Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Maybe it’s the weather here in Strafford MO. Everything’s really green. Last time I was here it was all white and freezing. Today it’s in the 80′s. You can smell Spring when the warm breeze blows. The sparkly red and blue bass boats with those big Mercs are headed to the lakes. Guys are in sandals and the women are in shorts. And the truck drivers are sitting in the truck stops watching. And many are miserable. And, I’m one of them.

This has been a crummy week. Last weekend I was rushing down to Laredo only to sit there for 3 days for a load. Then rushing up to Tyler TX on Wednesday followed by an overnight  hop to Springfield MO. HVAC units that, not surprisingly, were unexpected and not needed by the consignees. They were off loaded and plopped down in a muddy field until someone finds out what to do with them. Stop #3  of 5 – Des Moines IA – about 350 miles away – 2 1/2 days to get there – Friday afternoon, Saturday then Sunday. Final stop in Milwaukee at 1 PM on Tuesday..

Usually I’m not bothered by being by myself on a weekend away from home. But not today. Today is different. I haven’t felt like this in years. Take a shower, eat another boring tasteless overcooked meal, do some writing, read a book is what I typically do. But right now nothing is cutting it for me. I’ve already been to Wal-Mart twice this week. The TV is all the same. My rear end has decided to rebel against me and really hurts after spending hour after hour in the front seat. I’ve been doing this a long time – OTR – but today it seems like forever and I have an almost desperate need to get out of the truck and do something completely different.  I’m lonely and I’m spending way too much time thinking about what I would do if I was home.

But I have a job to do. I’m just going to have to tough it out. And isn’t that what being a OTR trucker is all about? OK, so I’m not home. Far away from it. And I probably won’t be for another three weeks. Yes, I know Memorial Day is on the 25th. But this is not the French Foreign Legion – I chose to do this – I’m a volunteer – albeit a crazy one. And, I have bills to pay and the wheels have to roll, even if they’re moving only 350 miles in 2 1/2 freak’n days. I feel for all the folks serving in the military overseas, the guys out on the rigs, the men and women on ships and anybody else that is on the road this weekend really wanting to be home instead. Like all the other times I’ve felt this way, this too shall pass. I hope.

The photo credit is: : www.reddingtonsrarerecords.co.uk/