Where is everyone #5

Beaver Utah. Watching the tain

 

Howdy from grand junction colorado.

 

We're thinking about going to pikes peak tomorrow. Open year round weather permitting

 

At the Flying J?

Years ago, there was nothing between Green RiverUT and Las Vegas. In fact, the old road atlases would have a warning telling everyone to not go past Green River without fueling.

 

Lol, trust me, people don't wonder why I don't like them.....

I've never even seen a bendix system.

 

Ride the cog train? It's a fun ride on a bike (the road, not the train)!
You shoot any Prarie rats yet? Having a good time? You gonna relocate.....lol

 

You're right, the industry is demonized, times have changed, and not for the better; however, the industry wasn't always this way. 45 some odd years ago it was a respectable job that paid well. Some places had loong waiting lists to get hired on. It helped if you had a rabbi. Sadly, the quality of worker in most industries today, not just ours, is severely lacking. Society as a whole has turned into a bunch of whining entitled self-centered snowflakes, who aint got the common sense to find shelter in a rainstorm.

Before I even graduated high school (70's), I knew I wanted to drive OTR. Not anymore, I've had my fill of it, but when I was young, I always had a hankering to wander and to see what was over the next hill. Back then, I didn't mind being gone for 2 weeks traveling around. What better way to see the country and get paid to do it. Albeit, traffic was much less then, and there were many, many, more mom & pop truckstops around too. No GPS or cell phones back then though, and no hand holding either. You took the load, easy or not, and were expected to get it there safely and on time. Trip planning was your baby to figure out. I was lucky, I had a couple of real good mentors that taught me well. If you encountered any breakdowns, delays, or other roadblocks, you were expected to handle it and get it done yourself. You were expected to find your own loads back, if dispatch had none. Some days were spent calling brokers from the wall or table phone every hour. Unlike now, drivers ruled the roost, not dispatchers. If your truck had PS & AC, it was an added bonus, but usually not until you proved yourself and gained some seniority did you get a nicer truck. OK, enough of an old boy's ramblings, I'll show myself out now...

 

I was reminiscing today to a buddy of mine. He is about 20 years older than me and used to own a tanker fleet. Talked about no cell phones. I remember having to use the payphone to call for directions. Without fail you would always get a gal who had absolutely no idea how she got to work that day. We talked about the stack of maps we used to carry. How I had a small note pad I would write down my route and clip it to my dash. Plus the fun of the fan on the dash that blew all the hot air back in your face. Or on my 359 the foot vent that when you opened it, it blew a whirlwind of dirt in your face from the floor.....lol. him and I always joke about the good old days. We talked about the evolution of cell phones today. How the bag phones were. There is alot I miss about those days and alot I don't. I don't miss the Mack B model I drove to the elevator. Ugh

 

That! That’s what’s missing…the toughness of the old school. He’s not trying to be tough, or an outlaw…it’s him. He’s here to do a job. No fanfare, no parades, no pat on the back.

 

Nice.