*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.
