lady represents Silver Street's colourful saloon history, the prohibition era and Hurley's reputation as "THE PLACE" to go for night life and entertainment.
Lotta Morgan was a famous dance hall beauty who worked the halls of Hurley in the early days of the town's history. In April of 1890 she "fell victim to both a pistol shot and an ax blow", according to the coroner's report. Lottie is buried in the Hurley cemetery under her real name, Laura Whitley. Her funeral was attended by all walks of society. Her murder remains unsolved.
Other banners show: A logger (Timber Industry): The 1800's bought the lumbermen, and Iron County's white pine resources provided valuable lumber needed to build homes in growing industrial cities.
The beautiful lady represents Silver Street's colourful saloon history, the prohibition era and Hurley's reputation as "THE PLACE" to go for night life and entertainment.
Lotta Morgan was a famous dance hall beauty who worked the halls of Hurley in the early days of the town's history. In April of 1890 she "fell victim to both a pistol shot and an ax blow", according to the coroner's report. Lottie is buried in the Hurley cemetery under her real name, Laura Whitley. Her funeral was attended by all walks of society. Her murder remains unsolved.
Other banners show: A logger (Timber Industry): The 1800's bought the lumbermen, and Iron County's white pine resources provided valuable lumber needed to build homes in growing industrial cities.
A trapper (Voyageur): Many of
the area’s first settlers journeyed on the famous Flambeau Trail. This woodland highway opened up the area to
new settlers. Saxon Harbour (Lake
Superior) served as the gateway where Native Americans and voyageurs once
landed their canoes to portage beaver pelts and trade goods between the
Chippewa villages and Northwest Fur Trading Posts.
A miner (Plummer Mine and the
Mining Industry): Iron County’s mining history had a unique and
profound impact. "Red Gold" drew immigrants beginning in the 1880's, to mine
the iron ore needed by a growing industrial America.
Olkie's Bar in Ironwood, Upper Peninsula Michigan. |
We crossed the Montreal River into Ironwood, Michigan. Not much going on in the business section, but we found Olkie's Bar. This bar has been in business since 1887.
Jim had a beer at Olkie's while I
walked up to see Hiawatha.
Hiawatha |
Hiawatha is a
legendary Native American leader and co-founder of the Iroquois
Confederacy. Depending on the version of
the narrative, Hiawatha lived in the 16th century and was a leader
of the Onondaga or the Mohawk.
Back to Hurley and we ate dinner
at the Iron Nugget then walked back to the motel. It was a fun day in an interesting town
(population less than 2000).
Hurley and Ironwood are pursuing
tourism for the future of the towns.
There are several ATV rallies, a motorcycle rally, and a snowmobile
rally held each year. Hunting, snow
skiing, hiking trails and outdoor adventure is offered.
Delivered ten Sea-Doos the next
morning in Hayward, Wisconsin and six in Webb Lake. Tuesday morning over to the west side of
Minneapolis and loaded at Tri-State
Drilling.
It was an oversized load - 10 foot 6 inches wide. Needed placards and permits for five states: Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Three sections of drill casings needed for foundations for communications towers along the Ohio River. We delivered them the next afternoon near the town of Felicity, east of Cincinnati in Ohio.
The next morning we loaded air conditioners at TRANE in Lexington, Kentucky. Friday morning we delivered two units to a crane company in Canton, Ohio and that afternoon delivered two more units to a crane company in Cleveland, Ohio. The remainder of the load was for Lockport, New York, so we spent the weekend at Joe and Michele's place in Attica. Jimmy was there for the weekend as well, but Joe was in Daytona Beach!
Oversize load from Minneapolis, MN to Felicity, Ohio. |
Tri-State Drilling Website: Whatever your project and whatever the terrain, whether you are crossing a river or crossing the Rockies, a swampland, a desert or tidewater flats - Tri-State Drilling can install the foundations.
It was an oversized load - 10 foot 6 inches wide. Needed placards and permits for five states: Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Three sections of drill casings needed for foundations for communications towers along the Ohio River. We delivered them the next afternoon near the town of Felicity, east of Cincinnati in Ohio.
Weather was much nicer this time.
