Home Time

It was good to see the kids... It wasn't a long visit, but we will take what we can get. Plus we don't make anything sitting still, in fact it costs money to do that! I just wish that we could visit or stop with out it costing, but we went lease so here we run!

We both have been fighting a cold... Zinc has been helping, but I think the cold is starting to win. It's weird.. With the weight loss I seem to have lost some of the force I could put behind a cough or laugh. I just don't have that oomph any more... So I really don't want this cold to get into my chest, because I won't be able to cough it out! Scary thing is... I'm starting to hear Gary cough... And he has a history (before WLS) of asthma and other such. Myself, since the abscess I had in my lung was treated with the antibiotics, I haven't had a serious cough since! Not wanting one either!

We're trying to do better with our protein intake... Not doing so well with that... We get lazy and slip back into simple, easy and not so good for us habits. Coffee and nuts with easy to toss together foods... I really miss my kitchen and the cooking I was able to do. My kitchen now is a moving bunk with a cutting board on my lap - LOL! It might be easier if we had more sitting time, but that's one thing we don't want... sitting.

Well Gary is now driving, and we are on our way to our first drop... That is one thing with Cafe Valley.. Multiple drops.. But we get a token amount for multiple drops... and I need to try to complete my sleep. Another thing that I'm having to learn... To sleep at any time of day and when I can... Because my sleep periods seem to get broken up with a couple hours here and there ... Because even though there is a 10 hour span of time that I don't drive, there is fueling and potty stops and sometimes a delivery/pick up during that 'break'. YAWN... So anyway... Heading to bed for another 49 miles until our fuel stop... Got to take advantage of a toilet when I can - LOL!!

Fingers tied...

There is so much I would like to type about, but I don't want to air my frustrations to much in public... It's just really irritating when we are asked not to do things, and we have to hold ourselves back for fear of hurting someone's feelings... But then things happen and it appears like we are being so used... When do we stop trying to look out for others feelings, and start looking out for us? Sigh...

Well these last two weeks we have been run pretty well... Got a settlement with over 6000 miles! THAT'S what I'm talking about!! They are being nice and are running us past Sacramento so we can see the kids... Might not be a long visit, but that's OK.. Stopping and visiting doesn't pay the bills!!

Doing this truck driving we were so hoping to be able to pay off bills.. So far we are barely keeping our head above water, and we are still snorting some up our nose!!

I sure hope we will be able to keep the house, but if we can't get ourselves out of this hole, we might just have to... We HAVE to think about when we aren't able to work any more... What will we live on? Social security?? Yeah right... So anyway... Stopping now to take a shower where thousands have showered before...

The view from my office is STILL awesome though!!!

Less than a week away...

Well it's almost Christmas, and we won't be 'home' for it... So weird! Well in a way we'll be home, since our truck is really our home right now... But not with family... This will be the first year we haven't gotten Lynn a stocking... Or maybe last year was... Yeah I think last year was.. I'm getting OLD!!

Well we just finished our last delivery, and are parked at a truck stop waiting for a load to get us back to AZ. I did request a 'drive by' to Sacramento, so we can see the kids (man do I miss them) but we'll see if that comes to pass... Not going to hold my breath...

Guess I'm feeling a bit on the downside... Still think we did the right thing, but it's becoming more and more like work. Ah to not have to get dressed to head to the bathroom... Or having to wait 25 miles until then next rest stop... It's the little things that you really start to miss... I actually miss having to do housework... LOL! I think in a way it was therapeutic for me... I would wash dishes when I was frustrated or angry... Those pots would SHINE .. LOL!

I sure do hope the $$ starts being more than paycheck to paycheck, and even then not catching all the bills. At times I almost wish we had just sold everything to pay off everything so we could start fresh... But I guess we are so ingrained to need our STUFF... Sigh... Yep that's about all I can do right now is sigh...

Well by for now, and I will try to think of only GOOD things and pull myself out of this funk... Not easy sometimes though...

New Fleet

Well the new fleet has started, and we are getting slipped into a routine... I think. The first week and a half was harsh miles wise, but the head DM (she) seems to be trying to make it right. So for now we will go with the flow. This last weekend though, if I wasn't getting over a cold I probably would have complained. There was to much time on it... What that means is that we got to were we needed to be, then had to sit... Gary got a 34 out of it, and I would have by now, but we moved to where we didn't have to pay for parking, and got WiFi... Down loaded a BUNCH on their bandwidth for $5. I should get mine by it's my turn to drive though.

Man getting a cold out here sucks! Can't take the types of meds you can at home, because THEY make you sleep... Mr. DOT doesn't like us taking those types of things. So it's been zinc, warm broth, saline rinses and thanks to the time on this load... REST... Still have the last little bit of it, but no lingering cough. It never got into my chest (thank you LORD!).

Well we are back rolling and will be delivering this load, then picking a short 350 mile one to basically pay our DH miles, then the last preset sends us back to AZ... For our next run out :) Still not the 5000 miles per week we are looking for, but better than what we were getting!

New Fleet

Not quite a week now with this 'new' fleet... Not real impressed... I sure hope things improve. Gary is like 'at least she is keeping us moving' ... But the miles are not adding up... Waiting to be loaded/unloaded eats up our rolling time... SIGH... So not sure how things will work out for this weekend. We will give it/her another week, if things don't start improving we will look for another dedicated fleet...

Almost...

We are almost done with hometime... So nice seeing family and friends, but it's time to get moving again... I'm sure the kids are tired of having the 'rents' home, and even thought we built this house and lived in it for 3 years... It's just not our home anymore... Oh sure we own the house, but it's not home. Our white freightliner is our home now. I will leave it at that for now... It's hard to look back and realize everything we have lost... Randy (a friend of ours) brought his motorcycle over so we could ride it if we wanted to... I took him up on it, but while riding I was so sad... I loved my motorcycle, but it hasn't been ridden now for over a year. It's slowly getting ruined by just sitting there, but we can't ride while we are out on the road... Just one of the 'things' we have lost... Maybe it's a lesson for us to not put so much into THINGS... And boy is it a HARD lesson! Yeah getting a bit depressed... Got to stop thinking of everything we have lost and start thinking of good things... Gary's surgery went great! Out health is still doing good, even with the few extra pound we have gained... But that is a struggle everyone has. Gary and I are still in love with each other even after living in a walk in closet size home... We have a wonderful daughter who is happily married and has a beautiful son (our grand son)... Just what we wanted for her, to be happy... So we will go back on the road in our 'home' and take it one day at a time... It's all we can do...

Update...

Ok, I confess I haven't been to forth coming about why such a long home time. Well we found out Gary had a cataract in his left eye. For a driver to have worsening vision, well that's not such a good thing. So we didn't want to broadcast that just in case things didn't work out well... But they did :) What things you ask? Well the cataract surgery of course. He now has better vision in his left eye uncorrected than his right eye - LOL! So we have the final check next Monday, and will be back on the road Tuesday... With the new fleet, or at least that's the plan. I'm just hoping that this new fleet will get us the miles! If not, then we will go fleet shopping again... I'm learning that you have to become the squeaky wheel in this company and I can squeak good too, just ask my family - LOL!

Homeward bound...and continued at home...

YEAH!! This time (even though expensive) is SO needed!!  It will give us a sitting still - repower break.  It will also give us a chance to start on the new 'dedicated' fleet.  We tried before to get more miles, but it slipped back to the point where we had to complain again... I don't like doing that because our DM is a really nice person, but we also have to think of our 'business' and our bills... she just wasn't pushing enough and getting us the miles.  Its suprising that after we 'bitched' we got a 4 digit run - AND after a fiasco with getting us an MT trailer, and 'bitching' some more - the run got improved and all the way to CA.  So time will tell if things will improve mile wise.

And now to continue from home:

LOL - seriously - I didn't get it 'finished' so thought I would continue where I left off.  Well we made it home, and on the day requested.  That was a nice surprise :) So now we have 10 days - and I don't like sitting this long, but it was needed.  Not just for our sanity, but we also had some things we needed to take care of at home. There are just somethings we can't have others do for us - sigh - Oh well...

Got a cool gift from the kids - an ipad - some really cool features and apps.  We have 'cheap' phones so never played with apps... so its all new for us.  We still have our laptops though - for business (and blogging) stuff...

I weighed myself here at home 185#  OMG!  I really have to do something... that is OVER doctors goal.  So I am making a concerted effort to watch what I eat and go back to the basics.  So not easy!

We are taking this time to put the truck in the shop for some service too... there is a vibration in the front end (or at least that's where it feels like its coming from) that hits about 40-45 mph... we already had a three axle alignment done, but it didn't really help at all... plus some of these roads have potholes that needs a VW bug to fill!!  So we are having them check the 'king pins' and 'bearings' - yeah like I know what they are - LOL!  Then getting ANOTHER three axle alignment. Sigh... this is going to be an expensive 10 days!! 

I did take the time and let our current DM know we were going dedicated.  She says she understands, but we had to take care of us, and she wasn't able to get us the miles we needed.  So we will see how things go and keep our fingers crossed XX!!

Now the question - am I still glad we chose to drive truck - yes. Do I miss what I had in the past - yes.  Do I realize that things change, and sometimes that change isn't easy - yes. 

Well back to relaxing on the couch and watching TV and playing with my Grandson and visiting with the kids - had a full day and planning on another one tomorrow... bye for now :)

And time goes on...

