Tips And Tricks For Cab Organization

Miss Miyoshi asks:

Hey Vamp, would you mind pointing me/us in the direction of the items you're talking about?

Errol butts in: Walmart had a lot of backpack stuff. The best place is online: REI.com. They have everything. Lifetime membership (not required) is $20, and you get 10% back at the end of the year. Top quality stuff - and there may be a "real" store nearby.

Hey Errol can you use/put a fridge on Swifts trucks??

I am not trying to be critical towards you, just realistic. I would definitely bring my own bedding. When you say "stove" do you mean the little propane stove, because they may not be allowed and you can't always count on the weather being nice to cook outside. Packing foods like granola bars and fruit and veggies may be high on your grocery list. Also a helpful hint on cold storage: get 2 1 gallon jugs of water (get the stronger containers like Deer Park) freeze them and use in a cooler instead of ice. It will last 2 to 4 days without the messy clean up of ice. Good luck!

Lynn.....I posted all about it in my previous post. The stove is the size of a coffee mug, it can use different type of fuels. Another one uses a small propane canister. Good weather or not, you can still cook outside. Hikers don't always have the best weather conditions and they still need to eat. :) I don't eat junk food much (fried, greasy, etc) as it makes me sick. Of course, fruits and veggies have to be part of my diet. And because cooler space is limited, I chose most that don't need refrigeration (avocados, bananas, apples, oranges, tomatoes, etc)

My nutri bullet was mentioned for when I'll have my OWN truck. Not when I'll go into training. My "stove"....is literally the size of a coffee mug, if not smaller. It's made for back packers. SUPER small. My pot and pan with dishes? The size of a small Rubbermaid container (again, all specialized equipment made for back packers/hikers, it all fits one inside the other) and I won't bring a cooler bigger than a 12 cans of soda. It might "sound" like a lot, but it really is not. If back packers can carry that stuff on a walking journey, it has to be small and light. If I team up, my stuff can go from my bunk to the floor while I'm sleeping. My trainer would be driving anyway, so it's not in his way. If we both sleep at same time, I can put my bag on my passenger seat. Simple as that. *sigh*

I need to take a pic for you of this truck wHen my trainer er comes back from home time. There is no room to put your stuff on the floor while you are sleeping.. it stays on your bunK. Her stuff is on the floor... which isnt that big. There is no way for me to put my stuff on the passenger seat cause she literally has two cabinets filled with clothes... one of kitchen suppliea.. one of food. When she is sleeping she has three suitcases on the passenger and driver seats. So much so I to move them sometime just to see the mirrors when I'm driving. When she is driving they are in her bed with me.

And I used the furniture reference as a metaphor not a literal interpretation. *sigh*

Nope I never went camPing. Was never in themilitary... but while I was a student I heard a couple trainers say "you have how much? Not on my truck pal". It's easier to buy stuff on the road then to bring too much.

but then again.. you probably won't be in the situation since you don't want to go otr. You want more hometime so I'm guessing you will Be able to find a comapny to train you without the sharing space experience.

Miss Miyoshi asks:

Hey Vamp, would you mind pointing me/us in the direction of the items you're talking about?

Errol butts in: Walmart had a lot of backpack stuff. The best place is online: REI.com. They have everything. Lifetime membership (not required) is $20, and you get 10% back at the end of the year. Top quality stuff - and there may be a "real" store nearby.

Hey Errol can you use/put a fridge on Swifts trucks??

Theron the Cascadia I was in for almost two years had a factory installed fridge. Most of the condo sleepers assigned to the WM DC had fridges. You won't really know until you get your truck.

Just a note of reality here, and I preface this with this is based on my experience.

While in training (teaming part), unless stopped, it will be very difficult to prepare a meal in the truck. It rocks, rolls and sways to the beat of the road beneath it. It's really difficult to plan anything in training, the freight determines what time you have available. Usually I barely had time to grab a coffee, use the restroom and grab something healthy at the TS either during a fuel stop or 30 minute break and bam back out on the road. I found myself frequently nibbling on healthy snacks throughout the time I was driving. The only time I was able to have a conventional meal was during a 34 hour reset. I compromised.

Hopefully some other drivers can add to this. Just trying to offer some perspective on what to expect. Not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but training is intense and I quickly adapted, realizing that adequate rest was the priority when not driving.