Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

or, more specifically,  on the Interstate.

Truck Drivers live on the Interstate.  Amazingly enough many drivers are less well informed (according to questions heard repeatedly on the CB) than you would expect.

Some facts for the Clue-less drivers out there.

Interstate Numbering System

Routes  with two digit odd numbers run  north and south. (I-5 through I-97)

Routes with Two digit even numbers run east and west.(I-4 through I-94)

High Numbers are north and east.

So no, you’re not likely to be on I-5 in Florida, even though I-4 runs right near Disney World, but yes, I-97 ( Maryland)  and I-90(Ohio, New York, Mass)  are in the same general part of the United States.

Routes with three digit numbers denote loops or spurs , we’ll take that up in the advanced class.

Exit Numbering System.

The Federal Highway Administration has mandated that all states use the Milepost numbering system.  Starting at the most westerly or southerly point on the route  with mile post “zero” the subsequent  mileposts numbers are incremented by the mile.  Some states, you all know which ones,  have been slow to switch from the old method.

This means, that if you’re on I-40 in Amarillo and hear a driver ask “How far is it to New Mexico?”, well that qualifies as a “stupid question”.  Look at the miles markers. (hint…somewhere around seventy miles from Amarillo to the New Mexico line) but “How far is it to the Oklahoma Line” ISN’T a stupid question. (no telling how far it might go east….although coincidentally it’s also about seventy miles.) Read the rest of this entry »

Got ya. I’m just kidding. I just wanted your attention. Box drivers are OK, I guess. Again, just kidding. Hey, you know flatbedders, we’re always climbing on top (of loads) and using our arms, legs and toys, I mean tools – to tarp and secure, of course. Watch it VGrumpy. There are impressionable minds reading this. There are? Who knows.

ANYWAY. I love – love – but that’s not exactly what I want to talk about. Let’s talk about country music. Yup, I said country music. A new topic for ‘ole VGrumpy. Do you know who the man in the photo is? If you do, you’re a fan, if not, that’s OK. More about him later.

Do you enjoy country music? Most truckers certainly do.  Nascar, country music, fried chicken and beer – right? Personally it depends on my mood. I also love Sinatra and the standards. A little Elvis sometimes. Maybe some 50’s stuff. Chicago, the Beatles and others on occasion. The Eagles and Bon Jovi. But recently I’ve been “hooked” on country music via the “Highway”,  Sirius Satellite channel 60. I’m sure there’s an XM equivalent. 

I’m still kind of turned off by the whiny bouncing fiddley ”my dog done got run over and my girlfriend wants to drive my pickup to WalMart” kind of nonsense. But have you heard the song by Jamie O’ Neil? “Shiver, tremble, I never – no I never once felt so00 (my emphasis) much – it shakes me – how you take me – deeper than I’ve ever been – it’s to the core – under my skin – I shiver – I’m overwhelmed – you smile I melt – and somewhere inside, oh baby, I.”  Holy moly!

How about her other hit song (Feel like a Woman) –  Baby, lay me down on our bed – touch my body like only you can – kiss me softly & take away my breath – slow it down and make it real – cause tonight I want to feel – like a woman. For the guys out there, can I get a “rebel” yell. Come on, nobody’s look’n. “Saaa-looood.” Thanks.

This song is sizzlin hot! And it ain’t Brooks & Dunn or George Strait, for darn toot’n sure.  I almost drove off the interstate when I first heard it. If this is “country”, well I’m stick’n around a while to listen to more.  It is a prime example of the second wave of  ”new” country music. Far from Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Heck – even actor and Academy-Award director Kevin Costner has a touring country band. I heard one song and I had no idea it was him. It was good. I was surprised. As Alan Jackson sang in one of his songs “He’s gone country!” Because of what I call this new “tweek” in country music, I like it better now than ever, whether Costner or Kelly Pickler sings it. It’s sexier and “edgier” and a real nice change from the traditional stuff. And wouldn’t you agree we all need a lot more lov’n, kiss’n and a hold’n this New Year?  Right ladies? Ok, so who is that guy in the photo?

