Vol. 21 No. 3 - 31 May, 2017

Moving early Monday morning, 1 May to be back on the road.

While putting our gear in the truck, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched, I took some photos.

Rocket almost to the edge of the top of photo.

The trailer was loaded last Thursday – only had to drive 725 kms (450 miles) to Tallassee, Alabama, on Monday because we didn’t have to deliver until Tuesday morning.  A nice, unrushed day in the truck.

Florida - an air boat.

Parked Monday evening at Torch 85 Truckstop. Lots of big potholes in the parking lot!

Delivered Tuesday morning to AES Mechanical near Tallassee on Tuesday morning.  They recycle the old air conditioners.

North to Morris, north or Birmingham, Alabama and loaded tubs and materials at Reno Refractories.  This load required the driver to have a ‘tanker’ endorsement, for the 12 containers of liquid.

Refractory materials are used in linings for furnaces, kilns, incinerators, and reactors.  They are also used to make crucibles and moulds for casting glass and metals, and for surfacing flame deflector systems for rocket launch structures.

Morris, Alabama to Palmerton, Pennsylvania.

A quick trip north to Palmerton, Pennsylvania – would have liked to deliver Wednesday afternoon, but Horsehead’s receiving ended at 3pm, so we delivered Thursday morning.

Website:  Horseheads Corporation’s plant in Palmerton, Pennsylvania is a zinc powder facility that dates back to 1897, located in a scenic valley along the Lehigh River, 80 miles north or Philadelphia.  Horseheads operates three Waelz kilns that produce concentrated zinc material.  Also operates a calcining kiln, and produces powder metal in zinc alloys.

A very large complex – interesting old buildings.

Then to load at Load Rite Trailers Inc., in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania in the afternoon. Boat trailers, three deliveries in New York.

Weather was cold and raining for the deliveries in New York.  The 18 small trailers, (2 stacks of 9) on the rear of trailer and a skid of wheels and tyres went to Newfield, near Ithaca, New York.  The stack at the front went to two businesses in Cicero, north of Syracuse, New York.

The truck needed a new fan clutch, it had been noisy for awhile, so we spent the weekend with Joe and Michelle near Attica, so we could get the truck fixed on Monday.

There was almost continuous rain and cold all weekend.

The weather was not co-operating to take the motorbike anywhere.  We went for a fish fry dinner at Pine Lounge on Friday night.

The Pine Lounge in Cowlesville for a fish fry dinner,

Michele and I having margaritas for Cinco de Mayo,

Also spent time at Bennington Lanes and Windy Brew brewery – all indoor activities.  Bob Walters came out for a visit.

Bob and Jim at Windy Brew. 

At Windy Brew.

Took the truck to Empire Truck & Trailer in Kenmore (north side of Buffalo) early Monday morning. Art met us there and took us to breakfast and a catch up.  Fan clutch was replaced on the truck by mid-afternoon.  We had scheduled to load the next morning in Niagara Falls, so stayed at the truck stop in Buffalo that night.

The bridges to Grand Island, New York,

Got to Sevenson Environmental Services in Niagara Falls early Tuesday, 9 May, but other trucks there to load and unload, took a while to load.  An over width load – 10 ft 6 inches, a foot (30 cms) over each side.

Website:  Sevensons Environmental Services, our vision is a commitment to maintain our position as a premier leader and first choice in remedial construction and environmental dredging.

A big company – the storage yard held an assortment of pipes, hoses, pumps, etc.

Niagara Falls, New York to Flint, Michigan - over width load.

Two barge sections were loaded on us.  Added the required banners and flags, waited for permits.

Delivered beside the Flint River, that runs through the city of Flint, Michigan.  The barge sections were unloaded and put in the river.  Many sections are bolted together, and provide a floating platform for dredging equipment, pumps etc.  A huge clean-up project starting there.

TheVerge.com: Factories and people have been dumping sewage, chemicals, and road salt in the Flint River for more than a century.

https://www.theverge.com/2016/2/26/11117022/flint-michigan-water-crisis-lead-pollution-history

Thursday afternoon we loaded and tarped crates and spools at Covert Generating Plant near Covert, western Michigan for Orlando, Florida.

Covert, Michigan to Orlando, Florida.

Scheduled for Monday morning delivery, so we got to Daytona Beach Saturday afternoon. Had a few things to fix on the truck.

Delivered Monday at Mitsubishi Generating, then back to the house.  Didn’t have too much work to do.

Mainland side of ISB bridge, first time I have seen the Tortugas game advertised there (the Daytona Beach baseball team).

Oleander Avenue, Daytona Beach looking towards Cape Canaveral.

Another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 15 - 7,20pm liftoff from Kennedy Space Centre’s Launch Complex 39, carrying a communication satellite.

This photo was taken from outside our house.  Launches can be seen from here, but too much cloud this time, we got a glimpse of the contrail between the clouds.  We did nitice the drink cup on top of the light!

Went to De Leon Springs to Lis and Harvey’s Tuesday evening – we always enjoy their company and Lis’s cooking!

Left Daytona Beach in the truck early Wednesday morning 17^th May.

The Halifax Marina is on the way to where the truck is parked - pretty at sunrise.

