Law of Averages catches up or How I got stuck in Canada.

Picked up the preloaded tanker at Washington, NJ just as they were finishing up the paper work.  It was perfectly timed, could not  been better.  The office people at Washington set up the border crossing and fax the PARS to the broker for entry.  Yesterday the load to Brockville had no problems with the PARS from the same facility.  They know what they are doing.

The broker listed in the work assignment was the usual one.  They have a web based PARS tracking system which they recommend using rather than calling up to confirm the border crossing is set up.

All yesterday their system did not recognize the PARS number. So I could not cross last night and spend the night at our Guelph facility which is 12 miles from the consignee. So much for that plan, I had to spend the night south of the border.

At 5 am I called the broker to see if maybe their website was broken.  The lady said that it was working and that they had not received the papers. Since the fax machine on the Rest area on the NEW York freeway was in the gift shop with business hours commencing at 7 am, I drove back to the last truck stop off the thruway to fax the papers.  When I got to the truck stop, I made my 2nd call of the morning to extended shift to ask if by chance there was a different broker.  The extended person called the broker and got a yes.{I was patched in the call}

So I faxed the papers to the broker.  The paperwork shows as being received on the broker's website, border crossing not setup.

At 10 I left the truck stop and went to the border and parked in the duty free lot on the American side. I then called the broker.  The broker said that at 530 they told us (extended) that they were not the broker on this load.

I called the boss.  He said he just found out that there was different broker from the work assignment and they were sending the name of the true broker with telephone numbers. He said they had me crossing at Ft. Erie.  The work assignment had said Niagara Falls and that it where I am --  500 yards from the border and no place to turn around even if I had wanted to backtrack to Ft. Erie.

So I waited for the updated work assignment to come through, complete with two different sets of phone numbers for this other broker.and an apology from Customer service for listing the wrong broker.

I called the new broker with the PARS number.

Yes, border crossing is all set up and you are ready to go. (done yesterday I bet)  Because I was feeling a little paranoid, I asked her where I was set up to cross.

broker [answer]:  WINDSOR, ONTARIO

me:You must be joking, I originated in New Jersey

broker: whoops

me: you can change it to Niagara Falls electronically right?

broker:  Yes, it takes about 10 minutes, I'll call you when it is changed.

15 minutes later I called her and was informed that it had just be changed.

No line at the border, No trick questions.

Had to wait 1.5 hours for the lab to test the product before unloading.

So... since it is foggy with occasion snow showers, the chances of going 225  miles along with a border crossing at a major city in the 4 legal hours left were very small.  I went the 12 miles to our facility in Guelph and will set out in the early morning hours for Trenton, then Wyandotte, then Pine Bluff, Ar.

Back from Brockville, On. in Keasbey. Off to Milton, On. today by way of Washington, NJ, then to the tankwash in Trenton, Mi.


Everything was done correctly for the load to Brockville. The border crossing was set up and the tanker was on the steam pad and at 142 def F.  Uneventful trip.  The trick questions at the Canadian Customs were: How many times have to come to Canada in the past year? then Where do you cross most often? [the answers are on the officer's computer screen - so I guess it is a terrorist catching device]

In Brockville I found out that what I was delivering gives the slight stretch to masking tape.

Leaving tomorrow for Brockville, On. after getting a loaded trailer which already at Keasbey.  Will the border crossing be setup?  Will the product be hot enough -- needs to be delivered at 140 deg f.  It was loaded Friday, so unless it was put on the steam pad at the tankwash, it will be too cold.

Exercised this morning WII Yoga, Peak8 x 19 Cross country ski device

At home, Plumber just hooked up the water for the water and icemaker in  the new refrigerator/freezer.

Did the usual WII Yoga.

Exercised at home. WII yoga plus a cobra (probably last time for the snake), Peak8 stationary bicycle 19

Home yesterday, exercised this morning, WII Yoga, weighted leg lifts 3 circuits 10 reps per leg per position, Peak8 - 19  on XC ski machine.

About to leave Keasbey. PM done. Drug and alcohol tests samples taken.  Off to Bayonne and then to Coraopolis.

In Keasbey for the night, will get an Oil PM (programmed, preventative, planned {take your pick} maintenance) on my tractor.  already have a pickup in Bayonne for dropoff as relay in Coroapolis. Unfortunately it is hazmat so I can not go through the tunnels on the Pa turnpike.

