Blind side backing

I get to do this a couple of times a month so I have gotten pretty good at judging when to cut my wheels to get it in.

columbia at 324,000 miles

Here is a little video. For a Freighliner it's holding up ok.

2007 Freightliner Columbia Revisited

The truck is doing pretty good for the miles, it helps that I am the only driver it has had. No problems with the interior and I have not even had to replace a bulb yet either in the dash or outside.

The bumper seems to want to rust out but I suspect this will be repainted sometime before winter and that should get us through to the end of the lease. We are halfway there already.

Colin Hay playing Land Down Under with Rode NT3

If you have not heard this song since the 80's you may appreciate a stripped down accoustic version, I know I do.

Trucking can Really Suck

The week started off well enough. I left on Sunday with 9 stops taking me all the way to Portland Maine, but something went terribly wrong on the way there. I ended up in the Emergency Room in Batavia, New York on Tuesday evening is what. It started with a headache Sunday night and built into an all out nail biting, teeth gnashing, eye popping spectacle. I thought I might just drop dead my head was pounding so bad by the time I got to the Flying J in Corfu at X48A. I had wanted to get a shower but that was a non-starter when I didn't have it in me to get out of the truck. So after 3 Ibuprofen I managed to get in a short nap and awoke to still more pounding and sweating from a fever now as well. It was then that I figured before the pills wear off I had better get this looked at, I was getting worried at this point. Dropped the trailer and bob-tailed it to the Hospital and checked in to the ER. After a short interview they put a mask on me, can't be too careful what with the deadly swine flu about. I did have a fever and other symptoms as well as having traveled recently. In the end after an MRI, much blood work, and nasal swabs for Influenza I was diagnosed with a Sinus Infection. Worst pain I have ever had in my life over a sustained amount of time. I got some medicine and some prescriptions and after about 30 hours the headache lifted but I went nowhere on Wednesday. I just layed in the truck wishing I were somewhere, anywhere else than at the Flying J. Trucking can really suck sometimes. But when your sick and away from home it REALLY SUCKS. I made it home finaly and am staying put until I am feeling fit before heading back out.

Trkrjim Into the Wild Blue and Yonder, complete

Toughest Truck I Have Ever Seen

This must be the roughest toughest truck I have ever seen. I came across this in Webster City, Iowa. This beast can do it all.

More Skydiving Pictures

Trkrjim- Into the Wild Blue and Yonder

This is the video that Doc John made of my skydive. When I get the dvd it will have more footage and a lot of stills so I should be able to make a nice high resolution video from it. I can't even begin to tell you how much fun this was, You're going to have to try it for yourself. Just invite me if you go. I can't wait to get in that door again, and soon.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Trkrjim!!!

I will have the video next week to share of my skydiving adventure but in the meantime here are a few pictures. I went out the door at 13,500 ft at Paradise Skydives over Vinton, Iowa on Saturday May 2, 2009. Most intense experience of my life so far, kneeling in the door. You will have to wait for the video to see that. My instructor Ken Reed was awsome in every way. I highly recomend this to anyone, give it a try. But watch that first step.
Didn't do it alone, went with Ken (aka whitelinesblueskies) and his wife and her sister.

Slowpokes Holding up Traffic

I caught up to these Slowpokes just south of Waterloo Iowa last week. It took a few minutes to work itself out and then I was back operating at the speed limit again. 70MPH

Last of the God's Country Pictures

I had trouble uploading these last week and then I caught a nasty cold that shut me down for a few days but here they are.

Great Salt Lake Desert near Wendover, UT

100 Miles of Nothing

Elk Mountain Wyoming

It's all down hill from here. From the top of Sherman Pass between Laramie and Cheyenne, Wy

I Remember Being Thrilled to Drive These

I drove a lot of Cabovers in the early years, mostly Internationals but a few Freighliners along the way. Visability is awful out of these Freightliners. The dash is higher than the windshield on the passenger side so that obscures the view ahead some ontop of pretty small windows to begin with. It's all what your used to though, these trucks were just as safe as the drivers in them. Maybe we will see a come back of the cabover style in the future but I wouldn't count on it. This truck is a 1990's model and is still working around Oakland, California which is where I spotted it last week.

Big Rubber 24.5 size tires

Later Freighliner models (pre Argosy) had the steps in front of the steer axle.

Showing off in Fresno

A little tight backing in Fresno to start the day does a body good. I don't think you can see in the picture too well but there is a building across from me and I didn't want to block the street either.

Arizona California and Western

Saturday- Drive all day. North Liberty, Iowa to Meade, Kansas

Sunday- Drive all day. Meade, Kansas to Winslow, Arizona

Monday- 2 Drops in Phoenix and drive to California and make 2 more drops, Foothill Ranch and Anaheim.

Tuesday- Drop Gardena, Bell Gardens and Buena Park. Also make a small pickup in Signal Hill.

As of Tuesday night I am sitting in Fresno. I have a drop here and then up to Stockton and over to Oakland to final out.

Some pictures from the trip out. I have been running east every week for six months straight, I almost missed this scenery.

Welcome to California

Tolleson Arizona

I40 New Mexico

I40

Can you still remember the words to the song?