DATELINE: VANDALIA, OH, 8:30 p.m. EST
Miles Today: 573
Another terrific start to the day. I awoke earlier than planned--around 4:45--and again couldn't get back to sleep. So I decided just to get up and get moving. After showering, I got ready to go. I started the truck, did my pre-trip inspection, got in, put it in gear, and it stalled.
It did so because, as I figured out later, one (or more) of the trailer brakes was frozen, thus putting too much strain on the engine when the transmission engaged (the frozen brake plus a 45,000-pound load in my trailer). That wasn't the real problem, though. When I turned the key to re-start the engine, all I got was the rapid clicking indicative of a dead battery. AAARGH!
Fortunately, I was at a TA, a chain with which USA Truck contracts to fix its trucks on the road. So after conferring with USA's breakdown department via phone to get their OK, I walked over to the shop to get some help. They drove their road service truck over to where I was parked to jump start my truck. That didn't work at all for a few attempts, so the tech took a look under the hood. Eventually he determined that the truck had a loose ignition wire, so he tightened that back up. Yada yada yada, got the stuck brake released, and I was on my way after about an hour's delay.
Lots of fog during the drive this morning, but the sun eventually broke through and it was a nice, bright, sunny day, though cold. I stopped in Effingham, IL for lunch (Popeye's chicken at the TA there) and fuel (at the Pilot a couple miles further down the highway), but otherwise just kept moving all day. After 10 hours of driving, I arrived here at the Vandalia terminal. I'm spending the night here for my requisite 10-hour break, then I'll drive as far as I can in my allotted hours tomorrow toward my MA destination. Hopefully I'll stay ahead of the weather system that's moving this-a-way, but it's forecast to catch up to me in the northeast on Sunday. So I need to have as few miles to drive that day as possible. (Reminder, my delivery is set for 6:30 Monday morning.)
That's all the news to report today. Thanks for taking a peek. Drop me a line so I know I have a fan base out there, and keep on truckin'.
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1 comment:
Well, you didn't miss much--the concert was cancelled (by the University) due to the snow. Weather was pretty bad here in Michigan Saturday night/early Sunday, then it finally stopped snowing. I suppose a big semi doesn't have too much trouble with getting through the snow!
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