MY BATTLE/MY COMING VICTORY

I guess there comes a time in every ones life when there health issues get to a point you can no longer support yourself. I am afraid I have reached that point! I will be 58 on the 18th of April. in the last 6 years I have had 12 stints and a double bypass,
the last stints were on the 25th of March 2010.
If there was one thing I could share with everyone it would be, STAY HEART SMART.
That to me means start eating right at an early age, and exercise, OH YEA BIGGIE FOR SOME OF US QUIT SMOKING. When my problems started I was smoking 4 packs of cigarettes a day, I was not eating anything except fast food (I was a truck driver) the only exercise I got was hooking up and unhooking to a trailer.
For me the smoking stopped almost the same time as my first heart episode; however it was already to late almost 30 years of smoking caught up with me.
My last stint placement sent me into deep depression, through things that happened in the following 3 days (which I will not put on here).

On the Monday morning after my stint placement I awoke in a hospital, yes I was very afraid I did not remember any thing after 7 pm the night before. I know I was very aggressive (sounds better than what I really was). I was in the
behavioral hospital for 7 days.
No it was not like you see in the movies! It is a mostly a normal hospital with specialty Nurses and Tecks, my room did not have a lock I had very good meals not at all like you would expect in a regular hospital, I was monitored more than any one else because of my recent heart problem. By the second day, I felt at home (or at least as close as one can) and had made some very good friends. Depression is something that sneaks up on you; unless you know the signs. I will not pretend to know them all but, I know know how to get well now. I will write more as I progress. To go from over $4,000 a month to $0 in one week, well that was just another part of my problem. I'll blog more later.

TOM CLANCY//// JACK RYAN SERIES

I have been listening to the Jack Ryan series of Audio books, unabridged,
and had forgotten just how good a writer Tom Clancy is. If we could only get a Jack Ryan as our president, our country-no the world- would be better for it. Most of this series are 14 hours or more and hold the listeners attention from the first to the last.

I was in Montana on the 1st of January the temp was -28 and the wind chill was -51. The diesel froze in the hose while I was trying to fill my tanks.

Well got to go as I am unloaded here in Allentown, Pa.
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT OR E-MAIL ME LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. ALSO IF YOU CAN RECOMMEND A GOOD BOOK.

Michael Hazard/THE SEA'S FURY

I am looking forward to reviewing a new audio book "THE SEA'S FURY" by Michael Hazard. He contacted me and ask if I would like to review his book, of course I said yes. Below I am pasting his description of himself , and his book. Click on the title to go to his web site www.spinnakerpress.com/
__________________________________________________________
I'm a former "Coastie" (70-76) and wrote the book based on CG historical events and my own experience.

This Coast Guard book is dedicated to and personifies that spirit of lifesaving that still lives in the hearts and minds of determined and dedicated men and women who call the sea their home, who guard America's coastlines, and are "Always Ready" to save a life at sea.

The Sea's Fury is an adventure/drama with breathtaking rescues and thrilling exploits that will take you inside the action packed world of the U.S. Coast Guard

Recient Books I have listened to

Yes, I know I have been gone from my Blog for quite some time. No apologize just to much happening in my personnel life.
Enders Shadow, by Orson Scott Card, is a very interesting book. It held my attention from the moment I started listening to it. This book is science fiction (futuristic), the story line evolves around Earth at war with an alien planet. The military picks the smartest children and educates them in the art of war. This episode follows one such child named Bean, as he progress's in his live and education. Far from a coming of age story, very intriguing and some what spellbinding.

Review of Wind in the Ashes, By WW Johnstone Read by Scott Fortney

William W. Johnstone is my favorite author, and has been for 20 plus years. I was stopped at a truck stop (Flying J) in Kentucky and while browsing the audio books. I saw a book "WIND IN THE ASHES" written by W.W. Johnstone , read by Scott Fortney, and published by Speaking Volumes of Santa Fe, New Mexico (www.speakingvolumes.us). I bought the audio book. This review is directed toward the reader (Scott Fortney).

As to my credentials: I love reading and listening to books. I have over 120 audio books an CD and Cassette, I also have over 41 gigs of downloaded audio books . This does not take into account all the books I rent and listen to. Although I am far from an expert I know what I like.

A good reader/performer can make or break a book. Scott does an excellent job with this book, as I suspect he does with most everything. It is easy to tell he enjoys this book and story line, for when a person enjoys their work they seem to do a better job. Scott makes the characters come alive, his enthusiasm for the story line and the characters is very evident. I have read this book several times and enjoyed it as much this time as I did the first time. To me it is important for the reader to be able to project himself into the character, this gives each one its own personality, Scott does this very well. He seems to live the characters, or give life to, I'm not
sure how to explain that.

I have and will continue to recommend books read by Scott Fortney. I am eagerly awaiting his next book. The Ashes series is a big favorite with the trucking community and the last time it was available it was a rental from Audio Adventures. The series was so popular it was hard to find the books to rent them. I am sure it will be as popular, if not more so, this time around.

Yes, I highly recommend this reader/performer. Stay with it Scott as I think you are doing an excellent work.

Truck Versus Turkey Truck wins

I was home from 3-12 thru 3-17 . While at home I got my CDL (drivers license) renewed. My first load was from Austin, Tx to Georgia, now for the turkey story.
I was driving along listening to Glen Beck (the best talk show host) as I crossed under an overpass in Ruston, La. a large Turkey flew from my right and hit my windshield
about 8 inches to the drivers side of center. I thought someone had thrown something from the overpass.
Over the years experience has taught me that when the unexpected happens, if no one is hurt or about to be hurt, do nothing until you evaluate the problem. This does not take long. If I had slammed on my brakes the cars behind me might have rearended me. Had I tried to miss the bird I could have, wrecked the truck, hit the overpass or hit another vehicle. As it was I turned on my flashers , slowed and moved to the shoulder of the road and stopped.
The turkey was flopping around in the highway, until a red dodge pickup put him out of his misery with his front tire.
Yes turkey's can fly.

How Truck Drivers are Trained

The trucking industry is in a continuous hiring mode, driver turnover is 100% or greater. Most of the larger trucking companys have their own training schools. With this article I will try to show how potential drivers are trained and in future articles, Why they do not stay in this industry.

CDL (Commercial Drivers License) training usually is from 3 to six weeks.

1. What does training consist of: my source of information is from students I know and have met over the years. and the web.

a. CDL permit training---need a permit before you can drive, just like drivers ed

b. Endorsement study---CDL has endorsements ie: tanks, doubles & triple trailers, hazmat, etc.

c. Job procurement---you have to know how to fill out an application

d. DOT hours of service---federal regulations which control how, when & if a driver can drive legally

e. Map reading/trip planning---roads, travel time, where you are to fuel, where to park to rest, & proper time management

f. DOT regulations--- federal rules which cover the transportation industry

g. Pre/post trip inspections--- federal rules require specific things to be checked daily

h. Accident reports---both how to report, & how to fill one out

This is just the basic classroom training, the driver training is done hands on and requires much more time. In my opinion driver training never ends. The schools I checked on the web require 120 hours of practical, behind the wheel training. Then the student goes (over the road) out with a driver trainer for 3 to 6 weeks. The trainers are certified by the company they work for, and have went through a course to learn proper training principles.

2. Most of the hands on school training involves:

a. different backing maneuvers

b. shifting the transmission---although several companys now have automatic transmissions in their trucks

c. pretrip/postrip inspections

d. turning corners

e. being aware of what is happening around your vehicle while you are driving, looking for hazards

f. night driving

g. crossing railroad tracks

h. lane changing

i. hooking up to a trailer & unhooking

j. how to merge on a ramp

k. space management---how to keep the area around your truck clear---front rear and both sides

l. learning the blind spots--- places the driver cannot see either though mirrors or by turning his head

m. bobtail---driving the tractor with out a trailer attached

This is at best just a partial list, basically just as in life training never ends.

Just for your information.

The world's most solitary tree is located at an oasis in the Tenere Desert in Central Africa. There's not one other standing tree within 31 miles. In 1960, it was smashed into by a truck.
( taken from truckinfo.net )

When Trucks Stop America Stops

Everyone knows the economy is bad right now. With this article I will attempt to show just how badly it effects the trucking industry.Most trucking companys pay their drivers by the mile, a few pay a % of the load value. So basically when we are not moving we are not getting paid. There are exceptions to that--we get layover pay after the first 24 hours, this amounts to about 1/4 of what could be made if we were hauling freight.

I delivered Tuesday in Baton Rogue, La. at 1:00 pm. I went to the closest truck stop to wait for my next load. At 3:00 pm my dispatcher told me to head for Houston, Tx. as there were no loads available for me in Baton Rogue. While in route to Houston I
received load information for a load from Houston to Sorrento, La. approximately 284 empty miles and 296 loaded. It was to deliver Thursday am. That load was canceled before I could get there. Next load was from Austin, Tx. to Allentown, Pa. 428 empty and 1649 loaded, this load also canceled. By this time I am very upset to say the least. I have now sat from Tuesday to Thursday without earning any pay to speak of. My next load, this is the one I am on, was to pickup in Houston Friday and deliver on Monday in Greenville, SC. 284 empty miles and 933 loaded. (the empty miles are from Baton Rogue to Houston) This means I will finish this week with 1200 miles less than I normally do, and 1500 less than I shoot for. Really hurts my paycheck.

