Comments By NotDriving

Last night before the new adventure truly begins...

Today, I learned how to ranger roll all my clothes. I won't say that I perfected it but I did pretty darn good on it for the first time. The bag I had was definitely over the carry on weight limit so I decided to add one additional bag to the journey. I am glad that I did as I really needed that little extra. I still packed light and efficient, but that second bag made a big difference.

The bus leaves early in the morning and is not in the best part of town (are they ever?!). I am packed and now ready to unwind so that I can get to bed early. 4:45am is a pretty unusual wake up time for me normally but I imagine that after driving a while, that will just be part of the norm.

I'm nervous about many things, but I have put in the study time for the permit and the pre trip. I certainly hope that I am prepared enough for this week but will be using the long bus trip to review and just drill it into my head. Looks like I have a class of possibly 4-5 to start with but won't know until Monday or maybe Sunday night. I have all my paperwork packed and easy to get to - now it's just the long trip out there.

I've never been on a bus before but I have heard some horror stories from others. It's all in how you look at it so I say let's get this show on the road. Hard to imagine that this all seemed such a long way off just a few weeks ago. Looking forward to it all and ready to embrace that brisk, cold weather.

I may update you all from the road over the weekend. The real fun is about to begin!

Things are getting just a bit closer and so far, so good. Pets are now comfortable at my family's house and I am doing last minute things before heading out this weekend. It feels like this was a long time but has really moved much quicker that I thought.

Today, I stopped by Greyhound and picked up the bus ticket. Bus leaves at 6:20 am on Friday and I'm trying to get as many things done as possible. Now with the ticket in hand, that is one less thing to worry about. The 50 hour bus ride is going to be an experience - but I'm up for it!

I've practiced with the practice tests so many times that I am about sick of seeing the questions. Consistently, I am getting either perfect scores or maybe missing just a few, always within passing range though. Just want that part to be over and done with so that I can concentrate on the driving and backing. The permit test is going to be next Tuesday!

I was terrified of that pre-trip. It seemed like so much to learn and I was getting overwhelmed. However, over the last few days I broke it down and have been working on my 'imaginary' truck in the driveway. I watched the video created and supplied by my company and have burned the images of the parts into my head. I have said the pretrip from memory now dozens of times each day and it is flowing like water. Properly mounted and secure (at both ends), not cracked, bent, or broken, no abrasions, bulges, or cuts, measured with an air gauge, not leaking....these words are almost all I say every single hour of the day now and I haven't even been near a truck yet! But my plan is to know this like the back of my hand so that my biggest focus can truly be driving, shifting, and backing (as well as all the other things I don't know to expect!)

I'll keep you posted but my next stop is the Greyhound station. One step closer and it is almost here!

Congratulations on taking the step! I'm leaving on Friday on the Greyhound to head to training - nervous and excited. Have not taken the permit tests (they make you wait and do it there) but have used the HRTP on this site as well. I just got the pretrip down (company sent a video) and I can say it now in my sleep.

Good luck and keep us posted on how things are going!

Most truck stops and company terminals have laundry facilities. You do not need to pack for three months.

No, I only packed clothing for about 7 days but once you do that for shirts, socks, underwear, jeans, couple of sweaters, paperwork, toiletries, etc ...the space gets used up quickly. What I meant is that it is likely that I won't see home for 3-4 months and so this is it - I think I did ok to condense to just this.

This is the size of the bag that I am taking - and believe me when I say that it is packed to the max! They already told me that they would run me up to Wal-Mart during my training to get a sleeping bag/pillow and anything else I need. Is this about the right size to be expected to take for training? It's hard to cram in 3 months worth of what you think you will need in one of these things!

So, I have a few hours to get my apartment settled before I head out tomorrow. School is not until the 21st but I am taking pets to my family and spending a few days studying and getting ready. The problem is that once I leave tomorrow, I am out of luck if I left anything important - I will be 700 miles away.

I've looked at the threads and I am trying to keep my packing light. I have a bag that is about 2 feet long (21 inches) and roughly a foot in width. It's small, but I have crammed it like a boss! My goal is to only take one bag and buy the sleeping bag/pillow once I get there. I have two of these bags but am trying to push it so that I only take the one. My main concern is that I don't want my trainer shaking his head if I show up with too much stuff.

I think the bag is pretty small and shouldn't be much of a problem as an extension of a pillow on my bunk. I have no concern of sleeping with it in the bunk.

So I guess my question is this - would you have taken both of the bags or would you try to do what I am doing and cram it all into one? I'm down to the wire on this and need to do something quickly so any help would be appreciated.

Nov 11th - One journey finally comes to an end. Today I walked out of school and said goodbye to teaching for good. Yes, I left on excellent terms and could go back tomorrow, but that is not who I am. Once I close a door, I see no sense in looking back or trying to return. So as of today, I am no longer a teacher.

It was a good day with lots of laughs, hugs, and of course, some heartfelt goodbyes. But never once have I had any doubt about this part of my journey. If anything, the sentiments of my former co-workers filled me with encouragement as they continued to let me know how happy they all were for me. I don't think I have been happier or more at peace at anytime in the last 10-12 years. The realization of the finality of today was there but seeing a better possible future has kept me focused.

Tomorrow is a day that I really can't do much CDL prep work although I would like to. I have a LONG list of things to do in order to close up my home and travel to MS. I received my confirmation letter with my bus ticket info today from Jim Palmer. It's hard to believe that this time next week I will be on that long, slow ride to Missoula - 50 hours to be exact. I've never taken the bus and from all accounts, I have heard that it is not ideal but it is all part of the adventure. I really want to savor the experience as you only get to be the newbie once most of the time. They say attitude is everything and I am looking at this as just those first steps into something that I hope will be as great as I imagine.

Tonight I have gathered all of my pertinent information - Social Security card, official Birth Certificate, blank checks for direct deposit, etc. In addition, I am breaking out the winter clothes that get such rare use in Florida as well as some items that can have me comfortable in warmer climates. So much to do and so little room for mistakes. Once I leave here, I really have to be prepared to not return until at least Feb or March.

The weekend will be busy closing down the apartment and then Sunday is all travel with two kittens included. What seemed like would take an eternity to get here has just suddenly happened almost over night. Next week will be all studying and practicing for the permit test and getting that pre-trip down. I may not post too many more times until early next week but at this point, it's all moving fast.

For those who are considering the career, I can offer you a few words of advice already. Start studying NOW! Don't wait, because plans can change and time goes very quickly. I'm looking forward to being the student soon. I've never even sat in a truck but I'm just anxious to get that part of the journey started. All good things to those who wait....

....and wait I shall. Thank you all for reading along. Love seeing the posts but it's also good to be able to go back and review what has happened in such a short time. I'm sure I will have tons of questions and I know that there are so many people here that are able and eager to help. I want to thank you all beforehand as I am sure I'm gonna need it!

Scott

Difference between 80 and 65 is 15.

As a soon-to-be ex-teacher, I'd say that Errol is using some serious common core math - believe me, I can show you this in such a convoluted, over-the-way manner that you would actually believe it to be true!

But his point is right on - patience is always the better option. Not the easiest, but definitely the wisest.

Thank you to all for the replies - I was so excited that anyone actually was reading!

Thursday, Nov. 10 - Today is a day that I know will not be easy. I have to inform 18 children that their lives are about to be turned upside down as they are losing their teacher. I also have to inform the families. It's not that they won't be able to deal with it but it does tend to upset them initially. That conversation will be in about 2 hours from now.

The closing down of my apartment is at a stand still - I have to live there at least until Sunday so there is not much more that I can do. In the meantime, I have killed it on General Knowledge, Combination Vehicles, and Air Brakes. I'm still reviewing it constantly but I feel confident in all three areas. The illness is pretty much gone - still some visual signs but no pain or complications. Hopefully another day or two is all it will need to be completely gone.

The pre-trip probably intimidates me the most. I have created flash cards from Daniel's post and am just reciting them over and over and over. I added the pics to each one and hopefully it should sink in soon but I have not been able to practice it enough to feel any comfort level there. It's alot to prep for but I want to go there with confidence and be able concentrate on the skills part once I am there. Not having the resources of this site would have made this so much more difficult than I could imagine.

Well, not much more for today. Tomorrow is my final day at my job. I'm more than ready to finally be done with this career and get started on trucking. So much to do but some things have to wait until the last minute. I'm sure that it will come together but for now it's just the game of waiting!

Tuesday - Oct. 25th - Today, I got up and jumped in the shower. I didn't notice anything until I was drying off and putting on deodorant. I felt the bumps before looking down and finally saw what looked like a million insect bites. I turned to see my back and this long stretch extended from the left side of my back all the way around to the front and stretching just beyond the arm pit. Of course, I had to go to work because teaching is not the kind of job you just call in for at the last minute.

I knew what it was. I'd had this before and it was awful. It felt like someone had just beat me with a baseball bat, left me in the sun for hours to burn, and then let ants start biting me over and over. This had to be shingles. I instantly called and tried to get into the doctor but could not get in until the next morning. It was going to be a rough day and night but what else could I do? The one bright spot of the day came later that afternoon.

JPT called. I was conditionally hired and was given a start date. I would be joining their training on Nov. 21st. It was a great day but a painful one to say the least. I managed to deal with it for the night and made it to the doctor. Definitely shingles and highly contagious. Blood pressure was back in the excellent range, just like normal. So at least I had a name for my pain, but not something that I necessarily needed while I tried to end a job, close up an apartment, study for a permit test, and start a new job. But this was temporary and easily managed so the focus was on moving forward the best way possible.

Halloween - Finally, it was time to let the school know what was going on. Today, I would be giving notice to finally end a 15 and a half year relationship that was no longer working at all. I had of course let my references know but that was only 3 people and they had kept it very quiet.

The first person to tell was the principal. I will sum it up with her response - "Take me with you!" This was something that I heard quite a bit over the next week. In addition, things like "I'm so envious", "You're so lucky", and "I wish it was me". I even had some people confide that they are in the process of looking for other work as well. The one thing I did not hear at all was that I should rethink about what I am giving up or that it was possibly a mistake. I knew that there were a lot of miserable people here but it still shocked me as more and more people started voicing things to me.

So here I sit, still teaching but looking at the end quickly approaching. My final day is in three more days (Nov 11th) and it's all I can do to grin and bear it. This weekend I will shut my apartment down and don't plan to see it again until most likely March. Next week I will be traveling with what possessions I need and my animals to MS. During this week my plan is to continue studying like crazy. I am good on General Knowledge, Air Brakes, and Combination Vehicles. I am clueless on the pre-trip and have to really focus on that. It's a lot to happen in a short time. Fortunately, I am almost fully healed and things are moving as I hoped.

I will have more to add as the days get closer. For now, you are pretty much caught up on the process that has gotten me to this point. Hopefully the drama and craziness has been exhausted and training will be a much different story. One thing is for sure - it has definitely been memorable for me up to this point.

Thanks for reading and will update again very soon!

Llandros (Scott)