Some pics of my current project

looks like everything is under control. Might wanna take a shower for you go to bed tonight though

Dirtman2007 said:

looks like everything is under control. Might wanna take a shower for you go to bed tonight though

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The added oils keep me from rusting up the sheets

RollOver Pete said:

The added oils keep me from rusting up the sheets

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And no woman wants a squeaky lover.

Coachella

Work continues to be slow....real slow, which in my case is a good thing.:idontgetit
This allows me to work my side jobs an in particular the
Coachella Valley Music Festival. www.coachella.com

This will be my 8th year there at what first started out as me working for free passes for my daughter and I.
That only lasted 2 years.
It has evolved into another sweet little side gig.
Now, its all about me maintaining 20 or so reefer trailers and about 4 fork lifts for a food and beverage company, an ice company and a beer distributer.:drinkup

The event is so tightly packed that in previous years getting fuel to the many reefer trailers was almost impossible for the local fuel vendor.
Thats where I come in.
I've made arrangements with the bulk fuel plant to set me up with a CFN card from each of the customers that I'll be delivering fuel to.
It's easier to keep track of what fuel goes where that way.
Plus, I can get fuel 24hrs or before and after if my real job takes off again.

I'll charge $75.00 per hour this year instead of by the gallon as in previous years.
No tax on labor plus it makes for an easier cash deal.
Another benefit is free passes....lots of them.

The 25th,26th, and 27th are the concert days....long days....
The following week is the Stage Coach Festival.... 3 days of Country Music and a bunch more fuel to hau l:Cowboy.
Now if I can only remain unemployed...... :beatsme

RollOver Pete said:

Work continues to be slow....real slow, which in my case is a good thing.:idontgetit
..............
Now if I can only remain unemployed...... :beatsme

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The way things are right now, that should not be a problem:Banghead

Have a ball at the music fest.

Yuck, Jack Johnson, he's like Raffi for adults.

Everyone just calms down from the mosh pits and grabs a lawn chair and a bottle (of some kind) and practically goes numb.

Say Pete, concerning your daughter on the Nimitz, did you catch the adverts for the show on PBS called CARRIER? It is 10 seperate episodes each one focusing on a certain topic. It is based on the USS Nimitz. Looks to be a real good watch.

DaveVB said:

Say Pete, concerning your daughter on the Nimitz, did you catch the adverts for the show on PBS called CARRIER? It is 10 seperate episodes each one focusing on a certain topic. It is based on the USS Nimitz. Looks to be a real good watch.

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Oh yeah!
Thats gonna be a great series!

Well....I feel .....clear and partly cloudy
I loaded 1800'of 2.5 " sch 80 pvc and a gravel pump in Phoenix this morning.
I've already unloaded everything at the well site and now I need to go check up on my other, other side gig.
The thing is.....it feels soooo good to just sit here and look at my eye lids

You have alot of really cool pictures here.

I feel for you that you have to drive a dodge, but hey no ones perfect right!! lol.

Don't kill yourself Pete! I think you could/should rig up a towbar like that for the Dodge, might save some shoe leather!
Speaking of things Navy, happen to catch any of the Battle 360 episodes on the Military channel yet? They do a great job of blending computer animation with archive footage, it's been really interesting the few I've gotten to see.
They had one on the big E the other night....
Not that it matters, but my dad was one of the First Crew when the USS Forrestal was brand new....
Take it easy, getting old sucks.....alan627b

RollOver Pete said:

So much for a Wednesday gig...
Close to home....
I couldn't be so lucky.

It amazes me how or why people cut their rates?
Could it be that they have more money than brains?
Is their overhead that much less?
Or do people cut rates by as much as 30% just to get their foot in the door?

This latest cut throat has just recently entered the equipment rental business.
They brokered and rented bottoms and end dumps for years but recently sold all but a few power units.
I don't know how many they had (greypeterbiltswithflames) but it must have been 70-100....maybe more.
All nice looking...2 AX, 3 AX, some with sleepers, all with big power.
Pullers are now hooked to their trailers.....hundreds of trailers.
They still have their low bed or heavy haul division so I'm sure they can move their machines for next to nothing.

I'm kinda glad we lost the bid.
30% left on the table.....
We're talking about a D10 working in rock....
30% is a chunk of $ when its a D10.

So.... you guys (greypeterbiltswithflames) deserve everything thats waiting up there for you as soon as you sink your ripper in that rock.
Hope you still have some warranty left...
You're gonna need it.
And please....
Make sure you do a thorough job of wearing that machine out so you can continue to cut rates.

You already screwed up the trucking industry in So Cal.
I doubt you'll last long enough to do the same to the equipment rental business.

