Getting back on the big road.

[highway]

Well, as some of you may or may not know, I was driving over the road until I had injured my wrist closing a trailer door last October. Well, after coming home and finally finding out after 8 months all that was wrong with the wrist was tendinitis and a shot of steroids made it feel better, and at the same time I was recovering from a compression fracture to my L1 vertebrae from a fall here at home, I'm getting on the old Greydog (YIPPEE ) and heading back to Springfield, OH to go back to work in just a little over 14 hrs from now. Then I get to see if I can pass my DOT physical and get paperwork resigned and then hopefully Tuesday I will be getting my new ride. I'll try to post a pic or two after I get the new ride, that way you'll know it's me in your rear view mirror!!

After that, until I can get something possibly in mobile internet service, and if anyone has suggestions or ideas on cheap and credit check free service feel free to let me know, I'll be just checking in when I can find a free signal. Well, I'm heading to finish packing and hopefully sleep and back to keeping this country running, because just remember,

IF YOU BOUGHT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT!!!

You never know, it might have even been my truck!

[Mr mopar]

That is good New ............................................. Hope it all works out for you and you get a new Peterbilt!

[highway]

That is good New ............................................. Hope it all works out for you and you get a new Peterbilt!

Thanks Doug, but I'm a Freightshaker man! Of course, one of the Kenworth T660s wouldn't be bad either, since a KW is one of the few, if not the only, brands of trucks I haven't driven! I do have to give the 386 I drove credit though, it overall wasn't a bad truck, just rode a little rough sometimes when the weights weren't balanced just right.

[highway]

Well, here is my new ride, at least to Tomah, WI to pick up my assigned 2012 Volvo, a 2011 Freightliner Cascadia.

[Custom Hearse]

Congrats on getting back on the road! My driving life is over, now that I have had a pacemaker/defibrillator installed. Keep it safe out there!

[highway]

Man, I really hate to hear that Marshall, until I started feeling better only about a month or so ago, I was starting to think the same thing myself. I'm still not 100% sure how the bouncing and sitting is going to be on my back, but I'll just have to take it day by day. I'll be safe and maybe if and when I get around your neck of the woods, maybe we can meet up somewhere and have some coffee and talk little big trucks! Build on my friend!

[Custom Hearse]

Thanks Matthew. I live in west central Missouri. There's a Pilot truck stop just south of Collins Mo. on Hwy 13 that Would be close enough for me to drive to and meet up if you're ever in the area. Be safe!

[The70judgeman]

You driving up through Milwaukee(I-94)? There's a couple of good hobby stores not far off the freeway. One close to 94 and the other close to the 894 by-pass. If you have the time and you're willing to stop, I'd like to meet up and talk to you about driving as a career...ups and downs, schooling, good companies to drive for, and what not. If you can't, that's ok.

[highway]

Thanks Matthew. I live in west central Missouri. There's a Pilot truck stop just south of Collins Mo. on Hwy 13 that Would be close enough for me to drive to and meet up if you're ever in the area. Be safe!

If I'm in that area, I'll send you a PM!

You driving up through Milwaukee(I-94)? There's a couple of good hobby stores not far off the freeway. One close to 94 and the other close to the 894 by-pass. If you have the time and you're willing to stop, I'd like to meet up and talk to you about driving as a career...ups and downs, schooling, good companies to drive for, and what not. If you can't, that's ok.

I probably am Andy, but after 8 months of medical leave, I don't have anything extra for hobby shopping right now. As for meeting up, I'll see how time looks and what they have scheduled from me next, because there may even be a reason I might have to have the Volvo I'm picking up there might have to go to the shop before I leave with it, never know in this business! Even if I can't, you can still PM me here and whenever I have internet access, we'll chat.

Well, I gotta start packing everything back up and head over to the terminal to get rolling. Until next time I have internet access, later!

[1320wayne]

Hey Matthew, it's good to see that you're finally back at it. So your taking a Cascadia to drive and get your Volvo. Quite a combination. I've never driven a Volvo. Are they any good? I trained in two Cascadias and would have been happy with one if that's what I had been assigned to. I ended up with a Pete 387. Like the looks and the way it handles on the road but the steering radius is terrible, the interior has no amenities and mine only has an 8 speed, which hates heavy loads.

