To Texas or not

I got back from my trip to LA with Mick what a great trip that was and what a nice guy Mick is, I have been chatting to him and Cath for a while on the Internet and you never know what a guy is like until you spend a week with him (poor Cath) lol but Mick is a very likable guy we had a lot of fun and loads of banter between us. One night we were having such a laugh it was about 1.45am when we said good night we were going to take a couple of pics the next morning that would of made a few people laugh but I was knackered because the northern twat kept me awake lololol. I wish we did take the pics now but never mind.
Well we got back to the yard Mick got his stuff out of the truck and went back to the hotel I went upstairs to pick up my paper work and ace for Texas it was a bond load for Mexico. I had to go into the Canadian side at the border to drop off paper work then the American side but no meat inspection I drove as far as I could in my time then had a good day the next day (Sunday). I left Denver Monday morning to drive down to Amarillo to fuel up when the macro machine in the cab beeped telling me I had to swap loads (I bet you can't guess all the words I screamed) I miss read the message so after having a fit on them and throwing all my toys out of the window (I lost nearly $500 by swapping loads) I stopped and read the message again it turns out the reason I was given the job was because they thought I still had Mick with me and the job needed a team on it not a single driver its just one of those things, no-ones fault mistakes happen, so after watching a couple of films the team turned up and we swapped trailers. I got as far as Dodge City Kansas I am on my way to Tulsa Oklahoma (oh well at least I can tick Kansas off my list of States that I have been to). I have been given a pre plan for my reload which is Denton Texas which is just above Dallas I know the place because its where me and Lyndon got our reload when I was on my mentor trip and its going to Kelowna the best place in Canada. Looks like the job is going to turn out OK after all! Then when I get back to the yard it will be time to empty all my stuff out of the truck then catch a plane home to England. I am going home for a month to see my family I have been away from them for 4 months, it's been tough and now and its time for a break. I'll not stay away from them this long again it will be every 3 months then home for 2 weeks.

I 15 North bound closed for 3 hours here is a pic of my truck in truck park

Parked up in the flying J in Ogden Utah

Pics of Las Vegas

My trip last week to California

Our trip to LA

H&R yard Edmonton

H&R yard Calgary

The Los Angeles drop

The picture below shows the position of where our truck had to be at the delivery in LA, you can see how far the truck sticks out thats why we had to drop it. I know this is not my truck mine is red not purple.



This second picture shows how far the trailer sticks out on to the side walk when the truck is away from the trailer

H&R yard Letbridge

Trip so far with Mick

I have been chatting to Mick on the Internet and skype for many months now he passed his test the other day and was going out with Lyndon on his mentor trip but Lyndon was having a week off at Christmas with his family. so I said to Mick if he wanted to come with me I'd ask, all was ok so a its a trip down to Los Angeles. We picked up the trailer from the yard, fueled up scaled then set off for the border. I was driving and that's when I found out they had turned down my speed limit (see other post). We got down to the border and had to get an i-94 for Mick and had to renew my one as it was running out. We then went to meat inspection and found out it didn't open until 4 pm so we had a couple of hours to wait. Hank was there, a Dutch driver, so he got in and had a chat with us. The weather was bad the roads were covered in snow and it was getting dark so it was unfair to ask Mick to drive so I drove down to Dillon Montana. The next day Mick drove the truck we stopped a couple of times to have a pee and get a drink but we were pushed for time all the way down. I think Mick was a bit worried about backing the truck on the bay but I told him he had to do it otherwise how would he learn! When we did get to Los Angeles I took one look at the bay and offered to back it on for him but he said he would give it ago. You had to back up hill over 2 lanes full of traffic i just think there was too many cars waiting for him to get it in place so I took over from him and done it myself which made the car drivers happy(lol). We had to do a drop and swap in Long Beech when we got there everything was done for us even the faxing with pars sticker WOW saves loads of time UNTIL we picked up the trailer the lazy driver drove with a bold tyre so I know how George (The Big Trip) feels! We had to take the truck to a tyre place about 6 miles away on Christmas eve WOW thanks driver! After the tyre was sorted we were on our merry way (not)!! Because of the drive down we needed a long sleep so we called it a night at Barstow we stayed at the Flying J (who have filed for bankruptcy in the courts) we got a free meal from Volvo trucks and when I went to use my card to get a shower I had none left so the guy gave me a free shower coz it's xmas, then with a bit of English cheek I asked if he had another for my co driver which he did lol. We went to bed early (before I get any comments I've got 2 beds in here lol)we both slept very well and woke up about 6am. We then made our way to Las Vegas and stopped for breakfast I took a couple of pics, as we drove the i-15 goes by so close to the Vegas strip you can see most of the famous casino's. I am writing this blog while Mick is driving we have just left Nevada then crossed a small bit of Arizona then into Utah now we have the wipers on because its snowing. Merry Christmas everyone :-)

