Easter Update

Got this update from Mama a couple of days ago - sorry for the delay in posting it!

It's Easter morning, and we are midway thru our 3rd trip out since leaving home Wed.
Boy was that an adventure! Just getting out of the drive at the farm took over 2 hours since we got stuck getting from the drive into the road. There was too much of a hump, and we got the landing gear hung. My dad tried to pull us off with the tractor, but we ended up needing a wrecker. This made us late getting our 1st load picked up in Rocky Mount, NC and delivered to King of Prussia, PA.

Next, we drove about 45 miles to Allentown, PA and picked up a load going to Norcross, GA. We got to both of those early. Then drove about 50 or so miles to find a parking place to wait until time to get the next load from Cumming, GA. It is going to Chicago, IL for a 3pm Monday delivery, and the notes on the order say they will not take it early so we have lots of extra time.

That being the case, we drove into the edge of Kentucky yesterday evening and stopped for the night in Franklin, KY. We just microwaved canned food for dinner, corn, peas, and corned beef and cheese - - it wasn't too bad and cheap! We went in for breakfast this morning at the Flying J where we stayed.

We are going to head on closer to Chicago today and find another truck stop to hang out in until time to deliver this load tomorrow. We will try to take and send pictures of the truck soon.

Lots of love mama and daddy. HAPPY EASTER to all!!!!!

On The Road

well... not yet, actually.

Inez passed her test on Friday and waited at a local motel for Bruce to come in. He was delayed since they gave he and his trainer a late load to California, then a stop in Dallas on the way back. He got in super, super late (maybe 4 am or so) on Saturday night/Sunday morning. They rested and did some laundry on Sunday waiting for Bruce's turn to test on Monday.
Early evening they found out he had passed as well.

I (Nicole) talked to Mama about 1:15 this afternoon and they were waiting on a truck. A couple of hours earlier it was being worked on/detailed for them. They don't know where they will send them right away - if it will be straight to NC or if they will have to detour with a load - she will let me know as soon as they get an assignment.

~Nicole
FINALLY!!!!

The Time to End Training is Near!

An update from Inez from late last night...

A little bit ago, we were on a 3 drop run. We made the 1st and then got orders to meet another truck and swap. That driver was having truck problems, so we met at the Freightliner dealer in El Paso, Texas and gave him our load and took his. It was going to Chicago area to be delivered the next evening. This was lunch time or so on Monday.

We left El Paso headed north out of New Mexico when we had to go into a scale and got chosen for a level 1 DOT inspection. They go over the truck, bills, logs and everything with a fine tooth comb. Everything was good except for 1 of our trailer tires that had some bald places so we got a warning and had to stop at the next town and get a new tire. There went any "extra" time we may have had to get our load delivered on time.

I had left El Paso driving and drove pretty late and then Jim got up and took over, he did not get too far until the marker lights on the trailer went out. So we again pulled into a truck stop for repairs but this time they worked for more than 3 hours and could not fix the problem. They recommended we go just up the street to a trailer dealership and wait for them to open the next morning which is what we did. They had to do some rewiring to fix the problem so off we went again... now knowing we are going to be late.

We finally got there about midnight and dropped the trailer. We took a nap and then got a load going back to Texas just south of Houston in Conroe to be delivered on Friday so there was extra time. My trainer complained to dispatch about sending a team on a solo run and they came back and said we could go ahead and deliver on Thursday, so we ran all night again to get it there by the new appointment time. Just got it done when they needed us to hurry over to Temple, TX and get another stranded load at the Freightliner dealer there and get it to Atlanta by 6am on Fri.

Jim advised them it would be at least 9am as that was the best we could do... however we made it by 8am after running hard all night again. We sat around that location for several hours and gave up and went to a truck stop south of town to eat, shower, and do laundry. Almost as soon as we got starting eating, we got a call to pick up a load in Simpsonville, SC just south of Greenville. It had to be picked up by 10pm, Jim did not want to leave in the afternoon and be stuck in traffic so we went ahead with our showers and laundry and then left.

That worked out as we got there about 10, loaded, and drove up to Inman and slept a few hours and then I drove to Asheville where we met some of our family for breakfast. After that, I drove on until we got in to Indiana then Jim took over for the last couple of hours today. The load we are on does not deliver until Monday in Cedar Rapids which is only 400 or so hours from here. So we will have another easy day tomorrow. I am hoping we might meet up with Bruce since he is also in Indiana tonight and will also be going in a westerly direction tomorrow. We will just have to wait and see.

1 more week til test time!! We need lots of prayers as my nerves are starting to get to me.

Love you and can not wait to get home and see everyone.

Where in the World?

