New Feed

Just to let everyone know, I have a new feed for all future podcasts.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast

Podcast 12 is posted although I'm still waiting for iTunes to validate the feed. The old feed http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheGearJammer is still active for this blog as well.

Sacramento, CA -- Leave Of Absence

Just wanted to let everyone know I have been dealing with a personal situation that began on April 10, 2006 and is still unresolved as of the present. I have had to devote nearly all of my resources and time to handle my affairs and I truly apologize to all who emailed me for a status report.

Please know that my situation may affect my ability to drive a commercial vehicle and if so, I will have to change gears a bit and start doing something different for the time being. I will post an update of my status as things begin to settle down. For the time being I am in Sacramento, CA until further notice.

In the mean time I want to thank those of you who were kind enough to email me with your comments and inquiries as to my status. I have every intention of continuing to podcast and have an alternative venue I have been contemplating for some time now. I will be launching another website soon which will serve as the online headquarters for 'Customer Service America', a BBB style archival system for businesses that need to improve the level of customer service they are offering. In addition, this site will host many educational and training opportunities which business owners may use to revitalize their image and improve the methods and practices for a more proactive approach to customer service.

This is all contingent upon their participation in our 'Revitalization Project' in which they will undergo a 3 day assessment and agree to be profiled by our staff so that areas of opportunity may be isolated. Customer Service America is going to debut with a national expose on the business practices of Cingular Wireless who have the absolute worst rating in America today. We also bring Tom Bodette into the spotlight as we find drug traffic and prostitution are frequent flyers at the Motel 6 we profiled including an exclusive interview with Crack-Head Kim a prostitute and crack smoker who didn't mind telling it all in our podcast.

This is one show you don't want to miss folks!

Seattle, WA

First thing I need to do is apologize for my lengthy absence. I have been dealing with a virus the likes of which I've never seen before. This thing is not only destroying my system files and propogating itself like most viruses, it actually uninstalls programs or moves the entire contents of the folder so that the program no longer functions. It's almost intelligent and seems to go into hiding or become dormant when I aggressively seek it with different virus scanning and spyware removal software I've had to purchase due to it rendering my McAfee and Spybot programs useless.

I don't want to make the claim that this is a new virus until I substantiate my findings, but currently I have been working to eradicate this thing for 2 weeks now and for all my efforts it is still firmly embedded in my system and although I can keep it at bay by running a script that scans the system every 10 minutes for the latest viruses and spyware, it has still managed to evade detection and/or fool the scan into thinking it found something but in reality it just places random files throughout the system which my software identifies as various malware and such. Deleting these files solves nothing and is almost like this thing is toying with me.

This Virus seems intelligent because it seems to evolve and 'learn' as I fight to destroy it. Each time I fix something and get a handle on it, the Virus changes it's mode of attack on my system so that I have to start again.


To date this program has done the following damage:

Rendered Spybot Search & Destroy unable to connect to it's server to check for updates.

Corrupted McAfee Virus Scan so that it will not open.

Uninstalled McAfee Security Center completely.

Placed over 100 different files throughout my system that are for the most part adware or tracking cookies which I believe are only created to keep the Spyware programs busy.

Added shortcuts to various sites in my Favorites folder for Internet Explorer.

Hijacked the home page and locked me out of the internet options panel on Internet Explorer.

Crashed my Windows Explorer (Desktop) over a dozen times now.

You won't believe this last one... I wouldn't if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.... It actually RE-WROTE the windows code for the GUI on my internet connection software so that the button that I click to CONNECT was just not there. Not only that, but it removed certain other graphical elements of the connection manager so that my NETWORK tab was missing as well as a few other tabs that had to do with monitoring network status.

That's just incredible. I have never seen anything like this and I'm stunned to put it mildly. I had to reinstall the entire program for my Sierra Wireless Aircard in order to get the GUI back to normal. I was essentially unable to go online until I did this. This Virus not only corrupts files, IT REWRITES THE GUI CODE!

And the latest tactict this thing has taken is to lock the task bar so that my icons are inaccessable. By that I mean my Connection Manager and McAfee programs by default load when Windows starts and they load into the task bar at the bottom right of the screen. I would normally just click on the icon to invoke the program, but since the taskbar is essentially 'Frozen' Windows can't or doesn't load those programs when it starts now. If I want to run those programs I have to manually open them from the actual folders as the shortcuts are also not functional anymore.... Why don't the shortcuts work you ask? Well it's really simple, the folders that the shortcuts point to are EMPTY. Yes, it takes the contents of the folders and just moves them to another folder. UNBELIEVABLE.

