April 27, 2008. Spartanburg, SC. WOW. What a past 7 days. As everyone probably already knows, I was broke down in Winslow Arizona.
I lost an injector. Being in Winslow, in the middle of nowhere, I had to use a small local shop. He seemed to know what he was doing.
The computer said I needed #6 injector replaced. I paid this guy $1225.00 to replace it. At the end of the day I hooked to my trailer and
attempted to leave. Truck started doing the same thing. I returned to the shop and he said it was probably the wires. Told me to come back
in the morning and they would clean all the connectors. I show up at 7:30am and waited until 10am. He shows up and they start cleaning the wires.
All day of messing around he said I was finished, Charged me $125.00. When I started it up it seemed to run fine. By the time I got to my trailer (accross the parking lot)
it was doing the same thing. He told me it was probably the wiring harness. I limp the truck back to Flagstaff Arizona to the dealership. Where
I should have went to begin with. After checking in with them the next day I was informed that it would be Monday or Tuesday before someone could
look at it. It was Friday morning. At this point my emotions were out of control. The lady behind the desk, seeing how upset I was, told me she
would do what she could to get me in sooner. I thanked her and went back to the truck. Not really knowing what to do at this point. All kinds
thoughts ran through my mind. Do I wait, spend more money or do I rent a car and go home and call the bank and let them know where the truck was.
About an hour had pass and a guy came out looking around. He approached my truck and asked if I was the one with engine trouble. He told me
he could take me in. I was shocked, but happy. About an 30 mins and he came and told me he was 99% sure it was the wiring harness. They had one
in stock and it would take 3 hours to fix. This was great news. After it was all over my bill there was $552.00. Total of $1902.00 plus $63.00 for
the motel room in Winslow. Truck is running ok now. I have a ticking sound in the engine that started after the new injector was put in so I'll
have to have that looked at. I did make it to South Carolina. I'm hoping the customer will take me tomorrow. I had asked the agent to push back
my appointment. I still may put the truck up for sale when I get home. I'm not sure if I could take another break down. The expense and the income,
with the price of fuel, doesn't add up anymore. Anyways, thanks for viewing.
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April 23, 2008. Winslow, Arizona. Last nigth my motor started missing real bad. It gave me a injector fault code. This morning Im waiting for a shop
in Winslow to open and with any luck be able to help me. This is day 2 of trouble. Yesterday I waited 6 hours for tire repair on the trailer. And
today on the truck. Wich me luck. Thanks for viewing.
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April 18, 2008. Oklahoma City, OK. Headed to San Diego CA. Deliver Monday morning. I reload in CA head to SC. Fuel is high, rates are low.
not sure how truckers are going to be able to make it. This country runs off the truckers and without them life as we know it stops. Why shippers
and broker are trying to put truckers out of business
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April 14, 2008. Still no load. I was able to take my daughter to the dentist. Just her and I. It was a date. Went got finished there and I
took her to Applebees. It was a good evening. After dinner we went to Confluence Park downtown Columbus. I love this park. Here is a picture from this
evening.
Thanks for viewing. I will for sure be on the road tomorrow. No matter where I have to go. See ya later.
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April 14, 2008. Im still at home. Back to looking for my own loads for now. Load board still sucks.
If you have an old license plate and would like to add to a collection please contact Matt in the chat room.
Thanks for vieweing.
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April 9, 2008. 9:49am: Pittsburgh PA area. Good morning everyone. Looks like its going to be a bad week. I asked to be home Friday and
their already routing me back to Columbus. I got a few calls the other day when I was sleeping. My daugther is so cute, I love her to death.
I tell everyone not to let her charm fool them but no one believes me. I have proof. Click hereto hear it. Thanks for viewing.
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April 2, 2008. 3:47pm: Denver, CO. Today has been another first for me. In almost 12 years of driving I have never been west of Denver on I70.
I started my day in Grand Junction Co and headed east. The mountains wasnt as bad as I remember people telling me. My fears of the mountains out west
no longer a threat. I feel that I can handle any of them. Here are a few pictures of today.
