A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED

 I retired from driving on the 25th of March 2010.  I went into see my Doctor for my annual stress test, and failed miserably.  On the 26th of March 2010 I found myself getting 4 stints put in my heart,  this now makes a total of 12 since 1999.  I was told I could not return to work before 8 July 2010,  with that news and a recent divorce, plus pay cuts, insurance premiums doubling, and miles dropping (truckers are paid by the number of miles they drive) and a few other problems I slipped into the land of deep depression.  NOT A GOOD PLACE AT ALL. 
I went through hospital stays and several medicines before I started to climb up out of that hole.  Along the way I met a man, (I already thought I knew him) who gave of his time based upon what I needed not what he needed.
  And I mean physical work, he rebuilt my camper trailer, cleared the land, leveled the spot, set the utility pole, wired my camper, fixed the roof leaks,
moved my shop building and leveled it. And still worked his regular job 10 hours a day!
All I was able to do was walk around and get in the way,  I had another artery plug off 100% on the 2 of June 2010. This one unfix able.
His only complaints were the heat, and not enough time to do what needed each day. He was helped by my sister's son J.W. who also worked and helped beyond belief.  All of this work almost everyday for 1 and 1/2 months was for free.  His wife and J.W.'s were not left out as they along with my daughter packed and moved my things to my new home--an 18 foot camper trailer, not easy, as I was living in a three bedroom 2 bath house for the past 20 plus years.  A lot of stuff I thought I could never part with is now gone (no room).  But thanks to friends (not just relatives) I have a place I can afford (free) and friends to look after me.
  The man I am writing about's name is John Allison he is married to my younger brother's daughter Jennifer.  As far as I know he has never refused to help anyone.  He is a sterling example of what a friend should be, not just a relative but a friend.

A whole new adventure

Moving from a 3 bedroom 2 bath home into a 20 foot camper, is (to say the least) an adventure. This camper is a salvage camper that had a fire and I am having to rebuild a lot. I would not say my new home is small, but if you want to sit down you need to back in the front door. A lot of things I thought I could not live with out, no longer matter. (no room). Should have permanent water hook up by end of May, electric is probably about the same time. My trailer is self contained, it has a fresh water tank and sewage tank, the problem is learning to live on one single 110 volt outlet.I tried to run a small (2 foot by 2 foot) refrigerator, and it burned out the compressor , the same problem makes me not use my new microwave.
As I have said before going from an income of approximately $4,000 a month income to $0 (and not being able to work) adds a still more challenging set of problems. SSI might or might not start in 90 days.
Disability, according to a new law passed in March, 2010 makes you wait 5 full months before you are even able to get anything and then it pays at the end of the 6th month. Also the new law ended all back pay for the first 5 months. Maybe the way to get SSI and disability back on their feet
is just to starve out those of use who have paid in over 40 years of SSI?

You see even if I pick up cans on the side of the road and sell them, if I get caught by SSI or SSD I lose even that, because I applied for full disability. But then SSI is a little over $600 a month, even a member of congress should be able to live off of that income. (maybe for a day if he skipped lunch). I do not know if this is true or not but I was told we give the people in Afghanistan and Bagdad more than that.

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