Roadking Magazine: Mark Springer on Uship bidders ruining it for professionals

Check out this informative article in Roadking Magazine: http://roadking.com/lifestyle/shipping-shoestring/. I couldn't agree more with Springer's opinion on Uship bidding.  I have been a member of the site for the last two years, and I am surprised by ignorance of bidders undercutting professionals in the transportation industry, and it is showing by the low bids on cross country shipments on the site. Either way, this article from Roadking Magazine is a must read for anyone interested in the changes associated with bidding online for shipments on sites such as Uship.

Check out this link to my wordpress site

https://tipsforcollegesuccess.wordpress.com

Trucking Story

The Far North to Deep South Turnaround circa 1980

The trip begins with picking up a load of potatoes in Grand Forks, North Dakota, bound for Pensacola, Florida. I load up the old cabover Pete’s small sleeper with Dr. Pepper, granola bars, and jerky…lots of jerky, as I find it is essential trucking trip food. I left Bemidji, Minnesota when everything was covered in three feet of snow. I looked forward to this load of potatoes that were needed by the folks in Florida...and the warm weather and tan women would be a nice contrast to the cold, barren tundra.

It was March and cold in Bemidji. Traveling south, the snow becomes fainter, and eventually I can smell lilacs and life when I cross out of the north and make a fuel stop at a truck stop in Cairo, Illinois. I can smell warmth and life in the southern Illinois air; the place where the South seems to begin. Lots of hills, people chilling on porches, and strong southern accents.


I couldn’t find a place to shut her down, so I continued into Tennessee, and hit some fog around 3 am in the morning. Made it through Crashville, TN, and finally caught a couple hours of shut eye at around 6 am. I watched the sunrise, took a leak, slept again, and was jarred awake by an alarm clock on steroids. The “MAWP!, MAWP!” was the piercing sound of a fellow trucker’s air horn. I woke up, and walked the rest area in the heat of early morning. I hit up a Waffle House for breakfast, picked up some smokes and coffee, and started south again, reaching a truck stop near Ft. Walton Beach, in an area of Florida known by most of use truckers as the "Redneck Riviera".

 I was weary from the trip and blessed with a spot in this overcrowded truckstop.  It was 85 degrees, and really humid, and I cranked up the air conditioner in the old Peterbilt and caught a few hours of shut eye. I was early for the delivery in Pensacola, so when I headed out later that afternoon, I kept my eyes peeled for a spot to park the truck. I found a spot a few blocks off the beach, so I parked and I jumped in the ocean to cool off, and washed off the salt water in the public outdoor shower. 

 I had made it from Bemidji to the Florida Gulf in 25 hours, but I paid for it in terms of being very road weary towards the end, especially in Tennessee. I was stopping at every rest area and running around the truck just to stay awake.

I delivered the load to Pensacola, and picked up produce to bring to the fresh vegetable starved folks up in Minnesota. I have forgotten many of my trips in this demanding life on the road, but this memory is one tattooed on my mind.

DIY skateboard spots: Create your own skateboard scene

Here are some cool pictures of backyard spots in the DIY section.

Ramps, ramps and more ramps! Here is where you can find FREE ramp plans showing you how to make a skateboard ramp and other skate structures.

I'm adding new plans as often as I can, so always keep an eye out for new pages. If you'd like, you can even suggest a ramp plan of your own - Please be detailed when suggesting an idea.

The plans for a how to make a Manual Pad, 3' Mini Ramp and how to make a Grind Rail are the most recent of the free skateboard ramp plans, enjoy!

Lake Superior Surf Forecast

Tomorrow looks promising

:$ LSZ144-145-290415- TWO HARBORS TO DULUTH MN-DULUTH MN TO PORT WING WI- 337 PM CST SUN DEC 28 2014 .TONIGHT...NW WIND 5 TO 10 KT. MOSTLY CLEAR. WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. .MONDAY...NW WIND 5 TO 10 KT. MOSTLY SUNNY. WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. .MONDAY NIGHT...NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. MOSTLY CLEAR. WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. .TUESDAY...NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. PARTLY CLOUDY. WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. NOTE...WAVE HEIGHT FORECASTS ARE FOR ICE FREE AREAS. $

To Van or Not to Van.

For some recent information on expediting with a van, check out the following link from Expediters Online:

To Van or Not to Van.

The article goes over the pros and cons of expediting freight in a cargo van. I enjoyed the details and research the author included in this article, and have come to my own conclusions on expediting. I think working as a company driver would be a good way to start, but the reality associated with expediting is most companies will want the driver to be able to stay out on the road for 2-3 weeks at a time minimum.  I think this would be a challenge for most people with a young or growing family.  The only way I would consider this industry would be finding a route allowing the driver to be home a few nights a week. For those needing to stay out for weeks on end, a sleeper like the one below would make living on the road much more comfortable.