Here she is dirty, after I got it in Phoenix and drove through a dust storm in New Mexico.

And how she looks after getting home for the first time and getting a good wash. It's been two months since the wash so she's not so clean any more.

Hope everything works out well for you. Still trying to figure out how to set up a model workshop in the sleeper.

[Gramps2u]

Highway keep the greasy side up. If ya ever make it dowm the I-35 corridor & stop by Wichita, Maybe a cuppa Joe could be in order?

I lost my 14.5 year Gig a year ago & still haven't got back in the saddle. My heart bumped me out for a spell as well. I miss that old T-8 and those super 2's. With that condo you should have room for a work shop!
Happy trails driver!

[highway]

Hey Matthew, it's good to see that you're finally back at it. So your taking a Cascadia to drive and get your Volvo. Quite a combination. I've never driven a Volvo. Are they any good? I trained in two Cascadias and would have been happy with one if that's what I had been assigned to. I ended up with a Pete 387. Like the looks and the way it handles on the road but the steering radius is terrible, the interior has no amenities and mine only has an 8 speed, which hates heavy loads.

Here she is dirty, after I got it in Phoenix and drove through a dust storm in New Mexico.

And how she looks after getting home for the first time and getting a good wash. It's been two months since the wash so she's not so clean any more.

Hope everything works out well for you. Still trying to figure out how to set up a model workshop in the sleeper.

I'll have to keep a watch for you out here Wayne! Don't worry, if your 387 has the same 425 Cummapart that my 386 had, 2 more gears didn't help mine! A heavy load and a 5 or 6% grade=25 mph! At least be thankful you have an APU, mine only had the Espar heater and me and the better half roasted during that bad heatwave last year. We idled at night, but if we were stuck waiting for a load, it was miserable! The only bunk ventilation was the two little vents, and they didn't do much of anything. There were a few times I opened the bunk door to let more air in.

Highway keep the greasy side up. If ya ever make it dowm the I-35 corridor & stop by Wichita, Maybe a cuppa Joe could be in order?

I lost my 14.5 year Gig a year ago & still haven't got back in the saddle. My heart bumped me out for a spell as well. I miss that old T-8 and those super 2's. With that condo you should have room for a work shop!

Happy trails driver!

Actually Bob, I want the greasy side down, up would mean bad news! I'll keep you in mind, I made it through Wichita 1 or 2 times last year. Sorry to hear about your health problems, hopefully someday you can get back at it.

Well, in other news , I finally left the terminal today, but obviously if I'm online, that means I'm not in the truck! I made it as far as London, OH, which is only 20 miles from the Springfield OH terminal, before the truck broke down! Two check engine lights came on, and after contacting the Breakdown Dept, they told me to bring it to Columbus to the Freightliner dealer. So, I get to spend another night in a motel, just 50 miles farther east than I was last night. I'm just glad this is only mine til I (hopefully ) make it to WI. Then I get my (hopefully better) Volvo. I just hope I'm not going to be stuck in the shop for too long.

[Gramps2u]

Blast... Did I say Up?! My bad LOL I meant down. One of those days My clutch seems to be slipping a bit. My excuse: When your stuck @ home with an over energetic 12 year old grandson for the past 16 months, Your nerves go hay wire in a hurry. This Old road Dawg needs to get back out on the super slab and leave the baby sitting to the professionals. Either that or a truck load of Prozac.

Aint nuth'n worse then down time, I always dreaded that. Keep the AC cranked when possible. & enjoy the seat covers when they pass by!

Time to come up with a mobile modeling work shop idea for you.

Edited June 21, 2013 by Gramps2u

[Custom Hearse]

I had a Cummins in the ProStar I drove, and it climbed hills like a scalded dog. As for the Volvo, It was the smoothest ride I had ever driven. I did hear that when they first came out, they were plagued with problems, like the bunk heater, front air bags, and a few others small things, but I haven't heard anything recently. And like Matthew said, count yourself luck that you have an APU. They are nice to have when the weather gets warm...

