I Came To a Door, and I Looked Inside..

*August 23rd*
    Atlanta, GA. A weigh station on I-20. Weight stations are the last to fill up at night. Truck stops and rest areas fill up quickly with trucks shutting down for the night. Weigh stations offer no restrooms, food, ice, or fuel. But...if you're not looking for frills, they're a good place to sleep. I actually targeted this location  because I had to intercept another truck and trade with that driver. I had no idea when he'd show up. But I knew that at midnight...the weigh station was top choice.  So we traded off no problem. Now my dilemma.....stay and sleep or drive another 5 hours like they want me to. Well considering they kept me waiting all morning and called me last minute before lunch with this "emergency" load and no time to be rested and prepared...I'm shutting it down for the night.

*August 25*
    Houston, TX. Sitting in a loading dock. Hoping these folks get me loaded quickly. See...there is some hot shit HURRICANE about to slam into the Texas Gulf Coast in about 8 or 9 hours. But the rain and wind is already here. I want to put as much distance between me and this storm as possible. These guys in the warehouse are my only obstacle that's keeping me rolling. Hopefully I'll feel the truck rocking soon, which will tell me they are on the move.
    Well, after I publish this blog, I won't be doing anymore. The last one. It's been fun. But ever since I jumped in a truck solo I haven't had as much to write about, hence the long gaps between entries. But the main reason, and more exciting one, is that I am no longer going to be driving long haul, over-the-road. I hit my 6 month mark and found a (hopefully) good job where I'm home every night. Like I've said before, all part of my plan . And honestly, this whole scheme has went better than expected. It's time to be home everynight with my lady in our home with our zoo. So in about a week and a half, I'll be driving a flat bed truck 5 days a week. Back to business as usual.
   I gave my boss my 2 week notice last week. It wasn't necessarily something I was looking forward to. He's an alright cat who did me a big favor and rolled the dice of me. I like hauling freight for him. He has a couple of nimrod I won't miss. But those were at the last job and will be at the next one. He seemed pretty bummed out but said he understood. 2 days ago he said he was getting 10 brand new trucks and putting his best guys in them. Said I was on his list. I saw one of them parked in the gate. Impressive, but doesn't matter. It was however very flattering that I was considered one of his better guys considering I have the least amount of experience of his 3 or 4 dozen drivers. He did say I had an open door to come back.
    Anyway, I feel the truck rocking. Time to check my map to see which way I need to escape back to Carolina.

*Aug. 28th*
    Georgia - Florida state line. At a Southbound truck stop on I-95. Enroute to Gainsville Florida. So that hurricane (Harvey) that I had a brush with turns out to be a real big deal.  It's 4 days later and it's still a problem. I even hear it's suppose to go back out in the Gulf,  restrengthen, and head back to land. I don't know. Either way, I hope the best for the people there. I was never in any real danger. I got in and out before it really came down good. But if I showed up 6 hours later, it may of been a different story.
   So this morning I got my assignment to head to Florida. I was eagar to get rolling so I can go ahead and finish my time with this outfit. This is my last trip. Tonight and tomorrow night is my last night sleeping in this cab. My lower back is not gonna miss it.

