Seeking America via Semi Truck

Sunday 2 November 2008

Well here I am in So. Cal. and the saga begins. I plan to keep a daily journal when I pass my test and am finally out on the road. I mentioned its kind of scary taking on this new challenge but that’s still a fair price for a new adventure. On the way here from Lodi, Ca. to Riverside Ca., via Greyhound bus, I kept my I-pod going the whole time. I had programmed 11 hours of music and the battery still had a charge by the time I got to Riverside. So I got checked into my room, and walked to a Taco joint for a bite. I came back to my room and I was pleased to see that I have an internet connection in my room so I am still connected to my virtual world. I just met my room-mate Henry who seems like a nice guy we only talked for a few minutes and he had to go somewhere. That was my day… just wanted to share.

Friday 7 November 2008

Since my last entry, I have been lodged in the Red Tile Inn in beautiful Colton California. Because I am here on the company dime, I have a roommate. Henry is an interesting guy he shares that he is a Jehovah Witness devotee. Now I don’t know much about all that, but it seems that such devotees can do what ever they want because they are forgiven. My 2nd night here, roomie Henry “got lucky” with a neighborhood lady who was passing through. Of course, I afforded my roomie some privacy for his tryst at risk of my personal space and property. After returning to my room and some sense of decorum, I bade Henry’s guest good night as he escorted her to some other meeting. This was all in good fun, but when Henry returned a short time later, he was in a triumphant mood and felt like sharing his view of the world according to Jehovah. As Henry went on I felt obligated to short cut his sermon by allowing that aside from being a hypocrite, and an immoral one at that, I wasn’t in a receptive mood for such witnessing. Since, I have kept my roomie at arms length so as not to encourage him which I hope he reads as disgust.

Monday 10 November 2008

It is Monday and a lot has happened since my last entry. I have been very busy with studies and passing my exams. I managed on Saturday to finish all my tests which concludes the requirements to obtain an A license. Later, back at the motel, a bit of drama developed. Remember Henry my roomie? With the colorful image I have painted of Henry so far, he had managed to antagonize the motel staff to the point of being asked to leave. His poor behavior in addition to what you know so far includes petty theft of motel towels, impersonating me on the phone when staff called the room to ask what he was doing with all the towels, and just being such an arrogant ass to the motel staff with complaints, griping, sassing… you get the picture. The motel staff had a fill of Henry and he was evicted from the motel and fired from the training program.

I have met mostly nice people and with exception of the above incident, it has been a personal growth experience. The variety of people in the program is very diverse but mostly limited to middle class average people in search of a career. Today began with a trip to the school to have my papers prepared to take to the DMV, that done, I was immediately assigned to a trainer. Jose has been in the business about a year and he has a very nice KENWORTH T2000 which will be my home for the next four weeks. Today, I drove a short load about ten miles down the road to Ontario. I am in my bunk writing this while we are parked in the Fontana yard. Tomorrow we will pick up a load that I think will go to Illinois. Everything is happening so fast, and there is so much to keep track of that everything is a blur. I keep telling myself to take it in small chunks. I’ve never been around trucks before and all this is new to me. Maneuvering an 80,000 pound tractor trailer is a challenge that I have yet to develop a knack for. Working the transmission, shifting the gears and keeping it all moving safely down the road is very hard work that will get easier as I gain experience. Despite being endorsed by the company and the state department of motor vehicles I, have a long ways to go and it all began today.

Tuesday 11 November 2008 VETERANS DAY

Woke about 0430 this morning and by 0600 we were on our way. I drove to Chatsworth where we picked up our first load. As I write this we are parked at the dock waiting to be loaded. The trip down was mostly uneventful. The hardest part is driving this rig on regular surface streets. I have a lot of practice to do on the gears. Although Jose speaks with a thick accent, he is sort of easy enough to understand. I don’t engage him in much chit chat our conversations are mostly to do with the job. I think I like it that way. This is a learning experience and what ever else has to do with anything else is a distraction. I slept well last night in the upper bunk of the truck. I haven’t had breakfast or any other usual morning routine except a quick toilet visit just prior to departure. Today as I am adjusting to life on the road, I figure I will worry about personal needs as we go along. Jose is a biological creature and I can just follow his lead as far as meals and things go. I will adjust as I go along with the goal of arriving at harmony between basic needs and the demands of the task at hand. We’ve been at Chatsworth since 0800 and have yet to be loaded. It is now 0930AM.

2PM Barstow Ca.

Just pulled into Barstow, I’ve been at the wheel since Fontana. Just had my first meal in a little more than 24 hours but I wasn’t real hungry. I had a Subway sandwich at the truck stop where we fueled. From here, we continue east to Nevada.

8PM Mesquite Nv.

I drove 445 miles today we just pulled into Mesquite Nevada. This is where Jose lives and I took advantage of the stop to use his shower. Personal hygiene may be something of a challenge, a part of adjusting to this new life. It calls for creativity and resourcefulness which I will need in abundance. We will pull out in about two hours, I am off duty but Jose will put on some more miles. I won’t drive again until 7AM. It has been a very long first full day on the road.

9AM Fruta Colorado

From Mesquite, I was in the sleeper berth. I was up for about an hour this morning to see the rocks of Utah. I do not sleep well in a moving truck so this is another adjustment I’ll have to make. I went back into the sleeper berth and did sleep for about an hour. I went into the truck stop here and gulped a large fortified coffee with a refill. Along with the energy drink I bought last night during a brief stop, I think I’m good for the day. I am next behind the wheel and will probably climb the western slopes of the Rockies. That should be interesting.

2PM Denver Colorado

WOW!!! I just maneuvered an 80,000 lb 18 wheel vehicle over the Rockies to Denver. The real challenge started just east of Vail where the climb began. Lots of shifting, and doing all the things needed to keep the truck from running away. The vistas!!! The southwest desert and Rockies are quite incredible. Right now we are taking a break and have about 850 miles to our destination.

9PM Hershey Nebraska

The accident:
I don’t know how this will impact my immediate future in this new venture but I had an incursion with a parked vehicle. It happened as I was parking the truck at the Western Truck stop in Hershey Nebraska. As I was coming alongside another tractor trailer, the side of my trailer made contact with the rear right of the other. Damage was scrapes along the side of my trailer, and 5 marker lights and scrape marks to the other. Jose, seated in the passenger seat did nothing to warn me that I was turning the rig too tight next to the other trailer.

13 November 2008 935AM Avoca Iowa

Here I am a few miles across the state line from Nebraska in Iowa. This morning I finished the formalities with my “incident” in Hershey last night and it amounts to my rookie card being punched. Damage was minor with exception of my pride which took a real beating. In the home stretch, we should make our destination today unless we lay over somewhere.

3PM Rock Island Ill. BTW All times are Pacific Standard.

We have arrived with 31 pallets of Herbal Essence so hair all over this part of Illinois can be squeaky clean, and smell real pretty. WOW what a trip! For those of you following along, we are just on the east side of the Big Muddy AKA Mississippi River. We crossed over from Iowa which was all undulating hills, many hills! Tomorrow, I may have some time to include some other elements of the experience so far, so keep reading.

THE SAGA CHAPTER TWO!

Rochelle Ill 7PM (Pacific Standard Time)

Just made the 100 or so miles here where we will pick up our next load tomorrow. Don’t know what it is but the destination is Seattle Wash. I will check the weather reports to see if we come back through Minn. Or a more Southerly track via Cheyenne Wyoming.

My impressions so far: I’ve got a lot to learn but then when I was in the broadcasting business, there was as much and more to learn but I was a pro and a pro I will be again. This is a tough business and there are many paths to choose. The first three to six months, if I don’t wash out are where I gain the knowledge and practical skills. The company I am with offers a program that leads to owner/operator within 3 to 6 months.

Anyway what this journal is all about is my impressions of the land and adventures along the way and so far it has been lively! My favorite part of the scenery so far has been the desert southwest. The starkness and scale of it is humbling. The geology is most fascinating. Through Southern California, Nevada, and Utah the desert speaks in so many different ways. The greatest impression is the landscape pillars of rock that sculpts into surreal shapes that change color in the light. The sky and how it reflects onto that landscape ever changing. The Rockies close in and seem to want to fall on top of you as the steep canyons and passages were maneuvered. In California, it seems our seasons are not as diverse as the rest of the country. For as long as we have been on the plains, the skies have been dark and foreboding but luckily, the rain has been light and has not impeded our progress. With each west to east and back trek we play a game of chance with the weather. When I started this adventure, I knew winter time was not the best time of year but when done, and spring appears, I will know most of what mother nature can dish out. I won’t be the first to so tread and if my counterparts can do it, so can I!