Everything you buy has at one time been delivered on a truck, trains and ships cannot deliver to the stores, so when truck loads get slow or stop the economy is already in trouble. Another sign is when trucking companys quit hiring drivers. This industry typicallyhas a 110% turn over in drivers so they are hiring all the time just to keep the trucks full. None of the major carriers, that I know of, are hiring.
Several carriers are consolidating their freight lanes and closing terminals. As the compitation for loads progresses the price per mile,that the carries are paid, will drop. WHEN THE TRUCKS STOP AMERICA STOPS The produce that is in your nearest store did not come from your local farmer it came from Texas, California, Florida, Oklahoma even Mexico just to name a few. And it is the same with every thing in that store. I will try to keep this post alive so those who are interested can follow. Thanks

Alex Archer's Rogue Angle, from GRAPHIC AUDIO

First a little about me. I drive a truck for a living, picking up and delivering refrigerated freight all over the lower 48 states. Driving 8 to 11 hour per day gets very tedious. It is not boring as there is always some thing or some one getting crazy to keep you on your toes. I own well over 150 audio books, mostly Graphic Audio format. The Graphic Audio format I refer to is basically every thing that a movie has except the picture. That is to say they include sound effects and actors for each character.

Ok, now for the book, Rogue Angel number 1 Destiny. The heroine in this book is Annja Creed an archaeologist and researcher for a TV show Chasing History Monsters. Through a twist of fate she finds herself heir to Joan of Arc's mystic sword. She finds herself involved in countless adventures involving ancient treasures all over the globe.

Even though this series of books, currently up to #14, is action adventure. The author keeps a historic base through out the stories. The stories are fiction with enough reality to be believable. The author keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. The historic references are real, sometimes mythology although some would say that is historic also.
This is not a super hero type book, as Annja is not sure she believes that the sword she now has is real or not.

The main character has the same daily problems as everyone else. She lives in a loft apartment in New York City, and lives on a budget like normal people do. Her boyfriend is a NYC cop, he is unaware of her ability with Joan of Arc's sword.

Graphic Audio does a super job of producing this book in the graphic format. If you have never tried Graphic Audio, you are missing out on an adventure in audio books.

Trucks and cars Share the same road

People driving cars get upset with truck drivers, just as truck drivers get upset with people who drive cars.
Most of the problems , I believe stem from the lack of knowledge the general public has as far as trucks are concerned.
There are several things common to truck driving that are not common to car driving.

1. WIND -- effects trucks at least 75% more than cars---causing trucks to drift from one side of the lane to the other
2. STOPPING DISTANCE -- the distance is far greater for trucks-- a cars weighs approximately 2,000 pounds -- a truck 80,000 pounds
3. REAR VIEW -- a car has windows all around plus mirrors -- a trucker relies on his mirrors and even then has spots he cannot see
4. PARKING -- no comparison at all-- size alone says it all

Things to be aware of that will help us all.

1. when you pass a truck, always pass on the left if possible, get past do not linger beside a truck
2. do not tailgate a truck, when you are that close the driver cannot see you, and you cannot see anything except the back of his trailer
3. do not try to pass a truck on the right when it is turning--left or right-- the driver cannot see your car and might hit it
4. parking for trucks is hard to find---I know there are trucks stops and rest areas--DOT regulations require A driver to take a 10 hour break after working 14 hours or driving 11 hours (example: day starts at 10:00 am at midnight 12:00 am day ends) all parking areas are full so where do I park this 76 foot long beast--where ever I can safely get off of the road
5. A truck hauling hazmat must stop at all rail road crossing
6. The rubber from a blown truck tire (we call them gators) will tear up your car if you hit it , a truck has 18 tires the only ones that the driver is aware of immediately when they blow are the front tires, the other 16 might or might not cause an immediate problem when they blow out
7. please if you are going to drive 30 mph below the speed limit than do not get on a major highway. I see people almost every day on a 65 mph interstate driving 30 to 35 miles per hour, not that it slows up all the traffic but a truck tops a hill or rounds a curve and there is the slow vehicle, causing the truck driver to react by hard breaking or quick lane changing neither are good actions
8. dim you headlights when meeting an on coming vehicle, I try hard to see all around my truck so bright lights at night blind me
9. Most drivers will stop to help broke down motorist but should only do so when it can be done safely
10. we all need to share the road

Just a side note: there are several states that do not allow trucks to park on interstate ramps, there is probably a very good reason
for not allowing parking there. Most of those same states are closing rest areas, and have large parking areas in their state scales but will not allow trucks to park there overnight (or for their 10 hour mandatory break when it comes due. Kentucky will allow trucks to park in their state scales, and even provide facilities for truckers. North Carolina and two or three others only allow 2 hour parking so how are we to obey the law when there are more trucks on the highway then their are parking spots. Remember If you have it a Truck hauled it.