FlyerTalk Forums - Oppressive Heat and Layover in the GTA; Attending a Historic Church; Going to Mass.

Tour of Duty 21st June 2013 to 12th August 2013
Part IV: 14th July to 24th July

Sunday morning 14th of July I proceeded to Tinley Park, IL where I attended the morning service at Hope Reformed Baptist Church. The message was entitled "False and True Christians" based on Philippians 3:1-3.

Afterward I proceeded to Streator and dropped off the rental car and was taken to the truck.

Trip: Streator, IL to Innisfil, ON 628 paid miles
Make: 2014 Western Star
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Illinois 23 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 294 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 69 to Blue Water Bridge to Ontario 402 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 427 to Ontario 7 to Ontario 400 to Ontario 89
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price USA: $4.039/gallon at Flying J Grand Ledge, MI
Diesel price Canada Highest: $1.219CAD/litre at Flying J London, ON
Diesel price Canada Lowest: $1.189CAD/litre at Husky Bradford, ON
Border Crossing: Port Huron, MI/Sarnia, ON
Permits required: none

The day was warmer and more humid than the previous day. I got the truck and got as far as Battle Creek, MI for the first night.

Monday was very warm and humid. I proceeded and the Blue Water Bridge was backed up halfway across the bridge with trucks. There was an issue with the broker and was delayed for maybe an hour or so before being cleared to proceed into Canada. There was an issue with a pump when I took on fuel at the Flying J in London, ON and I had to use another pump which cost some time. I spent the night in London, ON.

Tuesday was hot and very humid and the forecast for London, ON was 32C with a humidex of 43C. In other words it was forecast to be 90F but with the humidity it would feel like 109F. I ate steak at truckstop in Drumbo, ON and delivered the truck and was told to get a room so I hired a taxi and had a less than pleasant stay at the Howard Johnson in Barrie, ON.

Wednesday I took the Simcoe County Airport Shuttle to YYZ. At that time I was not sure what would happen. I thought I might fly out or get a rental car or possibly layover. It turned out that I was told to get a room in Richmond Hill as the truck would not be ready until the next day. I saw on The Weather Network that it got up to 35C/95F with a humidex of 46C/115F in Toronto.

I got cleaned up then took the VIVA Blue Bus to the Finch Station where I caught the TTC Subway to the College Station. A term for taking the subway in the GTA is "ride the rocket." Then I walked to the historic Jarvis Street Baptist Church and I attended the Wednesday Evening Midweek Bible Study and Prayer Meeting. The message was on Joshua 6 with some prayer afterward. Then I talked to a couple of people and afterward. Jarvis Street Baptist Church is a historic church that was founded in 1818 and had some influential men as pastors in the past. I left and had my evening rations at the Swiss Chalet before proceeding to the Dundas Station where I rode the rocket back to the Finch Station then took the bus back to Richmond Hill where I spent the night.

Thursday it was hot and muggy but maybe not quite as bad as the previous day. I got ready and was prepared to check up but the company told me to renew my stay as the truck would not be ready for another day. I ended up taking some pictures of downtown Richmond Hill then I took the bus and rode the rocket again into downtown Toronto to walk around and take some pictures of Queen's Park and downtown before heading back and spending another night in Richmond Hill.

Trip: Richmond Hill, ON to Northville, MI 264 paid miles
Make: 2014 Western Star
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Standard 18-speed
Route: Yonge Street to Major Mackenzie Drive to Ontario 400 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 402 to Blue Water Bridge to Interstate 69 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 696 Interstate 75 to Interstate 94 to Interstate 96
Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel price USA highest: $4.059/gallon at Pilot Kimball, MI
Diesel price USA lowest: $3.999/gallon at Mobil Belleville, MI
Diesel price Canada: $1.239CAD/litre at Flying J Ayr, ON
Border: Sarnia, ON/Port Huron, MI
Permits required: none

Friday I got the truck at about lunchtime. I proceeded and the Blue Water Bridge was partly backed up. I thought my next trip would be Twinsburg, OH to Portage, MI then I was told next trip would be Johnstown, PA to Worcester, MA. I saw a lightning show on Interstate 94 then saw notice that Interstate 696 would be closed from Telegraph Road to Interstate 275 so I took a detour and went to the Super 8 in Canton, MI where I was told a room would be saved for me. I arrived and found out not only was a room not saved for me but the place was full up so I had to scramble and after some difficulty I found another room elsewhere at the America's Best Value Inn formerly the Motel 6 in Canton, MI but not before a thunderstorm hit and got me wet. I spent the night in Canton, MI.

Saturday I delivered the truck after hours in Northville then hired taxi to DTW and learned no cars were available so I was told to get a room as the company would be flying me the next day via MDW to PIT then rental car to Johnstown, PA. I spent the night in Romulus, MI.

