One of Those Days

0800: Wake up at rest area in Oka-something, AR. Brush teeth etc. and do pre-trip. Got flat trailer tire. Fortunately I'm 17 miles from TA in Prescott, and am well ahead of schedule for my deilvery in Texas.

0830: I get in line for the service.

0930: They get me pulled in. We find another flat trailer tire, and three more appear to be leaking. I must have driven through "something. I'm hauling 44,000 lbs. and this could have turned into a major problem, and I'm glad I caught it now.

OK so I'm now paranoid about my truck tires, and sure enough an inside drive is flat.

I tell the guy as long as he's doing that, better give me a pre-alignment check. That shimmying problem is driving me nuts, and the mechanic said he'd "never heard of" a broken radial belt in a tire causing it (as another mechanic--unable to find anything wrong--told me last week).

1300: The trailer tires are knocked out. None of them needed to be replaced, so the company saved a bunch of dough. But MY tire had a hole in the sidewall and needed to be replaced. Brand freaking new tire. Figures.

Okay so they're busy, and I have to wait three hours to get it in for my inspection/alignment.

They immediately find a shot wheel bearing.

Am I mad? Not really. I'm glad that the problem has been identified, and even gladder that it didn't ruin my life by getting me into a huge wreck (and catching fire).

I once had a wheel bearing go out on me. fortunately it was at low speed, and by some miracle I was able to get stopped without hitting a bunch of parked cars. The right wheel was tilted out at at least a 25 degree angle, and tried to pull me into the cars.

The grease inside the bearing was also on fire, so I got to use my fire extinguisher, which was cool.

I was lucky then, too. Not only did I not hit any cars, or have it happen at 65 mph, but I also put out the fire before my tire or wiring caught.

Ok--I've got til 1300 tomorrow to get about 700 miles, so I'm not worried about it. I have the money to pay for the repairs...

1800: "You have an oddball wheel bearing. We don't have it in stock. We can call Freightliner tomorrow, or we can put it back together and let you go".

Well, I call Korena immediately to ask her if we can move the appointment time back. I'm kind of fanatical about being dependable and early all the time, and for me this is about as bad a thing as can happen. But Korena wasn't troubled at all and said no problem.

So now I feel much much better. She's going to move it back til monday.

This would also bother a lot of drivers--they aren't making any money for the down-time. But me? I get to pick out someplace enroute and watch the Browns game.

I think...I'm going through the boonies--maybe outside Houston...

Anyway now that I'm doing the long runs, I'll make up for the lost time pretty quick. On longer runs, you can cover up to 800 all;eged miles in a day. I could do more, but of course don't since regs prohibit that.

Anyway, this is going to cost me money, but not as much as a huge accident and tow would have cost (assuming I survived). I won't have to worry about the bearing anymore, I'll be aligned with ten good tires, I'll watch the Browns (I believe) whup the Jagwires.

I'm adaptable. I can outrun everybody, but I have equal talent at being lazy.

In hotel room. time to conquer the world in Sid Meyer's Civilization again. Okbye.