Minnesota Art Shanty Projects: Displaying Creativity and Catching Fresh Fish:Ice Houses

The Art Shanty project in Minnesota brings together hearty, creative Minnesotans wanting to display their latest ice fishing house.  Check out a link to http://artshanties.com/about/gallery/.

I am especially fond of the wind generator idea, because cold frozen lake equals wind.
Check out some of my favorites below:

WSJ article on Sprinter and Ford Transit Vans: Comparison of models

I picked up a copy of the WSJ this weekend and really enjoyed the creative way the writers described the books of the year. Upon returning home via I94 and seeing all the trucks shipping cargo vans, I decided to see what the WSJ (Wall Street Journal) had to say about the growing popularity of the new European styled cargo vans in the United States. This article didn't disappoint, as the author had an idealistic and humorous perspective concerning all the options for vagabonding van lovers. Check out the full article at the following link: http://www.wsj.com:ford-transit-mercedes-benz-sprinter-big-vans-big-ideas-1419018007

Check out the WSJ comparison below:


Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 (Standard Roof)
Price, as tested: $50,000 (est)

Powertrain: Twin turbocharged, direct-injection diesel 2.1-liter in-line four; seven-speed automatic; rear-wheel drive

Horsepower/torque: 161 hp at 3,800 rpm/265 pound-feet at 1,400-2,400 rpm

Length/weight: 233.3 inches/5,643 pounds

Wheelbase: 144 inches

0-60 mph: 9 seconds

EPA fuel economy: 14/21 mpg, city/highway

Cargo capacity: 68.6 cubic feet (behind fourth row of seating)





Ford Transit 150 XLT Wagon

Price, as tested: $40,000 (est)

Powertrain: Twin turbocharged direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6; six-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive

Horsepower/torque: 310 hp at 5,500 rpm; 400 pound-foot of torque at 2,500 rpm

Length/weight: 219.9 inches/5,570 pounds

Wheelbase: 129.9 inches

0-60 mph: 8 seconds

EPA fuel economy: 14/19/16 mpg, city/highway/combined

Cargo capacity: 94.2 cubic feet (behind third row of seating).

Top Ten Tips For Selling Your Boat | Boating Magazine

Top Ten Tips For Selling Your Boat | Boating Magazine

18 wheels of Christmas

LED lights and Christmas design might even make some drivers put down their cell phones and drive. Merry Christmas with 18 wheels of pure holiday cheer!  Amrie, Connor, Jolene,  and I are going to go four wheeling and enjoy the spring like December weather!

Transporting Freight Expediting Van Sleeper pictures and Smarter Logistics in USA

Custom made sleeper on a van from Scotland and the UK is doing a great job at giving the US ideas about transporting freight more economically in terms of LTL loads and different types of 3PL freight. I think the models for transportation and trucking from Europe will be the norm in the US unless we want to keep fighting for oil prices. A refreshing aspect would be if the US would use innovative tactics and intelligence to lead the way in fuel cost saving transportation and logistics.

This is the ultimate in no frills expeditor hauling. It says I can go anywhere and cook and my fold out stove with a propane single burner and slip on my flip down mattress. It would be a good payload living like this on the road.

Cargo Trailer Camper Conversion Pictures

Here are some options for building a custom RV out of a $800 trailer from the clearance lot at your local Menards or other big box store like Home Depot.
Check out these innovative designs for vagabonding economically:
This place has all the fancy features:

Travel Writing That Matters: Part II

Travel Writing That Matters: Part II

Great suggestions on tactics for making travel writing a blend of strong narrative, description, and the trials and tribulations concerning vagabonding for the fearless traveler. This is part 2 of a 3 part series on making the most out of your travel writing content.

Writer's Digest on How to become a traveling writer or travel writer-literary nomadism

I am reading and digesting Writersdigest.com in the last few months. I like the way this publication covers such a plethora of writing topics, and it does offer some great free articles, such as: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-become-a-travel-writer this great article on travel writing.   I like the suggestions and resources found in the article along with the introduction:
"Each person in the audience fights the bull along with the torero, not by following the flight of the cape, but by using another imaginary one that moves differently than the one in the ring."

