On the Road with Henry Albert

Not the way to start the week on a Monday morning

Hope everyone enjoyed their visit to Dallas for the “Great American Truck Show”. It was another great year and I enjoyed meeting some new faces and catching up with old friends.

I left the show on Sunday and headed for Wylie, TX to make my delivery and pick up. When I awoke on Monday morning, my right front drive tire was flat. The fact that I run wide base single tires also meant the truck was immobilized. It’s my practice to try and prevent this from happening by using Ride-On Tire Protection System…

The reason for Ride-on not working in my situation was that I picked up the bolt in the parking lot and was stopped with the object located at the top of the tire in the 12:00 position. Thefore, there was no sealant at the top of the tire to stop the leak.

I went to Michelin’s tire website  http://www.michelintruck.com   to locate a dealer nearby who could make a road call for me. The dealer was “Graham Truck Center” of Anna, TX who assisted me. Richard Van VanNatta drove out to my location and repaired the tire. He was very timely and professional during the service call. Sometimes, this situation can be a nightmare, however, I had a good experience with the truck center service repair.

During my tire trouble, this area hasn’t seen any rain for quite awhile. Wouldn’t you know, right where we needed to do the repair, we were in about 3 to 4 inches of water. No fun… Not the best way to wake up on a Monday morning, but all went well and I was on my way. Till next time be safe,

Henry

"Van was prompt and professional .

How long will it be till we need breaker boxes like this in our trucks.

Hello,

I was just reading this months issue of “Overdrive Magazine” www.OverdriveOnline.com and the feature article is how providers are working to electrify truck stops.

The article is regarding the various ways in which truck stops are being electrified. There are units  available that provide heat, air conditioning and electrical service through your window. The system that I’m most interested in is the simple shore power pedestals. My Cascadia is equipped with the ParkSmart HVAC System which is set up to use shore power when available. With Shore power, I have unlimited range of the HVAC capabilities built into my Cascadia.

The dilemma seems to be on shore power… which will come first, the units which can use shore power or shore power for the units. The article  reads that this is a classic chicken or egg dilemma facing our industry. Below I’ve added some interesting links on this subject:

http://www.controlmod.com/cabaire/

http://www.shorepower.com/tse.html

http://www.airedock.com/

http://www.envirodock.com/

http://ecotravelplaza.com/

My Cascadia burned up the asphalt this summer without breaking a sweat.

Hello again,

This summer has been extremely hot. During my trips to Laredo, TX the temperatures have been in the 100′s for several weeks. My fuel mileage has dipped just a tad and I believe it’s due to the extreme heat. In seems to me that if the asphalt is very hot and soft, it would increase your rolling resistance. I’ve noticed that when sitting at a traffic light or parked in a spot for just a short time, it requires more power to get moving again.

My last six fill ups came in at 8.61,8.47,8.131,8.723,8.621 and 8.555. The load weights have been in the 20,000-35,000 lb. range. It will be interesting to see as we move toward the fall months ,with cooler temperatures if this situation improves. Till next time be safe,

Henry

Its time for a change ... I feel like I know the frozen isle by heart.

Fresh tomatoes from the family garden are always a treat.

Hello,

I’ve taken this week off for some rest and family time prior to the The Great American Truck Show in Dallas. My wife has been cooking some great healthy home made meals while I’ve been home. Our family has enjoyed the fresh vegetables our garden has provided over the summer months and this week I ate lots of fresh tomatoes.

While doing my job out on the road, it’s not easy to always eat healthy. It’s difficult at times to find healthy choices. I’ve really been making an effort to eat better but it’s not always easy. Fast food is readily available and there seems to be a fast food restaurant on every corner. At truck stops, the portions are too large and the healthy selections are few. Also, the meals can be pricey due to the fact the portions are large. I really don’t need such a large portion or buffet. If I make the decision to get the buffet, I tend to over indulge due to all the various food items available and it’s a feeling like one needs to get their “money’s worth.

My usual routine is to purchase items from the grocery store prior to my leaving out for the week. I’ll buy frozen prepared meals, fruit salad, juice, and items for sandwiches. Years ago, I gave up on soda and snacks. If I bought them, I tended to eat them all by myself in the comfort of my drivers seat when bored or just needing something to do at the moment to pass some time. This is not how one should eat snacks! I learned from a show on the radio that people should do most of their purchasing from the perimeter of the grocery store. You want to stay out of the center isles for your healthiest choices. I thought this was crazy until one day really paying attention to the items and realized fresh fruit, veggies, meats, dairy and healthy items are located in these areas .

Lately, I’ve been bored with food in general and want to try some new things on the road. Maybe taking along a gas grill for when I have time to cook something. Also, my wife has suggested to cook home made meals for me to take along. We plan to cut up fresh fruit cup which we did years ago but stopped. If anyone has suggestions or healthy food ideas, which are simple to prepare on the road, please pass them along.

On Friday, I think I’ll take my camp stove and see if there’s a place to store it properly in the Cascadia. Until next time, healthy eating.

Henry

I dug out some of our camping gear to try out on the road.

