STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Monte, I’ll Take What’s Behind Door #8

On the 30th, I had to pick up at a customer in Schertz, TX near San Antonio. When I arrived I checked with the Shipping clerk who assigned door #8. Sounds simple, right? WRONG!!!
Here’s what awaited me.

I went back inside to the office and politely asked the clerk what drugs he was taking. He insisted that door #8 was open and told me to check again. I went back outside, verified that the door was actually #8 and that it was totally blocked. I then went back inside and politely told the clerk that the only way my trailer was going into door #8 was if they hired a “sky crane” to remove the trailer currently there and drop mine in it’s place. Either that or start moving some trailers out of the way. Their choice!! I counted 11 trailers that needed to be moved before I could back my trailer into the dock. FINALLY, the clerk got up and went out to check for himself. As soon as he walked out the door, his jaw dropped down somewhere below his naval. He just shook is head and walked back inside yelling on his radio for the “yard dog”. Eventually, the ‘yard dog’ began moving trailers. I conferred with him to let him know what I needed to be moved. He said that he would move enough or him to put it in with his “goat”.

I think he moved about 8 trailers to get to this point. In order for me to be able to back it in using my truck he would have had to move 3 more trailers; the two at the far left of the picture and the one at the far right. His ‘goat’ has a much better turning radius than does my OTR equipment.


The reason that I took the above photos, aside from BLOG purposes, was to have documentation in case the ‘yard dog’ did any damage to my trailer or the ones on either side while backing in that confined space. Fortunately they were not needed for that purpose. The bottom row are before & after shots. Bottom line was that it took 2 hours from door assignment to docking. Another 1 1/2 hours to load. I had to pull the trailer out of the dock myself, but that wasn’t too hard. I only had to “double jack” twice to clear all the remaining obstacles. Things like this surely do eat into my 14-hour driving window.

Languishing In Lancaster, TX For Truck Repairs

On the 27th, after delivering my load in Dallas, I drove to our Terminal in Lancaster, TX and put my truck in the shop. Yesterday when I fueled in Albuquerque, I had to put 4 gallons of oil in the engine. I just had an oil change less than a month ago, so I knew something was woefully amiss. This AM before starting out I looked under my truck, and found not 1 but 2 different leaks. One coming from the rear of the engine and the other coming from the transmission. I listed the following discrepancies on the “red tag”:
1) Engine oil leak.
2) Transmission leak.
3) Engine coughs and sputters under a load.
4) Windshield washer inop.
I had to wait for 2 hours to get into the shop. After my truck was in the shop for about 3 hours ( a total of 5 hours since my arrival), I grew weary of “wrestling” with the BCC, and decided to get a motel for the night. I asked which motel that Swift uses because they will take pets, and furnish transportation to and from the Terminal. In this area, they use the Day’s Inn in Red Oak, TX. It was about 6 miles from the Terminal. What a mistake. The only food available within reasonable walking distance was a Subway and a ‘fast’ Pizza place at the nearby truckstop, and a Chinese Buffet on the opposite side of the motel. The rooms were small, but servicable. Mine was conveniently located near the lobby and a ‘grassy knoll’ for the MMM. Later, I noticed that there was a Red Roof Inn about 1 1/2 miles from the Terminal with an Outback Steakhouse, a good local Mexican restaurant and a Cracker Barrel within walking distance. I should have gone there. It probably would have been worth any extra expense just to have edible food available. I settled in for the seige.
On the 28th, I was awakened at about 0600 by a deluge. After a soggy walk with the MMM and partaking of the free continental breakfast, I called the shop at about 0900. I was informed that they had isolated the engine leak and the transmission leak and had to order some parts. They had yet to start on the “coughing” or the WSW. I asked for a ‘firm’ ETA and was told that it would be late that afternoon or tomorrow morning before it would be ready. I decided to stay another day right where I was. I didn’t want to have to deal with the MMM and the deluge all day on the chance that my truck might be ready this afternoon. I called the desk at the motel and extended my stay. It turned out to be a record setting day for rainfall on this date, so I think my decision was prudent.
On Sunday, the 29th, the weather had cleared. After the MMM walk and another complementry continental breakfast, I again contacted the shop. They said my truck would be ready just after noon. I decided to take the 1030 shuttle back to the Terminal. It finally left about 1100. When we arrived at the Terminal, the MMM immediately headed for the nearest shrubbery. By the time I got them settled down, the shuttle was leaving the parking lot with my overnight bag, my computer, my external CD drive, and the MMM’s food and water. I immediately called the motel. The driver had his cell phone with him, so I expected the ‘desk lady’ to call him and have him return with my bags. No such luck. I should have known what to expect, because when I was checking out I noticed that the ‘desk lady’ was watching a “Jerry Springeresque type show, en espanol. I had to wait for his next scheduled trip at 1230. Meanwhile, I locked the MMM in “doggie jail”. I didn’t notice the kennels on Friday when I was ‘wrestling’ with them outside the shop. They were actually quite nice.

