On the Road with Kurt Grote

Hello everyone, I hope all of you have been well and prosperous lately! As you can tell I have been a little under the weather. I am so ready for spring!! It seems every time I wash my truck either it snows or rains or something. Such is the life of a truck driver. Now down to business. I think it’s time that I give all of you a run down of the up and coming events and dates. The first event is the mid winter conferences. This is when Oklahoma will choice their next driver of the year for Oklahoma. I am fortunate enough to have been asked to attend this years conference, in hope of receiving just a high honor. The date is February 24th of course in Oklahoma City Oklahoma. Next is the Mid America Truck Show. The 25 thru the 27 of march. Freightliner is planning on presenting us with our keys to the new trucks at that time! I also believe that we are to do something with atbs’s Kevin Rutherford as well. The next event will be the actual picking up of the trucks from the plant in Charlotte N.C. That will happen the middle to last part of April. May I think at this point is wide open for me unless I do an open house or parade of some kind, I will keep you all posted. The first part of June, the truck championships which I am hoping to attend! Are on the 4th and 5th of June! If you have a chance to be in Louisville KY please stop by the freightliner booth to say hello. I will post more dates as they come around or if you know of an event that I could attend please let me know! Until the next truck stop all of you be safe!!

Kurt and Spencer

hello everyone, I hope your week has been good and prosperous. Has you can probably tell I’m back on the road, after my little cold I was suffering with last week. Where do you think I went? Yep thats right into the northwest. You might hear me complain about this part of the world, especially this time of year however it is still my favorite place to travel. The weather can and usually is a challenge no matter what the time of year. If you are a nature lover, you would appreciate I-84. From the state line of Idaho all the way to Portland if you don’t see any wild life, well you are just not paying attention. Just in the 375 miles in the state of Oregon I was fortune enough to see the remains of an elk that just didn’t make it across the road. Herds of deer coming down cabbage. Let’s not forget coming down the Columbia river gorge!! the highlight of this drive for me was the sight of not one but two bald eagles, and two of their nest’s. How do I know it was their nest’s? Only a bald eagle could make a nest of this magnitude, with a chick in it to boot! I did not see to many boats out on the river however. Seeing the cascade locks also amazes me! The thought of holding back that much water and filling the river up stream. Those of you that drive this area I’m sure this is just business as usual, but for drivers like me that don’t do it all the time it is a pleasure. If it weren’t for the openness of the Cascadia, with it’s large windows I would have missed most of these things. What about fuel economy you ask? Well here is the run down, 76,000 lbs from Joplin Mo to Portland Or., with wind and rain and of course snow and lets not forget winter blend fuel my average, was still 6.09 mpg. Over 6 miles to the gal. With speeds of at max. 70 mph and lows of 58 mph. I think that was a money making trip. Until the next truck stop all of you be safe!

Kurt and Spencer