Decent Week

After a few weeks of pain, last week renewed my passion for the rocks. Great roads, great full moon and a tractor that was humming along as good as it ever has.

Did my 2500 miles and home in no time. The moon was so bright that I was able to snap a couple of pics passing through Rogers Pass with my phone at night....a bit blurry but I thought it was cool.

Although beautiful the passes can bite you pretty quick if not careful....the cold comes on quick and can make the roads pretty slick. Fog begins to ice quickly as a one driver found out this week. When I passed the scene his trailer was keeping him from going down a steep cliff by one axle....not fun in my books.

What I do enjoy is coming home to this every week. Even after a decent week in the rocks. Simple pleasure like feeding the ducks on the bay....although overtaken by seagulls was great therapy.

We also took the time to get some pumpkin carving done....somewhat less that other years but Jess, our daughter, keeps the spirit alive and well.

Even ran with a couple of Brits this week one I had never met and one that was an old acquaintance. Had great discussion with both and started to gain a bit of an understanding where some of the other blogs are speaking from. I can't relate to the issues and will leave it at that.

So not much to report. Off again tomorrow probably Red Deer AB.

Later.

Rough week in the wild.

Well that was a rough week for poor 3122. Actually it has been a rough 3 weeks for my tractor.

It all started out with a Check Engine light, which turned out to be the Jake wiring harness, the following week the Jake didn't work quite right. ( would not disengage properly), mechanics found a couple of actuator springs broken so had that fixed.

Went on my merry way last Sunday and noticed I could not hear my turbo like I normally do. This was intermittent and I started to question if I was imagining this. Up the big hills I went only to find that at Box Canyon had no turbo and next to no power. Thankfully I was light and was able to pull the hill. Poor old truck didn't like me to much nor did the environment. ( much white smoke ).

FYI: There are three major climbs ( for most trucks ) on the Coquihalla. All are about 2-3 KM long and vary from 5-6 % grade at the west end to about 6-8 % leading to the summit. Must have power to get over big hill.

So got pulled over at the old toll booths and waited a couple of hours for a mechanic to be dispatched only to have him say it is the air filter.....what? Then he changed the fuel filter, again, I am no mechanic but.....what? Waited another couple of hours for a tow into Kamloops where the problem was found and after 10 hours down I was back and on my way.

It turned out to be a device that controls how much air the turbo is feeding the engine. If all air is being bled power is nil. So all week ran about 12 hours behind schedule. You can never get that time back no matter how hard you try. Believe me I tried. One thing I can say about having and HR Penske truck, Penske has unbelievable on road service.

Then the winter conditions kicked in....nothing major but as luck would have it my being late allowed me to miss some awful weather....I guess things happen for a reason. Last run home was brutal as I have only 2000 lbs in the box and lots of snow all the way home. Oh well.

It is easy to get pissed when things aren't going your way. I continue to learn to keep perspective on all things. When I was having a rough week others where upside down in ditches, laying against rock cuts, really bad days. So all in all it was a rough week but home makes it all go away....I am off again tomorrow....a better week ahead.

Later.

A Low Profile

Not much to report this week. I started a new run between Vancouver and Calgary, same firm but on different days. I go out Sunday evenings and home Thursday mornings. Pretty decent run, 2500 miles in four days with 6 drops. It is a tad tiring but I like the long weekends at home.

While on the road I spend a great deal of time on the radio chatting with drivers who are with HR and many who are not. Always the same theme becomes prevalent. I find I am stuck between new drivers pissed because they "didn't think trucking would be like this" and old drivers who are pissed because " it is just like they knew it would be" .

So that said, I am learning to keep a low profile on the road (and also my blog) and have learned to pick my topics of discussion. Once they get negative my radio loses it's ability to receive well. I suppose as I go I am still strongly believe that life is short and if you are not happy move on for Christ sake.

Well the weekend is all but over. Weather in White Rock was awesome. Not much else to contribute this week.....back out tomorrow. Please no snow....

Later

Autumn has arrived in the Rocks.

Well this is it. Fall is here....rainy on the coast, cold in the prairies and the tourists have left the mountains to me, fellow truckers and the animals that now come back down from the mountain tops. No complaints here. After a quiet September on the road October has begun to provide some excitement. Be it snow or animals I seen it so far in October.

Notice: This Blog is for my friends, family and colleagues on the road. That said, some of my explanations my be somewhat lame to all of the professional drivers out there.

The first snow is always the worst as the road has not begun to get cold enough for it not to stick. (OK that is a bad sentence, snow is currently sticking to road....road gets colder snow does not stick as much) Also the snow is so heavy at times and there are not much snow banks to judge where you are on the road.

That is right for non drivers, you may think this is silly but we depend on snow banks to keep you safe. Well I do anyhow. Keep one on the left and one on the right and stay in the middle.

Where it becomes scary is during the first couple of snow falls there are none so you have little to judge on. Also there are not many guard rails on the Coquilhalla Hwy. You go to close to the edge it will be a very bumpy ride down.

So had a couple of radio off, both hands on wheel, focus and cross your fingers kind of nights. Fog is probably the worst condition for me anyhow. At times so thick you just want to stop get out and try and touch something to get your bearings.

So that is the worst part. It is soon forgotten when you see the animals back and the new vistas ahead....that is right I always talk of the vistas....in my mind you cannot see the Rockies enough...each day an new look and challenge.