Read the rest of this entry »

This week I actually put a theme to the weekly trivia post; but I didn’t come up with my usual ten. Sorry. I’ve been unusually busy over the last ten days and it’s only going to get worse over the next two weeks. As a matter of fact, I probably won’t be able to write anything at all for the next couple of weeks; I’m going to be far above the Arctic Circle putting in some long days in Barrow, Alaska. I guess that’s fitting ’cause Barrow’s one of those places where the sun comes up on May 10th and doesn’t set again until August 2nd. Anyway, enough of my whining. Let’s get on with the trivia… Read the rest of this entry »

I have always been extremely interested in the origination of words and phrases but, if you’ve read the previous Tuesday Trivia posts; that’s something you might have already noticed. In a post last week I mentioned that I’d include the derivation of the phrase “cut the mustard” in this weeks edition of Tuesday Trivia; and so I will – kind of. But I’ve included 9 other bits of useless information that are a little more cut and dried (yeah, I’ll get around to digging up the story behind that phrase one of these days). Here goes! Read the rest of this entry »

Actually, there’s nothing trivial about the Declaration of Independence which is, arguably, one of the most important and influential documents ever produced; but, since tomorrow’s the day we celebrate Independence day, I thought I’d let you in on a few tidbits of interesting information: Read the rest of this entry »

Robert South once stated that “Speech was given to the ordinary sort of men, whereby to communicate their mind; but to wise men, whereby to conceal it.” I seem to prove daily my lack of wisdom and provide further proof with the following installment of Tuesday Trivia: Read the rest of this entry »

It’s become abundantly clear to many that there’s some kind of glitch in my brain. Useless facts seem to be stored with priority tags while important information is quarantined like spam. Because of that I have the ability to spout trivia at the drop of a hat – which is all well and good but trivia is…well…trivial. People seem to enjoy it, though, so I thought I’d share a bit of trivia with you on a weekly basis. Some might be remotely related to trucking but most of it’ill just be a bunch of obscure, random, and utterly useless stuff. Here goes!

• The word “decimation”, which makes most folks think of total destruction, is actually derived from the Latin word decimare; meaning “the removal or destruction of one-tenth.” A decimated army, for example, was one that had suffered the conquering Roman punishment of decimationem; the killing, chosen by lottery, of one-in-ten.
• Even though Pittsburgh, PA is commonly called “Iron City”; Alabama is the only state housing within its borders all the natural resources needed to make iron and steel.
• 80 percent of the old asphalt pavement removed each year is re-used; making asphalt the most recycled product in America – more than newspaper, aluminum cans or glass.
• The word “loophole” was originally used to describe the slits in castle walls through which defending archers could shoot their arrows at attacking armies.
• After winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with A. J. Foyt in 1967 Dan Gurney was handed a Magnum of MOËT ET CHANDON and “began spraying at the photographers, drivers, Henry Ford II, Carroll Shelby and their wives.” This act of exuberance “started a tradition that continues in winner’s circles all over the world to this day.”
• The feathers at the back of an arrow, allowing it to fly straight and true, are known as “fletching”. Back in Medieval times an arrow maker was known as a “fletcher”. If you know someone with the last name Fletcher its a good bet that their great-great-great-great-(you get the idea)-great-grandfather was an arrow maker.
• In 1784 then second-lieutenant Henry Shrapnel got the idea to fill a hollowed out cannonball with musket balls and a charge of gunpowder. The “Shrapnel Shell”, as it came to be known, was adopted by the British Army in 1803 and fragmentation from artillery shells has been called “shrapnel” ever since. Then there’s the story of General Joseph Hooker who’s credited with…well…we’ll leave that for another day.
• The lowest point on the Interstate Highway system is on Interstate 8 at the New River near Seeley, California (elev. -52 feet).
• Jerry Van Dyke turned down the title role in “Gilligan’s Island” because he, like Tina Louise, thought the show was stupid. That makes his decision to star in the series “My Mother the Car” entirely inexplicable.
• On December 23rd, 1750, Benjamin Franklin knocked himself unconscious while attempting to electrocute a turkey. I knew you wouldn’t believe me so I provide proof.

Okay, that’s enough for this week. I’ll see if I can think of ten more things for next week.