In The Cold Kentucky Rain

*August 14th*

    Duson, LA. Loves Truck Stop.  It's about 8 o clock at night and all I hear is my AC unit and trucks idling. The sun is going down. Been a good day. Woke up 20 miles outside of San Antonio, TX around 5am and headed into the city to drop and hook. Been there before and I don't particularly care for the joint. It's super tight and not very well lit. Oh well..I was in and out quickly and on my way to Houston with an empty trailer to get it loaded. It was loaded earlier than scheduled and I was able to put another 200 miles on my trip before shutting it down. I was glad to make it here at this truck stop. I like it. Easy in..easy out, and the coffee is usually hot when I leave out in the mornings.
     I realize it's been a hot minute since I've written here. Truth be told, there's not been a lot to tell. I started this blog to chronicle my journey to being a trucker. Well, I'm a trucker now. No major development in my skills. Nothing too interesting to report on most days. I got this for the most part. I am alot better now than when I started. But that was bound to happen. HOWEVER, one thing I will talk about happened about a month ago. The company I drive for had been annoyingly sending me up North. Specifically, Maryland. I'm not a big fan to be honest.  Roads, shipping yards, and loading docks are often smaller and more cramped than what I'm use to. I also am not a fan of the endless tolls you have to halt for. You get above  Richmond, VA and you really start getting jammed up with tolls. So suffice to say, it bums me out to hear when they want me to head up there. Well...one day I get up to Maryland and after I make my delivery, I get told I am to switch trailers with another driver. And THAT trailer is going to New York. Well...for a rookie driver, the 3 most horrifying words that can from dispatch is New, York, and City. This trailer is heading to a place called Brentwood.  It's on Long Island. After a little map and Google recon work, I see that it might not be that bad. After 10 hours of rest, I start my clock and head out. For the most part, getting to Brentwood wasn't too bad. Driving on the beltway around Manhattan and The Bronx was a little dicey. But went pretty smoothly. I get to my stop and spend a few hours getting unloaded. That wasn't so bad now was it? Well...you would be wrong. See, I have to get a backhaul. Which means dispatch has to find me some freight in the area I'm currently at, going back to the Carolinas. Of course, he can't find something in the easy to drive roads of Brentwood. No..he funds me a load in Brooklyn, NY.

BROOKLYN.

  After reading that chilling word on my text message, I immediately pull up the address to see what the lay out looks like.  And trust me when I say, it looked worse than I imagineed. Everything is a one way street and cars line every inch of road.  After some serious internal debate, I decide to just do it. Well..it sucks.  Worse than I imagined and it took me HOURS to get out if there. Anybody, including seasoned drivers, who say it's a piece of cake are full of shit. It tested me. I passed. And honestly, I'm glad I went. That didn't stop me from telling them I would not accept another NYC trip. And it's not just a matter of stress, but you can't make good money up there if you work for this company. They pay fair, but there are no bonus incentives or cpm  (cents per mile) increases for going there. So..I have a legitimate beef.

*August 16th*

  Right now I'm at a truck stop an hour above Atlanta. Got back into town earlier today and they sent me out for a quick 2 day run to Panama City, Fla. I have a very small soft spot for Florida. That is the state where I bid adieu to my trainer, that prick El Hadj. Other than that, I have no use for that humid hell hole.
   Today is the 40th anniversary of the death of Th'Kang..Elvis Presley. I've had it on the peculiar Elvis satellite radio station all day. It's amazing all the horrible shit they play. I've heard E's live cover version of that terrible James Taylor "Steamroller Blues" 3 times so far.
   I have a little something weighing on me right now. If you've know me or kept up with my trucking adventure, then you may remember me mentioning "the plan". And all of the phases of "the plan". So here's what I dreamed up late last year. Phase 1: Quit my job, enroll in trucking school, and get my CDL. Phase 2: Go to work for the company that recruited me, learn as much as I can, and get 6 months of experience. Phase 3: Find a more permanent job that I can build off of and hopefully stay for a while..happily. Well phase 1 was a breeze. It was terrifying  to quit a job and go back to a learning environment.  But...I did it. It's done. Now, I'm at the tail end of phase 2. At the end of August, I'll have 6 months experience.  Aka the learning curve. After this 6 month period, I'll be eligible to more employment opportunities.  Which brings me to the next phase. I am at a cross roads. I don't want to take the first thing that comes across my plate. But also, this over-the-road business was never meant to be long term. Truth be told,  I dig this current job for the most part. My boss isn't perfect,  but he's an old school small business owner and at the end of the day, he just cares that I've made him money. We arent bogged down with layer after layer of red tape. I need help with something, I call one of three people. The money is good and I have yet to piss them off enough to have a "chat" with me. But, I miss my wife, my family, my friends, my band, my pets, and my house. I'd be lying if I said I haven't started reaching out. Honestly, when you're looking for a job, the hardest part is waiting for that phone to ring. But I do have a few irons in the fire. More to come on that I guess.
    The world is a wild place. Glen Campbell died,  Ric Flair came close. Americans are engaged in their regularly scheduled fight over flags and statues. And there's a little guy over in North Korea blatantly telling us he's trying to develop ways to nuke us and everyone took their eyes off of THAT ball because there's a good Facebook pissing match to get angry about.
     Peace and love..you miserable assholes.