Not a happy bunny

I have driven this truck for the last 3 months and loved every bit of it I was even offered a Cascadia but said no because this truck is great (just a bit cold). Until this trip, it went in the workshop to turn off the idle cut off. While it was there they turned it down 4 mph to save the planet NOW I HATE DRIVING THIS TRUCK and before you say another whinger let me tell you what it has done. It has problems getting into 12 gear so you have to turn it to manual to put it into top gear then when you put it back into automatic it changes back down because there's not enough revs to keep it there so some of the trip I spent time mucking about with the gears which made the whole trip horrible. As you could tell from my blogs before this trip I have had a good time but not now. I set my sat nav every time so I know my average speed and time, most trips I have done have been about 59-61 mph over 11 hours driving is not too bad but because they have turned it down it struggles up the hills a lot longer which overall gives you a slower average speed this time when I looked at my sat nav my average speed for the trip was 54 miles an hour you times that by 11 and that's how many miles you lose. All my trips before this I stuck it on cruise control and sat back and enjoyed the trip it went up the hills not to bad I was over taking trucks on hills and the flat but not anymore. This job has gone from a really good fun job to a nightmare just for the sake of 4 mph and to put the icing on the cake a brand new H&R Cascadia pissed past me as if I was stopped!!!! Within about 10 minutes the lady driver was out of view!! You know when you are enjoying yourself and having fun then someone does something to stop that well I think this is what they have done. You read things about saving the planet but if I have to drive along in 11 gear and struggle up the hills for long and pump more smoke in to the air then how does that help the planet?!? When you turn a truck down by 4mph and there is one hell of a difference in how you drive the truck then something has to change but it won't so I will just have to get used to driving in 11th gear until I get fed up and call it a day and people who know me well know I get fed up quick! This job is so easy and fun but when you have to keep flicking from manual to automatic then it becomes harder and less enjoyable my friends and family and other drivers who want to come over here to work ask me how easy is it to drive for so long and so many miles I tell them when you are driving on cruise control and enjoying the views time goes by and you lose all track of time but this trip has not been enjoyable. I have a new driver with me who's been doing most of the driving & even he says how gutless the truck is going up hill. I knew they were going to cut it back but this is shocking now how the truck drives.

