Decided To Give Up On That Particular Photo- Board

I thought about it for a whopping three minutes or less and decided it was a bad fit for me.  So, I logged off and will strike off on my own.  I mean, what's the 'net for if not to find what you want and feel comfy with??

There is some good info in the stickies and I appreciate that and read them.  Learned something too from the stickies, just not much from the board.  I had a whole four or so posts on the regular board, not counting the introduction part. 

Kinda strange, I'm on a couple of well-known and respected horse boards and even though people are brutally blunt, we give them the benefit of the doubt about silly questions until we get an idea if they are on the up and up...but after two whole posts??  Wow...

So, I wanted to improve my pics for my readers and to do something good for myself but I guess you'll just have to put up with my ammy pics and weird colors and funny lighting.  Deal?? 

Hunh...Wanted To Learn More About Photography And...

I joined a photo- forum that said it was a friendly place. 

I did get some friendly responses from the basic "howdy, I'm so-and-so and take a look at my pics" but when I posted some real questions about flashes and SD cards, I got a response from a dipsh*t who said I was spamming. 

Normally, I have a pretty thick skin but this bothered me.  I told him he's on my ignore list if there is one. 

I guess I'll go back to just reading and figgering it out on my own and enjoy at my own pace. 

Whatev...  

My Top Cities With The Worst Drivers

This is reprinted from a horse board I'm on.  I wrote it on the Off Topic Day.  Enjoy...and you know it's true...

1. Miami, FL Cubans are the nicest people but can't drive for shat. They honk horns when you stop at a red light, go on a green light, turn right, turn left, etc. But talk about good food! Yum!!

2. Fort Worth, TX Think they are the hottest thing around and how dare you impede THEM! Don't you KNOW who they ARE?? Hmmm??

3. Seattle, WA Too much coffee in their systems and need a potty break

4. Right outside Washington DC. They are running the country, get outta the way!!

5. Boston, MA Hey, the left hand shoulder is for passing, isn't it??

6. Boise, ID Yes, Boise. Starting to get popular with 'city folk' and so who cares if we speed??

7. St. Louis, MO and Cincinatti, OH and Indianapolis, IN (a three-fer) "But I want to move over THREE lanes without my blinker and you better watch out for me!!

8. Los Angeles, CA Actually, not too bad most of the time. The drivers there seem to understand that a big rig needs to move over and to give way. But there are the ones who still don't get it and are just asking to get smooshed.

9. Between Santa Fe, NM and Albuquerque, NM A speed way. Earnhardt would have trouble keeping up.

Sunday, We Tried To Get Our Truck Out

No dice, though.  Again, something was froze up inside.  No matter how long hubby ran the engine, no air would build.  So, we gave up and got a motel room that our company has an account.

Yesterday, the back-up mechanic had to come in and work on our precious girl.  The regular mechanic isn't due back till next week (that's the life, eh??). 

Anyway, it turns out the governor in the regulator wasn't governing or regulating or even snoring.  There was another hole in something.  Figgers, huh... 

So, got that replaced and air built up...then couldn't move.  The tires just spun, even with the differential kicked in.  So the back-up mech got the front end loader and pulled us out. 

Finally, we got on our way but as you'll read in the previous post, we missed having to chain over Mt. Hood (actually Government Camp). 

Just another day in the life of a trucker!! 

Two Days In A Row, Didn't Have To Chain! Yahoo!!

Yesterday, we got out of the yard late (more on that in a minute) and so we missed having to chain over Mt. Hood by just a few minutes.

Then, today, we missed chaining by probably a little more time but still didn't have to do it.  Just heard on TV that now chains are required over Santiam.

Better them than me...hehehe...

I Have A Lot Of New Pictures

and will post them asap. 

Right now, the Photoshop Elements is organizing them and I'm not taking the chance of something going wrong by trying to post pictures. 

It's funny, but I was backing up my pics/vids and didn't realize how MANY pics/vids I have!!  Tonight, I uploaded about 550 or so!!  That wasn't even all of them!!  I may have to leave the laptop on all night to finish the job.

Anyway, now that the holidays are over, I'll get back into the swing of things.  Oh, yeah, I'm taking the rest of the week off from work so it'll be my blogger-droid that will do the posting.  But after the first of the year, I'm back at it. 

Happy New Year!! 

About That Appaloosa I Posted About In Rawlins, WY

He still looks bad.  The other day, when I drove my big rig by, he/she was standing off by himself and the other horses were glomming on the round bale in their pen.

Doesn't anyone know who owns these horses??  They are in the pens on the north/west side of I-80 and east of Rawlins.  It's an area with a lot of horse corrals and kind like a community horse park, albeit western.  It's about 1/2 east of the TA truck stop.  There are about four other Appys in the pen, not to shabby looking conformationally either.  Good lookin' horses, except for this guy. 

Anywho, whomever owns him/her needs to make him a spot so he can get to the goodies. 

The Tattooed Bitch Of The Flying J

Oh, yeah....that broad is someone who I think needs to find a new mode of financial means. 

I stopped in at Flying J, had to tinkle (more info than you wanted to know??) and grab something to munch on.  I was looking in the case and Tattoo Lady came up and curtly asked me what I'd like.  I asked about the breakfast burritos.  She turned a couple over but I couldn't see the ingredients so asked if one was sausage.  Now, you know, talking over the glass case is hard enough but when you've been outside and slightly stuffed in the ears, you don't hear so good.

She picked up one and said something along the lines of "yeah, this IS a sausage".  Something about that just fluffed my feathers, y'know??  Then I wanted something else and she was curt again.   I don't know if you know anything about micro-expressions (read The Body Language Book, very interesting!) but something must have happened on my face because she stopped short and softened a bit.

Later, after getting what I wanted, while she was ringing up my purchase, I noticed all the tats on her arms.  Okay, I'm good with that, you want to deface your bod with all sorts of ink that will fade and slide in your old age, you go for it.  However, when you're working behind a counter at Flying J or Walmart or Kohl's, you better remember WHO is Profit and WHO is overhead!! 

Am I clear on this?? 

Maybe I'll never see her again....sheesh!! 

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards - Amazing Grace

Royal Scots Dragoon Guard playing Amazing Grace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkLXOWimMY8

One of the most beautiful renditions I've heard.  Goose bumps came up. 

Enjoy! 

Trying Something New

I know what you're thinking, "Oh, God, what now??". 

Well, rest assured, I think I got it right this time. 

I'm on the real 'net right now, not my phone.  So, on my longer posts, I like to use the real 'net.  I found a thingy thing on blogger that I can do up some posts, then set a timer thingy for publication at a later time.  So, this way, as I understand it, I can do some of my longer posts and space them out instead of herds or bunches of posts on one day/time. 

Usually, I can remember what I want to post about but sometimes, with life not stopping for me (dammit), I do forget some goodies.  This way, the timer thing, I can post and let them publish at a steady rate.

Now, if I can remember to do it....heh....

Have A Very Merry Christmas All!!

Today, we are doing the fam thing and it looks like it's gonna be enjoyable.  What a pleasant surprise!! 

We picked up our load in Cincin-town (that's Cincinnati for those of you in Rio Linda) and due to being in the shop (see other posts) and weather (just looka outside) we were going to be late unloading or have to layover for the weekend anyway.  So's, we tooks our little selves to the yard, dropped the rig, got our pickup and headed to hubby's family.  We'll have a sumptious Christmas dinner today and tomorrow go back to get the rig and head over the mountain.  Deliver Monday, pick up another short load close to our yard, deliver that thing, go to the yard, drop the rig in the hands of our mechanic, get our pick-em-up and head home for about a week!! 

Sounds doable, doesn't it?? 

Anywho, eat, drink and be merry!! 

My Girl Is Sick

We're in the shop right now getting our alternator replaced.

Poor girl, she's us her all but once in a while, she gets a bug and has to see the doctor.

Okay, about seeing the doctor, she's racked up over $3500 in the past seven weeks...that part IS getting old, 'k??

What the hell, though, I loffs my KW!!

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It's Different, That's For Sure

These are grain silos that, I'm guessing here, but someone had a lot of time on their hands and decided to spruce up the neighborhood.

Actually, I like it a lot!

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The Flying Pig

Isn't this cute?

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Well, It's Snowing

Overnight this came up. I have radar weather station on my phone and it's like this, no matter which way I go. I need to get out of this before it melts and refreezes. That's truly dangerous!

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Egads!!

Yep, that says what you think it says! What's worse, later that day, we saw $3.51 a gallon. I tried to get a pic but my phone camera lags a bit so I got a really swell pic of my right rear view mirror. Still, it's shocking, to say the least...

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Isn't This Cute??

You see all sorts of stuff on the road...

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Did this pic work?

Testing, testing...

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Freight Seems To Be Slowing Down

It's that time of year but I hope it's not the economy. We had to take a poo-poo load just to get back to where bigger loads are waiting. Yikes!

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BTW, Where IS home??

The back of this trailer says that home is on the road. Well, yup, that part is sure right.

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Damn, Maybe This Time??

I'm pret' sure the pic is gonna work this time. Fingers crossed!

The neat story is that Mr. Mack's owner and I have the same hometown and we know a lot of the same people! We had a good talk about how our town used to be. Really went back down some memory lanes. *sigh* You know, you spend a lot of your youth getting away from home and your old age trying to get back....

Mack freakin' kyoot, ain't he?

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Now, THIS Is Mack!