Sunday plans changed as the company rented me a car from DTW to Johnstown, PA. I was picked up and taken to Sunday School and Church at Metro Baptist Church in Belleville, MI. Sunday School was on the Book of Judges and the message during the church service was on Second Kings 4:1-7 entitled "Vessels Needed". I also met Russell Anderson, one of the founders of Hyles-Anderson College in Crown Point, Indiana.

After the service I was taken to Hertz at DTW where I got the car and headed south to the Ohio Turnpike where I headed east. I took some pictures of Youngstown, OH before I headed into Pennsylvania. I spent the night in Delmont, PA.

Monday I continued toward Johnstown and got some rain. I turned the car in and was taken to the shipper where I picked up the truck.

Trip: Johnstown, PA to Worcester, MA. 498 paid miles
Make: 2014 Mack
Model: Vacuum Truck
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Pennsylvania 403 to US219 to US22 to Interstate 99 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 81 to Interstate 84 to Interstate 90 Mass Pike to US20
Maximum elevation: unknown but at least 1,272 feet on Interstate 84 about 4 or 5 miles east of the PA/NY border.
Diesel price USA high: $4.059/gallon at Pilot Sturbridge, MA
Diesel price USA low: $3.999/gallon at Flying J Lamar, PA and Milton, PA
Permits required: none

I got the truck and there was rain off and on. There was a thunderstorm near Allenwood, PA and I elected to call it a night early and spent the night in Danville, PA.

Tuesday there was no rain when I started. I had midday rations at the Petro in Dupont, PA. I continued to Interstate 84 and saw a rainbow to the east near Fishkill, NY. There were a few drops of rain but more spray from other vehicles from the roads made wet from previous rainfall. There was some congestion in Hartford and I spent the night in Willington, CT.

I am not a fan of the pope nor am I a fan of the papal system. In spite of that I was going to Mass. Worcerster, Mass., to be exact. After a queue I took on fuel in Sturbridge, MA then got on the Mass Pike and headed to Worcester where I delivered the truck.

After a wait for I was not sure for a time if I would fly out of BOS or PVD, I hired a taxi to BOS as the company booked me an air ticket to PIT via DTW on DL. I checked in, checked bags which weighed 47 and 50lbs then I cleared security after a queue. There was no scanner, just the metal detector in my lane.

Delta #1623 BOS-DTW A-320
Zone 2 Seat 21A Cruising altitude 36,000 feet Estimated flying time 1:31, actual 1:36
Depart: Gate A18 Scheduled 18h48, actual 18h54 Taxi/hold: 22 minutes
Arrive: Gate A70 Scheduled 21h00, actual 21h00 Taxi: 7 minutes

We boarded via jetway. The plane was not totally full. There was a 10-12 minute delay announced due to runway change due to wind shift. Pushback was 6 minutes late. Takeoff was to the northeast. I saw part of the Bay then we turned northwest and southwest. I saw Interstate 495. At 0:07 the seatbelt sign went off.

There were clouds for awhile. Then at 0:47 I saw the Finger Lakes in New York. At 0:54 there was a drink run and I got Biscoff and cup of soda. I also purchased Travel Treats snack box to go with the Lobster Roll that I got at BOS. We went over Lake Erie at 0:58. I felt descent at 1:14. It appeared were over Ontario, Canada. Descent was announced at 1:19 and seatbelt sign went on at 1:25. We re-entered USA airspace at 1:26 and turned south. I did not see the Ambassador Bridge or downtown Detroit but I saw the west tip of Lake Erie. We turned north and landed south to north. We arrived at gate right on time and I deplaned via jetway.

Delta #1153 DTW-PIT A-320
Zone 2 Seat 24F Cruising altitude not given Estimated flying time 0:35, actual 0:36
Depart: Gate A72 Scheduled 22h11, actual 22h05 Taxi/hold: 12 minutes
Arrive: Gate D82 Scheduled 23h12, actual 22h57 Taxi: 4 minutes
Reclaim bags 21-22 minutes after arrival

We boarded via jetway. It was announced it was 66F and partly cloudy at PIT. Pushback was 6 minutes early followed by takeoff to the north. It was announced there would be no beverage service in the main cabin due to the short duration of the flight. It appeared we flew over Canada. At 0:08 we made more southerly turn over Lake Erie.

At 0:09 the seatbelt sign went off. At 0:14 we made landfall over Cleveland. I saw CLE and the lights of the Cleveland metro area though we were too directly overhead to see downtown itself. At 0:16 I saw the lights of Akron, OH and I felt descent at 0:18 abreast of Akron, OH. At 0:19 we turned east and I saw lights of Canton, OH. At 0:20 seatbelt sign went on and it was announced it was 65F and high scattered clouds at PIT. We overflew PIT, turned south then west and I saw Interstate 79 and I got a glimpse of downtown Pittsburgh as we turned south then west. We landed east to west and arrived at gate 15 minutes early. I got my bags, made a couple phone calls, hired a taxi and spent night in Mars, PA.

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