—Federico García Lorca, Poem of the Bull
"Nearly everyone loves to travel, and many of us wrote a really great story in Junior High, so often people feel it would be easy to become a travel writer. But to me, it is like entering the ring in Madrid’s Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas to face a raging bull, waving, instead of a cape, Hemingway’s “truest sentence you know”.
All good travel writing moves the reader twice: it transports him to a place, and moves him emotionally"(Klem).

I don't think any post on travel writing is complete without a quick anecdote from the Tim Cahill, in a recent interview I read at the following blog: "In Coversation with Tim Cahill" via Amy Gigi Alexander's Blog

I like the sample part of the interview below, as I have some Frederick Remington prints in my work space, and I have the "Trapper" print Cahill references in this response:

AGA: Do you have private space for writing, a Tim-habitat, if you will?

TC: Sure. I have an office. On the wall above my desk are all sorts of awards I’ve won. A friend did that for me when I was traveling. I used to have an old Remington Rifle poster up there. It showed an old trapper sitting by a fire in the snow in the evening. In the surrounding woods were gleaming eyes and the shadows of wolves. The trapper holds a Remington rife. The poster said,“Big Enough and Strong Enough.” That’s how I liked to see myself vis a vis the various publishers and editors I for whom I worked. And yes, I support wolves, don’t see them as threatening campers and don’t like the idea of shooting them. It’s a metaphor.

Travel Writer Tim Cahill gives advice to aspiring travel writers

Read the whole interview and others at http://www.rolfpotts.com/writers/cahill.php

I enjoyed reading this interview with Tim Cahill, and I especially like his advice and sense of humor. Here are my favorite highlights from the interview.

What advice and/or warnings would you give to someone who is considering going into travel writing?
This is not a way to make a lot of money.
The travel is difficult on your relationships with loved ones, unless they are coming along with you, which may not be possible. (see #1 above.)
If you are not in it for the money, it is — in my opinion — the best job in American journalism.
Editors, for the most part, don't care "what" you've done, or how astounding the physical event may have been. You need to write well. Many others are capable of doing what you have done (probably), so you must write better than they.
You become a better writer by writing. You become a better travel writer by writing about travel.
Publishing your work is important. Even if you are giving a piece to some smaller publication for free, you will learn something about your writing. The editor will say something, friends will mention it. You will learn.
If this is your dream, don't give up. It takes a while to work your way up to travel features in magazines. Also, first books aren't always sufficiently appreciated. Almost any writer can tell you that. It goes like this: "I'm not sure I'm a lot better than I was 20 years ago, when all I got were rejection slips. Now it seems they'll publish anything I write." It takes time.

What is the biggest reward of life as a travel writer?
I am living out my adolescent dream of travel and adventure. I do not mean this as a pejorative: adolescence is when we are the most idealistic, the most open to the new and the novel. I try to keep that almost childlike attitude; consequently, I am seldom as cynical as I might otherwise be. I think this is a good thing.

Finally, writing is what I do. The writing is why I am published. I am not a stronger climber than others, nor am I better with languages. But I do take care with my writing and feel that it is getting better and better. That is the biggest reward.

The Seven Myths of Being a Travel Writer with links to Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destination Blog

The Seven Myths of Being a Travel Writer
by Tim Leffel
I found and read this great article on the realities of being a travel writer.  I am also wary of any programs or online services promising something that seems to good to be true. Travel writing is a difficult field to break into and the apprenticeship period must be pretty long. I think it would be fun to partake in travel writing for the right personality type.  I enjoy traveling alone to new locations but the novelty would wear off after awhile, especially for individuals with little to no passion for travel.

Here are some links to other excellent travel writing sites:

For more information on Tim Leffel, check out his latest website called Travel 2.0. The website focuses on travel writing in the new media landscape.
Tim also has a very interesting blog for money conscious travelers: http://www.cheapestdestinationsblog.com/. This blog is filled with resources for economical travel and I found myself immersed in the great links and content.

Check out these other travel writing sites:
Ralf Potts Travel Writing and Vagabonding (excellent site with interviews, essays, and a plethora of information for emerging and established travel writers.)

Tim Cahill Interview at Ralf Potts website (I first read Cahill's brilliant travel writing in an anthology of the years best Travel Writers, but he is also well know for his travel articles for Outside Magazine.) He recently suffered a serious injury in the Grand Canyon. Read the full article here:Tim-Cahill-Heart-Stopping-Adventure.html
For more information, follow the link above, or check out the caption below to see some of the job hazards associated with travel writing.

Tim Cahill suffered a cardiac arrest after falling off his raft at the top of Lava Falls, in the Grand Canyon. Photo: John Fowler/Flickr

Expedite sleeper options and pictures

Finding the right sleeper options and customizing your expediting rig are important first steps for individuals interested in making money in the expediting business.  Hauling freight and minimizing dead head miles can make or break new expediters right out of the gate.  I found a picture of a custom Sprinter at http://sprinterguy.wordpress.com/ and was impressed by the build.  Here is the picture via http://sprinterguy.wordpress.com/ :

Sprinter with fold down bunks and plenty of storage while still allowing for plenty of freight space.

Here are some other custom options to make your expedite rig a comfortable home away from home.

This is a picture of really cool design of a sleeper built for a cargo van. I found the picture in the following informative post at Expediter's Online:

Another DIY option would be to build a loft out of PVC. I found the picture and some very informative plans on http://mark.rehorst.com/PVC_Loft_Bed/Alex%27s%20Bed.jpg and plans for many other PVC DIY projects at http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pipe.htm.

Open Courses from Harvard are Free

Check out Harvard's free courses from open-learning-initiative.

I am very interested in open source education and have posted about MIT and other institutions offering open sources courses. The main theme behind open sources courses makes sense because it offers education and higher learning from elite institutions for free. They aren't going to charge us for knowledge in the near future...I promise.

Minnesota Ice Fishing

The ice fishing houses on Minnesota lakes are a common sight for natives to the state, but visitors are often confused by the small shacks on the ice. I explain it to outsiders slowly, and watch their eyes light up.

"First, we stop by the bait shop, get a box of beer and a bag of minnows, and head out to the ice house, crank up the stove, crack a few beers, and visit while waiting for some winter fun and organic, cage free, cold water crappies.

Their eyes light up in disbelief at the thought of driving on ice covered lakes and hauling 3,000 pound man caves onto the frozen expanses.

I have taken many an out-of-stater on first time ice-fishing excursions, and they all leave with the same general themes of cold, cold beer, fish and fun.

I can't wait to head out to Lake Minnetonka to catch some fish  while viewing the Minneapolis skyline. Say what you want about Minnesota and its long winters, but I have caught my limit of crappies in the metro area(with my friend Mitch serving as guide) while we watched the skyline of the city outside the deer blind's shoot through window, while trying to keep up with four, fish-sunken yellow slip bobbers disappearing in our small portable house (clearance deer blind from Cabela's). It's times like these that make me appreciate getting a chance to wet a line during the ice fishing season in Minneapolis. In regards to the upcoming hard water seasons, I bid you good luck and be sure to try and keep your line in the water. To all of you hearty souls willing to brave the elements ice fishing, I wish you a Merry Christmas with plenty of fresh fish.

Aurora Borealis Forecast for dummies

Check and see if you can witness aurora borealis at two in the morning when it is twenty below, Eh>?

Pictures for organizing your expediting rig

collapsible computer desk via Jack Berry's Photobucket

Here are some other pictures of my favorite expediting set-up to date.  They are all courtesy of Jack Berry's photos:

storage box and a Honda Generator

Suggested Gear for Expediters: Cargo Van Pictures

Custom Astro Van with sleeping quarters. I like the folding beds as a better options, so pallets and freight would still fit.

Sprinter will condo bunk reminds me of my college dorm room

photo via expediterswanted.com

Check out this link on suggested expediting gear:




Here are some more pictures of custom sleeping arrangements for the expediting industry from expediterswanted.com:

cargo van with fold down bed

Sprinters offer more head room and a overall roomier dwelling

Living Large in a Van....sort of

expediting cargo van pictures and opportunities

This is a luxury arrangement. I think I would go with a Thermarest or cot, but this is big time
 expediting:

Where does the freight go?

Here is what my set up would probably look like, but it wouldn't be this organized:

This industry continues to expand.  Check out the following link for more expediting information: http://www.expediterswanted.com/

Free Modular Slab Wood Shed PLANS PDF

Here is a link to the WoodShedDiagram.pdf for building this wood shed:

The plans are courtesy of the EPA, as they want individuals to burn well seasoned firewood. I agree, and have built a few small shed like this using slab wood for money savings.

Van Dwellings: Expediting Fold Down Bed Designs with Pictures

Here are some pictures of vans converted into expediting rigs.

Here is a nice looking Sprinter for sale.  I like the way it has been customized with a folding bed. The folding bed design allows for much more cargo space, and I am guessing this operator could fit up to three skids, which is a common load for expediters.
With all of the RV options, it would be easy to set up a nice Expediting Rig:

interior view of sprinter van

Here is an aftermarket sleeper that looks nice:

Here are some more pictures of the folding bed options for expediters.   With all the new commercial van options, many choices are available from manufacturers along with the Sprinter.

