50+ yr old Husb + Wife want to form a team. Advice welcome.

Hello and Welcome. remember that not all states are gun friendly and have Mag limits there.

 

my trainer was surprised at how well I did straight-line backing a few days ago. local CC had us blind-side/alley & parallel park at the local TSs, so I figure I'll get my docking time once I'm on my own.

 

Remember to compenstate for the slope causing your trailer to come out of straight towards the low side of the land it's rolling on. Get under it with your wheel just a smidgen and she will straighen up nicely.

 

I always try to minimize my angles.... and avoid blindside backing for the first year or so...until your equipment becomes an extension of your body. never guess and get the heck out and look!

 

If you ever get to Dumas Texas to the old Meat Plant there and are told to back around, past, behind and in front of 8 rail cars on 6 tracks all at the same time with all the angles possible at the same time, you will be a champeen. OR have a headache. =)

 

Jesus man, you're trying get to scare the crap out of these two...A little over-dramatic don't you think?

 

My best advice as a team driver for 5 years (with my wife) is invest in a set of walkie talkies so when you are helping eachother back up you don't have to use hand signals and all that BS. It saves us a lot of headaches. Also, be aware that even best friends need alone time and there is not much of that when you live in the sleeper of a truck.

 

No I was a husband and wife team. Wife suggested we stop in Larime walmart in WY once a month buy all the food and fluids we need for two people one month. No more truckstop 30 dollar meals. several times a day. That had to stop.

It also takes too much time to park, go eat and get out of a truckstop. We were too important as a team that never stops in a truckstop except for the occasional fuel and shower.

There is no scaring involved. We just did it for almost a year. And I think we saved some money to boot. Cooking on the move or getting stranded a few days in a ferocious storm was actually pleasent because we did not want for anything. All was there ready.

If I REALLY wanted to scare... I'll dig up some battle stories from LA Skid row, Hunts Point and other locations and start writing. There are days I thank god Im still here and so is wife. With all our parts.

 

I've been driving team going on six years now with my wife and have never seen someone cut in half on the side of the road. Just saying you didn't need to include all that crap describing life on the road to someone looking to get into the industry. It's NOT typical.

 

It is a very real issue for some, I know I have seen my share of fatalities over the years it's a definite inevitability (what a scrabble word that would be!)
Of course the above description was a little more graphic than I would have preferred, darn sure got the point across!