[Gramps2u]

My 03 T8 had a 60 series turned up with some mild mods done to the cam & injectors, 10 speed direct, 277 rears 24.5 tall rubber. It could break the drives loose while floating gears. Triple digit truck If one really needed the HP. I knick named it "Spooky". She still squeezed out 7.5 - 8 MPG!

[highway]

Blast... Did I say Up?! My bad LOL I meant down. One of those days My clutch seems to be slipping a bit. My excuse: When your stuck @ home with an over energetic 12 year old grandson for the past 16 months, Your nerves go hay wire in a hurry. This Old road Dawg needs to get back out on the super slab and leave the baby sitting to the professionals. Either that or a truck load of Prozac.

Aint nuth'n worse then down time, I always dreaded that. Keep the AC cranked when possible. & enjoy the seat covers when they pass by!

Time to come up with a mobile modeling work shop idea for you.

That's Ok, I knew what you meant! I have had one of those weeks, listening to greenhorns that were acting like 5 year olds! That's probably why they all got new trucks, just to shut them up!

[highway]

I had a Cummins in the ProStar I drove, and it climbed hills like a scalded dog. As for the Volvo, It was the smoothest ride I had ever driven. I did hear that when they first came out, they were plagued with problems, like the bunk heater, front air bags, and a few others small things, but I haven't heard anything recently. And like Matthew said, count yourself luck that you have an APU. They are nice to have when the weather gets warm...

I just never seem to get a good Cummapart, the only one I ever drove that I liked was in a 74 White Western Star wrecker, and it had the 444 Big Cam in it, backed by a deep reduction 15 speed. If I'd drop her in deep 1, that thing would move Mt. Rushmore! That is one thing I'm looking forward to with the Volvo when I get it, I have never driven a truck with front air ride. I'm just hoping I don't have issues with it, even though the Pete was not a good mountain goat, I had very little problems with it, just a couple electrical issues. I had a taillight melt down and take out all the other lights but the headlights and brakelights, and I had a problem in the bunk with fuses blowing and one power port melting the end of a three way plug, but that was probably more from the three fans I had plugged into it!

My 03 T8 had a 60 series turned up with some mild mods done to the cam & injectors, 10 speed direct, 277 rears 24.5 tall rubber. It could break the drives loose while floating gears. Triple digit truck If one really needed the HP. I knick named it "Spooky". She still squeezed out 7.5 - 8 MPG!

The Series 60 has always been my favorite engine, I had a 470 horse in an old Werner Classic XL that would put large cars to shame on hills! That thing would pull even the heavy loads up 5 and 6% grades at 55 to 60 MPH!

[1320wayne]

Yeah Matt, I'm thankful that I have an APU.............when it works! So far, since I've had this Pete, the APU keeps trying to kill batteries, and I've had it in the shop three times now with no success at getting the problem fixed. New alt., new wiring and I still can't run the unit all night long without waking up to a dead truck. I also have to unplug my fridge once I'm parked because of the draw that those things pull. With the combination of both issues it becomes a bit of a challenge to stay comfortable without killing the power to the truck.

It's also funny that you mention Pete power ports melting things. I have one that has already melted my first fridge and a portable inverter plug in. I can't plug anything into that one port now. All the others work fine.

That and the A/C blower works when it wants to. I've tried to get that fixed as well but wouldn't you know it, every time I'm in a shop for something and I can get someone to look at the problem the thing is working so they say they can't fix what isn't broke.

[highway]

LOL, Wayne, that sounds like a terminal!

[ewaskew]

This is good news Matt I know things were pretty tough for ya there for a while.

I'm glad things are getting better man.

God Bless and be safe.

[niteowl7710]

Best governed truck I had performance-wise was a '99 Pete 379 with a 550 CAT I had when I drove for Werner. That thing flat flew up hills, you'd have to actually watch your speed going up Monteagle in TN because I could pull it the full 65MPH fully loaded.

