Vol 23 No. 1 - 31 March 2019

Our flight to the USA was via Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  A polar episode was happening with well below freezing temperatures.  We were late leaving Toronto because the plane had to be de-iced.  The first time we have experienced that.

Internet: De-icing fluid is a mixture of a glycol and water.  It is generally heated and sprayed under pressure to remove ice and snow on the aircraft.  Anti-icing fluid has an additive that thickens it more to help it adhere to aircraft surfaces.  Spraying uses between 3,000 and 5,000 gallons of glycol.

Our flight was 2 hours late leaving Toronto, so it was 1.30am on 28 February when we arrived in Orlando., Florida.

On Friday, 1 March we attended a wedding in Port Orange.  The venue was the Riverside Pavilion, home of the Halifax Sport Fishing Club.

Moto Guzzi friends, Lamont and Mary Lynn's son, Teddy married his long time love, Kaila.  It was a beautiful venue and wedding.

The men getting photos taken.

Kaila's photo.

Lamont and Mary Lynn - parents of the groom, very glamorous!

Pre-Bike Week, we got some work done around the house, truck and working through three months of mail.
Also a lovely visit from Jim's niece, Eileen and her daughter, Veronica from Pennsylvania, in Florida for the weekend for Veronica to participate in tennis competitions.  Spent the afternoon with them and Jimmy in town also.

The first weekend of Bike Week Jim and I went to the Sons of Speed races at the New Smyrna Beach Speedway.  It is a great afternoon watching the 100 year old motorcycles racing.

Sons of Speed is a motorcycle race inspired by early 20^th-century board-track racing.  Featuring stripped-down bikes with pre-1925 American V-Twin engines.

This is the first time we have seen Billy Lane in attendance.
Billy Lane is the owner of Choppers, Inc., in Melbourne, Florida, and builds custom choppers..  Lane became well-known from his appearances on the Discovery Channel show Biker Build-Off.

A fun afternoon of vintage racing at New Smyrna Speedway.

More racing on the Sunday evening, but I opted out, so my neighbour/friend Diane and I walked to the beach and Ocean Walk for dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

Then the 10 days of Bike Week, 2019 the 78th annual.

Diane and I had a wander along Main Street on the first Sunday.

People watching - always something or someone interesting!

The miniature horse in the side car with a young many playing the drums on the trailer - good for tips!

Jim and I had a quiet time at our house - Jimmy had a full house!  Overnight visitors were young Flat Track Racer, Brandon Newman and his dad, Brian.  It was nice to spend time with them, we met a couple of years ago at the Springfield Mile.  Brandon is an up and coming racer and will move up a class later in the year when he reaches age 16.  It will be fun watching him advance.

The first Monday of Bike Week is the Moto Guzzi pizza dinner at Pantheon Pizza.  A good attendance - great to see guzzi friends from around the country.

Joe, Jimmy and a few others were late getting there because their Moto Guzzi flat track bike took a third placing that afternoon.  Big excitement!

A morning walk for Diane and I along the Boardwalk to have a leisurely coffee at Starbucks.  Some photos along the way.

The intersections along A1A have sea shells - this photo I took from the pedestrian bridge.

Pelicans.

Along the boardwalk are historical plaques - we often stop and read them.

An old water fountain near the Main Street Pier.

Park at the start of the Main Street Pier.

A group met at the Beachside Brewpub in Ormond-by-the-Sea.  (Next to the Surf Shop!)

Thursday, 14 March was the AMA Dirt Bike TT.

Interesting bikes in the parking lot.

American Flat Track.  The race series encompasses four distinct forms of competitions including, mile, half-mile, short track, and TT steeplechase dirt track races.

TT, which is abbreviated 'Tourist Trophy', a special form of Flat Track that includes at least one right hand turn and a jump.  These two features add another dimension to TT racing, which riders have to negotiate lap after lap.

Flat Track TT at Daytona International Speedway.

Some of the displays at the International Speedway.

At half time, we wandered over to the pit / infield area to visit friends and racers.

Sunset from the top of the stands - looking across the parking lot.

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Gathering of guzzis at Jimmy's in Holly Hill.