Well we are now waiting - again - at a shippers for them to load us.  It seems to be part of 'the life' - waiting. Of course there are things I 'should' do while we wait - like clean/straighten out the truck... or deal with e-mails... then I would have to look at the bills, and that gets depressing - LOL - who likes to be depressed?? Mmmm - no one is raising their hands - including me :) So instead I pick up the computer, or I take a nap... great escapes - but doesn't get anything accomplished... sigh...

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving time - we have 10 days scheduled at home!!  Yeah - that will cost a chunk of change, but it is needed - in more ways than one! 

So far the 'winter' weather hasn't been too bad.  We were caught in one storm that closed the roads - made our load late and we lost a preset over it.  Other than that - just cold and windy - so we have been really lucky!  We are in Nebraska now and will be heading to Illinois... again, cold and windy - overcast with scattered sprinkles... however crossing Wyoming last night it was down to 12* - I think that is about the coldest I have been in so far... I'm sure though it will get colder : /

Well I guess I should deal with some e-mail - but will probably get side tracked by Facebook, TTR Forum or the bed... I will be driving when we leave, so that will be my excuse for napping - yeah, yeah - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

Oh I know what I didn't type about - my WLS and how that's going - guilty consious there I guess... we are out of calciums and I couldn't find the calcium citrate at Wally World - so we are being lax with that - also with just remembering to take our vits... and our protein supplements - yeah not so good there either.  Weight wise - I'm back to 'doctor's goal'... 180... not really happy about that, but have no one to blame but myself.  I tell myself "I will do better" and I do, for that hour or day - then back to where I'm struggling from now... the hand to mouth sydrome.  We have been cooking in the truck some though.  There are frozen omlets that we split and roll up in a tortilla to eat while we drive - or ham/cheese raps - we have been doing some carrots or sugar snap peas for snacks occasionally... not as often as we should though.  Its like I'm addicted to nuts - LOL - mmmm food addiction?? ME?? Yeah - me... sigh... Also I'm needing to cut back on the amount of coffee. We both have 52oz mugs - and they get fill once and most times twice per day - EACH!!  We are doing half decaf now - feeling better about that one.... So making steps back to the line we need to walk... I still would not change a thing about having the surgery though - it is still a blessing!! Now we just need to work at it like everyone else...

Happy Halloween :)

Wow - has it really been this long since I've blogged... time all kinda mushes together... and one day is so similar to the next.  Although today is Halloween and I'm going as a truck driver - LOL!  Well I guess I have to, since today was the last day to renew my license as a nurse.  So I guess this is it, unless I want to redo some training or something... not sure how I would go about renewing my license once it laps - but hopefully I won't need to find out!  It was over $100 and I hadn't done any CEU's - which would have cost $$ - and time... so I'm now a 'use to be' nurse and now I 'am' a truck driver :)

Past three days we have been to three different dealers and an alignment shop... 1) just to get a clearence light - our truck is 'special' and doesn't take OTC lights.  2) checking out some 'codes' that have popped up - that was covered with our warentee - because there was some 'electrical' stuff causing the codes. 3) front steer tires w/outside wear and a vibration - dealership didn't have an alignment rack, but gave us a name of a local one... so $220 later a 3 axle alignment - not too shabby... and we will still be on-time for our next load. 

Well - off to take a nap/rest - have a run up to Chicago today/tonight - and this load is 'time sensitive'... which means driving through the night without 'nap' times - LOL!  Yep - night driving I take 'naps', usually about 20 minute 'power' naps - they let me go for another 2 hours. 

The bigger fridge is working out ok - but it is a bit more wobbly... I don't dare open it while the truck is in motion... EVERYTHING would shake out of it... and has - LOL!  We have been able to have icecream (no sugar added) - however with that setting it freezes our lettuce - sigh...  Oh and we got a couple cases of free bananas - we were able to give them away, but kept a couple bunches... the only thing is they all get ripe at the same time and there are only so many ways to have bananas in a truck... and there is only so much (with the WLS) that we can eat at one time... but they sure do taste good :)

Family and Friends...

I am so grateful for them!!  Today my MIL is needing to go to see her Dr. for her yearly check up... normally that wouldn't be too much of a problem - just parking downtown type of stuff right?  Well there is a bit more challenge than that with her.  Its call Alzheimer's... Also we aren't there to help - right now we are in Northern Florida on our way to a delivery and looking at sitting there for almost 24 hours (but that is another story - grrr). So instead my daughter and a very good friend is doing what I feel like is 'my duty'... taking Momma to the doc.  Guilt, guilt, guilt... yep that's what I'm feeling - no its not rational - but its there.  We are doing what we HAVE to do.  I try to make the best of it (what else is there, besides pissing and moaning) but at times like this it really isn't 'fun'. 

I try not to look at all that we have lost/given up but sometimes it just hits ya' right square in the eye...  well enough of this for now - pulling into another truckstop near our delivery - get to wait out the day/night here until we can get rid of this load tomorrow morning... and there is only so much to do in a walk in closet... sigh...

Sigh...

You either laugh or cry... well maybe not that extreme, but you can either go with the flow or get ground up on the rocks of frustration... I'm trying to go with the flow - because there isn't much I can do to change what is happening right now.  We had the chance to 'drop' the load we just delivered, but since we/I felt a cold coming on, wanted the chance to 'take it easy' for a nigbt - "careful what you wish for" comes to mind here.  So we get to our delivery - and we wait, and wait and wait... we end up getting 1.5 hrs detention (which starts 2 hours after our appt. time)... then we head to our next load - we didn't have an appt time, just told to head in... so we are 15 minutes away and get an updated appt time - for over 12 HOURS away!!  OMG!!  So this is where we 'go with the flow' or 'get totally frustrated' - I'm trying to 'stay calm' and Gary is FUMING... of course to make matters just SO much better - we are waiting in line at a 'Blue Beacon' (truck wash) and there are over 5 trucks in front of us - talk about waiting... (it's been 45 minutes already)

So - if there are no accidents, and everything happens for a reason - what reason can my tiny little mind think this waiting and frustration is for... to learn patience??  Maybe to teach patience... either way its a struggle... One of my favorite prayers (and it really does work - at least for me) is "God grant me patience - and I want it RIGHT NOW!!" - LOL!

Of course during all of this 'frustration' and while we are driving on a bumpy, underconstruction road - I realize I didn't put the strap on the refridgerater door again... and the door - yes it comes open - and there goes all of our groceries onto the floor... thank goodness we didn't have many of them, however I will miss the cherry tomatoes... and boy do they roll ALL over the place!! (they also spray seeds everywhere when you step on them)

So yeah - trucking can be 'fun' but there are also parts of it that rruely frustrate us...

Thanks for reading my rant :)

PS - just as I was going to hit 'post' the computer shuts it's self down to 'update' - thank goodness it/blogger automatically saves 'drafts' - or I would have had a bunch more typing to do - LOL!

What are we doing now...

Well this is cut and pasted from a 'Trucker's Forum' we are on:

Update...

Well we made it over the hill - and on our way to Hershey, PA we repowered a solo load.  That was kind of and interesting one. He was heading the same way we were, but would not have the hours or time to deliver his load.  So we picked it up from him, and he hooked on to our PA load.  We delivered his in IA and then met him back up in IA (50 miles back - since that is where he ran out of time for that day) and picked our original load back up and then TRIED to deliver it in PA.  When I say tried, yes we did deliver it, but it was a confusing mess.  The address they had us go to the first time, was the address on the bills, but they refused it.  They said it was to go to the D/C - went to the D/C and they said it was to go to the original address... ARG!!  Finally they said to just leave it at the D/C and they would straighten it out on Monday (don't ya just LOVE weekends!!) So we met up with Celtic Wolf on our way out there - great to met and talk with folks you only have had a chance to read.  Didn't get a load until Sunday 30 minutes until it was to be picked up 150 miles away!! So we get there - when they said they would be closing - and not only got in, but had to take it back to get it reworked.  All of that for a 317 mile load - but hey, better than dead heading - LOL!  Now we are watching the 'truck stop' show after delivering our load. The impatience and rudeness really shouldn't surprise me, but DA##!  Not really looking forward to having to get out and deal with this mess, but we need to fuel.  So that brings you up to date on what we've been doing... We are planning on staying out until Nov (Thanksgiving) and taking an extended home time (10 days!!) - I can't wait!!

Reading and communicating on the forum (for me at least - Gary likes his FB games) is a good distraction from the 'waiting' we have to do some times... One thing we were hoping to do while we were 'out on the road' is to go to some of the 'Church of Christ's that were in the same 'group' as the one we went to in Sacramento... however that hasn't come to pass.  So we thought - Mmm they have the 'Church in a Truck Stop' chapels, but we still haven't made it to one of those... So instead we have found our solution.   My nephew has founded/seeded a new church.  Its called 'The Garden City Church'.  He has been a 'Preacher/Minister/Teacher' - (what ever name you want to give the position) - for several years at other churchs.  He was 'called' to start/seed this church, and puts his 'lessons/sermons' on pod casts.  THIS way - when Gary and I have time (and now we are 'making time') to listen to them, we are.  We don't get the social aspect of the church, or the communion, but we get the words and the message.  We were so missing that!!  It had been quite a while for us, what with (long list of excusses) - we can now 'go to church' - even if its in the front seat of our truck :D

PS - got the bigger fridge and its working pretty good - however it might have worked TOO good and froze the celery -sigh - but we did get the carrots and snap peas :)

My apologies

I know as a 'blogger' I'm suppose to post something a little more often than once a month - sorry - what can I say??  I think of all these great things to type about while I'm driving, then its my time off and I'm tired - or we do a 'movie night' - or I'm doing 'office work' in a moving truck and after doing that, I want off the computer as soon as possible (trying not to spew!!) 

