A steaming lake, but it was -27 so I wasn't going to dip my toe in..
Net is farting around. I will do more tomorrow.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Just Pics from the last week or so.
A selection of pics from the trip.. Can you tell I am bored?
A steaming lake, but it was -27 so I wasn't going to dip my toe in..
Net is farting around. I will do more tomorrow.
A steaming lake, but it was -27 so I wasn't going to dip my toe in..
Net is farting around. I will do more tomorrow.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Vancouver Island Trip..
Winter hit hard on November 18th this year. From cool and dry weather to a snowstorm in a matter of hours, with nice cool temps to boot. So I started out from home on Thursday night to go down to Roseau, MN, for 0800 on Friday morning. You have to be through the border before midnight as they close till 0800, so I had to head down there anyway.
All the way down, the roads were in a hell of a state. I was ploughing snow on Hwy 12, but I have seen much worse and it didn't slow me down too much. Through the border and parked on the service road by the Subway buttie bar so I could scab the Travelodge wifi.
Pulled into the Polaris place for 0745 because I still had to set the deck up. I hadn't already done it because of the weather. I wwanted shelter from the storm, you could say. Anyway, they had meetings till 0900, so I was able to do the floor and get the coffee imbibed before they loaded 9 machines onto me. Because one of them was a Bobcat, I had to manually clear the load at Sprague instead of South Junction, but they are good as gold there and it didn't take long.
the drive back to the yard was tricky. The snow was largely hardpack and that tends to kick the truck around a bit. Still, I was back there for lunchtime, but the snow as I appraoched Winnipeg was awful. Visabilty was down to maybe 50 metres, so I gave up for the day and went home.
Saturday, I was in the yard for noon. I filled the cans up, got some diesel treatment and headed out. I got maybe 25 kms. There was a farting sound from my compressor and the air wasn't building up.. Bugger!!
Now you have to bear in mind that these trucks are about as manoevreable as a supertanker. They will fit most places but sometimes it takes a little thinking about. So a U turn was pretty much out of the question. I popped the hood and looked. Sure enough, the compressor relief valve was popping away, which meant there was a freeze up in the earliest part of the system.
So I drove up Waverly street, turned on Bishop Grandin, then chose to go down St Marys because traffic was a nightmare and they were all driving like kamikazes, and I only had the air in the tanks. By now, my buzzer was sounding and things were looking bad. Got to the yard and borrowed the paint stripper hot airgun. This is an essential part of the Canadian toolbox. With that, I was able to defrost the air dryer and we were good to go, just much later than I intended...
So out onto the highway, hammer down. I stopped for the night in Regina as It was late, it was snowing and I had simply had enough.
Sunday saw me on the road nice and early. It had finally stopped snowing and was a beautiful day.
My drive across the Prairies was largely uneventful. I fuelled in the Flying J in Calgary, which was a complete farce. It actually took longer to get my coffee than it did to get the fuel.. That place is really crap! Then onwards toward the mountains.
My first drop was in Williams Lake, in the Interior of BC. I got there at about 0930 on Monday, which is very good going all things considered, only to find they were closed on Mondays. Still, I was tired, so I parked on the service road by the Super 8 Motel.. Their wifi was passworded, so I decided to go and see how generous they were feeling. The lady there was really nice. She gave me the ticket, then asked why I was having to sit there. I explained and she was very sympathetic. I wasn't bothered. i had the net to play with..
2 hours later, the lady came out and told me she had spoken to the owner and he would meet me there!! How good is that!!!!?? So I unloaded 3 machines and headed down to Langley, 520 kms south. The air had got so cold so fast that the lakes were steaming..
Tuesday morning, I set up the ramps and ran the 2 machines in. Then it was off to the ferry in Tsawassen. I was booked on the 1515 boat to Nanaimo, but at the window I asked the lady how long it would take me to drive to Victoria. The upshoot was that, at 1059, I was then booked onto the 1100 sailing straight into Victoria...
Onto the island and down to drop #3 in Victoria. This was the Bobcat.. Bobcat means loading ramps, so I only had to put the ramps inside for the upper deck then drive it straight out onto their loading dock. I was out of there in 15 minutes and off up to Duncan.. Hell of a pretty road.
Got shot of their machine in Duncan, and called the last drop, but they wouldn't wait. The man said the roads were bad and it was slow going. He was halfway right.. the roads were bad, but it wasn't slow going.
No biggie. I parked in the supermarket car park and went on to the drop for 0800 (which is 1000 central time.. a lie in) got that one off then headed down to the ferry again. I changed the booking again so that I sailed into Horseshoe Bay, which is north Vancouver, then I was on the right side of the river to get to the collection in Maple Ridge. Got on the ferry at 1030, and the driver behind me came up to me to point out that I had no brakelights.. Bugger! So half the sailing time was taken up investigating and fixing the dead short on the drivers side tail light, the other half was taken up with washing up and drinking coffee!!
Took a while to get loaded but was done in the end, then I met up with Steve Frampton in the Dirty Dawg, Chilliwack.
From there I really pushed the boat out and parked up in Sicamous as it was snowing like hell again.
Thursday, managed to go for just over an hour before the whole lot came to a standstill.
Bugger again!!
Still, a mere 5 hours later and all was rolling again, and I hammered back to the J in Calgary (I must be a glutton for punishment!). Had another falling out with the person at the checkout when some twat asked something from behind me and he went off to get him a map while still serving me!!!
Anyway, I left Calgary and went on to Brooks. There is a hotel at the Shell there and the net is sound, so I parked up, but couldn't sleep. I finally left there and drove over to Swift Current. Unlike when Chris was here last week, the scale was closed.. I hit the freezing fog around Moosejaw, and was in that all the way to Portage, where I decided to call it a day. That may have been a mistake though. About ten miles further on, once I got rolling again, the fog stopped and the sun peeked out.
So it was back to the yard, drop the trailer (after adjusting the landing legs with my hammer as they were frozen solid), and home to the toils that await me.
6000 kms
View Larger Map
All the way down, the roads were in a hell of a state. I was ploughing snow on Hwy 12, but I have seen much worse and it didn't slow me down too much. Through the border and parked on the service road by the Subway buttie bar so I could scab the Travelodge wifi.
Pulled into the Polaris place for 0745 because I still had to set the deck up. I hadn't already done it because of the weather. I wwanted shelter from the storm, you could say. Anyway, they had meetings till 0900, so I was able to do the floor and get the coffee imbibed before they loaded 9 machines onto me. Because one of them was a Bobcat, I had to manually clear the load at Sprague instead of South Junction, but they are good as gold there and it didn't take long.
the drive back to the yard was tricky. The snow was largely hardpack and that tends to kick the truck around a bit. Still, I was back there for lunchtime, but the snow as I appraoched Winnipeg was awful. Visabilty was down to maybe 50 metres, so I gave up for the day and went home.
Saturday, I was in the yard for noon. I filled the cans up, got some diesel treatment and headed out. I got maybe 25 kms. There was a farting sound from my compressor and the air wasn't building up.. Bugger!!
Now you have to bear in mind that these trucks are about as manoevreable as a supertanker. They will fit most places but sometimes it takes a little thinking about. So a U turn was pretty much out of the question. I popped the hood and looked. Sure enough, the compressor relief valve was popping away, which meant there was a freeze up in the earliest part of the system.
So I drove up Waverly street, turned on Bishop Grandin, then chose to go down St Marys because traffic was a nightmare and they were all driving like kamikazes, and I only had the air in the tanks. By now, my buzzer was sounding and things were looking bad. Got to the yard and borrowed the paint stripper hot airgun. This is an essential part of the Canadian toolbox. With that, I was able to defrost the air dryer and we were good to go, just much later than I intended...
So out onto the highway, hammer down. I stopped for the night in Regina as It was late, it was snowing and I had simply had enough.
Sunday saw me on the road nice and early. It had finally stopped snowing and was a beautiful day.
My drive across the Prairies was largely uneventful. I fuelled in the Flying J in Calgary, which was a complete farce. It actually took longer to get my coffee than it did to get the fuel.. That place is really crap! Then onwards toward the mountains.
My first drop was in Williams Lake, in the Interior of BC. I got there at about 0930 on Monday, which is very good going all things considered, only to find they were closed on Mondays. Still, I was tired, so I parked on the service road by the Super 8 Motel.. Their wifi was passworded, so I decided to go and see how generous they were feeling. The lady there was really nice. She gave me the ticket, then asked why I was having to sit there. I explained and she was very sympathetic. I wasn't bothered. i had the net to play with..
2 hours later, the lady came out and told me she had spoken to the owner and he would meet me there!! How good is that!!!!?? So I unloaded 3 machines and headed down to Langley, 520 kms south. The air had got so cold so fast that the lakes were steaming..
Tuesday morning, I set up the ramps and ran the 2 machines in. Then it was off to the ferry in Tsawassen. I was booked on the 1515 boat to Nanaimo, but at the window I asked the lady how long it would take me to drive to Victoria. The upshoot was that, at 1059, I was then booked onto the 1100 sailing straight into Victoria...
Onto the island and down to drop #3 in Victoria. This was the Bobcat.. Bobcat means loading ramps, so I only had to put the ramps inside for the upper deck then drive it straight out onto their loading dock. I was out of there in 15 minutes and off up to Duncan.. Hell of a pretty road.
Got shot of their machine in Duncan, and called the last drop, but they wouldn't wait. The man said the roads were bad and it was slow going. He was halfway right.. the roads were bad, but it wasn't slow going.
No biggie. I parked in the supermarket car park and went on to the drop for 0800 (which is 1000 central time.. a lie in) got that one off then headed down to the ferry again. I changed the booking again so that I sailed into Horseshoe Bay, which is north Vancouver, then I was on the right side of the river to get to the collection in Maple Ridge. Got on the ferry at 1030, and the driver behind me came up to me to point out that I had no brakelights.. Bugger! So half the sailing time was taken up investigating and fixing the dead short on the drivers side tail light, the other half was taken up with washing up and drinking coffee!!
Took a while to get loaded but was done in the end, then I met up with Steve Frampton in the Dirty Dawg, Chilliwack.
From there I really pushed the boat out and parked up in Sicamous as it was snowing like hell again.
Thursday, managed to go for just over an hour before the whole lot came to a standstill.
Bugger again!!
Still, a mere 5 hours later and all was rolling again, and I hammered back to the J in Calgary (I must be a glutton for punishment!). Had another falling out with the person at the checkout when some twat asked something from behind me and he went off to get him a map while still serving me!!!
Anyway, I left Calgary and went on to Brooks. There is a hotel at the Shell there and the net is sound, so I parked up, but couldn't sleep. I finally left there and drove over to Swift Current. Unlike when Chris was here last week, the scale was closed.. I hit the freezing fog around Moosejaw, and was in that all the way to Portage, where I decided to call it a day. That may have been a mistake though. About ten miles further on, once I got rolling again, the fog stopped and the sun peeked out.
So it was back to the yard, drop the trailer (after adjusting the landing legs with my hammer as they were frozen solid), and home to the toils that await me.
6000 kms
View Larger Map
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Wednesday was another odd day. Had to take Puff up to the hospital for her post-op check up. All seems well with that, and the scars are healing well enough although she really should avoid walking into things and opening them up.
After that, it was off to Walmart with the Mother in Law.. I managed to lose her twice, but damned if she didn't keep finding me!! Then it was up to Winnipeg International to collect Puffs "pathologically terrified of flying" friend, Lisa, who is staying with us for six months..
So Long Haul is really looking appealing right now!!!
Anyway, I grabbed a couple hours kip then kicked off for Calgary with the gypsum reels I had loaded in Cayuga. I was on site for 0530 and the man told me the dock to back onto. No problem... except.... as I was backing up, I had to shunt past a dumpster (skip) and I heard a little protest from the steering pump. In front of me was a little trail of oil. Up with the hood and, sure enough, power steering oil was pouring out. Made a hell of a mess. Once empty, I drove straight to the Flying J. I did the important thing first, got my coffee and breakfast sandwich, then parked up.. You ought to try steering this the Pete with no PAS oil.. I had to keep rocking to steer, and getting it into a space was hard work.
Called it in to the shop and was given the number for the Peterbilt dealership and the KW dealership. Neither of them were able to even look at it till late in the day, so the internet was consulted and RPM were discovered.. Yep, no problem, bring it on in. Dropped the trailer and bobtailed the few miles up to Kleysen off 84th street.. Straight in the shop and they got on it right away.. great guys. They had to get a new pipe made up as it is a pressure fitting, so it took a few hours, but it was done and I was out of there by just after 2pm.
My reload was out of Standens. We do quite a few loads out of there and they are really good at getting it loaded just so. I came out of there thinking I was heavy, and I am, but not illegally so. there was 400lbs difference between drives and trailer axles and the full tanks of fuel made up more than that.
After loading, I met up with the world famous Jody Ruth and his charming young lady, even more famous Jo Hall, at the Blackfoot diner. Between you and me, I don't think Jo was impressed, and I had chosen it so carefully for the ambience!!!!
After that, I drove back to Swift Current where I failed and had to sleep. For the first time this year, I woke up cold and so I put the night heater going. Big mistake as then it got that hot that I overslept and woke up really groggy. Still, one quick stop in Moosejaw, the Shell, for coffee and straight back to the yard. Managed to fit all the lumber from my load of reels in the back seat, got a routine stop by the RCMP, managed to get fuel and get home in one piece.
Load is bound for Missouri, I think for Monday, but the Mighty Pete is due a service on Monday morning so the load is not going to be there..
After that, it was off to Walmart with the Mother in Law.. I managed to lose her twice, but damned if she didn't keep finding me!! Then it was up to Winnipeg International to collect Puffs "pathologically terrified of flying" friend, Lisa, who is staying with us for six months..
So Long Haul is really looking appealing right now!!!
Anyway, I grabbed a couple hours kip then kicked off for Calgary with the gypsum reels I had loaded in Cayuga. I was on site for 0530 and the man told me the dock to back onto. No problem... except.... as I was backing up, I had to shunt past a dumpster (skip) and I heard a little protest from the steering pump. In front of me was a little trail of oil. Up with the hood and, sure enough, power steering oil was pouring out. Made a hell of a mess. Once empty, I drove straight to the Flying J. I did the important thing first, got my coffee and breakfast sandwich, then parked up.. You ought to try steering this the Pete with no PAS oil.. I had to keep rocking to steer, and getting it into a space was hard work.
Called it in to the shop and was given the number for the Peterbilt dealership and the KW dealership. Neither of them were able to even look at it till late in the day, so the internet was consulted and RPM were discovered.. Yep, no problem, bring it on in. Dropped the trailer and bobtailed the few miles up to Kleysen off 84th street.. Straight in the shop and they got on it right away.. great guys. They had to get a new pipe made up as it is a pressure fitting, so it took a few hours, but it was done and I was out of there by just after 2pm.
My reload was out of Standens. We do quite a few loads out of there and they are really good at getting it loaded just so. I came out of there thinking I was heavy, and I am, but not illegally so. there was 400lbs difference between drives and trailer axles and the full tanks of fuel made up more than that.
After loading, I met up with the world famous Jody Ruth and his charming young lady, even more famous Jo Hall, at the Blackfoot diner. Between you and me, I don't think Jo was impressed, and I had chosen it so carefully for the ambience!!!!
After that, I drove back to Swift Current where I failed and had to sleep. For the first time this year, I woke up cold and so I put the night heater going. Big mistake as then it got that hot that I overslept and woke up really groggy. Still, one quick stop in Moosejaw, the Shell, for coffee and straight back to the yard. Managed to fit all the lumber from my load of reels in the back seat, got a routine stop by the RCMP, managed to get fuel and get home in one piece.
Load is bound for Missouri, I think for Monday, but the Mighty Pete is due a service on Monday morning so the load is not going to be there..
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
October 13th..early
Home by 10pm from a quick flit south.
No pics this time, although there are a couple on the camera but they are just more of the same. Left home at 2am Sunday and managed to get into Springfield, Illinois for 8am Monday. I managed to avoid having to go over the Red River scale by virtue of passing by at stupid oclock as they like to keep fairly normal hours.
I wasn't over, but the drive axles were real close and I didn't want the scrutiny. I had slid the trailer bogie forward another notch, putting the pin-to-mid axles to around 39 feet, but I didn't want to move it any more, so I just put in 100 gallons of fuel in Fargo and carried on.
The leaves in Wisconsin were absolutely amazing. they have the BC display hammered, but the light was crap and the traffic was bad so pics were not available. You will just have to take my word for it.
Anyway, I battled the construction through Illinois. I tell you, it is a joke. Almost every bit of interstate is dug up in that state. Now I like Obama. I think he has tremendous vision, unlike the opposing goons who just have deep pockets and short arms, but it is taking the piss a little that his entire state is getting their roads fixed up (except Chicago which would need levelling to fix)..
The drop was easy to find. Exit I74, turn right and follow for a few miles and, presto!! Of course, it was Columbus Day, and I found this out somewhere between I74 and the drop.. A tense little while followed, especially when my call to them was answered by voicemail! But they were open for business, and happy to take the load of lumber.
Now they have 5 loading docks. 3 are at the front and are a piece of cake to get onto. The other 2 are around the back and are total witches. Remember I said about the axles being at 39 feet instead of 41? Damned good job, too. If they had been at 41' then the truck wouldn't have made the turn.
Out of there for 0930, and the drive to the collection (Gypsum again... a little unnerving after last week) was 2 1/2 hours.. and my appointment was at 1300 hrs.. Easy as you like, right?
Well no. See, the collection was in Cayuga, Indiana. That part of Indiana is about a mile over the time zone line. It means that the last mile or so took me about 61 minutes. I got there 3 minutes late!!!
Not to worry. See, they have a minimum number of reels to load. In a van it is 7. The reels weigh about 5800lbs each so my worries for the load weight were unfounded. I came away light!!
Up through Illinois again to South Beloit, where I showered and got some grub, then I decided to hammer through to avoid the chaos which is the Twin Cities (as well as the Hudson scale... read the next paragraph, it explains why I wanted to avoid that one) So I got into the rest area at St Cloud and get some rack time.
In honesty, I had been a little tense the entire time, ever since Fargo. It was there that I discovered my wallet was not on my person, and not in the truck. It was, in fact, in the centre console of the Explorer, and it contained my driving licence, cards and, most disconcerting of all, my PR card for Canada!!!
I got to the border, having filled up and got my duty frees with the 30% discount, and explained that I had only my passport.. Canada Customs are the fairest I have ever encountered.. They couldn't care less about that. Once they zapped my passport they saw I am clearly an honest and upstanding person and let me in. I took advantage and went to get a copy of my B4 declaration which has my old gun listed on it so I should be good to import that at some point, and drove home..
View Larger Map
No pics this time, although there are a couple on the camera but they are just more of the same. Left home at 2am Sunday and managed to get into Springfield, Illinois for 8am Monday. I managed to avoid having to go over the Red River scale by virtue of passing by at stupid oclock as they like to keep fairly normal hours.
I wasn't over, but the drive axles were real close and I didn't want the scrutiny. I had slid the trailer bogie forward another notch, putting the pin-to-mid axles to around 39 feet, but I didn't want to move it any more, so I just put in 100 gallons of fuel in Fargo and carried on.
The leaves in Wisconsin were absolutely amazing. they have the BC display hammered, but the light was crap and the traffic was bad so pics were not available. You will just have to take my word for it.
Anyway, I battled the construction through Illinois. I tell you, it is a joke. Almost every bit of interstate is dug up in that state. Now I like Obama. I think he has tremendous vision, unlike the opposing goons who just have deep pockets and short arms, but it is taking the piss a little that his entire state is getting their roads fixed up (except Chicago which would need levelling to fix)..
The drop was easy to find. Exit I74, turn right and follow for a few miles and, presto!! Of course, it was Columbus Day, and I found this out somewhere between I74 and the drop.. A tense little while followed, especially when my call to them was answered by voicemail! But they were open for business, and happy to take the load of lumber.
Now they have 5 loading docks. 3 are at the front and are a piece of cake to get onto. The other 2 are around the back and are total witches. Remember I said about the axles being at 39 feet instead of 41? Damned good job, too. If they had been at 41' then the truck wouldn't have made the turn.