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March 31, 2008. 10:58am: Kennewick Washington. Hey folks. I'm waiting for my trailers to get here and I thought i'd update my blog. As a lot already
know this is my first time to the northwest area. I've marked off 3 states that ive never been to. Only 3 left, HI, AK, and ND. I'm headed back to
Salt Lake City, Utah. Here are a few pics from my trip out here. You may need to click them to get a better look at them.
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March 28, 2008. 2:15pm: Interstate 80 in Wyomning. Thought I'd stop and take a picture of my truck hooked to a set of doubles. I normally don't pull doubles.
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March 27, 2008. 12:59am: Kansas City, KS. Going on my break. I should be back to work by 11am. I got a comment on my guest book tonight. Saying that nightcrawlers cam is better than this one and everyone should
come over there. It may be better but what I don't understand is if it is better why does someone have to come to this cam and try to advertise? Was it the broadcaster? Probably not. I have a feeling I know who it is that posted it and when I get the IP I'll know for sure.
kinda sad I think. Thanks for viewing.
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March 26, 2008. 10:51am: Smyrna TN. I started running as a contract driver for Estes Espress. It will be terminal to terminal. Some nights
some days. Click here for some cool stuff on my family Thanks for viewing
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March 22, 2008. 10:30pm: Plain City, Ohio. Me being stupid. You Tube page! Thanks for viewing
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March 20, 2008. 11:25pm: Plain City, Ohio. I'm home. I should be leaving out Sunday mid-day. I recorded a video of downtown Cincinnati Ohio. It's on the
You Tube page! Thanks for viewing
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March 17, 2008. 8:52am: Minneapolis, MN. I'm downtown at the convention center. What a mess. There are trucks everywhere. Most of the time when there is a
big show like this they stage you at a yard and call you in. Instead of a yard their using local streets. This load pays good so I'm not worried about it.
Also, this morning I recorded a video of my delivery. Its on the youtube page.You Tube page! Thanks for viewing
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March 13, 2008. 7:53am: Norton MA. Hey everyone. It's Mike here with another blog post. Had a good night. I was able to get about 8 hours
sleep in and I feel good. Tell you the truth if it wasnt for my alarm clock I would still be in bed though. Today is going to be a busy day/night.
I drop and hook about 5 miles away then I deadhead to Watertown New York, about 345 miles. I know what your thinking. "Isnt that a long way to deadhead?" Yes it is
but the rates on this load and the load I'm picking up makes it worth it. I'd rather deadhead to pick up a 2.49 a mile load vs picking up a 1.24 a mile load here.
If everyone would stop hauling cheap freight the rates would go up. When I rates go up I make more money and I'd be able to buy a new web cam. LOL.
Anyways, thanks for viewing. ATTENTION: DEBBIE YOUNG aka Jag. I DON'T CARE THAT YOUR SORRY OR WHAT EVER. GO AWAY!!!!! I'm sure there are other cams
you can watch. Please leave me alone.
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March 9, 2008. 4:29pm: Gadsden AL. I deliver 30 miles from here in the morning. Weather is great. Im getting ready to head out for a walk with my camera. Also, I added a another youtube video from my cruise.
I left the camera on when I went to dinner. It recorded the maids coming in. Enjoy. Thanks for viewing.
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March 7, 2008. 8:41pm: Knoxville TN. I sat half of the day in Monroe Ohio at a rest area watching the snow come down. Thanks to Shel for sending me a link that showed the highway webcams
The road just south of the restarea didnt look that bad. I took off. It was rough for the first 10 miles but the road cleared up enough to maintain 40 mph and then 60mph and in Kentucky I was trucking
at 65mph. Here is a pic from the rest area.
March 7, 2008. 6:28am: Taylor Michigan. Waiting to unload my first stop, I have 2. I'll be working this weekend. I hope to get a decent load
before the snow gets here. I know in Columbus, 170 miles away, is suppose to get a big storm. Their saying it may be the biggest this year.
I really wish spring would get here. I'm dieing to get on my bike and start wearing shorts. I hate cold weather. Seems you can never really warm your body
temp up once it gets so cold. I MISS THE SUN.....Thanks for vieweing.
