A little time for some R & R

Tomo and Larry headed up to Wallula, Washington with a load of scrap paper/recycling material.   After getting the truck washed, took a few hours of R & R with Boss Larry's parents.  Thanks folks!

They sat for exactly 2 hours until Tomo got his dock and was able to get unloaded.  The unloading took less than 30 minutes. 

Our load was scrap paper that was going to be recylced!!!   It's going to get recycled and hello new paper!

The Boss's Truck!!

Took the truck through a truck wash. Shiny and ready for next adventure I suppose.....




Now at Larry's parents place for the night. Hoping to get our load info tomorrow morning and we will be back on the road.

Something is in the wind .....

Tomo and Larry delivered their load to Sears in two different locations.  Then had to make a pick up three miles doww the road, but it wasn't ready until the afternoon, so they had three hours to kill...... Tomo's day was up and so he was off to bed. 

The afternoon load:
Pickup: Idaho Falls ID
Deliver: Knoxville TN
* Dropping the trailer at Salt Lake City yard.
Commodity: Health&Beauty care products

                                                  Bed time!!! — at Dad's Truckstop.

                          That ain't no cloud..... It's real thick smoke...

                      (what looks like a) Forest fire in Pocatello ID.....

Next Load:
Pickup: SLC yard
Deliver: Wallula WA

 — at Dad's Truckstop.

Just for your information, these truckers are team driving, which means their truck rarely is stopped.  Basically for picking up or dropping loads, buying fuel and supplies to keep them nourished, and for shower and restroom stops!!  When Tomo is driving, Boss Larry is relaxing and sleeping in the back sleeper area.  Or visa versa.  If Tomo was to sit up front beside Larry, his own clock would be running as if he was on duty but not driving.  His hours of work would be ticking down.  That is one of the rules of the team driving situation with this company.  

**This is based on what I understood from Tomo, so.....if it is wrong, it is my misunderstanding and will correct false information as I am scolded! ; P

 

Going through Denver in rush hour

Larry and Tomo picked up a load in Denver and drove up to Ft. Collins, Colorado and stopped in to visit some friends for a few minutes before heading north to Rock Springs, Wyoming.  They are heading to Idaho Falls and will drop part of their load at the Sears on Thursday morning.  Then they will take the remaining part of the load to the Sears in Chubbuck, Idaho.  After that, they are to head back to Idaho Falls, and there they will be picking up a load bound for Tennessee.  However, this will be hauled to Salt Lake City, Utah and they will swap trailer loads with another driver.  The think there is going to be a load waiting for us at the yard that is headed towards the Seattle area.  As of now that is the plan. 

— at Flying J -- Rock Springs, Wyoming.

            

View Larger Map

A: Denver, Colorado -- pick up load  
            568 km / 353 mi
B: Rock Springs, Wyoming -- update and photo  
           418 km / 260 mi
C: Idaho Falls, Idaho -- drop 1/2 Sears load,   
           79.8 km / 49.6 mi
D: Chubbuck, Idaho -- drop 1/2 Sears load, 
           79.6 / 49.5 mi
E: Idaho Falls, Idaho -- drop load, pick up a load bound for Tennessee
           345 km / 214 mi
F: Salt Lake City, Utah -- trade off the Tennessee load for a load to ????   
           possibly the Seattle Area  
        1,352 km / 840 mi
G: Seattle, Washington

More of the road and some repairs....

Here is the TEAM!
(old photo, Tomo was the rookie in 2010)

Stop at the bookstore!!

Finished up Sunday morning meeting here just outside of Joplin MO. Nice to get to another meeting and meet new people again. 

Now time to go to bed for me and the truck will boogie up towards final destination, Indianapolis IN. — at Love's Truck Stop. 

June 24th in Joplin, Missouri 

Delivered our load with 1h to spare to our time limit. Haven't got info for our next load yet so we're all going to bed. 

First time in several days for me to go to sleep at a reasonable hour of the day;) — at Flying J. 