Un-be-leaveiable...

Ok...I'm all better now...

Thanks for letting me vent...

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Couldn't be more correct Pete! I've been scrolling and reading all these posts then I see this one. WOW!

I tell you what, it's the companies like this (Dispatch Trucking) that contributed to the ruining of the trucking here in SoCal over the past few years. I pulled highside & lowside end-dumps here for a few years and ran super-10's to. It's just gotten wayyyyyy to cut throat over the past year. Guys I've know for years going under, good guys.

To many people believe that dumping rates CONSTANTLY and selling out 95% of their fleet to knuckle heads is the way improve cash flow. It used to be that we were all within $1 to $3 per hour of eachother. I've been fortunate that the company I've pulled for here in SoCal for the past few years happens to be just about the biggest. We have a bit less fleet than the "other" big one but we've got dump accounts literally throughout California. That has kept us busy, allowing customers to dump on our credit. The demo business is just not what it used to be though.

That still didn't stop me from getting out. I truly didn't want to get out of the trucking, heck I'm established and requested but it's only gonna get worse. It's the guys ^^^I described ^^^up there and the ones who are running around all over the place with half way broken down trucks doing it for 50% less than a proffesional would-it's those guys ruining it for the honest people.

I think it'll improve next year for the trucking, it's getting better little by little. Problem is it's inconsistent and too up and down, which is why I went back to me roots....IUOE Local 12! :drinkup Cheers brother!

I used to operate, hell I grew up on a backhoe. Then I got into trucking and only operated when it was slow. Now, I got out just a month or so ago officially, and I'm in Local 12, division 1. I had an awesome opportunity through family to get me in and working, no list-- just pay my dues and go to work. I count my blessings everyday! I have my days here and there but so far so good.

Perhaps we'll work together soon. (You may have loaded my end dump before however)

I run a new Cat 248b with all the bells and whistles right now. I can run backhoes, skiploaders, wheel loaders, excavators & 973's. I used to run A35 & A40 Volvo's with the trucking outfit. I can run most equipment, I'm pretty much setup on this Cat 248 now, we're really trying to market this unit as the company I'm with is "broadening" their horizons. Heck...you ever need an operator over there, you just let me know...pm me if you like. Like you, I'm Multi-Skilled and Los Angeles County is where I live and work EVERYWHERE! :usa:drinkup

Be Safe!

Hey peoples...
Been so stinkin busy here...
Can't seem to find the time to bang on the keys much.
I'll post some pics and worry about bangin the keys later.

Our new SS-40.

One of my side jobs..
Gonna see if we can find some water.

Great pics again Pete. :notworthy What is the drill rig looking truck for, lol is it a drill rig or somthing else? Whos tractor and backhoe you have there? Thanks again.

Trbo

Pete that's awesome stuff there. Wish I had as many side gigs to keep me in the green stuff (and keep me out of trouble Unraveled a ball bearing yesterday ). Never been to Cali-forn-I-A always wanted too amybe after getting this degree. about the young idiots... first thing i learned as one of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children was talk to teh guy who has the experience and knows the most. It can make things easier and may save a life. Hope your daughter like the pacific i didn't mostly because i was constan;y getting my guys out of trouble for something ointhead (atlantic service for me )
Keep the good stuff coming and keep yer fingers an toes attatched
Good luck and Godspeed RoP.

EZ TRBO said:

Great pics again Pete. :notworthy What is the drill rig looking truck for, lol is it a drill rig or somthing else? Whos tractor and backhoe you have there? Thanks again.

Trbo

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The drill rig is from Barneys hole digging out of Long Beach.
They were there to drill for our 50' conductor pipe.
Once we reached 50', we lowered a joint, welded another on and finally dumped about 12 yds of mud to hold everything in place.
We finished by welding a lid to the pipe to keep nosy people from falling in.
Monday, I'll haul Betsy to the site and position her over the hole.
After I get the mud pump, pipe trailer, water tower and everything else needed, we'll start drilling for water.
This is for the Indio Water Authority.
I think we'll run into the side of the mountain before we find water.
But thats not my call.

The backhoe and Freightliner both belong to PSP which is one of my side gigs.

Remember the International that I put the Allison in a while back?
There it is (pic #2,3)

Sometimes, drilling is allot like watching paint dry...or grass grow.
It hit 105 degs yesterday
As of today at 9030, we were at 285' or 60' a day.
Talk about some rocky drilling.
I'm on my way to move our 430 back to the drill rig.
I need to clean out our mud pits and do something with that long bumpy thing they call a road.
Thats got to be the longest two miles I've traveled in a long time!