Halloween Pumpkins

 While I have been at home this week, Kane and I decided to do some pumpkin cravings for the first time.

Unfortunately i will not be here to go trick or treating but this made up for it a little.

 

This was our first Pumpkin... oh by the way bottom right corner is my shinny head, not another pumpkin! lol

Finished Pumpkin #1

 Pumpkin #2 which was Kane's choice... his favourite character, Scooby-doo.

Pumpkin #3 is of a Cat on the Moon made for Faron, Jojo, Ollie & Freya. 

I added some bats to the back of their pumpkin seeing as Jojo is as batty as a fruit bat!

The inside of the Cat on the Moon stayed in one piece so Tina decided to keep as she thought it looked good.  

Tina and Kane have also decorated the outside of the house with some spooky bits... we have a small graveyard now under the tree!

 

Kane dressed up today for his class Halloween Party... Spiderman is here!

Manteca CA

This trip saw me going down to Mantica CA for the first time and it was a nice easy 2 day run.  However I notice the weather getting colder on this trip.

Once unloaded in Mantica my preplan to collect was in Hopland CA.  Travelling around the area reminded me of the collections i used to do in Europe.  The the vineyards and scenery were very picturess.

 

The load was bound for Edmonton AB and i was routed up through Washington for Eastport border.  I travelled up the I97 which was a very whindy road but the scenery made up for it. 

 

 

Arriving in Edmonton i dropped the trailer in the yard and thought it was time for some sleep.  I was greeted in the morning with a lovely 4in of snow..

Picked up another trailer out of the yard for some supermarket multi-dropping 

(thought i was back in the uk!!). This finished me off however nicely back in Lethbridge for my 4 days with my family.

Waterloo

To start off this trip i had to take an empty trailer to Brooks to collect my load to head off to Waterloo..unfortuntely when i got there my load was not ready.  I had to sit around for a few hours, which does not please any driver but hay what can you do!! Finialy got going and off to meat inspection which was meant to be open until 7pm but for me and my luck today they decided to shut shop early!   So there i was sat until morning.

Meat inspection was  finally done come morning and then no more troubles all the way to Waterloo, where i dropped the trailer at the customers and already having my pre-plan which was a bonus, i collected an empty trailer.  Downside it had to be washed out as it looked like a massacre.

Once cleaned out i was off to Little Chute.  Collection went well and then off to H&R Calgary.  Drop off made and then managed to get the normal Calgary to Lethbridge run so it gave my reset at home for a change.  Kane was very pleased for me to be home which is always a reason to try and make it home. 

Took some extra pictures for Tina on the trip as she likes the numbers plates people pick out here. 

This extra shot is of a Hanson vehicle... my old man in the UK has 3 franchises with them and did not expect to see over the water.

Lucky Truck Driver

West to East

This trip was a bit different for me as i had another driver with me who i was helping  to train so he could go solo when we got back after our 13 day run.

We started off from Lethbridge heading for Pittston PA.  We had to rescue the trailer as the driver who originally had it was broken down.  We crossed the border, cleared meat inspection and away we went.  It was smooth drive down apart from the rain which took its toll.  Unfortunately for this guy by the looks of it to much speed added to the rain ruined his day. Lucky for us one lane was kept open and we were straight through. 



Got to Pittston and unloaded and was pre-planed to go to New Market VA to collect a load of chickens. This was an unusual load as we were told to back on the bay and we watched the live chickens enter the factor and exit no longer clucking into our trailer.

I took this picture of the skyline in Chicago for my Tina, not much to see as it was bit gloomy that day... she hopes to see it for real one day as she has always wanted to go.

On our way to ON i travelled through a small town called Kane... took this picture for my son Kane to show his name sake. 

From there we went to Burlington ON where we delivered the load of chickens and then went to Brampton to drop the empty trailer as it was due for service and picked up another empty one.  We were then pre-planned to go to Pickering ON to load for Calgary. 

On route to Calgary we received a message to stop Brandon MB to rescue another trailer and take back to Hurst to meet another team who would take to Quebec. We would then collect another trailer from them going back to Calgary, so it was all change again.

This has been my 6th attempted at getting this picture for my Kane of the Moose and Wolves as i have told Kane about them several times but never managed to get a decent picture for him.  Thank good i have now so i can just keep on driving through.

We arrived in Calgary, unloaded and decided to stay at the yard for a shower, grub and sleep. The following day we collected a trailer with 3 drops on it, which was Chilliwack, Langley and Annachis Island in BC.   All was going well until another message, ' don't go any further then Craigellachie BC as another trailer needs to be rescued'!! So yet again i turned around and off to Edmonton we went. 

On our way to Craigellachie BC we saw a white wolf and a moose... but damn it they were to quick out of view to get the camera out in time.

Got to Edmonton, unloaded and went straight to the yard.  We picked up the trailer which was loaded for Lethbridge, so home bound we went. Dropped the trailer in Lethbridge and relived to go home for my R&R

For me this trip was more interesting having someone to teach and also have in the truck.  Time flew by and Andy asked lots of questions and picked it up very quickly and can't wait to get his own truck and be living the dream! .