Downbound Train

*May 12th*
    Beaumont, Texas.  About 7am. Been rolling since 4:30am. That's my favorite time to start out. I miss a lot of traffic in the city when I'm on the road that early. I never drive in evening rush hour. And I always easily have my pick of the best parking spots at whichever truck stops I choose. Which is usually Loves or Flying J. Either way, it's way better than scrambling to find a spot at 11pm at night when they're all filled up.
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So that was earlier. I got informed my load was ready to take off 10 minutes after backing up to the dock. That's what I like to hear! Sucks though...they had an air conditioned drivers lounge. Oh well..I'd rather be moving. Only way I make money. I'm now at a rest stop in Louisiana.
    I realized I haven't really kept up much with the blog. It's not that I've lost interest.  It's just that the newness of being a trucker is gone. Along with a lot of the fear and anxiety. Not saying I have this shit figured out. But right now I'm just doing the job. Most of the writing I'd be doing would be non-trucking related. Lots of repetition with this company.  Which I like.  The day to day tasks have enough hiccups to keep me on my toes.
   Earlier, I passed by a bad wreck involving a tractor trailer and a little compact car. I hope the driver lived. The car sure didnt. And the tractor looked in rough shape too. I'm not trying to act like I know exactly what happened and who's at fault. But the way it was all sitting, it looks like the truck had to slam on breaks. The road was wet and the tractor was facing one way while the trailer faced another. It was completely jack knifed.  I wish people realized that these trucks take as long to slow down as they do to get up to speed. We can not stop on a dime. So when a little car pulls in front of us and then immediately slows down, there's  very little we can do. I see people risking their lives daily. Scary stuff.
     Anyway...today if my friend Steve's birthday. One of my best friends. We've been running buddies for almost 30 years. Pretty much since we each walked into 10th grade art class and would fuel each other's rebellious tendencies by including Kiss and Aerosmith in every piece we worked on. Haha. It drove our teacher crazy. I look forward to catching up with him and grabbing a beer or 6 when I can.
   This weekend is also Mother's Day. Looks like a few phone calls from the road to a few of the best mommas I know.

*May 22nd*
   San Antonio,TX . Flying J truck stop. Finished my day after running 638 miles. I been rolling hard these past 2 days. I drop and hook my trailer in the morning and get dispatched on a backhaul. Hopefully sooner rather than later. If I don't hear from dispatch after sitting empty for more than an hour, I'll call and bug 'em. I don't care. I need these wheels rolling. Its the only way I make money.
    Anyway...yeah....so far so good on this job. I'm really enjoying it. I've got a good routine and I've learned a lot. It's really starting to gel. I'm convinced I wouldn't be this happy if I stayed with my previous employer.  This place pays more, I hardly ever see my bosses, and I get to see my wife and home atleast once a week. Plus, I think with the environment I'm in now, I have learned more about being a good truck driver in the last 4 weeks than I did the whole time I was with my previous Dallas-based employer.
    I keep in contact with a few of my driving school class mates. It looks like they are burning up the roads as well. I think back to when we were all in class together we were scared shitless. Today it's a completely different situation. Hell, I noticed that I even talk about trucking completely different now than when I first started. Now using a lot of the terminology and lingo only decipherable to other truckers. I guess it was bound to happen. I'm sure my old class mate's situations are also similar. I hope they stay safe and successful.
     Today was a good day. I was listening to the Bruce Springsteen channel (on satellite radio) as I was rolling through Texas between Houston and San Antonio. Grassy fields, cattle, fence posts, and rusted out Chevrolets. Ok...there were no rusted out Chevys.  But the rest of what I described is EXACTLY what a lot of Bruce Springsteen songs visually bring to mind. You know...AFTER the first 2 albums when he was writing from a Jersey point of view. I've had a few of those moments since I started this career. Makes me wish  Bruce wrote a trucking song. I mean..he wrote a song about a wrestler.  Surely he could compose a 3 and half minute masterpiece, celebrating the knight of the open road....as we each make our way down the highways and biways through the heartland.....from the dockside ports of Jersey to dustbowl farmers outside of L.A. I mean,  look what I come up with in like 4 seconds off the top of my head.
    Anyway, I'm going to attempt the seldom acheived mid day nap. Until next time......
  

