Great pictures, lots of them look very familiar!! One of these days I’ll work out how to put some of mine up!! 
Pat Hasler:
Been to most of the places you show that are south of the Can/US border Mark. … Not impressed with Iowa 80 truckstop on the 3 or 4 occasions I went there.
You’re spot on there Pat, the food is crap, typical TA crap & the noise of a thousand trucks idling away 24hrs a day means it’s no good for a decent kip 
But the chrome shop OMG, had to be dragged out of there screaming & kicking 
Kyrbo, as BTD says, the lift axle is becoming more common (just don’t tell Carryfast ) now that fuel prices are going up they’re actually starting to think about mpg 
I think that motor started off as a ‘normal’ 6x4 tractor unit, the lift axle is a conversion, there are no factory lift axles available from any manufacturer AFAIK.
Steadymabo, the guage is a bit on the pessimistic side, the engine computer on the dash will only be reading around 180f when it goes that high, the fan kicks in at 210f so it looks worse than it is 
Chopsticks, yeah the winters really give the roads a beating, as you say Wisconsin was bad in 09, well take it from me it’s even worse now
Brit Pete, bob the Dog is doing this years Xmas beano, PM him
The rest of you, thanks for your kind words
newmercman:
Kyrbo, as BTD says, the lift axle is becoming more common (just don’t tell Carryfast
Some trailer buiders are fitting them standard now, and the midlift helper is getting more popular but is still a waste of time really.
newmercman:
Brit Pete, bob the Dog is doing this years Xmas beano, PM him
Hang on, I did the last 3 years. I thought it was your turn this year. Mind you, the Deans took a load last year (and charged them I believe) so ours was nice and quiet. Maybe this years will be real peaceful…
Andy smg:
Excellent post, really enjoyed the tour.
Got a young nephew on for Kriska, running out of a place called Prescott I think.
Seems to be doing OK.Cheers,
Andy.
You mean these?
He just came in and parked beside me as I was reading this…
Brilliant pictures and comments, from Yogi Bear to Police Academy, all those truckstops and not a lot lizard in site 
Wonderful pictures - drive a few of thoughs roads. What the inside of the cabs like? They seem big enough to have a king size bed and small kitchenette
nice pics !!!, knew i would find them lol…
james
Cool pics mate 
Bump. EXCELENT thread!!! Thanks 
JIMBO47:
a better picture of lift axles.
I bet that’s a bunch of fun going backwards
Is that front bucket a side tip Jim?
newmercman:
JIMBO47:
a better picture of lift axles.Is that front bucket a side tip Jim?
i was wondering that myself , if you zoom in to the pic it looks like it has hinges on the front one so it looks like it to me …
lol, yes its a n/s side tip ,5 air operated dogs holding the door shut ,no probs when hauling sand but stone(for concrete) jams the dogs , so i got a old 5th wheel puller made up so i dont lose fingers when cleaning the stones out…
going backwards was interesting for the first month or so ,as quarries and our concrete plants are not flat/level/have soft spots.
lol,when nobodys around ill get her into a bay 1st cut when the other trains waiting to tip i look like im drunk!
i drive the train in spring ,redimix 6x4 ,8x6 1970s dm macks for summer then autumn back on the train till freeze up…winter off( unless powder/flyash needed as the old boy on the other train goes to texas for winter ).
jimmy…
JIMBO47:
lol, yes its a n/s side tip ,5 air operated dogs holding the door shut ,no probs when hauling sand but stone(for concrete) jams the dogs , so i got a old 5th wheel puller made up so i dont lose fingers when cleaning the stones out…
going backwards was interesting for the first month or so ,as quarries and our concrete plants are not flat/level/have soft spots.
lol,when nobodys around ill get her into a bay 1st cut when the other trains waiting to tip i look like im drunk!
i drive the train in spring ,redimix 6x4 ,8x6 1970s dm macks for summer then autumn back on the train till freeze up…winter off( unless powder/flyash needed as the old boy on the other train goes to texas for winter ).
jimmy…
ahh interesting , i’ve never even tried a normal drawbar ( or should i say what WE call normal drawbar ) but i would imagine i could turn either one into a pretty good knot … 
Can’t believe I missed this thread.NMM,I hope you’re putting another set of pics together as we speak.
bobthedog:
Andy smg:
Excellent post, really enjoyed the tour.
Got a young nephew on for Kriska, running out of a place called Prescott I think.
Seems to be doing OK.Cheers,
Andy.You mean these?
He just came in and parked beside me as I was reading this…
(8 months later…sorry Bob)
Yes that’s the outfit he’s with.
Keeps sayin I should give it a go.
This is my young nephew Christopher with his old pride and joy. Not too bad for his first set of wheels.
You guys across the pond keep an eye out for him and say hello. Fleet no. 612 with Lavigne on the tractor door.
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Not quite as nice as yours inside Mark, but it’s his little home from home.
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Happy new year all.
Sir +:
Can’t believe I missed this thread.NMM,I hope you’re putting another set of pics together as we speak.
I’ve got the camera charged and ready to go, for a change I’m heading to the East Coast, I’m loaded with frozen french fries for Philidelphia, but the weather was a bit bad today, North Dakota and Minnesota are closed, yes that’s right, closed, all that nonsense that gets spouted about coping with snow, well it’s just nonsense, everything just shuts down until it passes, then out come the ploughs and when the roads are good again the people come out to play, hopefully I’ll be joining them tomorrow as I need to get a good day’s work done so that I can get the load delivered on time
I’ll do another diary/picture set when I get back
newmercman:
In a hurry today
Bloody hell Mark, that’s what you call moving! Fair play to you. How long do you keep that up for? I presume the tyres cope ok too?
Great pics btw.