This made my wife laugh

My wife took one look and laughed and said this was me to a t lol

Pics of West Edmonton mall

Some pics my wife took

Back driving in America

The one thing I have found out is I do not like driving in BC too many hills and winding roads. I am on my way to Waterloo now and it has been a very nice drive no hassle no stress just bloody deer running across the road lol. The one thing I really love about this job is you get to see some amazing sights my planned route is to go across US 2 which I had said before I didn't like because of all the starting and stopping but this time there was no road works and it was a nice run but you have to be very careful because of the deer. They like to wait until the last moment then run across in front of you I had 2 very close calls then I came around the bend there was a young deer by the side and the young ones are the ones you have to watch so I came to a full stop the deer looked at me then without a care in the world he just walked across in front of the truck to the other side of the road what a cheek it made me laugh tho. I called it a night at a place called Glendive Montana. In the morning just a short trip to Beech North Dakota to fuel up. While I was there I met another H&R driver called Chris. We chatted on the CB while we drove all the way to Fargo North Dakota we stopped and had a meal in the Flying J. I brought a Sirius satellite radio for my truck because I am getting fed up with hearing only half the song before I lose the radio station so over the next day or 2 I will fit it and get it sorted for my long drive across Ontario. I am parked in Fergus Falls now behind the KFC because I was here last time I know I could get free Internet oh well time for bed its Saturday night I have only got 404.2 miles to go and don't have to be there until 6 am Monday but I will leave here at 4am and get there just after 1pm tomorrow. If there is no trailer then no worries will have time to fit my sat radio and do a couple of little jobs in my truck the cabinet I made for my microwave just needs the drawer finishing off so I can fill it up with crap... like you do! It makes life a lot better in here with this cabinet I made, its just a shame the guys at Freightliner don't use a bit more thought when it comes to making cabinets for trucks instead of just putting in cabinets like they do they should see it from a truck driver's view. My microwave is at the bottom then I have a shelf with my water bottle on and my cups kettle and dishes and a couple of tubs with porridge in and then I have made a drawer so I can put stuff in. All it needs is a paint job and it will look nice my laptop sits nicely on the top (yes I can open my laptop fully).