So how are we doing - pretty good I guess.  We stuck with our DM and she has kept us moving.  We are heading back to CA for a little bit of home time (Gary has a Dr's appt).  Taking home time does mess w/the miles a bit though because she has to aim us and the loads might not be timed right or that long a distance.  Seeing the kids is important to us though... yes she is a big girl now, and married and a mom, but I need the hug.  Plus its just not the same to talk on the phone, although we did try the Skype and that worked 'ok'... back ground noise and connection was a little rough - but we can work on that :) not driving down the road might help - LOL!

Now how am 'I' doing - that's a good question - LOL!  It depends on what is happening at the time and what I'm thinking about.  If I'm driving and enjoying the view from my office - I'm glad I made this career change... if I'm getting dressed after hardly sleeping to wander into a LOUD/BRIGHT dirty truck stop to go pee before I either start driving or go back to sleep - yeah I have some doubts.  If I'm thinking about everything we left behind - I greave some and think back to the 'old days'.  Then I start thinking what might have happened if we didn't choose this path - and I'm glad we took the path we are on.  So all in all I'm glad to be rolling down the road with my best friend/husband <grin>.

On the WLS front - I'm really disappointed in myself :( I tell myself I'm going to stay away from the nuts and I'm going to cook meals, and I'm not going to eat unless I'm hungery and I'm going to drink water and not as much coffee... then I start driving and my other 'robot' self kicks in and the hand goes down to put food in my mouth.  Habit I know... I'm not hungrey really, just need that hand to mouth going while I'm driving... thank goodness I don't smoke anymore - I can so easily see myself going through 3 packs a day if I did!!  When we first started munching on nuts and jerky, we were thinking that it wouldn't be so bad - they are low on 'carbs' and they have protein - yeah and they are LOADED with calories!! So easy to say - do veggies - and we tried them, but getting to a store (parking the Freightliner) and storage (only have a 1.7 cu fridge) - there are some challenges... Damn it though - I DO NOT WANT TO GAIN ANY MORE WEIGHT!!

Sigh... well this blog has taken a couple hours to do - (ADD type of thing - squirrel!!) - and now I really need to get some sleep - driving again in a few hours...

Bye for now...

1/2 Century...

Yep my 50th is coming up - and will have been on this earth for a half a century!!  That makes me sound SO OLD!!  I remember I would look forward in time and think it would be SO long until I was THAT old... well that time has come.  What is weird though - I don't really feel 'old'.  I feel no different really from when I was in my 30's... thinner, and a few joint aches I didn't have then, but basically the same.  Thank you Lord for putting the gastric bypass in my life - I don't think I would feel this good without it.  Also talk about a midlife change of careers!!  From nursing to truck driving - B I G change!  I'm just glad I'm not doing it alone... I do miss a few things though - my family is first and foremost.  My daughter in now married and has a child of her own, so we are now on the fringes - but I would LOVE to be there more often and just be a total pest - LOL! I also miss our house - we havc and are sacraficing to make sure it stays in the family, but I'm also glad to be able to witness the passing from one generation to the other - while I'm still alive to see it!!  It does raise some questions as to where we will go when we 'get off the road'.  Will we move back into the front bedroom?  Or get our own place? Who knows what time will bring...  Yeah as I get older I realize that God really laughs when we make plans.  If he agrees with the plans - no problems, but if he doesn't - it really messes with what we want to do - LOL!  I'm just glad he has agreed with our wish for a healthy grandchild and a happily married daughter - with those things we are the richest people... (yes I'm getting mushy). 

So here we sit getting loaded with some sort of fruit - about 200 miles away from Sacramento.  So close and yet so far - being this close make me miss them even more - but we do have 'home time' scheduled for next week (my birthday) and our DM (bless her heart) has done great in getting us there on time.  Miles will be less than what we want - but we will be able to see family!!  The next scheduled 'home time' will be during Thanksgiving. 

Oh and we stayed with our original DM - we had dinner with her the other night, and it finally clicked - she really doesn't have much power over what loads we get - its the PLANNERS that hand out the loads - she is just the intermediary between us.  So it might have been a mistake not to go Dole - and we might try that bridge if (after this home time) the miles shrink again.  However we did say to her we would give her 2 weeks to bring up the miles - and she has.  She has also worked her fanny off getting us home on-time for Eddie's birth and my birthday.  So we will continue this 'Grand Adventure' not knowing where we will be sent next... and not really looking forward to the winter - but we got to take the cold with the hot - LOL!

PS - reminder to self - pick up chains for the truck...

Should we or shouldn't we... that is the question...

And I think I know what the answer will be... in fact I'm pushing for it myself.  That is to go dedicated.  I'm thinking of it in a practical aspect.  We need the miles CONSISTANTLY... not just when we bitch and threaten to go some place else.  From what I've heard about this fleet - it is a LOT of back and forth across country... however it is TO just a few locations, however on the return trip there might be some veriety. (ps sorrry for any typos - done in a moving truck - LOL)  Also it sounds like they would be able to run us through our home town - want to be able to see our kids and grand - we really are missing them!! So we said we would give our DM 2 weeks - and Monday is the end of the 2 weeks.  So decision time is at hand.

Oh - and by the way - I'm a Grand Mother!!  <silly grin>

So for a run down of this last week...lets start in IN - picked up a bunch of bread crumbs and took them to NE (706 miles).  From there picked up just down the street (nice) in NE and took it to a trailer drop yard in IL (563 miles).  Then headed to MI to load and take it to UT (1500 miles). Then we got some yogurt in UT and took it to OH (1595 miles).  Then some more yogurt in OH to AL (711 miles).  From there we had a bust ass run from AL to CO (1285 miles - in 26  hours or less!!) - now we are on a run from CO with one stop in OH then PA (1824 miles) - so this week has been a good one (these span from the 17th until today - so a touch over a week - (8184 miles))... but its not consistantly like that.  We also have had to PUSH to get those - and bitch about runs... such as one they assigned us - 500+ miles dead head (basically paid just enough to cover costs) for a run of only 450 miles... NOPE we really don't want that one!!

Well we just got off the freeway near my BIL house - (one of the nice things about this job) - going to visit - so bye for now :)

Not yet...

Today has been so surreal in a way - my baby is having a baby - WOW!  It really is going to happen <big grin> Things are going well and it is so cool to see those two together.  They are going to make good parents. Nothing really happened today - basically paperwork and getting things set up.  So maybe tomorrow, or who knows, now that I'm back at the house (giving them some alone time - as alone as you can be in a hospital - and some privacy to rest/sleep) Eddie just might decide to wake them up and make his appearence.  Kinda bummed that Gary can't be here - but we both understand why.  The company though KNOWS what is going on - I talked to our DM this morning.  Why they are having him do a run from UT to CO (he is in CO tonight - delivers at 0500) then from CO to ID and no run scheduled yet to CA... makes me nervous!!  So just as well things are going slowly - that way Gary just might be back here at the same time Eddie makes his appearence!!  Now that would be perfect timing :^) However I'm not sure Lynn wants to wait for too long - and I really don't blame her... so we will see how things go.  For me it now already tomorrow, and I have a feeling it will be a long day.  I want to get the oven clean in the morning (it was on a list of things Lynn had wanted to do - but its something I can do for them).  Not sure if I will get to the lawn - priorities you know - LOL!  So off to bed I go...

Today is the day the Lord has made!!

Well today is the day for my Grandson to start his emergence into the world... now the question will be how long will it take... Gary is finishing up the load in Utah and I'm here in Sacramento.  I feel like I was able to help out some around the house yesterday - vacuumed and cooked dinner. I just wish I could make time flow faster.  Waiting again - LOL!

I'm going to do some running around for Lynn today - medication for Momma - stuff like that... then driving them to the hospital and getting settled in... not sure if I will stick around there, or head back to the house - just going to go with the flow.  I learned a great lesson from a friend of mine YEARS ago - to not impose what I think things should be into 'their' situation.  So I will just be in the background and enjoy the day - wishing Gary could be here - but I know his work ethic - just one of the reasons I love him so much!!

The count down continues...

Well the count down until I get to meet my Grandson continues... the time now stands at Monday - 1630 induction begins... then it will be up to God and him as to when we will meet.  The timing of getting a load in the area and being able to be available to help out has been a bit of a tight rope.  I'm happy to say though that Central has been helping and conciderate of our needs (as much as they can be and still run their business).  So what we are looking at right now is that we dropped our load in Stockton (drop yard) and won't have to wait until Monday to deliver it.  I was pushing for a load out today - but that just wasn't happening (sigh) instead we have a load to pick up in the morning (Sunday) that goes to UT - set to deliver on Tuesday.  That wil actually work out OK I think (even God has a hand in at Central - LOL).  We pick up in Tracy (tomatoes) tomorrow 0700 - we swing by the house and kick me out of the truck - Gary continues on to SLC arriving Monday - to deliver first thing Tuesday (and hopefully Eddie will have been born) an!!d head straight back to CA.  (with a load please!!) He will then be able to take a day or two to play with his Grandson (I feel bad in a way that I will have more time than he does - but I'm selfish too) then we will need to get back on the road.  We are planning on asking for 'home time' in CA more often now (needless to say) and are planning on Thanksgiving in CA... Christmas though will be for the new Caluza clan and we will swing by to visit sometime in that time frame.  That is our long (sort of) range plan - now if God agrees with it will be the question - LOL! 

So for right now we are sitting at the Stockton drop yard - with the ICON going and the curtains pulled - both playing on the computer and having some down time... just wish it was cool enough to have the windows down, but then we are talking bugs - oh well...