One of the immediate challenges is communications. I will smooth the rough edges of lifestyle the first few weeks. So bear with me till then and I would like to hear your responses and input. Of course, if any of you would like to unsubscribe, please advise. Otherwise, stay tuned for more installments and thanks for reading along so far.

830AM Rochelle Illinois
Just another truck stop

We are on layover till this afternoon when we pick up out westbound load. I made a painful discovery this morning. It cost $15 to shower! I got back $5 for returning the towels but gee…$10 for a shower??!! They have a deal at most truck stops that give a free shower with fuel so I have to see what I can work out. It rained all night and today while I hear it is warm and sunny there, in Northern California it is grey and cool here. Snow is expected by the weekend by which time we should be more than half way to Seattle.

400PM On our way!

Unfortunately it is dark 30 and as we begin, I drive to the middle of Wisconsin where we stop for a meal break. My only souvenir is a bag of Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds. When we leave, I continue driving to the west side of Minneapolis Minnesota. With nothing to see, I am retired to the bunk, Jose takes the wheel, and when I awake the next morning we are in Bismarck North Dakota where I begin my shift at the wheel. There is a dusting of snow on the flat terrain and the lack of clutter lends well to introspective thoughts.

130PM Miles City, West Montana

We took about an hour break here long enough for a yet another truck stop sandwich and bottle of stuff to wash it down with. We also did some backing drills with the truck. By the way, we are toting about 45,000 lbs of frozen food. This part of Montana looks a lot like California north of Sacramento. Same grass lands, hills and bluffs. The weather has been kind to us today with just a few sprinkles here and there. In fact, most the afternoon was partly cloudy.

9PM Belgrade Montana

Pulled into Flying J for showers I was getting a bit ripe. I managed to avoid being charged for my shower as it was courtesy of our visit to the fuel pump. As I sit here, in the restaurant, I am taking a break from my trainer. I feel kind of guilty because I wish I had taken another trainer. Jose is difficult to understand due to his very thick accent. “Choo needa to right jeer.” (You need to choose the right gear) Even though our rig is equipped with satellite radio, a CB, a CD player, two in dash radios and a television, until this evening, we have kept them turned off. The culture clash I feared came as I suffered through three hours of “Elvis XM”, often played at levels sufficient to drown out the drone of the engine. If the balance of the training period goes as fast as this week, it will be a blessing. I just found out that when we deliver our current load, we are east bound again this time to just south of Chicago. I don’t know the exact details yet. Tonight will see us through the rest of Montana and perhaps Idaho. During this leg of the trip, I hope to be sound asleep. Last night, I managed to sleep deeply and woke very refreshed so I think I can make this new lifestyle work. I am looking forward to when I can be in my own truck, pushing my own buttons. For now, there is still much to learn and it is getting easier. I am just taking each step as it comes and progress is being made. My training period requires I put in 14,000 miles behind the wheel and so far I am a couple thousand into that. When I have the numbers in front of me, I will come up with a more exact figure. Today I put in about 565 miles, my longest stretch so far. I haven’t been able to find a WiFi signal to send in the latest so if you are reading this next week that is why. I also have not been able to keep up with my email or other inputs I usually get from being online. The following is the distance I drove today. My destination, Seattle Washington should be achieved by tomorrow evening. With that, stay tuned…..
Summary: 565.9 miles (7 hours, 55 minutes)

SUNDAY November 16 2008 Spokane Washington

Jose started driving about 4am this morning. I seem to have learned how to sleep in a moving truck. With the aide of earplugs, I seem to have slept although I am not real sure. When I climbed out of the bunk, we were just past Missoula Montana. The scenery, mostly mountainous is laced with inviting rivers and streams. As we pass each I can only imagine hiking the banks for mountain trout. The valleys are tight but the flow of the terrain is not difficult. Of course I am using the East bound Rockies for comparison. I did see large patches of forest that had obviously been ravaged by fire. This morning, I feel more at home in my own time zone and familiar landscapes. I am not sure what Jose plans for my duties today and I am surprised that I’m not driving this leg but he has not been driving long distances and perhaps he plans on a full shift. So far Jose has driven 389 miles. If he puts in an average distance, he may go another 200 more. I’m just a third wheel on this journey so for now, I think I will just take in the passing landscapes.

5:45 Seattle Washington

After cruising this rig all over this part of Seattle, we, (me driving, Jose on GPS) finally found our drop off and next pick up. GPS navigation by Jose comes a little short of exact. We dropped off the trailer and in the same yard, hooked another. It is likely that we will remain situated here for the time being. I believe our departure is for 6AM. Of course, there are more details to follow. The drive through Washington State was pretty. I’ve never ventured much east of Seattle before. It is green and lush, and well it should for the amount of rainfall.

Monday November 17, 2008 Seattle Washington

10:00AM

I crawled into the bunk and from 4AM till now, I know the truck was moving from one yard to the other. We dropped one trailer, picked another up, moved it across town where it was unloaded and reloaded with frozen seafood. At least that is my best guess as I was attempting to sleep. Yes I can sleep in an earthquake which is the sensation of sleeping in a semi tractor trailer while it is being emptied and filled with a forklift. I climbed out of my mobile cocoon as we leave Seattle, Jose is at the wheel. 107 miles west on I90 we arrive at Ellensburg. From here I take the wheel west. As we were eastbound, I slept as we passed Spokane and Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Just as well because it was night. Today, however, from what I could see from the wheel was beautiful. Spokane appears to be a clean, prosperous town. Lake Coeur d'Alene, just across the state line in Idaho, is the most gorgeous body of water I’ve seen so far on this trip. When I have the opportunity, I must return to explore on my own! Today, I have driven to Three Forks Montana, 542 miles. Here I take a shower and do laundry, I’ll climb back into the truck and we will begin to roll at about 1AM.

Two in an 8ft cube

I share 512 cubic feet of rolling space with my trainer Jose, it is good that Jose is barely 5ft tall and thin. That is the only dimensional advantage we have. I guess it might be roomy if compared with the Gemini space capsule but the issue goes to compatibility. Jose is an alright guy, but did I mention that his phone works? He speaks Spanish…for hours at a time. When not on the phone, or telling me what to do and how to do it, “Choo needa be ina right jeer.” he makes chipmunk sounds and whistles. My challenge is not to hurt his feelings while keeping my sanity. I have enough sensitivity to be wary of upsetting or threatening his machismo. So far, I am keeping my annoyances to myself. It is yet another challenge of this test. It helps to remember what this could be like once I have my own wheels and can have dominion over my own 512 cubic feet.

Sea sick on solid ground

Here in Montana, we have stopped long enough for me to get a shower, and get caught up on my laundry. When we arrived, I had been behind the wheel continuously for over nine hours straight. When I put foot back onto solid ground, it felt like walking in a deep sponge, a form of motion sickness. The seats in the cab of the truck absorb shock by compressing on air shocks. The truck goes bump and the seats gently turn that energy into a roll. The net effect is a sensation not unlike bobbing in a row boat. Right now I am sitting in a very comfortable chair, on a solid floor but my head and body feel like I am still bobbing in the truck.

BLACK RIVER FALLS WISCONSIN
Wednesday 1am pacific

I drove 684 miles and spent 10:45 behind the wheel needless to say, I am whipped! We fueled in Fargo N.D. I must confide that I am in a mood. Our next destination is 601 Twin Rail Drive, Minooka, Il 60447

0730 Wednesday 19 November 2008 Departing Black River Falls Wisconsin

2PM PST 601 Twin Rail Drive, Minooka, Il 60447

We have arrived with our load, two days in advance so we dropped our trailer full of pancakes and picked up an empty. At this writing, it is 3:25 PST and having no load, I have nothing to do. Of note here in the great Midwest is how the sun sets. Because there are no prominent terrain features like mountains, the sun takes a long time to set. This time of year that means a warm orange glow for a long time. Also notable is the cold! Us Californians don’t have truly cold autumns. In Fargo, they know how to do cold! Last night was a chill that cuts to the bone for a California boy like me.

