Tour of Duty 21st June 2013 to 12th August 2013
Part III: 6th July to 13th July

I went to the truck to load my gear then went to YYZ to turn in the rental car and hired a taxi back to the truck.

Trip: Toronto, ON to Northville, MI 264 paid miles
Route: Ontario 427 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 402 to Blue Water Bridge to Interstate 69 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 696 to Interstate 96
Maximum elevation: unknown
Make: 2014 Peterbilt
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Standard straight 10-speed
Diesel price Canada: $1.169CAD/litre at Husky Mississauga, ON
Diesel price USA: $4.039/gallon at Pilot Kimball, MI
Border Crossing: Sarnia, ON/Port Huron, MI
Permits required: none

I got the truck and this was a more or less routine trip. I fuelled up in Mississauga then stopped in at the Service Centre in Cambridge for Pizza. There was no problem crossing the border then spent the night in Marysville, MI.

Next day was Sunday. There was some rain. I proceeded and Interstate 94 was closed so I got off and took Gratiot to Interstate 696 and ended up making after hours drop. Then I hired a taxi to DTW and got another rental car to YYZ.

While in the rental car I attended Sunday Evening service at Port Huron Baptist Church in Port Huron, MI. The message was about truths from King David's life. Afterward I found out the pastor used to be pastor at a church I attended over five years earlier in Broadview Heights, OH while stuck in the Cleveland area due to a bad snowstorm. Afterward I crossed the Blue Water Bridge and spent the night in Burlington, ON.

Next day I took some pictures of Mississauga then went to the truck to load my gear and found out it wouldn't start. A person at the yard where the truck was at put the truck on a charger to charge up the battery while I turned in the rental car and got taxi back to the truck.

After I got back to the truck it would not start so to make a long story short I was assigned another truck, a Peterbilt that did not have a master switch.

Trip: Richmond Hill, ON to Northville, MI 264 paid miles
Make: 2014 Peterbilt
Model: Tank Truck
Transmission: Standard straight 10-speed
Route: Ontario 427 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 402 to Blue Water Bridge to Interstate 69 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 696 to Interstate 96
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price Canada: $1.199CAD/litre at Flying J Ayr, ON
Diesel price USA: $4.039/gallon at Pilot Kimball, MI
Border Crossing: Sarnia, ON/Port Huron, MI
Permits required: none

I switched my gear to the truck I got reassigned to and while I was filling out inspection sheet the storm hit. There were torrential downpours and flooding rain so I sat for awhile. The rain let up a little and I got started then there were more torrential downpours so I proceeded slowly to start.

I got on the 427 and had to get over to the far left lane as all the other lanes were flooded and the interchange to the westbound 401 was flooded though the left side was not quite as bad so everyone went left as far as possible to squeeze by and get on the 401.

Once on the 401 it was slow going at first then as the rain let up and stopped conditions improved and I made good time after that. Later I learned 4.17 inches fell in Toronto that day. There was more rain coming to London then a brief heavy shower east of Sarnia.

I crossed the Blue Water Bridge, was charged the $10.75 re-entry fee then was sent to x-ray. I finally got to Northville, made an after hours drop then after hours pickup of next truck going to Indiana. Due to my 14-hour workday coming to a close I spent the night at expensive hotel in Northville, MI.

Trip: Northville, MI to Whitestown, IN 302 paid miles
Make: Kenworth
Model: Tank Truck
Transmission: standard straight 10-speed
Route: Interstate 96 to Interstate 275 to Michigan 14 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 69 to Interstate 465 to Interstate 865 to Interstate 65 to Indiana 267
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price USA Highest: $3.999/gallon at Pilot Dexter, MI
Diesel price USA Lowest: $3.799/gallon at Pilot Ft. Wayne, IN
Permits required: none

This was a fairly routine short trip. I had a late start and encountered a thunderstorm in Grass Lake, MI. I continued down to Whitestown, IN, dropped off the truck after hours then switched my gear and got the next truck going back to Northville, MI. I spent the night in Lebanon, IN.

Trip: Whitestown, IN to Northville, MI 302 paid miles
Make: Sterling
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 65 to Indiana 32 to Indiana 39 to Indiana 47 to Indiana 38 to Indiana 13 to Interstate 69 to Interstate 94 to Michigan 14 to Interstate 275 to Interstate 96
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price USA highest: $3.999/gallon at Pilot Dexter, MI
Diesel price USA lowest: $3.799/gallon at Pilot Ft. Wayne, IN
Permits required: none

I decided to cut across to Interstate 69 on two lane roads rather than going down to the Interstate 465 ring road around Indianapolis. There was a closure which forced a detour. While on the two lane roads I experienced a rainstorm. I ended up making after hours drop in Northville, MI late at night and got taxi and spent night in Livonia, MI

Next day the company rented me a car from Livonia, MI to YYZ. I had no problem crossing the border on the Blue Water Bridge in the car but USA bound trucks were backed up all the way across the bridge. I had no problem entering Canada though I was asked if I was ever fingerprinted. I had dinner at Swiss Chalet in London, ON and spent the night in Mississauga, ON.

Next day I went to the truck to load my gear then dropped off the rental car. Then I picked up the truck.

Trip: Richmond Hill, ON to Northville, MI 264 paid miles.
Make: 2014 Peterbilt
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: standard 18-speed
Route: Ontario 427 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 402 to Blue Water Bridge to Interstate 69 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 696 to Interstate 96
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price Canada Highest: $1.229CAD/litre at Fifth Wheel Milton, ON
Diesel price Canada lowest: $1.219CAD/litre at Flying J London, ON
Diesel price USA: $4.039/gallon at Pilot Kimball, MI
Border Crossing: Sarnia, ON/Port Huron, MI
Permits required: none

I got rolling and traffic was slow to very slow to stop and go all the way thru Cambridge on the 401. The Blue Water Bridge was backed up part way. After crossing I spent the night in Marysville, MI.

Next day I finished up delivery and saw other people who were getting trucks bound for Canada. I helped one of the other drivers get out of a tight spot then took a taxi to DTW. I rented a car to Streator, IL to get the next truck. En route I took pictures of Jackson, MI; Battle Creek, MI and Kalamazoo, MI before spending the night in Lansing, IL.

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