Spanish moss in Eustis, FL.

Loaded at Stony Brook Structures, one oversize tower piece.  Several truck loads – all part of  a tower/sign structure.

Tavares, Florida to Cheektowaga, New York,

Parked near the train tracks this night in North East, PA.

Delivered on the side of the highway at the I 290 and I 90 junction in Cheektowaga, near Buffalo, New York.  The trucks had to arrive in order, so the sections could be put together, then stood up, with signs attached.

No time for Buffalo visits or food, 60 miles over to Burlington, Ontario to load at Landmark Structures.

Landmark website:  Infrastructure for water storage, energy and fuel and environmental initiatives.

A little overhang at the back.

Assorted pipes, platforms, and equipment for a water tower.  Most of these pipes go inside the water tank.  A load that required regular attention for the 1600 miles to Texas.  The pipes could have had more wedges and dunnage to control movement, but Jim kept a close eye on it, redoing, adjusting straps at every stop.  The ‘Y’ tube turned a bit, which made the load over height.  Criss-crossing straps, in two directions, helped stop that.

A nice run south, kept us busy over the weekend.

Burlington, Ontario to Leander, Texas.

Crossing the Mississippi River from Illinois to Missouri, on I 57.

Sunset from the truckstop in Matthews, Missouri.

Some stories here!

The city of Leander is north west of the Texas capital, Austin, and is part of Greater Austin area.

Leander is getting a new water tower.  It was raining and muddy when we delivered on Monday morning to the construction site.

Then south, and loaded at Kalmar RT in Cibolo, eastern side of San Antonio in the afternoon. One new, orange forklift.

Cibolo, Texas to Battle Creek, Michigan.

Delivered to the Michigan Air National Guard in Battle Creek, Michigan on Thursday morning. Home of the 110^th Attack Wing, very interesting.

Website:  The 110^th Attack Wing, which formerly operated manned aircraft, now hosts an operations centre for MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.

In the afternoon, loaded 8 old steel reels at ITC Holding in Wayland, Michigan, delivered them to TJR Fabrication in Marion, Indiana the next morning where they will be repaired.

Wayland, Michigan to Marion, Indiana,

After delivering 8 reels, we loaded at the same place - 10 refurbished reels for Missouri.

Marion, Indiana to Sedalia, Missouri.

It was the Memorial three day long weekend.  We headed west towards our delivery, but had a couple of days to fill in, so stopped at Springfield, Illinois Friday night.  Our AMA Dirt Track racer friend, Cody Johncox, was competing in the Springfield Mile race that weekend.

Jimmy showed up at the same truckstop early Saturday on his way to Texas.

Late morning, Jim and I went to downtown Springfield.  Wandered around Abraham Lincolns’ old neighbourhood.  The street where the Lincoln home still is, and many original homes of neighbours.  There were guided tours of the Lincoln home, but tours were booked into late afternoon, so we didn’t wait around.

Downtown Springfield is a beautifully preserved city.

The Illinois State Capital building.  Historic Route 66 runs through Springfield.

Jimmy met us at Obed & Isaacs Brewery in downtown.

The property belonged to Obed Lewis, but the building had to be razed.  Another Lincoln-era home owned by Isaac Lindsey was preserved by moving it to Obed’s land, with Obed Lewis’ carriage house.   Another historical home, the Booth-Grunendike house was added to accommodate a pub and restaurant.  Construction began in 2011, and opened in 2014. An impressive combination of history, incorporating old buildings and gardens.

Obed & Isaacs Brewery.

Great lunch and nice beers.  The Strawberry blonde is nutritious and delicious!

Jimmy and Jim at the brewery.

Found a bar with a shuffle board.

Back to the truckstop with some brews and relaxing.

Sunday afternoon was the race.

Website:  Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one mile long clay oval motor racetrack.  Constructed in the late 19^th century and reconstructed in 1927, the “Springfield Mile” has hosted competitive auto racing since 1910, making it one of the oldest speedways in the US.  It is the oldest track to continually host national championship dirt track racing, holding its first national championship race in 1934.

We found Jimmy's 1970 guzzi parked in the vintage parking section right out front!

The street outside the track had motorcycle displays, and food and drink vendors.

A big crowd - I thought I heard the commentator say approx.10,000 people.  Jim, Jim and I sat in the grandstand and could see the whole racetrack.

Cody is No. 96, coming out to the starting line,

Cody raced twice, both he and the bike were competitive, but luck was missing and he didn't make the main event.  A great afternoon of racing.
Jim and I had dinner with Eric, Kerry, Cody and friends before they drove back to Buffalo.

Jimmy left early Monday morning, 29th to make his delivery in Texas.  Jim and I had a more leisurely run to Sedalia, Missouri. Found a great barbeque restaurant near the truckstop, Dickie Doo Barbeque.

Tuesday morning, 30th May we delivered the reels at General Cable near Sedalia, then to Trinity Products near St Louis to load two pipe sections.
Two trucks were loaded, these are for a road sign. ‘Spiral weld’ pipe, a specialized technique that Trinity Products advertise.

O'Fallon, Missouri to St. Augustine, Florida.