Starting Swift Academy in Lewiston Oct 10!!

Orientation!

It's been easier, slower paced, and more fun than the academy. Our DM is a crack-up and doesn't give or take any BS - just my kind of guy. We signed a million papers, watched some videos and powerpoint lectures, got (another) physical and (another) drug test, and ate the provided fast food. Tomorrow we get to come in at 8am instead of 7am and I think the session is only 4 hours, then we're done!

I met my mentor today - he came wandering in and talked to the DM for awhile since his truck is in the shop here and they're friends. I don't think I've been officially assigned yet (I don't have my driver code either) but the DM said I was his student since he lives about 30 miles away. He comes highly recommended from the DM and one of his previous students, who's been away for 6 months and is in orientation again with us. We may head out tomorrow afternoon or Friday, whenever his truck is out of the shop. So that's all looking as good as I could hope for!

I've been staying with friends here in Portland, which is nice, especially when it's storming hard outside. And it's great to hang out with friends all evening, but it means I've been pretty tired. I feel like a fish in the stream approaching the waterfall - I may go out with the mentor tomorrow afternoon, and I guess I'm as ready as I can be. Wish me luck!

 

I'm finished with orientation! Now I have to hurry up and wait, just like a real trucker! For some reason I haven't gotten my driver code yet, so I'm just waiting around for that. My mentor has a load he has to deliver sometime this afternoon, so I'm hoping the code comes through from Phoenix soon. I could use a nap but I'm not sure there's a good place for that.

Yeah. I am actually going to do that, although not in book form. My grand plan is for trucking to be a 3-5 year stepping stone to the life I want: a semi-permanent nomadic bicycle tourist and adventurer, wandering the world seeing things, having experiences, and telling the story on the internet with words, pictures, and video. I'd like the storytelling to financially support the wandering and adventuring, like a cross between National Geographic and Survivorman. But first I have to get a ton of money, and how better than to be a nomadic truck driver?

 

I got my driver code about 5 minutes after my last post. I grabbed my stuff and hit the road!

We ran down to Toledo and did a drop and hook at the paper plant. Except our trailer wasn't loaded, so we took 10 for the night and picked it up in the morning. My mentor drove to Salem, I drove to Central Point, then he drove over the high passes (in the snow - none sticking yet) and I picked up again in Redding. Now we're in Lathrop getting showers and laundry (and internet) and waiting to pick up a load tonight in Sacramento and run it up to Portland. We'll do some local stuff there and then head home for Thanksgiving.

My mentor is a pretty good guy, and it looks like our time together will be good. He's been driving for 15 years and mentoring for 12, has almost 2 million miles with no accidents and no service failures. His driving habits are excellent and he's pretty easy to get along with. He gives me some input when I need it but most of the time just lets me drive. So far our personalities mesh well and he says I'm an easy student. He lives 30 miles from me and seems to get whatever loads and schedules he wants, so I'll be home for Thanksgiving and the weekend (his birthday is Saturday) and probably Christmas if I'm not solo by then.

He just got a brand new truck a few days before picking me up - a 2012 Cascadia. It's very quiet and smooth compared to the 2001 Columbia I did my road training on, and the transmission is so smooth and easy - downshifting is a breeze.

It's starting to seem a little surreal - where are all the horror stories? Why is everything lining up as well as could be reasonably hoped? Is God just smiling on me right now, or is this normal? Whatever - I'm pretty happy with how everything is lining up and will keep doing everything I can to keep it going well. Time will tell!