Dear Kevin and Randy,

Please forgive my omission from the list as I left out the SBD. At mile marker 262 eastbound highway 94, North Dakota my trainer let one loose that melted the plastic on the seat and pealed some paint. Didn’t say a word but there had to be a load in his diaper! So please add the SBD: SILENT BUT DEADLY to the list.

Regards,
Your Pal

Carl

830PM PST New London Wisconsin.

We drove today empty from Minooka Ill to pick up our next load. There was a bit of drama that seems to have been resolved for the time being. Jose was being a bit of an ass but with intervention, he seems to have settled down and I hope we continue in that mode. The great news is that we are PHOENIX AZ bound!!!! It is COLD here!!!! Real cold! I have to get into the bunk for an early start, so I’ll leave it here for the time being. One of the challenges is that I feel unplugged. I am cut off from my regular information sources and really have little time for little else but driving, learning and attempts at keeping this log.

5AM PST New London Wisconsin

Today I began behind the wheel and what a day it was. This part of Wisconsin revives my hope that beauty can still be found here in America and we have yet to destroy spacious skies, amber waves of grain, and purple mountain majesty. The country side is pastoral; red barns, with silos, livestock freely grazing the fields, tiny burgs of charm all in harmony with the countryside. There were many views that stirred me and made me wish for more time to ponder. But that’s life behind the wheel. The passing countryside is an index for later reference. As we continued south, we passed into Iowa, less pastoral, was noteworthy for large farms with green and gold fields. We made a stop for a break during which I have found that I will be parting company with my current trainer. The short version is that I requested a change due to personality conflict and that change was granted but won’t come till this Monday or Tuesday. In the mean time, I will continue to at least Arizona. As I write this, I have completed 520 miles and am in the bunk Kansas bound while Jose is at the wheel. I share with you because I want the best parts of this journey for your enjoyment. Jose, a former gangbanger from a bad part of Chicago, just doesn’t share my fascination. Please know that you all are with me at all times for it is with you in my heart, my friends that I write. At this time, having no one else with whom to share, you are my surrogate company and I hope you enjoy the trip, the good bad and the ugly. What a journey it is and will be no matter the final result. It is very difficult for me as I am under almost constant pressure. At this time, my life is not my own but is a boot camp where I am not in control. It is a test, and it is good for me to be challenged. I will continue to work hard and do the best I can. For all the hoops I’ve jumped through so far, I am confident all challenges will be met with success.

Saturday November 22 620am

Here I am in the bunk parked at the Super Wal Mart in Pratt Kansas. I have the luxury of a nearby internet connection so I am down loading the latest Itunes programs for my Ipod. I do not know how far we will get today but on average we do 800 to 1000 miles a day. Updates to come.

Pratt Kansas Saturday morning November 22nd

By 10AM we are underway, I am at the wheel and highway 54 is little more than a long ribbon that laces so many tiny stops along the way. The speed limit on 54 drops from 65 to 35 as we pass small towns and if it is a town of any size, there may even be a stop light. At the west end of each, is the same gas station which seems to invite visitors to leave and go a long way away from here.

Kansas is just spilled out to the horizons in all directions. Not much in the way of topography except a roll here and there. As we pass, it is obvious that tragedy has visited one nameless map dot of a community. A large sign stood in front of a 75 by 25 foot grey wooden shack. That sign claimed it to be the local hospital. Next to that were two desert tan canvas Quonsets ala M.A.S.H. tents with a large red cross on a white field painted on both. Another sign gave thanks to first responders. In the next dusty lot was once a large building of some kind. All that remains is concrete foundation covered with weathered grey splinters of lumber. In this location other similar remains were evident but shy to give themselves up hiding in the rumbled landscape. The scene was a calm after a storm, probably a recent tornado. On this bright sunny day, billboards proudly proclaim the state as the home of Dorothy of Oz. That fictional tale features the wicked twists of wind that too often visit wrath on the landscape of Kansas and all the near states of middle America.

We are westbound on highway 54 which after Kansas a few miles past Liberal, makes an angular slash across both the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. I wonder how a town came to be called Liberal in such a conservative landscape. Signs proudly welcome you or bid you thanks for a visit as each state line is crossed, not much else changes the view until Texas gives way to New Mexico. There large and I mean LARGE holding pens are filled with cattle waiting for market. In several places these holding areas measure in miles and as soon as they appear, the scrub grass yields to low rock formations that mark our entry to New Mexico. I was expecting to see quaint Native American villagers selling local craft and fare to passers by but none were found. The small towns here seem angry in their lack of prosperity. The land seems to beat the joy out of the small homes that sprout from the red earth. Night falls as we make our way to Albuquerque. I will not see this part of New Mexico as I am now in my bunk as Jose continues behind the wheel. So ends this day on the road which after Phoenix will have us bound for Dallas!

1PM PST SUNDAY November 23 2008 Phoenix AZ.

Here I am, we are on standby at a truck stop until we deliver our load in a few hours. In the mean time it is good to have some personal time. When I can do this gig on my own, make my own choices of when, where, and how, this will be a good time. I put in more than 530 miles yesterday and when I awoke this AM we were in Joseph City Arizona. Jose continued to drive the remaining distance. I enjoy driving the truck, as there is a lot more to it than driving a car. The difference is enough to justify boot camp on the road. No new developments today, Jose keeps his cards close to his chest and I don’t ask a lot of questions that do not relate to training. In fact, due to my difficulty understanding him through his thick accent, we exchange very little chit chat. It is a nice warm Arizona day and I love Phoenix. I’ve spent enough time here over the years on assignments of one kind or another that it is familiar and comfortable. That is it for now, I want to send this before my clock runs out. I often have to pay for WiFi access but hope to remedy that soon with an air card.

1115 AM Monday November 24
Eastbound Mile marker 111 Hudspeth County Texas

We dropped and hooked in Phoenix AZ last night. Drop and Hook means to drop off a loaded trailer and hook up to another. It was late when we got started on our way to Fort Worth Texas. On this trip, I take us 337 miles before we stopped in a dingy dusty rat hole of a truck stop for the night. At 0530 AM we are underway again. Jose is at the wheel and along the way we follow the international boarder with Mexico. The landscape here is all desert with some small mountains that poke here and there in defiance. There is not a lot of variation and the few settlements are rough looking places that live in beer tavern legend. I know there might be much to discover with a short hike into the desert. The vegetation is witness to the harsh environments and seems to go on and on without end. Like the words to a favorite song, The desert ain’t no place for a rose its all windblown.

934 AM PST 25 November 2008 Fort Worth Texas

We arrived last night about 930PM to have our trailer unloaded and after that pulled to a near street side where we spent the night. This morning, while waiting for our next load we are at another truck stop where there is a welcomed shower and laundry. As I scan the countryside in search of new interesting vistas, I find that truck stops are a different matter…or the same matter…they are all the same or nearly so. The retail landscape doesn’t change much and at each one I can only hope to meet that one person, or witness that event that sets one apart from another. So far I was served by a cashier in Wisconsin that sounded just like the Sheriff Lady in the movie Fargo …”don’t ja know.” Or this morning, I have FREE WIFI!!! Unique! When you enter one of these truck stops, you can be sure of one thing. They will have FOX (FAUX) news on all the monitors or the weather channel. One serves a true public service. The last thing one looks for in a truck stop is intellectual stimulation. Personally I seek caffeinated stimulation the latter to be found in abundance. Truckers were into speed long before chemical stimulants were on the social radar scope. They called them co-pilots or Bennies later beans. It was all Benzedrine in its purest form or related family members. With oversight and strict regulation which includes random drug testing, those days are past as far as I know. So there is my social political outlook on my sleeve for all to see. We don’t yet have a load and the next drop location is unknown. I am supposed to be changing trainers but there is no movement on that so far. Well that is it for now. Stay tuned. And if you have a thought of your own, please share.

