Well, i would generally comment as being surprised, but I talked to ya on and off over the trip so......Glad you made it back though, bet your glad to rest at home.

What an excellent adventure, but I am glad you are back, I missed ya.

I think more than one person here would agree

that you are really lucky not to have seen any

nasty weather around the mountains!

Sounds like a great trip though.

It's fun to go off like that now and again.

And - it's fun to come home.

I think more than one person here would agree

that you are really lucky not to have seen any

nasty weather around the mountains!

Sounds like a great trip though.

It's fun to go off like that now and again.

And - it's fun to come home.

yes, I would certainly like to do it again, I made pretty good money. Only if I do, I hope it's in summer.

I'd never been to Wyoming, Idaho, or Washington before. The only states in the lower 48 I haven't been in now are North Dakota and Oregon.

In my mind - the best trucking is still a long haul.

Especially to places you haven't seen before.

But as I've gotten older - the work has to be on my terms

or I don't want to do it.

The equipment has to be really good.

If the weather's bad - I'd like the option of parking the truck

for a little while.

If I feel like a motel room once in a while - I'm doing it.

If there's something wrong with the truck - I want it fixed,

right now.

That might be asking too much, but still would be really good.

I guess it's easy to see why nobody wants me as a truck driver.

The changes over the years in "workable hours" probably have had

a good effect on the morale of the drivers. I haven't tried it in a long time.

When I did the long hauls - it was just a day after day test of a driver's

endurance. Usually done with underpowered and poorly maintained

equipment. (The fuel crisis of the mid-70's was the root of the small

engine syndrome for many freight companies)

Dispatchers, some of whom weren't really sure what a truck actually

looked like, would give you orders that were literally impossible.

But, being young and naive, you were always willing to try.

When you couldn't make it - it was always your fault.

And you were dead tired, usually sick, dirty, scared and broke to boot,

just because you tried to keep the schedule.

When you did finally arrive - some simpleton on the loading dock

wanted you to bribe him so your trailer could get unloaded - and

you could leave to pick up your next load with an impossible schedule.

Looking back - I guess that job really sucked!

But - I'd do it all again - and for the same reasons.

It's good to see the country and visit with people from everywhere.

And travelling in a truck just seemed to make it better.

I was even friendly with the DOT and scale house cops!

Other driver's would actually get mad at me for that - but

they were just doing their jobs. And I very rarely had any real

trouble with anybody like that.

Anyway - that's enough preaching for one Sunday morning.

PVS

In my mind - the best trucking is still a long haul.

Especially to places you haven't seen before.

But as I've gotten older - the work has to be on my terms

or I don't want to do it.

The equipment has to be really good.

If the weather's bad - I'd like the option of parking the truck

for a little while.

If I feel like a motel room once in a while - I'm doing it.

If there's something wrong with the truck - I want it fixed,

right now.

That might be asking too much, but still would be really good.

I guess it's easy to see why nobody wants me as a truck driver.

The changes over the years in "workable hours" probably have had

a good effect on the morale of the drivers. I haven't tried it in a long time.

When I did the long hauls - it was just a day after day test of a driver's

endurance. Usually done with underpowered and poorly maintained

equipment. (The fuel crisis of the mid-70's was the root of the small

engine syndrome for many freight companies)

Dispatchers, some of whom weren't really sure what a truck actually

looked like, would give you orders that were literally impossible.

But, being young and naive, you were always willing to try.

When you couldn't make it - it was always your fault.

And you were dead tired, usually sick, dirty, scared and broke to boot,

just because you tried to keep the schedule.

When you did finally arrive - some simpleton on the loading dock

wanted you to bribe him so your trailer could get unloaded - and

you could leave to pick up your next load with an impossible schedule.

Looking back - I guess that job really sucked!

But - I'd do it all again - and for the same reasons.

It's good to see the country and visit with people from everywhere.

And travelling in a truck just seemed to make it better.

I was even friendly with the DOT and scale house cops!

Other driver's would actually get mad at me for that - but

they were just doing their jobs. And I very rarely had any real

trouble with anybody like that.

Anyway - that's enough preaching for one Sunday morning.

PVS

That's another story- I went through 2 DOT checks, had my log book checked 4 times total on this trip, but I was surprised actually at how nice and friendly the officers were at the scales and ports of entries. Guess i'm just used to Va, Pa, and Ohio where they tend to treat you like a criminal for driving a truck.

I like the 11 hours you can drive now and I like the 34 hr. reset rule, without it i'd have been a day later getting in. But I do not like the fact that from whenever you start you'd better be off the road in 14 hrs. If you stop to eat, rest, or take a couple hour nap to wait out rush hour somewhere it counts against your time for the day.

you are lucky you didn,t get snowed in somewhere this time of yr, Thats quite a ride for this time of yr, i couldn,t run like that no more, i am glad you can tho

you are lucky you didn,t get snowed in somewhere this time of yr, Thats quite a ride for this time of yr, i couldn,t run like that no more, i am glad you can tho

I was indeed lucky on the weather. Except for that stretch across Wyoming and part of Montana that is, but the weather was unseasonably warm out west last week.

We're all into old trucks.

And we think they're great fun to drive.

Of course we don't go anywhere.

Just think what your big trip would have been like

say, in 1958 or so.

Two lane roads, an old B model, maybe 180 whopping horses,

and a nice hard spring suspension with bias ply rubber on a good

set of wobbly Daytons.

No bunk, unless you were really high class, and no air seat.

Man - those guys really earned their money!

Imagine doing that day after day.

No wonder they were all skinny. The fat just shook off.

I might be onto something -- All you fat ladies listen up --

Lose the weight and get paid too.

I think it could be a new use for my fleet!!

a good friend of mine dad drove down Thur the Carolina's in the 30 and 40,s , hes told me stories about when he went up hills where he had a block that he would put on the throttle and stand outside on the running broad. in the winter he knew about every farmer along the way because he would stay overnight when the roads got bad, couldn't,t you imaging that today,