Comments By If you think I think I'm better than you, I am

Great update!

A word of caution on this route. Road conditions and weather are on the upswing now, but in less than six months, the cold, snow, and ice return on that dedicated route. That sounds to me like a great Summer routine, though.

The wx was a big component of the analysis, as was the timing of me taking the route now. At least I have all summer to scope it out and find all the hidy-holes. But with everything its compromises and pros and cons. This route had a stop point along the 70 that's one hour from home so I'll be able to pop in for a 10 a few times a circuit for laundry and food replacement.

2nd shift in the books after my break. Hopefully now the VA can adv6my claim.

Did some math and we are averaging 5300+ miles a week and I have 25 hrs left before I return to SLC to phase up. We are working with dispatch and training to line it all up.

I have been offered a dedicated route btwn Denver and SoCal and after discussions and doing some analysis, I have accepted. Dispatcher that my trainer has will be my dispatcher as well, so that relationship is already established. I'm told I'll get 3k miles a week easy. Can't wait to get my own truck and get after it. After phase up next milestone is in August I'll be eligible for 401k enrollment.

I'll let you know when I head to SLC!

You will most likely be to tired each day for games and reading.

I am here to say this is 1000% accurate, more so if/when you hit a team driving phase. After trying to get as close to 11hrs as you can, you will eat (maybe) and crash hard.

It may take awhile to adjust, if it happens at all. I eat, sleep, or use a bathroom as necessary with absolutely no schedule for any of it.

I'm mainly on a Keto/Paleo diet, so I avoid most grains and dairy. These are not for human nutritional needs. I will eat cheese, ice cream and white rice, but that's about it from those two groups.

Meat, Eggs, Seafood, Nuts & Seeds, Vegetables, Berries, Coffee, Tea, Water. These are the only foods I strive to eat. Is my eating steadfast? Not at all, because I will consume some food outside of this. My #1 challenge now is getting off Cokes. I'm down to three every two days since I really started weaning myself from this addiction about two weeks ago.

The soda will be a struggle for me and the Pilot app seems to know this. Lol

O.S. had the right ideas.

Where you entity to drive can be up to you - it never hurts to ask. You street told "work with dispatch", do start there. In the military occasionally we with for looking a "wish list" of what we would like to be staying. If was called a wifi list because it was Jeremy peregrine's and sister rarely get fulfilled.

For laundry I simply use a pillow case. Any kind of tabs for laundry soap put posts, as liquidate and prayers could slip.

Just let in high schools, yeah a gym bag with her stuff in it. Keep a towel & wish rag of your own for your terminal facilities. Truck stops will photos with laundry and very clean sister. Laundry is laundromat offices, the showers actually did but you'll get free shirts credit when you do up with diesel.

/\ /\ /\ Raw swipe keyboarding /\ /\ /\
No, I'm not on drugs.
\/ \/ \/ After I correct it, my actual thoughts \/ \/

Omg, drugs?! I was wondering about a stroke. The more I read, the more I was confused. When I hit the raw swipe line, it hit me. I haven't laughed like that in while.

My company runs reefer/dry van so not a lot of dirt/grime do I get into, just mostly day old body. I have 2 laundry bags both are the mesh kind. The clean one keeps my clothes (8 shirts/undies/socks folded in sets. Those sets are separated in 3 by 2 pairs of jeans. So including the set I have on it's 3 kits or 9 days (I wear the Jean's 3 days). As I remove the dirties I refold them in a kit with undies/socks folded inside the shirt and I stick a dryer sheet in with the sock/undies and place them in my 2nd laundry bag. No smells. The full bag is one load and I keep 2 premade zip baggies of powder in my dirty bag. I have only needed to use 1 but have spare in case. Our company routes us through the terminal bi-weekly and that's where I get it done. But there has been plenty of opportunity to do it on the road, but why pay?

I have a shower backpack. Plain old black, 1 main pocket and 1 small pocket. When I head to shower a kit of clothes goes in on top of my soaps. Then the towel and the small pouch houses my toiletries. My flip-flops hang on the outside from the loop by a carabiner. Easy-peasy.

