Harbor In The Storm

After delivering the fire truck in Memphis yesterday I began making my way towards the Indianapolis airport to pick up another, larger one to take back to the factory in Wisconsin for some warranty work. I got it picked up today and am now on my way back North. In Illinois I ran into some pretty nasty storms and decided to pull into the truckstop.

One of the permit conditions for pulling oversized loads is that one must not run during bad weather that severely affects visibility or road conditions. These storms definately qualify. I crept the last 10 miles to the truckstop at about 25mph due to very heavy rain and high winds. Yuck. What was funny though was that even going that slowly I was still passing people!

Ah well, such is life on the road. I got a nice hot shower, bought a few more DVDs, some Pecan Sandies cookies, and am settling in for a nice evening of watching movies while the rain and wind beat down on the truck.

One funny note. Until today Socrates had seen neither rain nor the windshield wipers. He was napping in his bed on the passenger seat when we ran into the rain. The noise woke him up. He glanced up at the windshield, saw the wiper moving across it, and literally doved out of the bed and into the sleeper. I couldn't help but bust out laughing.

He crept back out and sat on the floor watching the wipers and the rain for a bit, decided it wasn't a danger, and climbed back into his bed to watch the goings on.

So now for a bit of nuked dinner and some movie time, assuming I can keep Socrates off the laptop long enough to watch one. The motion on the screen fascinates him when a movie is playing. Sometimes it's more entertaining than the movie itself.
2,335 views 21 replies
Reply #1 Top
Glad you made it to a "safe harbor."

I bet the rain sounds good hitting the roof of your truck. I can sleep for days to the sound of rain.

Do you leave your truck running all night for the a/c?
Reply #2 Top
#1 by Tova7
Wed, July 19, 2006 8:00 PM



[Tova7]
Glad you made it to a "safe harbor."

I bet the rain sounds good hitting the roof of your truck. I can sleep for days to the sound of rain.

Do you leave your truck running all night for the a/c?


Yeah, the rain always makes sleeping a bit nicer.

My truck is equipped with a generator unit that provides heat/ac as well as 120Vac current to run the microwave and whatever else I need to plug into a regular outlet. The generator only burns about 1.5 gallons of fuel over night as opposed to the truck engine idling would burn about 13 or 14 gallons. I just shut off the truck, hit a button and the generator fires up. I then just need to set the environment controls and I'm good to go.
Reply #3 Top
I just shut off the truck, hit a button and the generator fires up. I then just need to set the environment controls and I'm good to go.


Wow that is really nice Mason! Do other truckers have to leave their trucks running? For instance when I see one with its parking lights on?
Reply #4 Top
We had some storms here today also, was good to get the rain though.

I can believe you were passing other motorists, they probably don't like driving in rain anymore than I ever did!

Your pet sounds like he's keeping you good company fun to watch them play and how they react to new things Keep on truckin!
Reply #5 Top
Cats can be scaredy cats.
Reply #6 Top
Sometimes it's more entertaining than the movie itself.


My wife and I spend a lot of time watching our cat play. A lot of times, this is much more fun than watching some of the crap on television, for sure.
Reply #7 Top
Hey Mason! I just got hooked up with Sirius satellite radio and was wondering if it was "standard equiptment" for truckers these days?

Wow, I wished it had existed in my old plowing wheat stubble days!
Reply #8 Top

Hey Mason if you read this on your stop tonight (Friday night), can you shoot me an email at [email protected] you something but its not for public consumption.

Thanks,

T

 

Reply #9 Top
#3 by Tova7
Wed, July 19, 2006 9:11 PM



[Tova7]
I just shut off the truck, hit a button and the generator fires up. I then just need to set the environment controls and I'm good to go.


Wow that is really nice Mason! Do other truckers have to leave their trucks running? For instance when I see one with its parking lights on?


Yeah, if we don't have a generator that's the only way to maintain environment control.
Reply #10 Top
#4 by Trudygolightly
Wed, July 19, 2006 9:39 PM



[Trudygolightly]
We had some storms here today also, was good to get the rain though.

I can believe you were passing other motorists, they probably don't like driving in rain anymore than I ever did!

Your pet sounds like he's keeping you good company fun to watch them play and how they react to new things Keep on truckin!


Those storms were pretty bad, did lots of damage.
Yeah, Socrates is good company.
Reply #11 Top
#5 by Dr. Guy
Thu, July 20, 2006 05:44 AM



[Dr. Guy]
Cats can be scaredy cats.


Reply #12 Top
#6 by dynamaso
Thu, July 20, 2006 8:42 PM



[dynamaso]
Sometimes it's more entertaining than the movie itself.


My wife and I spend a lot of time watching our cat play. A lot of times, this is much more fun than watching some of the crap on television, for sure.


No doubt.
Reply #13 Top
#7 by Shovelheat
Thu, July 20, 2006 8:52 PM



[Shovelheat]
Hey Mason! I just got hooked up with Sirius satellite radio and was wondering if it was "standard equiptment" for truckers these days?

Wow, I wished it had existed in my old plowing wheat stubble days!


Ahhhh, ya shoulda went with XM.

Many of us have XM or Sirius these days, with XM being far and away the more popular of the two. Many companies are trying to attract drivers by providing it free in their trucks.
Reply #14 Top
#8 by Tova7
Fri, July 21, 2006 2:46 PM



[Tova7]

Hey Mason if you read this on your stop tonight (Friday night), can you shoot me an email at [email protected] you something but its not for public consumption.

Thanks,

T


ummm, ok. You have mail.
Reply #15 Top
Ahhhh, ya shoulda went with XM.


But I wanted Howard Stern and all that Rock 'n roll!
Reply #16 Top
Yep, XM. Been on them for four years. Real Jazz, XM70. Listen, learn, live.

Shovel, Howard Stern has his thing, and is the only reason to go Sirius, but very cool that you went sat radio. You will not regret it.

There are a couple of studies done showing that XM's sound quality is better, but you may not care about that and nobody would blame you. Enjoy your radio, whoever is providing the service. XM's pending lawsuit has merit, and I fear they are on the wrong side of the issue. The labels could win, so you have opted wisely in that regard and have not bought the devices in question. Again, enjoy your new service, but I'm squarely with MasonM on this. XM rules.

Hope I'm not barging in.
Reply #17 Top
Hope I'm not barging in.


Seen a couple of your response so far. Welcome! And no, that is what comments are for. Jump in wherever you have an opinion.
Reply #18 Top

ummm, ok. You have mail.

SO DO YOU.

Reply #19 Top


Hope I'm not barging in

No such thing!  Welcome!

Reply #20 Top
#16 by (quietly)
Fri, July 21, 2006 7:44 PM




Hope I'm not barging in.


Nah, we keep comments open for a reason. Welcome to JU,and you have mail.
Reply #21 Top
#20 by little-whip
Fri, July 21, 2006 8:49 PM



[little-whip]
What's cool about cats is that you can be in the company of one but still be solitary. Solitary, but not alone.


I couldn't have said it better myself.