Back in the UK

Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog since I started it last year, and especially to those who have commented, but as some of you know, there were reasons why the posts got thinner as time went on, and unfortunately there will be no more posts from Canada as we have returned to the UK.

There are many things we will miss about working in North America, but the main thing will be the fantastic people we met whilst we were over there, and hopefully we will have made some lasting friendships, even amongst the people we never met in person, but just corresponded with.

We both wish everyone still working at H&R, and elsewhere the very best of luck in the future, whatever that might bring for you all.

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge.

Lots of people are missing off this picture as I didn't have any snaps of you, but I'm sure you know who you all are.

Summerland, near Kelowna B.C.

Earlier this year, a fruit cooler in Summerland, where we waited all morning (after being told we must be there at 8am) to be loaded.
There is a hand written cardboard sign inside here which basically brags about how long they will take to load you if you complain!

We are currently visiting Micks cousin near Cowichan Bay, and then we'll return back over the Rockies to Calgary to fly out to the UK, where we will take stock of our situation, and when we are definite about our plans I will post something on here, or probably Mick will.

Luckily we arrived here in good time as H&R got us a load from Calgary down to Lethbridge to begin our vacation after trying to send us on a load which would have brought us down very late, but they did try bullying Mick into doing that one first after telling us that our time off didn't start till midnight (we had been available for work since 7am that morning).




We are hoping to meet up with the music writer Homercat today... woot!

Homeward Bound.

We are flying home next week, but will be visiting one of Micks cousins out Vancouver way before we go, thanks to Mike Nash, who has lent us his car whilst he is back in the UK on a visit.

Here's Mike in the middle, with Mr Broon on the left, and my Mick on the right.

This is a really nice lady trucker called Nathalie, who we met today in Red Deer.

This is Mick playing around with his new camera (Canon 1000D)

There'll be more posts soon, but probably by Mick.


This was the weather in Montana the other day, and it's nearly May!

The Rockies.

Here's a couple of pictures from 'ten mile hill' in the Rockies, it looks lovely in the sun, but imagine those drops when there's packed ice and snow on the road!







It's great seeing all the beautiful scenery, but Mick is not too happy with the company at the moment.

Truck Pics By Mick

Pictures only today

Things seem to be picking up a bit workwise now, and the training money has nearly stopped destroying the pay cheques, so here's a few pics taken recently.

Click to enlarge, then look at the cowboys.

In the southern BC Rockies.

This shop was closed, but like many places here, everything is left outside, and no-one steals it!

Taken near in Bonners Ferry, the barber ship lol.

Diner in Wenatchee

Wooden drilling rig, and mine train in BC

This mine train was made in Leeds!

"Here sits a 100 horse-power Gardner-diesel’d Huwood Hudswell locomotive that the Hudswell-Clarke and Company, Limited, of Leeds, England, built in 1948 and sent to the International Coal and Coke Company operation at Coleman, Alberta. It was the first diesel locomotive to be employed underground in Canada. When the International mine was closed in 1954 the engine was transferred to the Cheakamus Power Tunnel Project
at Garibaldi, BC, where it worked until recalled to the Coleman area in 1959. It was acquired by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce after it was
retired in 1975 when the Vicary mine adopted a belt system to convey coal from the working face to the tipple. "

The few below were taken in Montana.

Click them to enlarge.

Whinging Brits LOL

Here's a picture of the whinging Brit from the last post, taken near Mount Shasta in the Cascades, California.

Negative?

Post by Mick

I have been getting a little stick on a forum for truckers because there was nothing negative on the blog, and it all looked a bit too rosy, but it's Caths blog, about our travels, not the company I work for, so if you want any info about the actual company, just ask me... but, I would advise anybody who is coming over as a single driver, couple or team driver, to do their research thoroughly before burning any bridges, and always have an escape plan.

The last weekend was a bit of a downer for us, visiting a driver in hospital who we had befriended, and hearing of other people who we have become friends with, who are also on their way home for various reasons, because it is not a bed of roses here, and although some of the problems can be attributed to the downturn in the Canadian economy, the company I work for really needs to learn how to handle people (which would also help it's profits, I'm sure).

It has been said on other blogs, and I will say it again, be prepared for hard work, long hours and waiting around for hours or sometimes days (unpaid) at pick ups, drops, etc.

Our last trip to Arizona was quite a good one, apart from all the hours waiting about at pick ups, with loads not being ready etc, the waiting around does get to you, especially when it is hot and you have no air conditioning (and cold nights) because your Tripak is not working.

On our last trip we spent six hours in the dusty yard at Thermo-King in Las Vegas whilst Cath whinged at me because we couldn't go and see the sights as they tried unsuccessfully to fix the Tri-Pak.
When we got back to base the truck wa staken to the local Thermo-King where it returned the day after with lots of shiny new bits and pieces... but, IT STILL AIN'T WORKING!

Which means no heat/cooling , (the truck wion't idle either) and no electric, so we are having to buy food out instead of cooking, which can make the trips expensive, and as the batteries get low, the beeper warning is driving us nuts.

At present we are sitting in Salinas, California, waiting to pick our load up nearby, but even though we arrived at 9am, we are not booked till 9pm, so, another wasted day as an unpaid security guard in the truck!

We could have stopped at a beach about 100 miles south on the way up if we had known about the length of time we would be hanging out in an industrial estate.

Normal service will resume as soon as possible.

Southern Utah

Arizona

Near Lake Powell

Lake Powell hydro

Antelope Gap

Ceva

Livestock caught in Arizona

On the way back north

Salt Lake City Mormon grafitti

Typical front yard in many of the places we've seen Stateside

What sort of critter is this?
Click all the pictures to enlarge them.

This post by Mick