Clyde has been a truck driver a year and just recently became an owner/operator.  He has a unique, humorous and concise way of letting us share his momentous experiences.  Join us often as we  Ryde with Clyde .

JULY 18        BAY BRIDGE

We all have fears I think.  Something that we are afraid of.  For some, the fear keeps them from doing anything but staring into space.  Others, like me can keep moving.  Today I crossed something that I am afraid of.  A really big bridge. 

I was on U.S. 50 in Maryland heading for Delaware.  I saw the signs advertising the bay bridge.  When I crossed Annapolis Bay Bridge, I thought "that was it?"  It was a nice short bridge and I thought "gee all that production for such a small bridge."  A couple of miles later, I saw a sign advertising the toll for the bay bridge.  I thought "this can't be good.". I went through the toll booth and saw the bridge.  As I went over the bridge I thought "AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!". (Take deep breath). "AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

So we big trucks were restricted to the right lane and I was behind an RV doing the speed limit.  I won't tell you what I was thinking at that point.  So I used my co-pilot 11 to get me around that and got stuck in rush hour traffic at the 295/95 junction.  I was going to say something cute like I would rather eat brussell sprouts than cross a bridge like that. But since I am sleeping in one of those parking areas on I 76 tonight, I should have gotten over it and crossed the bridge. 

JULY 15     CHEESE WITH YOUR WHINE

 I heard a driver complaining about his driver manager.  It went on and on and on; and well, you get the picture.  I thought to myself, he hasn't even talked to his driver manager to see if they could come to a mutual understanding or make some changes.  If he has, he didn't take the next step and ask for a new one. 

Then, as usual, misery loving company, another driver complains about constantly getting new driver managers.  After listening to him for 5 minutes, I thought it's time to get out of here.  No really I thought after listening to you whine for 5 minutes, I can understand why your DM changes so much.  Cheese with your Whine?  Would you like a McWah to go with that?  You stopped at Wah Wah and got lost? 

Anyway my advice.........  Stay away from your company terminal if you don't have to go there.  No.. Well Yes do that but things are easier if you go through the process of airing out your differences with your DM.  After all, you make money, they get something too.  You don't make money, they don't get that something they want.

 
JULY 14     I OWN IT

Three words I thought I would never say about a big truck.  I own it.  Chicks dig the blue paint job and always ask who do you work for.  I say myself.  I own the truck.  Well there was the lady at the truck stop who couldn't make up her mind if she like my red com data card or the blue truck more.  I love the freedom.  Well, my friends, it's late and I have to get some sleep.  I'll keep you up to date on my fun in my own truck.  What are some of the good things? 

I go home when I want to,

I work when I want to

I can be selective about loads

My truck is new

My truck doesn't smell like somebody else's cheap cigars and nasty butt, 

I am starting to get caught up on my bills,

It is way fun to drive by the company drivers that I work with and leaving them like they are sitting still ( I don't do that one much.  Gotta save on the fuel.), and 

My air horn doesn't sound like a dying moose.  

(Inquiring minds want to know - what about the fuel prices??? Can you still make money as an o/o?)


JULY 13    FUN AT  THE PROCESSING PLANT

Kansas to Wisconsin this should be fun.  Hauling card board boxes for a Meat Packing Plant.  I got to Wisconsin and dropped the loaded trailer.  Then I asked where are the empties?  Why right next to that white building over there.  I went to the building and started backing up to a trailer.  I had the windows up and the air on.  When I put the truck in reverse I hear pop pop pop and SQUEEEEAAALLLLLL.  I thought gee I just got this truck what is wrong with it?  Well when I rolled down the window to get a better listen on the deal, I realized I was next to the slaughter house and they were processing hogs.  Now I know what it sounds like to be squealing like a stuck pig.  That is a sound I didn't want to hear and won't soon forget.  Don't worry, I still love a good ham. 

Oh and to the guys and ladies at that place....... I don't know how you do it.  If I had to do that on my own, I would be vegan.  So thanks for working to keep the meat ready for me to buy and put on the table. 

AND I THANK YOU ALL ALSO

Swift Meats............  Gee I thought that was a trucking company. 

JULY 13     LUCK

I did the pre-trip on my trailer and was on my way.  I hate old trailers and particularly this one.  It is bent on the frame so I can read the company logo on the side of the truck while driving down the road.  The trailer was loaded heavy in the back and I had to move slide and adjust to get everything ok for Mr and Miss dot.  In spite of all of the adjusting I was light on the drives and very heavy in the back.  It certainly is a weird feeling driving down the road.  So I am off to NC from PA and am just about to stop for the night when a nice lady in a 4 wheel vehicle drives up beside me and hollers you have a flat tire on your trailer.  So I pulled over and looked.  Sure enough, I have a messed up tire on the inside left rear.  Oh and the old trailer has the air bags on it and one of them is damaged too.  Here I sit in beautiful Kenly North Carolina the fifth fastest growing city in the U.S. waiting for the break down service to answer the phone.  One hour into waiting, I have decided to go to sleep and start over in the morning.  I have until 9:00pm tomorrow to go 40 miles to make my delivery.  It would be nice to put this trailer out of my misery but I have never hauled 42500 lbs of hot sauce before and this stuff I like.  Oh the luck.  I forgot about that.  The luck was the 4 wheeler who came along and told me I was about to have a problem.  If I see you again the drinks are on me.

JULY 13th   STUDENTS

 Before the drive down I 78 I told my student a story about another trainer.  The student in that story told me he was driving in the right hand lane on I 78.  It was a rough ride but he was doing what he was supposed to and keeping to the right.  Out of the bunk he hears "Get in the Left Lane!"  Well the student responded with I am not going fast enough to be out there.  The Voice said "You are on I 78 get in the left lane!"  But I am not supposed to be over there said the student.  The Voice responded "Where are all the other trucks?"  In the left lane the student said.  The Voice said "Join them!"   I told this story to my student before I night drive down I-78. 

I was asleep when we got on 78 and I started having these dreams about flying.  I woke up to me leaving the bunk all the way and landing back in it again.  From the front I hear this voice "Oh the left lane!"  Then the ride smoothed out.........

 May 29 Trippin the Ohio

 Had a nice visit in ohio.  It is one of the states I can actually get a speeding ticket in.  I had to go through PA where I saw a State Police officer using his speed detection gun.  He lowered the gun saw the name on my truck and put his gun down and waited for the next driver to come by.  That probably happens everywhere I go.  It also seems that everyone gets upset when my truck passes them.  Even the people in 4 wheeled vehicles get upset.  No one likes to see the right side of my truck. 

Anyway slowly I go into Ohio and on to my delivery.  When I get there, I noticed that 10 people really trust us to maneuver our rigs correctly. They must trust us because they all parked their cars in the way. 

Next I went to pick up a broken trailer and then deliver it to trailer maintenance.  I conducted a detailed inspection of the trailer because all anyone could tell me is that it was broken. Thirty minutes later  I had made the repairs myself and went to the shop to wait on my next run. 

My next run was back into PA where I was again the slowest truck on the road.  Somewhere along the way I picked up a student and lost him.  He didn't know what on time meant.  Friday I get a new student.  I hope he knows the importance of being on time.

May 21

I have a young pup truck driver friend that refers to me as a solar-powered trucker.  That and "old man" are about the two good things he has to say.  I remember being that young once. In the military we would say he has come here all fresh from mama. 

So what! I see better when the sun is up.  Driving at night is what we have youngins for isn't it?  I guess it is time to show the little boy what a grown up man can do with a grown-up man and woman's toys. 

After all, his sissied up Volvo rig doesn't hold a candle to my good ole beat up freight shaker.  Nahhh. It sure feels good getting a good nights sleep.  Telling him he, for sure, is the super trucker of all time keeps me from having to run at night. 