June 24th, 23:00 in  Indianapolis, Indiana

New day... Shift is changing for me from night to day. Just how its going to work for now with our hours. 


Next load info: 

#1
 Pickup: Mooresville, Indiana

Deliver: Mt Pleasant, Iowa 



Commodity: Excel products for Walmart

Next load info 

Peoria, Illinois

Delivered to Walmart Distribution center in Mt Pleasant, Iowa.  Once we get an empty trailer, we are off to Muscatine, Iowa for our next load.

— at Wal Mart Dc -- Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Pre-trip Trailer Inspection Discovery!! 

Two loose wheel lug nuts and one broken!

In for repairs!!! 

#2
 Pickup: Muscatine, Iowa 


Deliver: Denver, Colorado



Commodity: Office Furniture

Monday near Hazelwood, Indiana ·

Endless corn fields ..... if it ain't corn, it'll be soy!!

The Sleeper of Larry's dreams!!!  

Truck Driver's Prayer

Dear God Above, 


Bless this truck that I'm driving and help me keep someone alive.  
Be my mortal sight this day, on streets where little children play.  
Bless my helper fast asleep, when the night is long and deep. 
And keep my cargo safe and sound, through the hours big and round.
Make my judgement sound as steel, be my hands upon the wheel.  
Bless the traveler going past, and teach him not to go so fast.  
Give me strength for every trip, so I may care for what they ship.  
And make me mindful every mile, that life is just a little while.  
Amen


Trucker from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
found in a truck stop at Mary's Cafe in  Cairo, Illinois

Fed EX to Indianapolis!!

View Larger Map

A:  Los Angeles, California  

          Tomo driving 

Got loaded at FedEx yard LAX.
Headed out to Indianapolis IN.
— at Fedex LAX Hub.

B:  Lake Havasu City, Arizona  

          Larry driving

Shift is up. Changing drivers.

— at Pilot Truckstop, Lake Havasu, Az.

C:  Santa Rosa, New Mexico   

Ready to rock and roll

 —
at Love's Travel Center
(Santa Rosa, New Mexico).

          Tomo driving**** Currently driving 

D:  Joplin, Missouri   

          Larry driving

E:  Indianapolis, Indiana

Who would think there would be a traffic jam at......

Tomo's latest experience was driving through the Los Angeles area at 11:00 pm and heading for the L.A. International Airport area.  Their pick up was at the L.A. International Airport Hub of FEDEX.  

Well, even with a hour and a half to go about 65 km or 42 mi. that by all rights should take about 42 minutes.   WELL, with road construction, Friday night traffic and just the L.A. way of life, Tomo was about 40 minutes late for his pick up.  

View Larger Map

Got loaded at FedEx yard LAX.
Headed out to Indianapolis, IN. — at Fedex LAX Hub.

Pancakes and Fashion

Delivered the load and now breakfast time at fancy fancy iHop — with Larry P. Pendell at International House of Pancakes.    8 hours ago in Chino, CA · 

Trucker Tomo People dress up to go to IHOP down here, then there's me the hillbilly walking in, it was pretty funny haha

7 hours ago 

When YOU Team drive, the miles really fly!!

View Larger Map

Tomo arrived in Amarillo TX after a long night driving, with 8 minutes left on his 11 hour driving clock. After all that driving the order of business was shower, food, and bed!!!

Tomo was really excited to see this sign along the road!!

Garth Brooks Blvd in Yukon, OK.

YES!!!!!!   (The boy does like Country singers!)

Larry and Tomo had ‎500 miles to their destination, Chino CA. 


They thought that they might have a load for New Jersey on the East Coast, but that load seemed to fall apart and found out this morning. 

The load they thought they would get:

Pickup: Perris CA
Deliver: Belmont NJ

Commodity: ROSS store products.



HOWEVER!!!!


They were given another load, just in time, going to Indianapolis, Indiana instead of the New Jersey load.