Out of there for 0930, and the drive to the collection (Gypsum again... a little unnerving after last week) was 2 1/2 hours.. and my appointment was at 1300 hrs.. Easy as you like, right?
Well no. See, the collection was in Cayuga, Indiana. That part of Indiana is about a mile over the time zone line. It means that the last mile or so took me about 61 minutes. I got there 3 minutes late!!!
Not to worry. See, they have a minimum number of reels to load. In a van it is 7. The reels weigh about 5800lbs each so my worries for the load weight were unfounded. I came away light!!
Up through Illinois again to South Beloit, where I showered and got some grub, then I decided to hammer through to avoid the chaos which is the Twin Cities (as well as the Hudson scale... read the next paragraph, it explains why I wanted to avoid that one) So I got into the rest area at St Cloud and get some rack time.
In honesty, I had been a little tense the entire time, ever since Fargo. It was there that I discovered my wallet was not on my person, and not in the truck. It was, in fact, in the centre console of the Explorer, and it contained my driving licence, cards and, most disconcerting of all, my PR card for Canada!!!
I got to the border, having filled up and got my duty frees with the 30% discount, and explained that I had only my passport.. Canada Customs are the fairest I have ever encountered.. They couldn't care less about that. Once they zapped my passport they saw I am clearly an honest and upstanding person and let me in. I took advantage and went to get a copy of my B4 declaration which has my old gun listed on it so I should be good to import that at some point, and drove home..
View Larger Map
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Interesting.... happyharry.03
I notice that the scumbag is buying from the US government via ebay.
Now, me being a nice man, and with the potential case moving ahead nicely, I thought I had best inform the Wisconsin people that they are selling to a fraud. When this gets official, it will be really embarrassing to the Paypal maggots when they realise their own government has been culpable, too.
Harry, you will be pleased to know that I received a response from the taxman.
Now, me being a nice man, and with the potential case moving ahead nicely, I thought I had best inform the Wisconsin people that they are selling to a fraud. When this gets official, it will be really embarrassing to the Paypal maggots when they realise their own government has been culpable, too.
Harry, you will be pleased to know that I received a response from the taxman.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Happy Harry
Just quickly, I see you are still peeking. Relax, I haven't forgotten you and you can expect the real trouble to start again now I have everything sorted here.
I have a new angle, and this one will work. I also have enough money to pay for flights to Melbourne......
I have a new angle, and this one will work. I also have enough money to pay for flights to Melbourne......
Picture Postcard
The crack.. Not good.
Montana just goes on and on and on...
Met up wit Mr Trickett in Butte. He paid for coffee!!!!
Pretty leaves...LOL
The little pull in on the WY/MT line.
See the other side of the interstate?
Washington State.Home again
OK, so I didn't manage to get any pics of the unloading as I was just too busy. I finally got the last machine unloaded on Vancouver Island on Weds morning and was able to catch an earlier ferry back, which meant I reloaded on Weds afternoon in Abbotsford. A full load of cedar shingles for Wichita to deliver Monday.. Loads of time!!
Only one small problem. BC is 2 hours behind MB, so my paperwork for the border wasn't set up that day. Not a big deal, I just went to Chilliwack and fuelled up then had a night off watching movies.
Just like old times driving off the ferries in Europe, and I had pole position so was able to blast off straight away.
Thursday morning I drove down to Sumas, Washington and crossed over. I chose to use the littler roads for a while instead of cutting across to the interstate. Seemed a plan to me.
Sumas seems quite a small border crossing, but it is much quicker and easier than trying to cross at Blaine.. Anyone who has read the Dark Tower books will know the phrase "Blaine is a pain" and it is, believe me.
Eventually, I found myself on the I5 heading to Seattle, then I picked up the I90 heading east. That is an amazing road to travel. At this time of year the scenery is spectacular with the leaves changing. But it is a hard road with the mountains. I started to hear a slight bark from the motor. I guessed it to be an exhaust manifold leak. I stopped and investigated but couldn't find it. Parked for the night in a rest area in the mountains.. I carried on on Friday morning but kept listening, and went on out past the Little Bighorn Battlefield onto the 212 through Montana. That is awesome out through there. It is the heart of the Badlands really, and you half expect mad indians to come charging after you..
I stopped for the night right beside the state line between Montana and Wyoming. The 212 cuts the north eastern corner of Wyoming and takes you into South Dakota. There is a tiny pull in right by the line and I often stop there as you get left alone..
Into Rapid City (close to Mount Rushmore) where I decided I should investigate the bark properly. It wasn't a manifold leak as such.. The manifold was cracked on no.3 cylinder, which is directly next to the turbo. That was that. Game over till Monday. I would have carried on if it had been anywhere else on the manifold, but that takes the entire weight of the turbo and it just wasn't worth the risk.
Into Butler CAT bright and early on Monday, and out again, new manifold section fitted under warranty, before noon. Now I had to punch on. Wichita was about 1200 kms ahead and I was intending to get empty first thing Tuesday. Stopped in Salina, KS, because you can usually get a spot there, and got into Wichita for 8am.
My reload was from Blue Rapids, KS. Ideal, I was there by noon and out again, still empty, within the hour. The load was 4000 lbs heavier than posted and I couldn't carry it. Plan B time then.
You have to hand it to our dispatchers. In short order I had another reload through, loading that night, from Norfolk, NE... None of this crap about not being able to find anything with this firm. I got loaded late, so I went to bed. Next day, Weds, I cracked on north. I was an hour out of Watertown when my friend called me. My shotgun was with the police in St Pierre (long story not worth going in to) but there was a problem.
It turns out that this gun had been reported stolen in 1970 from Detroit, MI. It didn't show on the registry of long guns in Canada. After some calls, the officer finally found that, although it wasn't on the long gun registry, it is, in fact, registered to me. Weird, huh?
So they gave it back to me on Thursday morning. Even though it has questionable provenance, they gave it back to me.........
Thursday evening I set out again for Saskatoon. I called the receiver at about 9am to ask for directions, only to be told that the earliest they could take it was Tuesday!!! Not good, Selwyn, not good at all!
Anyway, I spoke to them really, really nicely, and explained that I live in Winnipeg and could hardly take it back there and they very nicely took it off.
So now I am home again. I have another load on board for Springfield, Illynoy, for monday morning, and the reload is already on the system for loading Monday lunchtime. That is to go to Calgary for, I think, Friday of next week. Since I have to take Puff to the hospital on weds, and her friend arrives on weds evening, I think it should work out just perfect.
Monday, September 27, 2010
September 27th
Sorry to have been away so long. Recent times have been a little fraught and strained, and I have had other things on my mind.
First, welcome back to Canada. I hope things work out better for you. You know who you are, I need not spell it out. Oddly enough, I hear it is actually colder in the UK at the moment.
In BC at the moment, scabbing internet from the Super8 in Golden. I shall be in Salmon Arm later then all systems go for tomorrow as I intend being on the ferry in the evening, but I have 3 drops to get done before then so we shall have to see.
This trip is a multidrop 1600 miler. I live loaded in Roseau, MN, on Friday and had to go through a new wrinkle with Customs as 2 of the vehicles are classed as industrial and need registering. No big deal, not like Chris had, but I had to wait for the broker to bring a fistful of paperwork for ramping up before I was cleared. Still, it gave me a chance to quiz the Officers about my B4 declaration, because we can't find the original.
Oh, of course, you wouldn't know.. When you land in Canada, you fill out a declaration of goods to follow. This saves you needing things like bill of sale, and saves you paying tax.
On my B4 is a certain 12 gauge shotgun, which I have had since I was a kid, and which I put in storage after I allowed my licence to lapse about 9 years ago. Now I want to bring it out here....
I left home at silly o'clock on Sunday morning, and was in Pincher Creek, AB that night. Got that drop done this morning. Funny how all the vehicles on the bottom deck go to places with loading docks, isn't it?
Still, it gave me a chance to drive the Crowsnest Pass which is stunning at this time of year with the leaves turning.
First, welcome back to Canada. I hope things work out better for you. You know who you are, I need not spell it out. Oddly enough, I hear it is actually colder in the UK at the moment.
In BC at the moment, scabbing internet from the Super8 in Golden. I shall be in Salmon Arm later then all systems go for tomorrow as I intend being on the ferry in the evening, but I have 3 drops to get done before then so we shall have to see.
This trip is a multidrop 1600 miler. I live loaded in Roseau, MN, on Friday and had to go through a new wrinkle with Customs as 2 of the vehicles are classed as industrial and need registering. No big deal, not like Chris had, but I had to wait for the broker to bring a fistful of paperwork for ramping up before I was cleared. Still, it gave me a chance to quiz the Officers about my B4 declaration, because we can't find the original.
Oh, of course, you wouldn't know.. When you land in Canada, you fill out a declaration of goods to follow. This saves you needing things like bill of sale, and saves you paying tax.
On my B4 is a certain 12 gauge shotgun, which I have had since I was a kid, and which I put in storage after I allowed my licence to lapse about 9 years ago. Now I want to bring it out here....
I left home at silly o'clock on Sunday morning, and was in Pincher Creek, AB that night. Got that drop done this morning. Funny how all the vehicles on the bottom deck go to places with loading docks, isn't it?
Still, it gave me a chance to drive the Crowsnest Pass which is stunning at this time of year with the leaves turning.
I got the Cranbrook drop done as well.. Another loading dock!! I will have to get the ramps out tomorrow though. Maybe I will get chance to get a pic or two..
Map of the trip..
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Monday, August 23, 2010
August 24th... just.
Sioux Falls FJ tonight... What a joke they are now. Half of them will not accept the J cards anymore, so they charge for refills despite you putting in 200 gallons of fuel. I think Pilot are going to be the best friends for all the small, independant truckstops now, as well as the Petros, as Petro have revamped their cards to be like the J cards used to be.
I had to stop here to email my Dad's lawyer. All this stuff, huh? I had to pay $5 to send an email so I figured I would sit awhile..
I am heading home again now. I delivered Edmonton on Friday (bet they loved me there with all those portaloos) and even managed to get reloaded in Spruceland. Good guys there. I was supposed to be delivering that in Sturgis, MI, but I have to be home for tomorrow night so I can take Puff up to the city for her operation on Weds morning. She is already cussing about hospital food. She will be in for 7 to 10 days so she best get used to it. Instead, they gave me a load to Dakota City, NE, and a reload out of Norfolk for Calgary. Perfect! It means I can get Alison to the hospital, be there while she is in surgery and immediately afterwards, then I can keep the bills paid by dropping Calgary on Friday, reload and home again.
Sadly, I will not be able to get to my Dad`s service. I wrote my Eulogy and his brother will read it for me. I am trusting the other family members not to stop him or cause him trouble.. They need to remember that I shall be coming over to pay my respects in the not too distant future, and I know where they all live.
So, latest trip...
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I had to stop here to email my Dad's lawyer. All this stuff, huh? I had to pay $5 to send an email so I figured I would sit awhile..
I am heading home again now. I delivered Edmonton on Friday (bet they loved me there with all those portaloos) and even managed to get reloaded in Spruceland. Good guys there. I was supposed to be delivering that in Sturgis, MI, but I have to be home for tomorrow night so I can take Puff up to the city for her operation on Weds morning. She is already cussing about hospital food. She will be in for 7 to 10 days so she best get used to it. Instead, they gave me a load to Dakota City, NE, and a reload out of Norfolk for Calgary. Perfect! It means I can get Alison to the hospital, be there while she is in surgery and immediately afterwards, then I can keep the bills paid by dropping Calgary on Friday, reload and home again.
Sadly, I will not be able to get to my Dad`s service. I wrote my Eulogy and his brother will read it for me. I am trusting the other family members not to stop him or cause him trouble.. They need to remember that I shall be coming over to pay my respects in the not too distant future, and I know where they all live.
So, latest trip...
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Friday, August 20, 2010
Hello harry
I see you found me, you thieving scumbag!!! Proof is in the pudding. Send me my stuff back and I will remove all traces. Other than that, I shall continue. Ebay are already aware of the site, as are paypal. I am able to keep an eye on them. And guess what I have now... your IP address!!!!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
August 19th
I had some bad news today. My Dad, Mervyn, died suddenly this morning.
I believe he died as he always lived, on his own terms and by his own choice. You can't ask for fairer than that.
Dad. I had no choice in having you as my Father, but I always had a choice in calling you my friend. I was privilaged to know you and to call you both.
Safe trip!!
I believe he died as he always lived, on his own terms and by his own choice. You can't ask for fairer than that.
Dad. I had no choice in having you as my Father, but I always had a choice in calling you my friend. I was privilaged to know you and to call you both.
Safe trip!!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
August 18th... Home
Sunday
I decided that, just to err on the side of caution, I would scale the load before leaving Montreal. Pulled up to the scale, picked up the phone and was told to pull on the scale and wait for the green light... so I did just that... and waited... and waited...
I decided that, after 2 minutes, I must have either missed the light or the bulb must have blown, so I pulled off and went around to get my ticket. They hadn't done it. They hadn't pressed the button to print the ticket because the store was busy. Now I am a great believer in providing as good a service as I can, and I would, were it me in the store, serve one customer at a time.. This is, however, the Flying J, and it is in Montreal.. Nuff said.
Finally pulled out of there and headed south. Eventually, after playing the usual game of dodgems in Toronto, arrived in the J in London. Thought I best fill up with Fuel as the route I was using was a dry route. Pulled in, filled up and pulled forwards then went in for my coffees to go. I walked back to the truck and this man suddenly started shouting and charging at me. "Go!!" he was shouting. "you must go!! I need to get out!!"
Now, had I been in and used the washrooms, showered, eaten supper or taken a while, maybe I would have been apologetic... MAYBE... But none of the above were the case. What was very much the case was that this driver still had the nozzle in his tank!! While I am much more placid here than I ever was in the UK, I am not going to take this from some foolish little turd, so we got into a little game of pushy/shovey, and I offered him a flask of coffee and he stalked off. It was, to say the least, surreal.
So down to the border, through without queuing or trouble (in Detroit!!!) and onwards toward the drop.
Monday
Finally got empty at lunchtime. No real issue, just busy people and lots of stuff to check off. My reload details were for a 2 pick on Tuesday, so I trundled to the Pilot for a scrub up and supper. I called the shipper and was given the appointment times. 11am and 3pm. No rush at all.
Tuesday
Got to the first collection in Goshen, IN. Walked in and told them what I was there for. You ever get that feeling things are going wrong? They were just starting to load the load.... on another truck!! The brokers had given the load away!!! Now I am pissed. This is not how it is supposed to be at all.
Fair play to Dispatch. They knew I had a situation at home that required attention. I hadn't even found a place to park and I had a new offer. Single collection out of Chicago! Coowel!
Got there at 1:30pm. A load of Portaloos for Edmonton. Took them 5 hours to load it. Finally, I am headed north. I have never seen a sunset such as this one though. Check the pics!! Up to Black River for fuel and caffeine and it is onwards and upwards.
Wednesday
I figured I would just call the Customs Broker. It was the best of the Brokers so I was sure there would be no issue, but it is always smart just to be sure. Yep, a problem.. Now this is the difference between a good broker and a bad one. The charming lady told me exactly what she needed and I called the shipper. OK, they are going to sort it out. Half an hour later, the broker calls me to say she hasn't got the info yet. She asked for the shippers number then called them, sorted that out and had the entire thing in and cleared within 3 hours, then called me to tell me it was done. That is really good service..
Up to the border, through no sweat, over the scale at Emerson and home.
View Larger Map
I decided that, just to err on the side of caution, I would scale the load before leaving Montreal. Pulled up to the scale, picked up the phone and was told to pull on the scale and wait for the green light... so I did just that... and waited... and waited...
I decided that, after 2 minutes, I must have either missed the light or the bulb must have blown, so I pulled off and went around to get my ticket. They hadn't done it. They hadn't pressed the button to print the ticket because the store was busy. Now I am a great believer in providing as good a service as I can, and I would, were it me in the store, serve one customer at a time.. This is, however, the Flying J, and it is in Montreal.. Nuff said.
Finally pulled out of there and headed south. Eventually, after playing the usual game of dodgems in Toronto, arrived in the J in London. Thought I best fill up with Fuel as the route I was using was a dry route. Pulled in, filled up and pulled forwards then went in for my coffees to go. I walked back to the truck and this man suddenly started shouting and charging at me. "Go!!" he was shouting. "you must go!! I need to get out!!"
Now, had I been in and used the washrooms, showered, eaten supper or taken a while, maybe I would have been apologetic... MAYBE... But none of the above were the case. What was very much the case was that this driver still had the nozzle in his tank!! While I am much more placid here than I ever was in the UK, I am not going to take this from some foolish little turd, so we got into a little game of pushy/shovey, and I offered him a flask of coffee and he stalked off. It was, to say the least, surreal.
So down to the border, through without queuing or trouble (in Detroit!!!) and onwards toward the drop.
Monday
Finally got empty at lunchtime. No real issue, just busy people and lots of stuff to check off. My reload details were for a 2 pick on Tuesday, so I trundled to the Pilot for a scrub up and supper. I called the shipper and was given the appointment times. 11am and 3pm. No rush at all.
Tuesday
Got to the first collection in Goshen, IN. Walked in and told them what I was there for. You ever get that feeling things are going wrong? They were just starting to load the load.... on another truck!! The brokers had given the load away!!! Now I am pissed. This is not how it is supposed to be at all.
Fair play to Dispatch. They knew I had a situation at home that required attention. I hadn't even found a place to park and I had a new offer. Single collection out of Chicago! Coowel!
Got there at 1:30pm. A load of Portaloos for Edmonton. Took them 5 hours to load it. Finally, I am headed north. I have never seen a sunset such as this one though. Check the pics!! Up to Black River for fuel and caffeine and it is onwards and upwards.
Wednesday
I figured I would just call the Customs Broker. It was the best of the Brokers so I was sure there would be no issue, but it is always smart just to be sure. Yep, a problem.. Now this is the difference between a good broker and a bad one. The charming lady told me exactly what she needed and I called the shipper. OK, they are going to sort it out. Half an hour later, the broker calls me to say she hasn't got the info yet. She asked for the shippers number then called them, sorted that out and had the entire thing in and cleared within 3 hours, then called me to tell me it was done. That is really good service..
Up to the border, through no sweat, over the scale at Emerson and home.
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
August 14th
Thursday was cushy really. I didn't get to the first drop because it was way off in the boonies and I didn't know if I would be able to park there, so I waited and headed in on Thursday morning. They had a loading bay so I was able to just use a single set of ramps to take their machine off. Really nice people, too. Helped me set up and put it all back.
Second drop was also way out in the deepest, darkest Ontario, Carleton Place, although they also had someone help me set up the ramps (had to use both sets there as their machine was up top).
Once out of there I decided, with the blessing of Dispatch, to rearrange the delivery order and do drop four ahead of drop three. The routing originally planned took me 270 kms out of my way and had me doubling back. While being in Montreal for a reload made more sense than Quebec City, trying to battle Friday traffic back into Montreal to deliver then to reload makes less sense than trying just to get to the reload. As it turned out, going to drop four was a good shout. They had five machines, all on the lower deck, so just one set of ramps again and I was done and everything stowed in half an hour.
It was as I tried to get out of their place that I realised arriving at night was a good idea. They are on a set of lights and the road is one way, with a large kerb. When I got there, I was able to go in their top entrance and back into their parking lot. No traffic so it was easy. By the time I had dropped there, they had put all the display bikes and stuff where I wanted to go to get out, so I had a hell of a job. I had those lights backed up a ways...
Out of there and straight up to Quebec City. I knew roughly where it was and found it nice and easy. In their yard, I took the first third of the top deck down, put one set of ramps up inside the trailer and the other set to the ground. No A frame, nice and easy descent..
My reload was in Iberville, just south of Montreal, but I had till 10pm to get there. Just as well. That 300kms took 5 hours with the traffic... Montreal on Friday afternoon is not a quick drive. I got there at 7:30, left at 10 and parked up. I was in no hurry as Indiana is only a day and a bits drive.
So this morning I have, thanks to Adam, finally got the Ace sorted. The Customs is set up although I have no idea what they have done to get it set up as it is not the same as usual, and I am in the J in Montreal for a shower and such...
View Larger Map
Second drop was also way out in the deepest, darkest Ontario, Carleton Place, although they also had someone help me set up the ramps (had to use both sets there as their machine was up top).
Once out of there I decided, with the blessing of Dispatch, to rearrange the delivery order and do drop four ahead of drop three. The routing originally planned took me 270 kms out of my way and had me doubling back. While being in Montreal for a reload made more sense than Quebec City, trying to battle Friday traffic back into Montreal to deliver then to reload makes less sense than trying just to get to the reload. As it turned out, going to drop four was a good shout. They had five machines, all on the lower deck, so just one set of ramps again and I was done and everything stowed in half an hour.
It was as I tried to get out of their place that I realised arriving at night was a good idea. They are on a set of lights and the road is one way, with a large kerb. When I got there, I was able to go in their top entrance and back into their parking lot. No traffic so it was easy. By the time I had dropped there, they had put all the display bikes and stuff where I wanted to go to get out, so I had a hell of a job. I had those lights backed up a ways...
Out of there and straight up to Quebec City. I knew roughly where it was and found it nice and easy. In their yard, I took the first third of the top deck down, put one set of ramps up inside the trailer and the other set to the ground. No A frame, nice and easy descent..
My reload was in Iberville, just south of Montreal, but I had till 10pm to get there. Just as well. That 300kms took 5 hours with the traffic... Montreal on Friday afternoon is not a quick drive. I got there at 7:30, left at 10 and parked up. I was in no hurry as Indiana is only a day and a bits drive.
So this morning I have, thanks to Adam, finally got the Ace sorted. The Customs is set up although I have no idea what they have done to get it set up as it is not the same as usual, and I am in the J in Montreal for a shower and such...
View Larger Map
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
August 11th
First, the latest on the Ebay thing. They are looking at this blog now. I suspect they are emailing one another with the link. I haven't heard anything from them about it yet. happyharry.03 is still at it. I have another user that has just been caughtout by him, and someone from Paypal tried calling the house yesterday I think but Puff hung up and had the number blocked because she preusmed it was the debt collectors again. I have given them my cell number but asked that they not bother calling just to waste my time with platitudes. the scumbag seems to be ignoring me altogether, and ebay said that they had taken the appropriate action for the fourth time today, which means they have done nothing.
I haven't checked yet, but another victim emailed me today saying there appeared to be a change in policy on the paypal website to do with seller protection. Maybe there are lots of people getting on their case. I will not even think of stopping until I get a nice apology, harry is nicked, my, and all the other victims, accounts are set to where they should be and maybe we have received some compensation from them for all the worry it has caused. Also, I will require that any debt collector issues are resolved in full with the referenca agencies. I do not see why any of us should be made to suffer because of the thieving ways of people like "mr papamichael" (I am sure this is a false name now as no public record exists that I have found) or of Paypal..
Anyway, the work blog!!
So I arrived in Newnan on Tuesday evening. There was a little confusion because of the trailer I was picking up, but it all worked out easily enough. The tree frogs were making a hell of a din!
I dropped my trailer in the appointed zone then set the floor up so Greg didn't have to. In itself, it isn't hard. It twangs my shoulder a bit sometimes, but not badly and the exercise is what has given me the strength back anyway, so I am not complaining. The end of my collarbone gets people all squeamish- it does look hideous. But in the heat and humidity of Atlanta, it certainly gets a sweat on when you have to set the deck up..
Hooked up, checked the trailer and the seal and off I went. I still had 3 1/2 hours I could drive so I hightailed it for Knoxville. Amazingly, all the scales were closed so I breezed on through. Got to the scale in Knoxville before I could find somewhere to park, mind.
This morning, I set out a little later than I initially planned and cracked on through Lexington and up through Cincinatti, and am currently sat in the shade of another truck in the Piling J in Beaverdam, Ohio, waiting on customs clearance before I go up to the Detroit/Windsor bridge. All being well, I will cross this evening and be at the first drop for first thing in the morning.
Continued from Monday.
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I haven't checked yet, but another victim emailed me today saying there appeared to be a change in policy on the paypal website to do with seller protection. Maybe there are lots of people getting on their case. I will not even think of stopping until I get a nice apology, harry is nicked, my, and all the other victims, accounts are set to where they should be and maybe we have received some compensation from them for all the worry it has caused. Also, I will require that any debt collector issues are resolved in full with the referenca agencies. I do not see why any of us should be made to suffer because of the thieving ways of people like "mr papamichael" (I am sure this is a false name now as no public record exists that I have found) or of Paypal..
Anyway, the work blog!!
So I arrived in Newnan on Tuesday evening. There was a little confusion because of the trailer I was picking up, but it all worked out easily enough. The tree frogs were making a hell of a din!
I dropped my trailer in the appointed zone then set the floor up so Greg didn't have to. In itself, it isn't hard. It twangs my shoulder a bit sometimes, but not badly and the exercise is what has given me the strength back anyway, so I am not complaining. The end of my collarbone gets people all squeamish- it does look hideous. But in the heat and humidity of Atlanta, it certainly gets a sweat on when you have to set the deck up..
Hooked up, checked the trailer and the seal and off I went. I still had 3 1/2 hours I could drive so I hightailed it for Knoxville. Amazingly, all the scales were closed so I breezed on through. Got to the scale in Knoxville before I could find somewhere to park, mind.
This morning, I set out a little later than I initially planned and cracked on through Lexington and up through Cincinatti, and am currently sat in the shade of another truck in the Piling J in Beaverdam, Ohio, waiting on customs clearance before I go up to the Detroit/Windsor bridge. All being well, I will cross this evening and be at the first drop for first thing in the morning.
Continued from Monday.
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Monday, August 9, 2010
August 9th
So I finished up arriving at Merriam, KS, at about 10 this morning. Took a while to offload,but the trailer smells really great inside because it was cedar shingles on there.. You ever smelled seasoned cedarwood? Wonderful..
My reload is in Atlanta waiting for me to arrive, so I have blasted off to Warrenton, MO, where I put 237 gallons of diesel in. No fear of filling it this time!! But that was really plenty close enough to empty for my liking. The rated capacity is 250 gallons.. so not much spare. Luckily, the Flying J here is still Flying J, so I still get the free showers and free coffees.
It is hot as hell here, and the fan in the sleeper has decided to give up the ghost so I have to run the aircon vents from the cab back there. Not a big deal really, and I will look at it when I get somewhere cooler. I think there will be one in the yard...
According to Puff, it is 32 degrees at home (for my US friends- 32x2=64-10%=59+32=91deg F) According to her Mum, my pumpkin is now the size of a grapefruit. Since I have been trying to grow pumpkins for 5 years with no success, this is a good sign!!
Anyway, I shall be leaving here later tonight for Newnan. Lots to do.
Trip so far
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My reload is in Atlanta waiting for me to arrive, so I have blasted off to Warrenton, MO, where I put 237 gallons of diesel in. No fear of filling it this time!! But that was really plenty close enough to empty for my liking. The rated capacity is 250 gallons.. so not much spare. Luckily, the Flying J here is still Flying J, so I still get the free showers and free coffees.
It is hot as hell here, and the fan in the sleeper has decided to give up the ghost so I have to run the aircon vents from the cab back there. Not a big deal really, and I will look at it when I get somewhere cooler. I think there will be one in the yard...
According to Puff, it is 32 degrees at home (for my US friends- 32x2=64-10%=59+32=91deg F) According to her Mum, my pumpkin is now the size of a grapefruit. Since I have been trying to grow pumpkins for 5 years with no success, this is a good sign!!
Anyway, I shall be leaving here later tonight for Newnan. Lots to do.
Trip so far
View Larger Map
Point to ponder (I loved this so thanks, Ian)
Let's put the seniors in jail and the criminals in a nursing home. This
way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies and walks.
They'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment,
wheel chairs etc and they'd receive money instead of paying it out.
They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped
instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance.
Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and
returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring
their meals and snacks to their cell.
They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling,
pool and education.
Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on
request.
Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with
gardens.
Each senior could have a PC a TV radio and daily phone calls.
There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards
would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.
The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone and unsupervised.
Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week.
Live in a tiny room and pay £900.00 per month and have no hope of ever
getting out.
Justice for all we say.
Think about this (more points of contention):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COWS
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow
epidemic our government could track a
single cow, born in Bourne almost three years ago, right to the stall where
she slept in the county of Lincolnshire?
And, they even tracked her calves to their stalls.
But they are unable to locate 125,000 illegal immigrants wandering around
our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq ...
Why don't we just give them ours? It was drawn up by a lot of really smart
guys, it has worked for centuries and we're not using it anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a
courthouse or Parliament, is this -
You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal', 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery'
and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and
politicians ..... It creates a hostile work environment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also;
Think about this ... If you don't want to forward this for fear of
offending someone -- YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!
It is time for us grumpy old folk of Britain to speak up!
way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies and walks.
They'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment,
wheel chairs etc and they'd receive money instead of paying it out.
They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped
instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance.
Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and
returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring
their meals and snacks to their cell.
They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling,
pool and education.
Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on
request.
Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with
gardens.
Each senior could have a PC a TV radio and daily phone calls.
There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards
would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.
The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone and unsupervised.
Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week.
Live in a tiny room and pay £900.00 per month and have no hope of ever
getting out.
Justice for all we say.
Think about this (more points of contention):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COWS
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow
epidemic our government could track a
single cow, born in Bourne almost three years ago, right to the stall where
she slept in the county of Lincolnshire?
And, they even tracked her calves to their stalls.
But they are unable to locate 125,000 illegal immigrants wandering around
our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq ...
Why don't we just give them ours? It was drawn up by a lot of really smart
guys, it has worked for centuries and we're not using it anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a
courthouse or Parliament, is this -
You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal', 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery'
and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and
politicians ..... It creates a hostile work environment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also;
Think about this ... If you don't want to forward this for fear of
offending someone -- YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!
