Category Archives: Trucking

Go Magic

Go Magic

Go Magic

I was in Orlando. There were big, very big posters on the sides of buildings. Lots of buildings. It seems that the city of Orlando was behind their NBA team.

Texter

Texter

Texter

I see it all the time. People are driving a car and doing something else as well. Truckers get some really good views of what people are doing as they pass. sometimes they’re reading a book or looking at some papers. Sometimes they’re committing acts of personal grooming. Sometimes they’re talking on the telephone and are obviously distracted from what should be the primary focus – their driving. This young lady was really working that phone and to make it worse, we were in an area of really heavy traffic. I stayed somewhere near her for about ten minutes and I have to say that she did a really good job keeping her car under control while banging on that keyboard. I know I couldn’t have done it. By the way, whose that little person in the back seat?

Cycle Camper

Cycle Camper

Cycle Camper

I’d never seen a cycle pulling a camper this big before. I heard a couple of guys on the CB betting that he wouldn’t last another 50 miles because the trailer was way-too-big for the motorcycle, but I thought he was doing a pretty good job pulling the rig down the highway. Anyway, if nothing else, his style was worthy of attention…

Empty FJ

Empty FJ

Empty FJ

It was Memorial Day. The Flying J was empty, with the exception of me and a few other drivers. It was wet. It was also cool, which was nice. Good sleeping weather.

Speedy’s

Speedy's

Speedy’s

Speedy’s is a truck stop at the Arizona border with New Mexico. I took the picture because I think the backdrop to the truck stop is rather impressive. I know from past experience that there can also be some really good sunsets and sunrises available for photo opportunities in the desert. One thing about driving a truck is that I get to wake up in a variety of different places, some of them really spectacular and some of them a little scary.

Cactii

Cactii

Cactii

They are cacti. There are a lot of them in Arizona. They’re very interesting. You won’t find many of them that look like these do east of the Mississippi River. Cacti come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most live from 25 to 300 years and the deserts of Arizona are one of the best places in the world to look a them. There’s a Rest Stop along I-10 in southern Arizona where a person can get out of their car and walk among the cacti.

Truck World

Truck World

Truck World

I’ve never stopped at the truck stop called Truck World. Maybe I should. The reason I took the picture was that the sign said "World’s Finest" and it made me wonder. If it was the world’s finest truck stop, why wasn’t I stopping there? It is a big truck stop with room to park about 500 trucks. They have their own web site that’s laid out nicely. Next time I’m moving down I-80 at the Ohio – Pennsylvania border, I may just drop on in.

Downtown Chicago

Downtown Chicago

Downtown Chicago

Hey, what’s this? I’m in downtown Chicago? And, how do I feel about being in downtown Chicago? Horribly. The traffic was awful. Really awful. Doubly, really awful. I don’t know how people can live in places where they have traffic jams like they do in Chicago. Okay, so maybe it’s not like that all the time, but how often do I need to get beat-up by 40,000 other cars? Abuse is abuse. I’m so glad I live in a small town of only a million inhabitants.

Money Maker

Money Maker

Money Maker

See this truck? He may be getting $25 a mile for hauling that big piece of concrete. That means that, if he takes it a thousand miles, he gets $25,000. The guys who do "oversized" are the guys who can make really big money. It takes years to get to the point where a driver can haul a load this big.

BJ’s

BJ's

BJ’s

Why is this picture here? It’s because I had never heard of BJ’s before I deliver a load of products to them at one of their distribution centers. BJ’s is a regional Sam’s Club, one of those membership places where everything is sold in bulk. The BJ’s chain is located in the northeastern United States. One thing about driving a truck is that I learn something new every day.