2nd part of trip

When I got to Butler I was told I had to wait for my trailer to be tipped so I just turned on my TV and watched a couple of DVDs. Then I got a macro telling me to get my trailer washed as I was loading pizzas from a place called Little Chute but by the time my trailer was empty I was out of time so I would have to drive 30 miles south in the morning and then come back past Butler but when i spoke to the night shunter he told me he would wash it for $20 so I got the OK from H&R they were very happy with that so was I! I paid the man and he brought my trailer to me all washed then I spent the night just outside the place.
While I was waiting for my trailer to be emptied I drove to the main gate and asked if there was anywhere to get something to eat the lady told me where the Mac D's and Burger King was I thought great more bloody chips and burgers! I was driving down the main rd just outside the meat plant when I saw a sign saying Butler cafe so I spun around and parked outside I popped in and asked if they was still open and they where so I put some money in the parking meter. It was the best food I have eaten since I have been over here and very cheap with the meal came a pudding but I was so full I turned it down lol (no comments please Lyndon lol). The place was called Butler Cafe so if you are ever that way its well worth it. The next day I left Butler at 4am I got to Little Chute about 5.45am was told to sod off until 6am Monday morning so off around to the truck stop to ring H&R. After a couple of hours drinking coffee was told to go to a place called Wenona in Illinois to swap trailers and take it to Brampton Ontario much better than sitting about for 2 days lol. I got to Wenona to find a note on the door saying which trailer and where my notes were I done a quick drop and swap then checked my Streets & trips to see where I could go for the night would you believe it I had enough time to get to the TA truck stop at Gary Indiana, what a joke that place is. There was about 150 trucks there and 2 showers working, the food was rubbish my main course came before my starters and it was so small I even told the lady I ordered a meal and not a sample which she didn't understand! After I faxed my notes to the broker I told the lady that I have been all over Europe and America and loads of places in Canada and that this truck stop was the worst one I have been to she said she was sorry to hear that at which point I said as long as I have a hole in my butt I will never eat in there again. Then by some fluke the guy said if I wanted a shower he would let me in how could I turn down a nice hot shower, I hate going to bed with betty swollocks lol. The worst was yet to come and unlike my mate George when I get into bed I am asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow, the fridge dont keep me awake. Well at 1am I get a knock at my door and there was this dumb woman begging for money I told her to get stuffed. That really pissed me off I had a job to get back to sleep (I know how you feel now George lol ). Next day it was a nice drive to the border I stopped at Wal-Mart to get some pepsi and I walked over to a store called best buy where I spent $85 dollers on a wifi booster so far it has worked well I will let you know more about it once I have given it good a test.

2 days off

Wow didn't I need them days off I just sat in my truck but it was nice to unwind. My next job was to a place called Butler in Wisconsin. I picked up a trailer from the Calgary yard and had to call into Lethbridge on the way to the border to pick up my ace. I lost a lot of time doing that and waiting at the border then it was off to meat inspection got another skip lol. I looked at the route they planned and there was a big hole when it came to Montana so I chose the quickest route not the shortest (only by 16 miles)but by god wasn't it a lot faster and a much better route than the last time they sent me this way. I can never understand the logic in sending a semi and trailer along route 2, all the starting and stopping you do burns up more fuel than if you were going at a steady pace. The route I went on cut out about an hour of stopping at lights and prat car drivers and no small towns to go through. Anyway I went down to Great Falls Montana then across the 87 until it went to the 200 then I stopped the night at a place called Jordon I never had anything to eat all day and I was hungry. As I was getting close to Jordon I did wonder what sort of place it was and if there was anywhere to get anything to eat. As you come into Jordon there is a tight left bend so you have to really slow down and just on that bend was a transport cafe. Wow what luck, the grub was really good and cheap and you could park there the night. In the morning I had to get fuel so off to Beech North Dakota to fuel up. On the way I went round a bend and found a big group of baby deer and 2 adult deer (what's a group of deer? Unsure but I think it's a flock). They were standing by the road, the truck scared the babies but not the adult ones. When I looked back at them they just stood there, it seemed like the adult deer was showing the babies how to cross the road lol. It made my day they looked beautiful, I know Dee would of loved to have seen that. I got up to the I 94 and then everything was covered in snow. It was really slow so I took it easy up to Beech. I went onto the pumps filled up then parked up like I normally do after about 3-4 hours driving in the morning for breakfast. I was told the I 94 had been shut because of the weather so I went and did my washing. When I got back to my truck a couple of drivers started to pull out so I called them on the CB they said the I 94 wasn't shut but it will be soon so I went with them. It was hard going. There were some really slow trucks, as we went past one of them he was being blown side ways. I called him on the CB and said he should stop, he couldn't go on like that he was empty and the wind was very strong but he said he was fine. About 5 minutes later it came over the CB that a truck we had just passed was blown into the ditch. The winds were so strong today I spent the next 7 hours fighting with it. It wanted the truck to go one way I wanted it to go another (and before you UK drivers ask, no I didn't stop for my 45 mins after 4.5 hours driving lol). A full 7 hours driving my bum was numb. Because of the snow & ice and wind I only managed to do 560 miles today which means I have another very long day tomorrow. So because of the hold ups with my Ace the border crossing, meat inspection and very bad weather I have only been able to do 1108 miles in 2 days, never mind there is always tomorrow! I am parked at a place called Fergus Falls Minnesota, I found a KFC that does a buffet all you can eat for $6.99 and get this they have a parking area behind for trucks and RV's and even better there are loads of hotels about so I got free Internet again! Whenever I am down this way I will plan this stop in my route. Its 8.30pm now and its time for bed I have another 4am start tomorrow and before anyone says anything it's my choice to start this early. I have to stop for fuel tomorrow at a place called Rogers Minnesota which is about 150 miles from here. I will have breakfast while I am there then I will have 350 miles to do which should get me there for about 1pm.