So the boys picked up their next load,

Pickup: Los Angeles CA

Deliver: Indianapolis IN

Commodity:FedEx load

View Larger Map

Loving being on the Road Again!!

Dear Washingtonians,
How do you like these fuel prices!? —
at TA Truck Stop, Oklahoma City, Ok.

Passing through Indianapolis 

Wakee wakee... Time to go to work.
Started in Sullivan MO.
I'll be driving all the way to Chillicothe OH.
Should be there around Midnight PST.

Drop & Hook at customers location in Chillicothe OH at 05:00 EST.
No word about the next load yet.
Bed time!!!

News Flash

 Next load info:

Pick up: Grove City, OH

1st stop: Albuquerque, NM****

2nd stop: Chino, CA

Commodity: ?

Albuquerque stop was rescheduled for another time, 

so we are heading straight to Chino CA. 

Hope to be there by early morning on 22nd.

End of the first shift and Larry's turn

Tomo's first ride with Swift and Larry as the Boss. 

End of the first shift and Boss Larry's turn.  Tomo's off for some shut eye!

Update on the first trip !!!

View Larger Map

               A: Albuquerque, NM   Starting point

               B:  Amarillo, TX  

               C: Oklahoma City, OK  

               D:  Chillicothe, OH  Drop off point

Outside of Amarillo TX taking a break. Smell is little different down here. 

A little breeze, in the 70s, perfect condition.

Finally on the road and headed toward OK City

Well, Larry worked real hard to push through all the obstacles and Tomo has been cleared. This means that Tomo was issued a Owner Operator code and a fuel card that goes with it from the company.   So finally the boys are on the road.  Before heading out they had a quick meal. Tomo is driving the first shift tonight, they are heading to Oklahoma city.  Then Tomo will be switching with Larry and take his turn at sleeping.  Final destination is still Ohio, but not sure what they are carrying.  Must be a secret!

From behind the wheel

Tomo in the driver's seat!

Our boy (TOMO) is happy to be back behind the wheel and out on the open road again.  We hope for safe roads ahead!! 

Stumbling block number #2

Still in Albuquerque, New Mexico .... enjoying the sun ....
106.9 F (41.6 C) at 11:55 am?? pm??? not sure/ 

Well the new company called SWIFT may handle their freight swiftly but.... their processing of application and paper work ....  well that is another story!!  

As of Monday when the paperwork was suppose to be finished and ready to to .... did not clear as we hoped. This situation apparently goes up the chain of command a lot further than we were explained.  The office management has been so absolutely unorganized that it doesn't really look like anything is going to happen anytime soon. 

Since Tomo and his boss Larry are the positive thinkers and had high hopes for a speedy process, but it turned out to be a big dope slap in both of our faces and a good kick in the rears.  Larry has been much more bent out of shape than me. They have really been pushing his limits alright. 

Well, let's see how thing pan out. 

My NEW Ride, Actually the BOSS's!!!

Once Tomo's papers clear and he gets a correct driver's code on Monday, they're (Boss Larry and driver Tomo) heading to Chillicothe, Ohio. Hauling what I don't know. We have to pick up the load here in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

Larry's ride
2010 International ProStar

101.7 F  Albuquerque NM Sunday afternoon.
(38.7 C for those in the metric system) 

On to the NEXT ADVENTURE!!!!

Well, Tomo's bags are pack and ready to hit the road.  Here Tomo is on his way to the Sea Tac Airport with his treasures!!  He said 'Packed up, bound for Albuquerque NM in the morning. Got 2 duffle bags on the side too....'

Off to Albuquerque we go.

 — at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Tomo flew from Seattle to San Fransisco and then on to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Long time no see, San Francisco..  

Switching birds and off to the Newer Mehico (Mexico)— at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Tomo has arrived in New Mehico (MEXICO)!! That's where his boss is and Tomo is going to jump in the truck with him and start team trucking from here on.