Still following; LOVE reading!

Re: The 'lady..' I'll be free to be 'trained' in January, when my kiddo hits 18, LoL.

(That's if Big Scott or PJ or PackRat don't take me on. . . . G'Town is too far, dang him!)

Then again, if Errol's schooling was close by... hmm! (I simply LOVE Amazon, haha!)

Seriously, I love following along, good sir. Verisimilitude, for sure!!!!

Keep on keeping on; you are such an inspiration!!!!

~ Anne ~

I don't know if I have enough knowledge to train you, but I'll give anyone a chance.

Hello,

I will be retiring from the military in the next year and would like some feedback on the program Troops Into Transportation. It is one of the many training programs that is offered to Military veterans. I was hoping that some in here may have used this program and could give me some feedback on the good, the bad, and the ugly. From the reviews that I have been able to find it seems to be a decent program, but I would like to ask in here.

Also, just wondering what you enjoy about being in the trucking world. I have done 20 years in the communications field and need a change. I love to travel and seeing new things and think that with a big windshield in front of me, the ever-changing scenery, might be just what I need. I am not scared of hard work or long hours as long as it is enjoyable most of the time. I am aware that it is not always fun, but just looking for some feedback on what most find enjoyable in their work.

I just retired last March and am right in the middle of a "refresher" program with Pride after not driving for 14 years when I went back to active duty. I can't speak to the program you mentioned before, but if you wanna bounce any questions off me from a retired military perspective I'd be glad to weigh in.

Any update or news?

Update.

The last week was fairly routine. Lots of night shifts, we did get one run to SLC to have some terminal time and a little love for the truck from the maintenance experts. Lots of yogurt and candy runs mostly. One fresh meat load and a load of spaceship insulation for NASA that had to be kept frozen. Weird? SURE! but I guess most things involved in space aren't average to us.

I started home time last night and have 154 hrs completed on my 200 hr team phase. The trainer is planning on the 7th or 8th for a run back to SLC to drop me off for my phase up to solo. I am well over the required backing at 103 dock bumps. The trainer has really thrown me some curveballs. Waking me up to back into difficult docks, making me blind side when I don't have to, and other little "advanced challenges". I had a blind side back from the street at one small warehouse and the trainer worked with the shipper so I had to blind side all down the length of the dock and take the last dock between 2 trailers when there was ample room and empty docks. He made me 180 in a tight place to create a blind side as well. I know he's pushing my comfort level and testing my abilities.

Noobs should take this lesson, my trainer is not just making my life hell, he's prepping me for tougher times ahead. We used to say in Battalion, "The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle."

I met with my VA advocate and my claim is slowly progressing, it's been over a year now. The VA made me take yet another hearing test and wants me to upgrade to newer hearing aids. Which is all well and good but I am more bothered by the ringing in my ears. It's borderline obnoxious and I have to have background noise to drown it out. Even to sleep.

I have had the best sleep recently though. I think the noise of the truck/reefer/APU really suppresses the tinnitus, that and the exhaustion that follows driving for 9-11 hrs. Either way, the waking up every few hours, for a few hours, has completely stopped and I am sleeping 8+ at a stretch. That hasn't happened for the last 12 years or so. Winner, winner!

So now I need to find a lady to team with and she can keep the truck rolling so I can keep getting good sleep. All kidding aside the sleep has been a gift. For years I have tried all the tricks except drugs/alcohol, though I was getting desperate enough. White noise, meditation, black out curtains, you name it. Nothing helped and trying to live on what is essentially 2 naps per night was way less than ideal. Hopefully I won't have to drive a truck 9 hrs a day until I die to get good sleep. Lol

I should be back on the road tomorrow or the next day. My trainer also had a medical test to complete for an upcoming surgery. So as soon as we hear from dispatch, he'll be swinging by and I'll finish off my hrs.

I belong to a group of people who cook on their trucks on social media...it seems that everyone has them. I don't know what size/model etc, but they all seem to love it.

I would like to get a list of recipes and equipment recommendations for when I go solo.