Dee's coming over

On the 19th of November my wife Dee will be flying over to see me. It will be the first time since September 11th that we last had a hug. I can't wait, I am so happy she's coming over, now she'll be able to see some of the sights I've been going on about. I have asked for a nice little trip to Vancouver. Then up to Edmonton for a couple of days off so we can walk around the world's largest shopping mall so lets just hope I can get the trips. And before you all say 'hire a car you tight git' she wants to ride in the truck with me then she can see why I love this job so much.

A pic of my wife and our 3 foster boys

For those of you who don't know, for the last 5 years me and my wife have been fostering children. We have had some good and some bad experiences. These 3 lads are just great kids you don't even know you've got them (well I don't coz I'm in the truck)! Dee will come home and one of them will be cutting the grass for her, she came in yesterday and one of the lads had fed the dog, they insist on carrying her shopping etc etc. Well done lads and thankyou, we're both really proud of you all.

My wife and our 3 foster boys

Internet

This is the best job I have had its so good they will be asking me to pay for the fuel soon lol. Where else do you see these sort of sights and get paid for it. I wish we had the internet in the cab then it would be even better we could keep in touch with our families more easily. I have just found out how much it would cost me for a internet dongle over here, after picking myself up off the floor, I asked him again, it would cost me $1200 for 2 years. I think for a while I'll be parking close to the hotels lol. Is there anyone out there who reads my blog or does anyone know or have one of the wifi extenders from the Flying J? There has been many times when I am just out of range to pick up the internet.

On with the rest of my trip

After leaving Dryden it was an easy drive over to Winnipeg, stopped for fuel had a shower and something to eat then left, I still had a load of miles to do that day. I got as far as a place called Austin, Manitoba, when I noticed the warning light on my trailer had gone out so I pulled over. The fridge had cut out all together, after checking the warning codes it showed the alternator had packed up and was not charging the battery so I stopped in a garage but all they had there was a dim wit who could not understand English! After 5 minutes I gave up and drove on to the next petrol station. There I found a young guy who could understand English he let me use the jump leads I got the fridge started first go but when I took the leads off it cut out so I made a few calls to H&R. I just happened to pick the day when they changed over all the computers, they gave me a few numbers and asked me if I minded if I could ring them as they were so busy. I didn't get any joy and after spending $5 on calls there was still no answer. I thought if I could get a long bit of wire from my batteries it might work but I didn't want to do that off my own back (remember the ditch 2 days before lol) so I rang H&R again and this time I spoke to a guy there and he said why don't I put a wire from my batteries I told him I was thinking the same thing so he said it was ok (I got his name first just in case lol). So off I went to find a Wal-Mart at a place called Brandon which was about 45 miles away. When I got to Brandon I had even better luck next door to Wal-Mart was a Home Depot. I had to go and get some cash out first then I got the wire and some connectors to go on the batteries. It took me about 2 hours with all the calls but only 20 minutes once I had the wire I think I did a very good job. I started up my truck and wedged the peddle on about 1200 rpm while the truck was running I put away all of my tools back in my tool box and put the battery lid on and put back the deck (in the UK we call it cat walk). Now it was time to see if this had worked I turned the fridge on cleared the faults then held the wire with one hand and cutters in the other hand just in case! After about 15 secs it came up warning diesel engine about to start then bang the engine started, it made my day. It felt good because I used my time and effort to fix it and it worked. Before any of you send any comments like 'I wouldn't of done that I would of called them out to fix it' I was a long way from any place to get it fixed and it was a frozen load and I would of had to wait while it got fixed, this way once I got the ok to fix it myself it was done in no time. I have been in and around trucks all my life my dad was a truck driver he told me once there are 2 types of truck drivers the old generation (professional driver) and the new generation (chauffuer) the old generation would do what it takes to get the load there on time, even fix it if they could. In the old days everyone would help each other out. If a truck from Southampton was broke down you would see a couple of Southampton based drivers stopped to help out, not nowadays, you don't even get flashed when you over take anymore. I know I am not from the old generation but my dad taught me well, I had the skill and tools to fix it and it felt good when it started. When I came over here I brought myself a tool box with a few tools (just in case) so if I ever needed them at least I had tools to fix it and everyone knows the longer you're sat waiting for someone to come to you your not earning a cent. After my repair job I was on my way feeling really pleased with myself. I found a truck stop for the night and went and got cleaned up and something to eat. The next 2 days was a drive through Saskatchewan and Alberta then drop trailer in yard at Calgary. There was a guy waiting there to fix it he even said I had done a very good job I have still got the wire because you never know when it might come in handy. Then it was off to the Huskey truck stop which is where I am now I have to have a rest set and do my washing and have a couple of days for me before its back to work. And yes George before you ask its free internet from the hotel behind lol. Will put up some pics of my repair job.