This folding bed design is tied into the wheel well, and it appears to have plenty of storage underneath, and the carpeting and other elements make it look neat and comfortable.

My new ice shanty design

Google search for: "ghetto ice shanty" brought up the following shack, and ironically, this is the exact design
I have in mind for my trailer shack. Keep your line in the water.

Lumineers : :"Dead Sea:"

Lumineers : "Dead Sea"

English Teacher's Guide to Transforming your classroom environment into a writing workshop

Step 1: Transforming your English Classroom into a Writing Workshop

• Have the fellow writers in your classroom create a journal, and supply each of them with a pencil. 
• Start each class day by habitual journaling* see definition below
• Feel free to start with a prompt from this pdf.(collected off the internet, compiled by Liz Daniell)
• After 5-7 minutes of journaling, change the classroom design into a circular seating arrangement and ask for volunteers to share their journal. Feel free to get the sharing started by sharing your journal.
• Comment (Print, distribute, discuss, and model response using Peter Elbow's Responding to Writing pdf.)
• Share your results, observations, successes and failures under this post's comments. I will respond to all comments.

*habitual journaling-beginning each class period with a 5-7 minute free write.  Have students journal about things they care about such as:

• hobbies
• food
• travel
• movies
• games
• social media
• the topics are endless
• If your are struggling for ideas, please see the prompts pdf. above, or do a search for: "daily writing prompts".

Quote from Peter Elbow's Writing Without Teachers

Writing Without Teachers. Elbow contends there is "a place where there is learning but no teaching. It is possible to learn something and not be taught. It is possible to be a student and not have a teacher." (ix). Teachers are "more useful when it is clearer that they are not necessary." (x). The role of the teacher is to be useful, it is not the teachers role to provide instructions and directions but to help the student do in a more lucid and powerful way what she is already fully capable of doing.

via http://myweb.wvnet.edu/~jelkins/writeshop/writeshop/elbow.html

Tim Ferris: On Publishing a Bestselling Book and links to his blog

Here is a Tim Ferris's Advice on How to Write a Bestselling Book.
I enjoy reading his blog and also find his free advice concerning publishing to be a great resource for
writers setting goals.  He has a plethora of great information on his blog:http://fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Homeschool testing in Minnesota: Tests Commonly Used PDF

Here is a link to a pdf. on the tests commonly used for homeschooled students in Minnesota.

Successful Diets include routine meals

Things to eat over and over again to lose weight over the holidays!
Avoid white carbs. and eat the following in an combination you choose:


Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef (I am using fresh venison, which is much cheaper)
Pork

Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans

Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables

Link to Writer's Resource Center, POEWAR.COM and Flogging the Quill

http://www.poewar.com/archive/

This database is a great resource for individuals interested in writing.

Another great site for aspiring writers is http://www.floggingthequill.com/.
I especially like the exercise on trapping your audience or editors in the first page, and the technical
guidelines discussion concerning sending in your work.

Your Story 63: Submit Now!WritersDigest.com | WritersDigest.com

Your Story 63: Submit Now!WritersDigest.com | WritersDigest.com


Submit a story of 750 words or less based on the following image:

How To Edit Your Book Until It’s “Finished”

How To Edit Your Book Until It’s “Finished”

What to Look for When Editing Your ManuscriptWritersDigest.com | WritersDigest.com

What to Look for When Editing Your ManuscriptWritersDigest.com | WritersDigest.com



I am becoming a bigger fan of Writer's Digest, and the online information they have available for writers. Check it out!

Bulletproof & Fireproof House Made From Used Plastic Bottles

In response to Nigeria's housing problems, residents are developing houses built from recycled plastic bottles that are filled with dirt, and virtually indestructible. Check out the article via offgridworld.com:

Bulletproof & Fireproof House Made From Used Plastic Bottles



More info here: http://phys.org/news/2011-11-plastic-bottles-nigeria-housing-problem.html#jCp

Low Cost Off Grid Solar System for a Cute Little Log Cabin in Minnesota

photo from offgridworld.com

This guy constructed the tiny cabin out of trees cut on the land. Building a log cabin would take alot of time but would be worth the cost savings for the final project.

Check out this off grid solar log cabin in Minnesota. Great info. and videos via Offgridworld.com:

Low Cost Off Grid Solar System for a Cute Little Log Cabin in Minnesota

What’s New on Netflix: December 2014

A list of new netflix movies:

What’s New on Netflix: December 2014

The Sun Magazine | God's Day

The Sun Magazine | God's Day

Poe Ballantine is a great writer. Here is one of his early works from Sun.

Enjoy.