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March 6, 2008. 9:01am: Elkhart IN. Well this run didnt turn out how I wanted it to. Just a few hundred short. I'm going back on the road. More rest for me
but less home time. It will be hard not seeing my daughter everyday. Chat news. I made it so when you join my web page our are directed to the chat room.
This will help me to see if anyone is even watching the cam. To change your nick when you get in there type "/nick yournick" yournick is what ever you want it to be.
To help with this is here an example. /nick mike that will change it to Mike. /nick whereismike will change it to whereismike. Thanks for vieweing.
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Feb 20, 2008. 07:25am: Elkhart IN. WOW. I forgot about the blog. Sorry about that. I've been doing the same load from Lockbourne Ohio to Elkhart
IN. I've also been helping in the unloading of my trailer. I can either pay the 100 bucks that the agents gives me to unload or I can keep the 100
and help unload. The unloading isn't that bad and tell you the truth I'm enjoying the excerise. I'm hoping I can stay on this run. Thanks for viewing.
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Feb 7, 2008. 07:54am: Smihton PA. Unloaded my load yesterday evening about 6:30pm est. My wife and I decided that it would be best for
me to stay out this weekend again. I'd like to finish this pay week out good and call it quits middle of next week for a long weekend. We'll
see how that goes. Thanks for viewing.
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Feb 2, 2008. Back to black. Thanks Micki for letting me know about the wear red day. Update on the you tube page. The 30 car pile-up
video. Be warned, its not that good of quality. At the very end right before the semi passes me is where the firetruck is. 1 person was killed
in this pile-up. 2 other people were killed in Amarillo during this storm. Thanks for viewing.
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Jan. 31, 2008. 07:39am: Rest area 50 miles east of Amarillo Texas. Last night when I pulled in here it was almost 50 degress F. This morning
I woke up to a blizzard. Wind blowing snow so bad I could barley see the trucks beside of me. This will for sure delay my delivery.
I was going to try to deliver Friday and depending what time I get out of here will determine that. I have little over 1000 miles to go. I'd
have to do 600-700 today and finish up the rest in the early hours of tomorrow. I am so ready for warm weather. Although this winter hasn't
been that bad i've just found my self in the trouble zones a little more than I like. Thanks for viewing.
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Jan. 29, 2008. 8:56am: Been a few days since my last update. Sorry about that. After booking a load to Laredo Texas and showing up to
pick the load I refused it. Seems the agent didnt know all the details concerning the load. I feel that it's a bad practice to haul pre-loaded
Hazmat loads. There is so much to go wrong and without me being there to watch the loading and securement of the load I don't feel comfortible with it
Here I am in Fort Wayne looking for a load. 1st day of the week Im not concerned. Thanks for viewing my cam. For fun I have looked up some random
links. Remember these links take you OFF my website and have nothing to do with my site. Click here
and Click here
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Jan 22, 2008. 6:46am Ok, I guess I have some explaining to do. I closed the site yesterday responding to anger and emotion. Some things
in my personal life is getting hard to deal with (again, don't ask I won't tell). The site will be back up but I will limit myself in the chat
I'll have to trust the OPs to take care of things in there. I'll be around just not like I was. Thanks for vieweing
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Jan 17, 2008. 11:02am. Booked a load to Michigan. Going to take me all night and half of tomorrow to get there so I need to make this
quick and get in bed. Rain, rain and more rain. Snow in Altanta last night. Hope this helps with their drought problem. The real
reason for the update is to inform everyone about the new video on the you tube page!
Although I got a unwanted call during the video I still decided to upload it. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for viewing.
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Jan 16, 2008: 8:18am. Good morning everyone. Sorry I havent updated the blog in a few days. Life has been busy
and it don't seem to be slowing down any. On my way to Willston SC, should be a little warmer. Although SC is kinda hard
to secure a good load I felt that I had to go because of the rate being so good in that area. Either this load or take the day
off and that wasnt't a good idea because I just had a few days off at the house. Well Im off to the showers and get something to eat
See everyone in the chat room. Thanks for viewing.