Windows is becoming increasingly more unstable and I don't think I can keep booting to Safe Mode to fix problems much longer. My files are backed up for the most part though in the event that I lose this battle.

If you are saying to yourself.. Why don't you just format the hard drive? Well I will be formating soon and will update both McAfee and a few others who have asked for me to document what I can on this and forward it.

I'm in Seattle, WA and not sure where I'm headed next. I will update as soon as I know anything. I'm sorry for not having a podcast up yet but it's been impossible due to the situation with my laptop.

Usk, WA

I'm looking for a preloaded trailer here at Ponderay Newsprint in Usk, WA that I will be delivering to the San Jose Mercury News. This area is beautifull. It's Pend-Orielle County and we are close to the Canadian border here. For any trivia fans out there, this is the spot where Twin Peaks was located in David Lynch's popular television series several years ago. Much of the filming was done on location in these woods.

I was a huge Twin Peaks fan and created a couple of websites which never really got finished. You can see them here:

One Eyed Jack's Casino
The Book House Boys - A blog idea that I had

Well I just wanted to update everyone and you can click my Geo-Position to see where Usk, Wa is located. Also I have decided to fix the problem I discussed in Podcast 10 where my files were disappearing from iTunes. My solution is to move all media files to a seperate feed. When I do this I will post the new subscription link. It should be a smooth transition. I will update this blog with shortcuts in the posts that contain media files.

I am working also on several new podcasts for you to enjoy. My daughter is definitely signed up for co-hosting and while I'm in the bay area we will get together and throw that together. This should prove to be a great podcast and one that I as a father am very excited about.

I'll be updating again when we stop tonight.

Podcast 11: Sin City

Podcast 11: Sin City has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Snowflake, AZ

It's a bit cold here in Snowflake... I'm picking up a load of paper rolls headed for Las Vegas, NV....sin city... I should be there by around 3PM it looks like. After that I will find a place to park so I can get some rest.

While I was in the Phoenix area yesterday I was able to download quite a few podcasts thanks to the 3G Network and my broadband wireless card!! Looks like Cingular either fixed the problem I was having in Portland or else it was unique to the Portland area. I have been working on my next podcast as well so you can look forward to that soon.

Thor is having a problem understanding why he can't get out and run around at this paper mill... he's a real trooper though and puts up with many long hours of driving and sitting in places where he can't get out. I owe him a good run when we get to a rest area.

I will be talking about Geo-Coding and Geo-Positioning of websites and Blog's in my next podcast, note that I have the {feedmap} up and working now. You will see a target icon below each post on my site that will launch a window displaying my last known position with a fair amount of accuracy. While this poses somewhat of a security issue since I am hauling freight, I won't be updating the position until I am leaving the area. More on this in my next podcast....

Thank's for the plug Joe (ABQ Trucker), I downloaded all of your podcasts yesterday and will be going through them shortly. For those who don't know, Joe is a fellow truck driver who does a podcast called ABQ Trucker out of Albuquerque, NM and he has a blog as well. Check him out.

Well, I gotta get rolling here, more later...

Podcast 10

Podcast 10 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Podcast 9

Podcast 9 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Update

I received an email this morning letting me know that the MP3 link for Podcast 8 was pointing to the wrong file on my website. It was correct in iTunes and also correct on my Feedburner feed.

I was aware of this and thought it had been corrected. The link was pointing to gj_012906.mp3 but the correct file should be gj_030206.mp3 which is what I'm showing now. Sorry for the mix up.

Just an FYI....More later..

Podcast 8

Podcast 8 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

La Mirada, CA

Just a quick update to let everyone know I am having a problem uploading my latest podcast which was recorded on March 2nd in Sacramento. I will have the problem resolved on Monday hopefully and get it out to you. My apologies.

Portland, OR

Getting ready to head to Los Angeles in a bit. I heard on the weather channel that it's gonna be a wet, windy and miserable ride most of the way. My only real concern is coming through the mountains in southern Oregon and Northern California. I'll see how bad it is when I get there.

