Swift - Starting the New Year training with Swift 1/7/13 - A long read...

Glad you are following along. So far it's been quite the experience. Always have the right attitude and it sounds like you got it. Things will happen but you just gotta roll with the punches it seems.

Keep in mind that you are not allowed to drink while you are attending training but since my training was done I celebrated. Not saying I drank any alcohol but I will say somehow my balance in walking back to my hotel room that night was compromised to some degree after training was over and I passed my state CDL.

Great advice. Can't wait for orientation. I hope all goes well with that this Tuesday. We finish on Thursday afternoon.

lol...or watch something that will make you want to invite some degenerate lizards inside. Heard a story from a driver today about his first mentor inviting a "guest" into the truck while he was supposed to be sleeping in the bunk. He got a new trainer the next day.

Thanks Sheriff! I've been keeping up with your progress as much as time allows. Very interesting and can't wait to get out there solo myself. Your threads have helped me tons.

Great advice. I will get a good pair of vice grips. I love vice grips almost as much as duct tape. I need to get some better gloves this week as well.

 

Sitting here in the Motel 6 tonight. I dropped off my sleeping bag and pillow today at my Sumner terminal once I realized that I wouldn't be able to strap it on the back of my motorcycle along with my big duffel bag. There is only so much a sportbike can take and those things together would be too tall and would never fit.

Tomorrow when I check out of here I need to go take care of some maintenance on my bike, pick up my new battery and buy a motorcycle cover for that time my bike will be sitting at the terminal while out on the road with my mentor. My old roommate rented my room out already and my exwife is such a ##### that she won't let me crash on her floor so it looks like tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night will be my first day and night at the terminal. Class starts Tuesday morning.

The woman I spoke today sounded somewhat optimistic about me crashing at the terminal while I go through orientation. She said I had to check with the terminal manager when he/she returns tomorrow from Phoenix. I hope he says it is ok. I can probably scrape by and get a motel room for those nights if needed but I really can't spend the money and being as I ride a motorcycle, if I woke up one morning before orientation and it has snowed I will be screwed since it would be difficult to get to orientation from the motel on a bike in the snow. So, I'll find out tomorrow what happens. As long as this is only for a few days living at the terminal I should be ok. I'm going to try and just stay low key and not look like I'm actually crashing there. The only issue I can see, other than them letting me crash there, is using my CPAP machine while I sleep. There's something I don't like about sitting in a chair passed out with a machine plugged into the wall and a hose and nose mask attached to my face. Not sure how this is all going to play out.

Not sure if I"m going to be able to update my progress from the terminal. I don't know if they have wifi at the terminals, specifically this one. If not I may just ride out to a McD's or a Starbucks and hop on here. It will be nice to have my bike for transportation at least so I can get out every once in a while after orientation or if there is a gap between the end of orientation and the time when my mentor picks me up. My duffel and backpack are packed to the gills. Not sure what I'm going to do with my riding jacket and riding pants once I go with my mentor. I don't want to throw away either and I really don't have anywhere to put them once I go on the road. I can't ride them over to storage as it is cold and rainy here so the ride back without this gear would be miserable to say the least. Gotta figure out this little snafu here soon. Maybe I can slip someone a $20 at the terminal to put the jacket and pants in a safe place while I go out with my mentor.

I heard some mentor horror stories from two guys today. They said there are a lot of great mentors out there as well but every once in a while there are a few bad ones that slip through. I'm really hoping I don't get one of the bad ones. REally hoping.