CDL in hand... Now What ? Decision time, that's what...

Yes it's amazing how simple motion can flip the energy from negative to positive. Heck I only drove 60 miles from Gary to Chicago and back yesterday but I was under assignment with something to do and a nice trip to look forward to. What a different feeling from the day before. I am generally a patient person and perhaps the lesson from this is to use that ability more fully, recognizing that things will change fairly soon.

 

Fun drive today. My orientation buddy didn't make it to Gary by the time I was ready to leave, but another Roehl driver passed me somewhere in Indiana and we knew each other from meeting twice on the slinky circle. We chatted on the CB for a bit and decided to stop for lunch. We were basically on the same route all the way to Virginia, so we played the convoy game. Another driver in a sleek silver ProStar tugging a RGN (removable gooseneck) trailer with an oversize load joined us about halfway through the roughly 450 mile trip. So we had 3 Roehl flatbedders flying in formation across US 35 in Ohio and West Virginia. Channel 17 was the designated chat frequency and the time passed quickly as we waxed philosophical on all manner of subjects.

At one point coming through the north side of Dayton, OH a small 4-wheeler came flying by having obviously just been in an accident. Car parts and smoke were evacuating his vehicle rapidly. A few miles down the road he was on the shoulder and apparently attempting to make a run for it. Wonder what the story was there. One can only guess he was the cause of an accident and was trying to escape his destiny with the law. Amazing what one can see out here in the concrete and asphalt jungle.

Anyway, now at the TA in Hurricane, WV, not too far from Charleston. 200 miles or so left to get to my first stop so I'll take it easy tomorrow and find a truck stop near the Monday morning delivery point.

 

The TA in Hurricane was fairly tight for parking and sort of run down. Next time on this route I might try to stay at the service area along I64/77 near Beckley, WV. Quite a large truck parking area and nice facilities. This photo is taken from the Tamarack arts & crafts / conference center on the hill above the service area. That's my truck in the center with the tarped 48,000 pound load of steel tubing:




And here is the Tamarack center itself.




After a 200 mile run today which included a few challenging hills and at one point a downshift to 6th (!) gear, I am now at the TA in Troutville, VA near Roanoke and 13 miles from tomorrow's first stop.

 

Less than 10k pounds of tubing remain on the deck after today's stops in Roanoke and Richmond. Both deliveries went smoothly.

Now at a rest area off I95 in Laurel, MD, 11 miles from Hanover, the final stop on this load. Delivery is scheduled for 08:30 tomorrow; this to be followed by a ~1 hour drive home and a chance to reflect on the first full month of solo driving.