I then checked on the truck. The mechanic had just started to install the valve cover gasket, a 2 hour job. After finally retrieving my luggage, my truck was ready. I told the mechanic that I wanted to road-test my truck before it was released from the shop to ensure that the “coughing problem” was solved. During the road-test I noticed a “whistling sound” when I accelerated. The “coughing” seems to be solved though. Back into the shop to find the new noise. It turned out to be (as I suspected) loose clamps on the air to air tube which they had replaced to solve the “coughing” problem. The mechanic tightened all the clamps in the whole system and performed a leak test (what the original mechanic should have done). I was finally released from the shop at 1700. Three days driving lost, and GOD only knows what the total bill will be. I don’t think that either of the leaks, or the WSW will be under warranty.

Pahrump Pilgrimage

Today, I went to Pahrump, NV. I had to register my car and buy insurance. It is cheaper to do it here because there is no required Smog and Safety Inspecton in Nye county and the insurance is cheaper. The trip was uneventful except for the (seemingly manditory) 2 hour wait at the DMV. The entire trip took a little over 4 hours including the drive time. I was concerned about driving the Jeep that far because this was the first ‘long’ trip since it overheated in May. It made it without any problems. That boosted my confidence level enough so that I may resume my “day trips” again.

New Wireless Card

I am currently parked at the Wild Wild West, surfing the Web. Wait, you say, there is no wireless network available there, so how is this possible?? Glad you asked. Today I bought a Sprint PCS Wireless Card. The card cost me $139.95 and the service costs $59.95 per month, but anywhere Sprint has a wireless signal, I can now go ‘online’. I think it is good investment. The yearly services I purchased from the Flying J, TA, and Pilot truckstops begin expiring next month and now I won’t have to renew them. Between the 3 of them, I was spending almost $600.00 per year for WiFi service. This service is a bit more costly but, in my opinion, the convenience factor will off-set the extra cost. For the next couple of months, I’ll have “double coverage”, but, what the heck. The “truckstop” services can be unrelible at times.

In Memory Of Milo

Rest In Peace Mr. M

I just recieved the sad news that my brother Don’s long time Feline Companion, Milo, had to be put to sleep earlier this week. On Tuesday, he developed a paralysis in his hind legs, and it eventually worsened and spread. The decision to relieve his suffering was made on Thursday morning. He was then transported by Lou and Dawn back to his home in Palo Alto, CA. He was laid to rest in his favorite spot, their backyard, with a few of his favorite toys on Saturday morning.

He was as beloved by Don, Lou, and Dawn as are the MMM by me. The MMM had a “cat vs dog” relationship with him, but I was quite fond of him. I’ve always had an affinity toward cats and he reminded me of my beloved Murphy who I had to give up after my divorce. They shared many of the same personality traits and looked very much alike. http://donwood.org/2006/01/pet-emergency.htm

http://donwood.org/2006/01/goodbye-mr-milo.htm

He was 1 “cool cat”