Maybe the pic works this time?? Anyway, he's the kyootist, isn't he?

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Flying J Is Still Foxtrotting Up (That's The Nice Way To State It)

I decided, I'm way too old to use the Eff word, so, I'm gonna use Foxtrot instead.  Like Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.  You get it, don't you?? 

So, Flying J is at it again.  The internet won't work on my card.  Had to use a different card.  It took me about 20 minutes to log on.  It shouldn't take that long, no way, no how. 

At least I'm on and can carp and complain to my widdle heart's content!  Yeah!!

Okay, Photobucket Has Taken Over My Pictures

I want to show pics, not just a link. Wonder what I did or what button I pushed that's caused this??

Anyhoo, I'll get it fixed back to the right way and then it'll be right as rain!

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This Is Mack

Error!!  I posted a pic from my phone and got a link from Photobucket!  That is not what I wanted! 

Okay, let me work on this a bit.  As you know, I'm 'puter challenged at times and did something 'wrong'. 

At any rate, Mack is the cutest dog you've seen in a LOOONNNNGGGG time.  Big ole eyes and droopy face, what is not to loff??  He is a cutie. 

More on Mack and his owner later, it's a whalloping good story, guarun-damn-tee you! 

Blogger-Droid Isn't Working So Well

Something is wrong,don't know what. I'll keep working on it or find another app. Gah!!

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Blogger-droid Won't Work

Just Went Through The Windiest Road EVER Today!

It was in West Virginia, where else??  Good Lord, I'm telling you!  The customer wasn't from the area and he asked some of his other guys what roads to take from Ohio to Wes' V'rginny.  Holy cow, on the map it looked like a hop, skip and jump over to his town. 

So's, we takes off, only to get 10 miles in (off the interstate and no place to turn around) and find out that the feeder road is friggin' restricted to trucks our size!  That meant we had to go the looonnnngggg way around, over hill and dale and up and down and inside and outside and...you get the pic, I'm sure! 

Swear to God, I have never been in such windy, hairpiny roads in my entire life.  Don't tell anyone, but I biffed a guard rail with the side boxes on my trailer on a hairpin curve.  I felt the drag, looked back and ooops.  First time I've ever done that.  Dammit all to hell. 

We couldn't even get a cell phone signal.  Finally, we got to the *(&$*# town and before I got too far into it, I called the customer to let him know we finally made it and to nicely bitch him out for not warning us.  He said he was wondering where we were and was sure sorry about the bad road advice.  I mean, he was so apologetic, how could we really get mad at him.  He didn't understand we are over 70 ft. long, he thought we were a straight truck or something, I don't know what.  Just not a big monster that we have. 

Anyway, we got to see some nice, pretty country and met some nice people at a teensy little grocery store where we stopped to ask directions and go to the bathroom. 

Poot happens, know what I mean??

Make Sure Your Truck Is Working Properly

With the winter weather, it's a good idea to go through your big rig to make sure everything is up to snuff. 

We actually froze up last week while in Montana!  Our air dryer wasn't working properly and when we stopped to change drivers, a whopping 10 minutes, the brakes locked up!  We called a repair guy and he worked in 16 degree weather for about 5 hours (no kidding, I timed it) before he had to give up and towed us back to Missoula.  A big $825 tow bill, labor included. 

Then we had to sit in the shop for another 4-5 hours so the guy could rebuild the air dryer.  But, now, after a total of $1400 and change, we're back on the road and don't have to worry about that. 

It didn't have to happen though.  We had been given hints here and there that something was wrong but we kept going.  It still would have cost us a mint but maybe we wouldn't have had the tow bill and lost all that time. 

So, while the gettin's good, go through your rig and have everything checked! 

Make Sure Your Truck Is Working Properly

With the winter weather, it's a good idea to go through your big rig to mak

Still Working On The Videos

I don't know what the problem is.  Now, I can't get anything to work. 

A hint, though:  Vids of truckers doing things that are 'right' and are 'wrong'.  Real world stuff. 

Still, I have to get the damn things up, but I'll figger it out and do it! 

Las Vegas Petro

Let me tell you, that is one of the nicest truckstops going!  Very clean, the people who work there are actually friendly and the food is good.

What more could a trucker ask for?  Not much...except maybe a raise from the boss of our company...hehehe....

I Have Some Trucking Vids To Show

But they will have to wait till I work out the youtube snafu, again. Somehow, what worked last time doesn_ work now.

Be safe! Keep checking back!

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His Nibs Thinks...

My videos are dumb! I like my vids! Jus' cuz I'm a "little" shakey or a "little" rough, that doesn't make them dumb!

Well, hubby can give it ahot and we'll just see how his look!

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My Obnoxious Doggies

I hope this friggin' thing works! I'm about to rip my hair out!

Anyhoo, this a vid of my adorable doggies telling another driver how the world turns!

Let's hope it works!

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Flying J, You're Messing Up!!

Supposedly, FJ is giving out double points for Nov-Dec. Except the last couple of FJ's are not. Each time, we had a choice betwixt FJ and a Pilot or another fuel stop and picked FJ. Then, after fueling, we find out no double points.

So...for a good long while, we're going with another fuel stop if we have a choice...which we always will have that choice. We are very careful with our fuel.

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Packed Snow/Ice In The Parking Lot

Yup, snow is here. It's snowing right now, just a light snow. Had to be careful walking to the building. The scale is loaded with snow and I wondered how you'd get a true weight.

Oh, it is 24 degrees now.

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Cute, Eh??

Isn't this the cutest pic? I didn't ask the owners permission to post because he was in and out of his truck, I didn't catch him. So, I'm probably going to hell for posting this. But isn't that the sweetest face?? I did crop the photo to cut out the trucks' company name.

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Forgot To Say

Check out the cricket killers in the background!

At least those still look a bit western!

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Is This What Western Boots Have Come To??

*That sound you hear is my crying*

I wanted some new western boots (like I don't have a bunch already) and my cousin and I went to one of the world's most well-known western stores.

THIS is what we found...

Gag me with a spoon!

What in hell is the squared toe?? I know it's been the fashion for about five years but let's all hope it dies a quick death soonest.

Actually, I can live with the zebra stripes but hell NO when you put zebra and western together!!

Gah!!

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This Is A Vid Of Little Bambi

Let's hope it works, folks!

Anyhoo, cutie pie Bambi is a Min-Pin and I got to meet her at an OK truckstop. She weighs all of 7 whole pounds. I got my munchkin Mini-Doxies out and the "introduced" themselves. I gotta say, it was funny, Bambi is a slight little girl, and my babies are low to the ground and built like tanks. Really cute when they touched noseys'.

Almost forgot, Bambi's eyes are green! Pretty cool, huh?

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Okay, I Guess About Vids

I have to do youtube first, then post here. I got a message that said it would process then post. So's, I guess I gots a learning curve lesson here.

I'll keep trying and see what happens! Hang in with me!

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This Is A Pic Of Bambi

I have a vid up but my phone s/s it's going to be a bit because of youtube processing. Okay!

Still, here's an adorable shot of little Bambi! That will hold you till the vid processes!

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Damn Dogs

I had a post going about DFW drivers and my dogs jumped into my lap, causing my finger to hit the "publish" button. Okay, I'm going to soldier on and finish my last post! Dogs, be damned!

Anywho, did you DFW drivers go to the discount store for your drivers licenses?? Hmmm?? Every flippin' time I'm in the metro area, I'm amazed at the drving antics that people do! Do you not realize you might get killed?? You think us big trucks have insurance and we'll pay up. Think again. We truckers carry fabulous insurance and }km betting it's WAY better than yours.

So, slow down. There isn' ANYthing on this planet that is worth your life!

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What Is It About Ft. Worth\Dallas Drivers??

Did you guys go to the disciunt

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I Changed My Posting Name

I changed it to Lost Adventure Lady from Horse Info Person.  Since I'm trucking right now, and will be for quite a while, horses are on the back burner.  I'll get back to horses but it's gonna be a little bit.  So the Lost Adventure Lady fits me much better! 

Anyone 'Doing' Black Friday??

Not us, I can tell you that!

My life is more important to me than buying a flat screen TV for $50.  Or a laptop for $100. 

I'd rather pay the extra and know I'll be safe and not risk a trip to the ER.

But, that's just me.  hehehe....

Yep, A Refer Is Right Smack Dab Beside Us!

Let me set this up for you...we pulled into a nice BIG parking lot with a whopping THREE trucks already here.  We go into to eat.  We come back out and settle in, relaxing.

Then, in the distance, I see a big rig making it's way toward us.  That's okay, there is plenty of room for all.

He/she backs in...only we hear the *(&%#*#$( refer running.  It ain't a whisper type either.  It's one of those louder than a Guns 'N Roses concert.

Damn, oh, damn.  Damn, damn, damn. 

See, told you we were refer magnets in previous posts! 

Sort Of Self Explanatory, I Should Think...

I stayed in my truck. No way was I getting out!

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A Friendly Reminder

It is not a choice, it is a child.

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Dipstick Driver Of The Day

The other day, in New Mexico, there was a lady driving a Uhaul, towing a car, who was doing her damndest to run trucks off the road. She was running about 70-73 mph and seemed totally oblivious to what havoc she was leaving in her wake.

She did her level best to take my left front quarter panel off my tractor. I caught up with her and she was one of those drivers who are oblivious to anything or anyone else on the road. I don't think she remembered she was towing a car because she would barely pass and then whip back over.