Oh and this solution of dropping me off at the house, will also save $$ by me not having to fly to Sac :^) also there was a 'gift from heaven' - a small amount of $$ that was found that will ease (a tiny bit) the concerns of the truck being still for 2-3 days - until we get rolling again... Thank you Dad!!  I really miss you and wish you could be here to meet your Great Grandson!! I think you would be proud of your Grand Daughter - she has turned out to be one heck of a good person... and will be a wonderful Mom!!

Close...

Today was the closest I have come to saying Fuck it I want out!  Every once and a while I get 'emotional' - and I use to blame it on 'that time of the month'... well I don't have 'that' time any more - but today was one of THOSE days.  Started out fine - dropped off a load in Brea, CA - went smooth - I was driving and we were both in great moods.  Got to the next stop - it's s load of pineapples from a Port in the LA area.  First off the adedress they (the company) gave us for the 'escort' (since we don't have TWIC cards) was wrong.  Then we were told only one of us could go into the port - even though we are both drivers, and a team.  THAT is what put the spanner in my works today.  I freaked - I haven't done a run on my own.  The one time I attempted  it I was SO glad I snuck Gary on board - because he was able to help me through it.  Well with me freaking out - Gary is like - we just won't take it.  Now I'm freaking there because I don't want it to adversly effect our 'jobs'.  We were told that if we didn't do it - it would be a service failure.  Plus Gary didn't want to drop me off at a 'coffee shop' in a strange town so he could do the delivery. (I was better w/that option) So needless to say - I've been an emotional mess today... He did drop me off at a Subway right out side the Port - and did the pick-up with no problem and on an up note - less than a week until I get to meet my Grandson Edward Gustavus Caluza :) Love a good ending!!

28 years and counting...

Have they be over the top wonderful years with gum drops and rainbows every day?  No - but would I trade them for gum drop/rainbow days if they were without Gary - NO!!  We have weathered through really tough times together and have enjoyed wonderful times together and been totally bored at times together... the best part about all of that, is that we have been together.  I don't know if everyone could do the amount of togetherness we do (especially now in a truck), but it just seems natural to us.  We are each other's best friends - that is SO important!!  What is also cool is that we still act like silly teenagers together too - LOL!  We even hold hands and walk arm in arm still :)

So how are we spending the day?  Not working (which is a blessing and a curse) and together.  Slept in (to a whopping 0730), bummed around the truck and talked with Gary's cousin Ron until he had to leave for work.  He picked us up last night and showed us around the town of Burley, ID - it is a cool small town (small compared to Sacramento) and one (at least in the summer months) that would be nice to live in.  When he left for work, he also left us the keys to his truck so that we could do some running around.  Which we did... picked up some steak, sweet potato and salad for dinner tonight and then we are planning on catching a movie (Harry Potter) - but who knows... that is one nice thing about days off - no set plans!!

Yawn - mmmm - a nap sounds really good right now - maybe I will do that for a while <grin>

Getting so close!!

It's getting so close to Grandma time!! We are almost to WI then heading back west... I'm hoping I won't have to fly - but am so willing if Eddie decides to come before we get back.  I feel bad because I'm not right there when my daughter is pregnant - you know to answer questions, concerns and to generally bug her - LOL! However it's probably just as well I'm not there - because I would most likely be bugging her - LOL! (love you kiddo!)

I am so hoping this (the lease and trucking in general) works out like we hope... yeah - hard work, but the bills we need to pay off!! This last 'settlement' was positive, but not much - but then we had a few days off and only had 2000 miles on it... OUCH!!  I can see where we just HAVE to keep moving.  That's gonig to suck when we want to spend time w/the kids and the grand (s)... wanting to spend time, but being pulled back out just so that we don't go in the hole. I can see that IF you get in a hole, it would really be hard to pull yourself out of it.  We have the hole of debt already - so we don't need another one.

I tried cooking in the truck again - and had way too many things plugged into the 'cig lighter'... melted the plug and blew a fuse... note to self - use a dedicated plug for the Burton Oven!! Found the fuse - replaced it and all is good... the plug that got melted was to a Y - so we could plug a bunch of stuff into it - LOL!  I did up a portabella mushroom pizza... next time I need to cook the mushroom a bit first - its so thick that the cheese was almost crispy, but the  mushroom was just getting soft... the taste was still there - cheese, pepperoni, garlic salsa and mushroom - total yum!

<tried to post picture - but it's on my phone and didn't get posted on FB where I could grab it - GRRR>

Well I guess I didn't post this - and stopped - now starting back up again...

Lets talk about yesterday evening... well it happened - our first 'accident'. No one was physically hurt, but
our confidence sure was!  Gary was backing into a 'tight' spot at a truck stop, I was on the ground w/my cell phone and we both had headsets on... things going a little tougher than usual (figured out later than the tandems were further up than CA standard - due to the weight of the trailer - so bigger tail swing) I told him to STOP but he didn't hear me because his headset had disconnected from the phone.  We have been having trouble with his phone randomly rebooting - so not sure if that is what happened or not - but he didn't hear me say stop until I was screaming and opened up the passanger door yelling 'you hit the other truck!!' - sigh - needless to say our movie night didn't turn out as planned and the paperwork really sucks!  The guy who's truck we removed the front fender of was such a wonderful person though... it really hit me and brought me to tears - as we were finishing up the exchange of info and saying goodbye - he grabbed our hands and said a quick prayer... Man did that bring me back to my priorities!  Thank you Lord that no one was injured!!  So now we have a $1500 deductable we have to pay (I'm sure the damage done to his truck will match or exceed that amount) and a 'defensive driving course' we have to go to. I say WE because although the company says 'Gary' as he was behind the wheel - we are a team, and it was both of us doing the backing.  One thing we did do though, is got a hand held CB radio... we are no longer going to rely on cell phones!! Better late - than doing it again!!

Quicky

This is going to be just a quick post - just to Hey I'm still alive type of thing.  Good thing is - we have been moving... that means $$.  As long as we stay moving I think we will do ok $$ wise, and we might even get some bills paid off - which will be REALLY nice! I also was able to get QB set up - bookkeeping again, but this time getting paid for it - in a way.  Daughter saw the Doc today and it looks like at least another week... our DM is really working at keeping us on the west coast - really like that!!  Now if we can get a minimum of 5000 miles/week and we will be really happy campers :^D... Speaking of which - I will be heading off to bed when I get done with this.  We got stuck at WM - 2 hours detention, but it made us 'late' for our pick-up and now subsequent deliveries (Smiths)... We have 3 stops in NV - then heading to CA for another pick-up (cheese stuff) heading to MI.  Our DM will arrainge for us to drop in UT and head back to CA (keeping us close to 'home').  Really looking forward to seeing the grandbaby!  Gary and I were talking and thinking about us when Lynn was little - and things that we would have done differently if we could have known then what we know now.  Such as making things more about her, and what she wanted, then about us and what we wanted... but hind sight is 20/20... and I think we did OK (seeing how she has turned out)... So any way - I'm going to sleep - and just might be able to have breakfast with the kids (woo hoo!).

Refreshed...

I so needed that time at home - yes home... Technicly it is still our home, but it is also my daughter/SIL and soon to be Grandchilds home too.  I still call it home though.  I guess I have several 'home's.  My husband's arms is my main residence <grin> - then there is the truck; where we do our daily living - the house that the kids are living in, where our blood/sweat/tears and $$ is.  So yeah - I got 3 homes.  Each one has its part in my life, and I needed the last one and didn't even know how badly. I think the reason why I needed so much is to re-connect and touch base with my daughter.  Yes she is a grown woman now, married and about to be a mother (well she is already, but one that can hold her kid in her arms type Mom soon)... but she has also become a close friend.  I miss the day to day talking of the little stuff.  When we are out on the road we don't have that daily communication, and even if we did, it would be by phone and that's just not the same.  Its not bad - but not the same.

We also were able to visit Gary's brother/cousin... it was AWESOME to see him looking so good.  He has had some health issues and is doing great now - the hard part now is making sure he doesn't do TOO much - LOL! 

I also got to visit with one of my sisters.  Tried to get together w/both, but it just didn't work out :^( - however I will take what I can get!!

So these last couple days really refreshed me. 

Now its back to business.  Trying to take care of COBRA and setting up QB all i.n a moving truck <picture a bit a car sickness>... but I need to get use to doing office work in a moving vehicle.  Got a lot done though while we were at the shippers - parked - I guess I need to start taking advantage of those times, instead of goofing off - sigh - real world stuff - 'got to do's' instead of 'want to do's'... <blech>  This next run though is going to be a nice one... 2136 miles and only 8K pounds - we are going to be FLYING!!  I set a time of 54 hours - yes its padded a touch, but Gary got a new set of glasses he is getting use to.  With the new Rx its giving him some headaches, so for this first run with them, we are giving ourselves time.  Now lets hope there is a drop yard and a load to hook late on the 23rd or early on the 24th!!

I also got some 'house work' done... a shelf put up and some cleaning out of stuff we aren't using.  Rearrainging of other stuff and still have more to do.  All the laundry is done though (including bed linens!!) and we are freshly washed (love the daily shower!) so all in all - I'm feeling pretty good right now.

Home time...

Ah... home time... its a bag of mixed blessings.  Love seeing the kids! Hard to see the house and realise it's not really ours any more.  So much time/love/history and its gone (in a way)... I think its harder for Gary than for me - or so it seems.  The truck now feels more like 'home'... of course for me I'm home when I get a hug :)

I wish I was better with words and able to express my feelings - but I think they are so convoluted that even words wouldn't give them justice.

I have so many things I would like to do - now if I will have time to do them with the truck not moving. I want to basically rearrange the furnature - LOL - and in a truck that is hard to do... only so much space and we have STUFF - LOL! 

Well off to do something - not sure what... the main plans are to go see a real movie (Harry Potter is our choice) - maybe go to the State Fair (want to get a corn dog - LOL) - and head to the bank to get things around for our 'business'.

So what am I doing on the computer!?! I'm addicted - LOL!

Seriously!!

The load today was a joke... Unloaded at the first one (grocery D/C) and got 1 hour of detention... headed to our next stop.  Had to be there before 1430 - got there at 1400... they said we would get the next door, and even had paperwork ready.  Multiple trucks come and go, we are still waiting... and waiting... finally get a message over the QC and are told that the load won't be ready until tomorrow at 1000!!  Well needless to say there was some conversation over QC and phone - but it came down to the shipper messed up - and we will get detention pay until morning... so instead of trying to idle to stay cool in Texas, we are doing a motel tonight... TV, pool, BIG non-moving bed, and a bathroom just few steps away... so all in all not so bad - and at $50 cheaper than idling the truck!!

We are going to head to a local BBQ joint for dinner - you know, in Texas, got to do BBQ :^D and they have free WiFi - LOL!

We are giving our DM a couple weeks to get us miles... and one good thing is the load we are picking up after we FINALLY get this one done heads to Sacramento!!  Woo Hoo!! Get to hug my kid (((HUG))) and our DM will run us on the West Coast until Eddie is here - and maybe for a while afterwards - until the kids kick me/us out :^) However we have talked to a DM that deals with a dedicated route.  That would get us the miles, but the repetition of the same route over and over - not sure if we want to do that... but the miles/money might over ride the repetition.  There is also another dedicated route we might be interested in, but I want to ask my trainer what he thinks about it... he just moved over there because of lack of miles where we are now.

Well enough typing for now - heading for BBQ!!

Waiting again...

Yeah this is getting old - not that I don't like the evening having dinner sitting still and enjoying a movie w/my husband... however that doesn't get the bills paid.  We got another load that is 1400 miles - but 4 days to do it in... what part of we are a team, not solo do you not understand!!  Our DM said she would try to get us a repower so that we can take another load and keep us moving... if she doesn't, that will just about settle our minds to try to go dedicated and 'fire' her.  She is a nice lady, but we also have to think about our 'business' and she is not being good for our business!!

Getting excited about being a Grandparent :D I am wishing that I would be able to spend more time with the kids and Eddie, but we got to do what we got to do... and that is pay down bills and keep the house.  So we are working... its not all bad though... and its an adventure - LOL!  I need to take the time and reorganize the cab though - things are still scattered and hard to reach and disorganized... and you know how when your home is disorganized it rubs off on everything else (or at least seems to) so IF we don't get repowered - I will (tis my goal) reorganize the cab of this truck and 'declutter' things - LOL!  Such lofty goals - now to just do them!!

Sigh...

Two weeks into leasing the truck - and so far... ehhhh... We were hoping for more miles, but nope... for a team we have been getting solo miles - just won't cut it... we might have to go dedicated.  We would like to give our DM a chance, but we also have to think of our business - because that is what this is.  We will have bills and such for the truck and for ourselves... taxes, health insurance etc. PLUS all the bill we had before - mortgage, phone, CC... sigh... I sure hope we start getting miles soon!!

Moving again...

Finally!!  Last week was a cluster <____k> I swear it was the closest I came to saying this just isn't worth it!!  However we signed a 3 year leash (yes I didn't miss type that - leash, not lease) so at least for now we are sticking with it... Sort of have to because we have no other income/job lined up and not enough OTR experience to jump ship.  We would also need to find someone to take over the lease - and I (even though I though about it) don't want to give up yet.

We have a great DM (driver manager) and we trust her to not screw us over, but anyone else out of our home terminal, or the planners - - yeah - - not so much if any trust there.  The info we have gotten last week was either incorrect, missing or they were pulled from under us (unassigned) to 'repower' another load that was to heavy for one truck - what makes you think ours is any lighter!!  GRRR!!  Lots of wasted time and fuel - which WE pay for now.

Eating wise - we are finally going to stop and shop - going to use the crock pot and do up a stew... really missing 'home cooked' food.  Restaurants, even if they have different names, have basically the same foods.  Not a whole lot of variety.  Mmmm salmon patties and curried rice - nope they don't have it.  Stew with brussel sprouts - not a chance.  So that is what I'm going to fix for tonight, stew with a couple brussel sprouts tossed in :)  We have a load going from Irving, TX to Lincoln, NE... not sure when we are meeting the other driver to swap loads, but it is scheduled for sometime tomorrow (little nervous about that - we have to be in Nashville, TN at 0630 the next day - if the swap driver is too late it will mess us up) so we have time once we get up there for a nice 'sit still' dinner and long shower, and maybe even a DVD movie!!  Ah the little things in life - LOL!

All in all though - this job/lifestyle has its good and bad points.  I try not to dwell on the bad points, because then I can't enjoy the good points.  When we are moving we will make OK money - but we have to be moving.  The view from our office is spectacular!!  However I missed out on my daughter's baby shower - I miss being able to give her a hug every now and again.  We talk on the phone, and its great to hear the news, but its not the same as being there... (sniff, sniff) OK - off that subject - don't want to dwell on it - sigh...

We did and do get to see friends/family in different areas of the country - that we wouldn't be able to do other wise than by doing this... so that is a plus.  Just had a wonderful time in Charlette, NC with a good friend.  Had fish tacos for the first time (they were ok, but its just another way to serve fish) but it was the company that made the day special. 

Ups and Downs...

Life is full of them... and yes I know you can't appreciate the ups unless you have downs to compare them too... but Grrr...

Not a big down, but a frustrating one.  We are sitting and waiting... and waiting... and waiting... I guess there was a screw up with the load we were suppose to do - and we got pulled off another load to do it !!  HURRY ITS A HOT TEAM LOAD!!  Yeah right... we have been sitting since 8 pm last night - and its now over 12 hours later... yeah time in money (as they say in their company koolaid 'on hold' message) and they are costing us money!!  Its the weekend crew - they screw us every time.  Repowers - rriiiighttt...

The ups though - we were able to see a friend that moved across the country from us.  We (now as L/O) we able to bend our route a bit and swing down close to where she lives.  We had a great time sight seeing and having lunch and catching up.  Oh and that was in Charlotte, NC.

So even though we are having some downs, there are still the ups to look forward to...

WE DID IT!!

Yep we did it... we are now Lease Ops... (sort of an Owner/Operator exept we don't 'Own' the truck, but we are still responsible for it)

Talk about a leap of faith!  Well - we already leaped into the pool, now we are heading for the deep end, but we do have some idea how to swim - just hoping the sharks don't 'get' us (don't 'cha just love my metaphores - LOL)... so we now have just over 1000 miles on her (yes it is a her) and she is doing great.  The gears are a bit tight, but they will get worn to how WE shift, not anyone else.  Also since she is a 'new' truck (2012 Freightliner Cascadia) we have the benifit of the full warranties... with a used truck, we (as a team) might have run out of the warranty and we wouldn't know how the truck was maintained BEFORE we got it... that was a big concern of ours.

We are also going to use their accounting service at least for the rest of this year... 1) they are partnered w/the company, so they get a good portion of the needed information sent over to them and 2) expediency - we wanted to get started with 'our business' and we don't personally have the expertise to do it our selves (at least we realize THAT - and that's a good thing!!)

So we are just now parked at a truck stop, 11 miles away from where we deliver in the morning at 0630, and we already have a load to pick up tomorrow afternoon to deliver the next morning!  I love our DM!!
She actually called us while we were signing papers with a load for us... now THAT is a good DM!

Now this truck doesn't have as many 'cubby' holes as the T2000 did, so finding places for everything we have is a bit of a challenge - but I have ideas <bwahahaha>... I almost need a step stool though because most of our storage is on the upper bunk... this one though, the roof goes all the way up.  So it makes it seem like its roomier (and it is) which is nice.  It doesn't have some of the other 'nice' things the T2000 did - like an air bag dump (used to deflate the airbags when dropping off a trailer) which is a niceity, but not a necessity... we might have one put in later.  We got the 'company' spec'ed truck - so no fridge/side window's/left side jocky box - but to have those would have been $40/wk more - so being 'frugel' we chose not to have those things.  One of our first business decisions - and I think a good one.  I thank my Dad for teaching me how to squeek when I walk (family joke there)...

Well - I guess I should try to get something for dinner - and take my vitamins... then get some sleep - I'm driving in the morning <big grin>

Construction...

At least that is what we think is the culprit - we have had several tire issues.  As I type this we are again sitting in a shop getting a tire worked on.  Yeah it is nice to type and read on a computer that isn't moving - and we did have time to get in a shower - BUT - its frustrating because we were going to swing by WalMart and do some grocery shopping before dropping this load off - now we don't have time to do that - sigh... but hey - that is the way of trucking... its fluid and ever changing.  I'm glad I can roll with the flow - I have for years and now that ability is coming in handy :D

We are seriously thinking of selling a few things too... the toy hauler, pick-ups, and motorcycles.  We aren't using them, they are just sitting there (well maybe not the trucks - the kids use them occasionally to keep the fluids moving around) and not doing us any good.  Plus we are thinking of the direction this 'journey' will be taking us.  So leasing a truck has come up in conversation as well as other ideas... none of them include needing the hauler or bikes. We can always replace them once we get off the 'road'. 

