Mundane or Adventure

Fretting over mundane chores? I understand, but things are a little different in the life of a truck driver. As I gather the clothes from 4 or 5 locations where they have been stuffed, and it's hard to tell where a person will put their dirty laundry when they are tired. Sometimes in the proper place in the laundry bag and then outside in the passenger side tool box. Tool boxes on a Big Rig may not be used for tools. I put them all together in a couple of netted laundry bags.
 The Ladies’ Room

In the process, I discover something has leaked from full water bottles or liquid detergent, in probability it is a mixture of both. It’s like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. A disgusting, stinking, slimy mess. I take everything out of the side tool box to let it air. Then I trudge across the parking lot, that appears to be a mile long, and already the pavement is like molten lava. I don’t dare set any of the items down because the lot smells of urine and other undistinguishable orders, none of them resemble lilacs or roses.  

I manage to get the door open, and I only knocked one thing off the shelf as I maneuver the obstacle course of items on tight rows of shelving. Then I begin the process of sorting, washing, and drying the clothes. Did mention that the washers and the dryers cost $2.50 each. But don’t fret, there is a slot for your credit card.

I am in Alabama, and the humidity has me soaked to the bone.

As soon as I finish with these loads, I’ll go back to the truck, leaving the detergent because I have two more bags to fill with our sleeping clothes, the bed linens, and towels.

I let Del sleep in, he's having a hard time getting enough rest this week. He gladly helps with the next loads.

We have time for a game of pool.

This is a great truck stop, with nice big clean showers, a pool table, attractive décor

in each room, and a big screen TV in a cozy room with comfortable chairs.

Little Mirrored Flowers in the Shower Room

TV Room 

Inside the laundry room is a desk, a table to fold clothes on, a rack to hang the hangable clothes, and a desk in case you have bought a laptop with you.

      Laundry day is always hard, not to mention expensive. I will go clean the tool box, and

prepare it for the return of the detergent and other cleaning supplies.

Del will get the sweeper out for me; then he will take Tootsie walking. I will clean the rest of the truck from top to bottom; then we'll be free to relax the rest of the day, or what remains of it.

 This Petro is minuscule, but the trucker’s facilities are lovely, and this team appreciates the extra effort, so if you ever find yourself in Shorter, Alabama stop in and enjoy the facilities. I would suggest you eat before you get there, the food selection is limited.  

Snow. Snow, Blizzards, and Windby Cher'ley

I'm so glad we have our own truck and trailer, and that we work for a company where we set up our own loads. We did, however, spend our share of past winters in the blustering weather. Our truck has been barely visible many times.

         
 I have seen conditions much worse than these. One time we stuck in a truck stop because the roads were shut down, and the only place for us to park was in the fuel island. We went in and explained there was no parking. They let us stay there.

One time we got caught in a storm, and there was no way to get off the road. As I and several other trucks were descending a mountain in Tennesee, the drivers were joking about not getting too close to me because I was plackered. I agreed with them. I had enough wiggle room that I was comfortable, until I hit the brakes, fishtailed, and realized I was on the solid ice. To make matters worse, a line of cars were stuck at the foot of the hill. I was picking my spot to go off the road. When I glanced in my review mirrors, those trucks that were behind me was like a mother duck and her ducklings, they did their winter dance as they hit the medium one after another. I was still picking which place might be the best options, so that I wouldn't hit anyone but that I wouldn't roll and kill us in the process. In the meantime, I was still tapping the breaks, and finally, it stuck, I hit a dry spot. I came to a stop just a few yards from the last car in line. 

Trucking Style Meals

There are times I actually cook full meals on the truck, but not that often. After I've driven for 10 1/2 to 11 hours, I'm too tired to do a lot of cooking. The microwave is my friend, even though I often carry a hot plate, an electric skillet or my NuWave oven. We have a toaster somewhere on the truck.