I watched her almost run a US Express off the road. I warned people over the CB to watch out for her. She was going to get herself ot someone else killed!!

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My Insurance Is Going Up 40%!!

Warning, adult language following... fucking Obamacare. Sonuvabitch.

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Rain And More Rain

Noah's flood seems to be on the way. For you newbies, when driving in this stuff, slow down! When you want to exit and have a stop sign at the end of the off ramp, touch your brakes lightly for a few seconds before you actually need them. This will dry your brakes off so they will "catch". Otherwise, it may feel like you can't stop...and you may not be able to in time. Everything has to do with being prepared and looking ahead. Now, drive safe!

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This Is A Squared Up Load

I've been thinking that maybe I should give out more practical flatbedding trucking info. So, the above pic is of my current load. We use two ropes to secure the tarp(s). That way, we don't have billowing, if any at all. The sides stay nice and flat and we have an unobstructed rear view. The back tarp goes on first and then the front tarp goes on. Plenty of bungees and we're good to go. We do overdo on tarping but in all our years of flatbedding, we've only had ONE load that got a little bit wet. The customer didn't even make a complaint, it was an honest boo-boo. So, even though it takes 20 minutes longer, it pays off in spades!

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Reminder Time... Brush Up On Your CPR Skills

Hubby and I were first on scene at a bad accident. A pickup had lost control, flipped and pinned one of the occupents inside...upside down. Hubby and another guy crawled in through the broken windshield and held the lady up off her neck. I called 911 and then bandaged the other occupents' bloody hand. Gave her my coat and put her in someone's pickup to keep her warm. EMT's and law enforcement showed up and took over. Hubby helped get the lady out and onto the back board and then into the ambulance. But I can't help thinking that I'm so out of date on rescue stuff that I'm going to brush up again on techniques. To my mind, it would be a good idea for everyone to take a course and refresh your memory and skills.

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Just So Everyond Knows Who We Are Rootin' For...

We're at a customer and hubby decided to put the decals on. Looks good, doesn't it? There is one on the other side window too. Oh, yeah, I actually had to back into the dock...let's just say I'm a bit out of practice doing so.

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Remember The Round Home?

Here 'tis from the opposite direction. You can see some of the windows. This pic is two days after the other pic.

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The Ever-Lovely Los Angeles Basin

Really, I don't need to say much more, huh?

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This Is Really Someone's Home

I have looked at this thing for years and I gotta admit, whomever lives in it, they are original thinkers. The thing that I've wondered about, how do you get up there? I'd probably die climbing up into the thing but just think, what a conversation starter!

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Reached Saturation Point

In our truck. We had to clear out oodles and gobs of stuff! There wasn't a spot left to put anything. We could barely get around in here, so, we did a slash and burn. Things went into the trash cans, lots of things. Now, we can get around in here without feeling trapped! It's so easy to clog up a big rig with stuff. Too easy, matter of fact.

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I'm Not Stopping At Winslow Wal-Mart Anymore

Twice now I've stopped there and then when I check my bags, there is a bag missing. I mean, I check-out, walk to my rig, missing bag. I didn't watch really closely when the check-out girl was bagging but then again, I usually don't watch with an eagle eye either. Never really have to, except at this one particular store. Just had to vent. About $17 gone...

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Erm, These Repair Guys Seem A Little....Umm...Dense....

OMG.  This is gonna be painful, I can just tell. 

We found the truck repair place and I had to park on the street, IN the street, in front of a hotel that has signs plastered all over "NO PARKING".  Oh, boy, let the games begin!!

It took the mechanic quite a while to hoist his fat bum out here.  The hood was opened and, get this now, I pointed out the hose, the mechanic reached over and SQUIRTED himself when he squeezed the hose!!  Honest to God!!  I mean, we told them "there is a leak in the hose".  Duh??  Hello??  Anyone home?? 

Then the other guy says that they have a hose.  The mechanic walks back to the shop to clean off, comes back and asks "where's the hose".  The second guy looks at him and says "we have the hose, gotta bring it here".  Oh, the mechanic didn't get that part.

I mean, we're trusting our multi-multi thousand dollar rig to them???? 

I'm hoping they can at least jerry-rig it and we can get on to the big city, to the KW dealer and get it done RIGHT. 

Yep, I can tell what kind of day THIS is gonna be....dammit....

Had To Do Girly-Helpless Female To Get A Phone Number

I think I'm gonna barf. Let's be clear here, I'm about as helpless as a rattlesnake on a bad hair day but sometimes doing "girly" gets me a lot farther than being my usual efficient self. I have a hose leak under the hood and called a company I found on the internet. NopeB they couldn't help me and then I asked if there were anyone else in town. He didn't want to give me the number...so...I did helpless, in a singsong voice no less, and got the number. Now, I'm at that shop,waiting for it to be fixed. Gah!!!

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Hubby Had A Great Time Hunting

He didn't get anything but he had a great time.  He walked about nine miles, trailing a bull elk.  The bull was a little too smart though.  He figgered out that hubby was trailing him so he split off from his cows and went another way. 

Hubby can barely move right now.  He's so sore!!  But he's happy as a clam.

This is a good example of your having to take time away from the truck.  You can't just drive all the time, you must get out/off the truck and see some other things. 

Gotta keep yourself fresh as possible!!

Oregon Ducks Are Number One!!!

Hubby is over the moon.  I'm even excited.  He bought some big Ducks decals for the windows or our sleeper berth.  We want everyone to know who we back!

Yahoooo!!! 

There Just Ain't No Band Like The Moody Blues

This band just rocks my world. Hope they stick around for another 40 years or so.

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Can't Remember My Layover Password

I'm too clever by half, it seems! 

I thought I'd check in because I'm on a real internet, not my phone, and have a few things to say and chat with the other drivers.

So, I put in my name and password and nope, my account is blocked and I have 4 tries to unlock it.  I tried again and now I'm down to 3 more tries. 

I tried to sign up again but it won't take. 

So's, I'm wondering if my account has been hacked or something.  My passwords are all similar and even my password reminder doesn't look familiar.  Maybe I was in another world when I signed up?  Maybe aliens have landed and are interested in my writings??  What?? 

I dunno, sometimes I just get things back'ards....  *sigh*

Father/Daughter Trucking Teams/Owners

Once, in AL or AR or somewhere in the region, hubby and I stopped at a truckstop for the night.  I looked at a truck beside us and it said "Joe Smith and Daughter Trucking".  Joe Smith wasn't the real name, I don't remember that part but the part that struck me was the 'and Daughter'.  I thought it was great.  Usually, it's something like 'and Son' but this was the daughter. 

I posted on one of my boards about my driving off without hubby and a friend said she'd have liked to gone into trucking with her dad.  That got me to thinking.  Personally, I would have loffed to have done something like this but it wasn't meant to be. 

Thinking about it is nice, though.  Wished I saw more of 'and Daughters' on the road. 

Yeah, I'm being fluffy right now, can't help it.... 

I May Have Found My Niche

There is a horse blog called Fuglyblog.com and the owner writes about skinny horses and basically 'outs' bad horsemanship.  Since I'm on the road most of the time and finding abandoned dogs/puppies, I thought maybe there was blog that was the dog version of Fugly.  I asked around on several of my horse sites, since horses and dog lovers are usually one and the same, but there doesn't seem to be one.  Well, not one anyone told me of, but I did get some stories about abandoned dogs plus a heads up about a place in Atlanta, GA. 

Soooo....while I can't take in any puppy-wuppy that I see on the road, I can at least take a pic and post where the dog is and ask for local help. 

A while back, I found six puppies that had been dumped close by my customers place.  Hubby and I fed them that evening and the next morning.  I called the HS and AC but no one would help.  Turns out, the property was on the rez and an Indian policeman came by and called their version of AC.  It never dawned on me to google animal rescue nor the power of the internet.  I had just gotten my new fancy-schmancy phone and didn't yet know how to work it. 

Since most truckers are animal lovers, it hurts our collective hearts to see an abandoned dog or a puppy just roaming around, lost. 

So, maybe, I've found a new voice for these blessed animals.  Oh, and horses are included also.  *Here comes another story...*  A while back, I saw a new herd of horses in a pasture in Idaho.  The horses were thin/skinny but there were plenty of round hay bales out and big tanks of water, so, I thought I'd watch and see what happens.  Since I go by there about 2-3 times a month, if not more, I could keep a sharp eye.  Welp, turnes out, the horses are gaining weight, appropriately slowly too.  Since I used to rescue horses, I know how it is when you get a new thin horse and people wig out about the skinny one and don't step back to look at the whole picture, so that's why I thought I'd watch.  Let it play out and the horses are looking fine going into winter.  Just like I posted a few days ago about the Appys in Rawlins.  I see these horses and get to 'know' them.  See who's growing up, who's foaled, who's gone, who's new, etc. 

So, don't know quite which way to go but I'm not going to make this hard.  Just go with the flow.  Whatever will be, will be!! 

Oh, yeah, I'll still post about trucking!!  :-)  

Hubby Is Out Hunting...Woo-Hoo! I'm Free As A Bird!!

Yeah, I can do ANYthing I want, ANY time I want, go ANY where I want, eat ANY thing I want, take a nap ANY time I want, stay up....okay, okay, you get the picture, I'm sure!

Here's the upshot...do I really want to do anything??  Nope, not one bit.  I like sitting here, playing on the 'puter, staring at the walls, taking loooonnnngggg soaks in the tub and watching the worst TV I can find.

Hubby called last night and you can tell he's over the moon.  He wanted to make sure I'm safe and sound but you could tell he was flat itching to get going!  "Yeah, love you too.  You okay by yourself?  Well, gotta go." was about all I got out of him once I was out of the pickup and he was G-O-N-E!!  The squealing and smoking of tires got the attention of all in about a five block radius when he and his buddy left. 

We both needed this time off.  It feels GOOOOOOD!  

We Made It Safe And Sound

Now, to make it back over the mountain!!  We unload in the morn, reload and then back over the mountain (the same one in the last pic), unload and then head to the house!!  Hubby is going to blow some elk off the trail and he's really excited by going hunting. 

Not much to report, really.  Just we're in a rainstorm and a half and at least we saved the money of washing the truck. 

Everyone stay safe and drive safer!!  :-)

Welp, It's Snowing

Truck has already tried to jack knife. We are inching along.

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Here's Her Pic...*I Think*

Maybe it works this time??

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Okay, Who Dumped THIS Dog??

At least she looks like she's had a few meals. I'm betting the truckers are throwing her a few french fries and other goodies. She doesn't look scared and that's a good thing.

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Who The Hell Owns The Apploosas In Rawlins, WY?

I just saw them and there is a super skinny horse in the pen. Now, being that I used to rescue, I can understand getting a skinny one to fix up and people getting upset because they don't realize it's a new horse. However, if I remember right, this horse has been there for quite a while. He/she has been in ggod weight but now the weather is bad and the poor thing looks like shit! The owner needs to man up and throw a blanket on him and check into better quality feed. Also, the horse may be getting ran off from feed and needs his own "table" to chow down on. These horses are on I-80 the eastern side of Rawlins. There is a whole complex of horse barns and pens there. If anyone knows the owner, they need a heads up!

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Okay, So The Pic Is Sideways...*sigh*

Let's just be happy the damn thing worked. One more thing for me to figger out!

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Little Sweet Tiara

I hope the pic comes out this time. She was abandoned and the guy in the pic found her. Some piece of scum had beaten her till she was bloody and almost dead. The owner found her and at first wasn't sure whar species she was. But now she is safe and sound and happy as a clam. I loff great endings to good stories! I hope the pic works this time.

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I Seem To Have Lost A Post

Dunno what happened. I'll look for it. The subject, you ask? I actually drove off without my hubby. It was only a half a block but after tarping, I heard ALL about it for the next 40 miles. The funny part was 200 miles down the road, we stopped to grab a shower and upon leaving, a trucker flashed his headlights at us. I couldn't undertand him over the CB, so I popped the brakes and walked over to his rig. Turns out, it was the guy that my hubby was "talking" to while cussing me for driving off. We all had a good laugh and life goes on.

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Oops. Drove Off Without Hubby

Well, I was moving our rig out of the way after being loaded and he didn't say anything about wanting to ride a whole half block! So's I drove off. He said he was yelling and waving at me to stop. Maybe next time he'll let me know beforehand. Hehehehe...

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Okay, About The Early Morn Truck Stop Music...

It's a wee bit much to play acid rock at 6:30am, alright? I mean, I've barely had my coffee and looked at my truck only to be assaulted with BLARING music. I mean, where you can't think. Pilot, you be guilty of this. Us older farts just can't quite deal with it. Gads!!

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It's Getting Cold, Winter's A-Coming!!

Okay, everyone, especially you ladies, the word(s) of the day are "Be Prepared For The Worst".

Make sure you have plenty of water on your truck.  Wal-Mart has gallon water for a whopping $.88.  No reason not to have water.  If you can't get into a Wmart, the truckstops have water, just for a  lot more money but better to pay and have it than to do without.

Keep your truck topped off on fuel.  Ya never knows when you'll get stuck on the Interstate and have to idle overnight.  That has happened to me just last winter! 

Your windshield wipers should get a look-see and make sure they are in tip-top shape. 

A good coat AND hat are a must.  A hat will help keep you warm when you are outside checking on a flat tire or doing a PTI.  It goes without saying, waterproof boots of some sort are de rigour.  Nothing worse than wet/damp feet.  Wool sockies are great but I find that for everyday, they dry out my feet, so I go with cotton socks.  The wool ones are saved for the really tough days outside.  Layer your clothes, not just a t-shirt and a bulky coat.  You want to stay warm and insulated at all times but don't get too hot.  If you layer, you can shed a layer when needed or put a layer on. 

Windshield wiper fluid must be keep up.  Also, keep a bottle of Windex handy for when you have to climb outside to clean your windshield.  I have found that Windex works the best of all products.  The cheaper brands seem to leave streaking.  I guess the Windex dries faster, so, hence, no streaking and that means less work for you!!  My sort of deal! 

When you stop in at Wmart or your store of choice, get some food to keep on your truck.  I keep soups and tuna fish, bread, crackers, my diet Pepsi, coffee, teas, ravioli and such stuff as this.  I have a small microwave and coffeepot for coffee and hot water. 

Make sure your inverters are working properly and not grounding out.  They are cheap enough that if they don't work right, toss it and buy a new one. 

All your lights should be working and it behooves you to check them.  Nothing like getting ran over by another rig who didn't see you to keep you lighted up. 

Okay, as usual, I'll probably think of other things later but this is something I've wanted to post for a while.  The idea is to be prepared and self-suffincient and don't count on others help.  You gotta do for yourself if you get in a jam and be able to think your way out of it. 

Okay, now get out there and be safe, everyone!!

Pics Didn't Work, Obviously

Okay, hang in with me. I can be tech challenged of the first order. I have lots of pics/vids and will have to learn what to do right to post them. It's probably something uber simple that I'm skipping. Learning curve!

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The Bridge To Nowhere

I know it's sideways but I'm learning! This is hoe foggy it was this morning. I hope this works. If not, I'll keep trying!

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Flying J Doesn't Do It Again...

More probs today at Flying J. Pilot is on their game though. Even though I'm in fuel island gridlock at Pilot, I'll take them any day of the week, judging how things have gone lately.

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There Are Some Things You Don't Mention To Your Company...

Discretion is the better part of valor. Just sayin'...

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Flying J Biffs It Again

When I stopped to fuel at Flying J, I swiped my Comdata and loyalty card. Then it asked me if I wanted truck fuel or truck and refer, you know the drill. Welp, the pump would not take my truck fuel punch. I had to walk inside to start the pump. I'm tellin' ya, Flying J, stuff like this does not engender loyalty to your brand, double points or not! At least I got my fuel and was on my way.

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Those Stoopid Points

I'm talkin' about the points that are *ahem* awarded when you get stopped or pulled in and the DOT twit finds things wrong with your rig. 

I don't know who to believe on them.  I got pulled in at Cottonwood (CA) and the guy found FOUR things wrong with my rig!  He said there were points to go with them.  I could just see my license flying away on gilded wings.  Also, the points are retro-active for three years.  I'm sunk, sunk, sunk if that's true...

As an aside, we are sooooo careful with our rig.  If our company mechanic can't get to a problem pronto, we head to the nearest Petro or TA and have it taken care of ASAP.  No sliding by for us!! 

Then, about a week and a half later, the Nevada DOT stopped me (72 hour checkpoints....grrrrr....) and found TWO more!!  But when I asked about how many points would go on my license, he said that it was still in court and would be another year before the Judge would decided.  The DOT officer (who was actually pretty nice and he was right, there were two overlooked boo-boos on my trailer) said that it's not fair that a company driver (that would be us) would get clocked for nicks and dings on a company rig.  Especially the intermodal guys who trade trailers every day. 

Okay, so who do I believe??  I've been reading on some trucking sites that the points are good NOW.  I haven't received anything in the mail and guess I'll keep going till I get my quota of points and have to go home or I can keep driving till retirement, which is looking better all the time...

I'll keep going till I have to quit.  That will be a sad day for hubby and me... 

About Being A Female Flatbed Driver...

Down below, there is a comment from a reader about his girlfriend becoming a flatbed driver.  Okay, I'm gonna give my take on flatbed driving...  Read on, dear reader! 

For me, it's the perfect job.  We don't deliver except during daylight hours and no appointments.  If we do have appointments, "I" am the one who makes them, not a dispatcher (who wants you there yesterday and thus gets a bonus).  I'm usually the one who tells the customer when we can be there and they are 9 times out of 10 happy that we are coming.  Home Depot does appointments and you have to call early in the morning to get them.  Then again, I've shown up early and still got unloaded.  Just depends how busy the unload guys are.  I'm trying to think of who else does appointments but names elude me, but there aren't many at all.  You can count them on one hand!! 

It is a dangerous job but when you are happy with your job and have confidence, you don't think so much about it.  The key is to always have safety in the back of your mind.  My hubby and I watch out for each other.  *We don't take shortcuts nor hurry so much that things go undone or unsafely.* 

As for actual logistics, here's what hubby and I do.  Hubby throws the straps and I pull them through the binders.  I go all the way through, not just fold them and then crank them, but all the way through.  A lot of places now want the straps all the way through the binders.  Also, they want real tarps, not any Wal-Mart cheap tarp stuff.  If it's a tarped load, hubby does the climbing.  I'm afraid of heights and he's pretty spry, so, that's his job.  Then once the tarp is unrolled and hanging (we have the heavy lumber tarps, dammit), then we have a system of doing the back end, then the sides of the back tarp.  Hubby unrolls the front tarp and we do the same as before, only the front end.  The front and back ends are done differently, due to keeping wind out.  If it's chained, hubby puts the chains on and rachets them down.  I tie off the ends with bungee cords. 