Well looks like they are done working on the tire - and its my turn to drive - so type/talk later - bye for now...

Blurrrr...

The days recently have been mushing into a blurr of sameness. Sleep/Drive/Sleep/Drive. Do I regret this lifestyle change - no, not really - does it still have the same luster of adventure - not quite - LOL!  We have been talking about leasing - yeah THAT talk again - LOL - but then a frustration w/the company/qualcomm/truck comes up and we table it again.  Maybe a short term lease - my trainer said we could lease his truck, but that is for only 2 months now - that's a little TOO short term :)  We also talked to someone at a truckstop that moves travel trailers w/a 1 ton pickup - gets paid more than our O/O!!  So THAT might be a problem.  So for now - we are going back and forth across the country.  I'm even starting to recognise where we are when I wake up now - because we have been there before...

Still stuck in a rut eating wise - so easy to say "we will do this, that and the other thing", but then to actually put that into play??  That just doesn't seem to happen.  We also have been listening to 'audio books'.  So not doing much phone calling or listening to the radio... so we are still traveling in our bubble :^D

Well I'm going to head onto FaceBook - I haven't been on-line for almost 3 days!! <gasp> So I need to make sure everyone is still alive - LOL!

Another day in the life...

This last weekend was a nice one.  We had one load after another, with very little wait time but plenty of time to deliver.  That makes it nice because we were able to fit in a shower (we smell better that way too - LOL).  However now we are waiting - in Casa Grande, AZ.  Its 100 out and the company doesn't like us to idle - so this is what we tried to do...

It worked pretty good to - caught any breeze that came up and kept the sun off of us.  However 100* is 100* and that is just plain HOT!  So we moved back inside at least until the sun goes down a bit... then we are thinking about breaking out the BBQ and cooking up some steaks.  Spotted a special at Sam's Club (went in just for protein bars and walked out with much more - that always seems to happen - LOL) and so picked up a package.  The only thing about Sam's Club is their 'one' package has SO MUCH in it!  However the 3 steaks we will cook up, and be able to munch on for the rest of the week... WLS is great that way... but not great in a way because stores just don't sell single serving sizes - eh - oh well...

We went to a restaurant this morning for breakfast - an actual sit down breakfast - and caught the news - I couldn't begin to tell you what it was about.  Some political debate stuff - but it just reinforced how insulated we are out here.  We have been listening to audio books and music on satillite radio, not news.  So we really have no clue what is happening in the 'real' world.  So if something big happens - could you message me on FB?  LOL! 

I still find it hard to do the computer stuff I'm 'suppose' to do. While we are driving/working I have the excuse of the truck moving - but like right now... I just want to relax and 'play'.  Sigh... I might 'work' a bit - for the most part tonight - I'm going to have an evening off... to play and relax and eat some home (truck) made BBQ!!

Sitting and waiting...

Its a mixed blessing really... got a great night sleep in a cool, non-moving HUGE bed... got to stumble to the bathroom with the lights off and no loud music playing and stumble back to bed WITHOUT really waking up - (the simple pleasures) - however to be able to enjoy that, the truck isn't moving.  Its in the shop right now.  Yeah its a company truck, so we don't have to foot the bill, but that also means we aren't making any $$ because the truck isn't moving!! This would hurt even worse if we were L/O or O/O... paying for it AND not getting paid, but then we would have gotten it fixed the FIRST time the engine light came on and the oil pressure alarm wasn't working right... sigh...

We really haven't been eating right either.  In the south it seems like EVERYTHING is fried - LOL! But it tastes SO good!  Thankfully I can't eat much of it, but we've been eating it.  Of course being stuck in the shop, we have been living on nuts again.  They seem to be our steady diet - sigh... At least we are keeping up on our vitamins :^)

So for now we are watching TV in the waiting room and hoping our truck gets pulled into a bay soon so they can run another diagnostic on it and hopefully fix the problem... we will get our 34 hour resets and not have to worry about the 72 hour DOT crack down... but I think I would prefer rolling instead...

Its funny though - I just got done reading another 'trucker' blog - they are SO much like us... missing their kid(s) but realizing that they are now grown and can survive without them being in constant contact... enjoying being together and the adventures and people... so even though we are sitting in the shop and fussing, I'm still glad we are doing this!!

Another First...

We are at this time in Union Springs, AL - sitting at a chicken processing plant.  Our load won't be ready until 7 pm and we are here early (which is another story all together) so we went out for lunch.  There was a local 'grill' just up the street (recommended by the guard at the guard shack) and so that is where we went.  I have never had 'fried green tomatoes'.  I've heard about them, but never remember trying any.  They are really pretty good. Thank you Alabama for providing this experience!!

Sorry about the lack of 'blogging' - when we are sitting still, its usually when we both are trying to grab a bit of sleep.  Sleeping in a moving truck is do-able, but really sound sleep only seems to happen when the truck is still.  Also trying to use the computer in the moving truck is a trick - to I'm taking advantage of this 'still' time and typing :^)

Yes I'm still glad we chose to 'semi - retire'... it is an adventure/journey I wouldn't trade in.  However some of the more irritating aspects are starting to raise their heads.  Such as 'the company' and their 'repowers'... we I guess it was OUR fault for not thinking it through also.  We had a nice load set up by our DM (whom I really like) but it wasn't due to load until the next day... while we found that out, a note went over the Qualcom (dispatch's way of communicating w/the drivers) that a 'repower' was needed on a 'hot meat load'... so we wanted to stay moving and decided to jump on it.  We should have let it pass... not only did we get the loads (one extra stop) there on time and then have to wait on the unloads - but this next load had us waiting and we are still waiting!!  We don't get paid to wait...sigh...

I am so proud of my daughter - she is doing really well with this pregnancy.  I gained 100+ pounds when I was pregnate with her, she has only gained maybe 15 pounds and she is 8 months along!!  AWESOME!! I was concerned because with Gary's and my eating habits, we taught her well.  No signs of high blood pressure or gestational diabetes (thank you God!!) - and she has been watched closely for those.  I really wish I could be and have been there for the shower and --- oh just all the little things that go along w/being pregnate - cravings, watching the baby move, stuff like that... I understand why we can't - but I want both - LOL!!

We are still bouncing the thought of going 'Owner/Op' and leasing a tractor w/'the company'... but it wavers back and forth with how we are feeling about the company.  Some days we are like "Ok lets do it" and others are "I can't wait for the year to be up!!".  So for now, we are company drivers - getting our minimum of one year experience in - and seeing where we go from here.

Well one place we are going is up to Detroit MI again - that is where this load is going :)

On the road again....

Yep - vacation is over, but it was so nice!! Not as long as we had hoped - and it cost us a bit more than we wanted (parking ticket in the rental car - handicapped parking - it was NOT marked well at all!!) but we so needed the time out of the truck.  We went to one of the Smithsonians, Lincoln Memorial, National Cathedral - and drove around all over the place.  So many places we wanted to see - but just ran out of time.



So we are back on the road again - went from Washington DC to Pennsylvania and now in Utah... we are going to drop this one, pick one up take it to Nevada - they are going to unload then load us up with returns and back we come to Utah... at least that is the plan right now. Who knows if they will change it up for us or not - LOL!

Yawn - we are running back to back 10 hr shifts... 10 on then 10 off. I'm doing the day shifts now - the change up is nice, but Gary doesn't seem to sleep real well during the day - and needs a longer 'nap' at night.  However (me being a bit selfish here) I do enjoy sleeping at night <sheepish grin>.  We will probably switch it around every now and again - so neither one of us is 'stuck' with the night shift.  If I get enough sleep during the day/evening, I actually do pretty well (I think).  What really helps is talking on the phone - but not many people are up at 3am - LOL!  We have also been enjoying audio books... concentrating on what is happening in the story does help some.  Nothing but sleep though will cure the 'sleepies' when they hit - what sucks though, is that the truck stops/rest stops are usually stuffed full of parked trucks by that time (grrr).

Well ta ta for now...

Anticipation ...

I am so looking forward to tomorrow!!  One of the reasons I like this job - LOL - we are going to rent a car and head into Washington DC to sight see.  The load we have was suppose to deliver tomorrow morning at 0600 - but they squeezed us in tonight.  So tomorrow is all ours :) We are doing what is known as a 34 hour restart, but stretched it to a 48 hour... so two days off - contented sigh...

I've been doing the 'night' shift and sometimes I do OK and others - I feel like I drive 30 miles and have to stop and walk around because I'm going cross eyed!  Don't worry - I do stop - its just frustrating!!  So these next 2 days to 'repower' myself will be welcome.  We've been running pretty hard - figure this last load we left Salt Lake City on the 21st at about noonish and ended up in Jessup, Maryland on the 24th at about 1 pm... that's about 2100 miles.  Not too shabby...

Eating wise we are still eating bunches of nuts - LOL! Such an easy fall back snack.  We did pick up a small 2qt crock pot though... doesn't get as hot as the lunchbox cooker on the bottom, and has different temp settings for High and Low and Warm.  So with us being 'off' work for the next two days - not sure what we will be eating - but I'm not taking the nuts with us - LOL!

I did actually find one truck stop that had yogurt!!  Needless to say I picked a couple up.  I was craving either yogurt or cottage cheese - weird cravings, but we just hadn't had any for a while. The fridge we have is really tiny, so not a lot of room to 'stock' up.  Which is fine.  I am a bit of a food horder - left overs of my previous life.  Never want to run out of food!!  LOL - no fears of that here - LOL!  In fact I'm trying to work through some of the stuff we brought.  TUBS of protein - yea we need the supplements - but I grabbed multiple tubs!!  Those take up bunches of room.  We are working our way through them though...

