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Phil Madsen's BlogLearning Something New Every Day |
Truck drivers Phil and Diane Madsen live, work and play on the road; transporting expedited and critical-shipment freight in their custom-built truck. Phil's blog is a blend of travelogue, brain dump and commentary on road-inspired topics.
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Note to Readers: I got behind on my blog posts and am backfilling my entries as time permits. They are in my journal, just not posted here. I apologize.
I am gratified by the reader complaints I received when the blog posts stopped. It shows there are people out there reading and enjoying my blog. That was nice to learn. It gives me an incentive to keep posting.
Please see my January 31, 2008 entry for more info.
Saturday, September 22, 2007. I learned today of a route in Cleveland, Ohio that I do not want to take again. Learned by driving it.
We delivered in Cleveland this afternoon. The customer heaped glowing praise on the work we did, to the point that we were embarrassed. It was not that we did such a fantastic job (though we did provide our usual quality service), it was that he had a terrible experience in a previous shipment. He was relieved and delighted to see the job done right.
With the delivery complete, our next task was to go to a truck stop for fuel and showers. Not far from the consignee's driveway was a sign that pointed to the freeway. I naturally followed it only to find a a short distance later that commercial vehicles were prohibited on that road. It was a winding road through a large park. I hate it when that happens. If the city does not want commercial vehicles on the road, why don't they say so BEFORE you get on it?
Traffic was not heavy on the two-lane road, but there was a steady stream of cars. Making a three-point U-turn would have stopped traffic in both directions and backed them up. No good turn-off or turn-around was in sight. I cursed the city's sign-stingy officials and decided to proceed, intending to turn off the road the first chance I got.
Well, there was no chance, not for a truck at least. Wide-eyed, I drove on at the 35 mph speed limit, keeping a close watch on tree limbs that were too low for a truck to clear. I was able to avoid them by moving into the oncoming lane as traffic permitted. I could see in my mirrors a string of cars building up behind. They seemed to be in no hurry, this weekend in the park, and perhaps understood my predicament.
After a few blocks, I had the road figured out. The bridges were plenty high, the tree limbs were avoidable, and the motorists behind were providing the room I needed. Diane was booting up the computer and GPS program to find a way out. I proceeded, now worrying only that a cop might see me and write me up. I figured the road would not be so long and we may well reach the freeway before the computer was up and running.
The road turned out to be longer than I thought, and no good turn-offs presented themselves. Turning around at this point would have been fruitless as I would have been in the same fix, only going the other way. When Diane located us on the map, the best thing to do was to continue down the road. The next good turn-off was close to the freeway, so on we went.
All went well until we got to the last bridge before the freeway. This one was unmarked and obviously low. It looked like the truck would clear but you do not want to be wrong about such things. I turned on the four-way flashers, slowed to a crawl, adjusted the side mirrors to show the top of the truck and the underside of the bridge and crept forward. It was close, but we made it through just fine. A moment later, we were on the freeway, breathing easier on an open road. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Sunday, September 23, 2007. I learned today the location of the Mack/Volvo dealer in Clarksville, Indiana. Learned by looking it up in the dealer directory we carry in the truck. The truck is overdue for an oil change. We plan to get it done tomorrow. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Monday, September 24, 2007. I learned today of a truck facility to avoid in the future. Learned by taking the truck there for an oil change. I also learned that the fuel filters on our truck are doing their job. Learned by spotting debris one of the fuel filters had stopped.
We went in for an oil change. Unlike most places, this one prohibited me from driving the truck into the bay. "Insurance reasons" the lube jockey said. After reluctantly allowing him behind the wheel, it was clear that he did not know how to operate the automatic transmission. After telling him how, he nearly gutted the underside of the truck driving it over a ramp in the bay. That scared me half to death. I thought, "Insurance reasons....yea right. What kind of coverage do I have if this guy destroys our truck? "
I asked the service manager for "lube, oil and filters (including fuel filters)." When they were done, I realized they sold me their version of an A-service, which included extras I did not want. The price difference was not huge and an A-service does not hurt anything, so I did not make an issue out of it. But I will never return to that shop again.
I have learned to never leave any truck service facility without inspecting the work. After the oil change, and with the truck running in the lot, I popped the hood to look for leaks and new filters. I found no leaks but noticed a black chunk of something in the fuel/water separator. It was not there before we went in.
I went in and asked the service manager to come out and look at it. He was surprised to see the chunk and told his guys to take care of it. Two men came out with tools and a drain pan to do it in the parking lot. They drained the housing down to the level necessary to remove and replace the filter. When they got the glass dome off, we all looked at the chunk. It was about the size of a pea and felt like chewed gum, only it came apart easier. It also had what appeared to be small aluminum flakes that sparkled in the sunlight.
I asked them to fully drain the housing so we could look beneath the filter. At the base of the housing, we found more black chunks with metal flakes in them. They flushed the housing clean, replaced the filter and we were on our way. I enjoyed watching them work. The day may come when I have to replace a fuel filter on the road (we carry extras). It was nice to see it done.
