So last night I drove a 75,000 lb semi westbound down Donner Pass.

[cherokeeprogressive]

Just over the pass, the driver's side windshield wiper broke. It was 23 degrees and snowing with wet/icy road. This was at about 2:00 a.m. and every time a car or another truck past me, I could only see by scrunching down really low to see the bottom part of the windshield which was the only part the wiper had any effect on. Upon reflection, I went all the way to the bottom that way.

I got to the bottom, dropped off my load, went to the local truck stop, and still haven't slept. I spent most of the rest of the night on the phone with my wife. We both have those new Sprint EVOs and have video phone calls whenever we can. I haven't seen her in person in 10 days.

Of course I neglected to mention that to get to Donner Pass I had to go through Wyoming with its fog, icy roads, and 40 mph wind. All part of the bargain I guess...

There is still some comfort for me though in the notion that if you bought it today, a Trucker probably hauled it recently, and probably hauled it through some of the same crap that I did.

Oh and when I got to the drop yard with my load, I was greeted by a very pretty and chipper lady who made my night by offering me a cup of coffee, a cigarrette, and some good conversation for a short while. When I was leaving, she thanked me for not hitting on her or saying anything even remotely suggestive... I was confused until she told me that every other Trucker she talks to does, and it gets quite old.

I drove away from there with a smile...

[Logical]

1. Wow, what a tough job! n-t

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. There's a country ballad in there somewhere, I can hear it in the distance...

[cherokeeprogressive]

5. Hmmmm

He's been chasin' his headlights
and barrelin' down the road
don't care what he's got behind him
but he knows it's a heavy load...

I wonder... If I write it, will Willie record it? LOL.

[nolabear]

12. Only if he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Well I can't speak to that but...

There will be something about his turn signals not being requests and a blind spot with your name on it...

[TheCentepedeShoes]

6. Wolf Creek Pass nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear cherokeeprogressive!

Thanks for checking in!

And that sure sounds scary as hell...:scared:

And good on you for being a gentleman with the lady in the truck stop.

I always knew you were...

Stay safe, OK?

:hug:

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. The "Clench Factor" was high to say the least LOL.

And I'm married. I've never been one to hit on women anyway... too bad my brother truckers aren't the same. We already have a bad enough name.

You know, when you're driving down the road in the middle of the night and there's no one to talk to, you tend to do a lot of thinking... and I think I can't wait to get home for 10 days soon.

Love Ya Doll
Chris

[Orrex]

7. Were you hauling Spanish olives, by any chance?

3,000 pounds light, if you were.

[kimi]

8. I used to spend a lot of time driving

back and forth to school, or to visit family, looong distances, 8 or 9 hour stretches several times a month. Yes, you do a lot of thinking. And I also gained a lot of respect for truckers, really. The vast majority, at least from road behavior (never met any socially) were gentlemen and women. Allowed me to pass, blinked lights to let me know I could move back in the lane, moved over for disabled or emergency vehicles on the shoulder, just seemed generally courteous. When I've ever stopped to assist at accidents on the road, there was always a trucker or two there, before any first responders.

Hope you get home soon and safely.

[underpants]

9. My wife is a trucking pricer

very interesting business. Another world like that of the world on the water (ironically) that no one knows about.

[Tobin S.]

10. Well, you made it down to the bottom without killing anybody

Many have not been as fortunate. :scared:

It actually isn't too bad as long as you take your time...and your windshield wipers are working :P. I went down that hill in a truck with no jake brake many times and I got the brakes kinda hot one time. I just started out at the top a little too fast and away I went.

I'm glad that you are doing well and I hope you are making some money. When I first got into trucking I thought it was a blast. I hope you are digging it, too. But don't leave mama alone too long and be sure to get back to her safe. :thumbsup:

[cherokeeprogressive]

13. Tobin!

Wow good to hear from you. Hope things are well!

Yeah, I take my time. I hate and fear pain probably more than anyone else I know. No jake brake, I can't imagine that. I'd probably be at the top of the low range. What a ride that must have been. Looking back, I was actually 'fraider my first time from Laramie to Cheyenne with a light trailer, ice on the road, and the wind blowing 45+. Once I looked out the right mirror, and couldn't see the trailer. I looked out the left and could READ THE LOGO! Ten seconds later, I was doing the same thing in reverse. That was during my first week on the road.

