I hope you all had a great Christmas. I did. It was great to be in Phoenix for Christmas. Blue Sky's and a cotton button down shirt with a hot BBQ cooking steaks. A nice motorcycle ride with a hottie on the back. It's always good to be back in the arms of Kerry. Had a wonderful Christmas day at Randy & Robbin's house. I was able to sneak into Phoenix on the 24th and stay until 6am on the 29th. I picked up a meat load in Tolleson, AZ that went to Roseville, California. I was able to hook up with Kerry's sister Gloria and her son Johnny, his wife Denise and there son Jerrod for dinner and some laughs. Don't worry you Southern Cal folks, I will make it down there someday. I find it strange that I have driving across the USA 20 times this year and have only been in Cal. twice. I want to wish you all a very Happy and safe New Years.

2010

Jeff

California here I come.
Kerry's Sister Gloria, Jerrod, Denise and johnny Drove 85 miles to visit me when I was in Roseville, California, just East of Sacramento. Had A great time and a great dinner at Lucile's Smokehouse & BBQ. Thanks guys, it means a lot to me to see family on my road trips.

Johnny & Denise

Jerrod & Gloria

Jerrod taking the Volvo out for a spin.

Merry Christmas to you all! For those of you that don't know, I was able to sneak in to phoenix on Christmas eve and walk right in to Kerry's work and give her a surprise gift (me) With the help of my brother Randy, Katie and Mike, I was able to make Kerry think that I was in Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Texas, But the truth was, I was steaming as fast as the snow and ice covered highways would let me go to get to Arizona. Kerry knew that I was suppose to be home sometime around the new year, so she was really caught off guard when I walked in to her work. I talked to her the night before from where she thought was someplace in Texas, but in truth, I was in Prescott, AZ. only about 90 miles from her. I had a load to deliver at 4 am and then I was on home time till 6am on the 29th. I got rid of my load and drove to a truck stop in Avondale, AZ where Randy came and got me and drove me to where Katie left her car for me to pick up and use while she is in Colorado for the holidays. Kerry is very hard to sneak one over on, but we pulled it off this time. With Randy and Katie giving out wrong tracking info from my truck transponder, Kerry had no ideal that I was around the corner from her and not really in Texas. Weather wise it was hard to get here, but it was well worth it.
Merry Christmas!
Jeff
On this last outing I was in Arizona, Utah 5x, Idaho 5x, Oregon, Wyoming 2x, Colorado, Nebraska 2x, Iowa 2x, Missouri 2x, Kansas. North Carolina, Virginia 2x, West Virginia 2x , Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio 2x. I was either trying to out run a storm or heading right in to one. The Ice and snow is getting old real fast. I don't like driving in it 11 hours a day 7 days a week.

BBQ Steak dinner
Kerry and I

Getting ready to take a putt in Phoenix

Off we go

Here we come

Christmas Day

Robbin & Kerry

Kerry

Christmas BBQ'ing

Icy sunset

Snow in Provo

Snow in Idaho

Snow in Salt Lake City

Highway 20 between I-15 and Highway 89 in Utah

Campbell's Soup Maxton, North Carolina

Campbell's Soup Napoleon, Ohio

Frozen Ohio River.

I-84 from Idaho to Utah first trip.

I-84 from Idaho to Utah the next day almost the same part of the interstate.

Hi All, I'm ready to go to Florida and warm up. It has not been over 32 degrees all week, with my all time low of -28 in Wyoming. I had a load of Christmas trees out of Jefferson, Oregon, that went to 4 stops in Colorado. I did not know that if I wanted to stay on schedule that I would have to help unload them. That was the day it dropped into minus double digits with wind, snow and ice. I have never been so cold in my life. I just wanted to lay down and go to sleep to get it over with. I found out after I warmed up a bit, that one of my gloves had a tear in the finger, so I did get a little frostbite on my right hand. I think that I will live. I do know one thing for sure. I have and never will have any desire to climb Mt Everest. Some of the drivers out here pass me like I'm in reverse, but it seems like 20 or 30 miles down the road, I catch them when there truck has slid off the road. I just wave with my frost bitten finger as I crawl by and make my delivery on time. Anyway, Hope all is well with all of you. I'm hoping to be in Phoenix around New Years.

Jeff

20 below zero. Can't feel my feet or hands, but my ears are warm as toast.
My head lights seem to be a bit dim this morning.

One big cold buffalo. (Show Kerry)

Colorful Colorado. Yeah white!
1320 Christmas trees I picked up in Oregon. You know those rich people in Colorado. Everything has to be imported. There was not an inch of open space in my trailer.

Under statement of the year.

Blowing snow on top of ice.

I-80 in ColoradoDowntown Sterling, Colorado.
Bad day.

Worse day.

Used to be a 53 footer.

That was funny Papa, now you pull my finger.

Austin & Sammie. Soon to be 3
Profile shot. (head on right)

Gender shot. (somethings missing)

It's a Girl!

Maisie Claire

As I travel across America, it is so sad what has happened to good hard working mixer drivers. Randy the street sleeper.

Hi All, I'm still alive. It was nice to get home to Phoenix and see everyone. I am always happy to hold Kerry in my arms. I miss her so much when I'm gone, but I'm glad that she is safe at home and not out here being Mrs Ice Trucker. If I had my way, I would not be out here either in the winter. I would like to thank Randy for driving 10 hours to pick me up in SLC, Utah last week and Robbin for looking after my wife when I'm gone. All so to Sammie & Austin for driving to a truck stop to hang out with me. Lori and Al, a big thanks for the great dinner. I tried to see Jason & Jessica, but when I stopped by Jason's work he was off. I did see his Boss Nicole and she says he's doing great.
Well I must turn in. I got another lovely day of ice truck'n tomorrow in the Rocky's to get to Denver, Co. area. OH BOY!

Enjoy the pics.
Jeff

I thought this was cold. (Idaho)
Now this is cold. National weather says that with the low being 2 degrees and with the wind chill factor, it will drop to 20 to 30 degrees below zero tonight in Western Wyoming. Can you guess where I am tonight? That's right Western Wyoming. I only hope that my fuel tanks don't gel tonight and leave me stranded and with no heat. I don't have any diesel anti gel with me. On a good note, My 2008 Volvo turned over 400 thousand miles today. Maybe a new truck will be in my future soon.

I-84 in Idaho today.

I know there is a road around here somewhere.

This is the pass that takes me to I-80 into Wyoming. It's a canyon run with most of the road in the shadows, witch means lot's of hairpin corners and black ice waiting for me to come by. I'm happy to say that it was not that bad today. Just some strong winds, some blowing snow and some spots of ice. It was not to bad compared to the rest of the trip.