I'll be stopping in Sacramento along the way and plan on putting together my next podcast from there. Also I want to thank Trucker Tom for mentioning me in his podcast the other day.

They just finished loading my trailer so I need to go seal it and get the paperwork....

Still in Calexico...

Podcast 7 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Calexico, CA

This morning I got a few more shots of the ant colony before we headed out. Pictured to the left is my camera coupled with the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens. You can see how long it is and the need for a tripod to support it. In the shot below you can make out the spikes on the ant's back. I'm not sure what kind of ant it is but it's got some heavy armor, pretty cool. I couldn't get it focused any better because he kept moving around.

I really like doing macro shots of insects and I especially like shooting spiders. I'm not quite sure what my fascination is with them... I'd like to try some infra-red photography sometime too. With infra-red the shots come out looking kinda like negatives. It's a neat effect, I'll post some in the near future.

We got into Calexico this afternoon and delivered the goods. Right now we're parked at the end of the road in this industrial complex. We didn't get an empty trailer so that makes it harder to get another load. Hopefully something will turn up in the morning.

Tucson, AZ

On our way to Calexico, CA where we deliver tomorrow. We picked up this load of flour in Plainview, TX just north of Lubbock the other day. I spent the two days before that doing local work in Odessa, TX delivering tires for all the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores in the area. Not much fun since it's all driver unload. Each stop gets harder than the last because the trailer gets emptier and it's farther to get the tires to the dock.

The weather continues to stay dry but cloudy. After we drop this load I'm hoping to get something going north, maybe Washington. I shot a few pics of an ant hill out back here with my macro lens. The lens is fairly heavy and needs to be supported with a tripod so it won't break the connecting bracket on the camera body. The picture below, although not the best, is of one of the ants trying to move a small twig. The ant was about 1/4" long and I shot him from about a foot away using a 180mm macro lens. The spotlight and nightvision effect was done in post using photoshop.

Fort Worth, TX

Wow.. I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted anything. I had some computer problems and took a few days off then was too busy to sit down and do a podcast with anything of value. I kept putting it off until I had some time and it just kept dragging out. Well I figured I better at least do an update before I lose ALL my subscribers...

Anyway, my last post was from Billings, MT and since then I delivered that load in Olympia, WA then headed south to grab another load in Portland, OR which I took down to my terminal in Lathrop, CA and dropped there. I took a few days off and visited with my daughter before returning to get a load coming out here to Fort Worth, TX which I delivered last night.

Right now I'm sitting at a Pilot Truck Stop here in Alliance Texas, which is basically Fort Worth. I'm waiting to get another load. The trip out here was a standard desert run, not too exciting. It was clear and dry the whole way although a bit windy in spots. I hope the weather stays like this as I'm kinda sick of all the rain.

I'll be posting another podcast this week and apologize again for my absence.

Billings, MT

Podcast 6 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Rapid City, SD

Videocast 1 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Council Bluffs, IA

We made it to Council Bluffs, IA and have about 530 miles left to get to Rapid City, SD after we take a 10 hour break. After leaving Mount Vernon we stopped once in Missouri to get fuel because we didn't have enough to make it to Iowa where we are scheduled for a fill up. My dispatcher authorized me for 150 gallons which was more than enough. I grabbed a quick bite to eat and then hit the road again. We drove straight through to Council Bluffs without stopping again.

After we do a partial unload at Lowe's Hardware in Rapid City we'll take another 10 hours off and then finish up with a 450 mile drive over to Billings, MT for the final delivery at another Lowe's. After that I will have enough time to go do a pickup if there's something ready. If not, we wait until morning.

Mount Vernon, IL

Podcast 5 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Jacksboro, TN

Podcast 4 has been moved to the new feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/gjpodcast


You may download directly from here or from the Media Archives.

Toledo, OH

There's a lot of negative energy surrounding me. Although I try to work at building good karma it's like that dark force is always enveloping me. I feel smothered. Waves upon waves of thick blackness that begin by lapping sickeningly at my feet. Then slowly rising and it becomes difficult to move through the mire. Like in a dream where you try to run but you are in slow motion... eventually it rises to my chest and then slowly over my face and I can't breath. It's like an enormous weight pressing down on me and even though I have fleeting moments of prosperity and good fortune, in the end I am always in a dark place, alone.