This warm, humid weather - not sure if I will get use to it... I'm sitting in the truck right now (and its not moving - grin) and with the windows down - thank goodness for the slight breeze!!  I feel 'sticky'... I don't like the feeling!!  I sure hope they finish unloading us soon - the truckstop we are going to stay at is less than a mile away - but I want a shower!!

All in all - I'm glad we are doing this.  We leapt with faith, and are continuing on this path.  Such an interesting journey :)

Sigh...

I would love to only post 'happy/feel good' stuff... however I don't feel happy/feel good right now.  I'm just finishing my shift and it was a LONG one!!  I started driving @ 2200 and finished @ 1000.  We dropped at the same location we picked up from (which is nice) but the load we picked up was ass heavy... even w/slidding our trailer tandams we couldn't get 'legal' soooo... back to the shipper we go and they have to 'reload' it... I was able to get a nap while there, but Gary was up during his 'sleep' time to help me slide tandems and navagate through a serious rain and lightning storm.  Would have been fun to watch if I wasn't driving through it - and no it wasn't a tornato this time - LOL!  So this morning when we are changing shifts, neither of us are in the best of moods.  Sigh... now I get to try to sleep with him driving... wish me luck!!

Yawn!!

Arg... I just could not seem to sleep for more than 2 hours at a stretch today - and I tried!!  Now I'm tired and cranky and stuck in a closet w/my husband.  Bless his soul for putting up with me <mwah!> ... we are sitting at a T/S one hour from where we deliver tomorrow - (a truck load of potatoes) - then we get to drive 3 hours to pick up 150 miles from here... the only thing is they gave us all day to get there!!  Sigh... well maybe we will stop along the way and get some laundry done.  With me being tired - I don't feel like cooking, nor really eating... so we are going to check out the T/S restaurant and see what they offer.  Its a 'sit down' type so they would have soup or salad if nothing else.

Time and events get mushed together in my mind when I'm tired... not sure if I had my vitamins 2 or 3 times today - LOL - but at least I got them in!! Need to figure out a 'system' and form a habit for them. 

Well off to get a shower (might feel better, and will definately SMELL better) then hit the restaurant... maybe I'll be able to get some more sleep before we have to leave for our pick up :)

PS... this is the second time we are <___> this close to the Canadian Border - one of these times I want to cross it - so we can say we did!!

What's for dinner...

Driving and living in a truck is fun and a challenge... fun seeing all the different states (abet from the interstate for the most part) the challenge is eating healthy.  It is do-able though... however we haven't gone shopping for a while so it was a  look in the fridge to see what we got... and its a tiny fridge!!  We have a bag of lettuce and some cheese - so at a truck stop I picked up the 2 peices of the endless supply they have of fried chicken - I plan on skinning and de-battering them, picking off all the meat and chuncking up a couple cubes of cheese tossing them on some lettuce and calling it dinner.  Breakfast usually is a protien shake (2 scooper) and lunch is our 'munchy' foods. Nuts/jerkey and thanks to Ruth - baby carrots!!  (we ran out and need more - LOL) I'm liking the veggies though - got the crunch and some sweet and not the concentrated calories.  We also are cutting down on our coffee intake.  Why??  Because we like our coffee white and sweet.  Sweet isn't a problem - we use Splenda... the white part is though.  In truckstops they have creamer dispensers... you know the sweet French Vanilla or Caramel type stuff... yeah - we were LOVING that!! We are looking to cut back on some of the calories though - it might not sound like much but I've gained 8 pounds.  When I was 300+ I could gain/loose that in a day and it wouldn't make any difference - now my clothes just don't fit right, nor do I feel right.  I think 160 is the weight I feel the best at - so that is the 'number' I'm trying to stay at.  Needless to say, if I felt the best at 180 (which was the Doc's number) I would aim there - my aim is to be healthy - no matter what 'number' that is. (well if the number is too low - but then that wouldn't be healthy huh - LOL)

Anyway - I'm heading back to bed.  Drove last night and will be driving again the night shift.  We are heading to Detroit MI with a load of potatoes.  Who knows where from there???

PS one of these days I'm going to map out where all we have been on Google Maps and try to post it - that would be fun to see - LOL!!

On the road again!!

Well the Vegas Meet and Greet went well... got to meet a bunch of people that I've only ever just seen on-line, and see some I haven't seen in ages (at least a year - LOL).  However life goes on and we are back on the road... the batteries didn't keep a charge, even though we came out and ran the truck for a while yesterday.  So after borrowing a set of cables and jumping/charging from the refer we headed towards So. CA... then there came a request for a team to 'repower' a load heading to MI... well that's a good chunkdriv of miles and we wouldn't have to wait until Tuesday to unload, so we jumped on it... now we are heading back through Vegas again but heading towards Detroit MI. 

I put the ox tails that I bought up in WA in the cooker w/some chipotle Mrs Dash and water... man are they smelling good!!  I heard though that it is a tough cut of meat (although flavorful) so I'm letting it cook for a while... I'll add in some lentils about 30 minutes before we want  to eat to thicken things up and make a 'stew/chili/soup' type of thing... Mmmm I got a can of chopped tomatoes up in the cupboard... heading to toss that in right now... more liquid and flavor!! done...

Well we will be switching drivers at the SLC term... that will be about 8-9 hours for Gary driving, then I take over... so going to take a nap now so I can drive tonight :)

PS... its good to be home...

Awesome!!

This weekend it turning out totally AWESOME! First off - we made it to Vegas... that in it's self is a miracle that I didn't think was going to happen.  Our DM actually got us routed this way... we were a bit later than I thought we could have been, but hey - we're here!!  Then my wonderful husband surprised me with a great room... a room with a view!  Not that isn't sarcastic, it's on the 18th floor and the 'sitting area' is like a giant bay window - so yes it has a GREAT view. The king size bed is so not what we are use to anymore either. Almost got lost in it last night - LOL!  One of the best parts about this weekend though is meeting so many faces behind the names.  I never really realized just how open FB and the BLOG is, or how many people read it... when I write/type I try to write/type as if I'm letting a friend know what's happening in my life - or just me trying to work things out in my head... almost like talking to myself. - LOL what's really fun is when I argue with myself - I'm not sure who wins :) Anyway... we got here after the evenings events and everything was winding down.  Kinda bummed about that - but we met up with a couple folks that I had only read on-line and headed down a 'pub' for dinner.  Slept in a bed that wasn't moving and woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed!  The days events have been good - great speakers with meaningful words.  So many of us have our own journeys - but travel similar roads.  (got distracted - I had a great thought that was going to flow with that road analogy - SQUIRREL!!)

So Gary and I are taking a short break - and probably a nap (nice to have a BIG bed that doesn't move occasionally) then join up with everyone downstairs...

So bye for now...

The good and the bad...

The good and the bad - they go hand in hand... you have to have one to appreciate the other.  So the good and the bad of my new job - the good - today I got to meet a couple of great folks!!  Had a wonderful time talking and sharing experiences... the bad side was that we weren't rolling.  Needless to say the good out weighed the bad :) but the waiting SUCKS - however if we weren't waiting, we wouldn't have had time to visit... see what I mean about the good and bad going hand in hand.  We need the down time - but to have that down time, we don't earn any money. 

During the visit we were talking about eating post op while trucking - I mentioned about the nuts we eat. She mentioned baby carrots or other veggies that could be in easy reach while driving, but 1) not as many calories as nuts and 2) not as expensive 3) variety!! <smacking self on forehead> What a great idea!  We stop at Walmarts to get the nuts (way less expensive than the little packs at truckstops) so we can get the veggies at the same time... sometimes I totally don't see the obvious.  So we went shopping and I picked some stuff up for the next couple days.  I'm going to try to do something in the lunch box cooker - I'm going to attempt a custard.  There will even be enough eggs left (bought a 6 pack) to do up something quiche like.  I also got some ox tail - I've heard that there is a LOT of flavor in that cut - but it needs to be cooked for a longer period of time - like all day.  Figure I can start it in the morning and then mid afternoon debone it - add some more liquid and add in some lentils I picked up - I love experimenting!!  Cooking in the truck is a bit of a challenge though.  Trying to cut stuff up in a moving vehicle without lopping off fingers... trying to pour liquid from one container to another and not spilling... because the 'kitchen' is also the bedroom and let me just tell you - it could make a big mess!!

I'm really hoping to get to Las Vegas this next weekend.  There is a 'Meet and Greet' of WLS folk.  It is so cool to be able to meet the people you have only had contact with on line.  Sure you see pictures of the people, but that doesn't tell you the tone of their voice or body language.  This journey (the WLS one) has been such a blessing.  I have met some really great folk and I don't think I would have gotten out of my rut or shell without it.  I can't invision myself 3 years ago (I had surgery 2 years ago) going to meet people from on-line.  I would have found some excuse NOT to meet people.  I have more confidence in myself and better self esteem (I think) than I did 3 years ago.  Sure at the time, if you had asked me, I would have said I was fine, but looking back - I was miserable, I just didn't know any better. I'm still working on my 'mind' stuff... such as still eating when I'm not hungery - just because... Or occasionally sneaking some real chocolate - without my husband seeing - because what would he think of it.  I'm sure he would be fine, but I would feel guilty - so I hide it, and still feel guilty - LOL! Ah the games our minds play...

Well its late - and I'm hoping for a long day of driving tomorrow... WA to SLC to Las Vegas by the 13th - and tomorrow is the 12th.  Yeah - its not looking so good... but here is hoping!!

The 'Fish Run'...