610PM PST 25 November 2008 Fort Worth Texas

Still here waiting for a load sitting in the restaurant where I ran into a fellow school mate who has been out for just a week so far. He was impressed that I have over 9000 miles. Rick is mostly pleased with his trainer with a few exceptions. Of course no normal two males are going to be compatible while cooped up in a truck for any duration of time. I look forward to the solitude of the road after graduation.

26 November 2008 Somewhere in Arkansas

I am writing this a day late so I don’t remember what time we left exactly but Jose was at the wheel. The country side north east of the Dallas Ft. Worth area wasn’t all that interesting. I dozed in the bunk and kept up enough to have a fair idea of our location. I noticed that we were not following our assigned route and ended up in a remote little town called Gillham Arkansas. It turns out Jose has relatives here too. His family seems a prolific bunch as they have scattered in all directions. While Jose spent a couple hours away from the truck, and out of my hair, I took the opportunity to reorganize my belongings. When finally we departed, I was in the bunk. I don’t know how it happened, but suddenly I awoke with Jose saying something about an emergency. Not to hinder, I yielded as Jose grabbed a fire extinguisher and jumped out the passenger side door. I looked back to see him at the trailer tandems, I looked at what was left of one of the tires. Not only was the tire shredded to nothing, but part of the rim was ground down flat also. No fire and no other damage so we limped down the road to Bryant Arkansas just south of Little Rock. We parked in the back of a Wal-Mart while Jose summoned someone to replace the tire. By the way, although this vehicle is what most know as an 18 wheeler, that isn’t quite true. In place of the customary doubles, we have one WIDE tire that replaces the two. It gets better mileage or so it is claimed. Actually this is a 10 wheeler until last night when we became an 11 wheeler because the tire that blew was replaced with a customary set of doubles. I remember my father saying he would never see Arkansas again because the last time he drove here, he got 4 flat tires somewhere near Little Rock. On our west bound trip to California from New York when I was eight years old, our trip was planned to avoid Arkansas. Seems the curse is alive and well. We camped out in the Wal-Mart for the balance of the night.

27 November 2008 Bryant Arkansas 0530 PST

Rise and shine this Thanksgiving Day it turns out to be little different from any other. Jose being Mexican doesn’t put a lot of stock in this holiday. I do not know for the life of me why we Californians make such a big deal out of cinco de mayo either. I am at the wheel Thankful for the chance to put a new course in my life. I think about all of you and that makes me thankful also. This day, we pass from Arkansas to Missouri and across the Mississippi River into Illinois. I am impressed by the view of southern Illinois. It is all wooded with Alders, Birch, Oaks, Maple, and a few Pines. The slate like rock that lines the roadway, lakes small and large it seems I have found another piece of beautiful America still in tact. Night falls as we pass into Indiana so I did not get to see much, we are now at Clayton Indiana, just a few miles southwest of Indianapolis. When I inspected the truck this morning, I noticed that the oil is very low and the steering tires are looking a bit thin, so here at Clayton, we are getting new steering tires and an oil change in the morning. Did you know that there are no smoking laws in Indiana? My sandwich was enjoyed in a room full of 2nd hand smoke, lovely. Indiana will make a better showing in the light of day, I hope.

28 November 2008 Toledo Ohio 8:45 PM PST

I am here in Toledo in a motel 6 room waiting for another trainer. As previously mentioned, I have asked for and now have been granted a change. WOOPEE!!! Anyway, today, I drove on a stretch of highway 24 in Ohio which runs through the small towns and right by farms and homes in the area. There are so many homes here with private lakes, each it seems has a swimming dock and is rimmed with perfectly mowed grass. The homes, farms, businesses here are not jammed up against each other and there is space that separates all. This country has breathing room and what a deep refreshing breath it is. There is a bigger picture emerging for me that I went in search of but did not expect to find evidence of so soon. I must confess that my measuring stick has been the beauty of Norway which I have seen more of than most natives. I doubt that anywhere could be so beautiful and now I think that, like Dorothy of OZ, that everything I have longed for has been here all along. I am not totally convinced yet and I hope to see more.

BILLBOARDS

I think the biggest blight on any landscape is billboards. Here it is so hard to avoid advertising that pervades every available nook and cranny. I became aware of billboards with the legend of the Berma Shave ads along the highways that would tell a little jingle as each was passed. That was cute, but like everything we had to turn that into bigger and better right? Now billboards are animated giant T.V. screens. Jumbo Trons run amuck glare and demand your distraction. I am thankful to note that in the more pristine places I have seen so far, Northern Wisconsin, Southern Illinois Northeast Indiana, and Northwest Ohio seem to exercise some restraint, but it is a deep tide to wade against. For all our causes is there no one to rail against the blight of billboards on our country sides?

IDEALISM

Since I can remember, my earliest understanding of purpose is that we are all here to achieve Utopia. I really did believe that a perfect state was where we were all going and that it would happen in my lifetime. I was about five then and the truth of Utopia is that it is unattainable. That belief did make me an idealist, a dreamer of a better way for all. I still believe that it is the human condition to seek the more perfect plane in some aspect. It is what I am searching for on this particular journey. Until then, a good burger, a shower, and a bed that doesn’t bounce for the wrong reasons will do. I will enjoy the glorious luxury of my Motel 6 stay. I’ll leave the light on for ya!

30 November 2008 Broadview Heights Ohio
MY NEW TRAINER IS A STOCKTON NEIGHBOR

After about 24 hours at Motel 6 in Toledo, I met my new trainer, Ted. He has been in the trucking business for about a year. As we were getting acquainted I learn that he is a former Circle K executive who was retired until he realized the air was leaking from his 401K. His home is almost within walking distance of mine on Morada Lane in Stockton. That means that if he decides to route home, it works out that he can do that without breaking my training schedule which due to my previous trainer, is very behind. Ted owns a residence in China where he met his wife. We have similar attitudes about truck driving and life in general. We joke, and seem at ease with each other. I am looking forward to a grand improvement. His tractor is a very fresh (less than 35K miles) Volvo 760. The design and layout of the cab is more car like than the Kenworth T2000 I was driving. My bunk space is slightly tighter, but that can be overcome as I get myself organized and settled in. The only drawback is that Ted smokes. All in all compared to Jose, it is more than a fair trade. I can talk to Ted, and when he talks to me, I do not have to wade through a foreign accent.

Today, we are only about 114 miles from the Motel 6 but we have dropped the trailer off and are waiting near by the drop because the next leg will begin at the same location with a new trailer. We are on our way to Westfield Massachusetts and expect to arrive tomorrow evening. There is snow on the ground and it is cold but we have avoided storms so far. So begins the next leg of the journey.

The Ohio Turn Pike

We are at exit 171 on the Ohio Turn Pike which is lined every fewmiles with travel plazas that are like rest stops with restaurants, Starbuck’s, lounge, game room, and FREE showers, coin operated laundry and a gift shop. This is not like a truck stop at all and most the patrons here are regular travelers. The design is like a new, modern airport with all the amenities. It is clean and the patrons are mostly families. There are none of the trucker types obvious here. I wish all states could have these travel plazas.

December 1st 12 Noon Pacific

Can you believe it, we are still sitting in Ohio waiting for our load which we will pick up tonight at 7pm 4pm Pacific. Then we are off to Westfield Mass. The weather has turned into high wind blown snow flurries but it seems too warm for it to stick and accumulate I hope our luck continues to hold out.

Later that day

We were scheduled to pick up our load at 730 PM local time but it was after midnight local, that we finally had our load and were able to begin the trek to Westfield. I gladly let Ted drive this leg of the trip as I have nearly no experience with snow an no experience driving 80,000 Lbs of big rig on ice. The snow is falling sideways and the cold has layered the ground with icy slush that dares us to do anything that might cause a break in traction. We had a long detour along the way that was result of an accident so we stop for rest in Clearfield Pennsylvania.