Once, hubby got ill and I had to do everything myself, I gotta say, I did it.  I did the whole thing!  I did have to have some help from other flatbedders to throw the straps over (I throw like a girl) but I did the rest. 

My experience has been that I knew the basics and then as time went on, we talked with other flatbedders, got ideas and tips, improved our way of doing things and then just did it.  I don't know any way in the world to shortcut the process.  You have to just do it.  Hopefully, the girlfriend has a trainer who gives a damn (mine didn't, BTW) and will show her the proper way to do things. Also, when she goes out on her own, hopefully the trainer will still be only a phone call away if she needs help or has questions. 

Flatbedders are a strange bunch.  We may not like each other personally but we've found that if you have a problem with your flatbed load/trailer/tractor, another flatbedder will help you.  I've had other flatbedders tell me of a problem with my load, over the CB.  Just try getting a refer or dry van driver to do the same!!  Ain't happn'in'!  When we started out flatbedding, we didn't know exactly how to tarp properly and a guy showed us how he did it.  We tweaked his ideas to suit us and 'voila', we pass info along to others. 

We had a brain-fart one time and went back to pulling refers and that was the biggest mistake we have made, trucking-wise.  Coming back to flatbedding was like coming home.  When you're in the right place, job-wise, you'll know it.  We are in the right job. 

My suggestion is to give flatbedding a try, try refers or dry vans and then stick with it. 

I hope I've given some good information out about flatbedding.   As time goes on, I'll think of other things.  For long posts like this one, I like to use the internet, not off my phone.  So, it might take a bit for me to get more thoughts down.  I hope you enjoyed this post!! 

It Was 35 Dgrees This Morning!

Fall is here, that's for sure. The trees are changing colors and just gorgeous. Yellows, oranges, maroon reds and even a pretty shade of pink. Tell you the truth, I'm reay for some cooler weather.

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Stuck On the Interstate

*sigh* I'm sitting here, cooling my jets. Some nitwit, half a mile ahead, decided to biff it with a couple of big rigs. Good thing I'm not in a big hurry. *double sigh*

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What's With Dumping The Dogs?

In the last week, I've come across quite a few abandoned dogs. I'm annoyed that folks just dump these precious pups! Five abandoned puppies in Scottsdale...a cute little Maltese dogs in Salina, UT...two thinner than thin cowdogs at a "cattle operation". WHAT is WITH people?? Feed the damn dogs or take them to the vet to be put to sleep! It is NOT that hard to figure out! Do not just dump them and think someone will scoop them and they will have rainbows and snacks forever! Us truckdrivers have all the dogs we can take care of (or what our companies allow) so the only thing I can do is to call animal control...where they will most likely be put to sleep anyway. At least they won't have to suffer more. Think before you dump a dog!!

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What Is It With Minneapolis??

The last few years I've been tootling through this city, they are working on some part of the road and I have to go here, go there, stop, detour and so forth.

Matter of fact, just a few hours before the I-35 bridge fell a few years ago, I actually went by it!! 

This city's detours are just different from other under-construction city's.  Minneapolis doesn't just slow you down, you have to read many, many signs (and keep up with all the info) and then all the turning onto detours and so on, you better keep your map handy so at least you stay pointed in the right direction! 

Other than that, we have some great customers in this city and I don't have a problem with going there.  Just the detours and construction...blah!!

Another Off Topic: Sexiest Male Movie Star: Andy Garcia

'Nuff said.  *sigh* 

Really, Really OT, But Good!! (NSFW And Adult Content)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMoYCPDwQ40&feature=player_embedded

The story I heard was that nekkid guy was going in a costume class but the judge wouldn't let him wear the desired costume.  So, nekkid guy asks if he can ride in his birthday suit, the judge thought he was joking and said "sure, sure".  Hence, we get this vid.  Let me tell you, this guy can RIDE.  He sticks like glue!  I thought it was pretty funny he's wearing a hunt cap but no other, erm, 'protection'. 

I'm a horse luvver and that horse is one star of a horse! 

Also, your eyes won't burn out of your head, nor will you have nightmares. 

Got Hit On At A MT Rest Area

I can be kind of dense when it comes to things like this? Here is the scene... I was in the restroom and a female went into the next stall. I thought it was odd that of all the empty stalls, she picked the one next to mine. Then she kind of stuck her foot under the divider, awfully close to my foot. I pulled my foot back for no particular reason, just reflex. Then I went out to wash my hands and she came right out and got really close to my shoulder to get some soap. Now I'm really annoyed and left post haste. After telling hubby, I realized what was afoot. Still, after thinking about, this whole scene was pretty funny.

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Wild Woman Of The Laundromat

This happened a couple of weeks ago but I remember it like it was yesterday... We had some laundry and took the bag inside the truck stop. A (questionable) lady had all the washers tied up. OK, we can wait. No, she was the Goddess protector of the laundromat. I felt kind of uncomfy when I glanced at her, THEN I noticed her eyebrows were tattooed on. Honestly, with her intent stare, she vaguely resembled an owl. She was "protecting" her territory/nest or some weird thing! Her talons were out and her wings were spread! By cracky, no way were we 'taking' a washer from her. After I thought about her and the situ, I now think it was funny. Really, I couldn't make this up!

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Something That Doesn't Compute

Yesterday the mutha of all RV's passed me. I mean this thing was ginormous! Just guess what kind of car it was towing. Was it a Jeep? Was it a baby Hummer? Was it a sporty little Golf? Nope, it was one of those sardine can Smart cars. Go figger, willya? So, we have a belching smoke, take up all the room vehicle towing a Tonka toy! Just does NOT make sense!

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Does It Seem Like There Are Fewer Trucks On The Road?

Just seems that way. In the truck stops I can find a parking space with little trouble now. On the weekends, shoot, you have a real choice of spaces. However, those freakin' refers will still seek me out to park beside...but that's another post. Maybe drivers are retiring and the younger set doesn't want to drive OTR. A driver told us today that when he used to manage a shipping company, yong drivers wanted to start at $20/hour and quit work at 5 o'clock. We know it doesn' work thataway. The way we are looking at it is, the fewer drivers, the more loads for us!! Just wanted to note something...I can't seem to make paragraphs on my phone thingy so until I figger that out, it's gonna look like a lot of words lumped together. Sorry!

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Did This Work?

I found an app that says I can post from my phone. If I can phone post, it will be SO much easier to let the world know what I'm grousing about! So, here we go... *fingers crossed*

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I got a new phone but it seems I can't post with it here. Let me work out the bugs and will post soonest!!

A New Fancy, Schmancy Phone

Segovia, TX....

I gotta say, in Segovia, there is a truck stop on I-10 where the hired help is some of the touchiest people I've ever seen. 

Just try to take a shower there and hear all about how the showers are free and no one to clean them, because the showers are free.  If you ask for another towel, the 'lady' behind the counter will tell you the showers are free and good luck with that. 

Finally, I'd had it with hearing this and when done with my shower (in an icky shower, because they are free after all, no one to clean them, but when you're dirty and icky...free showers seem like a good idea...) I had to mention, when I took my towels back, about did I need to hear how the showers are free again??

The 'lady' tsk'd me and turned away...although, the other folks in there were snickering.  I guess they'd heard her say that enough that it's gotten to be a funny.

Well, to each his/her own! 

Stop by sometime.  See the lady have a cow and tell you about how the showers are free.... 

Goddamn Loves' Internet...

It's a goddamn good thing I paid for an entire day of 'net!!  I'm at a 'new' Loves (it used to be a Pilot) and their 'net is slower than frickin' dial-up.  I am pissed off!!

It will be a cold day in hell before I use their 'net again.  After I post this, I'm going to try to get my money back. 

When I pay for the 'net, I expect it to work and work fast.  It doesn't have to be uber-lightning fast but definitely faster than THIS. 

If I had only paid for an hour, I would have spent the entire hour just trying to get the damn thing to load.  Not cool. 

Loves, you need to get off your ass and fix this!!  Remember, I'm profit and you are overhead!!  Somehow I think that may have been lost on them....GAH!!!!

The Day From Hell

First off, there was the twit behind an SUV's wheel who decided to pull a U-ey in front of me, WHILE I'm turning into the fuel island.  When I yelled at her, she had the gall to look gobsmacked and 'how dare I impede her progress'!!  God, WHERE do these people COME from??

Then...when I was leaving that particular fuel island, I had to make a right on a short lane.  The guy in the turning lane, would he move back??  Oh, no.  He's gonna show that truckdriver how tough he is and not move an inch!!  So I gave him a one finger salute.  Classy on my part??  Nope, but I sure felt better.

Then the rest of the day was a mishmash, more so than usual, of stoopid people behind the wheel of a potentially lethal weapon (their car, for you in Rio Linda).

How in the frickin' hell do people get a license to drive??  Didn't they go to school to learn to drive??  Or did their mommies tell them how special they are and don't have to obey the rules??  What??  What??

Welp, I'm sure there will be other bad days but this day was one of the worse ones.  I'm so glad it's over. 

Got Blocked In Washinton State

I almost forgot to gripe about this!

We were at Cee Gees Truckstop in Toledo, WA and while they have free internet, you can't access certain sites.  I couldn't get on Blogger, nor Facebook or Youtube.

That really ticked me off!!

