Good afternoon from a windy and hot Houston, Texas! Well my virtual truckers, we are driving with Jorge (Hoahay, I can’t pronounce it or spell it!). He picked me up last night at the compound and runs a designated route from Houston to his home base in Laredo. He is a smoker but I haven’t seen him light a cigarette yet. He has a clean 2011 Peterbilt that is much bigger than I am use to handling with a clutch that will make a young man wince and a stick shift that only handles 8 grinding gears instead of 10. I feel like a 12 year old driving this thing! I am nearly standing in my seat just to engage the clutch pedal!
Downside of this situation, I just got in the truck yesterday and will be back in a hotel for the weekend starting tomorrow in Laredo. He states that he runs hard, 24 hours a day and I will gain my hours quickly. But with my calculations, it will be two weeks even at 11 hours per day with Jorge only working 4 days on and 3 days off. My hopes of being home early May are unrealistic at this point in the game. But Jorge did give me a crumb of hope and might work next weekend…..keep your fingers crossed!
Jorge is trying to teach me to shift without the clutch except into first gear (grinds to high heaven) and I find it very difficult, especially driving through town learning a technique that I am not really ready for or care for. I don’t mind the double clutch at this time as these boys have been driving years without it!
We are currently sitting, waiting to get unloaded (it has been 2.5 hours) and I will drive to our next pick up and then lunch…with COFFEE! I haven’t had a single drop today as we spent the night on the side of the road. Hey, looks like they are about down unloading and I am tired of sweating so let’s hit the road and turn on the AC!
A face only a mother would love ;) I miss my dog! Thank you Jack Sr. for sending me pictures of Gonja while on the road!
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