The wicker moto guzzi in our living room

The start of the 2019 trucking year - we left Daytona Beach about Sunday noon and drove to Savannah, Georgia to be ready to load Monday morning, 18 March at Keen Transportation.

Savannah, Georgia to Conroe, Texas.

A great Louisana Restaurant near a truckstop - we had a great lunch at Ronnie's Boudin & Cracklin'.

A stop at the I 10 Visitors Center and Rest Area at the Louisiana / Texas state line.

Delivered the excavator to Herc Rentals in Conroe, Texas on Wednesday, then drove north to Texarkana, Texas and loaded at Red River Army Depot on Thursday.  One 31 ft trailer.

Texarkana, Texas to Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Crossing the Mississippi River at Memphis, Tennessee / Arkansas state line, early morning Friday.

We had some spare time headed north, so stopped at Martinsburg,West Virginia and stayed Saturday evening with Bob and Patty.  Close to the Interstate highway, and there is a safe parking place in a shopping plaza near their house. A fun time with them - a great dinner at "The Palace Lounge", then drinks at a couple of their local bars.  Always fun to spend time with Bob and Pat.

Back in the truck and rolling north at noon on Sunday, and stopped at a small truckstop outside Lancaster, Pennslvannia for the night.
Diane and Dan picked us up that evening and took us to Waffle House (the closest open restaurant on a Sunday evening), we all had waffles!  I 'met' Diane last year via Ancestry.com - we are not related but connected through a marriage of our ancestors. Diane contacted me because we were researching some of the same people - my "Range' family.  The relationship calculator on my genealogy software says she is the "half grand niece of wife of half third great uncle of Lesley Booth".  So we are possibly 'third cousins in law once removed'??  It was a lovely meeting, and we hope to be able to stop again.

Monday morning we delivered the Army trailer to the New Jersey Army National Guard in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.  An interesting place with a number of old military equipment lining the parking area.

North to Exeter, Pennsylvania to load on Tuesday, 26th.  Crossed the Susquehanna River at Wyoming, PA - north of Wilkes-Barre.

Susquehanna River.

Loaded at Bridon American - two reels of wire rope.This interesting flag in front of Bridon - a 'Betsy Ross' flag made with wire rope.  The red is braided wire rope, the white is paint, and the white 'stars' are the ends of thick wire rope.

The Betsy Ross flag is an early design of the US flag.  The blue canton containing 13 five pointed white stars in a circle, and 13 alternating red and white stripes on the field.  The stars and stripes represent the original 13 states.  It was authorised by Congress in 1777 to be used as the official United States flag.  June 14 is ‘Flag Day’ in the US.

(Betsy Ross was a Pennsylvanian, spending her life in Philadelphia.)

The large reel is very thick wire rope and the smaller one about 1 inch in diametre.

Exeter, Pennsylvania to Oakland City, Indiana.

Delivered the wire rope to another Bridon plant in Oakland City, Indiana on Wednesday, 27 March.  Could not reload until the next day, so we stopped en route at Mt Vernon, Illinois at a truckstop we like - next to a Walmart, (so we could restock the food and snacks), and also a few nicer restaurants.  We had a nice meal and a beer at Chili's.

An early start Thursday, to load in Missouri, just over the Mississippi River, south of St Louis.
Took some back roads and through the town of Chester, Illinois.
Really interesting town!!
The Popeye Picnic is held in Chester, Illinois - the 40^th Annual will be in September this year.  “Strong to the finish ‘cause he eats his spinach”

Website:  Elzie Crisler SEGAR was born in Chester, Illinois, grew up, and moved away.  He was an obscure 34 year-old newspaper cartoonist in New York City when, on January 17, 1929, he introduced a minor character into his Thimble Theatre strip: Popeye.

When Segar died nine years later, he had become the most popular cartoonist in the world.  Popeye, an instant superstar, was the reason why.

Segar was in his grave almost 40 years when a group of sorority sisters in his hometown decided to honour him, not with a statue of Segar, but of Popeye.  Bronze, six feet tall on a six foot high base, the 900 pound grizzled sailor man with the balloon forearms, pendulous jowls, and perpetual squint looks even stranger in 3D than he does in the Sunday Funnies.

