Lots to Learn , Much to See

A million years ago I read a book called Centennial by James A.Michner. He was always great writing about the very origin of things and then continuing on describing a place as history unfolds. In this book he goes on and on talking about the Platte River basin and the American Natives that lived there. For me, just driving along the highway and seeing that river and the land around it gives me a little moment. He was a great writer and my imagination soars with the history of such a place.

John Wayne and Herbert Hoover were both born along what now I 80 . What a desolate place these now famous people came from. These place are pretty remote even today but back in there day...must have been very quiet. Yet, somehow many people have come from  such quietness and become the center of the spotlight. Only in America...I am sure of that.

Driving out from Salt Lake City our truck goes up, up and still up farther up through really desolate mountains capes. Thinking about the group of wagon trains that came the other way after a very hard and long journey from the lush forests of Ohio to such a moonscape I wonder how they kept going?
I admire such a group and the faith they had to keep going. The Mormon trip across the the plains to Salt Lake City is a great American story and seeing this path only inspires.

Sometimes as I go  through my personal journey into a new career as a trucker I need inspiration .( obviously I am not comparing my journey in an air conditioned big rig to the Mormons journey)
But, still,  this trucking thing is harder than I imagined. It does work out to be pretty much what I hoped it would be. I am driving through cool places seeing things that I am just tickled to see.

Shifting 8 1/2 speeds on a truck and trailer weighting 40 tons is a challenge. You have to worry about many things and there is much to still learn but I am progressing through my first trip just fine. I need to do better at watching where my rear tandem wheels go, and I need to perfect the shifting of the 8 1/2 gears ....a different method than the school taught...but it is the way my trainer wants me to shift  and it is his rig. We double clutch and it takes some getting used too....step on clutch to get out of a gear...move into the next gear ( no clutch) and then clutch again to seat the gears .

I call him sir. He is from England...heavy British accent which causes me to require that he repeats his barking from time to time. So all in all the learning will be good as he is a 20 year veteran of the business and really knows the process. My goal now it too get through my miles (12000 ) in this phase and move on to phase 2. Eventually I'll have the experience to be employed in the ATL. And then be back with Kristin and the boys...I am missing them all.

I have finished my first dash across  the USA on I80 from SLC to Cleveland and back . The trip took from 4:00 am on Tuesday to 6:00 am on Friday. When I am not driving I am sleeping in  the back . Very comfortable and having my IPOD loading with music and podcast really helps. I would like to have my laptop running...a hot spot in my future.  I am going to use my down time to get organized, get some real food , and I have some training material to read.