Early the next morning December 2nd

As we depart Clearfield, a layer of clouds greets the new day. At first snow was falling in flurries but the pavement was dry and there was no ice. I took the wheel on to Westfield 464 miles distant. As the day progressed, we crossed Pennsylvania, the south east corner of New York State then into Massachusetts via Connecticut. As the day progresses, the skies cleared and the air was crisp and clean. The countryside rolls in gentle hills covered in winter woods. Farms with silo decorated barns in picture book landscapes with peaked roof houses that speak to an earlier age. The Hudson where we cross funnels down this narrow neck of New York State to Manhattan to the south. It seems as soon as we arrive, we leave the Empire State of New York into Danbury Connecticut and on to Hartford exclusive suburbia to our largest metropolis New York City. Upon arrival into Massachusetts we decide to get hopelessly lost and wander highway 20 as it interlaces but never connects with interstate 90. This two hour meander is good for my skill building but is a test of my tolerance and patience as wheel weirdness sets in. I test Ted’s patience and have to apologize the next morning. With knowing acceptance and uncommon patience, Ted shrugs it all off and it all ends in a laugh. He knows how the road can try one’s spirit after a long tour and says the trick is to not let it get me down. I am buoyed by his support and I realize the value of his wise tutelage. We finally located our destination and call it a night which the balance of is spent in road weary silent deep sleep.

Early Wednesday morning December 3rd Westfield Massachusetts

Parked outside the warehouse where we will be unloaded, we begin with the paperwork required to verify our proper rest as demanded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. That done, we walk the truck inspecting for damage ware and tear which with a truck this new is just a formality. With a race against bowel and bladder, we make yard entry and file our papers with the shipping clerk. This brand new facility shines bright as the day beginning. The yard is large open and inviting. While we wait for door assignment and unloading, I maneuver our rig for backup practice without incident. Then finally I back to the dock with assistance from Ted and what I have learned so far, I bump the back of the trailer up to the dock the first time and right on target! With a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, I manage some housekeeping for myself and a sweep out of the trailer after unloading. We will pull this empty trailer to Baldwinsville in North central New York State where we will take on a load of Budweiser bound for SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA!!!!

WESTWARD HO!

We find our way to highway 90 west with an ease missed on arrival. It hints at our good fortune for a bright clear commencement back to our shaky side of America. Leaving Massachusetts, I see an Amish farmer driving a team of horses leading a plow across the earth. I am visually transported back more than a hundred years. I think that farmer, so close to the earth he smells the freshly turned soil is at peace knowing it can be easier, but not any better than this. How simple it must have been when it was the sweat of brow and stretch of sinew that proved a man’s worth to the earth. When that test was all a man was. It was a time harsh and hard but the equations of the day were not open to manipulation. How wise that Amish farmer is to have chosen a freedom of spirit with no more demand than hearth and home or so it seems to a daydreamer like me. I wish I could share how my heart soars at such panoramas. Along the north edge of highway 90 flow the Mohawk River. Creek like in some stretches; it widens and is locked to allow passage by absent vessels who ply its various elevations. In places it is spanned by steel trussed bridges to so many Mayberry communities on its opposite bank. Could life today be as uncomplicated as these vistas? So it goes on mile after mile into New York, the state line does nothing to change the flow and wave of earth here. Even Albany, Utica, and Rochester are right in their place without challenge to their smaller community.

Just short of Buffalo now we have stopped for the night for nourishment of body and refreshment for the coming day. Here in a tidy roadside plaza, Christmas melodies play while I craft this chapter. I know I must get ready, be ready to be in Sacramento by this coming Sunday. I don’t know how long I will be so near home but I know I must be ready to span the country yet again as soon as called. We are planning or hoping to be home a few days prior to Christmas but there are no guarantees. If I miss you, and I surely do, may you be blessed with the comfort of those you love.

MAIL BAG thanks to those who wrote

Nick asked:
Hey Carl,

I think I have already told you that I enjoy your missives and to keep them coming. I am beginning to see a book developing here – sort of a Jack Kerouac (sp) kind of thing.

So tell me, when do you get your own rig? How much more training are you in for? Where does driving lead? - a career or an adventure?

Nick

Hey Nick,

Thanks for your response. At this time, I find it difficult to get online to keep up with my emails. As for the future of this blog, I am thinking of some rewrite ideas which include a Steinbeck type narrative based on this experience which has its share of drama and personalities good and bad.

I can and probably will get my first Owner / Operator Rig in about three months after I finish this phase of training which was to be tomorrow but has been extended due to a less than ideal trainer. The trainer I have now is finally what I should have had all along. Now I have to make up for lost ground and it may take to the end of the month. So the short version is that I could be an OWNER operator by spring. I likely will be able to lease a Volvo VNL670, VNL780 or a Kenworth T2000 which are the standard models offered through a lease program from the trucking company I am training for now. I am now driving a 2009 Volvo 780 which is a top of the line truck from Volvo. It has a system that pulls the particulates out of the exhaust and burns them at over 3000 degrees. It also has a feature that will keep the cab at a constant preset temperature regardless of outside temperature for as long as it takes to burn 200 gallons of fuel at about 4 gallons per 24 to 28 hours. It works like a thermostat that starts the engine but only runs it long enough to maintain that interior temperature.

Right now I can only say that this is an adventure I hope will end up in a career that starts at roughly $50K and double that as an owner operator. My trainer has been an owner operator since last march and pockets pre-tax 8K a month after all overhead. I am in it to generate the income I have struggled to achieve and will likely exceed what I made in the broadcast business and the adventure.

Chris Comments:

Carl,
I say, keep writing, I love it! I hope you are keeping all of this because it WILL make for a very interesting book. In fact, when you make it on Oprah, I want a ticket for the front row
Thanks for reading and the feed back…Oprah? Hummm…

Jan writes:

Thought I would get a few lines off to you as I am waiting for Mom to come over. We do enjoy your 'sagas'. Makes me want to get out and see the country first hand. I cannot tell you how relieved I am that you have a new trainer! I know you have a lot of catching up to do but I don't know anyone more diligent than you to make it happen. I would think that the company would extend your training period as you didn't get any really from Jose. Please continue to keep us posted on your travels and training and you be careful and take good care of yourself. I think Gunther (Jan’s kitty and my best bud ) is feeling lost without you!
Love and hugs Jan

Jan,

Thanks so much for the kind words of support. Ted my current trainer and I have a lot in common in life experience and motivations. In these few short days so far, we have been tested by harsh winter weather and have come through it so far as good friends and I am learning what I missed. WHAT A CHANGE!!!!! Please share my thoughts with John and the rest of the clan. I believe I can have an extra week or two with Ted. Because he is also an area resident, we can take leave, and pickup training without geographic complications. Please slip Gunther a bit of catnip and say it is from me. Is he still being pestered by his younger more energetic rival?

Carl

Thursday 4 December 2008
I80 Exit 139 Amherst Ohio
12:15pm PST

We arrived back to another roadside plaza rest stop for nourishment, a shower and laundry. The weather today is cold and grey but we have missed the forecast lake effect snow off Lakes Ontario and Erie. We are at this moment just west of Cleveland where we discovered that someone had stolen the plate off our trailer. We discovered this when we were pulled over by Cleveland Police for crossing a bridge that is banned to truck traffic. We were told that they were just giving warnings until last week. Ted at the wheel is baffled. How were we supposed to know as there was no obvious signage? The ticket bail is $170 but is not considered a moving violation and carries no point penalty. There is a slight change in plan as we are heading back to home turf. Ted arranged it so that we might drop the trailer in Stockton when we get there Saturday or Sunday. I do not know at this time if there will be any local down time.

Friday 5 December 2008
I80 W Exit Kimball Nebraska
7:30 pm PST

Near Gary Indiana I began my turn at the wheel on I80 West bound 510 miles to just South of Omaha Nebraska. Along the way we stopped at Walcott Iowa to visit the world’s largest truck stop at exit 284. The parking lot was jammed with more than 300 parked semis. The lot was more skating rink than asphalt. Temperature was 16 degrees which is to say that it was COLD…very cold! Truck stop on steroids, need I say more? First morning light rose in my rear view mirror, Des Moines ahead approached with the new day. In my minds ear, I could hear Bugler’s Holiday as I heard many years ago over my morning cereal and cartoons. Child like I beheld a fresh sugar dusted city under a crisp blue sky. A scene I last remember when I lived where winter snow was common. Memories refreshed I feel new again and as Des Moines slips away to the east, my time at the wheel ends past the state line into Nebraska just southwest of Omaha. When I reached the end of my tour, Ted and I trained on backing and parking which I did well at until I just ran out of steam. We left after a couple hours with Ted at the wheel and me in the bunk where I slept soundly to Kimble Nebraska just about 20 miles short of the Wyoming State line. Ted’s time at the wheel has spanned nearly all of Nebraska. I am writing this in Kimble while Ted is taking a two hour nap in the bunk. When revived, Ted drives us across the state line into Laramie Wyoming. Ted is a great person to train with but his smoking is finally causing me a sore throat and my very own version of his cough. Ted spends about an hour each morning trying to gag and wheeze his lungs inside out.

