Ready to go...

I'm all loaded and ready to go . I'll leave before noon tomorrow(I hope). I've got 37,000 Lbs of paper bags going to Salt Lake City,Ut. They deliver on Tuesday so I'm dragging it out at home 'til tomorrow.
It's raining now and I think it will be worse tomorrow. Oh well, its all good.
I'll be meeting a friend either real late tomorrow or early Sunday morning. Dan, KE4SLC, will be in Dallas when I go through. His link is on the side if you want to track him.
I'm going to my recliner and watch the weather channel. I don't know why as I'm going anyway and I never believe the weather 'til I see it out the window. Have a nice week-end!

Burns Day

Well, almost 20 minutes into Burns Day here in The panhandle of Florida. People are waking up in Scotland. I wonder what its like. Any who read this,take a little time and read some Burns. It has that Scottish flavor to it. Take the time its well worth it.
That's all, I'm off to my bed. I'll be out of here by the end of the week.

Notice the short pants. 

A couple more shots of Johnny working.  

My youngest son at work. Putting the road in for a new subdivision.  

Home

I'm home again, and I'll be here at least until wednesday. My youngest daughter will be 12 on the 25th(Burns Day), and I promised to stay home til after. I need the rest, but I have tons of stuff to get done. We won't have a Burns Supper but I'll try some haggis and eggs for breakfast on the 25th. I've never really developed a taste for haggis, but I'll try again. And, no, I can't recite "Ode to a Haggis" either. But, if any choose to learn it;

Fair faw yir honest, sonsy face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race! Aboon them a' yet tak yir place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o'aw grace As lang's my airm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin was help to mend a mill In time o'need, While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead. His knife see rustic Labour dight, An' cut you up w'ready sleight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm. reekin', rich! Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive, Till a' their weel-swalled kytes belyve Are bent like drums; Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, Be thankit! hums. Is there that owre his French ragout Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad make her spew W'perfect scunner, Looks down w'sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckles as wither'd rash, His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash; His nieve a nit; Thro blody flood or field to dash, O how unfit! But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread. Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll mak it whissle; An' legs an' arms, an' hands will snedd. Like taps o trissle. Ye Powrs, wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu prayerGhee her a haggis!

Happy Burns Day!

The high desert in California. 

My Mom's Birthday

Yesterday would have been Mom's 100th birthday! Born a hundred years ago in Aberdeen, Scotland. She died 26 years ago, to young at 74. She never really trusted the doctors here and she wouldn't go home for treatment. We all miss her and her stories. They say you never die as long as someone remembers you. This year we'll have her gggrandchild and he will know all about her. Thanks Mom, I hope you and Pop and Sonny are all together. God Bless you all.

Just getting ready to pull out of the Flying J truckstop in Pecos, Tx. I'm thinking there might be to much stuff on the dash. Met up with a friend here at the truckstop,John(AB8JL),his link is on the side bar. Gotta go I've a thousand miles to do by tomorrow morning.

A quick visit home...

I got home Wednesday night about 10 pm for a short visit. I'll be leaving today(Friday) around 1 pm. Not much time, but this time of year you have to take what you can.
Tony Baloney is off the road for now. A combination of a bad lease and his temper control problem. Good Luck Tony, you'll need it trying to work a "regular" job.
I've noticed that this has become " My Life out the Window". I will try to work on that. I really need to get out and walk more. I did take a walk Wednesday morning, camera in hand. I was at the eastern edge of the Everglades and usually there are Alligators in the canal, but as luck would have , none available. They know they're supposed to be posing there for the tourists. Bad Alligators, No Tourists.
Well, I'm off today to pick up a load in Loxley, Al. going to Santa Fe Springs,Ca. Heavy stuff. Hope the ground stays still out there this trip. There was a small earthquake last trip. Plus all the bad weather and mudslides. California weather is biblical, you expect frogs at any time.
Gotta get ready I've got a appointment this morning for a haircut so I better get going. More from the road...

Hot air balloon over Las Cruces, NM. He is really low. 

Some more rocks just balanced there. 

Texas Canyon in Arizona. Looks like somebody stacked these rocks like building blocks. The whole area is like this  

Where I delivered in Lompoc,Ca. Hey, this is from outside the truck for a change.Right in the middle of the picture there is a brown spot. That is 1 of 4 or 5 deer that were eating there while I was unloading. I took some pictures with my 35 mm that should be better, so I'll see when I get them back.  

Northbound on the 101 south of Santa Barbara,Ca.In the back ground you can see one of the Channel Islands. They are having mud slides not far from here now.

This is from the TA truck stop in Ontario,Ca.. I think the drought is about over.  

Finished Again...

I finished with Lompoc yesterday. I have some pictures, but I can't load them right now. I'm using my Sprint phone as a modem and it is a little slow. Still no wi-fi here at the truck stop in Ontario, Ca. It was working here for a long time and now its gone. I notice they have a internet kiosk inside now, so maybe that is the problem. Better to soak us by the minute as opposed to my yearly rate. I'll start loading this afternoon for Florida. I have 2 pickups, but I'll just get the first as it is right here close and has a stop down by Miami. Then I can load the other tomorrow. I'd better get going, before I talk myself into leaving it all for tomorrow.

Heading south near Provo,Ut. 1st stop off and on my way to Lompoc,Ca. I hope southern Utah is having better weather.

In the pass.. 

Price,Ut today. 

Now this might not look like much, but this is the best East Texas Bar-B-Que that I've found. They are located at exit 562 on Interstate 20 just east of Tyler,Tx.Had lunch there today.  

Clovis

I should get to Clovis, NM sometime late tonight. I changed my route so I could go through there. 15 years ago I woke up there so I thought I would wake up there tomorrow morning. This would prove that I am a day late and a dollar short. Well, I'm not sure about the dollar. Happy New Year to any who pass here. I hope that you will be doing what you love 15 years from now. Gotta go Clovis is calling!

Back in the saddle again..

Well, I started yesterday afternoon, a slow start, but a start never the less. I fueled in Moss Point, Ms. at 181.9 so that's better then when I went home. Made it to Jackson,Ms and thought it being New Years eve I'd better not push my luck. West of here about 50 miles is the Mississippi river and thats where the casinos start. Louisiana has them everywhere now. Any way I thought the drunks might be out there. I'm pulling out at 6:15 am, I should stop tonight in New Mexico. Long day.