Rainy Days and Mondays

*April 28th*
    At a truck stop somewhere in South Carolina close to the Georgia border.  Got about 2 more hours before I can start rolling again. Going to Fairburn...right outside of Atlanta. Not sure what I'm carrying, but it sure is light.
   So far so good with this job. (I probably just jinxed myself).  They are keeping my wheels rolling. I'm glad. Last thing I need is to be sitting in one spot too long. Their process is pretty simple. Give me and assignment, tell me the pertinent information, and let me go. The other carrier I was driving for had a long tedious process that had to be completed before moving. I'm not talking about important shit like checking tires and oil. I'm talking about endless electronic messages and verifications. Maybe a few of those things were important.  They hauled perishable food. But I had to send an email verifying that I received an email. I'm bad at explaining shit. Just trust me, the amount of detail that had to be done before even turning the truck on was maddening. This place just tells me where to go and any other actual info that matters and let's me move.
    I feel good about my decision to leave my last place. Often in life when you make a risky move like that you wonder if it's the smart choice. Like I said, so far so good. This isn't hard work. Driving a truck takes skill. But it's not "hard" unless you make it hard. I try and make it as easy as I can. For instance, before I reach my destination  (whether I'm picking up or dropping off), I already know what to expect. I've already pulled the map out and looked at the route for anything that might help or hurt me. Then I pull it up on Google Maps and look at the street view to see what the place looks like, what the entrance situation looks like and how wide the road is. I'll even call the location and ask about their checking in policy. I have all of this ready, and usually written down close by, so I don't have to wonder what to do next. My old trainer could drive a truck good. But this concept of knowing where you are going and doing some footwork to make life easier was lost on him. I learned a lot about what NOT to do. Thanks man!
     I'm in a pretty good mood today. Driving close to home makes me feel better. Yesterday I drove back into Charlotte to drop a trailer, then over to Harrisburg just 10 miles from my house and picked up another. While in Charlotte, I got to have dinner with my wife. That was great. I do believe this will be a regular occurrence.  It's another one of the big reasons why I wanted to work here. Being away from my wife and home for 4 to 5 weeks at a time is too much. It's funny, when I think back a month ago. I hadn't seen my wife in 32 days . We got an assignment that drove us right through Charlotte. I remember staying choked up  the whole way between Wytheville Virginia and Gaffney South Carolina. I got to see my baby on that day and it was overwhelmingly emotional. Now, it should be a regular occurrence. Of course, when I'm listening to my Carpenters Pandora station with all of its soothing AM light rock treasures...I might get choked up. Karen Carpenter can do that to a man..haha. One of the advantages to being out here alone is that I can listen to this that. My wife hates all that stuff: The Carpenters,  Jim Croce, Ann Murray, Christopher Cross.
     Ehhh...I married her anyway. Nobody's perfect.

