Bless me Father......

It has been two weeks since my last blog entry.

Kidding aside there is not much to report other than Snow. Not complaining, snow has it's place....just somewhere else.

I have been driving semi off and on since about 1978 and every year it is like being a rookie when the snow arrives. They always say adjust for the conditions but until you scare yourself a couple of times you really brush it off.

I had a couple of instances this year that really makes you stop and wonder why you never listen to "They" who ever that is. For me the worst fear is traction breaks. Whether it is climbing to a peak or rounding a corner it is always a bad feeling for me when the tandems begin to spin or slide out from under you.

A couple of times this year that feeling of impending doom has begun to creep in and you just hold on, no throttle, no brakes.....just keep it steady and wish you had listened to "They". Then once you have gotten below the snow line and are feeling fat you dismiss what "They" said and thank Christ you are a wicked driver.

I actually never think that and continue to respect the rocks for all their splendor and treachery.

This week we got over 40 cm of snow over the Coquihalla and at that elevation it tends to build on the road. For the most part all went well but I have added more grey to my poor balding head (already bald). It is not so much that I am not careful, it is that sometimes others spin out ahead of you or worse opt to stop in your lane.....some things are just out of your control.

I have added some pics as sometimes you feel like the tail and others the dog. Although the elements ultimately rule, at times, you get to enjoy them...all in all if you are still able to dump in your blog....you have had a decent week.

Only had one breakdown in the last two weeks and after moaning and groaning about how bad I have it you reassess and realize that items that fail are often items that are time expired. For example:

Driver who read this: Always do your brake/air checks especially in BC. If I did not subscribe to this rule my week may have been much worse.

I found a small hole in my rear left brake pod (maxi), the hole was large enough to lose air but small enough to keep the spring brake from engaging. If I had not found this and in the rocks my spring brake engaged on that wheel it may have been enough of an incident to kick my back end out from under me.

So again.....do the brake checks and listen often. Perhaps now I am one of "They".

So off for the weekend and back out on Sunday.

Later

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