TRANE air conditioners - Lexington, Kentucky to Lockport, New York. |
Wikipedia - Victoria Day: In honour of Queen Victoria’s birthday celebrated
on the last Monday before 25 May. The
holiday has been observed since before Canada was formed, originally falling on
the sovereign’s actual birthday, the holiday has always been a distinctly
Canadian observance.
Hamilton, Ontario to Green Cove Springs, Florida. |
Firstly, we could not get 'into' the tanks – took the top hatch off and
looked in. It was dark, even with a
torch we could not see much. There was
no ladder and not enough room to put a regular ladder in. We didn't know what we were looking
for as there were several cardboard cartons.
Secondly, if we took out three first aid kits, the paperwork would be
wrong – the piece count would be less three and the value of the shipment would
be less $108 (the cost of the three kits).
We stayed overnight and were at Transway
first thing Wednesday morning. They had
a small ladder especially for inside tanks that hooked on to the edges. They looked in the first one and found no
first aid kit, the second one could not find any, but found one kit in the
third tank. Then they knew what to look
for, so had to go back to each of the other two and take the kits out. All the paper work had to be redone with
piece count and value and faxed again to the customs broker. Back to the truckstop and wait for it to be
checked again. By 1pm we had clearance
to proceed to the border. Thankfully, we
had no more problems.
Delivered Friday morning at Green Cove Springs in Florida. A company in
Florida – VAC-CON will finish the tanks and these ones will ship them to
Afghanistan.
Full moon and Delta IV rocket and Daytona Beach Main Street Pier. |
FloridaToday.com 24 May A multimillion dollar military
communications satellite is speeding around earth after a spectacular night launch.
A full moon was rising over Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station when a 217 foot Delta IV rocket rumbled off its
launch pad and arced over the Atlantic Ocean as it roared toward orbit. Its four large solid-rocket motors could be
seen peeling away from the vehicle when they were jettisoned in pairs about 1
minute 40 seconds into flight.
It will carry the fifth in a series of Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft into orbit. The $342 million Air Force spacecraft will provide high data-rate communications services to the US Department of Defense and military forces in Canada and Australia.
It will carry the fifth in a series of Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft into orbit. The $342 million Air Force spacecraft will provide high data-rate communications services to the US Department of Defense and military forces in Canada and Australia.
Daytona Beach Boardwalk at sunset. |
Gina on her Harley, Ron and his Can-Am Spyder and Jim on the Moto Guzzi Bassa. |
Hontoon Marina and Resort, DeLand, Florida. |
Finished my lunch - it was catfish fingerlings and hushpuppies!! |
Full moon and fireworks at Main Street Pier, Daytona Beach. |
Castaways Restaurant in Astor, Florida. |
Monday was the Memorial Day public holiday. We had a quiet couple of days and lined up a load out of Pooler, Georgia for Thursday, 30 May.
Loaded at Keen
Transportation - cab supports and fuel tanks for John Deere dump trucks.
Over to Charleston, Tennessee (north of Chattanooga) and loaded an LTL (partial)
on Friday – one tank.
Tank on the deck is the partial, remainder is load for Guelph, Ontario, |
(The production plant will make
hyperpure polysilicon, which is a key raw material for solar cells.)
I didn’t know what polysilicon is:
Wikipedia: Polycrystalline silicon also called polysilicon,
is a material consisting of small silicon crystals. It differs from
single-crystal silicon used for electronics and solar cells, and from amorphous
silicon used for thin film devices and solar cells.
(Short story) Polycrystalline silicon
is a key component of solar panel construction.
I was interested because there was more than usual security for a
construction site and NO photography allowed (that is usual for military
facilities). Security asked for our cell
phones and put red tape over the camera lens.
After we loaded and left the site I peeled the red tape off the lens,
and white lettering showed “REMOVED”, though no one asked to look at the phones/tape
as we left). In our truck there is a
dash cam on all the time and takes video, a laptop that takes photos and video,
and a digital camera. No one asked for
anything other than cell phones. I did
NOT take any photos / videos! It was
just a construction site, not very exciting!
The tank had been damaged and needed to go back to the manufacturer for repairs. Delivers near Buffalo and the machinery parts to Ontario.
No comments:
Post a Comment