Sunday, February 16, 2014

Final Transition to Lady Trucker Begins




Ladies and Gents!  The time has FINALLY come…  Monday begins a new chapter in my life. That of Lady Trucker!  I am so excited to start trucking school on Monday. I’m hoping that all the winter weather is behind us for this year and that the icy morning roads are done too (One can wish, right?).  I will be driving to Albany on a daily basis for the next month to IITR to learn all I can to pass the DMV driving test in a Big Rig… I have learned so much already. 

Trucking is a lifestyle, not just a job. More like a Gypsy, which I have been in the past when I was much younger. Living without an address in my little pick-me-up-truck. They call it homeless today. I am looking forward to traveling about and seeing the highways, freeways, warehouses and truck stops of the country.  I may even see some scenery too!  

I have plans of cooking in my truck so I don’t have to eat truck stop food all the time. In my little kitchen I hope to eventually have a microwave, fridge, lunchbox oven, crockpot and of course, a coffee maker! I have been saving recipes that should work well on the road, and testing them at home… Getting used to instant oats instead of steel cut. They only need very hot water for a few minutes to be yumms. Not perfect but better than truck stop food – Cheaper for sure!

Learning about online bill pay and banking is quite puzzling. Having done the cash/envelope system for so long I have been testing the new system the past month. Things I can do at one bank and not the other don’t make sense to me. How to get paperless billing and other ‘Up to Date in Kansas City’ (quoting an old song) stuff is still baffling. It is possible to teach this old dog some new tricks… Just like talking to someone who doesn’t speak English – please talk slowly! … Did I tell you I got a Smarty Phone?  Tricks – Just plain tricks I tell ya!

I will be keeping my little house and my snail mail address in Oregon, although I won’t be home to get paper mail often. I’m not expecting to get home more than once a month, if even that. I will miss my garden and yard. I’ll probably have to get some one to mow for me this summer. My roomie will hold down the fort and take care of my kritters and other inside housie stuff while I cruse the country. I will also miss driving my tiny Miata and my classic ’63 Valiant too. They will get their exercise while I’m home on very short breaks. 

Tomorrow is another early morning so I’ll say adios, au revoir, buona notte… good night!



Mom going to School?

Well nowwww,   Mom has been busy typing on that silly computer thing again. What's she up to?
She was doing the Snoopy Dog Happy Dance the other day. Said she had received a partial scholarship to go to Truck School. Chose IITR in Albany. Not quite so far to drive. Mom has been taking me in the car more often now. She says it's practice.  I get to go to Good Dog School! I am learning to be a good 4 legged Trucker citizen. MY teacher Aliesha gives me lots of yummy treats and fun new things to do too. I do pretty good for an Asp Terrior! If you want to learn new tricks you can hang out with Aliesha too.  Her web site is SitSpotClick.com ...   Hey, Mom it's supper time. Can we have dinner nowwww?

Friday, February 7, 2014

Oregonian In Winter



I am greatly enjoying driving the back roads of Yamhill County. Seeing the nooks where creeks flow from the hillsides, into rushing current of rivers. Mushy gravel roads shared with log trucks. Trees sleep above waiting for spring, catkins slowing swelling. I am savoring my last winter as a school bus driver for a while.

BarkClay Loves Snow!
Then nature takes a turn and Old Man Winter comes sweeping thru.  Just grey skies in the morning change to blowing sideways powder snow by midday.
With snow starting to build I leave McMinnville in my little truck for Yamhill to take the kids home early on the school bus. Snow is falling. I fish tail several times in front of larger pickup trucks and decide to chain up in Carlton – Thank goodness for insulated Carhart bib overalls!!!  - Only to find that my chains are tooo small to fit… I KNOW I read the box right when I got them from the garage… these MIGHT fit the Miata…  Climbing back in the truck, cold and a bit wet, I head to Yamhill only to spin out on the corner/hill in front of the school… ½ mile to go!

MADE IT!!!  Boss wants drop off times for the snow route kids…  Uhu – When we get there?...   My guess, around 2:00pm…   Pre-tripped busses, ready to roll.  On to the school to load older kids and wait for shuttle busses from the grade school. Uhoh, trouble in Carlton… Waiting… snowing…waiting…Snowing… Snowing More… Waiting… Load ‘em all up!  We’re off!!!  … and sliding…  

“Are we sliding?”  -  “Nope, not now” -  Children sitting safely. Excitedly talking about the snow.  “Can I move to that seat?” – “No stay put today, please”. 
First stop, second stop, third stop… “Why are we stopping here?”  -  “It’s a snow route stop!”  … “ He has to WALK home?”  -  “Yes” -   “Are you taking me to my house?”  - “Yes!”   Onward and further up into the boonies we go…  Wipers caking with ice make it hard to see out the windshield… Amazingly children still sit safely. Snowing harder.  Last stop! – As the kids disembark they sink almost to their knees! They step back on the bus… Off with you now!  They trudge across the park to their bridge that will take them home.  And now for my turn around?  We’re all good this time! NO CHAINS!   Windshield is still streaking with ice.  On the way back to town I stop to clear the wipers.  Wonder if Boss would let me take bus home for the weekend? Probably NOT!  Safe into the first port!

Can you see the ski tips?
Now! Back to McMinnville ~ Arg!  Throw two bags of bus chains in on top of the 150 lbs of sand already there. Deep Breath… I’m DOING this NOW!  Deep Breath Again! I take the main highway back into town, No sweat!  One hill I see a cute (expensive) sports car with fat tires spinning wheels to a stop as a line of trucks wish they could just push him up to the top!  In my lane, at the bottom of said hill, is the STOP sign onto Hwy 99W… Breeeeath – slide… Slide, SLIDE… Traffic clear  - YES GO! Town is just across the bridge!  I’ll make it!!!  Red light - good!  Red Light two – good!  Les Schawbie ahead…  Time for new tires to replace the bald ones on the back!  I walk the several blocks home ready to relax…  The snow is beautiful, now that I am not driving, I can fully enjoy… HEY!  I’m gonna get my Cross Country skis out and ski back to Schwabie!  What a great idea!  The snow is just perfect to ski an hour later when I get the call my truck is ready!  I get sideways glances from drivers as I head back. Glide, slide, kick, hey not bad after 6 years I do remember how!  Truck home. I can’t wait till tomorrow to ski again!  I love snow!