*May 1st*
    Some place in Alabama. Real close to Birmingham. I arrived my destination a half a day early and they aren't allowing early unloading. Figures. I'm not to heartbroken. The downtime is good. Not that I've been working like a dog. But these last 2 days have had one too many hiccups. Yesterday my computer logs needing updating before moving. Then a few hour laters..on a Sunday night mind you...my fuel card didn't want to work. A call to my boss on a  Sunday sure is fun...haha. The cherry on this Sundae is that last night all of my tread came off one of my wheels as I was boogying on down the road. Today I had to run around getting that fixed. So yeah....a half a day extra to just chill. I'm down.
   This past weekend I was able to go home to see my wife. It sure was good to see her. And Ellie and our animals. And to sit on my couch in my house. 
   Right now I'm enjoying one of my latest purchases....Sirius XM radio. It's embarrassing the amount of AM light rock based stations I've got saved on my receiver. I actually put a heavy metal station on there. It's that Ozzy Osborne sanctioned station..The Boneyard. My metal friends will be glad to know I finally heard a song that Dio sings (well..sang) that I don't think is total garbage. "Long Live Rock n Roll" by Rainbow.
    I thought I'd be adult and try and pass myself as an intellectual and added some news stations including BBC.   Yeah, that lasted less than a day. I just don't care. I use to be super political. Just don't have the energy for it anymore. We spent a bunch of money to bomb a dirt road? Don't care. Some dude got elected everyone hates and he appoints people that everyone hates? Don't care. Some rich jocks won a big game? Don't care. Besides, I only get to "save" 10 stations as favorites for quick access and I needed those spaces for that classic gold of Dan Folgelberg and Firefall.
    Another one of my purchases is a high dollar Bluetooth hands free phone. This is a necessity so I can field the occasional call from the company. But really...it means I can talk while driving, safely. Although I've never been one to talk on the phone for long periods of time, it's what no have to stay connected to my circle. I miss my friends.  It's been nice to chat with a few of them with ease. Many of them are musicians and are working on projects. Just in the last few weeks, 2 full albums have been recorded. Being the epicenter of so many creative people, I get to  hear these things before they are put to a use able format. Both of the records are crushing and unrelenting. I mean..it's not "Kenny Rogers" good, but still impressive...haha. Being able to talk to them and have them share their stuff with me feels good. Doesn't make me feel like I am forgotten or left behind. It also makes me miss playing with my own wretched hive of scum an villainy.
   Now I need to go. Two of these dipshits at this truck stop are about to start swinging purses and I wanna watch if they move beyond all the lipservice.
   

Girl's Got Rhythm

*April 24*
   Concord, NC. Home.  But not for long. If I stuck with my original plan, I would be in a truck already or be getting ready to go out for a 4 or 5 week stretch. Well, much like most plans, they changed. I changed them. I'll spare everyone the specifics. But basically, I was miserable there. They kept revealing how the original deal was not what they promised with regards to money and frequency of home time.  They put people out on the road for almost 2 months and right before they set them loose to make some decent money, they open up about how they altered the deal. Well, I wasn't waiting around to see if they altered the deal any further (ESB reference!). A good friend of mine told me that I've been breaking out of my comfort zone lately and that settling with what I've been given doesn't honor what I've done up to this point. He also said that sometimes being a bad ass mf'er  doesn't always mean proving how much shit you can take, but sometimes  being able to take risks and walk away from the safe bet. SOOO.....Friday night I reached out to a contact I made 3 or 4 months ago. I didnt even fish for an offer.  But instead just told him I'd like to talk in 4 or 5 months. Within minutes, he emailed me back "Come work for me. You'll be much happier." Verbatim. So I mulled it over with my wife and a few friends.  Screw it. I bought a plane ticket, packed my bags, and in a few hours I was on a bird coming home.
   Today I signed all the legal stuff.  Went for a road test.  Had a drug test and physical. Bada boom...new gig. Tomorrow I throw a bag on the truck and hit the road. It's a smaller company.  Which makes me much happier.  Big outfits like my previous place have layer after layer of infrastructure and red tape. I have a library's worth of paper and books my last employer gave me. New job? 3 sheets of paper! I'm far more excited about this job. Plus, being that the job is based out NC...I get to see my babe atleast once a week.

*April 26th*
   Beaumont, Mississippi.  Sitting in a lumber yard waiting to get loaded. It's not a logging truck. But it's some wood product. Not sure...don't care. Anyway...the last 2 days have blown by faster than a 1 day weekend.  Yesterday I show up for work. The plan is that he'll start me off with some short runs to the beach and such. Before that, he had planned on ridding with me. I was cool with that. Dude really giving me a shot here. They want atleast a year's experience.  I have not even 2 months.  But he rolls the dice on me.  So if he wants to go bany steps, I'm not offended.  But he goes from wanting to ride with me to the beach for a quick run...to not going with me. And at the last minute, he hands me paper work and a load for Mobile, Alabama.  10 hours. Last minute. That's fine..I knocked it out. Got some sleep around 3 am. Woke up, got my next assignment: Beaumont, Miss  to Marshville,  NC . And it's gotta be loaded by 4 tomorrow evening. I'm up for it. But it's a gonna be tight.  Especially if these guys here keep taking their sweet ass time.
   For the most part, this is what I wanted it to be. You give me directions and a little bit of faith...I'm gonna pull through for you. I understand why people needed to be slowly coached. But I work best under fire. Gimme something to do and tell me to make something happen, I'll figure something out. Might not be perfect, but it'll be more than was expected.
   I also am glad I don't have my old trainer with me. His insistence of keeping me from executing the more delicate maneuvers was maddening. I'm doing them all now with no safety net. Nadda problem.
    I'm driving a Volvo.  Don't really like it but whatever. It's all what you get use to. Yesterday the radio worked. Today...not so much. That sucks. I'm gonna miss hearing the same god awful Bon Jovi songs everytime I leave one city and have to try and find another mediocre classic rock station.  However..I did hear a block of three AC/DC songs..and one of them NOT part of the classic rock radio station starter pack. But..it doesn't matter now. My radio is broke. I'd settle for Living On A Prayer and Thunderstruck right about now. Guess I should stop my bitching.