Just a couple of pics of my trip with Mick

California and back

I have just been down to Tracy in California. The trip was was OK until I got to Idaho falls then the snow came down and all the twat car drivers started to drive off road backwards, in less than 5 miles there was 6 accidents 3 with trucks involved. The route we take took me down US 93 from Twin Falls Idaho to Wells Nevada I thought when I get to Nevada the snow would stop but it didn't! I had the snow all the way to my stop at a place called Winnemucca. I stopped in the Flying J for the night I was really looking forward to the buffet there but no such luck there are quite a few Flying J's that don't do the buffet. The next morning I set off for Reno Nevada to fuel up. While I was there I had a shower and brought my 12v under blanket for my truck I brought the 42" wide one then carried on till I got to Tracy CA. I booked in even tho I was 12 hours early the guy said I would have to wait until my booking time. Needed to go to a walmart and brought a thick mattress pad to go over the top of my under blanket. I couldn't wait to strip my bed off and fit the under blanket and mattress pad wow it works great the only problem I have had is in the last 2 days when I woke up it was so nice and warm in bed I said sod it and went back to sleep lol. After I tipped out I got a message to go to a place called Delano CA I had 3 collections I thought hope I get loaded quicker than I did when I was in Arizona. Well as soon as I turned up they told me to back on the door I was loaded with all my paper work and closing my doors in less than 30 minutes wow great then off to pic no 2 the same thing on off bay with load and paper work in less than 30 mins great and the sun was shining I looked at my 3rd pic typed in the address in my sat nav no luck what a bum so I turned on my laptop and looked at my streets & trips and found the rd but it was not where H&R told me! They were given the wrong area but it was right next to the place they told me so I put the right address in my sat nav and there it was so off I went but on route I asked the nice lady on the American side if she could check the address because I am sure it should be in Bakersfield and not Lamont I was expecting a message back telling me to ring them myself but this nice lady sent a message back saying she had just rang them and they told her what I said it comes under Bakersfield not Lamont she also said she would get it changed so the next driver would know where it was. It makes a nice change for someone in dispatch to help you out I normally get told to buy a map or ring them myself. On route I thought 2 pics were fast I can't see it being third time lucky. I got to the place very easy (it is when you have a sat nav) I went in and booked in the woman told me to back on the bay and that I was picking up 12 pallets I thought while I get loaded I can sort out my route back to the yard but I went in to the loading bay to take off my loading bars and I saw 4 fork lifts waiting to load me I was loaded in less than 5 minutes each fork lift had 2 pallets each I could not believe my luck I had 3 collections on and an hours drive between 2 picks the whole lot took less than 3 hours wow what a lucky boy lol. I had more than enough fuel to get me to Barstow CA so off I headed to Barstow on the way loads of truck drivers coming the other way told me there was a 15 mile traffic jam ahead (shit) but nothing I could do I needed to get fuel from Barstow so I carried on then I joined the queue. while I was sat there I got bored and started to play about with my sat nav when I zoomed out I could see another rd running down the side of the rd I was on. I told the guy next to me and asked if I could change lanes If he followed me then we could get around the jam but nooooo he stayed in the jam I came off the next junction and followed this other route which turned out to be the old route before they put the bypass in. I got right to the front of the queue and spoke to a driver on the CB he said he has lost over 2 hours, so the back route worked lol. I parked at the Flying J in Barstow went in and had my shower and buffet meal the waitress loved my accent and asked if I was married and she wanted to take me home with her so did the lady who took my money for the meal..... blimey these American Lady's don't beat about the bush they just came out with it just like that lol. The next day I drove across the bridge to the pilot to fuel up I got on the pumps and my card would not read in the machine so I had to go inside and the queue was big so I waited and waited and waited in the end I said sod it and drove off! I looked at my fuel gauge I had enough to get me to Las Vegas on route I stopped and faxed my paperwork to the broker what a waste of time that was. I fuelled up in Vegas then headed north to a place called Perry, Utah. Stayed there the night then looked at my streets and trips from there it was 700 miles to Lethbridge 630 miles to the border if I had no hold ups and got to the border in less than 11 hours driving I could make it back to the yard because as soon as you get to the border you can switch to Canadian rules which meant I could drive on for another 2 hours. So I went for it I stopped at Idaho Falls for fuel but that stop was only 15 mins then off I went and made it to the border with 20 minutes to spare but when I got to the border my pars was not cleared they had lost my fax so I had a nice walk in the cold to the brokers office to fax the lot again (my fault I should of rang) so 2 hours of mucking about at the border and a few phone calls later I was on my way. I did ring the night staff at H&R and was told by a lady there it was my problem and I had to deal with it because she was busy (nice to know there is someone there to help you when you have a problem) what goes around comes around I will remember that for when she asks me for something. I dropped the trailer in the yard and I am parked in the truck area behind Tim Horton's not far from the casino the reason I am parked here is because I can get the Internet for free. When the truck has warmed up I am going to book myself in the Sandman tonight because I am meeting 2 very nice looking ladies for a drink..... calm down lol its 2 wives of drivers I know and we are just meeting up before Christmas just to say hi. I don't know what my next trip will be but i asked for a long one because I will be out over Christmas and new year I think this will be my last trip before I go home for a month in Jan. I have not had a hug or kiss from my daughter in 4 months I can't wait. While I am home I will keep updating my blog. When I get to my house my daughter Jenny will film me when my wife opens the front door so you can all see how mental my dog goes when she sees me, that's Sasha by the way not Dee lol!

A bit about me

I don't know why I am telling people this about me but maybe if people know then they might understand why I like to be on my own. I have 2 brothers and a sister, when I was very young my mum couldn't cope with all of us so one had to go and that was me! I was first put into a horrible foster home when I was about 4 then I was put into a boarding school at the age of 5. One day my dad called into the school in his truck to see me I was really happy to see him (what 5 year old wouldn't be happy)! He gave me two bag of sweets and then left. I started to cry so 2 older boys gave me a beating, stole my sweets and promised another beating should I cry again like a baby. So after that I built up barriers. I kept myself to myself finding a more private place to cry to stop another beating! This went on for many years the barriers I built up around me kept me safe but it also made it hard for me to make friends as getting close means breaking down the barriers! So lets put the violins away now.......

