OH Bound - April 15

Cookies were AWESOME, cadman! Big props on the no-bake front.

 

Day 6: We split up today. 4 of us with Woody on the range; the other 4 went out on the road with Bill. Got to break my pre-trip cherry. A lot of stuff to remember. Then we went out and worked on sight-side parallel and alley dock backing.

Coupla questions for anyone who holds a PA CDL: 1. The PA manual pre-trip requirements look pretty tame compared to all the stuff we're covering here at MTI. I'm definitely trying to do it like here, but what might I expect when I get examined in PA? 2. The PA manual says I need to know how to perform a backward serpentine as part of my backing package, but they don't teach it here because OH doesn't require it. Woody says it's basically two offsets in a row. What I'd like to know is if anyone has had to do this in PA, and if so, what are the dimensions of the serpentine?

We did have one guy drop out of class today. No explanation why. I hope he's OK.

 

Day 7: Woody was off to tend to some personal matters, so Bill kept the road half of the class at the terminal to do range work. This offered some pros and cons. Con: Our half of the class simply repeated the sight-side parallel and alley dock exercises from yesterday. Pro: We got a chance to see how someone else with experience executed them, which enabled us to get a better grasp on the physics of how these rigs respond to human input.

Mary Ann (sorry, I forget whose wife she is [EDIT: it's Gary's wife.]) brought in lunch: Sloppy Joes, meatballs, & and slutty brownies. Really nice to have some home cooking for a change. It was delicious, greatly appreciated by all, and I ate far too much. Skipping dinner to make up for it and to keep my girlish figure. She also brought three of the kids in, they were great. The youngest - only 3 months old - was just the cutest little thing. God bless you guys with families - I don't know how you can bear to stay out on the road with those gems at home.

Another classmate may have to drop out due to a family medical emergency. He had to leave today at lunch and we're not sure he can make it back tomorrow. If not, maybe he can work it out to join the next Millis class in Trenton. Regardless, family always comes first and I hope everything works out for the best.

That fellow's in our half of the class, so that would leave only 3 of us in the group. That said, the 3 of us have really worked great together so far. We help each other out in and around the truck and we all seem to have the ability to comprehend things at the same rate. This despite the fact that at almost 50, I'm an old geezer when compared them - they're both 21 or 22. Works out well - they make fun of my old age and treachery, while I snicker at their youth and enthusiasm.

Um yeah - did I mention how dusty that range can get after a couple days of dry weather and newbies running training wheels all across it? We were really kicking it up today. My hair is thick with it - and it's not even time for my monthly shower yet. Hoping for a bit of rain tonight. Maybe I should go wash my car to make it more of a sure thing...