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Lower 48, United States
Long Haul Truck Drivers and the World That Surrounds Us.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Great Randy Mix-Up

The last few days or so, a friend of mine has been calling; at least that's what the caller I'D says. He always calls when I am driving, so I never pick-up.

Today I tried calling him back; I say tried because his cell has been giving him problems, along with his cellular provider. He has been thinking of switching services.

So, I make the call. No answer. I leave a message.

I have also been getting calls from a woman named Amy. Since she is using a number I do not recognize, I have let it go to voicemail. She has always mentioned my first name and requested some health info for "the" insurance. Since she did not sound like any kind of a company representative, I have never called her back.

Anyway, a few minutes later my friend calls back, I answered this time. A woman says "Hello Randy." I say hello and ask who this is. She tells me that is really sad. I say I am sorry for not knowing her, could she please refresh my memory? She replies that that this is Amy, and we that we had had a son together. Boy was I surprised (not as surprised as Terri when I told her the story); especially since I had never dated a woman named Amy. I told her that their must be some mistake, and she wanted to know how I could do this to our son. I replied that I had never met her before, and asked if she had recently purchased a new cell phone. She replied yes. I explained about my friend having trouble with his phone and provider, and that he must have finally switched providers.

She asks for my last name, I give it to her. She says, " Your not Randy Dunlop the third?" Nope.

Poor girl, now she is really confused. She actually believed that her dead beat ex had gone to all the trouble of tracking down her new phone number to make contact with her, so that he could start paying the last 5 years of child support.

She finally apologized, and hung up. Boy did Terri and I get a laugh on that one.

Monday, November 12, 2007

The Christmas Tree Load

Yesterday we went down to Sheridan, Or to pick-up a load of Christmas Trees bound for Florida. When we finally picked up the load, we had to stay for the night at the farm because of the fog. The next morning we got underway.

We headed out I-84. Got just past Pendleton to a hill known as Cabbage,Terri was driving. Very steep for truckers, very long. At the top is a rest stop called Dead Mans Pass. We pulled in. As we were pulling up to a parking space, the truck started to make weird noises as we were turning the wheel. Suddenly the steering wheel vibrated and kicked back. We stopped the truck. Upon inspection, the power steering reservoir had overflowed, and there were now two six inch wide puddles on the ground.

We notified Over The Road Maintinance. They advised us to continue onto Ontario, OR (about 150 miles) to the Kenworth dealership there. We replied that as long as it was a straight line, we would be happy to. If there was any turning involved at all, we would have a problem. They replied to us, that they would send someone.

About 15 minutes later we got a call from a local tow service that he was coming to get us and our trailer, but it would be a while. He needed help, and his other crews were all at a wreck.




Friday, November 9, 2007

First Load

So today we got it, our first load. It went back to Portland. They gave us a loaner truck until ours is ready. The loaner is a 2006 Kenworth. Fairly nice, but neither one of us like how it handles.

We made the trip quickly with no problems.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Terri Lynns First Drive-- The Parts Randy Left Out

Terrilynn here...he is leaving the funniest part of the story out!

Sure, I got in the truck at a place called Little America. HOWEVER, in this particular truck there were lots of lever thingies on the steering column. I was new, nervous and a bit scared. I started adjusting things like I knew what I was doing. HOWEVER, it would seem that this truck has a lever on it like I have never seen.

Well, I finally get the steering wheel adjusted, and try to move. The load was HEAVY. We had never been under a loaded trailer before. I turned to my trainer and mentioned that it was really heavy, was it supposed to feel like this? He said yes. Well, after lots of jerking around and such, killing it a few times, I manage to get it going.

I am excited as all can be, grinning, almost giggling inside. Well, the next thing I know a Swift (another company)truck pulls up next to us, their eyes were all bugging out, they were making some weird hand gestures. We ignored them because we thought they were making fun of me, because it was clear I was a stinking pathetic rookie. But, we decided to turn on the CB anyways.

Next thing I know, there is all this excited talk about the company we work for truck being on FIRE!!!!!!! I looked in my mirrors and didn't see ANYTHING! Then, we rounded a corner and the wind kicked up. Sure enough..BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM MY TRUCK!!!! YIKES to say the least! We pulled over. With a flash my trainer jumped out and grabbed the fire extinguisher, and Randy went with him. I stayed in the truck. What was I to do I was shaking so hard. Here it was, my first run, and I was thinking I just destroyed my new career. Well, without making this story unnecessarily long, all those levers I was messing with, one of them was a hand brake for the trailer. It automatically leaves it on slightly, until you relieve the pressure. The truck was fine, the brakes were fine, Randy was fine, my trainer probably had to change his britches, and after a few good breaths, I drove another 4 or so hours. And all is well.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Terri Lynn's First Drive



It's 10:30 on the morning of Thursday the 11th of October. The skies are clear and we just left Little America truck stop in western Wyoming; Terri Lynn is behind the wheel for the first time with a load.

Our trainer (Jeff) picked us up from the hotel this morning at 4am. After spending an hour driving around Salt Lake looking for breakfast; we ended up at a Denny's.

After breakfast we went to the yard, loaded up the tractor, picked up the trailer and got under way.

Our first load is about 40,000 lbs of diced onions bound for Tennessee.

Jeff was nice enough to drive the first few hour; TL and I got a few hours sleep. It was amazing to find the bunk in the truck more comfortable at 60 mph than the rooms in the companies campus dorm.

Jeff will be stuck with us for the next month - until approximately the 6th of November.

We are in a 2006 Kenworth as a loaner, while his truck is in the shop. Thanks to a governor, the top speed is limited to 65 mph.