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Jan. 12, 2008: 1:00am. I'm home and very tired but don't feel like going to bed. Today was a very long day. Yesterday I drove
I left the house about 3pm and got into Cincinnati Ohio about 5pm. Pouring down rain and the traffic was a mess. Took me 2 hours to
make it through the city. I arrived in Memphis Tn about 3am. This was suppose to be a drop and hook but at the gate I was informed that
my appointment wasnt until Monday and I would at least have to wait until the morning. I left their yard and found a warehouse and I went
to bed. 4 hours later I woke up and called the agent. Long story short. After waiting around a few hours this morning I was able to drop
the trailer about 10am. Putting me behind the whole day and getting me home at midnight instead of 9pm. Only 3 hours and it don'nt sound
much but after 2 long days 3 hours is just enough to exhaust you. Thanks for viewing.
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Jan. 7th, 2008: WOW what a day. Took 6 hours to get unloaded, no freight, and I was hit setting in the dock. Luckly only
minor damage. Tolls are killing me. I'm over 100 bucks. NY from start to finish is going to be 69 dollars. I hate running
in this area. Only reason I took the load it allowed me to go home for a few days. I hope I'm able to leave when I get home.
Days like these makes me question being in the trucking industry. Nothing is going right. Not even close to being right.
I hope being home will help me clear my head and get me back in the mode I need to be in. Thanks for viewing. Join us in the the
chat room. A lot of nice people in there. Take care.
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Jan. 4th, 2008: St George SC. Setting here thinking about my life. Oh how I dream of sand and warm waters. The thought of living
somewhere where the average temps is about 75. Tropical weather, beer and ocean sunsets. Then the thoughts of $ comes into mind
Sounds care free but even care free dudes has to have some kind of support. So, I'm now thinking of sleep and getting ready for my
drive tomorrow into the snowy north. I guess the tropical weather, beer and sunsets will have to wait on my next cruise.
Beware!!! I'll be in flip flops, shorts, funny looking shirt and a straw hat holding a budlight. Thanks for viewing.
Jan. 3rd, 2008: Wildwood Florida. Unload tomorrow in Orlando. My next load picks up in Georgia going to Peabody, Mass.
Not where I want to go but I needed to keep the wheels turning. I'll deliver Monday morning. Not as tight as my Ca to FL load
This week has been a killer week. I'm tired and I havent seen my family since Christmas night. I really need to go home.
Thanks for viewing.
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January 2, 2008: Lafayette La. Still on my way to Orlando. These runs seem to go on and on. Tonight we had our
2nd drawing of Whereismike.us 1st of 2008. The prizes are small and mainly for fun. Thats the whole point.
you can watch the drawing on the you tube page!Congrats Matt
Your gift will be in the mail. Give me some time to get home. I should be headed that way soon.
Anyways, I better make this short. 5am comes early and I have another long day ahead of me tomorrow.
Thanks for viewing.
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UPDATE: Inside truck tour on the You Tube page! Thanks for viewing
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December 30, 2007: Barstow California. I did a drop and hook yesterday in Las Vegas and headed down here. My next load
is to pick up in Ontario California. The truck stops down there are little more extreme, if you know what I mean, for me.
I really should take this time and clean my truck but I can't seem to pull myself away from the computer.
Thats all for now here are a few random links. WARNING. IM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO THESE LINKS.
Heres the first one CLICK HEREand CLICK HERE
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December 27, 2007: Bellemont Arizona. Didn't make Las Vegas today due to bad weather east of Amarillo Texas last night.
I'm about 260 miles away. Get up early in the morning and be in Vegas by lunch time. Today has been a bad day for me.
Yesterday something at home happened that is any person worst nightmare. I won't explain it, but please accept my
apology for not being active today. My feelings are pulled in two different ways and on top of that I feel like I lost
a family member. Crying doesn't help because the tears are soon replaced with anger. I can only dream of how my wife is
handling this. Please don't ask me to explain this because I won't. Please respect that. Tomorrow Vegas. Thanks for watching.
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December 27, 2007: Kansas City, MO. Picking up my 3rd and final pickup. It's 7:30am local time. After this I'll be Vegas bound
Shortest way to go is across Interstate 70 and over the Rocky Mountains and this time of year
may not be the best time to be up there. I don't carry any chains for my tires. I feel that if it's bad enough to put chains on my tires to
it's bad enough for me to shut down. I will more than likely jump down and run a southern route.