Back to work now

The first thing I would like to say is a big thank you to the guys at H&R for sorting me out a nice run to Vancouver then to Kelowna then up to Edmonton. Well as you know from the bit my wife put on my blog I met Dee at the airport & I made sure I was the first person she saw when she came through the door. It was nice to get a hug and kiss after being away from each other for 12 weeks we stayed the night at the Flying J in Calgary. It was so nice to cuddle up but Dee couldn't sleep because of the fridge (Its got to be the loudest fridge H&R have) Then in the morning we left for Vancouver driving through the Rockies you get to see some stunning sights it had been snowing so most of the trees were white Dee got a bit scared of the roads I told her there was nothing to worry about lol. We stopped at a place called Golden for something to eat it was a shame it was a bit foggy I wanted her to see much more of Golden than she did but never mind. We got down to Kamloops weigh station got a red light told to bring in papers after checking all my papers and log books they said the reason they called me in was my axles on the back were to far forward so out came the tape and my over hang was 1.2 mtrs too much! They showed me where they wanted the axles and after I adjusted them I had to re-weigh. When I went back in they told me they would of given me a ticket if I was 35% over but I had gone way past that much and because my weights were OK it was obvious to them I was new and I had just set them wrong by mistake so they let me off with a warning! If I had got funny with them I would of got a big ticket that's why it pays to be polite and friendly. Then we got down to a place called Chilliwack which Dee liked very much so we stayed the night in a hotel and went for a meal. The next morning I tipped out in a place called Surrey then off to Delta yard to drop the trailer then we did some shopping and went to look at a show house just by the Delta yard which was nice but we both agreed it was to posh for us. Later that day picked up my trailer to go to Kelowna we both loved that area so I will be getting some more info over the next 1.5 years. Now when you get your jobs at H&R it comes to you via satellite onto what we call a qualcom. You read the jobs if you can do them then fine you have to accept them. Once accepted they're yours, so when mine came to me I looked at them and saw I had to go to Kelowna drop and swap and then take a trailer to Edmonton which is what I asked for. Well I looked at the date for the Edmonton job and it said 11-28 so I looked at my calender and saw it was Sunday I said to my wife we don't have to be in Edmonton till Sunday she said what time I looked again and said 0030 Sunday night so I took my time thinking I had plenty of time then when we got to kelowna I got a message saying hi don't forget you have to be in Edmonton in 6 hours then the penny dropped when I looked again 0030 on the 11-28 is 30 minutes past midnight Saturday night not Sunday night well there was no way in hell I was going to do it in time so I went and rang H&R and explained my mistake! The guy on the other end was very good about it and could see where I went wrong so it was re booked for Sunday night. The best thing about the whole thing was at no point did H&R get upset or have a go at me they could see where I made the mistake that's why I like it here so much because if you make a mistake its not the end of the world like it is with some company's in the UK. We parked in a Husky truck stop for the night then we made the rest of the trip the next day. I dropped the trailer for the city driver and spent the next 3 days in Edmonton shopping. We stayed in a nice hotel not far from West Edmonton Mall we loved it, it was like walking around the shops back home but much bigger spent loads of money to!! I kept in touch with Andy (my dispatch guy) he sorted me out an empty to take to High River via the airport to drop my wife off. As we left Edmonton I thought great no more spending how wrong was I lol. I parked the truck in Wal-Mart right by the airport and right next to another shopping mall we had a look around and spent loads more money lol. Over the week with hotels and food and shopping I spent about $2000 but it was worth every penny to be with my wife. Then came one of the saddest things I have ever had to do, take my wife to the airport it was very hard to say good-bye. For those that don't know us we have been together for 20 years and the longest time we have had apart was 2 weeks and that was hard. But we both want a better life for our family the only way to get anything in life is to work hard for it no one is going to knock on my door and say here you are Mike & Dee a new life for free. As a child I spent most of my life in children's homes and boarding schools so I know only too well you have to work hard for everything you want and all I want is a better and safer life for my family & if that means we have to be apart for a couple of years then so be it. The drive down to Highriver was a very sad one for me I dropped the trailer on the wash bay as I was sat there I could see planes going up in the sky over Calgary it was the time my wife's plane was due to take off so I sat there for a while then right on the time she was due to fly I saw a bigger plane that's when it really hit me I got really upset and had to stay even longer lol (I didn't want people to see this hairy ass truck driver upset) Then when I got to the main gate I was told to wait so I went and sat in my truck and I met another H&R driver by the name of John we had a very long chat (what a nice guy) Then Ian an old friend of mine turned up we came over on the plane together and did our driver training together, it was nice to see him again after 2 months. we had a long chat then my paper work was ready for my trailer I couldn't pick my trailer up because some dipstick had left it to high for me to pick up and because the trailers are parked so close I could not get in to wind the legs down so I got my mate Ian over and he picked it up with his shunter and pulled it out so I could wind the legs down. (thanks Ian) Then I went down to Lethbridge for the night.

A Truckers Buddy I Am Not!!

Hi all I thought I'd leave a post on here until Mike gets time to put summat on here. As you all know I arrived here on Weds and seeing Mike was pretty amazing after 3 months. There he was waiting 4 me at the airport and the first person I see as I come out of arrivals, it was most definitely worth the 9 hr flight even tho I'm petrified of flying! I got a result on the flight, booked economy & got a free premium plus seat (summat like that). Anyway, Calgary was cold when we got out of the airport but when we actually got 2 a truck stop that night I felt like the whole of my head had been stuck in a freezer 4 a week, christ it was cold.
The Rockies have been the most amazing sight I've ever seen, every turn has been breathtakingly stunning but whilst mindblowingly beautiful the roads also scared the shit out of me coz you see I don't do mountains, we just don't agree with each other! Beautiful to look at but should never be driven up! Whenever we've been away Mike always finds a bloody mountain he just has to drive up and it always results in me screamin 'get me off this f*****g mountain'!! I spent a lot of time just looking at the floor being too scared to look out of the window. Being a typical brit I've only got to see a snow flake and I'm lookin out for the snowploughs! This is why
we have to pick an area over here with little snow and we've actually found somewhere, Kelowna. All going well proper research can now start.
I'm the realist in our marriage and I'm often bringing Mike down a peg or five! So I've not come over here looking through rose coloured glasses as some would. So here's what I've found out it just a few days of being here. No louts on street corners, that's coz you aint gonna be drivin on the estates to find out so do your research on the area's you wanna live, on some estates there are problems with yobs. Vancouver so I've been told is beautiful, well look up and you wouldn't know you weren't in the UK, it's so wet & apparently they can have as much rainfall as a monsoon, no thank you very much, too much like home! Be careful of the food, my god, I couldn't believe how expensive it is, a lot more than UK but on the other hand people have said that they don't find it that expensive so maybe it depends on what you're buying.
You're also not gonna come over here and take it easy, Mike works bloody hard and long hours (I'm actually not impressed at all the pressure) tho he has said it's not usually this bad when he's driving in America. Emotionally it's the hardest thing he's ever done, either of us has ever done. But hey I'm not all doom and gloom even the not so good stuff hasn't put me off.
My admiration to those couples who are doing this and traveling in the truck together.....my god ladies you deserve a medal or lockin up one of the two!! It's only been a couple of days and already we know we couldn't live in such a confined space 24/7, I actually would kill him if he hadn't killed me already!! Soooooo.......If your about to come over & live with your hubby in the truck then think hard and do this following exercise before you come........
Sleep in garden shed with a sleeping bag or quilt (yr choice), make garden shed airtight and place heater by your feet, this is important. Bring washing machine out of kitchen and place directly touching the actual shed, plug in and put on constant spin speed. Put heater on hot and leave. Now, go to sleep! Can't sleep? Ok well swing your legs out of covers and leave feet by heater until you burn skin, all this time you cannot wake up hubby coz he's got a long day ahead, still can't sleep? Ok, now do this every night for 2 weeks until you're hallucinating enough to mutter these words and actually beleive what you're saying is true, 'this is fantastic darling I wouldn't go home for anything'. Welcome to sleeping in a truck with a friggen fridge. OMG what a bloody nightmare, we're in a hotel tonight, nice and warm so you can breath and no fridge, heaven!
Another exercise for you ladies.........get hubby to dig a hole in the garden shed, a deep hole til you can't see the bottom then place a ceramic toilet bowl over hole and proceed to take a pee. Not nice? No it aint but thats what you'll get when your breaking your neck to go to the loo in the rockies. Thinking about it it's obvious that they aint gonna have a row of six toilets an attendant keeping everything clean and never ending rolls of toilet tissue but when I went in I was pretty shocked and hoped that what I saw was in fact me hallucinating through the lack of sleep! No, there it was, I peered down the hole and felt dizzy, the previous women who used that loo need putting to sleep coz they are no good to society the filthy mingers, I'm grinning whilst typing this coz I actually feel like I wanna gag, nuff said!
Today we went to the Edmonton Mall, ladies you just gotta go. Leave the old man in the truck but take his card, it's amazing. It's enormous, we spent so much time just stopping between shops and watching the ice skating, spent all day there, took in the sea lion show and the aquarium, took stacks of photos and going back tomorrow to do the top level!
Another thing I've noticed that no matter where we've been we have seen so many places that are needing staff which is encouraging, unemployment seems to be low. No doubt in my mind a better place for our kids and grandchildren, far more opportunity for them.
Anyone who knows me knows about my unhealthy addiction to coffee and I hate visiting places who cant accommodate this, well thumbs up for Canada on that score, I can't get enough of it its beautiful and just about to have another so bye for now, stay safe x

Reset in Lethbridge

I dropped the trailer in the Calgary yard and picked up a clean trailer to drop at Highriver and then picked up a loaded trailer to get me back to Lethbridge. I have to reset my hours so after making a cupboard for my truck to take my microwave (which was kindly given to me by Lyndon & Jan) I have booked myself into the Sandman hotel for the night. I will spend an hour or two getting my washing done then I might have a bath its been months since I last had a bath (I shower everyday). Over 5 years ago I was in a very bad accident I very nearly lost my right foot I don't Know if its the cold but my foot is hurting me now so I will just have to rest my foot I left my tablets in my truck (what a bright spark). Nothing else to say really I just hope my dispatch guy can sort me out a nice run on Wednesday for Vancouver after picking up my wife from the airport and were hoping to go to Edmonton shopping mail afterwards.

