My first load 53 years ago, truckin' has changed, but same B.S.

I have always enjoyed reading this story over the years. Thanks for reposting. I left trucking last year and I sure do miss it!

 

A baptism by fire (so to speak) -- a really fun story!

THNX MUCH -- 4 re-posting!!!!

 

You know, just when I've lost all hope here, as my views and history are so far outdated, I don't even want to comment on anything anymore,,,until now. This story is very typical of anyone over , say, 65, and younger folks may be bored with it. They have no reference, and quite frankly, couldn't make it then. Not to admonish them in any way, just different circumstances. It's odd, I couldn't do their job today either. Things were SO different. Equipment, roads, attitudes, communication, all stated in the story above. For many, me included, it was "trial by fire", you learned quick what worked and what didn't, and most importantly, you LISTENED to your elders, they made life a lot easier, even though it may have been a bit embarrassing, follow their advice, you were in like Flynn. You either sank or swum, there was no school to go to, it was the "School of Hard Knocks", for sure, but a screw up wasn't such a life threatening thing, you made a boo-boo, nobody saw nuttin'. The 2 pics on the upper left were from this trip.
My 1st load,,if I may. Late 70s, Milwaukee Wis,, I was a young punk, early 20s, driving a pickup for city deliveries, and wanted something more. I was looking for adventure, and boy howdy, I found it. I was hanging out at a bar called "The Tracks", one of the female bar tenders said, "my bf just got a new truck, you could ride with him",,,,Big mistake, but I was young and stupid, what's the worst that could happen? My friend, Bill, traded his Astro cabover on a 1977 KW W900, 350, 13, torture bar, single coffin,( think Snowman) he said he leased the truck to a "RRR Trucking", in Laurens Iowa, and he had a loaded reefer waiting for us. We didn't have authority to go around the block,,,off we go on a 60 day temp tag! The lease process took about 3 minutes, me and Bill were trailer trucking to Jax, FL. with a load of packaged pork. Everything that could possibly go wrong on that trip,,,did. I had never driven OTR, and Bill wakes up, "how fast are you going, dude? IDK, 55-60, WELL COME ON,, get on the CB, this truck will do 80 mph, now this ain't some silly city rig, you have to make time! Okay fine,,"Break, break, hows it looking? " green as could be. The only reason anyone came back was because I was in this fancy large car KWhopper. Made it to FL. non-stop, except to change drivers, WHILE MOVING!! dodged every scale, most were closed anyway, spent the weekend in a Jax 76 truckstop, see pictures, very little sleep, then the backhaul,,,,good God, we trip lease a load of oranges from a truckstop blackboard, out of Haines City, going to Des Moines. Got loaded, overloaded, really, but were dodging scales anyway, no time, got to go. How we made it past the agriculture inspection was a miracle. That guy knew what we were doing, but was cool and let us go. I think he liked the truck! Got to remember, this was the day of the cabover IH. It was winter everywhere else, and the trip to Des Moines was pouring rain, then a blizzard, and he had no air dryer, brakes freezing, then the reefer quit. They almost didn't take our load, again, Divine intervention. it was truly the trip from Hell, and after that trip, I said, "Bill, it's been a heck of a ride, but I'm staying close to home", and for the next 35 years and 3.5 million (safe) miles, I never did OTR again. I remember that trip like it was yesterday.
Thanks for listening to an old gear jammer, you know, the whole time I was trucking, I never thought about what it would be like as an old man. I was horribly unprepared and rely on this site to kindle what fading memories I have. Now I am one, seems I upset folks that don't understand, except for a valued few here that were "there", and I suppose there's a peace in that.

 

I always love telling new guys my first truck had an air leak, on the windshield wipers. They really do think I'm messing with them.

 

yup, mash the go pedal and the wipers slowed down. lol.

was fun in a heavy rain in an old Peter car hood. NOT!

 

Um, no, you're thinking of the vacuum wipers cars had. I don't recall ever seeing a diesel semi with vacuum wipers. Older cars used a "dual-action" fuel pump that ran the wipers, and helped that situation. Problem with air wipers was, the wiper motor exhaust was usually under the dash, and since most air compressors used oil, that mess collected under the dash, and of course, the smell,,ahhhh, takes me back,,

 

maybe so... it was a looooong time ago. lol

 

My 55 Chevy pickup has vacuum wipers….

 

to this day, its been 53 years also, give or take a few months. I started in 74` and reading your post brings back many good memories. You know the best part of my years driving was all the truckers driving those cab~overs, Those things were intimidating. i drove one for a very short time. Guy in the shop lifted the cab forward, my soda, logbooks, maps, bill of ladings, every thing went flying onto the windshield. wont never forget that, ha ha ha. I had a great time diving , especially in the 70`s it was a lot of fun. maybe off a few months, i dont know. i dont miss none of this. retirement is the best thing in life, all the way up until, 10 toes up.