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December 26, 2007: Day after Christmas and I'm loading in West Chester Ohio going to Las Vegas Nv. Although I love being home
the silence of the truck is a welcome sound. I had to really nice Christmas, many things happened that I would like to happen
every year. Everything from getting sick on the side of the freeway (ok, not everything I want to happen every year) to handing
out money to random people (secret santa style) at Krogers to giving the homeless shelter cookies. Food was GREAT. My fried
turkey turned out great, mmmm good. And no one got hurt.
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December 20, 2007: 9:25pm Waddy Kentucky.. What a name for a town. Tomorrow I unload in the morning 6-7am in Louisville, Ky
from there I'll deadhead to Florance, Ky. This is where my ex-wife will bring my daughter to me. I'm so excited, I haven't
had much time with her and I really miss her. After Christmas I'm suppose to pick up a load that delivers in North Las Vegas, NV
on the 29th. It's a drop and hook so I may try to get there early. I know where I'm going after that but I'm going to save that
for another blog.
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December 19, 2007: 9:40pm WOW. What a day. Up and down the hills of Virginia. I hate Interstate 81 because of the hills
traffic. Tomorrow will be just as busy. I load in Jessup Maryland going to Louisville Kentucky for a 7am deliver the 20th.
This load is suppose to only weigh 5000 lbs. so it should feel like I'm empty. Short blog tonight. Bye.
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December 18, 2007: 8:00pm I'm setting at the Loves Truck Stop in Baxter Tn. 700 miles from my delivery. Going to be a busy
day tomorrow. Last night my load wasn't ready on time. I was told it would be ready by 8pm. I didn't leave the shipper
until 10:30pm. I had planned on driving all night but when I stopped to get fuel in Prescott AR my fuel card wouldn't work
apparently my company downloads information from comdata about the same time I needed fuel. I didn't care, I was real tired
anyways. So my challenge tomorrow is to drive 700 miles and find a load out of PA headed back to the house (Ohio) for Christmas.
I called about a few already but with in a few mins the loads were gone. Good paying loads going to Ohio don't last on the load board
don't matter where your at. Thats all tonight. Thanks for viewing Where is Mike.
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December 17, 2007: Just booked a load from Dallas Tx to Lewistown, PA. Not the best paying load but it's light and drop and hook on both ends.
Another bad thing is it won't be ready until 8:00pm. I did'nt want to take my chances with Texas freight this close to Christmas.
I should have been a lawyer. Better yet a mesothelioma lawyer. They make big bucks.
December 16, 2007: Arrived at my delivery in Mineral Wells Texas. My appointment is tomorrow at 8:30am. From here I have no clue
where I'm going. I do know I need to go back east. Can't get too far from home this close to Christmas.
Some people ask why I started this cam. Heres my answer I guess. I had been broadcasting on a chat service called Paltalk for a about a year.
Didn't have my own website or anything, just used palalk to broadcast. No way to track the flow of viewers. One night I ran across camstreams.
I set up my free account and started broadcasting. I quickly learned of few others doing the same thing. I used camstreams website at first.
I wasn't too happy about the set up. Although their chat was good if I was in a fixed location but my set up it was really hard to use (read).
I switched over to my own website with an IRC server *thanks livetruck.cam*. This allowed me to use a chat program that I used years ago called
mIRC. By using this it aloud me to run the chat and not load up my website and cam myself, which is great cause I don't have to use the bandwidth.
It also allows me to change the font and color of the room for my vieweing. I have my font set at 20 allowing me to see at a glance.
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Little history about me. I'm WhereisMike. Real name is Mike. I've been driving trucks for almost 12 years.
I've been an owner operator for almost 5 years. Before that I was a company driver. I started drving when my first wife
and I split up. We were both in college at Eastern Kentucky University. She was doing good and I was doing what I wanted.
After we split up I moved to Michigan City Indiana where my Mom and Sister lived. From there I went to driving school
and the rest is history.
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