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.

Be Sure To Wear A Flower In Your Hair

*April 3rd*
    Salinas, Ca. Waiting to get loaded so we can head to Texas. Austin Tx. Is the indy rock festival going on now? I'd like to avoid that crap. Hopefully from Austin we go never further east. Once I sit another 44 hours in the drivers seat, I'm going home. Whether I'm in Tennessee or Timbuktu.
    Yesterday was different.  Had a rare day off in Oakland. I took that opportunity to knock the dust off of my Uber button and check out the area. First, I went to Amoeba Records in Berkley. It's alright. I breezed through it pretty quick. For about an hour I stood around in the capital of Cool Town USA and contemplated whether or not to shoot on over to San Fran. I realized that if I didn't,  my only real option was to go sit in the cab with El Hadj as he laughed at YouTube videos for another 9 hours. Nah. So...I had an Uber pick me up. (Btw...I frigging love Uber). As I get picked up, we run around town and pick up other Uber passengers also going to SF. We cross the bridge over the bay. I just assume it's the Golden Gate. As we drive into the city...it strikes me as probably one of the few places I'd like to explore out here. There's an East coast feel to it. It's not as flashy as LA. As we get deep into the city, I enjoyed the hilly downtown that reminds me of the movie 48 Hours. The destination I pick is the main flagship Amoeba location. It's located 2 blocks from the world famous Haight Asbury intersection. As we hit the historic neighborhood, I am sure the spirit of the folks who gave the area it's notoriety is dead and gone. Oh no...for sure there's plenty of tye dye bullshit and all manners of trinkets  to buy. But it's just another tourist trap. Not mad that I went. But I was just another rube.  Atleast I didn't join in with the dozen other rubes clicking pics of the intersection's street signage.
  So I go into the main Amoeba. It's damn huge. But..it's just another record store.  Really only a few things I saw I wanted.  I picked up an elusive Taj Mahal record. And I bought an early Dead Moon record that was actually pressed by the band themselves in their home. Being that theyre from not too far away..its no surprise their records made their way to SF. I saw some other high priced shit. But responsibility took over and dictated otherwise. The interesting part of my visit came when a guy got really loud and confrontational with me when I tapped him on the shoulder to get by. He couldn't hear me when I asked because of his headphones.  Well be flipped his lid when I touched his shoulder. He was about 60 and 5' nothing. I wasn't afraid....but embarassed. Everyone was looking. And he seemed to want to get more confrontational as I was trying to distance myself from him. When he got the feeling I knew better than to beat the horse piss out of an old man..he decided to really act like he wanted to do something. Luckily by that point the store itself took action and ejected him. Funny how people grow a real set of balls when they feel they're free from an ass beating. Anyway..I get my shit paid for and get gone.  I hit a few more places looking for a gift for the wife. Nothing she'd want there. A shot glass from the next truck stop might have to do baby. (Kidding...I'm a slightly better husband than that). I go have coffee and recharge my phone for an hour as I call a buddy to see how he's doing. Then an Uber I requested shows up to cart me back to Oakland. Before leaving San Francisco....a fight breaks out on the street close to the bridge. What the hell?! I thought this town was all peace an love an shit. Go figure. Anyway, I get back and El Hadj is doing exactly what I predicted..YouTube.  It's really his only past time that I know of.  He's in a pretty good mood. Being free of me must of done wonders..haha.
    Really though,  it was good for me too. It was nice to be away from a truck for a whole day. Really nice. I hope I get more days like this over the next 5 months.

*April 4th*
   Los Angeles County, CA.  It seems when I come to the West Coast,  I end up being here for several days. No good. When I'm solo, that will translate into less money. I need these wheels rolling. Actually, I need them rolling now even though I'm on trainee salary. Trying to get home. I'm in the homestretch and can just taste the Bojangles and vinegar based BBQ.  The plan is to try and get me a route home or close to home by the time my hours are completed. So I'm hoping that when we hit our destination in Austin, they tell us our next delivery goes to NC..or an adjacent state to it. My employer's stance is that they are not in the travel industry..but the transport industry.  I get that.  It doesn't help me out, but hey, it's their business and that's the choice they made. I knew their policy. My only move now is what to do after Austin. If they dispatch us East, then I'll stick around until we get close to NC. If for some reason they send us back out West or North...then I'm on a plane soon after getting my hours.  Not even joking or bluffing. I'm not quitting. But I'm also not sitting around for no reason when I can be back in NC with my wife at our home. 

*April 5th*
    
I-10 East....an hour from Las Cruces, NM. Heading to Austin. It's a shame, Las Cruces is the location of a favorite Southwestern Mexican joint for Dusti and I. We discovered it on our honeymoon. Won't be stopping in...but I'd like to. Half an hour past that is the Whoopie Bowl in El Paso. The Bowl is an indoor/outdoor junk and antique stop. One of the biggest I've ever seen. And one of the coolest. The front entrance is topped with an old WW2 twin engine bomber whose propellers still turn with the help of the constant Texas twisters. The place is dry, dusty,  and everything rattles and creaks. It's stereotypical Texas. I bought my much coveted bootleg aluminum Rat Fink statue there. I promised my brother Peter and great friend Jeff that I'd pick them up one when I go there.  Sorry fellas, it'll have to wait until I'm traveling stag.
     I drove 6 hours yesterday and was assured I'd get 10 hours today. That should put me up around 24 driving hours left.  As I get closer, I'll be better able to plan my exit from this truck. 
    And none too soon.

You Don't Buy Me Out, I Buy You Out!

*March 30th*
     Colorado to Kansas. Not a long trip.  I think I scored maybe 6 driving hours. Some are better than none I suppose. I enjoy driving out here. It's calm...flat...peaceful. I'm basically being paid to sit on my ass and hold a steering wheel. Not a bad gig. I really earn my money in the mountains and in the Northeast. But out here its enjoyable and beautiful. I imagine I'll be in heaven when I'm out here as a solo driver WITH satellite radio.
    As we take the small 2 lane highways, which I now enjoy, we pass through small towns every 30 minutes or so. They all have boarded up BBQ joints that didn't survive due to lack of population.  Each of them have a single gas station. Atleast one very operational liquor store and even bar. (We went through one town in Texas that had nothing...except 3 bars on the same block!) But they always seem to have, and usually operating, antique/junk store. I'm a sucker for these places.  As we pass by them, I almost look out the window to them with puppy dog eyes and just assume that THAT particular antique store has $3 Ramones records, bad ass guitars and amps for the taking, and all other manner of 60s and 70s pop culture goodness that I'm attracted to. El Hadj doesn't have time for stuff such as that. While I admire his skill and rare work ethic, I think it's important to stop and smell the roses (or Kiss records with all the inserts...or Elvis "Moody Blue" on rare black vinyl..or.....)
    We got the word: Colorado to Kanas, then onto Oakland, California. By my calculations, this should give me all that is required to leave the training phase and be a solo driver.  It'll also mean I'll be heading back to Kakalaky in about a week. Within one week, I'll go from the barren cornfield waste land of rural Kansas, to the rough world renowned streets of Oaktown, and back to my front porch in Concord. I haven't enjoyed every minute of this. But I can't claim it's ever been boring.

*March 31st*
   Not sure where. I'm not driving.  I THINK Oklahoma. We should be making our way into New Mexico. I should be driving as well. SHOULD...is the operative word here. I shouldn't be that way. El Hadj isn't stingy with the driver's seat. Hell...why would he be. He gets paid for the miles I drive. On a good day...I earn him $180. Not a bad deal for a trainer.
    I often think about what life would have been like as a trucker 30 years ago. Cell phones and GPS navigation has completely upgraded the profession and industry.  Perhaps for the better but probably also for the worse to some degree.  Luckily, I made my bones (Godfather reference..Moe Green!) reading maps as a kid on road trips to Indiana and when venturing out after I hit 16 years old. My employer wants us to know this stuff so I'm already set, and have proven it. In our trucks we have navigators that tell us where to go. We really have no choice if we wanted to. But I've made most of my trips just by maps and written direction. Plus...smart phones. We really have minute by minute communication to our homes. 2 decades earlier, I imagine truckers lined up at the pay phones with a handful of quarters. I can't say I look down on this aspect of modernization.
     Speaking of back home, I'm looking forward to reconnecting with friends. I have been chatting with a few of them when I can. Some are recording records. Some quit their long overdue shitty jobs. Some are waiting on me get back so we can play music again. Most are living life like always, except they wonder when we can get up for some fellowship. Their texts and messages have kept me afloat at times I didn't even know what state I was in or what day of the week it was. I haven't always made the best choices, except when it comes to who I pal around with.

*April 1st & 2nd*
    In Berkely, CA on my way to San Francisco.  Antique stores are weirdly not opened on Sundays. But the world famous Amoeba Records is. I just left the location in  Oakland and now heading to the bigger spot in SF. Uber style. I think if I had to visit any place in California for leisure , it might would be here. That's if I had the desire to be here in a non-working capacity.  Which is doubtful. But..it is nice.
    I'm doing my first real touristy activity in over a month. We got to our destination a day early and I told El Hadj I was getting away from the truck for a few hours. Giving him a break as well. I know I'm such a delight to be around 24/7.....but everyone has their limits. I'm out here now on the West Coast with a somewhat better attitude.  3 weeks ago when I was here..I was still adjusting to being away from home. I should be seeing my wife in about a week or less. So now I'm a little happier.
    I'm now in the countdown phase of my training. Ready to go solo. Ready to move on and ready for the next 5 months to come and go so that the REAL reward for all of this to appear. I enjoy driving and I think I'll be even happier when I'm doing this with my routine. I'm gonna stop this for now so I can look out the window as I go over some famous bridge into SF. My buddy Jason Griscom wouldn't forgive me if I ignored it. In the spirit of my current location, peace maaaaaan!