Going through the Banff East gate the largest Elk I have ever seen stood as if to welcome you to his home...the word majestic comes to mind but I am not that eloquent. Massive rack, steam from his nostrils and a wisp of snow on his back. Cool. Further along a family of Mountain goats that I have been watching all summer. Early just the mom, then June two babies, now mom, two teens it seems...coat not quite white yet. Near to Golden the Mountain sheep are back with their young as well.

With the snow comes the scenery. The mountains are wondrous during the summer but the winter is like mountains in uber HD. The snow really gives more texture to what you are seeing. The snow caps in the sun are almost blinding.

So you got me.....I complain about winter but gush about the benefits....I am hard to peg I suppose. Work is fine.

I have a love hate relationship with H and R but who doesn't. We have good days and bad but mostly good. I can easily put off bad days if I step back and take a look at the big picture. I suppose as I get older I have developed that trait a bit. I blow up, then assess, lay blame, reassess, understand better, feel bad and get on with my day. It is not all cherries but show me a job that is.

So that is it for this week. Schedule has changed a bit so I am off again into the wild tomorrow.

Later

Life goes on!!

My god I am a boring blogger.

There is absolutely nothing new at my end. Life goes on at HR and I have to say I have had very few bumps in my first year with the company.

I do read other blogs and am surprised by the negative comments but it is what it is. I have been treated well during my time at H and R and although I have bounced from fleet to fleet I must say that the transition has gone very well.

It appears that Vancouver has started to become a black hole for freight. It happens from time to time that a district becomes more consumer than producer. Nice to have a balance but you cant always get equal loads out for loads in. I am guessing that as the Winder Olympics approach it will get worse then get back to normal.

In a way it is like New York City. Lots of loads in....good luck getting a load out. So here I sit in White Rock....no complaints as the weather is awesome.

Summer was great. I am currently running the rocks 4 times a week and believe me it is great that the tourists have gone back to their lives. I run mostly at night and other that construction the roads are all ours.

Not many pics to post as my shots have become redundant. So on that note I will post my only pic taken during my day off on my dog walk this AM.

Later.

Brutal week....update will be short.

Into everyone's life a little rain must fall.

My first week back after holidays was pretty brutal. Not sure if it is due to the fact I was in post holiday distress or it just sucked.

So rather than ranting and bitching about things it is best to move on and work towards a better week this week.

This week I am back to my regular run and on the home front take delivery of our new Subaru, can't wait. BTW last week I forgot to mention we came across a mother and two grizzly cubs last week. Very very cool.

Later

Ah the Holidaze!!!

Since I have gone back on the road I do not enjoy the benefits of a government job any longer.....one such benefit is the ample supply of off time I used to get. To over come this I ran and extra trip two weeks ago to allow me to take a trip off last week and will run an extra this week to cover the one I bailed on this week.....all in all I was able to wrangle a full week off.

Starting last Thursday the family and I dropped the hound at the kennel and off we went to the interior (Schuswap) to be exact. This was merely a stop over point for one night to give us a bit of a break.

The following morning we set out to Calgary with a bit of a detour. My daughter had never been east of the Schuswap before and I had never been to the Columbia Ice Fields since 1967 (shut up). Our first stop was near Craigellachie which is the location of where the eastern met the western legs of the national railway.....quite the project I would say.

From there the trek through Rogers pass, lots of rock and ice but not many animules. After a brief stop in Golden BC we started east again and then north to the Ice fields. Outstanding, awesome, amazing.....you get it. From the second we crossed the gate onto the parkway the scenery was at a whole new level. I am huge on the ocean, love the mountains but the parkway is an astounding drive.

From the emerald water of Lake Hector to the hiking paths near the Bow, From the view of the Crowfoot Glacier (missing a toe) to the climb to immense Athabasca Glacier our drive was one jaw dropper after another. Sadly the climate is slowly eating away at the Glaciers and one day they will be gone. I am thankful we were able to make the trek.

I was at the Ice Fields in 1967.....again (shut up) and since then the glacier has moved (shrunk) about 1500 meters. It was quite a climb to get there from the terminal moraine (the original starting point) about 2000 meter on a 15 or so degree climb. Mrs, even with the arthritis and cane found it in herself to get all the way up and touch the glacier. We even went beyond the safety line to touch it.....I mean all that work....you have to touch it. On the way down we grabbed a water bottle and enjoyed a drink of the glaciers run off. Unbelievably tasty.

So back down we went....we only had time to see half the parkway as our main focus of the trip was to get to Calgary for my nephews wedding reception. Next year we will work from the top down as I still have fond memories of Jasper and south to Angel Glacier.

Off to the city of cows we went. Visited for an hour or two and were bagged to off to bed we went. Saturday morning went to the Calgary zoo and then to my nephew's for a bbq. Great party, lots of good food, drink and company.

Sunday back to the Schuswap we went for another family gathering. I actually had time to play on the jet ski....crazy thing does 105 k/hour with me on it....it is insane. First time out this year so needless to say my docking skills were not up to par and I let the dock win this one.

Then to home....boring drive through the Coq with only water bombers to keep us company. We noticed a new fire burning just south of Merritt and it looked fairly small at the time....it is now over 2000 hectares. Sad really.

So that is it....some business today and back to work tomorrow. Oh well....time to begin planning the next adventure.

Pictures are here.

Later