All I know right now is that several hours ago, mama was in Arizona (at Wal-Mart buying a memory card for her camera!) on her way to California again (she said they'd probably be there before dark). Daddy had been in Austin, TX and was on his way to Georgia.

... just so you'd know what I know...

~nicole

just a quick note

mama jumped online SUPER early this morning for a quick update before taking a nap...
--------------
"We just got to Carlisle, PA about an hour ago (note from nicole - i think it was around 1:30 a.m. EST). We deliver in Harrisburg at 6 a.m., so we are sitting in a truck stop parking lot getting a little nap in before then. We are going to do a Wal-Mart run in the next couple of days because we are both out of laundry soap, so I will see about getting a memory card for my camera there.
I still haven't taken many pictures as there just isn't enough time.

I talked to Bruce Sunday morning, and they were at the Fontana terminal for the day and will deliver mid-morning Monday. Then we will both be on another run, so maybe can meet up this time??

got to go...love ya, mama

The Second Week is Done!

I got an email from Mama yesterday and then we chatted a few minutes on Gmail last night...

here's what she says:

"I'm doing well. I tried to send a good update late Monday night - I think about the weekend - but after spending a long time on details I never could get it to send?!?

I've been very busy - I'm driving at least 500 mi everyday, and most days a little over that. We are presently in California, LA area, waiting to get orders on where to get next load.
This was 3rd delivery in calif.
If you look at a map I have pretty much been in the south west of the country - Calif, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and a little in Missouri.

I talked to dad a minute this morning. He just delivered in Pennsylvania and was headed to Mass. to get a load of plastic. He said he had delivered part in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and the rest in California, but I'm not sure where. He followed the toronados the other night and then is back up in the northeast and Great Lakes area with snow again now.

The only weather I have really had is wind, rain, and fog, but it's mostly sunny.

We have 4 more weeks and then the big test! Yes, I am starting to worry already, so pray we learn all we need to pass and be able to start making some money and be able to come home and see everyone! We really miss you all but I am having a good time and not regretting any of the experience this far.

love ya, mama"

When we talked online last night, she said they had gotten orders to go to Arizona and were heading toward the east coast - and Daddy was headed toward California - but because of the way they'll be coming from their pickup spots, they won't cross ways on the road... :o( Wouldn't that be a fun thing? If they got to meet up at a truck stop? Ha!

Thanks for reading and keeping up! Pray that the rest of the 4 weeks goes by fast and that they are well prepared for their testing that comes at the end!

~nicole

What Day Is It?

From Inez:

We drove late the last 2 days, so I'm not even sure what day it is. We just got into Oklahoma City, OK a little while ago and got all my paper work finished and thought I would update a little.

We drove into Wilcox, AZ last night and Jim (my trainer) got up and drove from there to Carrizozo, NM where I took over today. We stopped, fueled, and ate in Amarillo, TX and then I drove on to here. While Jim drove this morning we went thru the White Sands area of New Mexico (where they do the missile test) and I got the camera out and finally took a couple of pictures.

Well, I had better get layed down because Jim will have this buggy rolling again by 5am and it is not so easy to sleep being bumped and rolled around constantly.

Love you all and can't wait to see everyone, this will pretty much end the 1st of our 6 weeks training, so keep praying we will learn all we need to.

little change in direction

i talked to mama a little bit ago and there were some changes...

She and her trainer didn't get that load to Washington - there wasn't enough time alloted to drive there (even if they had driven without stopping) so instead, got sent toward Okalahoma and Texas.

Daddy and his trainer headed up to Vermont to get a load and were going toward Missouri with it.

At least their trucks are facing each other at this point... :)

~nicole

Just a Quick Update

Until Daddy and Mama learn how to use this, I'll try and update it when I talk to either one of them during their time away.

Last week, they left on a 6-week journey to train. They are not together during this time. Mama and her trainer left headed for Southern California and made it fine by the weekend. She fought off some sickness during that time, but is doing better now. Yesterday afternoon, while waiting at a stop, they were assigned a load to take to Washington. As far as I know, they left yesterday headed that way.

Daddy and his trainer left Mississippi headed for the New England area. I haven't been able talk with daddy yet, but mama said he was around the Boston area and even got to make a stop at his trainer's home (who lives outside of Boston). Sounds like he's doing fine as well.

If I hear more, I'll let everyone know!

~nicole

p.s. - ways to pray for them:
~ Good health while they are away from home (and having to wait on insurance anyway!)
~ Wisdom and good memories as they study and learn and practice driving
~ Protection for their marriage as they are away from one another right now / that they would have times to be able to talk to each other and learn about each other's journey(s).

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting this blog. We hope to use this as a more efficient way to connect with friends and family as we begin this journey as a team... driving trucks all over the United States!

Check back soon for updates on where we are and what we're seeing!

~Bruce and Inez