It is time for us grumpy old folk of Britain to speak up!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
August 8th
So I was a little behind this morning. I took the trailer I had back to the yard, hooked up my load and set out. I was a little concerned about the weight so I went in to the Tourond scale just to check. Thing with unattended scales here seems to be that some people do all they can to break them. I was unable to weigh because someone probably slid their axles on the plate or nailed the brakes on it, which completely screws it up.
So I went to Emerson and, after ensuring that the scale was closed, I checked it there. All good, all legal. Down to the border where I had to renew my I94.. Normally, they take your passport and meet you inside with it. Today, the man couldn't get someone to cover his booth for him so he gave it back and let me take it inside myself. That is a first for me.
Anyway, $6 lighter I left and, because I had been inside, I avoided the queue for the scanner and was allowed to proceed.
I got all of about 9 miles. Joliette scale in North Dakota was, for the first time I have ever seen, open. In I go, and they buzzed my steer axle, buzzed my drives, then told me over the speaker to bring in my paperwork. Everything was fine except.... my drivers side headlight was out.. Ah shit. I only changed it on Friday!!!!
Pulled over to the side, got the spare out and removed the screws. Well whaddayou know? the light comes on.. Seems there is a problem with the plug. So I bent the wires up on top of the light and trapped them with the frame and the light is still working. I will get it sorted when I next get back.
So out of there, and on to Fargo, where I put in 115 gallons of fuel. Working on the assumption that I had used 30 gallons from Emerson, and taking into account that I had a tolerance of about 600lbs on the steers and drives, along with the fact that I would use 10 gallons before Sisseton scale in South Dakota, this was all I felt safe to put in.. See how complicated this trucking lark is!!!!!!
Sisseton was closed.. I really needn't have bothered taxing my brain.
Anyway, I am just about to set off from Sioux Falls, SD, where Vinny Jones was recently cleared of an assault charge when some idiot in a bar took the mickey out of his accent.. Obviously, they never saw Mr Jones play Football (soccer to my US friends.)
So I went to Emerson and, after ensuring that the scale was closed, I checked it there. All good, all legal. Down to the border where I had to renew my I94.. Normally, they take your passport and meet you inside with it. Today, the man couldn't get someone to cover his booth for him so he gave it back and let me take it inside myself. That is a first for me.
Anyway, $6 lighter I left and, because I had been inside, I avoided the queue for the scanner and was allowed to proceed.
I got all of about 9 miles. Joliette scale in North Dakota was, for the first time I have ever seen, open. In I go, and they buzzed my steer axle, buzzed my drives, then told me over the speaker to bring in my paperwork. Everything was fine except.... my drivers side headlight was out.. Ah shit. I only changed it on Friday!!!!
Pulled over to the side, got the spare out and removed the screws. Well whaddayou know? the light comes on.. Seems there is a problem with the plug. So I bent the wires up on top of the light and trapped them with the frame and the light is still working. I will get it sorted when I next get back.
So out of there, and on to Fargo, where I put in 115 gallons of fuel. Working on the assumption that I had used 30 gallons from Emerson, and taking into account that I had a tolerance of about 600lbs on the steers and drives, along with the fact that I would use 10 gallons before Sisseton scale in South Dakota, this was all I felt safe to put in.. See how complicated this trucking lark is!!!!!!
Sisseton was closed.. I really needn't have bothered taxing my brain.
Anyway, I am just about to set off from Sioux Falls, SD, where Vinny Jones was recently cleared of an assault charge when some idiot in a bar took the mickey out of his accent.. Obviously, they never saw Mr Jones play Football (soccer to my US friends.)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
They found me!!
So what happens next, Ebay?
I have all the necessary files ready to question your integrity when you sue me. The local court is in Steinbach. I am sure you can find it. See, I will not waste my time pursuing a dead horse in Santa Clara. I will let the dead horse come to me. The number for the Police is 911
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Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Ebay (216.113.168.136) [Label IP Address]
robert-bobthedog.blogspot.com/
robert-bobthedog.blogspot.com/
www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=happyharry.03 blog&aq=f&aqi=m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
I have all the necessary files ready to question your integrity when you sue me. The local court is in Steinbach. I am sure you can find it. See, I will not waste my time pursuing a dead horse in Santa Clara. I will let the dead horse come to me. The number for the Police is 911
Number of Entries:
Entry Page Time:
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8th August 2010 00:36:01
4 mins 28 secs
IE 7.0
WinXP
1280x1024 Returning Visits:
Location:
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Entry Page:
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Referring URL: 0
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Ebay (216.113.168.136) [Label IP Address]
robert-bobthedog.blogspot.com/
robert-bobthedog.blogspot.com/
www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=happyharry.03 blog&aq=f&aqi=m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
We have a visitor!!
Ladies and Gentlemen!! We have our first visitors from the Antipodes... Welcome along!!!!
Just googled happyharry.03 and this blog is third in the list.. and it says "if you are happyharry.03 you can kiss my ass!!"
The power of Google!!!!
Don't let the feedback banner fool you on this. If you go back further you will find the truth..
http://myworld.ebay.com/happyharry.03
Later the same day
Just received this. It took the twat nearly 3 months to realise I had recanted my feedback and he only found out then because I told him.. He really is as dumb as a box of rocks..
Anyway, here are the emails from ebay and my reply..
To: ukrswebhelp@ebay.comIt has only recently come to your attention because happyharry.03 didn`t realise it was there until I told him so.
Here is the deal. I am going to win this thing one way or another.
the reason that a negative comment was left is because happyharry.03 and paypal stole from us.
Why don`t you take a look at all the comments removed by you on this persons behalf then take a little look at what has happened?
This email is being posted on my blog.. Google happyharry.03 and you will find it.
--- On Sun, 8/8/10, ukrswebhelp@ebay.com wrote:
From: ukrswebhelp@ebay.com
Subject: MC014 FB Alert: Feedback abuse - eBay Information Alert - rmen1200
To: robert.menhenitt@btinternet.com
Date: Sunday, 8 August, 2010, 4:54
eBay sent this message to Robert Menhenitt (rmen1200).
Your registered name is included to help confirm this message originated from eBay. Learn more.
MC014 FB Alert: Feedback abuse - eBay Information Alert - rmen1200
Dear rmen1200 (robert.menhenitt@btinternet.com),
It has recently come to our attention that your account has breached our Feedback Abuse and Removal policy. This is because you left a negative comment with a positive rating.
***About eBay's Feedback Abuse and Removal policy***
Feedback is intended solely as a rating of the actual performance of a buyer or seller in the conduct of their transaction. Using Feedback for any other purpose is not permitted on eBay.
Feedback that breaches the Feedback Abuse and Removal policy may be removed by eBay.
For more information about this policy, please copy this link into a new browser window:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/feedback-abuse-withdrawal.html
We realise you may not be aware of this rule. We respectfully request that you refrain from this activity in the future. Repeated breaches of this or another policy may result in the suspension of your eBay membership. Thank you for your cooperation in this important matter.
Regards,
eBay Trust & Safety
H38600
Earlier, I emailed him again.. It is fun really. He won't beat me. I will get my money back and intend to get his arrest taped so I can put it on youtube...LOL
The power of Google!!!!
Don't let the feedback banner fool you on this. If you go back further you will find the truth..
http://myworld.ebay.com/happyharry.03
Later the same day
Just received this. It took the twat nearly 3 months to realise I had recanted my feedback and he only found out then because I told him.. He really is as dumb as a box of rocks..
Anyway, here are the emails from ebay and my reply..
To: ukrswebhelp@ebay.comIt has only recently come to your attention because happyharry.03 didn`t realise it was there until I told him so.
Here is the deal. I am going to win this thing one way or another.
the reason that a negative comment was left is because happyharry.03 and paypal stole from us.
Why don`t you take a look at all the comments removed by you on this persons behalf then take a little look at what has happened?
This email is being posted on my blog.. Google happyharry.03 and you will find it.
--- On Sun, 8/8/10, ukrswebhelp@ebay.com
From: ukrswebhelp@ebay.com
Subject: MC014 FB Alert: Feedback abuse - eBay Information Alert - rmen1200
To: robert.menhenitt@btinternet.com
Date: Sunday, 8 August, 2010, 4:54
eBay sent this message to Robert Menhenitt (rmen1200).
Your registered name is included to help confirm this message originated from eBay. Learn more.
MC014 FB Alert: Feedback abuse - eBay Information Alert - rmen1200
Dear rmen1200 (robert.menhenitt@btinternet.com),
It has recently come to our attention that your account has breached our Feedback Abuse and Removal policy. This is because you left a negative comment with a positive rating.
***About eBay's Feedback Abuse and Removal policy***
Feedback is intended solely as a rating of the actual performance of a buyer or seller in the conduct of their transaction. Using Feedback for any other purpose is not permitted on eBay.
Feedback that breaches the Feedback Abuse and Removal policy may be removed by eBay.
For more information about this policy, please copy this link into a new browser window:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/feedback-abuse-withdrawal.html
We realise you may not be aware of this rule. We respectfully request that you refrain from this activity in the future. Repeated breaches of this or another policy may result in the suspension of your eBay membership. Thank you for your cooperation in this important matter.
Regards,
eBay Trust & Safety
H38600
Earlier, I emailed him again.. It is fun really. He won't beat me. I will get my money back and intend to get his arrest taped so I can put it on youtube...LOL
Early August 7th
OK, something a little different here, and I am going out on a limb a little by putting his username in. The Ebay username is happyharry.03
In mid May, I had to fly back to the UK in a bit of a hurry to visit my dad. In order to take some of the financial worries out of it, we decided to sell some old jewelry on Ebay. All went fine. We set the auction up and it was all completed and the man paid up straight away.. Great stuff, right? We left the feedback saying how good he was.
21 days later, after a little back and forth on email, Paypal refunded his money to him and left us in negative balance. He said he never received the package. Now, my mistake was in listening to his tale of woe and in sending the package with insurance, but no tracking. This was because the tracking is a different service and would have cost us 10 times the amount, and the buyer said he couldn't afford it. so he asked us to send it on the cheap.
Here's where it gets interesting. Puff started looking into this and discovered another person who had identical trouble with the same buyer. She emailed him and the story is identical. We all then started looking into it and this person has had over 20 disputes in the past 7 months and has been refunded every single time.
