Tour of Duty 27th May 2015 to 27th June 2015
Part V: 19th June to 24th June

Friday I hired a taxi to the Iron Mountain airport and got a rental car from Avis. Avis at that location was backward with no computer at the location so there was some complication and delay in completing the rental. I ended up driving down to GRB Green Bay, WI after I swung by the shipper who left the truck outside for an after hours pickup. After loading my gear into the truck I went back to GRB with a stop at filling station on the way. Then I hired a taxi back to the truck.

Trip: Kaukauna, WI to Island Lake, IL 170 paid miles
Make: 2014 Mack
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: US41 (Future Interstate 41) to US45 to Interstate 894 to Interstate 43 to US12 to Illinois 176
Diesel price USA: $2.749/gallon at Moasis Little Chute, WI

It was late when I got underway and later when I took on fuel and had evening rations at Subway. As a result I only made it to Oshkosh, WI where I spent the night.

Next morning housekeeping knocked on my door in spite of my request to the front desk to prevent that as there were no "do not disturb" signs at that place of lodging. I was quite upset and expressed my displeasure to the front desk. I had a late start and learned that my ride to the next truck would be late in arriving due to another job. I stopped at a couple of truckstops to kill some time and relax then rain started as soon as I entered Illinois. I got to the receiver to do an after hours drop and found that my ride was going to be even more delayed. I waited in the truck while a thunderstorm was in progress. After the rain let up I went across the street to a bar and grill and while in the midst of late evening ration my ride showed up. I finished up and we headed out toward Dixon, IL where my next truck was. I got the truck and headed to hotel and spent the night in Dixon, IL.

Trip: Dixon, IL to Northville, MI 364 paid miles
Make: 2015 Freightliner
Model: Straight box truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: US52 to US34 to Interstate 39 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 94 to Michigan 14 to Interstate 96
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price USA: $2.839/gallon at Pilot Dixon, IL and Battle Creek, MI

I did the after hours pickup early Sunday afternoon. I got up too late to go to church in the morning. I took a look at and some pictures of Dixon, IL before heading out. I took some two lane roads to avoid as much as practical the tollways (except for one toll) in Illinois. I went through a town called Sublette that was ravaged by a tornado a couple of days later. I took some pictures of Mendota, IL before getting on Interstate 39. I headed down to Interstate 80 then headed east. I continued into Indiana and Michigan and did a late night/early morning after hours drop in Northville, MI then hired a taxi to hotel and spent night in Plymouth, MI.

Monday I hired a taxi to Northville to get the next truck. I was not looking forward to crossing the border at Windsor and I also was not looking forward to the weather. I checked in and was told I was not expected until Wednesday and the truck was not ready. I phoned dispatch and received word to get hotel and I was told the truck would be ready the next day around lunchtime. I took the same taxi to another hotel in Canton, MI and it was warm and very muggy. Late in the afternoon a line of thunderstorms came through and though Canton was not affected much some other places in Michigan got hit with tornadoes. Later that night more thunderstorms came through. I spent the night in Canton, MI.

Trip: Northville, MI to Bolton, ON 261 paid miles
Make: 2016 Ford E450
Model: Box truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 275 to Interstate 96 to Ambassador Bridge to Ontario 3 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 427 to Ontario 7 to Ontario 50
Maximum elevation: unknown
Unleaded gas price USA: $2.899/gallon at BP Belleville, MI
Border Crossing: Detroit, MI/Windsor, ON

Tuesday I hired taxi back to Northville and got the truck. The weather was much more pleasant than the day before. I diverted to truckstop to get money and took on unleaded then headed toward the border. I stopped at US Customs to get the title cleared then proceeded across the Ambassador Bridge and there was no backup. At the booth I was directed to a place where the truck could be searched then I was told to wait and an agent would come and motion to me to proceed and follow me to the Customs Warehouse over a mile away. I did as told but felt it was a waste of time. I checked in at Customs then went to the Broker which was in the Wolverine Building, then after business with the Broker was complete I went back to Customs and was finally cleared. I continued to Highway 401 and headed east. I made a pit stop in Tilbury then stopped in Dutton to get evening rations. I made it to Woodstock, ON where I spent the night.

Wednesday I continued east and ran into traffic jams starting in Milton. I switched to the 427 and encountered construction and delays. I finally made it to Bolton and made delivery and hired a taxi to YYZ. I got rental car for ROC and soon I encountered very slow traffic. I stopped in Burlington and took some pictures of downtown and Lake Ontario then got on the QEW and traffic improved from absolutely awful to just plain bad. I stopped in Grimsby and had evening rations at Swiss Chalet. Then I proceeded and crossed the Peace Bridge from Ft. Erie, ON to Buffalo, NY. I got on the Thruway and off again and headed to the truck and loaded my gear then proceeded to filling station before dropping the car at ROC. Then I hired taxi back to truck and proceeded to hotel and spent night in Rochester, NY.