My FIRST load experience with WS!!!!!

Well to start, turns out I ended up with a Volvo...I loaded my stuff then checked out the vehicle and found the right wiper blade didn't work and it needed an oil change, no problem, called Blue Ridge and they had me in there in an hour...3hrs later I pulled out of there heading back to the terminal to pick up my trailer and load...I was actually thankful for this short drive without the trailer so I could get feel for truck...

The load is going to Warren, MI(any WS reading this that has been there, I'd be much obliged for a heads up on the run, please PM me) but since they offered me home time for Thanksgiving I was routed thru Richmond, KY where I could leave truck, delivery is scheduled for 8:30am Monday morning...My plan is to leave early Sunday so I can park as close as possible for the Monday delivery...

I have to say there was a lot of nervousness and anxiety hooking up my first "real" load knowing I was going to be alone on the road with it...After getting it hooked up, I pulled out of lot and every turn before I got on I-40 seemed so much tighter than they did before LOL...The good part of the little run to the shop was I found out putting it in 4th and 9th was a knuckle bumper on the radio and in my 'nervousness' when I went for 4th(faster than I should have) I really slammed my knuckles and accidentally pulled it out of gear...With a line of people behind me I went into a mini-panic and went gear searching running the speed matches thru my brain...I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't go in gear until almost at the end of the ramp when I realized I didn't flip the switch to high range as I was up to 35mph...Get that done with my heart racing thinking, this isn't a good start, but enter traffic and away I went...

About 50 miles or so I see signs for Black Mountain, this is where we went for out Mountain training, and I start going over the day in my mind as the techniques are not intuitive yet from lack of repetition...I see a sign that says Black Mountain 7m so I figure I have time not realizing that meant to the town, not the 'start' of the hill...I'm going up an incline and with a light load(trailer is full but only 8300lbs, not the 40,000 we used during the training) and found it nice that I didn't even have to downshift, 10th all the way up thinking this is the hill prior to Black Mt until I get to the top and see the mandatory pull off on the opposite side of the road...Lesson learned, light load and heavy load are 2 different animals(duh huh? lol)...Also, since I was running west from 3pm on, the sun was in the worst place so I just left way more room than normal between me and anyone in front of me...It got to the point I couldn't raise the seat any higher and still reach the pedals!

I then wind down thru some really cool hills heading to TN, first scheduled stop is in Dandridge, TN for fuel...Now I'm hoping I don't do anything stupid at the Love's so as not to embarrass myself or WS...All good!...

After that it was smooth cruising until I got to Richmond where I got lost trying to find the terminal...Thankfully the roads and mall I found so I could turn around in were empty...I finally find the terminal and my first thought was "WOW this is small!" and I have to back into a space in the dark...I think I did 4 GOALs to make sure I didn't hit anything but managed to get it where I wanted it...My wife, who also got lost(hehe) showed up about an hour later and we were home bound...I spent that hour trying to figure out how to cancel the Idle Shutdown, got that handled 2 minutes before she pulled in!!!....7hrs in the book!

I'm sorry if this seemed boring but for the first time, it was action packed and exciting, and yes I know, this was nothing, but for me, it was a nice ice breaker that I was excited to get done without hitting or breaking anything!...

I also got calls from no less than 3 other WS drivers asking me how it was going and offering their time and help if needed, I really like this company!

Not to relax with the wife, trip plan for Sunday then expect to be on the road for the next 2-3 weeks!...Oh, the apu on this unit isn't working so I'm going to request a load to Dalton, GA where they can repair it...Other than that and the fact it has that used/lived in feel, I think this truck will suit me for a while, I like the way it drove!...

Thanx to all the WS brethren that offered their experience and aid, you all rock!...Don't forget, if you've been to Warren, MI, please hit me up!!!!

I post noted from the balance of trip on Monday....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING YA'LL!!!!!!!!

 

Forgot to add, I did go thru one weigh station...As I entered there was a lane for over-sized and all others to the other...The 'other' just ran thru, is this common?...Are they weighing us as we go thru?...