Posted: 6 years, 4 months ago
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Today is my Friday (still in an office job). . . and I live in CO. . . thanks for the inspiration to get out there with my camera and enjoy my current situation! Trucking calls, but hell, you do what you can to enjoy the moments we're offered!
Superb photo!
Posted: 6 years, 4 months ago
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Prospective trucker asks, "Isolation and loneliness. What is your experience?"
Here is an excerpt from the notes I have made on the subject…
Dang, G-Town, those are solid notes! What I got out of it was sort of. . . pointing the microscope on my daily habits, especially the ones I don't notice (because they're habits, kinda the point is to not notice them!). Those "unnoticed things that will change as a trucker" are important to how I understand a value like Freedom. . . so if we accept that the value doesn't change, but our interaction with it. . . what happens when you're 2000 miles away from your destination with more-or-less time to get it done? GPS helps, and there are rules and e-logs by which you gotta obey... otherwise, its your job, your responsibility, your reputation in this career. I guess the "hidden" factor, for me, at least, is just enjoying that personal feeling of a job well done. I'm no saint, I just think it feels better to be noticed as "gets it done" when you aren't expecting to be noticed for doing your damn job.
Very thought provoking, G-Town, thanks!
this is the probably one of the top three jobs in the world
I'm still learning this forum, so hopefully you'll see this, Mr. Curmudgeon. . . What would you say the other two jobs are on that list? LOL, maybe I don't want to know, as it could just be a distraction from checking "100k+ miles in a big rig" off of my bucket list. For me, it'd be owner of a company (doing whatever, the principle being it was mine) or. . . dang. . . yeah, I guess trucking is a top job if you want the lifestyle. Seriously. . . what other job in the USA offers good coin for the ability/requirement to be a traveler? A professional migrant.
------------------ Satellite radio has been brought up. What is cell phone coverage like? Well, non-roaming coverage. I was living in upstate NY when an older couple died in the winter on I-87 in the Adirondaks when their car broke down. They had a cell phone, but no coverage. It was a thing, and afterwards my hiking buddies were stoked that the whole interstate was given poor, but passable, cell-phone coverage through and through. I'm guessing this isn't always the case??
Thanks for the welcome and the thoughts!
Posted: 6 years, 4 months ago
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Prospective trucker asks, "Isolation and loneliness. What is your experience?"
Awesome, thanks for the replies. What y'all said is kinda my theory about how I'd handle it... I've got family (blood or not) spread throughout the country and if I'm trucking, my relationship with them is no different (all over a cable in one form or another)... and if I'm trucking, hell, I could maybe arrange some "home-time" with them instead of my "home" listed on my forms and tax returns. Like... "Once a decade we get to touch flesh and laugh like you do with old friends? F' that, I'm coming to you!"
I'm also drawn into the notion of being kinda "anonymous." I currently work phones... its a fine job at a fine company (hard work and looking out for each other is valued), its just my lifestyle that I'm disappointed in. Anyway, from working phones I have spent a few units-of-time thinking about how to build trust with strangers. I guess I like it, the thrill of meeting strangers and seeking out that conversation. Nothing ventured nothing gained... venture and nothing lost, even if it ends poorly... sometimes free things cost you something, I guess!!!
I feel like I live in a city (and I pay city rent + city taxes)... but my nature is to travel and be aloof yet very warm. My friends are either people I've known for a short time... or a very long time... and you know, every once in a while one of those short-term friends sticks around and they become family, but yeah... I think this quality of mine is something that would be in my pocket on the road.
Thanks for my rants and your replies!!! I'm gonna push myself and tomorrow answer this thread (if its still alive) and post in another one. Thanks again!
Posted: 6 years, 4 months ago
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Prospective trucker asks, "Isolation and loneliness. What is your experience?"
**The ice-breaker question: Trucking appeals to a sense of freedom. What about the loneliness? In my desk-job, I have people that I can go to, and I have people that just kinda... look after me. As a prospective trucker, I have a worry that I'll be "too free." Too isolated. Too lonely.
From the podcasts and some of the posts I've read, one of the "warnings" or ... "romance is fun, but its a job and career" ... I've heard about isolation. Freedom is what I imagine it feels like on those sunny days. But I've seen the winter before (only to see spring again!), and I'm just wondering what y'alls experience with isolation and loneliness (aka winter) is when you're operating that truck for that company, and you're days away from family. ------------------------------------ First post!
I'm considering the career. Over the past year or so, I've listened to all of Brett's podcasts. Some a few times, like reading that dusty comic book under a box of old toys. And I've chilled with some vlogs. And I've been on some deep, internet rabbit-hole, explorations. Trucking has been on the brain since I was in middle-school, on a family vacation to and through the 4-corner states. My hometown (back then) of Dallas just got a lot, freaking, bigger.
I've had a lot of dreams in my life. Trucking has been there since I first made a list, and while the list hasn't gotten shorter... trucking is getting towards the top.
Whats it like??? I'm ~6mo out from a decision point... no rash decisions is a lesson I learned the hard way... so I'm deciding to try to strike up a chat!
Posted: 6 years, 4 months ago
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Living in the cab, what is that like?
Question: How do you manage living in such a small apartment? Or, what is like to have access to 1000's of showers, but they're long miles apart. Old school truckers prolly will laugh, but whats the screen-situation like? Just my phone, or room for a TV? Wifi? Cell reception? Satellite radio? What do you like, dislike and wish you had. . .
I've got a follow-up question brewing about life outside-the-cab, so just "in the cab," for now!
Sorry, lots of questions there! But yeah, life in the cab. . . whats it like, good and bad?