First time going solo OTR, im afraid.

That first time you see a full moon rising over a snow capped mountain, or a bald eagle sitting in a tree, or a heard of elk or antelope, you'll wonder why you didn't start doing it sooner.

I spent 30 years sitting behind a desk before getting my CDL. Made a lot of money but hated it most of the time. Driving has been great and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

For me I just finished Cabbage (Eastern Oregon on I-84, a foot of snow on the ground and piling higher in the increasingly more intense winter storm that we were trying to out run after getting explict orders from dispatch to GTFO of Oregon east now and you decide how far but don't stop until Wyoming...

(Now there is a phrase...)

Coming off Cabbage shes dancing a bit too much. Its all I can do to manhandle her with both fists into submission. But she was a loco bronco until like Odgen. Here I am with 50 trucks playing monkey see, monkey copy, monkey do my every move at 15 mph on lockers and the temperature had falling down past 31.

Some in the convoy behind me had no experience with winter. So it became class is now in session. Watch what I do and copy it until you learn.

It was glorious. Everyone did well. But that particular storm was bad. By Wyoming it was piling closer to two feet, the drives were breaking loose when too much power on RPM was being applied until Fort Bridger after a nap. I am sorry I took that nap but it was necessary. Next stop was lincoln NE.

What a trip trying to out run mother nature.

 

Can't imagine what you women have to go through. I'd say 90% of drivers at the truckstop don't care/notice but that last 10%?

Situational awareness. Always be aware of what's around you, learn to use your ears as well as your eyes. Check your six. Don't be afraid to take the "scenic route" if you think you're being followed and there's a hundred trucks don't lead him back to yours.

Women drivers are so rare that once the curtain is closed most people would assume there's a sweaty, hairy, 300# guy in there (wearing flip flops of course.) so there's that, but a tip someone taught me is you can loop a seatbelt through the door handles so the doors can't be fully opened. Also if you're in a rough spot, use the top bunk, people not only bang on the sleeper but they know your head is right there. In fact there were a few homicides when I started guys just shot up the sleeper, I've considered putting a Kevlar pad in the wall by my bunk but I don't go to unfamiliar places often anymore.

 

...and the fun SIGNS are a blast, IMHO~!! I spent 10 years in and out of IT, before the overseas world took it over. Been CDL'ing since the '80's, and always end up back here, too!

Roadsign; makes you think, haha!!

 

I don't go to unfamiliar places anymore, either. BUT when I did, about 10 or plus years ago, and the wife was with...Super Solo fun~! So, when she was in the driver seat, and I'd be in S/B just goofing around, you should SEE some of the unwanted attention she got, pulling up at the pumps or whatnot. I stayed 'hidden' for most intents and purposes. Mostly just catcalls and such, but.. still. Never DID let her go solo, btw~!

 

Mine was a marine sgt. Accustomed to giving orders.

Leave her alone to the truck kinda and hide in sleeper to evaluate her performance when she thinks I am asleep.

There were moments I did not recognize her dealing with the riff raff. Its fortunate I trained her on hookers before we ran into them for our sake. Sometimes I wonder... Come up to me and say hey babe need a company?

Tell em no thank you, wife yonder heard and saw you. Poof they run off. They know darn well whats up.

One hooker in Skid Row was particularly dangerous. She stood on my boots and dealt with me like a man. At that point i knew she was armed, at least a blade. And we worked it out. A compromise was quickly reached. She was hungry so a meal plus 10.00 for keeping riff raff away from truck and trailer a while while resting on my fuel tank at catwalk where no one will bother her a while.

Not too many people as lean and fit as she was could sleep on a steel grate.

She did good. Got her money, meal and shoo'ed when I told her we're out of here shoo.

Sometimes I get chills from danger thinking about her even today. What kind of life did she live to turn into almost a predator herself.

 

Last paragraph.... got my wife ALL the time. She felt SO sorry for the women of the night. We actually got Bible tracts that she'd hand out. Last go'around w/Bible tracts from the trucker world, John (@TROOPER to TRUCKER ) sent to us. We sure did share, as we could. Wife's not on the road w/me anymore w/this new (ha, 4plus years) company..daycab and ..yeah, nope...so the opportunities aren't there. When 'we' pulled asphalt, she was like the 5'2" 120# lone ranger trying to 'SAVE THE WORLD' ... as I'm sure you're familiar w/the type (your wife, perhaps?!?!?)

O/P .. let us know how it goes and/or went for you. The sights are amazing...the loneliness and boredom won't even set in for A FEW YEARS... You'll be on your TOES and TINGLY for at LEAST the 1st year, and'or more! Heck; I drive within the STATE mostly, yet EVERY DAY is a new sight/adventure~!

Best of luck to you, all inclusive~!!!

Tomcat

 

OTR ... SUNRISE in Missouri ~ ... one of my favorite pictures. There's a sequence of the rise from my dashcam, but I saved this one. For y'all.

Back to work~!

Tomcat

 

We helped where possible, discreetly. However because of my earlier encounters with parasites in bad places I had burned out on helping anyone.

That has since worn off now that I have been away from the big road enough years to regain a small measure of possibly helping someone here and there in Arkansas. Its not much. We don't have much. But it is a help. And you think we brought them the crown jewels or something from London. Even if its a small help.

But nothing involving money. We got burned 10 years ago or so. But we do help. If it cost us a little something, thats kept quiet between us in those days. Such as burning a little gas giving someone a lift but thats not very common.

Many times I kept both types of cigerettes in trucking. Newports and Malboros bought at indian lands or tax free where legally possible. So that if someone bummed a smoke then use it as a pretext to try and get more etc or create a potentally hostile situation?

We cross that bridge when or if we get there.

I think it was really tuned when there is a million in narcotics in that trailer and we don't stop for nothing for 300 miles after hooking in Memphis. Alot of prey type behavior avoiding predators and keeping quiet about that gosh darn load.

Whatcha got in there?

Air.

Aw come on, really.

Yes Air.

 

@Joy ride .. we got a bit carried away on ya, sorry! (or not?) Being an introvert is a JOY of this job, IMHO. Read above; read on. I guess you gave up your hope(s) of doing local/intrastate/regional, but that's actually good; more avenues will OPEN up when you've put a bit o'time in .. OTR.

@x1Heavy .. I TOTALLY hear you. We STILL help how we can...not financially, but foodwise and otherwise. We are IMHO not well off..we simply own our simpleton pole barn/house on our coupl'a acres. It's ours, paid for, and we love it. I'll elaborate on another thread, we are hijacking, LoL.

O/P... ^^^ see how exciting THIS LIFE (IT'S A LIFE, BTW..) AND PROFESSION, can and will be? You get bored, hit us 'hands up.. we'll keep you interested, haha!

(ps: Last weekend, my niece had to spend $375.00 on a new pump (wells, of course...) and the $125 on installation....I would've done it for free, but they NEEDED water to cook and shower, etc... so she was ravaging her cupboard (safety supplies) for supper on Saturday (she's a librarian and gets paid Sunday p.m. direct.... idky) .. and the wife INSISTED we order pizza's for their family of 4. We did. Wife coupons. ) Now she's laid off, of course.

THE GRATITUDE from their family....was worth the $38.00 ...tip included. (No daddy present, of course...he'd just gotten laid off from .. IDK.) She sent her 2 'almost' teens and her 10 y/o son over, to clean up the yuck/muck in the yard, from the snow melt. HowZAT for helping one another? Amazing.

Again, back to the O/P. Hauling H/V loads is almost like hauling H/H ~ OS/OD/OW.. not going into THAT without the 'experience' and oftentimes a helluva background check.

I have TWIC, HZ, .. actually 'all' endorsements. I've found my niche, intrastate. I get paid for my experience..you can too! Get it, and save it, and learn from it...and ENJOY the scenery.

If someday you end up getting 'PAID' to haul Sailboat Fuel in your van, just accept the load, and CARRY ON, driver~!!

@x1Heavy feel free to correct my mis'speaks..

Tomcat

IT'S DANG TIME for people to come together AND 'join together with the band!'

I'm still waiting at receiver...bumped and ready! (I was early, LoL.)

@Joy ride .. wish you the best; trucking IS a crapshoot right now, DO IT, DO YOU. Best to ya!

LIGHTS GREEN, GOTTA GO~!!