Blinded By The Light

*April 19th*
      Dallas TX.  Motel 6. My 3rd day here. And supposedly my last. They SAY I should be issued a truck and given my first assignment. Considering the lack of organization in this place, I say there's a 1 in 4 shot of that happening. Ehh...whatever. I'm trying to just take it as it comes. My biggest gripe about being here is I hate the classroom aspect of all of this.  Back in driving school school....that was different. Everyone there that lasted took this all very serious. More than half of these cats I'm in class (orientation and grad class) with now spend most of their time making the low browe fart jokes and pointing and laughing when one of their newly acquired "buddies" fail or mess up. I'm taking this serious because I want a better life and I don't want to kill anyone on the road in the process.  Anyway...none of them have my phone number. So I won't be one of the ones they call when  they are faced with one of the millions of questions they have 1 day after getting in a truck alone.
      Everything I've done since January 16th has led to this point. That was my first day of driving school. It's had it's ups and it's downs. But one thing I wasn't prepared for is the endless stream of testing. Testing for a permit. Testing for a license. Testing when I arrived at my new company. Testing and being graded for the entire 6 weeks I was on the road as a trainee. Testing after I arrived back at my employer. Jeez. Anyway...I don't think it's a bad idea. But testing isn't usually when I shine. That being said..I haven't failed anything...yet.
    I'm ready to go. My batteries are recharged. I got to go home to my wife, and our little family. Now I want to move forward into phase 3 of my plan.  Going home was great. I got to listen to some music, buy a few records, catch up on movies and tv, and spend every waking minute with my wife.
   Here comes reality.

*April 20th*
    Today is the day people celebrate smoking pot. As if they refrain the other 364 days. Anyway, the folks 3 doors down from me here at the motel take this 420 thing very serious. They have for several days now. How festive. And by folks, I mean a low rent pimp and 3 of his girls. The smell of marijuana as I walk past their door is maddening.
      So yeah, I'm still at the hotel. I wanna be in my truck, but I'm trying to focus of the positive aspects of being in this limbo. Mainly, I get to sleep in a bigger bed than what I will when I'm driving. To be completely honest, I'm pretty nervous about that first moment I head out alone. I didn't like my training partner, but atleast he knew the process. Now it'll be all on me. That truck is gonna feel like an aircraft carrier when I'm in there alone and taking off.
     Yesterday I was told that there was nothing I could really accomplish at the end of the day, so I could just go back to my room early. Which of course I took full advantage of. It was around 3:30pm. I started forming this elaborate plan to hit a few record stores and antique malls. Both are a past time of mine. The idea was abandoned after I remembered that I'm already lugging around 3 very large pieces of heavy luggage. I don't need to add more crap. Besides, the 6 short days I was home I end up buy 4 or 5 records. And last night I ordered that new Chuck Berry record that comes out in June. Oh..and Record Store Day is happening this weekend. So when I get back home I'll probably end up forking over  lot of what I've made on a live vinyl releases by The Cars and Bruce $pring$teen. (The Bo$$ i$ killing me with hi$ 4 piece vinyl live album.)

