*March 21st*
Rolling West on I-44...somewhere in Missouri. Or like the old woman says in Outlaw Josey Wales, "Mizzurah". I rolled this heavy Freightliner for 10 hours and 46 minutes today. Legal limit is 11 hours. The load is important and has to be in Texas tomorrow morning. We actually swapped loads with another driver because he couldn't take this one. The one we had, also was going to the Lone Star State. But, the appointment for delivering it is Friday. Which meant we possibly could of been waiting around for a day or 2 until they were willing to receive it. So I'm glad we switched. Waiting around means delaying my progress in this torturous training regimen. Ok...torturous is a little mellow dramatic. But if you've read any of this, you know I ain't diggin' it.
I've gotten some really good feed back from people, both public and private, about what I've been writing. It's appreciated. I'll say again..it's more for my own record. I don't fancy myself a writer...but I enjoy it. And it's nice to know people are keeping up with me. It really says a lot about the people in my life. I sometimes feels a little self absorbed always writing about me me me. But this has some purpose. So that makes me feel a little less like an ego maniac.
Things otherwise are going as good as they can be right now. I'm ahead of schedule in my training. I've got way more driving hours than where I should be at this juncture. And me and El Hadj are getting along as good as we ever will. Take that for what it's worth. My friend Darrin remarked that some of my problem might be with the culture clash. And it's very possible that's the case. But it doesn't really matter. What I needed to fix between us was on my end. And I did. I got my balls back.
*March 22nd*
Vernon, TX. North Texas to be exact. Been sitting here all day. After we completed our shipment this morning, there's been a delay in getting our next assignment. That's not a good thing in trucking. Especially in my position. I need those wheels turning. Gotta move on. If I was paid per mile, I'd be making no money. I guess it's a good precursor to my approaching reality.
It hasn't been a total waste. Got to work on a bunch of my online exams they throw atcha with each level acheived. So I'm caught up there. Also, I spent a little bit of time scrolling around job sites for jobs available to me 5 months from now. See...I'm here until the end of August. After I'm through with my obligation here, I am free to look elsewhere for employment. Which has been the plan all along. It's never been my intent to be a life long OTR driver. I just want the experience so I can get better jobs...BACK HOME. I'm not in this for the long haul. There's plenty of available option for people to make good money in the industry. But most want 6 months over the road. Which..I'm doing now. 5 more months tho, I'm back home. Full time. Thankfully I spotted several options close to home that would be perfect. Sure...they'll evaporate before I get there..but more will appear. My big fear in all of this is that I was wrong and I have to be a long hauler for a long time. What I saw today, I'm safe.
Good god Texas is hot. It's still March. Jeeezzz...
Ok...so the above was written earlier today. We rolled outta Texas around 4:30 pm. Destination...Dodge City, Kansas. El Hadj picks out a route from the atlas. it's Hwy 283 North. Thing is tho....the map doesn't tell you you're going to end up stopping 300 times because of each little piss ant town along the way. Whatever...doesn't bother me. Hours are hours. Anyway, as we are riding slowly through the little town of Sayre, Oklahoma. ...I see a chubby kid, looks like he's about 12, on his bike in the parking lot of a convenience store that's been out of business for 20 years. I can see his shit eating grin 6 blocks away. He's there stopped on his bike, and he's making the honking motion with his hand. I think to myself, "Sorry kid, El Hadj back here will probably raise hell if I do." Then I thought to myself....you know what...to hell with that. That kid IS me 35 years ago. I would of been doing the same thing and it would of made my day. And then probably I would have told my siblings, listened to a dubbed Def Leppard cassette, drawn another comic book creation, and waited for mom to finish making dinner which would have consisted of salmon patties, jippy mac n cheese, and lima beans. That kid on the bike was me. So instead of pulling over, getting out, and explaining every good and bad choice I've ever made which lead to that exact moment.....I honked. Twice. Caution to the wind. The Joe Peschi commentary in my head was saying "who gives a shit?" Actually, his majesty. He piped up from the back "What is going on???". In a tone that left NO room for discussion, I replied "This kid on his bike wanted me to. So I honked." Haha..he waited a minute to rethink his response. "Ah yes...that happens from time to time." That's right Hadjy, get back under your rock. I got this shit.
*March 23*
Rolling heavy outta Kansas. 75,000 pounds. The law says 80,000 is the max for this rig. Heading to Massachusetts. El Hadj is driving. Not the happiest about that. He claims I need to get familiar with the atlas and planning out trips. That too many new drivers don't know how to do their job without their GPS navigator. And that maybe true for the most part. But I hate to break it to ole Hadgy, I was zipping around the Eastern half of the U.S. with a worn out gas station fold out map back when he was cleaning elephant shit out of his front yard. But that's fine, I'm playing the game. Gimme the map.
Oklahoma doesn't get enough credit for being beautiful. I spent 4 hours yesterday driving a small 2 lane highway through what felt like a western movie. I could see John Wayne or Robert Duvall herding cattle through the Red River right at the OK/TX border.
It's well established that I'm more than half way through this training period. It feels good to be winding down. Me and my trainer continue to have our skirmishes. Words have been said and I genuinely feel he doesn't like me. But...he DID refer to me going solo in a few weeks. So....it doesn't sound like he's planning on snagging me up with an unfavorable grade. Of course, I'm not an imbecile. I know a bad grade also reflects on his ability to teach. Funny how that works huh?
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