1 refer truck to Romeoville IL (delivered)

1 tanker truck to Blaine MN

... spending the night at Black River Falls WI

We got going early ... and late.

Breakfast, another day of yogurt.

We got going at 7 AM our time, that is early. We got going 8 AM local, that is late.

By being late, locally, the parking lot was mostly empty so I was able to get turned around without much issue. Still, it is a small lot compared to most we stay at.

As we are leaving, there is a semi on the exit ramp with two sheriff's cars. And a highway patrol may or may not have come from that stop. But by the time I saw him he was moving on my direction and following me. Luckily it was short lived. Wouldn't be a good way to start any morning.

Almost right way this AM I noticed I am low on DEF. Not sure why I didn't notice that last night. So that was my focus for the early AM. The low DEF light had not come on when I got to the first Pilot so I kept going to the airport.

The cell phone lot was full this AM so I had to circle, and then find a second place to park as BB had not called yet.

... and why hadn't see called? She had left before me and was driving faster ...

Senior moment? She had gotten to the airport and parked in the cell phone lot waiting for me. When she saw me go passed, she realized there was no reason for her to be there. We had not agreed to meet there and we had no luggage to transfer.

... like me yesterday. I guess I passed a number of 70 mph signs before speeding up. I hadn't 'seen' them.

From here I decide to put in DEF before getting back on the freeway. About two miles straight north of the airport is a Pilot. I had stopped at one truckstop this AM, but all their fuel was Pacific Pride ... company fuel cards only.

No head wind today. My current mpg was 5-6 when I was driving 65 mph. And went up to 8-10 when I slowed to 60 mph. But I had used too much fuel last night with the head wind that now I was going to need fuel before we dropped.

Coming up to my third stop, there is a turn lane for the cars to go in the first driveway and then a turn lane for the trucks to go in the second driveway. Traffic was slowing down because the light for the second driveway was turning. But I didn't want to be in the turn lane passed the driveway so I hadn't gotten over yet. Suddenly the truck ahead of me is stopped. NO break lights. Then I did hit the shoulder and go passed him. He had stopped early to let a truck coming out the car driveway in. Luckily that truck had not started moving yet.

3rd (or 4th) stop was at the Pilot in Valparosia for fuel. I decided to put in 7 gallons. More than I needed as we need to deliver with more than 1/8 tank of fuel and I came in at 1/4 tank. So I have left 10+ extra gallons of fuel in the last two trucks.

This took longer than it should have. When I was done fueling, I backed out because someone was still sitting ahead of me and I didn't want to be blocked in. But nowhere to park. Someone was even blocking the driveway so trucks were having to cross the scale. Not sure how good that is for the scale, but it works. Until someone actually wants to scale and then there is a line.

I finally go all the way around the building, not finding a spot. And end up back in the same spot I had backed out of. Just a few minutes wasted.

A few miles down the road and another almost bad situation. I'm in the center lane coming up to stopped traffic at a light. Light changes, so I switch the right lane that is empty. Not going fast but not crawling. Once I can see passed the trucks, I see a semi is running the red light. I had switched lanes and gotten passed the parked traffic because I had seen the light was green ... so it had been green for a while. No crash ... should have used my air horn.

Traffic going into Chicago today is not bad. I do have to cross a scale but do not get stopped.

Next stop is the airport. Small airport. Avis is the only rental car. Only personal planes coming and going. Terminal is about the size of a convenience store. No security so I park in the parking lot and wait for BB.

Once we move the luggage, I head to the drop and BB stops for food at Jimmy Johns.

I get to the drop. There are a couple of people in the office but the three people they are looking for to sign for the truck are not there. So this person decides to sign for it, they do have a shop guy also do a walk around. And then I am ready to go.

From here it is less than an hour to the next shipper. Eat as we drive. Somewhere during that hour we see a tanker on a flatbed that I guess is going to my shipper. And yes, we follow them in the parking lot.

I call my contact and he meets us at the gate. We have seen each other before so we <> ,know each others routines. I sign for the truck before I start it because I know they will make right anything wrong.

When I do start it, there is a check engine icon on. The warning is low DEF. So they add more DEF and more fuel :) The warning goes away but the icon stays on. He gives me the OK to run with it ... it should re-set. I check with dispatch who also gives me the OK.

Whew ... for a few minutes it looked like our perfect plan was falling apart.

Now I have enough fuel to get to WI where fuel is cheaper.

By now BB had changed the drop location. Originally we were going to drop it at the Rockford airport, but later she found a mall location that would save us about an hour travel.

She leaves, I follow. Once we leave town the speed limit is 70 mph for cars and 60 mph for trucks. So as I am pulling into the mall parking lot BB is calling. Calling by accident. So wasn't ready to be picked up yet, but was outside by the time I was at the building.

We are planning on getting as far as we can tonight before the storm hits. Depending on how bad it is, we may not be able to leave first thing in the AM and we want to be close enough that we can leave late and still get it dropped tomorrow.

I had thought about stopping at the WI welcome center but BB says she can wait until the truckstop in Janesville so we keep going.

But by the time we get to Janesville, I decide it is best if I use the restroom before fueling. It's been about nine hours for me since the last time I used one. Luckily it isn't busy so I'm not blocking anyone from fueling.

As with the last two trucks, I put in 35 gallons and hope it is close and not too much over.

The rest of the ride is uneventful.

Next stop is in Camp Douglas at the Double Nickels Deli. It is at a truck stop so plenty of place to park. When we get our food, BB is ready to take it and go. I was expecting to eat it now so it is not 8 PM when we eat. We eat there. Ends up being a 45 minute break because it is 'slow food' and slow eater. (just remembered now that the other half of that sandwich is still in the hotel fridge.) I only ate half and took the other half for breakfast.

It is within minutes of last light when we get to the Comfort Inn in Black River Falls. Lots of deer and other wildlife out. Would rather not be driving for that reason.

We had reserved a king bed but all those rooms were still dirty. Something about how their computer works, if a room is not rented, it is available on the internet. The people in these rooms had checked out after the cleaning crew left. So the rooms show as empty, but they are not ready.

Load board

US - 169

IA - 2/1

MN - 13

IA - 8