Just what we need, a nanny internet service or truckstop. 

Oh, hell NO!!

Two Cat Scale Tickets That Didn't Match

The other day, we scaled a load and somehow, just somehow, it didn't seem right to us.  The load felt balanced going down the road but when we pulled on the scale, the numbers didn't seem right.  So, I pulled around again and we did a re-weigh.

Get this, although our gross was the same, the drives, steers and tandems were all different! 

Say what??  How can THAT be?? 

Don't know what happened or why but it did make us wonder about Cat scales in general.  Which one is right??  Welp, as long as our gross is under 80K, I guess we're good to go.

But still....  It could be a Yikes situ down the road sometime, know what I mean??

Been A While, Huh??

It has been tooooo long since I last posted.  I have a great excuse though...  We've been sooooo busy trucking that we haven't had time to stop long enough for me to update!  Yeowzah!!  Money, Money, MONEY!!! 

Anywho, I have plenty to post about.  Truck is sick in the shop, here at Petro, so I paid for an hour of 'net time and gonna do what I can!  Read on! 

Flying J Kind Of Fell Down On The Job, Remember The Delish Dish??

We stopped at another Flying J, actually, not too far from the other I wrote about, and hubby just had to eat in the restaurant.  In we goes...

I ordered the Steak Tampico, Tampeanwheeiotie, Tampax, whatev and was expecting the same thing. 

Nope, not this time. 

This time, the whole dish was just plopped on the plate and then slapped down in front of me.  I had ordered my usual side salad and the waitress 'forgot' to bring it till right before she showed up with the hot dish.  This is not good.  I don't want my hot dish to wait while I'm eating salad!

Then there is the matter of who the dish looked on the plate.  The first place made it really nice and appealing.  This place, not so much!  Just a steak here, some rice pilaf there, a couple of tortillas, guacamoles, salsa and sour cream slapped together.  I don't know, I'm not a food critic (well, yes, I am but not in a formal way) but it just didn't look as well.  I was disappointed but at least, it tasted pretty good.  The first one tasted really yummy, this one, just not as well.  I'm sure it was a visual thing as well as taste buds. 

Next time, I'll take the time to look it over better.  Maybe I'll give it one more shot.  If not, I'll try to replicate it at home and call it a day! 

Why? Why, You Ask?? Hello??

I'm sort of over this now, but...the other day, hubby and I stopped in at a fab truckstop to eat, take a shower and do some laundry. 

Okay, I have to set this up for you...  A few weeks ago, we were all alone in this truckstop and not one person was around who wanted to do their laundry.  We were so dirty that we decided to shower first and then throw our dirty laundry in, do all of it at once.  Well, right before we stepped out of the shower, a nice lady (really, she was!) showed up and plopped EIGHT tubs worth of dirty laundry in the tubs.  So, that sort of taught us a lesson about grabbing the washers when we can, don't be shy about it!

So, the other day, I was walking out of the shower and saw a guy in the laundry.  I asked him most politely if he was just starting laundry or drying or almost done.  Know what the nitwit said??

"Why?"

Why??  Why??  Why on earth do you think I'm asking, nimrod??  I want to use the frickin' machines, Bozo!! 

Couldn't believe it.  Could he have been that stoopid??  It took about all I had to withhold my true feelings from becoming verbal.  All the twit had to say was "I'm done", "Just started" or whatev. 

Okay, have blown off steam from that one!  This blog does me good at times, know what I mean??  :-)

Ladies, Take A Look At Your Clothing

What is this??  I'm on a roll, so here goes!

What is with the older, er, 'heftier' lady who wears clothes like she is still 19, 20 years old??  Don't they look in the full-length mirror in the truckstop showers??  Just a suggestion, take a lookie-loo in the mirror and be brutally honest with what you're seeing.  As an aside, I do the same thing every so often.  Hurts like hell to admit I'm not a cutie pie sized 10 any more but at least I'm not embarrassing myself. 

Unless you're one of the rare, older one of us sisters who has kept her girlish figure and looks (think Raquel Welch and Sophia Loren, what cougars!) maybe rethinking your clothes and dressing more appropriately would be in order. 

Short shorts and spaghetti strap tops, or worse, tube tops with skin spilling/giggling all over the place, just won't cut it anymore. 

Trust me, I get it.  I loff feeling cute and sexy for my hubby but when you appear to be a lump of butter stuffed into uber shorts and tiny top, the effect ain't purty.  Maybe your hubby loffs you to look like this and that's great, whatever.  But you can modify so at least you look like you're in reality, not trying to live 20, 30 years ago.

Just sayin'... 

Ladies With (Multiple/Big) Tattoos....Please Read Below....

Please be aware that when you age, your tats 'may not' be exactly how they looked when first applied, get my drift?? A cute little bumblebee on the ankle isn't that bad.  I'm talking about tats that seem to migrate over a good percentage of the body, even in places we don't want to see out in public. 

Maybe, before getting all the tats, especially ladies, should really, really think this through and look years down the line and think of what the tats will look like.  Especially on older, sagging, sun-damaged skin...

Just sayin'....

Flying J Has A New Dish That Is Delish!!

It's called Steak Tampico or Tampaneco or Tampax or something but it's a helluva steak with chili's and all sorts of good stuff on it. 

I tried it at Lake Point, UT, where the waitstaff still actually tries to please the customer, and was very pleasantly surprised. 

If you get a chance, give this dish a shot, I think you'll like it.  Lord knows that Flying J needs all the help they can get in doing something right, eh?? 

Got The Damn APU Working Properly

Those things are worthless, aren't they?? 

We've had more trouble with ours.  If it is working, then it only goes for a few hours and then needs servicing OR it just doesn't work at all. 

Idling the truck is too expensive so we put up with the freakin' thing. 

Am Back!! Took A Whole Week Off, Went Fishing!!

Just flat took a whole week off and let the world take care of its' own problems.  I'm telling you, I feel GOOD!!


We took off yesterday and delivered a load today, missed a re-load but will do that tomorrow then back again for a nice long load to the east coast.   Kind of taking me a little while to get back acclimated to the truck. 

We did do some fishing.  I'm not good at it, in fact, the damn fish laugh at me from just under the water surface but I try, Lord knows I try!!  I had some good hits but can't set a hook worth a flip, so the finny things just swam away.  Still it was fun.  Even with the bobbers, that is more fishing action than I've ever had, so, all in all, I'm way ahead of the game.  Can't wait to go back!!

The one thing I can say...stoopid drivers are still out there, totally oblivious to the world.  I saw some humdingers today but the accidents were narrowly avoided, but, really, did they have to happen at all??  Hmmmm???

Anywho, am back in the saddle again and making some of da money, what could be better?? 

Already The Nitwit Drivers Are Out There....

Use some common sense whilst driving.  Nothing is THAT important to get to (I know, there's a dangling participle going on with that sentence).  I've already used my four airhorns this morning...and it's not even 10:30, my time.  Stoopid 4-wheelers.  Sheesh!!

Drive safely because we want everyone to live to see another gorgeous Fourth of July! 

Everyone Stay Safe Out There!!

It's the Fourth of July already.  Can you believe??  This is a time for all of us to sit back and think how lucky we are to live in the USA.  Freedom, that's the only ticket for us human beings.  We live in the greatest nation on earth.  We must keep it the greatest nation on this planet too.  We are the last bastion of true freedom.  If we give up or fall, there isn't any other place to go. 

So, everyone, when enjoying the fireworks and hotdogs, think of what you have under your feet and in your heart.  This IS America!! 

Stay safe! 

Why Are Most Amish Horses Thin Or Skinny??

Let me start off by saying that I have seen some fat, shiny ones but overall, they are on the thin side, if not worse.

I know this doesn't have to do with trucking but being that I'm a cowgirl and horsewoman through and through, it bothers me no end to see a horse with ribs and bones sticking out all over.  On the scale, they come out at about a 3 or so.  That is tooooo thin!

People keep telling me that the Amish look at them as instruments only, something to do work, and that's that.  Still, throwing some feed to keep them fat wouldn't hurt one bit. 

Personally, if it wasn't for no internet or electricity, I could go for the Amish lifestyle but I can't abide the thin horses.  I've delivered to their places of busines (really, it was a store) and farms and for the most part, the horses could use a couple of hundred pounds. 

Now in Goshen, Indiana, I did see some fat little boogers, particularly one cute Hackney pony who was perky and shiny and at a trot, his knees came up to bump his chin whiskers!!  He was adorable!  I would have loved to loaded him right up and tote him to my home. 

But, overall, they seem to thin to me.  A good worming or two would do wonders too. 

Okay, rant over...

Why Does It Seem That Dock Loaders Are Personality Impaired??

Or even personality challenged??

Today, we loaded at a place and I was in line, waiting our turn.  A guy came barreling up to the truck and said "Which one??".

Say what??  Who the hell are YOU anyway??

Turns out he was the dock muckety-muck and thought he was pretty damn special!!

Not in my book, sport.  It takes more than you have to rate that in my world.  Hubbys said he was pretty crabby when he went in to sign in.  Geez. 

I could tell you stories about all the dock folks who just gripe at you the minute you walk in, you don't even have to say a word!  It would bore you (well, maybe not...) but I only have a little time on the 'net tonite so those stories will have to wait, but give me time, I'll get to them. 