I have Canada Post on the case now, and I have informed the Australian Revenue people that he cannot possibly be declaring all his income because he would be showing as earning on stolen goods.
I have also been in touch with Payscam... sorry, Paypal, and they are as much use as a fridge light to a blind man. They say, effectively, tough luck, pay us our money. I say no. They have already sicced the debt collectors onto me, and we have been bombarded with phone calls, and they even duped my son into giving them my cell number. They only called that one once though..LOL. They also seem to have gone quiet on the landline, touch wood.
I will not accept any paperwork from them unless issued by a lawcourt, and only then after there is a date set in Steinbach Court, as I will have a counterclaim against them all ready to file. that is the only way to get them into court.
I have many emails and may open a page just for them when I can work out how you do it. They are all on the website anyway, or almost all. I just received a couple more in response to my latest requests for the return of my stuff..
Here is a sample..
Dear rmen1200,
Stop the emails as i said I do not have your item never received and also told Canadian post the same and they thanked me as well you just do not understand that I never received your item and as for you getting this Sharron ***** involved and finding details of the area I live you both have no scruples and a copy of that email was forwarded to ebay along side a copy of this one and my reply IF YOU TRULY SENT IT THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK IT AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE ISSUES Your friend Troy did the wrong thing and I gave Customs the go ahead to return it over 3 weeks ago NOW DO NOT CONTACT ME ANY FURTHER FIND YOUR GOODS AND RESELL THEM IF YOU TRULY DID HAVE ANY TO START WITH AND DO NOT PUT THE NICE IMAGE AND SEND THIS THROUGH EBAY WHEN YOU AND SAMEASITEVERWAS ETC SELLERS ARE ON A MISSION JUST TO BE TROUBLE MAKERS As I also will take as far as I have too REST ASSURED
- happyharry.03 Reply in your email program or through My Messages
In mid May, I had to fly back to the UK in a bit of a hurry to visit my dad. In order to take some of the financial worries out of it, we decided to sell some old jewelry on Ebay. All went fine. We set the auction up and it was all completed and the man paid up straight away.. Great stuff, right? We left the feedback saying how good he was.
21 days later, after a little back and forth on email, Paypal refunded his money to him and left us in negative balance. He said he never received the package. Now, my mistake was in listening to his tale of woe and in sending the package with insurance, but no tracking. This was because the tracking is a different service and would have cost us 10 times the amount, and the buyer said he couldn't afford it. so he asked us to send it on the cheap.
Here's where it gets interesting. Puff started looking into this and discovered another person who had identical trouble with the same buyer. She emailed him and the story is identical. We all then started looking into it and this person has had over 20 disputes in the past 7 months and has been refunded every single time.
I have Canada Post on the case now, and I have informed the Australian Revenue people that he cannot possibly be declaring all his income because he would be showing as earning on stolen goods.
I have also been in touch with Payscam... sorry, Paypal, and they are as much use as a fridge light to a blind man. They say, effectively, tough luck, pay us our money. I say no. They have already sicced the debt collectors onto me, and we have been bombarded with phone calls, and they even duped my son into giving them my cell number. They only called that one once though..LOL. They also seem to have gone quiet on the landline, touch wood.
I will not accept any paperwork from them unless issued by a lawcourt, and only then after there is a date set in Steinbach Court, as I will have a counterclaim against them all ready to file. that is the only way to get them into court.
I have many emails and may open a page just for them when I can work out how you do it. They are all on the website anyway, or almost all. I just received a couple more in response to my latest requests for the return of my stuff..
Here is a sample..
Dear rmen1200,
Stop the emails as i said I do not have your item never received and also told Canadian post the same and they thanked me as well you just do not understand that I never received your item and as for you getting this Sharron ***** involved and finding details of the area I live you both have no scruples and a copy of that email was forwarded to ebay along side a copy of this one and my reply IF YOU TRULY SENT IT THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK IT AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE ISSUES Your friend Troy did the wrong thing and I gave Customs the go ahead to return it over 3 weeks ago NOW DO NOT CONTACT ME ANY FURTHER FIND YOUR GOODS AND RESELL THEM IF YOU TRULY DID HAVE ANY TO START WITH AND DO NOT PUT THE NICE IMAGE AND SEND THIS THROUGH EBAY WHEN YOU AND SAMEASITEVERWAS ETC SELLERS ARE ON A MISSION JUST TO BE TROUBLE MAKERS As I also will take as far as I have too REST ASSURED
- happyharry.03 Reply in your email program or through My Messages
Friday, August 6, 2010
August 6th
So this morning I levered myself out of the pit and bobtailed to the yard, only to be handed a bundle of envelopes and a trailer number. I had to go. bobtail, to the Petro Pumper in Thief River Falls, MN, meet an Overbye Transport driver there, pick up his trailer and bring it back to the yard. Had to go into the city for fuel first, so by the time I got to Thief River, the other driver had gone.
Still, I hooked up, found the bills in the licence holder, but no invoice..
never mind, the PARS was on there so I guessed the invoice was with the broker. Got to the border at Emerson only to find that the load wasn't cleared after all, and that the broker, in Vancouver, had no affiliate in Emerson. Took two hours to get that sorted so now the truck and trailer are parked on the drive for the night. Sounds like I have a Kansas run tomorrow or Sunday.
Still, I hooked up, found the bills in the licence holder, but no invoice..
never mind, the PARS was on there so I guessed the invoice was with the broker. Got to the border at Emerson only to find that the load wasn't cleared after all, and that the broker, in Vancouver, had no affiliate in Emerson. Took two hours to get that sorted so now the truck and trailer are parked on the drive for the night. Sounds like I have a Kansas run tomorrow or Sunday.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
August 4th... later
May get to edit this later. Got into the Peg and am just about to go battle the Home Depot receiving staff. In the words of Captain Scott, I may be some time!
If I don't get out, please remember me with fondness, unless you work for Ebay or Paypal, or are happyharry.03 in which case you can kiss my dank ass....!!
OK, so it all worked out well. I only got jammed up once, well twice.. First time because the person I spoke to in the Kenaston store obviously has no idea that trailers take room and I managed to get into the Walmart car park and had to run the kerb to get out again.. Obviously, the loading docks did not cross his mind when he thought of unloading a 53 foot box.
Oddly enough, exactly the same thing happened on Leila. Now you tell me, does McPhillips sound or look the same as Leila? The names look different, the streets look different.... Hmm..
Anyway, it was all sorted out, the trailer empty and swept out so the next person to load it has less to worry about. Now I am home again, and I wonder what delights will be in store tomorrow.
Google maps show this trip as 3047kms so not too shabby at all..
View Larger Map
If I don't get out, please remember me with fondness, unless you work for Ebay or Paypal, or are happyharry.03 in which case you can kiss my dank ass....!!
OK, so it all worked out well. I only got jammed up once, well twice.. First time because the person I spoke to in the Kenaston store obviously has no idea that trailers take room and I managed to get into the Walmart car park and had to run the kerb to get out again.. Obviously, the loading docks did not cross his mind when he thought of unloading a 53 foot box.
Oddly enough, exactly the same thing happened on Leila. Now you tell me, does McPhillips sound or look the same as Leila? The names look different, the streets look different.... Hmm..
Anyway, it was all sorted out, the trailer empty and swept out so the next person to load it has less to worry about. Now I am home again, and I wonder what delights will be in store tomorrow.
Google maps show this trip as 3047kms so not too shabby at all..
View Larger Map
August 4th Regina.
Well, back in The Mighty Pete again. All rebuilt and running sweet as a nut. I left mid morning on Monday and drove sedately and decently... to Calgary. What can I say, it`s Prairie for 800 miles. Actually, I like the Prairies. People sometimes say they are featureless and boring, but you can see things like storms brewing for a hundred miles, and seeing them develop is always cool.
I got into the drop at about 9am and the guys there are really good. They are in there with you, and they help strip the deck out with you. That drop is great because you don`t need the ramps. They have a plate they lift up and you drive the carts right onto it.
I called in and was given, to use the terms of the dispatcher, A Mission. It wasn`t bad really. Take my trailer to Balzac, load 20 pallets of peat moss, drop it, go to Bisons yard in the city, pick up another empty and take that to Innisfail, drop that, back to pick mine up and head back to the Peg.
As I say, not bad. Got to the pick-up and loaded. the bill said the load was 48000lbs- right on the cusp of what I can load on a floor trailer. Checked the gauge on the drives and it was showing less than 34000, which meant that I was going to have 40000 on the trailer. The limit is 37500 so....
Off it all came again and he reloaded me doubling up all the way back. This time the gauge showed about 35000 so I would have to scale it to see what to do.
Anyway, I dropped it there, took the empty to Innisfail, dropped that on the door to keep them happy then back to the loaded one. I was concerned because the ground hadn`t looked too great for dropping loaded trailers. I had visions of coming back to find the legs sunk. When I dropped it I had sat with the air dumped for 10 minutes watching to see if it would sink, but it doesn`t stop you worrying. All was well so I monked onwards. The scale at the Petropass off Barlow is local enough and it turns out their estimated weights are way off. I was almost legal for US weights...
Lucky though. The DOT scale on the TC1 was open so had to go in there, and then I managed to get to Tomkins, SK before I stopped for the night.
This morning I had a real shock... The scale at Swift Current has, after a long time, finally reopened and I had to go in there, too!!
Anyway, I am in Regina for a minute, and I have to deliver in the Peg tonight. 2 drops at the Home Depots.. All good fun!!
View Larger Map
Sunday, August 1, 2010
August 1st
So Junior and I are home from Terry's shoot. The tent survived, the boy slept through the storm (which he won't do in the house but did in the tent, go figure!!)
Now we have a car full of crap to sort out and lots of guns to clean before they can be put away. Mikey fired the 30-30 yesterday. It didn't rock him badly so I think it is time for him to start with a high power of his own. Of course, he will have to maintain it himself, too. I have a sneaky suspicion he took a shine to a certain young lady there. They were thick as thieves...
I won the 30 yard championship, beating Brett Wilby, although I did use better shells. That said, I also was last to shoot, I didn't sluice or brush the barrel and it was pretty hot by then. I will put a pic of my target up later. My shoulder is not really up to multiple shooting of heavier calibres yet, so I didn't go after clays. Brett was using the .410 as a handgun and doing fairly well too. The kids all tried the junior bow, and they all had a try with the 22. That little Savage 22 of mine put some lead downrange, and people were hitting well with it. It was great to see everyone lining up for a try.