This was our weekend brunch. A treat since we got a motel room. Actually more than a motel, it's an Inn and Suites in a very hot place. Yuma, Arizona. It would have cost us as much to run the truck for the weekend. We have a generator, but it's been our experience that it can't keep up with the heat in this part of the country.



A taste of summer, as sweet as watermelon. An orange I picked from a local tree, some tomatoes, and grapes round out the fruit. Toast, cereal and sausage tasted scrumptious. The kitchen here came with glass and silverware.

Normally we grab a sandwich, some chips, and something sweet. Sometimes a truck stop meal, or soup. I love some of the packaged meals like the "Complete" chicken and dressing. I try to keep fruit handy to snack on, but a few days is usually it.

Did you know a banana or an apple is 89 cents in a truck stop. Had to buy shampoo one day it was almost $9.00 and it wasn't that big of a bottle. Medicine or necessities are out of sight. I try to bring everything we need from home, but that makes for a storage problem.

2 small electric coolers hold the extra's that can't fit in the rather big small fridge we have on the truck. We don't use them too often, because they drain the batteries when we are sitting still.

Just remember if you see my truck in the Granny lane, call the Cops it's been stolen.

Duck! And other Critters that may hit the Windshield by Cher'ley

Duck! And I don't mean the quacking kind, even though that could happen. It's hard to tell what will hit the front or top of the truck. Many things over the years, including a white snowy owl. It is bug season right now. We've clipped deer, and once I squashed an antelope.
This is a horsefly and they really hurt when they bite.

We also have been infested with little black pea-ants. They don't bite, but they are a nuisance.
Winter is bad with snow, ice, and salt on the windshield. Summer has lots of bugs, all different kinds. When you hit a patch of Love Bugs, they will blacken your windshield instantly.

Last night on a back road in Texas I hit something. It was big and brown, but not as big as a deer. I'm thinking it was a coyote or wolf. I felt really sad about hitting. This morning I looked at the bumper of our truck and I feel really mad. I see dollar signs to replace the bumper.
Beautiful Animal.
Whatever I hit was moving very fast. I hope it survived.

Until next time. If you see my truck in the Granny Lane--Call the cops, it's been stolen. I love "Life in the Fast Lane".
 

Home again. We are getting home more than we are getting out.
Yesterday's interesting adventure was going through this tiny town and I was not able to make the turn without taking out the lamp post. On streets like these the Big, Solid, Line that vehicles are supposed to stop behind at a red light, needs to be farther back.. Fortunately a big truck going the other way was able to angle to the right in order to let me make the turn. Thanks' big truck driver, I didn't get a chance to thank you in person.

Also yesterday, someone gave us the wrong address to deliver. Needless to say we got down a dead end road that did not have room for us to do a Uie.

Life in the Fast Lane.

Went through a little town yesterday and almost took out a light pole. It was so close to the road where I needed to make a right hand turn onto, that I didn't think I was going to make it. I probably wouldn't have if it hadn't been for a nice trucker who angled his truck in such a way as to give me more room. Thanks Big Truck Driver. 

Life in the Rear View Mirror

Sometimes instead of seeing life through the windshield I see life through the mirror. When I posted this picture, I got a lot of great comments.

Some of the blessings from being out on the road are the sights. All the beautiful scenery is amazing, and some of it is just indescribable. When I saw this incredible sunrise in my mirror, I thought, I’m always going the wrong directions when something like this appears, so I took the photo and it turned out wonderful with the sunrise in the mirror matching the scene that was in front of me.

I wish I had the time to stop and explore, unfortunately we are always under time restraints. There’s a site that Google added, called G+, which makes it nice to upload many of the photos that I take on the road. If you are interested I will add you to my G+ circle.

The way I usually take the photos is to hold my cell phone out to the side and snap. I get what I get, and I have got some pretty amazing photos. Sometimes they end up like this:

My sister-in-law Carol Dicken sent me this:


And the other thing that makes trucking great is meeting people like you. Leave me a comment.