One month done...

Wow it hardly feels like a month has past since I last posted. Irene and I have been on the road together now for exactly a month. We are currently at home spending Christmas with the kids and some much needed down time. It has been an incredible journey so far. The only states we have not seen are North Dakota and a handful of the North East...but hey we lived there most of our lives so we have already been there and done that. We have seen some of the most beautiful landscapes this nation has to offer, from the California Coastline to the Rocky Mountains,and the Smokey Mountains, up to Seattle Washington and down to Miami, zig zagging everywhere in between...what a wonderful ride its been.

The job itself has been very good and we have been averaging about 6000 miles a week. We have met a lot of nice people along the way...and some not so nice...lol...we have seen our fair share of snow already this season. We had to shut down in Denver a few weeks back b/c of snow and also shut down last week in New Mexico for the same reason...no where to go when Highway Patrol closes the road, you just park and wait. Of course my favorite has been seeing the Antelope grazing along the highway in Wyoming...Bison in Montana along with Mule Deer in Colorado...oh and I cant forget the Moose that stood on the edge of the road on our way into Utah one night...that gets the heart beating while you pray he does not walk in front of the truck as you pass by...that would definitely hurt.

Irene on the other hand is hooked on California...especially Santa Barbara. We had a load at Lompoc/Vandenberg Air Force Base and drove the Coastline on Ventura Highway...she loved the ride with the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other...I have to admit...it was pretty spectacular. And I thought I would never get her to leave Miami nor Orlando last week while we were there...of course we had just left the snow and cold in the Rockies so it was a welcome relief...

All and all its been a ball...but its great to be home for a few days and see the kids...we really miss them when we are out on the road...that has to be the hardest part of all this. I feel they know how much we love them and miss them though, and that everything we do is for them...Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year to all...2012 will be a great year!!!

Finished!

Well its been a while since I posted...I know, I know...but I was cut off from the electronic world. I am happy to report that I am finished with training and have been upgraded to a full time driver...along with Irene. She actually finished a few days ahead of me but we are both back in Joplin at Conway's main terminal and have been assigned a truck (2012 International Prostar, pics to follow) and are ready to hit the road.

What a 3 week adventure it was...

I have seen some of the most beautiful sights of this great country that we live in...started out on a run to Texas...loved the Western Hill country of Texas...very scenic...rolled through Dallas and Austin at night...what a sight to see all lit up. Delivered in New Mexico...I believe close to where they found the Alien and UFO in the 60's...beam me up Scotty! Traveled through Kansas City and saw Arrowhead Stadium home of NFL's Chiefs...right next door was Royals baseball stadium. Had a delivery in Omaha Nebraska...next door to the College World Series field...onto Chicago past the Cubs stadium..rolled past the Football Hall of Fame in Ohio and down I-85 through Fancy Gap...the Appalachians...awesome drive! Saw the 1st snow flakes of the year as we rolled through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan...two days later, sitting in Laredo Texas at 92 degrees...nice thing about truck driving...if you don't like the weather, wait a day...you'll be somewhere differant..lol...Atlanta, if I never see your traffic again it will be to soon! Now I am ready to discover more...and I get to do it with my best friend...Irene! We are so excited to get rolling and I promise you the camera will be in hand and pictures will start to appear as we move ahead in our adventure...Stay tuned!

I want to take this time with Thanksgiving only 2 days away to share some things that I am truly thankful for...1st off for the men and woman of the Military who lay there lives on the line protecting us so that we can enjoy this great country we live in...for the Emergency Responders for all they do day in and day out...my 3 wonderful children who I am soooo very proud of...I love you guys! And most of all my new partner...Irene, I am so proud of what she has accomplished and most of all I am proud to have her as my partner not only in the truck...but also in life...I love you sweetie!

Happy Thanksgiving...to all my family and friends!

Interesting week...

Interesting week (or so)…I was picked up by my trainer early Wednesday morning (Oct. 26^th) from Joplin, MO and we headed to Kansas City, MO to drop a load.  Because it was my first day and we had to go downtown Kansas, I was not comfortable driving.  Boy was I happy that I decided not to drive downtown.  Kansas City looked more like San Francisco if you ask me.  It was all hills.  After that delivery I started driving and learning the ropes.  We left Kansas City and headed to Lee’s Summit to pick up a load and deliver it to Garland, TX. 

From Garland we drove to Wylie, TX to pick up a load, but it was not ready.  The factory decided that they would not be ready to load our trailer until the next day, which was Oct 29th.  Therefore, we had no choice but to sit around for almost 24 hours.  We set in the truck waiting.  This was my first experience with waiting on a load.  I can’t say that it was a good one either.  Because we set in front of this factory for a long time, the forklift backup noise, the polluted air and all the tractor trailer noise was getting the best of me.  Now add the fact that I did not have my “Dunkin Donuts” coffee or any other coffee for that matter in days, I came down with a bad migraine headache.  I felt like throwing up.  (By the way, the only bathroom was inside of the factory and they did not have a sink inside the bathroom.) At this point I called Randy crying!  I told him that I was not sure about any of this and I was ready to give up.  I remember thinking to myself that I would give a million dollars to be in my husband’s arms at that moment, so why was I doing this?  Of course my love bug talked me thru it and eventually my headache went away and I went to sleep.

The next day things got a little better.  We got our trailer loaded and we were headed for California.  I had the opportunity to drive thru some amazing landscape.  I loved it.  I loved the view and I enjoyed the driving.  I drove thru New Mexico, Arizona and thru California.  It was my 23^rd Wedding Anniversary and I was not with Randy, but at least I had an awesome drive.  We dropped our trailer in Calexico California and waited on our next load.  Unfortunately, we had to wait almost 48 hours before picking up our load in Blythe CA and delivering it to Delano CA.  From Delano we drove to Tulare, California were I was in heaven for a couple of days.  I was able to check into a hotel and take a shower!  Finally I feel like a woman again. 

So here I am at the end of my time off.  I just received a call that my trainer is on her way to get me and we are heading for Houston, Texas.  Hurray, I will be getting lots more miles.  That much closer to seeing my love.  At this moment I have 2500 miles.  I have 5000 miles to go.  I will keep you posted….

I miss my kids enormously and I miss my sweet husband who I am so deeply in love with.