After thinking about it for a while and talking with some friends, we concluded that the debris that made its way from the fuel tank to the housing. Our theory is the debris was created when reefer and generator fuel lines were tapped into the tanks. Or, it may be that debris got into the tanks when they were first made and/or installed in the truck.
Whatever it is, no chunks have re-appeared in the housing, no drivability issues were ever experienced, and I was delighted to see the filter stopped the debris from getting past it. My already-high confidence in our Volvo engine grew higher today. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Tuesday, September 25, 2007. I learned today about Blue Bell ice cream. Learned from two men I met in a store, and by eating some.
We delivered a load in Houston this morning that we picked up yesterday in Louisville. It was a lift gate and reefer load that required us to wheel freight up a ramp into an office building. Whenever we get close to Houston, we think about visiting our Texas relatives, who live a couple hours away. Having driven overnight, and hoping to receive a load offer instead, the next item on our list was a nap. We wanted to be ready to drive in an offer came in.
After sleeping for a while and waiting for a load offer through the afternoon, it began to seem that we would not be dispatched out of Houston today. We called the relatives and told them to not eat supper. We would be arriving with food. After discussing with them a number of take-out options, it was decided that barbeque would be served tonight.
That left us to work our way to their house and find food on the way. We remained in service and ready to run freight. If an offer for an immediate pickup came in, we would cancel our visit and hand off whatever food we had to the closest passerby that would accept it. Our relatives have learned to expect that kind of craziness from their expediter relatives.
On the way, I decided to add malts to the menu. We found a grocery store in Brenham, Texas and got milk, ice cream and malt powder there. We started the reefer and kept the dairy products cooled in the back of the truck. That left us to find barbeque. Our computer mapping program directed us to a building where a barbeque place once stood but had gone out of business. People nearby directed us to a gas station up the road for good barbeque. I was skeptical but with no other options, we checked it out. I'm glad we did.
It was a Shell station with a convenience store attached. A sign on the outside wall calls it Big Daddy's. In the store was a counter and steam table from which they served up the food. The meat was cooked "out back" we were told. The steam table included green beans, baked beans, real mashed potatoes, etc. It looked great.
I confused the man behind the counter by declining the order choices on the menu he handed me and said, "Just give me enough to feed ten people. I'll pay whatever it is." I was not worried about the price ($80 it turned out) and was growing very excited to see our relatives and to arrive with the evening meal.
As the man cut large slices of brisket and filled round plastic cartons with side dishes, I turned to the two men now in line behind me and said, "I bet you wish you got here ten minutes ago." "It's worth the wait." one replied. Noticing my non-Texas accent, he asked if I was from out of town. I explained how we happened to be in Brenham, Texas and what our evening plans were.
The men were dressed in business casual clothes. I took them to be local businessmen, which turned out to be correct. They were quite happy to tell me about their town. Hearing about the malts, one of them told me to be sure to use Blue Bell ice cream. He explained that it is made in Brenham and is very good. He also said he worked for Blue Bell.
I told the men that I already had ice cream in the truck but I try to learn something new every day. Today would be my day to learn about Blue Bell ice cream, so sure, I'll try some. "Where do I get it?" I asked. "Right here." The man replied. He led me to a freezer from which I picked up a gallon and took it to the counter. I liked those two guys; small-town Texans, proud of their community and products, friendly too.
When malt time came after supper, most everyone at the table was surprised to learn that I had never heard of Blue Bell ice cream before. As I read up on the company, I am surprised too. Blue Bell ice cream is a major brand. It is very good too.
Having stayed awake over supper and into the evening, when we would have slept if we were waiting for a load, we went out of service to assure a full night's rest. It would not have been safe to roll on an immediate pickup if one was offered after supper. After a nice visit, we went to bed, set to be back in service at 6:00 a.m.Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Wednesday, September 26, 2007. I learned today a little about the real estate market in part of Texas, the part that lies between Houston and Dallas. Learned by surfing the real estate sites on the web and visiting with a Texas realtor by telephone.
She reported that real estate prices are holding but sales have slowed and inventory is growing. There has been no drastic drop in prices as has been reported in some areas of the country. But in this area, the market has definitely slowed down. That fits with what we have read and heard as we look at real estate here and there.
I grew curious about land prices in this area as we drove through it. We have relatives here who we are visiting now. We daydreamed with them about their future housing needs and ours. In time, and motivated by the fact that our tax deductions will decline as our truck ages, we plan to relocate to a state that does not charge state income tax. Texas is one such state.
Slow markets and declining real estate prices suit us just fine. Buying property in Texas may be in the cards a year or two from now. If real estate prices decline, that would be good for us. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Thursday, September 27, 2007. I learned today of a good Volvo dealer in El Paso, Texas. Learned by visiting the dealership and using their services.
We had our rear tires rotated and got a DOT inspection done. The shop was clean. The people were competent and very nice. We will definitely return if we are in the area and the truck is due for service. Not knowing any place better in the region, if our truck broke down and needed major repairs, we would probably have it towed there.