Friday 6 December 2008
I80 W Laramie Wyoming
1 am PST

The start of this tour as Laramie, falls behind me is remarkable for the freezing blowing wind. A sign warns against empty trailers, indeed, I pass a big rig laid on its side by a powerful gust. The road in inky blackness seems to float alone mid-air with nothing in view beyond behind or on either side as I crab the wheel hard against the wind. It is so remote and dark here that I have no real evidence that anything beyond my truck exists. Riding on diesel, faith and caffeine I surge into the void. I have full command and responsibility to safely guide us through the night, Ted is sound asleep in the bunk. To stimulate my mind, I tune the satellite radio to all the news and information I can get. This is real spaceship kind of stuff; Satellite Radio, CD AM/FM GPS and Qualcom which is satellite based text messaging used to communicate with HQ in Salt Lake City Utah. There is very little visual input until the first faint glow of sunrise in my rear view mirror. A new day near Rock Springs Wyoming is best characterized as surreal. The landscape has giant melted sand castle sculptures designed in nature they line the highway on either side. The words to Roundabout a song by the group “Yes” come to mind; “Mountains come out of the sky, they stand there.” Some singular rocks the size scale and mass of the Great Sphinx of Giza hover above perched high on pedestals of wind worn sand rock ready to give in to gravity. In ice blue light, everything is covered in a layer of snow. The roads are dry and ice free but the shoulders, are slicked in waiting for careless wind blown wandering. By Rock Springs, it is light enough to see detail inside and out. I feel re-energized on this second consecutive dawn behind the wheel. Snow on the ground and a breaking sky foretell a fair weather day. Another state line passes and I am in Utah. Portions of the road require me to labor the truck against gravity as I climb then descend. The greatest risk is to lose speed control on steep downgrades. The truck must be set for downhill grades just prior to reaching the decline. A missed gear will not be forgiven and control will yield to gravity. An hour past the state line, Ted awakes to take his position in the passenger seat. Suddenly, we are in Salt Lake while Ted in frustration, is on his cell phone trying to manage the balance of his life. Outside Salt Lake City anchors an open vast landscape in distorted scale. It is hard to tell how distant a mountain is because there is nothing to make size or distance comparisons to. Apollo astronauts, afoot on the surface of the moon reported similar distortions which occurred for the same reasons. We round the Great Salt Lake climb one long steep grade and down the back side, we are in the salt flats. Highway 80 becomes arrow straight and flat to Wendover 40 miles distant. Another state line and we have arrived in Nevada the frost of the past days warms just enough to ease the chill and keep the ice away. My time expires as we come to Wells Nevada 60 miles into Nevada and Ted takes the wheel to Mills where I am writing this portion. It appears that we will stay the night and our plans for Stockton are uncertain at this time.

Sunday 7 December 2008
Stockton, California
8 pm PST

We made our way today back home with permission to drop our trailer in Stockton to pick up another bound for Washington State. Unfortunately we are just passing through and will be outbound before sun rise tomorrow. The hoped for personal time and a quick visit home and perhaps a night in my own bed has vanished. Such is my current lot in this phase of my training. I have relinquished most my personal freedoms and control because I exist as an alien in someone else’s domain. In a normal work relationship, this would not be an issue as the workday has an end but here my every movement is subject to review and commentary at all times. My greatest challenge is to maintain peace and personal temperament within this environment but I am only human and frustrated at my current fortune. Tempered by the belief that soon this will be past and I will be back in control of my daily routine in a space I can call my own weather that is in a truck or elsewhere is where I hang my hopes for the time being. I did manage to beg a ride to my friend Janet’s home. John, Jan’s husband drove out to where we are parked and thus saved me for a few short hours. I am truly blessed by the comfort of their home, a meal and their love. John and Jan you are my candle in the dark that no thanks from me can measure. I am fortunate to have you as the dear friends you are. It is in their home as I write this that I must soon depart.

Monday 8 December 2008
Stockton, California
8 pm PST

This morning, our load which I was told would be ready at 3AM is not. Without going into hits runs and errors, we do not get our load until 10AM. I am behind the wheel and we make our way north. I have flown over the path we will journey many times but I have never driven farther north than Lake Shasta. The snow capped Mt. Shasta framed by the community of Dunsmuir is a mystic vision that seems to float on clouds that rim its base. The sky is crystalline blue smeared here and there with a few thin orange tinted clouds that reflect the late afternoon autumn sun. Onward to Weed a high mountain plain where horse and cattle graze on dry grasses is timeless. We pass whimsical sculptures of a giant steer then later about 15 miles down the road, a steel dragon takes notice of passing traffic. Although the scenery intrigues me, I am busy, very busy with truck gravity dynamics. Watching the tachometer, speedometer and gear positions I work the cruise control, engine break, (also known as a “Jake Brake“) service break, clutch, throttle and steering against the rising and falling earth. Ted in bunk is unaware of my efforts but this is old stuff to him. To me it is all I can do to maintain the balance of machine and planet working one against the other the goal to safely deliver ourselves and our load. I am getting good at this but not so good that every moment is vital. I must be focused on safe progress as I scan for the yellow signs that in a car have only suggestive input to safe progress. These signs, and the information they convey to this truck driver and nearly eighty thousand pounds of cargo and machine, warn of deadly consequence if not heeded. Knowing that, I focus all my attention in search of them in symphony with everything else I must monitor. Oh yeah, it’s beautiful outside my windows and I am in awe but sharply focused on the task. About an hour after crossing into Oregon, twilight gives into night. I am off duty at mile marker 119 near Roseburg Oregon.

Wednesday 10 December 2008
Missoula, Montana
250 am PST

I just finished my shift at the wheel which started in Auburn Washington, to Missoula Montana. We are on our way to Michigan with a load of frozen corn which we picked up in Ellensburg Washington. We had some problems with the load in that the weight of the load had to be balanced and when sliding the trailer tandems they would stick. We managed after a time to get things squared away. All this is fairly mundane day to day trucking stuff which does not make for exciting literature I know. The drama of this part of my tour was crossing the mountains of Idaho into Montana. As I have described, mountain driving is where skills get tested. On this stretch, I also had snow and road icing. I managed just fine and welcomed my bunk at the end. We parked in Missoula and as I write this most of Montana has passed with me asleep in the bunk. I don’t even know exactly where we are at the moment but with exception of our entry to Michigan, I have been over this entire road. As it is getting near time for my turn at the road, at 5pm pacific time, I say bye for now.

Friday 12 December 2008
Lake Odessa, Michigan
200 am PST

We arrived about two hours ago in Lake Odessa Michigan. I will not be able to provide much detail as this has been a marathon run tight on time and requiring drive to be without much in the way of side shows or stops. My tours were all grave shifts but I was able to get some view as the moon is near full and provides a dim but adequate night light filtered by a layer of thin overcast. I drove from Beach North Dakota which is just three miles past the Montana state line to the suburbs of Minneapolis, St. Paul in Minnesota just about 25 miles short of the Wisconsin state line. Then back into the bunk until the last 100 miles of this journey into Lake Odessa. By moon light, North Dakota swept by snow crusted open gently rolling. Towns are few and far. Sunrise began at the middle of Minnesota where as the sun rose, the sky cleared. Again we have been lucky enough to miss any harsh weather. There was a cold storm that hit the south in areas where snow is so rare, they lack equipment to remove it. The last thing I remember is the bright sunny day it promised to be as we entered Wisconsin. While I slept, we passed through Chicago. I awoke in Michigan to finish the last leg of the trip. Along the way, by moon light, we left the major highways at Battle Creek home to Kellogg cereals. Route 66 wound along country roads dotted with farm land and structures that seem to have stood here for much of the past century. Currier and Ives would have recognized the land as suitable for a winter holiday landscape.