When I came to work for H&R I kept myself to myself (as i have my whole life). I have made a few chosen friends here but I still like to be on my own at times. I have also found that I've learn' t a lot about people over the years and prefer to quietly suss them out and let them get on with it rather than me joining in. So hopefully you will now understand when I tell you how pissed off I was feeling today when I got a phone call from Steve.

Steve had a phone call from a drivers wife saying that H&R had lied to them at there interview and that they had also lied to me, she used my name! Steve rang me to ask me what lies did H&R tell me. I said I didn't know what the hell he was on about. He then explained what this woman had told him.....it was total crap what she said! At first he wouldn't give me names but in the end he did tell me, then the penny dropped, I told him what was said.

When I started with H&R there were 2 other guys starting the same time as me both married and with their wives. I met one couple because they were on the same plane as me and they are a really nice couple. The other couple we met the next day, they came over to us and as soon as he started to speak my built in twat detector started to beep lol!! All they were doing was slagging off H&R saying how they lied to them at the interview (reading between the lines I think they wanted to be met at the airport with a band playing and a red carpet with rose petals on) All I said was that everything H&R told me at the interview had come true so it was not fair for me to make a comment about their interview. By this time my built in twat detector (and barriers) was going off big time so I said I had something important to do and left them to it. I did bump into the guy a few times because we did the training at the same time and all he did was moan about H&R. I did feel like telling him where to go but it was easy just to give him a wide berth. No more was ever said about the interviews so I was surprised at what Steve said on the phone but he knows how happy I am here (except the cold truck)! The good thing is what I said was said in front of the other couple so they'd be able to back me up. But just for the record everything that was told to me at the interview has been 100% spot on. But it made me fuming! Because this spineless driver (who gets his wife to fight his battles) can't make it work over here they drag someone else into their fight. For some reason he is not earning the money (maybe he should get his wife to drive)! Well from what I know about the guy he is just not the type to make it here or anywhere he will be gone soon. From day one he wanted to leave I'm actually surprised he's still here. As far as money goes I picked up my wage slip today I have been here 4 months now 1month was training so for just 9 weeks I have grossed a few dollars short of $13,000 so I am doing OK and when I take the hand brake off I should earn some more lol. Now maybe you can understand why I want to be on my own I have not spoken to this couple for nearly 3 months but they use my name like that!

As for working for H&R it is a very good job I've got a 2007 truck I have seen some fantastic sights and I have earned some good money. The only moan I have had was how cold the truck got but they are now taking the idle cut out off the trucks so when it get very cold we can idle the trucks to keep warm.

There are 2 types of people in this world.... there's the go getter's and everyone else. So please if anyone else want's to moan about H&R fine, thats up to you but leave me out of it, if I've got anything to say to H&R I'll do it myself thankyou very much just leave me, to go get and you just get going (pref back to the uk)!!

About the last post

I removed the last post because my blog has nothing to do with H&R. I was in a very bad mood because the truck gets very cold but I have spoken to H&R about it. We all get angry and say things we don't mean. An ex H&R driver told me I have to adapt to the cold conditions I am sat in my bed now with my heated under blanket so I am learning quick.

The old London bridge

In 1962, London Bridge was falling down. Built in 1831, the bridge couldn't handle the ever-increasing flow of traffic across the Thames River. The British government decided to put the bridge up for sale, and Robert McCulloch, Founder of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Chairman of McCulloch Oil Corporation, submitted the winning bid of $2,460,000. The bridge was dismantled, and each stone was numbered. Everything was shipped 10,000 miles to Long Beach, California, and then trucked to Lake Havasu City. Reconstruction began on September 23, 1968, with a ceremony including the Lord Mayor of London, who laid the cornerstone. On October 10, 1971, the bridge was dedicated. London Bridge crosses a narrow boating channel that connects with Thompson Bay on the Arizona side of Lake Havasu. Prior to the arrival of London Bridge, the land upon which the bridge was placed was a peninsula. A large dredge was used to carve a one-mile channel, removing over two million cubic yards of rock and earth in the construction phase. Water was then diverted from the lake, under the bridge and then back into the lake through Thompson Bay.

Driving in a white out

This is not fog the snow over this side of Canada is like a fine powder so when the wind picks up it blows it every where and you can't see bugger all, some of the time I was down to about 10mph

Not a very nice sight

These pics were taken just after I crossed the border back into Canada at a place called Warner Alberta

Butte Montana the next morning

My dream home

What a beautiful house