NEWBIE From AK!

Hey, no problem, hand... I've been going through a weird situation here in my "Home 20" (Coronado, CA), so I've had time to spare. Saw your rig, should be good to go unless you encounter high winds... one time the winds were gusting up to 70 knots in the TX Panhandle, and I was pullin' an empty 53-wagon... made an unintentional lane change when a particularly severe gust hit... fortunately there was no one else around, as I consciously "ride the gap" between vehicles or packs of vehicles, and I said, "To hell with this, I'm jumpin' off at the Armadillo Petro and taking a break!" Wise choice, I went ahead and took a nap there, and the wind had completely died by the time I woke up shortly after midnight. Those Exit Guides are really handy, and you'll find one useful if you do any amount of traveling.

Don't sweat the typing on my end, hand... I hail from a military family (USN, Submariners---I chose the Infantry, go figure, one of my seven brothers served over 20 years in the nuke sub fleet, another brother put in over 20 years in the good ol' USA, Atomic Demolition, my sister-in-law is pushing 20 years as an Army nurse, etc), and offering a few small safety-related tips is the least I can do in lieu of personally shaking your hand and thanking you for your service to this country. I don't necessarily agree with U.S. foreign policy in the Mideast, but the troops aren't the ones making policy decisions, they're just the ones dodging bullets, RPGs, IEDs, and all that other bulls#%#.

Say, you'll want to take a good look at the rubber on your truck and trailer, and check the air pressure in each tire as well... too many citizens hook trailers during the summer without thoroughly checking 'em out, and you see 'em stranded at the side of the road out in the middle of nowhere, trying to swap a spare in the most dangerous possible location. You and your family don't need that... Checking all your lights is also a good idea, including flashers---in fact, I would suggest doing as truck drivers do by walking around your rig every morning and performing a "pre-trip inspection" (lights, rubber, checking for fluid leaks, etc).

Most large truck stops or travel plazas will have little free brochures showing locations nationwide... Petro, T/A, Flying J, Pilot, etc. These places generally have more room than common service stations (most Pilots are smaller than the other truck stop chains), and they offer gasoline as well as diesel... if you don't buy an Exit Guide, at least pick up a few brochures en route so you know where you can conveniently take a break. Between truck stops and rest areas, you should be good to go... if you don't like backing, look for pull-through spots, 10? Good luck, bro.. "Adios!!!"