Would appreciate advice from the Kings of the Road out there

Thank you so much for the condolences and I extend the same to you for the loss of your mother.

No sir, we do not yet know the details. I was asking questions like crazy.

WHERE are we going in Wisconsin and Minnesota? Where can I see an example of just what kind of cargo van this is from the inside? NO cruise control!? Only stopping to do take care the dogs!?

He’s going to talk to this women on Tuesday, but is demanding that I give him a yes or no *before* talking her again, with only the details given thus far.

I haven’t yet enumerated on all the positives that this trip could offer, but I’m not so stupid that I would agree to this “Cannonball Run” (Bwah!) without talking to the those who know exactly what this entails, the time involved, the dangers, and so forth.

What’s the hurry, indeed? And exactly, regarding the dogs and puppies getting carsick and so forth. I think the cages are attached to walls, which means when we hit those Missouri road that van is gonna be rockin’! Not to mention, what happens when we have to slam on the brakes in traffic.

The B.S. about them being well socialized and how they simply sleep most of the trip…nope, I’m not buying it!

And then the nightmare of Chi town (dad was basically born there and had a special hatred for it) and having to avoid that clusterffffumble.

I am very much a volunteer, though my heart is most in volunteering for the homeless. But I do care deeply about animals-have owned a non-stray in my life.

Living out in the country, where people routinely open the door and dump out their unwanted puppies, kittens, and dogs left me and my ex with something 13 total at one time, when we were both working like..well, DOGS, struggling to just makes ends meet, while I was constantly getting animals spayed, neutered, emergency vet care, etc.

Luckily, I’m no longer in that situation!

Needless to say, I can handle a lot of animals at one time, as long as I don’t have to inject them with a needle or do the dirty deed and take them out.

I completely agree about the treatment of these animals. They’re not going to calm, they’re not to be used to long periods in kennels WHILE inside a strange larger box, without any idea of what is happening. Unless they’re being sedated at regular intervals this sounds like line of B.S. to me!

My friend is not factoring in all the other variables-the traffic jams, construction, accidents *gulp*, rough roads, and #1, the fatigue factor.

He does not have narcolepsy , but he doesn’t have the ability to stay up for long periods like I do. Which is why I mentioned him falling asleep on the phone while we arguing last night.

His experiences with traveling the US involve a fast car, a radar detector, and lots of roadtrips for adventure with work mixed in.

He has a lot of good qualities and he’s helped me through a lot of the crap that life thrown at me, so I’m not totally trashing him as a human being. I refuse to paint him as all bad with no good.

But he is stubborn and he thinks he knows better and is the Best Driver on the Road.

And that’s precisely the problem. That kind of arrogance/overconfidence is exactly what gets people killed.

I’m a cautious person, especially since my dad, despite being a d*mn good driver, supposedly “hit something” down in mid GA, on a long stretch known for a lot of trucker fatalities.

I had absolutely no intention of going here, but that front blew out and according to the DPS officer who first arrived at the scene, my father tried like H£LL to pull that truck out of that Georgia mud in a runaway truck-he commented that he had never seen evidence of trucker trying so hard to pull himself out of it, but as much as he tried, he just couldn’t stop it.

It was gory death and those pines were crashing through the cab before he came to his final stop, deep in the woods.

As I said, there were no intentions of going there, but that emblem you see in my avatar is from the KW he died in.

I’m not here looking to garner anyone’s pity or sympathy.

But I do know that if my father were alive, he would not permit to endanger myself like this. I could count on him for good advice, especially when it came to navigating the lower 48 (or even Canada).

I wish I could answer everyone but I’m a phone poking this out and admittedly teary-eyed, so I need to stop for now.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your advice and for what you do.

I know it’s old saying, but without trucks, America STOPS.

Or as dad put it, everything you own, from the toilet paper you wipe your ### with, to the wood your house was built with, *everything* was on a truck at some point.

Ya’ll be stay safe out there and I will reply more when I can.

Signing off,

A Truck Driver’s Daughter

 

Am keeping my friend at arm’s length right now. He’s freaking out because I think he knows he crossed the line with me.

Just got back from a family friend’s whose late husband was also an OTR driver. She’s also an animal lover and is LIVID.

It sounds like you are very protective of your daughters and I thank you for giving me further proof of how dangerous this is.