*April 21st*
   Dallas Tx. Still here. Nothing has changed. Waiting on a medical clearance to hit the road. Well..a medical clearance AND every meticulous detail between me and this point that can still get in the way. I'm kinda numb to it at this point. Right now I jump back and forth between being tired of sitting in Dallas, and being nervous about the reality that when I do roll out of here I'll have nobody to fall back on except me. Whatever..I'll deal with it.
    The hardest part of sitting here at my terminal that I soak up lots of info that isn't pleasant to know. First off, there are so many people and so many drivers.  They herd us like cattle from department to department. When you get out of order or get lost,  the responses to get corrected are usually shitty and condescending.  I'm not expecting them to talk sweet to me. Being treated like shit by an employer is nothing new to me. However, it is a real precursor to what it's going to be when I call into the terminal from the road with a question or problem. Again....I'm ready for it. It's temporary. They give me a bunch of shit, I'll give it right back. I'll have their truck and their customer's products. My wheels will only turn as as much as they help. Plus, I excel in being as shitty to someone as they've been to me.
      Yesterday I had some hours to kill. So I hit a record store. But it was one of those that has a million records and they're in NO order. Those are painful to go through. And oddly enough, there was a plethora of Accept and Whitesnake records. Weird. So I bolted. Went to Dealey Plaza where JFK was shot. That was surreal. I've seen dozens of documentaries about the event. To see it in real life was exciting. Also went into the museum, formerly the book depository. Then to the spot where Jack was finished off. Also the grassy knoll. Glad I finally got to go. I've never tried to be an armchair ballistics expert. Did Oswald have help? Was there a second gunman? I don't know. But...seeing it in person...if Oswald did shoot him alone with a single shot bolt action rifle..he was damn good. That little stretch of road between the three shots is pretty short. Who knows....
    New development during the writing of my JFK experience. I'll be here tonight. Last night,  I had sleep study. Basically I hooked myself up to a machine to test whether or not I have sleep apnea. I do. My wife could of told them that. I was trying to get away with not. But...why should stuff go MY way..haha. Anyway, I'm here tonight to see if the Robocop machine they put on me works. If it does, then I move closer to getting a truck.  Which, the odds of that happening TOMORROW got better when I found out a musician I am a big fan of is playing a free show tomorrow at a record store. Now I wanna be around tomorrow. They'll issue me my new truck an hour before he (Dennis Dunaway of the original Alice Cooper group) straps on his iconic Fender bass.
  

   

   

Happy Trails....To You....

*April 6th*
   23 more driving hours left to go. It can't come quick enough. As it gets closer to completion,  El Hadj and I are getting along worse that ever. 2 nights ago I had to sit him down and inform him of his parameters and jurisdiction when talking to me. I'm so done with him and with this training phase. I don't go around saying I deserve anything.  But I DO deserve a medal for enduring 6 weeks of this bullshit.

*April 7th*
     Biloxi, MS.  15 hours left of driving before going home. The plan was to proceed to Shelbyville, TN. From there, I'd have about 5 or 6 hours left and I'd make my way towards home. We end up getting reassigned   (they call it a re-power). Anyway...now we drive 2 hours North, exchange trailers with some other driver, and then head to Orlando, FL.  From there is where I work with whatever assignment after that to get home. I should be back in NC in 2 days. There is no reason I could accept for being out here past Monday.  We'll see.
  Anyway, Biloxi is alright I guess.  The beach is kinda sad and gross. No waves...trash everywhere. Hoodlums always approaching to hustle ya on something. My friend Clayton lived here. He told me to look for the plaque honoring him. I hate to tell him, but I saw it in some guy's grocery cart with a few old radiators and a part of an air conditioning unit. Sorry Jeff. Anyway...back to the truck to get working on my last few hours before home.

*April 8th*
   Orlando, FL. I have less than 6 hours driving time to go.  Which...will be completed today. As soon as we get to Pensacola, I'll be dropped off and hopping on a plane to Charlotte tomorrow. EARLY. This has been an experience. And there's more to come. But right now I'm burned out. I just want my wife, our home, our bed, our family and something decent to eat. And I want to be away from El Hadj and his *&$#@$ truck.
     This is the last I'll be writing for probably 2 weeks.  I won't start it back up until I'm back out here as a solo driver. If you're one of those that has been reading, I hope you dug it.  It's been good for me to keep a record of it. Until I'm back out here again in a few weeks,  adios.