Lake Odessa

Upon arrival aided by escort from a friendly local we parked at our drop point for our 10 am Eastern Time appointment tomorrow morning. Having been cooped up in this truck, I went for a walk. The neighborhood side walks here are covered in snow and my feet crunch with each step. Ice hangs in long spears from the edge of every snow dusted roof. The smell of a warm fireplace is everywhere but Lake Odessa does not stir from its winter night sleep. The houses here, many Victorian, are from a past era with tall peaked roofs, brick chimneys, and gingerbread decoration. Some roofs are barn like, I don’t know the proper name of such but it is how the classic American barn roof is shaped. I walked the main street of town with its train track and granary at one end, lined with old store fronts but with a polish. It is as if I am not in an old town, but I am back in time when this settlement was near its founding. If I were to build a winter model railroad rural community it would look just like this. The cold stiffens my face and burns my ears. Wind chill limits this venture to just about an hour but in that time; I have discovered a classic American farm town fast asleep.

Friday 12 December 2008
Battle Creek, Michigan
1000 am PST

Hours after arrival, we are still near Lake Odessa, in Battle Creek waiting for word of our next load. We had such a mad dash to deliver this load that we are near time violations in our log books so we have to take some time off to gain back enough time for another mad dash if necessary. We keep a log of how we spend all our time. We log “off duty” “sleeper berth” “driving” and on duty, not driving. We are only allowed to drive 11 hours in any 14 hour period which must be followed by 10 hours in the sleeper berth or off duty. We are only allowed 70 hours on duty in any seven day period. Keeping track of all this and working the log times so has to optimize our duty time is a real boring subject for this journal. So as we drove back to Battle Creek I could see the country side in light of day. I am beginning to think that America is a real big place even though I cross it in only three days. There is so much I don’t know about this land and as I search for some unifying truth or evidence that we have yet to destroy this country. It occurs to me that preservation is complicated and there is a lot that is not obvious to a passing trucker. In the mean time, I take advantage of the off time to get a shower and do laundry. I hope that we can start back west or south at least. It is beautiful here, but the threat of snow and ice and how it may impede us is worrisome. I do not look forward to putting chains on this monster truck.

Ted

I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about Ted my new trainer. He is a gifted person with patience and understanding. But the dynamic of two guys in close quarters for extended periods can’t be anything but a challenge. Still, Ted is a saint. I don’t think I could do much better except if I could talk him into giving up smoking. All my clothes smell like smoke and I often wake with a sore throat and cough just like Ted. I understand substance abuse and addiction and that tempers my attitude towards smoking. Ted is in true denial, a classic tobacco addict. I can sum our relationship in which I told Ted how much I appreciate having him as my trainer but, I said,”You’re still an a**hole” Yes, we both laughed. That sums up how we get along. His smoking bugs me, my whining bugs him but we get past it with humor and friendship intact.

Texas Bound

Saturday 13 December 2008
Mt. Vernon, Illinois
4PM PST

Today we left Battle Creek Michigan to pick up our load in Ohio. I am the designated driver today and as my training is advancing, I have planned the entire route, made contact with the shipper, and dropped the empty trailer. I then hooked the next trailer which was already loaded with 42 thousand pounds of Dannon products heading for Forth Worth Texas. We pulled off at Mt. Vernon Illinois where there are about five major truck stops, and a Wal-Mart. I take advantage of the location to re-supply my personal larder of fresh fruit and non-perishable food. We are at a truck stop called “Huck’s” and there is free WIFI. I know this installment is lacking, but that is the nature of this particular tour. We are trying to get loads that will eventually route us back home by the 23rd of December. I hope to be home a few days then back on the road to finish the last of my training. I will end up in Salt Lake City for a final battery of tests and if all goes well, I will be assigned my own tractor. I hope to have all this completed by the New Year. Tomorrow we leave for the final leg and will be in Fort Worth Texas sometime tomorrow. It has been cold and snowy here and I look forward to warmer environments by staying in the southern states for a few days.

Saturday 13 December 2008
Texarkana, Texas
1230 PM PST

Today I started driving just past the Texas, Arkansas state line at Texarkana Texas for a total 214 miles to our delivery point. I have spent most the day since leaving Mt. Vernon Illinois in the sleeper bunk. I did emerge for lunch at Gurdon Arkansas. The Southfork Restaurant and Truck Stop there has a dirt parking lot and the weather is pleasantly warm, with a little wind and rain. A welcome change from where we were. The area is rustic and rural. When I took a seat in the restaurant and had time to observe the patrons and staff, I felt like I was on the set of “Hee Haw”. Our waitress, Terry a very attractive young lady spoke with a country draw as did a couple of “good ole boys” who were hoot’n it up at or with her. It was hard to tell as it all seemed good natured enough. In the spirit of the place, I ordered corn bread and beans, a selection very in tune with the setting. It all amounted to a floor show that were it not true, would have been a parody. It was real enough to be beyond belief but there it was. The interior was made up to look like the inside of a barn and could have been at one time. Corrugated sheet metal trimmed the walls except one wall was covered in a giant painted American flag. A Jeff Foxworthy monologue (you could be a redneck…) played on a sound system which was an accent adding to the humor of the place. I don’t think the Southfork Restaurant could have been more “Arkansas” in character. A scene more Dog Patch than Lil’ Abner!

Saturday 13 December 2008
Fort Worth, Texas
11 PM PST

It is past midnight here in Fort Worth, and we are backed up to door #23 at the Vericold storage facility near the famous (so they say) Fort Worth Stock Yards. Upon arrival, as we drew close, Ted was navigating and I was driving. (I’ll leave the U-turn explanation to Ted) Later when I checked the map program on my computer which we did not use, it would have guided us to the last 50 feet. Oh, well, that’s the way I’ll do it when I am through with training. Tonight, my victory is that I maneuvered the truck into parking by backing in, then later, putting the trailer up to the loading dock then re-parked without assistance. This may not sound like much but the one thing more challenging than mountain driving, is backing a 53 foot trailer with accuracy. When learning how to back a 53 ft. trailer, what that trailer does and when it does it is not directly reactive to steering inputs. The amount of correction and the direction the trailer goes is not evident until more than a few feet after any steering input. It takes a lot of backing to get the knack. I am far from mastering this skill, but I am getting close. Unlike the immediate danger related to mountain driving, lot maneuvering, backing and parking can be done slowly. A sign on my trailer says G.O.A.L. which means to GET OUT AND LOOK. Consider any movement with the care of a chess move and you can’t go wrong. Over confidence, speed, failing to check mirrors and GOAL is the difference from satisfaction and disgrace. When I scraped the trailer against another in Hershey Nebraska, I was very green and my trainer who was seated in the passenger seat should have helped me avoid that incursion. That is a measure of how far I have come since then and it is very satisfying!

934 AM PST 25 November 2008 Fort Worth Texas

Or so it seems. This time and date reflect the last time I was here and sent that journal entry. This morning I am sitting at the very table from where that entry was sent 20 days ago. How glad I am to now be with a new trainer and how the overall mood of this ordeal has lifted.

657 AM PST 15 December 2008 Fort Worth Texas

It looks like we may have some down time here as word is that loads leaving Fort Worth are few. We had breakfast with another driver who arrived yesterday and has no prospect of leaving soon. About the weather, when we arrived here last night it was warm, almost muggy shirt sleeve weather real nice. This morning, a wicked blowing wind and overcast casts a chill not unlike that experienced further north only yesterday. The only difference is that there is no snow or ice…so far.

BULLETIN: BREAKING NEWS 23 HOUR MARATHON TO LOS ANGELES VIA PHOENIX

This just in…..we have been advised that we have a new load. We will be “re-powering” a load already in route. This means that the tractor pulling that trailer has some unknown problem and the trailer needs to be transferred to a new tractor. What ever was wrong has already put that trailer behind schedule. When we hook to that trailer, we will have 23 hours to deliver a part of that load into Phoenix and the other half is to be delivered in Los Angeles. So the next day will be difficult. From this writing, we have about two hours to meet and hook up to the new load. Wish us luck

4:00PM PST 17 December 2008 Los Angeles, California

Racing Mother Nature

We are running hot! 1,418 miles; from Fort Worth Texas we arrive in L.A. on the edge of Los Angeles International Airport at A1 Cold Storage. We arrived just barely ahead of a cold front that followed us from Texas. Fort Worth was left behind yesterday just before noon. Ted was at the wheel while I sleep and Texas slides away at a steady sixty-five miles an hour. We changed at Demming New Mexico in a dirty dusty empty parking lot in the darkest moment of this night. A local cop in a Dodge Charger patrol car shines his light for trespassers across the street but he ignores us as he continues his search. With one stop on the way to California, I drove to Tolleson Arizona, just west of Phoenix. On the way, via interstate 10, I pass Tucson then Eloy into fog! FOG?!! This is Arizona, there’s no fog in Arizona! Seventy seven miles later I made my first and only stop in Tolleson. It only took a couple hours to get back on the road after some pallets of catfish fillet were pulled off our trailer. The rest of our load of fillets will be dropped in L.A. and continue on a plane to Hawaii. Now it is raining in Arizona, where it rarely does but it is a warm comforting light sprinkle. I continued driving west on I-10 as the sprinkle becomes a steady driving rain. It is so cold outside, that as I wipe the condensation from my window it smears into a thin frosty coating of ice. On to Banning, California where my clock ran out just after noon PST, this was my longest tour of duty time but my mileage was only 611 from Western New Mexico to Banning California. Southern California welcomed us with flurries of wet sticky snow. Palm Springs, a world famous snowbird refuse is now smothered in a winter white blanket of snow. As we fight the traffic, a wet slush sticks to everything. We descend into San Bernardino as we leave the snow behind for a steady rain that drizzles as we arrive at our drop.

A1 Cold Storage is a cramped warehouse tightly wedged into a neighborhood of warehouses that serve LAX. As I maneuver the trailer to the dock, I have about half the usual room as I squeeze this rig among the nice parked cars forward and back until I finally have dock, trailer and tractor aligned. I feel accomplished as the trailer bumps the dock, and unloading begins. While sitting in the cab listening to local radio KNX 1070, we learn that all routes out of L.A. are closed due to snow. We are trapped but it is just as good because this business is about to get real complicated.

A message from Utah says another trailer of fish leaving San Diego is meeting us where we are. This tiny parking lot is not large enough for two big rigs to do the dance it will take to exchange trailers. We arrange to meet that load in Fontana where there is a company yard, showers, laundry and a driver’s lounge. In L.A. rush hour traffic, (need I say more?) we head back east on I-10 63 miles to Fontana where we wait… Sometime in the middle of the night, our San Diego rendezvous drops his trailer in the same lot. The next morning all roads out of L.A. are still blocked. We sit another day and night. When we finally hook up, and weigh our load it is nearly one thousand pounds overweight. We arrange to have the load lightened at another warehouse in East L.A. Long story short… it takes most the day but it is enough time for the passes to open so we can finally leave Los Angeles.

December 20th Caught by Mother Nature

We are Northbound for Sumner Washington. At Button Willow, just north of Bakersfield on I-5, I am at the wheel again. It is good to be in comfortable surroundings. This land is known, familiar to me. As I pass through Stockton, I am thinking of all my friends and family, all of you who read this. Then there is the drive through the Siskiyou Mountains, from Redding into Oregon. Last time I drove this, December 8th, it was late in the day and the weather was clear. This time, I begin the climb after midnight. As you have read here before, mountain driving a big rig is serious business. This load is as heavy as we can legally be and the roads are icy. Near the summit I weave in and out of snow clearing equipment at a crawl to finally end this tour at Medford Oregon for a total of 561 miles at the wheel. I am spent…exhausted and ready for my turn in the bunk. Ted manages 254 miles to Aurora Oregon where this run prematurely ends. As I rub the sleep from my eyes, it looks like snow, lots of snow. We check the weather and this is where Mother Nature finally catches us. I knew all along that this time would come. If we are to continue, we will have to chain up. We check the weather reports and are advised of 50 mile per hour winds, blizzard conditions with white outs. A cold front Westbound from the plains dives under a warm tropical layer Eastbound from the Pacific. This is a perfect scenario for a heavy icy winter storm. We decide to park now or regret it later. A powdery snow quickly smothers the local earth. Local radio and television stations are on storm watch.

December 21st

This morning in casual conversation with the manager of the restaurant here, I comment; “So this is just another day to you locals, huh?” She answers that the last time there was a storm like this was thirty years ago. Oh wonderful, I get to experience weather history first hand. Later, I chained the rig mostly by myself with Ted contributing commentary. This is Ted’s first time chaining up also. I fixed a set of chains on the drive axles and another set on the trailer. I am surprised how easy it was, and now I know I am ready for my training to conclude, after a total of more than 22-thousand miles since November 11th, I am ready for the next and final step to graduation and the freedom of my own set of wheels.

REPOWER

All chained and nowhere to go… as we decide to head for Washington state, the weather eases only slightly. The winter threat is still against us but we can not just sit here and watch time pass. With the confidence of accomplishments to date, I can accept the challenge. A small voice still lacks that same confidence but transport is what we do, that is the job, the J.O.B. so we must go. With less than a mile on the road, a message beeps into the Qualcom from Utah…; “Stay put, we have another rig coming to hook your load, take his empty to Stayton Oregon, 37 miles south tomorrow then on to Stockton California. This is known in the trucking business as a “repower” where with any luck we may arrive home by the 23rd. Yeah, we could have pulled it off, the trek to Sumner Washington but with all the misdirection of this load, some I have left out of this journal, if I can ever avoid another fish load, I will. This run has been the most screwed up mess I could have imagined. I am so happy that somebody else is swimming our fish to Sumner Washington! With all the confusion, this load of fish should have arrived four days ago and may be refused, but we are free of that issue. I’ll take this as an early Christmas gift and with luck get a few days home for Christmas.

December 22nd

One last night in the TA truck plaza in Aurora Oregon then I drive this chained rig an agonizing 20 miles per hour in the snow and ice to Slayton to pick up our Stockton bound load. The trip with Ted’s navigation (which was…well ‘nuff said) took two and a half hours. Then finally homeward bound, we find our way to I-5 south. The sun sets just as we run out of snow and ice. We remove the chains and stop in Phoenix Oregon where we learn that I-5 south is blocked by two jack knifed rigs. One more night in one more truck stop and finally with clear roads, we are on our way.

December 23rd

We arrived at 4:00 PM John once again arrived to bring us the final few miles and as I write this I am sitting at Janet’s table. I love and miss you all and hope to be able to at least phone before the final part of this journey. From here, I will re-join my trainer on the 30th. We will be assigned loads designed towards Salt Lake City Utah where I will have a final session of class work, a written and driving test. My trainer and I will part company and I will be assigned a truck of my own. From there, I will probably be back on the road for another month before I return home.

To my readers, I thank you for following along and welcome any final comments or anything you would like to share. I do not know what form this journal make take from here but I still intend to document my journeys. I hope to have sufficient material at some point to edit it into some form as yet undecided. I would like to hear if you would like to be included along with any input you may wish to share. Again I thank you all, and wish each of you peace, happiness, comfort and joy of this Christmas.

This item in the mailbag from Nick: “
Nick
Weather fronts move from west to east. Let don’t go east to west – never have, never will.

What I wrote:

“A cold front Westbound from the plains dives under a warm tropical layer Eastbound from the Pacific. This is a perfect scenario for a heavy icy winter storm.”

I remember my interpolation of what I heard on the Weather Channel was that the cold front was westbound which is impossible. I do stand corrected. Mr. Coriolis was very specific about how weather patterns move: West to East, in the Northern Hemisphere.
As for “never have, never will”: The Coriolis effect is reversed south of the equator so that weather does travel East to West in the Southern Hemisphere. Correctly stated I should have said:

“A warm, moist tropical front Eastbound from the Pacific, moved on top of an existing cold layer to produce a perfect scenario for a heavy icy winter storm.”

My apologies go out to Mr. Coriolis and his effect which is a mathematical fact and to the Weather Channel for misstating their report. Thanks to Nick for catching my mistake! Here is a link if you would like to better understand the Coriolis effect - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect

Seeking America via Semi Truck

Friday, March 19, 2010

America - Simon and Garfunkel

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The New Year Starts At The Wheel

Sunday, December 28, 2008