New Truck

[freedhardwoods]

When I started working here 5 years ago, I got in a truck with 95,000 miles. Last weekend I parked it for the last time with 845,000 miles on it and started this week in a new one. It's a glider kit so it doesn't have any emission garbage on it to cause problems like the old one. They let you do some of the spec'ing when it's your turn to get a truck, so, among other things, the colors and striping were my choice. If you see this truck going down the road, it's me.

 

[digitS']

That's quite a vehicle, @freedhardwoods !

Of course, I know nothing about these things. One might have expected otherwise from a kid whose first "drive" was a 2-ton farm truck at age 8 and whose father was a diesel mechanic. I 've said that the only thing I learned working on a vehicle with Dad was when he said, "wait a minute, wait a minute!" That meant "get outta the way!"

Isn't that what's called a sleeper on there? And, shouldn't that be big enuf for a bed, lazyboy and an entertainment center?? Very nice!

Steve

 

[so lucky]

Nice! It will be a wonderful home away from home. If I was a guy and young and single and adventurous, I might have wanted to be a long distance driver. But I'm none of those things, so.....

 

[thistlebloom]

Love the green and black! Are you ever on the left side of the Rockies?

 

[NwMtGardener]

Wow that's a lot of miles in 5 years!! Nice truck.

 

[freedhardwoods]

Thanks everyone. Some like it; some don't, but it stands out!

That's quite a vehicle, @freedhardwoods !

Of course, I know nothing about these things. One might have expected otherwise from a kid whose first "drive" was a 2-ton farm truck at age 8 and whose father was a diesel mechanic. I 've said that the only thing I learned working on a vehicle with Dad was when he said, "wait a minute, wait a minute!" That meant "get outta the way!"

Isn't that what's called a sleeper on there? And, shouldn't that be big enuf for a bed, lazyboy and an entertainment center?? Very nice!

Steve

It has a bed, fridge, microwave, and lots of cabinets, but not a Lazy-boy.

Nice! It will be a wonderful home away from home. If I was a guy and young and single and adventurous, I might have wanted to be a long distance driver. But I'm none of those things, so.....

There are a lot of women drivers out here now

Love the green and black! Are you ever on the left side of the Rockies?

I used to go out there. Not any more.

Wow that's a lot of miles in 5 years!! Nice truck.

I actually drove 360,000 in the first 2 years. My wife was sick (better now); lots of bills.

I'm getting close to 4 million since I started in '78. I spent 8 years doing other jobs in that time also.

 

[Smart Red]

Right nice looker there, @freehardwoods! Too bad (for me, luck for you) you'll never get to south-est, central-est Wisconsin with it. It certainly looks flashy and sounds pretty comfortable.

My BIL is a trucker. My SIL not withstanding, driving is the love of his life. He retired from running his own trucking company in 2010 and recently sold his 'small' truck with well over 1,000,000 miles on it. The road is in his blood, retirement isn't. At 77 he is still driving, but tries to keep his hauls as day trips: one day to Indiana to pick up a camper and home, the next day to deliver the camper to MN, MT, ND, etc. and home.

HAD to buy a newer truck because the campers he how hauls were lifting that smaller one off the road. Spent Sunday and Monday enjoying Minneapolis and its first blast of winter weather and driving home to south-ish, central-ist Wisconsin through that mess. At least he's down to driving only 4-5 days a week now that he's 'retired'.

Could write a book with the stories he tells. From driving with Elvis, to disappearing with a truck-load of currency destined for disposal, to driving through government facilities on 4-lane highways dug deep into the mountains. He literally glows when he get started on a story.

Nifty guys most truckers are.

 

[Nyboy]

Love the colors, any photos of the inside?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wouldn't have been my choice of colors but I like that it is distinct. No problems finding it in the parking lot.

One of my cousins is still driving. In high school a good friend's father drove his own truck as an independent, getting his own loads. More than once I went with them on a trip south to get a load of watermelon (which they loaded) then took them up north where he watched his son and me unload that trailer. The only time we dropped one was when it was time for a break.

 

[baymule]

Nice truck. It's nice that your company lets you spec out the truck you will "live" in. I would imagine that keeps drivers happy to have some say so in what they drive. Trucks are what moves products that all of us buy. I worked at Stemco once upon a time making hub seals and a Sears Rep spoke to us at a meeting. He said the heaviest cargo they hauled was a load of bedsheets and the lightest load was popped popcorn. I never would have guessed the bedsheets!