When you look closer there are many things that have been simplified

Hello again,  

I am on my way back from the Waupun,WI truck show now. One thing that always gets talked about at the truck shows is how complicated everything looks on the drivers side of the engine. Below I have posted a series of pictures to illustrate most of the items you see on the side of the engine have nothing to do with emission control. The reason everything looks complicated on the DD-15 is Detroit Diesel has moved the water, oil, and fuel filters above the frame rails of the truck for easier access.  

Top loaded cartridge type fuel filters

top loaded cartridge type oil filter

Top loaded cartridge type water filter

This has to be the easiest water pump to replace I have ever seen. All that has to be done to replace the water pump is to take the belt off and remove a few bolts and its in your hands. I think I could have it removed in under a half hour.

Till next time be safe,  

Henry

Hello,

This afternoon, I met a man while I was at the “Travel Centers of America” in Madison Wisconsin. He happened to be driving a Cascadia and he shared with me how pleased he was with the truck. His only complaint was regarding the discomfort of the driver seat. This surprised me as the Cascadia seat is definitely one of the best I’ve ever experienced. He told me his back was hurting due to the seat. I then began to question him as to how he had the seat adjusted. Unfortunately, he had the lower cushion in the rear position. He was not familiar with the various adjustments that are available within the seat. He explained to me he never read the owners manual and therefore, didn’t have the seat adjusted properly for his body. No wonder his back was hurting!!! I assisted him in getting the seat adjusted and he seemed happy for my help. He thanked me and it was time for me to head down the road toward the truck show in Waupon, Wisconsin.

When purchasing or operating a new vehicle, it’s always important to read the instruction manual in order to get the benefits that are available to you. I realize it’s time consuming to read all this stuff, however it’s valuable information you need to know. If your waiting to load or unload, it’s a great way to pass some time. You just might find a hidden feature within your truck in which you were unaware. Be safe,

Henry

The picture above shows where I ususally have the fan and temperature controls set. Dead center is 74 degrees on the temperature contol knob.

Hello,

This is a follow up to my last blog post in which we discussed the operations of the Park Smart HVAC System. As promised, I wanted to give you some insight as to how I use this new technology. Here is a simple version that works for me on a daily basis. During the winter months, I set the temperature one to two positions to the warm side of center. Also in winter, I’ve found that without pulling the center curtain, the cab and sleeper stay warm.  On a cold winter morning, with the coolant already warm from the Park Smart system, I simply switch the key to accessory, turn the dash controls onto defrost and the windows thaw while I’m getting dressed and eating breakfast.

During the summer months, while sleeping at night, I’m able to keep the sleeper comfortable without closing the center curtains as long as the outside ambient temperature is below 85 degrees. When the temp. is above 85 outside, the insulated center curtains need to be pulled closed in order for the system to work at its best. Park Smart is primarily designed to keep the sleeper cool.

 I decided awhile back to add a volt meter gauge to monitor my battery condition. The addition of the gauge has allowed a simple and effective way to manage my electrical needs.

I hope this helps in some way for those of you who have had questions for me in the past or maybe have just begun to use the system. Till next time be safe,

Henry

Coming in for my pit stop at Empire Freightliner , Hattiesburg, MS

Wow! talk about the unexpected. I was driving on I-59 in Meridian, Mississippi yesterday when out of nowhere came a fast moving stone which smashed right into my driver side windsheild. I never even saw it coming but it sounded like a gun shot as it hit the glass. Lucky for me, I was wearing my sunglasses as the windshield glass shattered onto the truck dash, floor and my lap. Small pieces of glass were stuck in my arm. I couldn’t believe this as it happened so quick.

I drove to the next exit and took care of my arm, removing the shattered glass. Next, I spent time cleaning up the glass from the interior of the truck. My thoughts then turned to “who should I call to repair this windshield”? In my truck, was a Freightliner Dealership Directory which I used to contact several dealerships until finding one in Jackson, Miss who was open at 6:30pm and able to assist me in locating a new windshield. I was told there was a replacement available at the Empire Truck Sales Freightliner Dealership in Hattiesburg, Miss. The dealership was not too far and I would be heading that direction in the morning so this was great news. I spent the night at the truck stop across from the dealership in Hattiesburg and planned to have the service done the next day.

The next morning, I met service advisor, Deborah Guthre who assisted in coordinating the repair. At 7:30am my truck went in for the service and I decided to do some paper work while waiting in the driver lounge. My delivery was scheduled the next day in Laredo, TX and I’m thinking how long will this take and will it put me behind schedule? Much to my surprise, Deborah came into the lounge at 9:15am to advise me the repair was complete. Needless to say, I was thrilled at such a short wait time. What a relief to hear I could get on my way towards Laredo.

As I drove away from the dealership, my thoughts turned to “Alliance parts” and their slogan… “Behind Every Part is a Pit Crew”. In my case, it was more than a slogan, it was a reality. I want to thank the entire “Pit Crew” for their assistance in keeping me rolling and generating revenue. Much appreciation to all involved! Till next time be safe,

Henry