Comments By Little Syster (a.k.a. Sunshine)

Ps: I think it's totally plantar fascitis! As a former massage therapist, you'd think I'd remember the symptoms from the clients I treated with it!

Top the hill, nice easy slope then ooops it is 6% for the next 3 miles. Get to see a lot of brake lights on that hill.

I try my very hardest to only use the brakes when absolutely necessary. My adopted motto has become "Brakes are for emergencies, not for roadtrips." Needless to say, I had to pry some seat cushion from my bumbum at the bottom.

You are an inspiration for anyone male, female, short, tall, scrawny, buff, thick, young or old who wants to be a CMV Operator. I've read your posts since your first stumble and have been inspired myself to roll on and push through my own personal struggles in an attempt to match your enthusiasm and willingness to take that extra step to succeed.

Keep on Rollin GIRL. Congrats and safe drivin!!

Thank you! It's humbling to think that I've inspired anyone. I delivered my first load today :) Met some aweome people including another female flatbedder. She was my angel today! Helped me get to my second stop which was super tricky because there are drainage ditches on either side of the road to the consignee's bay. Still learning how to eyeball the space needed for turns like that. All worked beautifully with her help! It was a blessing for sure :)

Little Sis- You get an A+ for enthusiasm and A++ for perseverance. Keep posting. Love 'em.

I'm sure I'll have more stories later :) The days are just full of them! And all good, if you think about it...I figure I may not be able to control what happens, but I have total control over my reaction.

I appreciate the encouragement that ALL of you have given me! I would quote and respond to eacg one but my fingers are tucked out. Waiting on my next load assignment. Going to try to get some shut eye...4 solid hours simply isn't enough.

This is why I prefer flatbeds

Right?! Although I have heard a strange story about some guy hitching a ride underneath the bed by hanging a hammock up. Maybe a tall tale but who knows?!

It must depend on the state. In CO, I paid like $86.50 or something like that for the fingerprinting and the application. But I did that after I took the test. I figured no point in taking the test and not being able to pass after forking over the $$$. In my division, we don't usually haul Hazmat. But it does happen on occasion and I wanted to make sure I was an asset to my company and not have to turn down a load because I was missing an endorsement.

Congratulations! Really proud of you for being brave enough to flatbed. My heart would never be in flatbedding. . Heck, I don't even wanna deal with a reefer, although they used to humm me to sleep.

Thanks, Sue! I often get asked why flatbed and I guess I just really like the satisfaction of getting that kind of work done. Winter will be miserable but even that seems like a challenge I'll be up for. As for the reefer hum, it was so loud my first few nights with my trainer. The other night, I parked in a row of nothing but flatbeds and tankers. Too quiet! I could barely get to sleep!

Congrats!!!!! Stay Safe and Keep on keepin' on

I'm going to keep on trying, Boss! That you can bet on :)

Congratulations! Maybe someday we'll run into each other in Denver.

Oh, and at least you were aware you were covered in tarp sludge lol. More than once I've walked into a restroom and suddenly realized my face was covered in it. Embarrassing if you've been walking around the store first!

Would love to catch up in good old CO sometime, Bud! Hopefully, I'm not horribly grumpy after fighting traffic on 25! As for the tarp sludge, I did that once - walked in and walked around before realizing that I had black smeared from my left collar bone to the top of my left ear. Was down in Gypsum and didn't get why people couldn't look me in the eye! I try to remember to check now ;)

Cramping in the feet can often be a sign of slight dehydration. Try upping your water intake.

Thanks for the tip, Trucktographer! My bladder won't like this remedy but I'll give it a try :)

Congrats on the first day going so well! I'm crossing those same passes today, heading for Knoxville. Looks like we just missed each other lol!

I got lucky on my first day, I got to take a preloaded trailer from the yard and drove for 3 days before my first solo unload. That was nice, a smooth and easy transition into the world of OTR.

Keep up the good work out there!

Thanks TPC! I was going to say if you ran across 70 we could meet and grab lunch but we might just miss each other by a day. Keep me posted though. From KS they'll probably send my to OK or TX.

Having read your journey, this awesome to hear! I'm so happy for you. I know you have earned it. congrats sunshine and have fun and be safe.

Thank you! My first day out, I crossed 4th of July, Lookout, and Continental Divide. Scared myself half to death when I went to downshift, read my speed and tach wrong and missed my gear. It all happened too fast to panick, so I hit the brakes as gently as possible to get slowed down, slammed it back into 10th, got myself slowed down a little more and skipped into 8th before the 35mph change. Troopers were crawling everywhere and I really didn't want a ticket my first day. Got situated, and downshifted into 7th before hitting the 25mph posted limit. I pulled over at the bottom to do a load check and I was shaking so bad I almost peed. I laughed instead

Thanks Errol for reminding me about that tracker! I'm all updated :) Will be headed into Wichita, KS tomorrow night.

Old School, you would have gotten a kick out of watching my secure and tarp my very first load like a big girl :) I got my truck at 2p on Weds and was sent a load assignment for to pick ups that had to be done by 3:30p (according to the assignment). Still had to get all my stuff on boarded, pick up a trailer, fuel, and figure out where the hell I was going. I called my DM and let him know that I would try my hardest but the second stop should be given a heads up that I would most likely be running behind depending on how long the shipper took to load. Oh, and it was raining :) Ha! So there I am, trying to get backed into the tightest bay I've ever seen. Took about 10 pull-ups but I did it. They got me loaded and I pulled out to get the stack secured the rest of the way. Got back in the truck, soaking wet and hauled over to my next stop. Got there, raced across the parking lot, got to the door and realized that in my hurry I forgot to grab the pick-up number off the Qualcomm. Went sprinting back across the parking lot...I felt like a chicken with no head. Got all checked in and the woman was like, "Catch your breath, girl! We load until 6p!"

WHEW!

Made it over to the loading area and pulled through (thank goodness I didn't have to back up again) the warehouse. Had to undo all my straps because the first stack was 6" too far back. No worries, though! It happens :) At least I was out of the rain! Forklift operator had already been informed that this was my first load and helped me feel better by saying that he drove for 17 years and still remembers his first. I love the solidarity in this community :) We got everything all loaded and I started the fun part. 2.5 hrs, half a roll of visquine, 15 straps, 30 edge protectors, two tarps, and the Good Lord only knows how many bungees later, I got the job done. My feet were screaming, my shoulders were burning, and I was covered from head to toe in wet, black tarp sludge...and I had the biggest, proudest smile on my face :)

Brett, just out of curiousity, did you ever get really tight feet the first few months? I get out of bed in the morning (it's really a pathetic scene) and my first steps are pure agony. Feet are so tight my calves almost cramp up! Any suggestions?

Anywhoooo...I made it into Denver last night with enough time on my clock to get home for a day. So today is an errand/scavenging day. Errands for the mama and scavenging tools and etc for me before I hop back in and hit it tomorrow :)

So happy you guys are doing this! Looking forward to hearing more.

First trip started on Wednesday! Load delivers on Monday. So happy :) So tired... Will post more later :)

Drove across Montana yesterday and today and thought about all of you who run out there a lot. Wish we could have met up for lunch or something :)

Looks like you're rockin this flat bed gig Systa!

Great to see your work in here!

I am absolutely in love :) I can't wait to challenge myself these winter months! I hope to feel as tough as you look in your profile picture, Old School, when I'm fighting those tarps up north in a couple months....or next month...My luck I'll feel like a drowned, frozen rat the first time! Ha!