Heading into Kansas

Passing through Texas, then Oklahoma, on US54 and going to be in Kansas very soon...the weather isn't looking good up ahead. We are heading to Harrisonville, Missouri, with this load to drop off early in the morning, then over to Nebraska to pick up a load Monday morning which will take us back to Texas...where I'll be getting off in Dallas to head home for a week.

By Monday afternoon I will have driven 8,000 miles. It sounds like a lot, but I'll be driving more than that each and every month once I get my own truck.

Really looking forward to some time off. Already making plans to meet a few of you for lunch while I'm home. Sure will be nice to see some familiar faces for a change.

The truck...

Here's the Peterbilt I've been driving the past few weeks. I took this photo in Flagstaff, AZ a few mornings ago.

Just a few more days and I'll be heading home

No photos for this blog entry.

Just a reminder to those friends of mine back in Florida that I only have a few more days in this phase of my training...then I'll be heading back to Florida for a week of much needed time off. I'm really looking forward to a few days off and hope to see many/all of you while I'm there.

Going back to Cali...

Actually, this post is a little late as we're already on the way out of Cali...kinda like the train in the photo.

The sunset was taken on our way throught New Mexico the evening before arriving in California...as is typical, it looked even better that the photo does justice. The other shots were taken passing through the desert after crossing the Arizona/California state line.

While we were in Cali, the sunlight was hitting the truck just right and I thought the Peterbilt logo looked pretty cool in that golden sunset light.

Passing through Iowa

Stopped at the world's largest truck stop on the way through Iowa along I-80. There are a couple of tractors, one even has a trailer, inside the truckstop. Oh yeah, there are a couple of geocaches there, too. ;)

Passing through Wyoming

Well, before I got behind the wheel we made it into Wyoming. I grabbed a few pics, then got behind the wheel and drove across the rest of Wyoming...now my trainer is back behind the wheel as we make our way through Nebraska.

Some nice mountains, didn't get pictures of most of them (because I was driving), more windmills (haven't seen them since we were in California) and a little cattle round-up action.

Passing through Utah

Left California yesterday, on the way to Indiana. On today's list...Utah, Wyoming and Nebraska. As we were driving through Utah, on I-80, we passed right by the Olympic village and I got a few pics of the slopes and jumps. As usual, no time to stop for a visit...just passing through. Shortly after passing the Olympic village, we saw some awesome rock formations...as usual, they were huge (the passing tractor-trailer should put things into perspective).

Then into Nevada

After we descended from Donner Pass we entered into Nevada. I didn't get any shots as we passed through Reno...but started snapping shortly afterward. I started driving when we reached Fernley and continued on into Wendover.

Donner Pass

Well, we left Santa Nella, CA today and we're headed to Munster, IN. A short ride up I-5, then we're on I-80 the rest of the way. The summit of Donner Pass is 7,227 feet...the highest I've ever been. Here are a few pics from the ride down the East side into Nevada.

In Watsonville, CA at Driscoll's

We left Tracy this morning, passing through Santa Nella, then past the San Luis Reservoir and into Casa de Fruta, on our way to Watsonville, CA.

Took some pictures between Santa Nella and Casa de Fruta...beautiful area, it's a shame there were signs of recent wildfires in the area.

Right now we're at Driscoll's to pick up strawberries and blueberries heading to Munster, IN. There's a little gift shop in the building where the drivers check in...picked up some fresh raspberries...yummy! Lots of trucks lined up waiting to get loaded...we might be here a while.

Back in California for my first mountain

Well, I'm back in California for a couple of days. We left Laredo, TX a couple of days ago and we're taking a load to Tracy, CA. So, after taking I-10 through West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and into California, stopping at Morongo agian for their buffet, we jumped on I-5 heading North which gave me the chance to head down my first big mountain...the Grapevine. Couldn't take pictures on the way down, as I had plenty to keep me busy watching my speed, but I did get a few shots on the way up.

Spent the night in Cabazon, CA

After our drop in Buena Park, CA we had three pickups around LA (Oxnard, downtown and Irwindale) then headed back to Cabazon to spend the night.

Woke up to the Sunrise over the mountains (if you look closely you can see some windmills on the hill).

Then we headed East on I-10 which took us past Texas Canyon again. I got some better pictures this time...including one with a passing tractor trailer to put into perspective just how large some of these boulders are.

We're heading to Austin, TX to drop this load on Thursday.

Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA

Well, after having a bite to eat I decided to find a couple of geocaches. While I was walking around, I took a few photos around the hotel & casino. These mountains are awesome!

I'm in Cabazon, CA!!!

This is my 1st time in California.

When we left Texas the other day I had no idea it would take so long to get out of Texas...it's a pretty long state. As we rolled through El Paso, you can see across the border into Juarez, Mexico. We made great time through New Mexico and spent the night in Arizona after passing through Texas Canyon in Cochise County, about 20 miles East of Benson, along I-10.

Right now I'm enjoying the BIG TIME Brunch at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA...think about it, all the Prime Rib you can eat...yummy!

Tonight I'm back in Dallas, TX...

Well, here's the new truck I'm on...it's a Peterbilt. The others I have been on were Kenworth.

Another truck outside of Cincinnati, OH broke down so after we completed our delivery in Delaware, OH we repowered that load in Cincinnati and delivered it to Ft Worth, TX today. Now we're spending the night East of Dallas until we can pick up our next load in the morning. This load is taking us to Buena Park, CA, which is near Anaheim. So, I should get my first mountain pass (I have to make at least two without using the Jake brake) and will get the South West region (leaving me with only the North West region to complete my regions). Once I get the two mountains and both West regions I'll just need to complete 8,000-8,500 miles of driving (I've got ~2,000 miles so far) to finish my first training session. Then I get to go home for a week!!!

Still in Kansas.

Well, Kansas must be a pretty long state...cause we've been driving for hours and we're still in Kansas!!!

Here's the sunset I missed last night...left the memory card in my computer and by the time I retrieved it and framed the shot the Sun had set.

And, the windmill farm we passed earlier today...this was the largest one I've seen so far...must have been at least 50 of them, maybe more. Now that I think about it, the one we flew over might have been larger. Either way...these things are huge!!!

We're in Emporia, KS for the night, and we're headed to Delaware, OH for our delivery...then I have no idea where we're headed. I just know that I need my NW and SW regions and a couple of big mountains...had no idea I would be heading East when I flew to Colorado from Texas, just assumed I would be heading West. Hopefully our fleet manager will get us heading in the right direction.