Did any of you get butterflies on your first solo?

Tomorow I set out for my first solo run. I tell ya, I have the butterflies! It was pretty comforting having an experienced driver sitting next to me during my training. My biggest fears are probably getting a little lost, winter driving, and making my appointed stops all while keeping within the HOS rules. Did your nervousness ease after your first 1 or 2 trips? Thanks, fletchman

 

I didn't get butterflies, that's for sure...

I had full grown PIGEONS!!

 

A little. Then when I got inspected, I got really nervous. Then when the officer told me I was missing a placard (it had blown out of the holder), I freaked out. Luckily he just gave me a warning when I told him it was my first load by myself.

 

I was like a kid in a candy store, all excited.

Call the customer for directions as part of your pretrip and you shouldn't ever get lost off the interstate. Many have canned voicemail instructions. If you question any routes that Rand doesn't answer, you can ask on here or sometimes I'll look on google maps and see if I can see some truck traffic or signs.

 

Ha, that probably more describes me right now.

 

Oh, and I still get nervous sometimes. I've had several guys tell me that when you stop being a little nervous, it's time to quit.

 

I didn't have butterflies but I had pain and stiffness from the death grip I had on the wheel, along with getting comfortable with lane position. Try to stay relaxed but alert, the tension will wear you out and cause aches and pains. The second week I was strolling along relaxed and much more at ease.

 

For me after the 1st one or 2 years..And I still get butterflies doing back-flips if it's Winter stormin in the Rockies..Still someone said to me starting out when one NEVER feels these things-may be time to think of getting out of the game..I mean,I'm 53 years old and I still stutter around pretty women. (Even the not) so pretty one's. Where the hell was I going with this? I have no idea.

 

Nope I was so ready to go when I got my first trip it was on a route I'd run so much when I was playing in a band I already even knew where I was going and how to get there lol first run a couple of weeks later into the northeast up the GW and cross Bronx alone into a little bitty town in Massachusetts was a whole different story though. But a confidence builder too. Same with the first run 6 months later up 77 in snow so thick you couldn't see the road in WV and at night. That was a real learning experience as well and had the nerves way on edge. But the very first trip? Piece of cake. I got lucky lol but I also had an outstanding trainer who really put me through my paces for 6 weeks and was on his game. He did good and I'm a better driver for it. If you aren't learning something new every day and ever lose that little bit of fear of the things you haven't seen or done yet, or at least the apprehensive respect for what could go wrong that you haven't thought of yet, then it's time to quit

 

i don't remember if i did or not, i was just so happy to be out of the mentors nasty truck i felt like i was walking on air