Anyone who doubts the good old 22s.. Terry Fennel was the one to hit the clay at 150+ yards, although many of us got close. He chickened out of trying a second one though.. Considering it was with a 4x scope on a 4" target, and the fact we were using hollowpoints (I hadn't discovered my small cache of Remington Thunderbolts by then), the accuracy was quite impressive. Again, had the rifle been cool and clean bored, it would have been interesting. I have looked at the ballistic tables for the Federals we used...
38 gr Bullet weight
1280 / 140 Feet per second/ Energy foot/lb at Muzzle
1120 / 105 At 50yds
1020 / 90 At 100yds
The Remington Thunderbolt is
40 gr
1255 / 140
1113 / 110
1017 / 92
If the day had been breeze free, I think there would have been many hits. According to lore, the bullet drops 10.8 inches at 150 yds.
Thanks, Terry and Sue. It was a great time. Nice to see some people that I haven't seen in a long time.
Here is a pic of the target..
Now we have a car full of crap to sort out and lots of guns to clean before they can be put away. Mikey fired the 30-30 yesterday. It didn't rock him badly so I think it is time for him to start with a high power of his own. Of course, he will have to maintain it himself, too. I have a sneaky suspicion he took a shine to a certain young lady there. They were thick as thieves...
I won the 30 yard championship, beating Brett Wilby, although I did use better shells. That said, I also was last to shoot, I didn't sluice or brush the barrel and it was pretty hot by then. I will put a pic of my target up later. My shoulder is not really up to multiple shooting of heavier calibres yet, so I didn't go after clays. Brett was using the .410 as a handgun and doing fairly well too. The kids all tried the junior bow, and they all had a try with the 22. That little Savage 22 of mine put some lead downrange, and people were hitting well with it. It was great to see everyone lining up for a try.
Anyone who doubts the good old 22s.. Terry Fennel was the one to hit the clay at 150+ yards, although many of us got close. He chickened out of trying a second one though.. Considering it was with a 4x scope on a 4" target, and the fact we were using hollowpoints (I hadn't discovered my small cache of Remington Thunderbolts by then), the accuracy was quite impressive. Again, had the rifle been cool and clean bored, it would have been interesting. I have looked at the ballistic tables for the Federals we used...
38 gr Bullet weight
1280 / 140 Feet per second/ Energy foot/lb at Muzzle
1120 / 105 At 50yds
1020 / 90 At 100yds
The Remington Thunderbolt is
40 gr
1255 / 140
1113 / 110
1017 / 92
If the day had been breeze free, I think there would have been many hits. According to lore, the bullet drops 10.8 inches at 150 yds.
Thanks, Terry and Sue. It was a great time. Nice to see some people that I haven't seen in a long time.
Here is a pic of the target..
Saturday, July 31, 2010
My Youtube stuff..
Now if you were all feeling generous, and I am sure you are, then you will all click on my videos and then click on an ad or ten. See, I registered for Adsense and this means I get paid for people clicking on my videos, and I get more if they click the ads..
Pretty please!!?
Pretty please!!?
Friday, July 30, 2010
30th July
So nothing further from happyharry.03, or ebay, or payscam today, although I did receive a letter from their collection agency which is going to be returned unopened.
Anyway, I managed to get back to exit 100 on the I29 before I needed to sleep which put me behind a bit. I got back to the yard and The Mighty Pete was in the workshop. The mechanics in Peterbilt had left the key on throughout the recent rebuild so I now also have 4 new batteries and a new starter motor. Sadly, I cannot persuade them to fit the wheels and tyres from unit 2014 to mine yet. That would give me 10% more miles because it increases the diameter of the wheels and throws the speedo out..
After my kip, it was back to the yard, a quick trailer change and off to Thief River, Minnesota, to load Arctic Cats. Going there is easy, you just head straight down Hwy 59 and cross into the US at Lancaster. It was pretty busy there as this is a holiday weekend.
Still, I got through with no troubles, unlike most of the car drivers who were searched. Down to the factory and loaded, then headed back to Emerson. Because Tolstoi, the Canada side of the Lancaster crossing, is not a commercial port, it means we cannot bring loads back through so we have to go out of our way to bring them back.
At Emerson, my load wasn't cleared so I had to walk to the broker.. I just so enjoy that...NOT!
Anyway, the truck is currently on the drive at home. I am going to take the little gear I took this week and put it in the house, then take the truck back to the yard.
Clay shoot tomorrow!! The tent has been found. Jackie has packed enough stuff for junior and I to fill the Explorer to the gunwhales and I have to go to one of my favourite stores in the morning, good old Canadian Tire, to get some shells for the .410.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
OK, so plans have had to change a little for tomorrow. Now I am doing a deckload of Arctic Cats back to the yard so I really have it all to do now.
I have to avoid the traffic in the Twin Cities as they have managed to dig up all the routes through and around them. Ray has given me a suggested route to try so I am killing a bit of time before trying it.
He says that, rather than try to go around on I694, I should head in towards the city on I94 and take the I35 East.... Hope it is better that way!!
I have to avoid the traffic in the Twin Cities as they have managed to dig up all the routes through and around them. Ray has given me a suggested route to try so I am killing a bit of time before trying it.
He says that, rather than try to go around on I694, I should head in towards the city on I94 and take the I35 East.... Hope it is better that way!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
http://ebay-paypal-rip-u-off.webs.com
http://bobthedog.freewebspace.com
A couple of sites. Find me on youtube under scrapingthebarrel or on FB as bobthedog.
http://bobthedog.freewebspace.com
A couple of sites. Find me on youtube under scrapingthebarrel or on FB as bobthedog.
My First Big Truck!
DAF 2800.. Top truck!
I have travelled many miles since this. seen much. I really thought I was resistant to scams.. Ebay and Paypal and happyharry.03 have shown me I have much to learn.
Addendum 28th July
Anyway, now I have managed to start this blog, I will try to include all elements of the life here. It may not always be pretty, or even remotely interesting, but that is why you have a scroll.
This weekend, Junior and I are going to be camping in the wilds at Terrys place. He is holding a clay shoot (skeet to North Americans) and so we shall head down there and help him set up a bit, then watch all the people get hammered by the Wilbys again. I may not shoot because my shoulder still hasn't been bolted back together after last years little escapade and I may not be able to take many 12 guage shells. I will have a bash though. And I will have the 410 for the youngsters to try out if I can get the shells for it.
Luckily, this is a long weekend so I have time to do some of the things I have to do and still be in Calgary by Monday morning for the delivery. I have so much to do.. I have to move all my stuff out of The Mighty Pete and sort through it. There is 18 months worth of crap in there so it may take a while. That will take care of some of Friday, then sort the tent and sleeping stuff, grind some holes in the firepit, cut the firewood, put the little charcoal grill together, find the charcoal, get the food, get the beer...... All too much! At least my guns are cleaned already.
This weekend, Junior and I are going to be camping in the wilds at Terrys place. He is holding a clay shoot (skeet to North Americans) and so we shall head down there and help him set up a bit, then watch all the people get hammered by the Wilbys again. I may not shoot because my shoulder still hasn't been bolted back together after last years little escapade and I may not be able to take many 12 guage shells. I will have a bash though. And I will have the 410 for the youngsters to try out if I can get the shells for it.
Luckily, this is a long weekend so I have time to do some of the things I have to do and still be in Calgary by Monday morning for the delivery. I have so much to do.. I have to move all my stuff out of The Mighty Pete and sort through it. There is 18 months worth of crap in there so it may take a while. That will take care of some of Friday, then sort the tent and sleeping stuff, grind some holes in the firepit, cut the firewood, put the little charcoal grill together, find the charcoal, get the food, get the beer...... All too much! At least my guns are cleaned already.
28th July, Kentucky
So I have started a blog. Two reasons really, First, because my good friend, Chris Arbon, suggested I do so, and also because I want to needle the hell out of Paypal, Ebay and a certain thieving scumbag in Australia, and also to try and entertain people along the way with my many tales of woe. Chris' blog is available here http://www.chrisarbon-roadtrips.blogspot.com
I have a website. Feel free to browse it, especially if you have been ripped off by Paypal or Ebay. This is at http://ebay-paypal-rip-u-off.webs.com and the first time I published it had Paypal as its sponsored ad, so that is a good omen.
So I got to Newnan, Georgia, last night. Got my head doen after doing a little work online to irritate the Antipodean then got my head down. This morning, I headed into the Yamaha plant and set up my trailer. Pics will have to follow when I unload as I don't have The Mighty Pete back yet. Poor old thing has had to go in for a complete in-frame rebuild after a couple of liners dropped.
Once the deck was set up Greg and I loaded the carts. 26 golf carts and fittings all crammed in to 2 layers on the trailer then shut it all down, have the routine argument with the security guard there as he always trys to take the paperwork we need, then hammer down for a while. I arrived in Hopkinsville, KY and decided that some time to recover from the heat of the day was in order. Now my book has caught up, I can head out again and make some miles in the cool of the night, (27 degrees).
I will sort this out as time goes on.
I have a website. Feel free to browse it, especially if you have been ripped off by Paypal or Ebay. This is at http://ebay-paypal-rip-u-off.webs.com and the first time I published it had Paypal as its sponsored ad, so that is a good omen.
So I got to Newnan, Georgia, last night. Got my head doen after doing a little work online to irritate the Antipodean then got my head down. This morning, I headed into the Yamaha plant and set up my trailer. Pics will have to follow when I unload as I don't have The Mighty Pete back yet. Poor old thing has had to go in for a complete in-frame rebuild after a couple of liners dropped.
Once the deck was set up Greg and I loaded the carts. 26 golf carts and fittings all crammed in to 2 layers on the trailer then shut it all down, have the routine argument with the security guard there as he always trys to take the paperwork we need, then hammer down for a while. I arrived in Hopkinsville, KY and decided that some time to recover from the heat of the day was in order. Now my book has caught up, I can head out again and make some miles in the cool of the night, (27 degrees).
I will sort this out as time goes on.
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