Aurora Lebanon

4667 km - 7 days

____ A seven day trip that could have easily been completed in five. A lot of time to do every thing and then, when I had a chance to push on and make up time, delay after delay. Out of Steinbach, down into the States through Roseau with two days of easy driving  to Belvidere in Illinois. A Friday morning trailer switch before an afternoon pick-up in nearby Aurora. Up to Mississauga for Saturday afternoon with another switch that led to a load out of Hamilton on Sunday morning.

Frozen Orr Bay on Pelican Lake.

____ Everything was pre-planned from then on in; but missing paperwork, a three hour delay at US Customs at Detroit and some bitterly cold weather, all conspired against a smooth flowing trip. A trailer change at Lebanon, Indiana, had me heading up to De Kalb for yet another swap. Re-tracing my wheel-tracks back past Aurora in search of a load for Saskatoon. Osseo proved to be the coldest night-out of the week; minus 24 and the truck only just started. It would hardly idle at 500 rpm but a quick trip to the all-night fuel desk for some 911 Emergency Fuel Treatment brought the fuel filter back to normal. I should have kept the engine running over-night but when I turned in at 9 o'clock,  it was only minus 14 and a warm cab didn't set the alarm bells ringing. The load went back to Steinbach for onward delivery by some other truck; I went home thinking that if I am going to be away in freezing cold temperatures then I would rather keep moving and not sit so long.

The Ambassador Bridge that links the cities of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario.