Get This Monkey Off My Back!

I've seen a few unusual OTR pet situations over the years. I remember seeing a lady driver with a very large pot-bellied pig riding along with her. That thing had to have been pushing 165 pounds. She had a ramp for him to get in and out of the truck.

I remember our own ID Mountain Girl posting a photo of a baby goat taking a ride along with her. I've seen a large python, and a blue McCaw. I've also seen a husband/wife team with 3 full size collies jammed together in the truck.

Last night I spent the evening in Branford, CT at the TA truck stop there. As I was walking to the entrance there was a driver about fifteen feet ahead of me with a very small monkey riding on his shoulder. He was tethered to the man's shirt so he couldn't make a break for freedom, or for anything else that caught his little monkey eyes. He was really cute and entertaining as he hopped around from shoulder to shoulder, chirping and chattering, as if he had something important to say.

There's something unique about living on the road like we do. You live what seems like three lifetimes. You see things your friends can hardly believe. There's a richness to this lifestyle that I find to be unmatched by any of the other things I've done or accomplished. I began this second career thinking I would just give it a try. It fascinated me at the beginning and it continues to increase it's hold on me. I love being out here on the road. You won't catch me trying to get this monkey off my back!

It really is a unique job. Sometimes I wonder that I get paid for it. One of my favorite parts of the week is always heading out on the road with the sun coming up and the smell of hot coffee. Never know what each week will bring.

I love the smell of diesel in the morning and the late night hustle and bustle of the constant coming and going. Where you going driver? That so many people just arrived at one place from across the country to just park for 10 hrs. News used to travel fast before Covid. And the YouTube worthy antics of course.

Even as a local you get a lot of this still, my trainer likes to say that diesel will get into your blood and there's no real escaping that, if you can do the job at all.

You guys see the craziest things out there. And here I thought it was bizarre to see someone with a giant stuffed tiger buckled in the passenger seat.

I met a lady driver about 2 1/2 years ago who kept a potbellied pig on her truck; she too used a ramp. I suppose that’s the only way that animal is going to get into the truck. I wonder if it was the same pair? Seems too much of a coincidence for it not to be.

Most dogs I've seen come out of one truck was 4. All Miniature Daschounds. Plus the husband and wife.

Largest dogs I've seen together in one truck was a Great Dane and a Siberian Husky. This was a single male driver in that truck.

Strangest animal may have been the female driver I met at the Petro in Ontario, CA. She had a hen chicken co-pilot. Fresh eggs for breakfast???

Saw a guy at a truck stop near Indianapolis with a musical interest. He had taken the passenger seat out and had a partial drum set mounted in it's place.

I met a lady driver about 2 1/2 years ago who kept a potbellied pig on her truck; she too used a ramp. I suppose that’s the only way that animal is going to get into the truck. I wonder if it was the same pair? Seems too much of a coincidence for it not to be.

Yeah Pete, I agree - probably the same driver and pig. There just can't be too many of them out here on the road.

What are the odds that you and I meet up with the same stinking pot bellied pig, but we can't seem to meet up with each other? Someday it will happen and I'm looking forward to it!

Packrat says

Strangest animal may have been the female driver I met at the Petro in Ontario, CA. She had a hen chicken co-pilot. Fresh eggs for breakfast???

ya know I got to the part where you said female driver and thought it was going a completely different way LOL

Packrat says

Strangest animal may have been the female driver I met at the Petro in Ontario, CA. She had a hen chicken co-pilot. Fresh eggs for breakfast???

ya know I got to the part where you said female driver and thought it was going a completely different way LOL

No, so far I've met more strange males, than females, out here.