We also learned of good place to park and sleep in the El Paso area. Learned by picking up a load there. Getting around the country like we do gets easier, safer and more comfortable as experience grows. We have only spent a night in El Paso once or twice. That was at truck stops, which we try to avoid. Now we know a better place, making El Paso an easier place to lay over.
Reading the local newspaper today, we were surprised to learn that the murder rate in El Paso is lower than many same-size cites around the nation. Not having a high opinion of El Paso, we would have thought otherwise. Las Cruces, New Mexico is just up the road. We love that town. I guess it is time to put our El Paso opinions aside and take a fresh look at this city. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Friday, September 28, 2007. I learned today that Lowe's sells good windshield washer fluid at a good price. Learned by buying some at the Lowe's store in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
We delivered nearby in the morning, after driving overnight from a small town in eastern Texas. Lowe's provided a convenient place to park and sleep, and to stock up on windshield washer fluid. This is the second time I have purchased windshield washer fluid from Lowe's. We normally do not shop there but when you are out, you are out. I am finding that Lowe's has a better price than Wal-Mart on a better quality product.
We stopped using the Wal-Mart store brand of windshield washer fluid after it froze up on us one winter night. That was no fun. The first time it froze up on us, we happened to be in a truck stop. I bought a couple bottles of over-priced rubbing alcohol and poured it into the windshield washer fluid tank to thaw things out.
We were in Wyoming in nighttime blizzard conditions. The washer fluid slush did not instantly thaw. Several times, I had to exit the freeway to clear the hoses and get the windshield washer working again. Wal-Mart may have since improved its product but roadside blizzard experiences are not quickly forgotten. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Saturday, September 29, 2007. I learned today of a good Volvo truck dealer in El Paso, Texas. Learned by visiting this dealer for the first time.
This dealership featured a clean shop and nice people. We got our rear tires rotated and had a DOT inspection done. Our carrier requires a DOT inspection twice a year. No flaws were found. The truck is in perfect working order; except for a rear mud flap that is showing signs of wear around the edges. I bought one here and will replace it myself when the opportunity arises.
We also learned of an excellent overnight parking place in El Paso. Learned by seeing it when we went there to pick up freight. In this business, quiet, clean and safe parking places are nice to have.
The last couple times we stayed overnight in El Paso, it has been at truck stops. That was in fleet owner trucks that did not provide the creature comforts our does. Our truck has a generator (for climate control) and a bathroom (for....well, never mind). That gives us the freedom to avoid dirty, noisy truck stops when we can.
While in El Paso, we were surprised to learn that the murder rate here is lower than many same-size cities in the U.S. We learned that by reading the local paper. That was a surprise to us. Our impression before was that El Paso was a crime-ridden, unsafe city. As my blog title suggests, I really do learn something new every day. Next time we are in El Paso, we may not be so eager to leave. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author
Sunday, September 30, 2007. I learned today the term “coastal bend,” which refers to the region where Corpus Christi, Texas and the Padre Islands are located. Learned by reading the weather report for the area as we headed toward Corpus Christi.
Rain and thunder storms were forecast so we passed on the chance to spend some tourist time in the Padre Islands. Our load picks up Monday morning. This is our first visit to Corpus Christi. To get there, we drove the full length of Interstate 37, adding that road to our collection, so to speak. Nationwide, there are only a few stretches of one-digit (like I-5 or I-8) and two-digit interstate highways (like I-35 and I-94) that we have not driven end to end. We don't worry much about three-digit roads (like I-880 or I-495) as those are usually bypasses around cities.
I don't mean that we have covered the roads end-to-end in one trip. I mean that we have driven pieces of them on various runs and completed them at one time or another. I-90 is the longest stretch of single-name interstate highway in the United States. We have covered every mile of it, from Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts to downtown Seattle, Washington.
I sometimes daydream about having other people along as we see the country, so we can share the sights and joys with them. That is not practical, which is proven to us again and again when we have passengers in the truck. I do daydream, though, about putting together a really nice truck, designed for passenger travel. I'd love to shuttle families on extended tours. I doubt there would be much demand for such a thing, but it is fun to think about taking people to all four corners of the United States.
The loop is formed by I-90 (east/west through northern states), I-95 (north south through eastern states), I-10 (east/west through southern states) and I-5 (north/south through western states). Except for Key West, Florida, these roads would take us to the four corners of the United States, and show off a whole lot of fantastic country in between. U.S. 1 would take us to Key West, as it is the only road that goes there. Additional stops could be designed into the trip per passenger preference.
You get a lot of time to daydream while you drive long distances, especially in the middle of the night when you have the road to yourself. This daydream is unlikely to become real. Few families have the time and money to spend on such a trip. But what a trip it would be! Maybe Diane and I will take the trip as our victory lap when we decide to come off the road.
Back to reality, we got a very good truck wash today; one of our best ever. It was provided by Charlie's Old Fashioned Truck Wash in San Antonio, TX ( I-10, Exit 283) for $41.00. While the weather forecast scared us away from tourist fun, the truck was so dirty that we took our chances and got it washed. It is always nice to show up at a shipper with a sparkling truck. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author