That's key in all of this because it's not money and good fortune that makes one feel at ease. Balance can not be achieved by material things. Love perhaps? Spiritual awareness? I'm convinced Thor knows. He's happy. Always. No matter how bad things get he rises above it all. He senses when I'm drowning and he knows my strife.

Anyway.. I'm headed for Georgia tonight with a load from Whirlpool that delivers on Sunday.

Lincoln, NE

I'm stopped in Lincoln to visit my twin brother Karl. That's me on the right. Tomorrow I head out again and will try to make it to Indiana so I won't have far to go on Thursday to finish up this trip.

Wendover, UT

Well, Well.... it's been awhile. I spent some time in Northern California and then headed down to Los Angeles where I got a load headed for Las Vegas, NV. After that it was back to Los Angeles and then up to Sacramento where I took an extra day and then grabbed a load from Fairfield going to Ohio.

The shot below is of Donner Pass. The pass was shut down about 14 hours after I came through due to severe weather. Reno had a mild blizzard as well. I stopped at Boomtown and played a little at the casino where I came out pretty good in the end. Thor didn't want to be outside much due to the strong winds. We left yesterday afternoon and stopped in Wendover, UT where I'm sitting as I type.

The wind is strong here and is rocking my entire truck back and forth. I don't have a lot of weight since I'm hauling empty aluminum cans. Not a good setup in high winds as my trailer doesn't have enough weight to stick to the ground. After I cross Utah I'm expecting more severe weather going across Wyoming.

Weed, CA

We stopped in Weed to get some breakfast. I'm sitting in a booth at Silva's Family restaurant right now waiting on my Bacon, tomato omelet. We will be making a fuel stop in Lathrop and then go as far as my hours will allow. I anticipate shutting it down at Wheeler Ridge tonight and heading on in the morning.

Klamath Falls, OR

We made it to Klamath Falls and decided to shut down due to ice on the Siskiyou summit. Better to play it safe since the load isn't very heavy and it's dark out.

We're at the Texaco truck stop on Hwy 97. Earlier we stopped at Beaver Marsh where I let Thor go play in the snow. He loves the snow so much and I got some good action shots of him.

The snow was deep, about 3 feet or more in places. Thor disappeared a few times but came shooting back up in a burst of powder. I took that picture of an icicle with my macro lens hoping to get an interesting shot. I'm not that pleased with it but will keep on trying. Macro photography is a bit more complex than it seems at first. I have a few books I'm reading on technique and I'm planning to take some time off for various photo expeditions. Utah, Colorado and New York City for starters.

We are due in Rancho Cucamunga on Friday and hope to pick up a load to carry us through the weekend.

Wal-Mart

We sat around at the Grandview distribution center all day today. In the morning we head for Rancho Cucamunga down in southern California. We went out to get something to eat and found a McDonald's down a little way from the DC on Yakima Valley Hwy (HWY 12). As I was about to go in I saw a place next door called Skipper's. It was a fish & chips place so I decided to go there instead. What a mistake that was.

I ordered a 3 pc fish & chips, a bowl of clam chowder and a soda. That cost me $10.76 and I couldn't even finish the food it was so horrible. The chowder was canned and they proudly displayed this fact at the front register... $3.95 for the bowl of it. The fish was the worst... it had a crispy batter but inside the cod was so over-steamed that it had the consistency of oatmeal. $4.95 for the fish & chips. I had a $1.50 root beer from the fountain to wash it all down.

All in all a terrible experience. 2 thumbs down on this one folks. That's SKIPPER'S located at 2150 Hwy 12 in Sunnyside, WA so consider yourself warned.

Tokio Station

We're headed back to Grandview to return the empty Wal-Mart trailer. We've made a pit stop here in Ritzville, WA at the Tokio Weigh Station. It's closed but there's a small truck stop here and we had a couple of sandwiches before moving on. Once we get back to the facility in Grandview we'll try to get another load. The weather is wet but not too cold.

Grandview, WA

I'm at Wal-Mart DC in Grandview waiting on a load going to one of the stores in Spokane, WA delivering tomorrow. After that I head back here to Grandview with the empty trailer. They told me there is more Wal-Mart loads if I want them. I'll do Wal-Mart for a while, it's good steady miles.

More Later...