The I 94 in North Dakota

The I 94 2 weeks ago

This pic was taken 6 days ago on the I 94 going across North Dakota

3rd part of my trip

After crossing the Border I was following a couple of trucks and I was listening to them on the CB. They started to talk about food and the guy in front said he knew where there was a good place to eat as I didn't know where is was they said to follow them. It was in a shell fuel station, they asked me to join them. I did and had a good laugh. We spent a couple of hours in there telling stories of things you have got up to over the years. When we left one of the guys knew the place where I was going so he told me which junction to turn off when we got there. 2 nice guys shame there's not many of them about. I got to my place to do my deliver and there was a big sign saying no one will be tipped before their booking time but he liked my English charm and wit and told me to back on the bay I was tipped in an hour!
The next day I was loading out of Mississauga for Calgary I got there a few hours before my time but again because of my English charm they loaded me after the guy came back from his break. I had half tanks of fuel and I looked at my streets & trips and saw I had enough fuel to get me to North Bay so off on my merry way to North Bay and fueled up which means I do not have to fill up at Hearst. There was loads of snow but not one bit on the road these guys over here know how to clear roads. I stopped at Nipigon to fuel up then I stopped in this cafe it was called Tower Hill truck stop at Ignace Ontario wow what a great place it was like an old English truck stop the food was great the staff were friendly and you had free internet. Whenever I am crossing Ontario again I will use this place all the time. I have got so fed up with the same rubbish you get in the Huskey truck stops I am finding it much better to stop at these smaller truck stops than the big chain ones.
I stopped in Winnipeg to fuel up and shower then off again for another 5 hours. Not far from the Manatoba and Saskatchewan border I saw a sad sight, there was a big rig on its side in the ditch. In the middle of both east and west lanes the first thing people say is 'bloody truck drivers' but no-one knows why, it could of been an animal or prat car drivers fault whoevers fault it was I feel sorry for the truck drivers family.
I am parked in a Esso fuel station in a place called Grenfell Saskatchewan. I turned my computer on but no internet so I plugged my wifi booster in and yep internet, it seems this thing works after all! I have another long day tomorrow so I am off to bed now but before I go I rang in to see if I could take a cabinet out of my truck the answer was yes. I was told the guys at H&R seem to be pleased with my work rate. I have done 10,000 miles in 20 days so for all the knockers out there who say there isn't any work at H&R how come I can get the miles! I have done everything by the book I have worked my max hours and had the right rest days I just get on and do what I am asked to do. Like I have told so many people, I only work one way thats my way! I do everything legal (well nearly lol) whats an extra 10 ks an hour! In Ontario the cops leave you alone as long as you drive safe and drive to the road conditions (and not park on the shoulder.... got that one in before you did Lyndon lol). The work is here if you want it but don't think you will get good work all the time, you have to take the rough with the smooth. Well its less than a week before I see my wife its been 12 weeks now since I last had a kiss and cuddle and I can't wait. I am hoping my buddy steve w has sorted me out a trip to Vancouver then up to Edmonton for a couple of days off so I can show my wife (all the pain we have both been through not being together is worth it). The reason why I am working 4,500 miles away from home and hopefully she will get to see a fraction of what I have been looking at for the last 12 weeks. Its been very hard for me working here on my own, me and my wife are very very close and the longest we have been apart was 3 weeks and that was bad enough! I ring my wife everyday, she'd like me home but I know deep down she will love it over here and once she sees it she will feel the same as me. Well its time for bed another 4am start tomorrow and only got 546.4 miles to do lol.

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.