Oh yeah ,solar-powered trucking is alright by me.  Gotta go.  Time to turn the steaks.  I think he's eating the number 2 at McDonalds on the run.  I wonder if he went large with that?

(Clyde, you're having way too much fun out there on the road)

May 12

Layin in my bunk, hoping fast to go to sleep.

Layin there, eyes shut, counting sheep.

One two moo, what's a fella supposed to do?

 I ain't never heard a sheep go moo.

I sit up, stand up, and look outside.  15 cattle trucks lined up side by side.

They say that smell is a smell so fine, but all I can do is stand here and whine.

Two by two away they flew except the last, from it flew pooh. 

On the side of my trailer there it runs.  Off to the truck wash for some fun.

I didn't know you were such a poet! Your fans want more.

May 7

I am taking the log book class today and the mentor training tomorrow.  While I am waiting, I am getting my "to be repaired on the truck" list completed.

May 1

I was thinking about how truckers get upset with how they feel about being mistreated.  I think a start in getting treated better would be to stop throwing trash everywhere but in a trash can and to stop leaving the portable urinals behind for someone else to deal with. 

I heard a driver on the radio say once that we couldn't sleep at a particular Walmart anymore because other truck drivers ruined it for us. To me that is a sign that we are not as closely knit as we used to be, and lots of drivers only think of themselves. 

It would be fun to get a water balloon launcher and wait for a driver to leave his portable urinal behind.  I could glove up, grab the offending item, and launch it at the truck; or borrow a cop car, chase them down and as I am handing them the bottle say, "hey man, you left this behind. I didn't want you to forget it." 

So I guess I have gone from DRIVER WASH YOURSELF to DRIVER PACK YOUR TRASH.

Well, I have concluded that I can only make me behave properly.

The other day, a man came out of the Petro Truck Stop, where they have several restrooms, walked to the edge of the building and engaged in public urination.  Then he jumped in his pick-up truck and sped away.

Nasty 4-wheelers become nasty truck drivers. 

Where is their pride in and respect for themselves? 

April 25

Never a dull moment is what I was promised. So far they are keeping their promise
(share with Clyde your experiences of being sent to the wrong place)

April 24

On the way out of Brownsville, I didn't have to go far to pick up my next load.  Well, I did have to go to Pharr, Texas.  My last two amazing sites were a Bald Eagle swooping down from God knows where to grab some critter off the road in front of me (wish I had a camera for that) and quite a few bees flying around at my level as I held my door open for the border patrol to check my cab out. I Hate being that close to bees.   (I guess he liked being close to the border patrol)

 APRIL 23

Reefer truck?  Do you drive a reefer truck?  If you do park right next to Clyde's truck.  He loves reefer trucks. Those really loud sounding refer trucks. He sleeps real well next to reefer trucks.

My aunt asked her brother how we got away with hauling reefer in a truck when she was much younger. 

I remember a big rig getting stuck on a muddy back road when I was living in Nashville.  The police happened to be passing by and decided to stop and inspect the cargo.  Yes you guessed it. This really was a reefer truck. Lots of reefer. 

April 21

Well, I don't know if I should feel safe or scared that over the weekend I have seen a local police, Texas ranger, or border patrol every 30 minutes. Got sick on Thursday and missed my first oportunity to drop a load in Brownsville, Tx.

Had to wait til Monday at 0800 local. It was mainly the fear of not finding a bathroom in time that kept me in one spot. They do love the picnic areas out here, but they seem not to like rest areas with bathrooms too much.

At least I am not in New York.

 April 15

So far waiting to reset my 34 has been very profitable.  Not in the money department but the knowledge department. 

Today I am sitting at the far end of the lot here in Pinon, Colorado.  I have been watching a hawk hunt for food.  I was wondering why all the little birds vanished.  Then I saw the hawk.  The hawk is gone now and the other birds are back.    I also have waited for the lot to empty so I can pick a good spot to see the sunset.