The bronze statue of Popeye has been overlooking the Mississippi River in Segar Park since 1977.  This is the first of numerous Popeye and Friends Character Trail statues placed in Chester.

Olive Oyle, Swee’ Pea and Jeep” and was unveiled during the Popeye Picnic festivities in 2007 and stands downtown near the Randolph County Courthouse. 

Loaded mid morning at Semco Stone in Perryville, Missouri:

Semco Stone Website:  We Fabricate, We Stock, We Deliver.  2 quarries, 2 fabrication facilities, 60 acres of stone.  We have a wide variety of flagstone, boulders, edging, steps, decorative gravels and mulches, retaining walls, pavers, outdoor living, fire pits, fire places, building stone, and much more.

Perryville, Missouri to Orlando, Florida.

The Mid-America Truck Show was on in Louisville, Kentucky 28-30 March.  We got to Louisville Thursday afternoon, and parked at Papa John Stadium.

Coming into Louisville, Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River from Ohio.

Wandering around the trucks parked at Papa John stadium, noticed this truck Walkabout, with a blue cattle dog in the passenger seat.  Didn't find the trucks' owner until the next night, but Debbie is anAussie, married to an American and been in the USA for 22 years.  Her husband stays home and she runs the road solo.  A lovely lady - we enjoyed talking to her.

We got on the first shuttle bus to the Kentucky Fairgrounds for Mid-America Trucking Show 2019 (MATS).  We have attended many times in previous years.

Brochure:  The entire trucking industry:  The Mid-American Trucking Show is the largest annual heavy duty trucking event in the world.  With over 1,000,000 sq.ft of exhibits and events, you will discover the newest industry products, experience hands-on demonstrations, and participate in educational seminars and special events.  MATS will improve you career and grow your business. 1,000 exhibitors, 70,000 attendees, a million sq. ft of exhibits.

The company we are leased to Admiral Merchants Motor Freight.

We always stop in at the Admiral Merchants booth to see head office personnel - they are fun - sociable and hospitable.  Nice people.  The CEO talked to us for awhile, showing photos of his recent trip to New Zealand and brief encounter with Australia on his way to and from.

Our trucker friend, Bob, was with the Cumins team at the show,  He tracked us down at lunch time at the Kentucky Pork Products 'diner'. Bob is also handling logistics for Australian Country Music star, Jayne Denham, and asked if we would like to meet her????  Well, YES!  She is a lovely lady and a pleasure to talk to.  She performed at MATS, but we didn't get to see her.
Jayne Denham's Website:  Jayne Denham is fast becoming one of Australia's most admired country rock performers. Her impressive and relentlessly energetic live show has seen her earn performance opportunities at all major Australian country music festivals.
With her ability to tell a story that captures the imagination through her songs, Jayne has scored three #1 smash hits in Australia, six top 10 songs in the National Country Charts, twelve videos that have reached the top 30, as well as six Country Music Channel (CMC) and two CMAA Golden Guitar Award finalist placings.
As well as giving her audiences a good time, and something to talk about for weeks after they see her live, Jayne is also known for her songs that resonate with the trucking community.  The singer-songwriter is passionate about raising the profile of the transport industry with tracks including her #1 Australian country single "Addicted to the Diesel".

After the show we attended the Concert Friday evening at Freedom Hall.

This years MATS attendees will experience an outstanding performance from two incredibly talented acts: Michael Ray and Runaway June.
The first act was Runaway June: the female trio consists of vocalists Naomi Cooke, Hannah Mulholland, and Jennifer Wayne.
Cooke is the lead vocalist, with Mulholland on low harmony and mandolin, and Wayne on high harmony.  (Jennifer Wayne, is a granddaughter of John Wayne).
Very entertaining, and a newer group - they have a couple of hits already.
The main act was Michael Ray, also a newer artist, but has an extensive and varied experience with mostly country music, and has several hits in the past few years.  A talented young man.  A great evening of music!  (Sponsored by Mobil Delvac.)

We spent just the one day at MATS this year, we were rolling south Saturday morning to deliver in Florida Monday morning.