Supposed to see Dan at  8:30 tomorrow. -- finally the annual ExxonMobil drug test.  They can't warn the drivers but it is too obvious.  I have to remember not to empty my bladder in the morning so that I don't end up drinking enormous amounts of water at the clinic where we go for the official DOT drug test.  Several years ago in training we were told that the company would be using hair samples.. Each year I offer some hair but the cheaper (I am told) urine sample route is taken.

 Back in the Northeast, so that I can get home on time.

got up at  3 am, went to Neville's Island and got my tanker full of plasticizer.  Off to the Boston, Mass. area for unloading tomorrow morning. It looks like I am going to be curling around a snow storm in that the forecast map shows a nice one North and West of me the whole trip.

Exercised in Carlisle at 9 am., peak8 stepper machine - 19
Found out how long the battery lasts in  my electric toothbrush before needing to be recharged this morning.  I used the manual backup.  I am quite proud of myself that I still know how to do that manually. [Up and down - right; not side to side?]  Kind of like not forgetting how to ride a bike or other things.

In Coraopolis, Pa where it is under a winter storm watch due to cold plus high winds plus snow showers.  went to Neville's Island and unfortunately for me the load to go to Massachuetts was not ready.. the guard said it should be ready  by mid afternoon which about the time that I was to pick it up. By mid-afternoon too many hours will have gone by to make it worthwhile to pickup this afternoon.  I probably would not make it to Carlisle before running out of the proscribed 14 hours.  So I will pick it up tomorrow morning real early. (like 3 am)

In Obetz, Ohio on the way to Cory, then Leominster, Ma, then Keasbey.  Wifi was not working in Houston and West Memphis.  Obetz is the secret OC that is not on the fuel/tire maps..Hilliard is listed as the OC in the Columbus area. Hilliard was closed 3 years ago!!!  Seville is also still listed.  Des Moines, and Green Bay are all listed as OC's/  Yep, closed years ago. Pity the poor newbies that don't know the history and rely on the "up to date" documents!!

Out to Arizona then back to the Eastern States as usual.

In West Memphis on the way to Albuquerque,  NM
I am bringing stuff which is a key ingredient for making  "extremely expensive mattresses".
So everyone will be able to sleep better in the future.

Exercised Peak8 8-19 stepper machine

Qualcomm stopped working in Northeastern Georgia yesterday.  It was a blown fuse.  It took a long time (like an hour) to fix it, since the fuse was factory installed whereas the vast vast majorities of Qualcomms are installed by SNI with a fuse in the new power line from the battery.  It turns out the circuit was prewired and the fuse was in the fusebox but the circuit was labelled as "Radio Accessory".  The mechanic had no idea why the fuse would decide to go bad.

 Looking out on the desolation that is the Texas panhandle from behind the rest area on I-40

Entrance way to the rest area.  Nice.  Yes, the entrance doors are not tiny doors, the front of the building is that big. Everything in Texas is megasized right.

Earlier in the day at a rest area in Bethany, Oklahoma. A little Okie humor.  One must zoom in and read the signs and note the type of pet accommodations.

2/2 in the PM, in Charlotte, NC.  exercised Peak8 stepper machine.

 Almost no snow in Ashtabula, Ohio (in the lake effect snow zone)  As a matter of fact, most of the snow was melted but there were still big piles here and there.  The place makes plastic parts filled with foam.  The place in Central, SC used to be called Clemson Specialty Urethanes.  Yes, it is close to Clemson University in that there were numerous signs for event parking. But it is just a mile from Southern Wesleyan University which looks to be a beautiful campus.

The place in Sylacauga, Al. make fertilizers.  The guy there was  cordial but not talkative and had never been out of Alabama!! (he looked to be near my age)

Was near  the Appalachians most of the time. I encircled the Smokey Mountains.On the way to Lagrange, GA. from Monaca received notice (paraphrased) Customer Tank is full, deliver 2-8.  Then I was instructed to leave the tanker in Morrow, Ga.  So a rush delivery suddenly became a leisurely drive.

In Coraopolis. Supposed to take empty to Monaca and pickup a loaded to take to Lagrange, Ga.  Was a little tight on hours so notified the powers that be that would be doing 10 hours later.  However when I went looking for the clean tanker, it was no where to be found.  I called to see where it was located.  It was still on its way from Canada, so I could not have taken it to Monaca anyway.

Now I have to again try to find it in the middle of the night and do the inspection in the dark. -- It is so much easier to do when the sun is shining.