Old Man Leaves Six-Figure Salary To Begin Training As A Trucker- Psychiatric Evaluation Pending

Congratulations!

Now the real fun (learning) begins. Hang in there!

Thanks, Old School! I appreciate all the advice and encouragement along the way. There is definitely a steep learning curve in this industry.

Congrats! Way to go man!

My First Load (please excuse the tarp job...my first attempt at steel beams!

(Photos in above posts)

Looks AWESOME, to me ! Then again, what do I know?

So happy for you, man. What a journey; you knocked it out, like a champ. It's not easy these days. Loved following you.

Congrats from us also, Steve !!! Super nice looking truck, too .. that COLOR is so You! Just kidding, but I sure DO love the burgundy. Even in fine wines. (How IS the facial healing going, by the way? That's what I eluded to, haha!)

Hope you'll do a continuum here for awhile, or like some of the others; a 'first month or three' solo follow up. It sure pays homage to the intentions of this site, as your diary certainly has; albeit, you're awesome!

Best forward, (and reverse as needed!)

~ Anne & Tom ~

Congrats! Way to go man!

Thanks, George! I appreciate all your encouragement and advice.

My First Load (please excuse the tarp job...my first attempt at steel beams!

(Photos in above posts)

Looks AWESOME, to me ! Then again, what do I know?

So happy for you, man. What a journey; you knocked it out, like a champ. It's not easy these days. Loved following you.

Congrats from us also, Steve !!! Super nice looking truck, too .. that COLOR is so You! Just kidding, but I sure DO love the burgundy. Even in fine wines. (How IS the facial healing going, by the way? That's what I eluded to, haha!)

Hope you'll do a continuum here for awhile, or like some of the others; a 'first month or three' solo follow up. It sure pays homage to the intentions of this site, as your diary certainly has; albeit, you're awesome!

Best forward, (and reverse as needed!)

~ Anne & Tom ~

Thanks Anne and Tom, for all the great tips, links, and suggestions along the way. The eye injury is pretty much completely healed, with just the last bit of bruising still there. I like the maroon color on the truck, but not so much on my eye. I'm leaving early tomorrow morning to deliver my first load which has sat on the trailer over the weekend. I plan to check in periodically and let everyone know how I'm doing and what I'm learning. It has been a very interesting journey thus far, and it's hard to believe that it was only about 10 weeks ago that I took the first step on this journey. So much has transpired over those weeks, and yet, when I look back it seems like it all went by very quickly. I'm thankful for this site and I hope this small diary will be helpful to others who need some encouragement and information as they progress on their journey.

Steve, first of all, congratulations on going solo. And sorry about your slip and fall. That was a close one.

Your description of the weather conditions instantly brought up the image Old School has for his profile photo. Makes me so glad I drive a reefer van, lol. I don’t know how you really old guys do it.

Steve, first of all, congratulations on going solo. And sorry about your slip and fall. That was a close one.

Your description of the weather conditions instantly brought up the image Old School has for his profile photo. Makes me so glad I drive a reefer van, lol. I don’t know how you really old guys do it.

Thanks BK! Today was load #2...steel beams...again. And, for two loads in a row, the customer insists that they be tarped. Now, forgive me for being naive, (and a rookie), but these beams have been sitting exposed to the weather for weeks/months already. The first load that I had that the customer insisted be tarped, was immediately unloaded and placed in an unprotected area, exposed to the weather. Do you (or anyone else) have any idea why customers would insist on loads of beams being tarped, when they have been stored outside, and once delivered, will also be stored outside?

Today's tarp job took me about 2 hrs, in the hot SC sun. At least it was a bit quicker than the first load (2.5 hrs in pouring rain/electrical storm). So, I'm getting a bit quicker...and I think this load looks a bit better too. It was definitely a good workout! Exactly what I need after decades of sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen.

I appreciate all your support! Sincerely, Steve

I don’t know how you really old guys do it.

Can't BELIEVE you went there, BK !!! He's a 'young' old guy, compared to US! Steve,

That 2 hours will be cut in half, and then half again, before long. Sounds like you're doing awesome ~!!!

If and when you get time; share a tarp load or two; both here AND in the flatbed pix thread; be nice to see, and get some feedback from the "old" guys, haha!!

Keep on, good sir.

~ Anne ~

I don’t know how you really old guys do it.

Can't BELIEVE you went there, BK !!! He's a 'young' old guy, compared to US! Steve,

That 2 hours will be cut in half, and then half again, before long. Sounds like you're doing awesome ~!!!

If and when you get time; share a tarp load or two; both here AND in the flatbed pix thread; be nice to see, and get some feedback from the "old" guys, haha!!

Keep on, good sir.

~ Anne ~

Ha! For us "really old guys" it might take a bit longer, but we have learned to enjoy the journey and savor the experiences.

Anne, I hope I'll get quicker as I get more experienced, but until then, we will continue to plug along at a "really old guy" pace.

I don’t know how you really old guys do it.

Can't BELIEVE you went there, BK !!! He's a 'young' old guy, compared to US! Steve,

That 2 hours will be cut in half, and then half again, before long. Sounds like you're doing awesome ~!!!

If and when you get time; share a tarp load or two; both here AND in the flatbed pix thread; be nice to see, and get some feedback from the "old" guys, haha!!

Keep on, good sir.

~ Anne ~

Ha! For us "really old guys" it might take a bit longer, but we have learned to enjoy the journey and savor the experiences.

Anne, I hope I'll get quicker as I get more experienced, but until then, we will continue to plug along at a "really old guy" pace.

Oh, I DO get it, G.C. Steve . . . .when asphalt was out of season (winters...) in the 5 years we hauled, Tom did flatbeds as opposed to the 'unemployment' route. Heck, we didn't even have to TARP the Jersey Barriers / Lennels. The securement alone was an hour, with the 2 of us, and a calculator. Ask Tom about the "Day the Load Hopped in Cleveland." (There was Anne, on the side of the road, Googling....what we should have, prior. Climbing, throwing straps, finding stake pockets, and winching 'em down.)

From then on, .... it was an hour of figuring out the # of straps, placement, et al. Chains don't do well on concrete; we learned that, too. His idea, not mine.

Some of y'all are 'MADE FOR...' leme tell ya; neither of usn's! Pianoman is a great example of picking it up fairly quickly; then again, he's 20 something. If you get bored (ha!! joke, i know!) look at his System Transport thread(s.) KIDS, always get it... hahahaha!

You're doing great, good sir. . . if it takes two hours to be comfortable with it, then that's what it takes. I'm seriously happy & excited for ya! If you DO need any advice . . . turtle's email is in his address! (Mine's in mine...but like I said, hahaha!)

Rock it, young 'old' guy!

Best always;

~ Anne & Tom ~