I also had a '05 International 9400i with a Cummins, but I set the governor out at 85 (mostly to keep from going any faster) and it would produce 7.5 - 8 MPG all day long, and made trips out West a lot more bearable when you could cruise across AZ, NM & West Texas at 75mph.

Edited June 22, 2013 by niteowl7710

[Custom Hearse]

Yeah Matt, I'm thankful that I have an APU.............when it works! So far, since I've had this Pete, the APU keeps trying to kill batteries, and I've had it in the shop three times now with no success at getting the problem fixed. New alt., new wiring and I still can't run the unit all night long without waking up to a dead truck. I also have to unplug my fridge once I'm parked because of the draw that those things pull. With the combination of both issues it becomes a bit of a challenge to stay comfortable without killing the power to the truck.

It's also funny that you mention Pete power ports melting things. I have one that has already melted my first fridge and a portable inverter plug in. I can't plug anything into that one port now. All the others work fine.

That and the A/C blower works when it wants to. I've tried to get that fixed as well but wouldn't you know it, every time I'm in a shop for something and I can get someone to look at the problem the thing is working so they say they can't fix what isn't broke.

Dang Wayne! If it's that bad I'd be scared to even start the thing up! What type of fridge do you have in there? Usually the Coleman coolers are not too bad on using up the batteries, but the more high end ones are. Good luck with your truck, and I hope they get it figured out.

[highway]

Well, I have finally made it out of the motel, but not out of the dealer! I'm just waiting on a load assignment now, and have been all day. The whole problem, the NOX sensor in the regeneration system went out, so what I figure set the lights off in the first place was that it was probably going to do a regen as I was going down the road and it found it the sensor was out. Oh well, hurry up and wait!

[Gramps2u]

Those regeneration systems are a pain... I had one of those AC blowers with a mind of its own. On a 99 T-6. Its issue was the fan control switch. Burned them critters up at least once a month. The issue was fixed by selling the truck!

[highway]

Well, I have made it back home to the Wild and Wonderful, and even though the forum problems prevented me from posting any sooner, if you are waiting for pics of my new ride, you're not getting any! Not that I wouldn't want to share the pics, but there are no pics to be shared. After I finally got the Cascadia out of the Freightliner dealer, I was assigned a load to pick up on Monday the 24th in Richmond, IN and drove out there on the 23rd and bad news. After just the short 100 mile ride from Columbus to Richmond, my back felt almost as bad as it did when I first broke it in December. That and the facts that the load I was assigned actually didn't pick up until Tuesday and a call to the dispatch office for the account that was getting the Cascadia in Tomah and then finding out from them the Volvo I was assigned was not there anymore but was assigned to another driver, I told them I was taking the truck back to the terminal in Springfield and coming home! I turned the truck back in and went on a Leave of Absence (most probably permanently!) and got a bus ticket home. Then after I got back home, my now ex fiancee told me she didn't think it would work between us, so I was saved the hassle of unpacking and packed the rest of my things and currently staying with a friend that is more like a brother to me. I honestly think the ex's problem is she enjoyed being in the truck and I couldn't give her that life anymore, and I'm beginning to think she was more in love with my paychecks than me. Oh well, her loss! I'm happy, and had a wonderful 4th of July with my "family" where I'm staying now, and also was invited and went to my ex wife's house to spend part of the 4th with her and her family as well. My ex wife and I have managed to stay in touch and be parts of each others lives even after our divorce in 2001, and I see this now as a possibility for us to get back together. I'm not rushing into anything with her, but just going to let time take its course, but at least she also knows and understands my back problems and understands I may never drive again and has no problems with either.

Also, the week after I got home again and moved from the ex fiancee's, I had to go back to the emergency room because of my pain. The ER doctor said there was no new damage to the fracture in my vertebrae, the X Rays looked the same as the ones that were done in April when my back doctor said everything was healed. The only thing that the ER doc could figure was that my back was aggravated from the bouncing up and down in the truck. I don't know for sure, but it appears as if this may be the end of my driving career. I'm sure though, if I feel up to it, I will be able to find out for sure, since both my "brother" and his dad, who we live next door to, are both drivers also, I can go for a short run with them.