Actually, there is one pretty funny story that just can't wait...  A nitwit at UPS in an eastern city barked the directions at me when I called, then he abruptly hung up.  I don't write that fast and hear even slower so I called him back and pretended that the cell phone had died and needed directions again.  He barked the directions a little slower but still too fast for me.  So, I called back again, got the directions first (I'm not stoopid there) and then said that maybe he should look for another job, you know, one he'd be happy at as it seemed he wasn't very happy with his current job. 

For some reason, he hung up on me again....I'm not sure 'why'...  hehehe... 

Don't even jick with a former military, truck driving cowgirl.  He was schooled and learned his lesson.  Never had trouble with him again. 

Wind Power...But With Power Lines

This is one of those funny things that I see on the road that don't make a whole lotta sense.

There is a place that has a big sign out front that proclaims how great wind power is and to buy your wind power accoutrements (sp?) from them!!

The strange thing is, there are all sorts of lines going to and fro from the electric poles that are spaced all over the place on the back part of the property.   

I don't know, but, doesn't that seem...'odd'??  I have heard you can sell back electricity from the wind turbines to the electric company, but, really, I don't think you'd have THAT much to sell back?? 

Anyway, it's a funny thing to see. 

A Whole Week's Worth Of Stoopid 4-Wheelers

*I'm having trouble logging onto blogger, so this is going to be a one shot post, everything included..."just in case things go south and I can't post again"....*

Welp, first off, I can't tell the number of times this past week that people are on the on-ramp and don't look when they try to assimilate into traffic.  I've used my FOUR horns on top of my cab many, Many, MANY times this past week to wake some of the doofus' up, so I don't run them over!!   I usually do try to move over but if there is a lot of traffic in the hammer lane, I can't.  Then some nitwit behind the 4-wheeler's wheel just assumes they are Lord of the road and bail out in front of me or to the side or whereever.   The strange thing, they don't seem to slow down, they'd rather drive up on the shoulder and sort of give way than slow down.  Idiots, all of 'em.

Then!  What is with these younger kids who think they are the cat's meow??  Huh??  Mommy must've never taught them to respect their elders.  They will run to get in front of you in the C-store line or into the bathroom.  No respect at all.  They are toooo precious for the rest of us, eh??  God, where is this country going with all these little brat-ettes growing up.

And!  Yesterday, a SUV with trailer passed me, the trailer caught the lip of the road and started to jackknife.  The driver kept over-correcting and finally they did a 180 and ended up in the median.  They weren't hurt except mentally and emotionally.  I was first on scene, it happened right by my rig, stopped, hopped out and ran over to them.  I called 911 for them on their phone.  We stayed with them till the cops showed up, gave both of them a hug and then went on our way.  I'm telling you, people don't realize that their SUV's just aren't made for hauling stuff down the road.  I'm pretty sure their whole rig was totaled but they will be okay, thank goodness. 

Right now, I'm at a midwest truck stop doing my laundry and for some reason, the truckstop has 5 washers and 10 dryers.  Suffice it to say, there was almost a rumble in the laundromat because everyone after us decided to show up at the same time to do laundry.  Actually, it was pretty damn interesting!!  My bad, I know....

I'm going to try to post this, hope it works!  I may have more to say later on...you never know.... 

Will Be Back Soonest....

I think I'm coming down with a cold or something.  My head is about to explode, my lungs feel congested, I ache not quite all over but do ache.

Not to worry, I have stuff to gripe about, just don't feel like being very snarky right now.  I may have a short posting later tonite but no promises.

Please keep reading and thanks for taking a look!!

Keep Your Brat Quiet!!

I just ate in a nice truckstop restaurant.  Someone behind me had one of those bratty little kids who don't talk, but whine! 

Instead of explaining to this little Spawn of Satan that you don't do that in public, the parents (I'm assuming) let the brat go on and on.  Instead of stating quite seriously that he better pipe down, they actually cooed at him and tried to talk to him like he was a mini-adult and could be reasoned with.

Give me a (expletive) break!! 

If that were my kid, I'd have been so embarrassed about how bad a job I'd have done with them!!  But no, the above scenario is actually acted out all across this nation.  Doesn't matter where you are, restaurant...bathroom...standing at the cash register...today's wimpy parents think they want to be friends with their DNA-holders and won't do anything to shut them up.

Personally, I can't wait for manners and consideration to come back into style! 

Lousy California Roads...Cal-Trans too

What is with California roads??

Third world countries have better roads than most of Cali.  Just check out the LA Basin.  If those roads don’t kill your kidneys, then you ain’t driving on the same roads.

All that money down the drain. 

Speakin’ of which…how come, when you drive by CalTran workers, most of them are standing around, doing absolutely nothing??  They get the big bucks for this?? 

No wonder this state is so fouled up!! 

Hubby Is A Lousy Navigator

Today, I'm trying to drive through Los Angeles basin and hubby says "Oh, it's about exit 8." 

Okays...so I drive and drive and drive my little fingers to the bone.  Welp, we get to exit 8 and it's not the road we wanted.  "What the...??" muses hubby, while he is looking like mad at our mapbook. 

THEN, (are you ready??) he 'notices' that his finger was over the CORRECT road and I'd ONLY driven a whopping 30 miles (THIRTY miles) out of our way, which is out of route type stuff.  I had to do a u-turn (not really, had to take the wrong exit, go over the bridge and down the other side, metered to boot...) and drive ALL the way BACK to the correct road. 

Yup, that's right, he was looking at the wrong road the whole time...did I mention this was in LOS FREAKIN' ANGELES??  You know how hard it is to drive in this city and hubby fouls it up by looking at the wrong road.

I'm tellin' ya, it's a DAMN good thing I'm in love with the lout.  He's wonderful and mine forever!! 

PS.  Guaran-damn-tee you, he'll NEVER make that mistake again....

Flying J And Their Freakin' Internet

I don't know WHY I keep using them??   Why??  Someone please tell me!

I am connected right now and it's hard to keep the signal.  Hell, the free internet you get in rest areas and elsewhere are better signaled than this is now. 

Ustabe, Flying J had the best signal, bar none.  It always worked and worked well.  Something happened a couple of years ago and it's gone seriously downhill. I used to buy by the year, but now??  I buy by the day ONLY when there isn't another signal to be had.  Once I even got my money back from the snippy guy in their main office...who promptly blocked my other login name.  Sissy boy...  As if I couldn't make another name with a different card.  Sheesh....

I have heard that Flying J is merging with either Pilot or Loves.  I hope they do, maybe they'll get their act together and get decent signals. 

Seriously Annoyed At TA

We went into the restaurant tonite to eat.  I didn't want to spend much money.  I'm a cheapskate and chinch to rival the best of them.

Anywho, the waitress said they don't have a plain dinner salad.  We'd have to order the soup and salad bar for $6.99.  I didn't want the whole thing but hubby insisted.  All the waitress did was to bring our drinks.

So, I'm ticked off I 'have' to buy something I don't want (the soup) for more money than I want to spend, then...get this...hubby leaves her a tip!  All she did was bring us our drinks.  That was it.  No refill or anything.  He. Leaves. Her. A. Tip.  A tip for doing nothing??  Oh, hell, no.

Hubby did hear about it ALL the way to the truck, believe you me!!  I don't think he'll do THAT again!!

I Blind-Side Backed Into A Parking Spot

Yep, I sure did.  A little help from my hubby and, voila!  I was in. 

The other drivers thought I couldn't do it.

I did.  hehehe....

Wait To Be Invited, Already!!

I'm telling you, some of these new drivers are getting on my nerves, big time. 

They will pass you and instead of waiting for you to flick your lights to let them know they are clear, they just move right on over.  Some cut it pretty damn short too!!

Aren't the trucking schools supposed to teach this stuff to the students??  At least the trainers should know to tell the student.  Well, maybe the trainer isn't much farther along in driving than the student, so they don't know either. 

It's especially bad in SoCal too.  Guys needing to get to Long Beach or whereever will almost knock you off the road.  Lord help you if you get hit, you'd never find the clown responsible to make him pay for the damages.

So, for the newbie drivers reading this...when you pass another big rig, wait till the passed rig driver either flicks their lights or hi-beams you to move over.  If you are the passed driver, NEVER hi-beam another driver at night, you'll knock out the passing drivers night vision, so settle for flicking your lights.

Called 911 For Help With Tracheotomy Lady, No Kidding...

You have to read this to believe it, even then, you might not.

Last night we parked at a cardlock truckstop.  Hubby got out to go to the bathroom.  I was sitting in the driver's seat because I had backed in while hubby has spotted.  I saw something out of the corner of my eye.  When I really looked, here came this apparition in white tee-shirt, stringy hair and a shoulder bag. 

Hubby walked out to see what she wanted, we'd figured that one out (no bra), and upon gazing closer at her, it appeared she had a TRACHEOTOMY thingy in her throat!!  She was wheezing that she wanted us to call her husband, that the hospital had called a cab for her and cab driver/he'd dumped her when he found she couldn't pay!! 

I didn't know what to do.  In addition to all of this, she was drunk too!  So, I called 911 and told them to come pick her up to help her.  The deputy showed up, talked to her and put her in his car, backseat of course.  Then he took off with her to parts unknown.

I truly hope she got help and think it's awful that a hospital would dump a patient but those are times we live in.  So sad. 

1/20/2013

Can't wait. 

Been Gone Awhile

 I've been moving out of our house.  We decided to live in our truck for a little bit to save money.  We have a new spot but want it paid for quickly, ergo, we moved out of our old house and am now, um, 'homeless'. 

However, the upshot will be worth it and it feels pretty damn good.  Will keep you updated. 

Yep, A Freakin' Refer Parked Beside Us

He had the whole damn parking lot and picked the space beside us to park... 

My rig is a magnet for refers.  Just had to be, eh? 

All My Pick-Ups Went Superbly Today, Oh Yeah....

I am ever so surprised, too!! 

Nothing went wrong, not one bit.  I found all the places on my first try.  All directions were good.  The customers were all happy people, not one crabby one in the bunch.  Traffic was good, people were actually paying attention to driving laws.  Got a great shower in a great truckstop.  Had a wonderful dinner in the restaurant.  (Here's one you won't believe...)  People actually smiled at us and spoke nicely...I know, I know...we're in a parallel universe. 

Wonder when I'm going to pay for all this, huh??  Makes me very suspicious!  Still, all in all, a very good day! 

Why Do Bobtails Park In Regular Spaces??

Someone answer me that!!  I'm so irritated about that.  Doesn't do any good, just lets me be irritated. 

The bobtails need to park in short spaces or even in 4 wheeler parking, not in the big rig parking spaces. 

Okay, rant over. 

Best Dam Post Ever

This was on a horse board I frequent.  So funny and not so funny when you consider our guv'mint.  Read and enjoy!!

http://www.welcomehomeveteran.org/DamBeavers.html

Gotta Get An Aircard

Gonna have to spring for one of those puppies, I guess.

I am at a truckstop on MO and waiting to hop into KC to unload in the morning.  The 'net doesn't go out into the parking lot so I had to come into the truckers' lounge to use the net.  This is fine and good but there are a couple of truckers in here complaining about their employer and being loud about it.  It's okay to grouse about your employer (Lord knows I do at times) but they could be quieter, not where they can be heard in downtown KC, alright???!!

Usually, I sit in my truck but can't get a signal out there.  Right now, it sure seems worth the $60 a month for an aircard...I can barely hear myself think....

Roadside Checkpoints, Coming In June

I read on one of my personal blog-thingy's that sometime around the first of June, like 7-8-9, I think, that DOT is doing the roadside checkpoints.  I may have the dates wrong but the point is, the DOT is doing this and for the driver to be prepared. 

So, have your logs in order and your big rig in good shape.  Drive safely and really pay extra attention to the road, don't bring attention to yourself.  Revenues are down all over the country and so Smokey is looking to make up the shortfall.  Don't help them out!!  My logs are in great shape and my truck is well taken care of, so I don't think I'll have any problems.  *fingers crossed* 

Personally, I think I'm going home for those days and skip the fun.   Hehehe....

Union Shops, The Death Of America

When we take a load, if I suspect it's a union shop, I try to get out of taking the load.  Most times I have to take the load anyway but I'd rather not. 

To load or unload takes forever.  You have to deal with breaks, lunches and just flat obstinate idiots who know they hold the power in their grubby hands and are going to make you wait.

The worst, IMHO, is Boeing in Seattle.  Once I had to unload there and it was a 20 minute unload, simple and easy.  It took them a whopping three hours to unload!!  Of course, I made the forklift guy mad and I'm pretty sure he took his sweet time. 

Another one is a shop in Louisville and I had to wait till the next day to get loaded and it took them about 5 hours to load some steel.  With all the breaks and shift changes, I thought we'd might as well move in and take up residence. 

Another one, I went to some place out in the middle of nowhere where they were building a power plant of some sort.  A bunch of guys were sitting off to the side, doing nothing.  The guardshack lady told me that they came to work every day and sat around all day, doing nothing, and then went home and did the same the next day.  I was appalled.  As usual, it took forever to get unloaded. 

What is with this??  I can do without unions for the loading and unloading.  I will avoid union places to the best of my ability.  They take too long and it messes with my logbook.  "Change your logbook" they tell me.  Um, oh, hell no!!  The DOT can do more to me than a union shop can and with the way the DOT is getting more power, I'm not messing with them!! 

America was built with blood, sweat and tears, not sitting on your butt and collecting big bucks for nothing.  I guess, if I were smart, I'd join a union and do the same but something in me wants to work honestly for my money and be proud I did a good job.  I can't do nothing and then get compensated for same and feel good about myself.  Just can't do it.

Unions can go the way of the Do-Do bird and it wouldn't bother me a bit.  Have I made myself clear?? 

A Reminder To Male Truckers

Never, never, never, ever, ever, ever stand in the way of a female trucker and the bathroom.

You've been warned before and here's another one.  Read it and remember it. 

The Keystone Kops...A Loading Story....

Swear to God, you would have had to have been there to believe this loading story.

Hubby and I went to this teensy little town in the middle of Ohio to pick up a load.  I backed our rig in and then we set back and watched the loading. 

Suffice it to say, it was pretty damn entertaining! 

First off, the guys kind of ran around like the old cartoon Keystone Cops of yore, know what I mean??  If not, I mean they were all over the place and no rhyme or reason to anything they did.  It had to be a union shop because there were too many of them for the job (more on Union shops later or in the next post).  No one seemed to be a leader, well, there was one guy with a huge, walrus mustashe (sp??) but even he seemed to just roll around, no pun intended. 

Due to deck space on my flatbed, they had to reconfigure the load to make it fit.  Alright, simple enough it would seem.  Someone had put together the load in such a way and strapped with the metal strapping that it wouldn't fit.  So, walrus-guy decides to change it around.  While he's moving the whole shebang with the forkllift, the load falls off the prongs.  Instead of stopping and picking things up, he continues shoving it down the way.  Nothing happens to the load, other than a torn box (of which I made them sign that it wasn't my fault the box was torn, oh yes, I've learned to do THAT). 

Okay, then the other 'helpers' toddle over and they pick boxes up and restrap, but again, no rhyme or reason.  Just a wad here and a wad there.  Then they put cull pieces on the tops and bottoms (cull pieces are pieces of wood or whatever that will be thrown away at the end of the journey, they aren't any good) and start loading.  Except that the load is lopsided this way and that.  Ended up, the back of the load looked like one of those Tetris games when you're almost out of room.  Yep, that's how bad it was.

Hubby and I are sitting on the sidelines watching in amazement.  What we saw were a bunch of grown men roaming around and putting things here and there and tripping over each other and redoing the load numerous times and....get what I'm saying??  Another guy who works there happened by while on his break, noticed the commotion and said, sotto voce, "Tweedledum and Tweedledees" and continued walking like he hadn't said a word. 

No kidding. 

I finally piped up and said this thing can't go 'there' and that thing needs to go 'here'.  In general, I made myslef really, really popular with them.  Hubby got up to help them with the plastic sheeting that was required and it was all he could do to keep from strangling one or all of them.  Hubby doesn't get excited about much and is a calm guy but theses clowns about caused him to lose it. 

Honestly, while sitting and watching, the whole scene looked like the Keystone Cops movie, just a bag or human-worms wiggling around and not getting anything done. 

I was going to end here but I have to tell my faithful readers, when we got to the other end of the trip (we did end up legal, which is the only way I haul anyway), the customer wanted to know whatinthehell had happened to his load.  I started to 'splain about the Keystone boys but he stopped me and said that almost every load they get out of there looks like that.  This one just happened to be particularly bad.  At any rate, the freight got there safely and in one piece, sort of, and everyone was happy. 

I Gotta Start Writing My Ideas Down

So many things happen on the road and I think of putting them in this blog and then when I'm on the 'net at a truckstop, I forget just about everything that has happened!!

So, I'm really gonna try to write my ideas down right after something really good happens, good, bad or ugly and then I can relay it on to my faithful readers!! 

Please bear with me on this, I'll get things right!! 

Told A Male Trucker To Move His Rig. Yep, I'm Still Alive To Tell The Tale

Good Lord, what is with some people?? 

Hubby was driving and we pulled into a Pilot and there were a lot of rigs waiting to fuel, so Hubs picks a line and pops the brakes.  We sit and sit and sit some more.  The rig in front in the fuel island isn't moving.  The trucks to the side, are.  We don't move.  Hubby looks out and sees the guy in front finally put the spout in his tanks.  Then he pulls up a bit to do his refer tank and for some odd bodkin reason, BACKS UP and pulls his brakes.

Now, we're getting ticked.  All we wanted was to stop in and grab some sandwiches and get back on the road.  But, nooooo, this clown is taking his sweet time. 

Finally, he pulls up but not far enough for us if we were to fuel.  Remember, we have a long wheel base KW and the tanks are towards the back, not under the doors. 

Patience not being one of my many virtues, I jump out of the truck before Hubs can stop me (I wonder if he even tried....hmmmm...) and I walked towards the front of his truck but he was already heading into the Pilot.  I followed him and caught up with him whilst he was in line.  So, in front of God and everyone, I said..."How much longer are you going to be in line??  We're behind you and it's been 30 minutes."  I forgot to mention, I had my fists on my hips and a direct way of standing.  

He was so taken aback that he just stuttered, "I'm getting my ticket and be right out."  I turned and walked out of the door with a 'thank you' thrown over my shoulder.  He kind of pulled himself together and talked to the others in line about how he was trying to hurry and there was a problem with his card (of course there was!!). 

At any rate, it was extremely satisfying to let loose on a nitwit who thinks the world is his oyster and it doesn't matter whom else he inconveniences!  I'll  just betcha he hasn't had ANYone to speak to him in such a way in years, especially a female driver!! 

Yep, felt pretty good!!