This is a cut and paste (so I don't have to retype it) from a 'trucker's forum' that I read/post on - so some of the terms might not make sense - sorry... We are adjusting to the 'life style' though... true its not all peaches and cream, but its not so bad either - LOL!  Right now we are in CA - not sure where we will be heading from here - but we do have reservations in Las Vegas for the 'Meet and Greet' (second annual)... lets hope we make it!!

Whew - now I know why those fish loads are 'infamous'. Oh and I will state it here publicly - Gary was right!! Now for the rest of the story...

We spent the night in the Everglades because our DM 'highly' suggested not to spend the night in Miami - as in not the best neighborhood. Not a problem and now I get to say I spent the night in the Everglades So we make it to Miami and get the trailer wash done. That was fun, he didn't speak english and we don't speak spanish - sigh. Then we find out the fish missed the plane so the 1700 has been bumped to 2300... fine, we break out the BBQ and lawn chairs and relax for a little bit... we were told not to get there early, because there isn't much room - so we were good little company drivers and arrived the prescribed one hour before our appt. time. They have 2 doors that are being used (the third had a dumpster infront of it) and we check in and wait... and wait... and wait... finally at 0200 we go back in and make ourselves visable again and ask, so how much longer?? They say take the next door - nice! Now as we are waiting - another truck just slips his way in there!! We were good little drivers and read the sign that said check into the office before backing into a door.. no wonder these other guys were getting loaded before us - they didn't wait, they just went in! Anyway I digeress... we finally get backed up to the dock... now this one is a bit confussing... we get basically 2 loads - 1 to drop in Isola and in CA, but we will need to then go to Indianola to pick up more that will then be dropped in Tempe, AZ and CA.. or something along those lines. Gary (thankfully) dealt with the details - I was a log book for this run. So anyway we were doing the 8/3 split driving the last run and the first part of this run - trying to maximize our time and miles... its a pain to keep track of - and needless to say, we are NOT doing it anymore. Its just not worth the stress!! Now as to why Gary was right... on this load they wanted almost continuious updates on our eta to the next stop... well besides the fish missing the plane - our qualcomm took a dump for 'that' night (kept rebooting anytime ANY info was being transmitted) and the fuel stop they first directed us to was a card lock with NO READER!! So the next fuel stop (with us at 1/8 tank) was a 'treat' to find and ate up another 1.5 hours!! So when asked what our eta was going to be - I looked at the GPS and it said <____> hours... and I told the night DM in SLC <____> straight drive time. I was thinking that she would realise that the time I told her did NOT include time for 1) refueling 2) going to the bathroom!! It was strictly driving!! That was the time they set for our next appt!! GARY IS RIGHT!! You have to add your own time in and stick to that number!! So that was the beginning of our run... the rest is a bit of a blurrrrr... they dropped one stop - then changed another in route, only to change it back - LOL! Yeah the miles might be good - but I'm not sure if its worth the headaches...

So now we are in Fontana getting a new wiring harness for the Qualcomm (it was broken at the satillite hook up) and having them check the batteries too - although our refidgerator took a dump, so right now our batteries are doing ok - so will they find anything wrong?? Who knows...

Wow I wrote a book on this one - LOL! Gary is able to use his little notebook during his 'sleeper' time to get on line - mine is a normal size lap top so its a bit harder (and I'm sticking to that story) for me ... so off to read and catch up a bit!!

Nice day!!

Really nice day today - not that others haven't been as nice, but this is the one I'm 'blogging' about - LOL!  Woke up in the Florida Everglades in a truckstop that had seen better days. I don't think I will complain about Pilot or Flying J showers for a while!! We knew we had time - so no rushing and drove the 1 hour to a stop to get our trailer washed out.  It was a Pilot, but was in compition with the one we spent the night at.  It was a  lot busier though, that's for sure!! Again knowing we had time - we worked in the truck and got things more sorted and straightened... we now have the scanner unpacked - not running yet, but soon.  The scanner is to scan the paperwork for our runs... THAT will be nice.  Then we will have back up when (notice I didn't say if) they loose some of our paperwork.  So back to today... after we did the cleaning and straightening - still had time - so we broke out the BBQ!!  We had picked up some stuffed salmon the other day - needed to cook it soon, so took advantage.  It turned out GREAT!  There is a way to eat healthy on the road - but it takes time and planning. We split a bag of lettuce and split a filet - the package came with two filets, but the one was enough for the both of us... we were going to save the other one for another meal, but there was a lot kitty that we shared with instead - sigh - I miss my cats!! Anyways... so we are now waiting outside our first stop... in fact, it has been two hours since our appt. time - which means we start earning money just sitting here.  Don't get excited though - its not much and not worth it - LOL!  However, once we do get loaded and on the road - this run will be over 2000 miles.  Florida to California!! We were thinking maybe trying to get this load more often, however with this much time invested and we still haven't even started - the miles just might not be worth the time it takes to get them... sigh... So it has been a nice, relaxing, productive day... now we get to drive!!

Going Solo

Well sort of... but more of that in a few...

This story all takes place yesterday - which is still a bit fuzzy for me due to lack of sleep - so bear with me... Woke up early after getting only about 5 hrs of sleep (visited w/friends from TRR Forum) and had mentioned to our DM how I would love to get paid for the time Gary was in 're-orientation' - something everyone HAS to do after training - so she found me a 'short run' to do while Gary was in class.  Dummy me I accepted it - LOL! Now I'm totally freaking out... I do the trip planning and its going to take me a while... I'm to take an empty to Layton (only 40 miles away) and pick up a loaded trailer and take it to Twin Falls Idaho... about 3 hours away.  Doesn't sound too bad.  Then take the trailer once it's unloaded to a drop yard in Burley Idaho (which I pass on the way to my delivery) and bobtail back to the yard to pick up Gary.  In theroy not a bad day run. I'm still worried about time though - the delivery isn't until 2000 - then the drive back and drop - that is really late and Gary would be out of class by that time just sitting at the yard... not fun nor comfortable...

So what we did (since I wouldn't be leaving the yard until 1330) is he completed everything he needed to do for the class except a safety meeting (which we will catch later) and he came with me (my security blanket - if you read my FB statuses - LOL) but basically l did the run on my own.  I hooked up the trailer - did the trip planning and drove it.  However - he did spot me on my backing - and help me find things in the dark..  like the drop yard!!

Of course while I'm doing this run - I'm imagining what it would be like to BE a solo driver - and HAVING to do this without my security blanket in the sleeper... My hat is off to you guys! I am NOT a solo type of person.... Yeah - I think I could do it in a pinch - but I'm SO GLAD I don't have to.  I must admit I have leaned on my co-drivers. First w/my trainer - (but that is what he was there for - to teach me and answer my questions and be there if I needed help) and now my husband (who is doing the same things - plus a few more - wink wink - LOL).

So I'm really glad Gary got out of class early - not only for the company - but the extra set of eyes and brain cells. I did fine with the trip planning - the hooking up of the trailer - driving (even in the snow bobtailing).  I did have to lay down for an hour though on the way back... I don't drive tired!! So by the time I got back to the yard and would have been picking Gary up - it was 0315!!  That's a LONG time to be waiting. However the spotting on my backing was really nice - and finding that darn drop yard!!  It was a dirt lot - in the middle of nowhere... but we found it - LOL!  However doing it alone - would NOT have been fun - and I would have run out of time.  Running out of time would have made it where I would have been parked for 10 hours until I could move again... and Gary would have been waiting that whole time!!

Well I have gotten 5 hours of sleep since getting in the yard - we are now traveling east to IL again - I-80... I'm trying to get our DM to send us south - I would like to get out of this snow/cold - LOL!

Nashville, TN

Had the most wonderful time last night!  Got to meet someone that I have only know from on-line (forum and FB).  It was a BLAST!  She showed us around the Opry – and the Opryland Hotel. We had dinner at The Cock of the Walk (a restaurant that is NOT on the West Coast).  Had fried catfish, shrimp and chicken – with cornbread AND hushpuppies – LOL!  I loved playing tourist J this is what we have wanted to do.  On our downtime – see the areas we can’t see from the interstate.  Thank you so much Tammy for helping us do that!

We are trying a new arrangement for the microwave.  It is strapped to the underside of the upper bunk.  It is solid and secure (as far as we can tell without moving – LOL) and we have plenty of room for our feet underneath it.  Just need to be careful putting things in and out of it, since it’s right above our bed – LOL ! Now we have another cabinet we can put stuff in and ‘organize’ J

Just looking back at where Gary and I have gone in just under a month… we started together in Salt Lake City (West Valley actually – but SLC is more recognizable) on 3/25 – here is a Reader’s Digest version of where we have gone…

SLC to Harrisonburg, VA to Fishersville, VA
Stuarts Draft, VA to Ogden, UT
Layton, UT to Reno, NV to Dayton, NV
Stockton, CA to Tacoma, WA
Lynden, WA to Cleveland, OH
Cleveland, OH to Ridgewood, NY
Palmyra, PA to Ogden, UT
Logan, UT to Englewood, OH
Lima, OH to Brighton, CO
Dodge City, KS to Goodlettsville, TN (where we are right now)
Next stops are Nashville, TN to Denver, CO

Looking back –WOW – we have been to quite a few places – LOL!  All on the highway system though – that’s why it was so nice to get in a ‘4 wheeler’ and see the local sites.  Places that there is NO way we could take the truck.  I’m looking forward to maybe renting a motorcycle someday and touring an area where we park – or even a car – that would work too. Well off to do some reading and maybe even visiting a forum I haven’t been on in quite a while J