The first year of trucking is winding down now....

The first year of traveling with Trucker Tomo has been a full year of experiences and they continue to come.  The latest was pulling up to the pump to fuel up and losing the fuel pump all together.  Not really nice to block a pump until the tow truck could come to get the big wheels out of the way.  Then Tomo had to wait for another rig to be brought down and swap the trailer to the 'new' truck.... hahaha.  Well that night he found himself in a motel and slept really well.  Stuck in Mile City, Montana

In the last edition of Traveling with Trucker Tomo, we left you with the fish hatchery in Calgary and then(09/23 Calgary AB - Oyen  AB - Moose Jaw, SK  hay load) in Oyen, Alberta with the Hutterites.  It has been a busy month as we look back at the road log for Tomo's last month.  Unfortunately things here in Japan have been a bit hectic and the blog has been on hold.  Will try now to bring you up to date.  Unfortunately the Traveling Trucker hasn't been in the mood to take any photos so.... this will be a bit wordy.  

09/24-26 

Moose Jaw, SK - Bismarck, ND - Minot ND - Saskatoon, SK - 

Then to Allan, SK - Colonsay, SK 

Tomo took and swapped a hay load for a load of fiber glass insulation and head to Saskatoon.  While up in Saskatoon, Tomo was able to visit our friends Phil and Barb and spend the night.  This load was headed up to two different potash mines, one in Allan, SK and then on to Colonsay, SK and then on to picked up a load of hay in Belle Plaine, SK. 

09/27 - 28th

Belle Plaine, SK - Moose Jaw SK - Fargo ND 

Tomo took the load of hay down to Fargo, North Dakota via Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  In Fargo he swapped trailers with another driver and he received a load of elevator parts.

09/28 

Fargo North Dakota - Saskatoon SK 

Tomo headed up to Saskatoon with the load of elevator parts.  He went to Wednesday Gospels Mtg in Saskatoon, had dinner with some of the kids from the area including Nathan Lewis. He spent the night with our friends again.

09/29 - 9/30 - 10/01  

Saskatoon, SK - Delta, BC

Tomo dropped part of this load in Saskatoon.  After leaving Saskatoon at noon, Tomo drove hard and fast to Delta, BC.  He arrived at Delta on Saturday morning and dropped his load.  

10/01

Delta BC - Granite Falls WA

Tomo left Delta and drove back to Granite Falls, Washington for the weekend off.  

10/04

Granite Falls WA - Renton WA - Ritzville WA 

After a nice weekend in Granite Falls, Tomo drove down to Renton and picked up a load of thermal underwear with for Costco with another driver, Doug and they drove across the State, and finally shut down in Ritzville for the night.

10/05 

Ritzville WA - Declo ID 

On the 5th they headed down to Salt Lake City, Utah.

10/06 

Declo ID - SLC UT - Yard

They made it to Declo, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah and then headed back to the yard.  In Salt Lake City they picked up  a load of non hazmat chemical bound for the north.  

10/07 

Yard

Arrived at the yard and sat there all day and night.

10/08 

Yard - Coutts AB

Tomo left for Canada and got to Coutts, Alberta - the border crossing.  At this point Tomo's truck had a full inspection and was shut down on with a level 1 (the top shutdown).  This was the Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and so no hope to have a mechanic come out on this weekend. 

10/09 

Coutts AB

Tomo was stuck waiting to get towed out at the border. 

10/10 

Coutts AB - yard - Nisku AB

Tomo got towed back to yard.  He was then put into a different truck and was give a load of concrete to take up to Alberta. 

10/11 - 10/12 

Nisku AB - Sweetgrass MT - Saskatoon SK

Tomo dropped the load of concrete in Nisku,Alberta, then deadheaded down to the border at Sweet Grass, and swapped trailers for a load of soy milk bound for Saskatoon and 2 locations in Winnipeg.

10/12 - 10/13  

Saskatoon SK - Winnipeg MB

Tomo dropped the Saskatoon portion first thing in the morning.  Tomo then stopped by for a visit with Phil at his office,  that was just around the corner.  Tomo had his 10 hour down time and then headed to Winnipeg for a 2 am and 6 am appointment on 13th.

10/13 

Winnipeg MB - Fargo ND

After dropping his load in Winnipeg did his 10 hour down time and then deadheaded down to Fargo, North Dakota.

10/14 

Fargo ND - Mendota MN

Tomo was then told to deadhead to Mendota, Minnesota to pick up a load first thing in the morning on 15th. 

10/15 

Mendota, MN - Moose Jaw SK

Tomo picked up a load of granite counter top material bound for Calgary, Alberta.

10/16 

Moose Jaw SK - Calgary AB

Tomo met up with his buddy driver, Doug at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, then they rolled together up to Calgary.

10/17 Calgary AB - yard

Tomo had breakfast with buddy driver, Doug, then delivered his load and deadheaded down to yard.

10/18 

Yard - Edmonton AB

Tomo picked up a load of anti-foam chemicals from the yard bound for Edmonton, Alberta.

10/19 

Edmonton AB - Seba Beach AB - Calgary AB

Tomo delivered load of chemical, then picked up load of peat moss and headed south to shut down in Calgary.

10/20 

Calgary AB - yard

Tomo headed back to the yard and they had some work to do on it.  He had the weekend off and went to visit his friends, Shaun and Emily for the weekend

10/24 

Yard - Powell WY - Worland WY 

Tomo's truck was repaired and he headed south, took the load of peat moss that he had brought down from Seba Beach on 20th, on to two location in Wyoming.  He had a day to sit in Worland, Wyoming.

10/25 

Worland WY - Colony WY - Miles City MT

Tomo left Worland and went through a nasty snow on the way to Buffalo, Wyoming on HWY 16. He picked up a load of cat litter in Colony that was bound for Algona, Washington but his truck broke down in Miles City, Montana. 

10/26 - 10/27 - 10/28 

Miles City MT - Spokane WA - Algona WA

Tomo waited at Miles City for the tow truck to tow in a replacement truck. Tomo was able to go to Wednesday night Gospel Meeting in Miles City, Montana because the meeting was 500 yd away from truck stop. After meeting, Tomo  started towards Washington. He got into Spokane at 7:30 am and stopped by at   Bob and Shirley's place for breakfast. That evening, Tomo was able together with Devin and Diana and her roommate Rachelle from Chelan.  We had dinner together and spent the evening together, then I took off at midnight for Algona, Washington.

10/28 

Algona WA - Everett WA - Granite Falls WA

Tomo delivered the load of cat litter and went up to Everett.  Tomo picked up a  load of mirrors, then moved over to Granite Falls and spent the night with Jeff and Bonnita.  

10/29 

Granite Falls WA - yard

Tomo headed out of Granite Falls, Washington for the yard in Montana.  He stopped in Cheney for a short visit/dinner at Shaun and Sandy. 

10/30 

Yard - Calgary AB 

Tomo picked up another load of concrete and headed up to Calgary and then on to Grande Prairie, Alberta. Tomo stopped in Great Falls for Gospel meeting. He wasn't able to get the morning meeting because of waiting for a swapping situation.