It's been a while since my last post, so I thought I would give everyone an update on my "trucking life" thus far. First of all, I graduated from trucking school and earned my CDL (commercial driver license). This was a very big deal for me, and I am glad that "test day" is over and done! The day of my motor vehicles test was one of the most stressful I can remember in a long time.
After graduating, I attending orientation for the company I now work for, and I was placed with a mentor to obtain 240 hours of behind-the-wheel training before I can be considered a first-seat driver. My mentor, Rob, is a great guy and he has a very patient way of teaching me his driving techniques.
As of today, I have logged over 140 hours and over 10,000 miles. We have been driving throughout the Northwest U.S., and I believe I have driven through 8 states (California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon). The northwest part of the country is so beautiful; however, I did drive through sleet and snow a couple of times, which made me a bit nervous.
At this moment, I am sitting in a motel room in Kalispell, Montana, while Rob takes a few days off for his home-time. It's nice to relax a bit, but I already miss driving the highways. I will resume my trek on Wednesday, and I'm looking forward to our next dispatch - you just never know where you're going to go!
Rob lives in Whitefish, Montana, and the area around his home is filled with pristine beauty. He is lucky to live in such a magnificent area of Montana. Along my recent 10,000 miles, I took a few photos that I would like to share. Being an avid photographer, I am horrified that I did not bring my D-SLR along; however, this iPhone is quite an amazing little piece of equipment! Here are a few photos...
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| One of the first photos I took. We were at a rest stop in Wyoming, and it was COLD! I believe it was 8 degrees Fahrenheit. |
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| Often times, while traveling, it is hard to find souvenirs, mugs, keychains, and such, with Lillian's name on them. Well, here in Montana, she has a whole chain of casinos named after her! |
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| We were in Washington, and this was my first snow storm I had ever driven through in a semi. Nervous? Uh... Yeah. |
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| My driving mentor, Rob, lives in northwest Montana. This small road is right next to his house, and it leads to Whitefish Lake. In about five minutes, you are greeted with the scene in the next picture. |
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| Whitefish lake is beautiful and majestic. I could have stayed hours here just looking over the water to the mountains! |
Well, that is about it for now. So far this adventure has taken me to some great locations. My only true regret is that Lillian is not with me to see them; however, that will change soon. When I get my truck and go solo, Lillian will be able to see the sights with me.
So, how does one cope with missing his or her spouse when either one drives a truck and is gone for weeks at a time? Part of this blog will deal with that question. Stay tuned - we hope to help those out there to deal with this very dilemma...
