1 boom truck to Carthage NC

... spending the night at Lonoke AR

Breakfast was eggs, sausage and some good potato mix.

We had both been up before the alarm but decided not to leave until our planned time, once it was light.

Out at the truck, we load it and ... it won't start. <> the same issue as before with the prior batteries. So they were not the issue, or not the whole issue.

Now we had the OK to use starting fluid so we did after the first couple of tries. These batteries did not sound as good as the prior ones after a few cranks. We finally got it started and after it ran for 5-10 minutes, I got out to close the hood ... it dies.

By now I have a message that the starter is hot so we need to wait until that cools down.

The 2nd time, lots of tries, but the 2nd time it does start I do not crank as long each time. Again, after a while we do get it started. This time I ran the truck even longer at high RPM's. All seems to be OK so I get out and close the hood ... it dies. This time I notice that my left front blinker is not working. I check the rest of the lights and all else is good.

So the 3rd time, we left the hood closed and shot the starting fluid in through the hood, it started ... eventually ... and stayed running. I go in to the hotel and check out. It has take us an hour to do what we usually do in about 10 minutes.

As a precaution, we take the city streets a few blocks so if it dies we won't be on the shoulder of the road. No more issues today.

There were two other transporters in the lot this AM, and the lot was almost full. One was running with no plate or placard and the other only had a placard on one side and no plate. There was another transporter at the service station ... again, no plate or placard that I could see. ???

The Irish Inn on the other side of the freeway is again the Irish Inn. I think that is what it was built as decades ago. Then in the last 10 years it has had at least a dozen different names including the Motel 6 and Oyo.

Within the first few minutes on the road, we have to cross the OK weigh scale. I am directed in and have to weigh but then can leave.

1st stop is in Hinton at a Loves for fuel. Every island had a line, I pick one. Then someone in the next line comes back to their truck and lets me cut in line. :) Thanks. I fuel and when I pull ahead, he pulls up behind me. Then I realize he is ready to leave, not fuel. So I get out of his way and go park in the parking lot. I could have just pulled sideways if I had thought of it. It would have saved a few minutes.

Our plan had been to stop in OKC where fuel is even cheaper but that would have added an extra stop. And the place with the cheapest fuel is right next to a big city Greyhound station. My guess is it is not a good section of town. Other places in OKC would have been cheaper than Hinton but we are also watching time, not just money. And today we have wasted most of another hour on this truck.

... front blinker did work once we got going. This thing has issues.

2nd stop was at the Loves in Okemah for food. We got a personal pan Godfathers and a apple pizza desert. BB doesn't like leaving the truck running with our stuff in it so we went back to eat in the truck. The lot was not crowded but someone decided they wanted to park next to me. After a few tries, he finally gets close to me. Too close. He was about a foot from my hood on his blind side when he stopped to pull ahead. While he pulled ahead, I had seen enough and pulled out of my parking spot and up near the fuel pumps. Finished what we needed to and was on our way.

3rd stop was in Van Buren at the welcome center.

Just down the road I have to cross another scale. After I am in line, I get an arrow saying I can go without crossing the scale.

4th stop was not planned, but I am using DEF faster than expected. I thought I would be able to add DEF every other fuel stop. But I was not going to make it to Memphis tomorrow so we added a stop at a Pilot in Russelville just for DEF. Time over money so I will get charged for using my company credit card for 4 gallons of DEF.

5th and final stop is in Lonoke at the Best Western. We didn't make a reservation until we were parked in the lot. Not much for truck parking and if we couldn't fit, we were going next door to the Holiday Inn for $40 more. We fit.

Then we walked a couple of blocks and ate at the Waffle House. Two larger groups were coming in at the same time we were so we sat at the counter. BB had a grilled chicken sandwich and I had breakfast. Sure beats fast food.

Luckily we had no more delays today. I only had 15 more minutes I could drive, any slowdown during the day would have used that up and we would have had to found a closer place to stay. And it was just a couple of minutes before last light when I parked.

I counted 39 transporters today. Zero towing. I expected it to be slower here and beyond. The trucks coming from the south and north all enter the freeway west of here.

IF

IF

IF we can get going in a hour or less tomorrow AM, we can do another 500 mile day and then only have 300 miles left for Tuesday. Hopefully.