A Noobs Business Plan.... or.... Working harder for less money

I celebrate my 22nd anniversary with my current company this summer. It's been a great gig, employee owned, good benefits and a good salary (85K/year in Idaho). Hell, I even get to work from home a lot of the year. It's a dream gig for most anybody, except that I am completely burned out on it. Have wanted to drive truck (specifically haul cattle), since I was a kid working on the ranch. As my daughter graduates next year, I am considering giving up the cushy desk job and getting in to trucking.
To that end, I got my CDL (no school), bought an old Freightliner and set up an LLC. I also got my DOT number assigned, but stopped short of getting my own authority due to insurance costs. I plan to run exempt cargo (livestock) intrastate and within my 100 mile radius on a part time basis for now to determine if I really want to go this route.
I already know I'm a fool for planning to work harder for less money, but I have to say that driving back from picking up my truck this weekend was the most fun I've had in years. Even busting knuckles to fix air leaks has been enjoyable.
From reading lots of posts here, it seems clear that if I were to quit, even in say 2 years, that that part time experience is not going to count with a carrier to get hired. I also know that I need some time hauling vans/reefer before anybody is likely to pick me up to haul livestock.
So, when everyone is done calling me an idiot for thinking like this, I'd greatly value any advice or input you might have on the situation.

Cheers!
JD

 

Thanks RD... I guess nobody specifically said that, it is just what I gleaned from reading a lot of the "self taught" driver posts. I figure to stay at my present job for 2 more years, and haul locally when I can. I know enough of the producers in the area to maybe pick up some loads hauling to summer pasture and back, hauling hay and maybe moving some roping steers for another guy. My "experience" will not be full time, so that is why I figured I have to haul vans for a while before the big boys would give me a shot.

 

I hear ya.... I've got a fair amount of cow savvy, but not much when it comes to feeders except riding feedlot a few times out in Colorado when I was in school... I guess I'd be jumpy too being in such tight quarters all the time..
90's old. Its a 99 Century FLC112 with the flattop sleeper. 370hp Cummins M11, 10 speed. 700K on the engine, new transmission and clutch, new tires around and new ECM. It was a used truck we bought about 5 years ago as backup truck at the company I work for. It was rarely used, but the last go-round it had transmission trouble and thus all of the work was done. We bought another new Kenworth to have in the fleet, so this one got liquidated.

 

For sure.... Its certainly not ideal, but the price was right and I know some of the history, so it will do for now. If it all works out, I should be able to get my money out if it when the time comes to upgrade