I do love it, aside from being apart from the Mrs. I love driving and always have. I'm on the 20/10 program with the Crash and Roll Stunt Team, so it's going to be like having a 10 day vacation every three weeks. I'm currently sitting in the Pilot in Sacramento. I've already scrubbed inside of the truck from front to back and side to side. I got the dispatcher today to okay a reimbursement for the cleaning supplies since I deadheaded from Fontana to Columbia, MO, to pick her up in a repair yard. Whoever had her last should be ashamed of themselves. Today was the first time we've actually had to sit back and evaluate her. Filthy Dirty was all we came up with. Soooo we spent the day with ArmorAll, Windex, Febreeze, a whiskbroom, and about ten rolls of paper towels. Much nicer now, and livable too. Tomorrow I'm going to spend my own money to take her through the truck wash so's she doesn't look like something from the ghetto.

Even though it's against company policy, I know I'm not going anywhere tonight so I got a twelve-pack of Heineken and will probably be posting some wierd shit later on tonight LOL.

I tip this one to You, my Friend and Fellow Trucker.

Oh hey, something really cool happened to me the other day. We had just picked her up and went to the Loves near Columbia. Having been off a week, I had no shower credits. I was about to pay for my shower and my co-driver's too when some guy behind us stuck his Loves reward card between us and used it to get us free showers. He was a JB Hunt driver. I promised him that as soon as I saw a JB Hunt Driver who was about to pay for something at a TS, I'd step forward and cover it for him.

We've named our Truck "Snake" since when her governor cuts out, instead of making a big PSHHHHH, she chatters and it sounds just like a rattlesnake's tail. She's been good to us so far and since we gave her an inside bath today I'm hoping she takes us into her heart.

Someday we'll cross paths. Looking forward to that.

[denbot]

19. Awesome update cp

I soooo envy you, and your escape from the cube world. Thanks for posting, and enjoy your brewski's

[MilesColtrane]

11. Here's a tip:

If somebody starts hassling you around there, the last thing you want to do is tell them to "Eat me!".

[cherokeeprogressive]

15. Wow I had to read that three times before I understood what you were talking about. Tasteless...

Or chicken. I'm not sure what human flesh tastes like. Anyone know?

[MilesColtrane]

16. I may not always be funny, but I am always cryptic.

[cherokeeprogressive]

17. He is the life of parties he hasn't even been invited to.

The best commercials on TV.

He wouldn't be afraid to admit he had a feminine side, IF he had one. Him climbing through the ice in the flannel union suit with the fish in his hands while the fisherman is dumbfounded HAD to be thought up by someone who either gets stoned, or has in the past.

In fact, I see the whole commercial series as a bunch of stoners sitting around a room laughing their asses off when each person in succession comes up with a new and different scenario. Do you know how they say deja vu in France? "I think I've been there before."

[A HERETIC I AM]

18. So...let's see...you've done the Siskiyou's on I 5 and the Donner on 80....

A couple more and you'll have seen the worst the interstate system has to offer.

I'll never forget the first time I went over the Donner. 1987 in a truck with no Jake Brake. I talked to a guy in Reno, trying to glean all the knowledge I could as I was still really green as an OTR driver. He said "It's 40 miles of downgrades" and I thought "holy shit! A forty mile hill!"

As you now know, it isn't that bad at all, right? Longest, steepest grade is about a 5 or 6 mile stretch of 6%, right? That's what the Grapevine is - 5 miles of 6%. I came down that today. Hell, if you came across 80 through Wyoming, you came down the grade from Park City into Salt Lake. Just as bad as anything the Donner has to offer.

Now...get out to I 70 in Colorado and you'll have a couple grades that are 8 miles of 7%. Those are fun with no Jake!

Next is the Cabbage Pass in Oregon. That's a nice, long steep one.
Homestake Pass on 90 in Montana. Another nice one.

I think most drivers with any time under their belts will have experienced the same windshield wiper problems. I know I have. One of the early trucks I drove - an old KW Cabover had air operated wipers. Lots of models had them back when I started, but this KW...well...they sucked. Try and get them to operate slowly was pretty impossible. It was either stuck in the middle of the glass or slashing back and forth violently. The other day you asked me about the ride of the truck I am driving. Trucks these days are pillows compared to the old cabovers That old KW would kill you if you weren't careful! You wore the seatbelt to keep from being bounced up and hitting the ceiling, not to save you in a crash!

Stay safe man.

PS...tonight I'm in Gilroy, CA after dropping 5 Mercedes and a Toyota near SFO. Gilroy cause it was the nearest, inexpensive motel I could find with truck parking.

[PuffedMica]

20. Nitro Express

BILL KIRCHEN - Nitro Express

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzUAuCHhVpg