Things That Go "bump" In The Night, Or While You're Driving Down The Road

So earlier this evening as I was hurtling down the highway foolishly challenging MillionMiler's untouchable record of 700+ miles, I heard a very loud 'bang;' coincidentally, a small car moved from behind my trailer. My first thought was that I'd blown a tire, but felt no difference in steering and saw nothing in the mirrors. I recently had my exhaust repaired, so I thought perhaps it was related to that: a backfire, maybe. I really didn't know what caused the noise, so I pulled over on the side of the interstate , which made me very nervous, (and MillionMiler's record safe for another day), and checked my rig for damage. Nothing. Perplexed, I climbed back in and completed my journey to today's destination, my fuel point and home for the night. As soon as I parked I looked over my rig again, looking for a bullet hole, pumpkin residue, anything... nothing.

Pulling the curtain back to my sleeper compartment to get a nice shirt to wear into the truck stop, I found the source of the loud noise I'd heard: an unopened jar of strawberry jam had fallen out of my pantry, landing on the hard top of my cooler, and without breaking. I was relieved, that I wasn't the victim of adolescent hi-jinks, faulty equipment, or a busted jar of strawberry jelly.

Pete, this is something that still bothers me at times. If I'm running down the road and hear a noise that I can't identify, I feel compelled to locate the source of the intrusive noise that has invaded my peaceful sanctum. Sometimes I'll figure it out. Other times I wait until I stop for a break and do a Sherlock Holmes like investigation. Occasionally the mystery goes unsolved.

After a few years on the road I've learned a little better about how to place and store things so they don't get catapulted down from their lofty perch. I once had some canned goods stored in a cabinet above the driver's seat. I'll leave it to your own vivid imagination to figure out why I quit that practice. (I have a hard hat on board, but I don't like to wear it while driving)

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Canned goods... sadly, I've got that beat. Before I moved to Ecuador I worked for Aramark, driving a uniform truck. I installed a magnificent stereo and speakers, (and a pair of fuzzy dice, to really personalize my truck), while mounting the 6X9 speakers in wooden speaker boxes directly above my head. And it happened WHILE DRIVING.

Something I haven't gotten used to: I don't have an APU or EPU , so on a warm night I'll idle my truck to get s fresh clean blast of cold air in my sleeper; I run all day with the curtain closed and blowing cold air in the back, but I like to do it again right before I fall asleep... Well, the truck will shudder or shake intermittently, as if The Hulk is outside rocking my truck. I used to think that someone had backed into it, the shudder can be so violent. Still kinda freaks me out.

Keeping pudding in the space above now, are you?

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

EPU:

Electric Auxiliary Power Units

Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices

My question out of that whole post is, how do you expect to break 700m (I assume in one day)? You drive for Schneider right? Literally impossible.

My question out of that whole post is, how do you expect to break 700m (I assume in one day)? You drive for Schneider right? Literally impossible.

One day is 24 hours, one shift is 11/14 hours...

My question out of that whole post is, how do you expect to break 700m (I assume in one day)? You drive for Schneider right? Literally impossible.

One day is 24 hours, one shift is 11/14 hours...

Ah. I usually think a day in terms of 1 14h shift.

My question out of that whole post is, how do you expect to break 700m (I assume in one day)? You drive for Schneider right? Literally impossible.

"Remember Unholychaos hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." -Andy Dufresne