I know I’m just a stranger on these boards, but all of you truckers who take the time to respond to a “Damsel in Distress” like me…well, it makes me so emotional. Guess I look up to a lot of you with a special sort of parental reverence (obviously there are exceptions).

Not a violent person, but when people start slamming all truck drivers as a pieces of trash, them’s fighting words!

I’ve met so many shy, bashful gentlemen drivers, so I take special offense.

People give me crap for liking to stop at Pilot Truck Stops for fuel and coffee. “That’s dangerous!” Umm…I feel much safer at a Pilot than stopping at some random Raceway.

Supergreatguy, thank you weighing in on the mileage. I was trying to calculate this. Remember Dad screaming about .50 a mile years ago, especially when he was an Owner Operator.

In any case, not sure I can even talk to my friend further about this. I see things going the other way, with me jumping out the vehicle and hitch-hiking my way back if need be. More sensibly, contacting an Uber to take me to the nearest hotel and then flying back.

If this is to happen at all, I have a list of demands that will be required.

-More time to get there safely. No speeding, no rushing, plenty of stops for both us and the dogs, and NO racing up to Minnesota straight through and then dropping back down to wherever the H£LL in Wisconsin on no sleep.

-Safety, safety, safety! Give me time to learn to at least test drive the d@mn cargo van to ensue I don’t wreck. I also demand a CB to communicate with other drivers who might be heading up the same direction. Still have Dad’s and it still works! Will not rely on GPS alone to frantically try to figure out what’s up ahead of us. Those things can take you into a concrete barrier if you’re not careful. Also, one of those old school road map atlases.

*sighs*

Getting hammered by storms down here in Texas right now, so had to make mad dash around house to pull car into garage to protect from hail damage, locate lanterns when the lights started flickering and so on and so forth.

Perhaps Dad’s up there and this is his way of indicating that no, don’t even *try* to implement these demands *insert impermissible blue streak of curse words here*



Can’t see the Blood Red Moon tonight, but…hmm!

Does make one wonder.

 

@Sirscrapntruckalot, you just made my morning!

That pic just made me laugh! KFC happens to be my favorite FF restaurant, so I’d definitely share a bucket with your pupper! And tacos, too Then again, don’t have much meat on these bones, so we might require two buckets. Original or extra crispy for Le Pup?

3 dogs in the cab/sleeper!? Whoa! I don’t know you manage it! Where do you even sleep? I’m picturing an actual dog pile!

Absolutely agree with you that this shelter is abusive and what should be done to those who abuse animals. While my friend has vast experience with working with animals and takes excellent care of his own, I think his ego is blinding him to this con woman.

She made him feel very important by being so overtly complimentary about his impressive resume and he just can’t see how wildly unreasonable this is. Once he catches on and realized he was duped, l do think he’ll be one p!ssed off mofo. Who knows, he might just retaliate!

Will he admit to being wrong? Doubtful. I will die of shock if he actually admits: you were right. That’s a difficult thing for anyone to say.

It’s actually a sign of strength to admit to one’s weaknesses, IMO.

He wanted this to be a positive experience for us and a way for me to feel a sense of accomplishment, get to return to Wisconsin/visit my father’s grave/see old friends/earn a little money/escape the heat and so forth. Never got the opportunity to see Minnesota and always heard it’s really beautiful up there.

But you are absolutely right about my father. He was in his 30s when I born and he would be turning 68 (!) this year, had he lived. Even still, the 10 age difference between the two would NOT dissuade him even it resulted in getting shot or stabbed.

Dad would *not* back down when it came to defending me or himself.

He once had another truck driver blocking an entrance/exit and after politely asking the man to move several times, the two got out and that man pulled a gun on him. My stepmother (also a truck driver) was with him and jumped out just as Dad kicked that gun out said man’s hand (in cowboy boots no less) and under the trailer.

My stepmother quickly went for the gun and was fully prepared to pump lead into him as she told him no uncertain terms that he about to meet his maker. She was nuts and you DID NOT wanna cross her, either!

Sometimes it’s the little petite ones that you have to really watch for. At 5’5 I towered over her, but she was one dangerous woman (!)

I’m rambling…but bottom line, you really hit nail on the head, sir.

Thank you for the well wishes and right back at ya!

P.S. Here’s hoping you don’t get smothered under all those dogs