Willie and Elvira had already moved on to a flatbed company and were telling us all about it. We were making good money, and were hesitant to make that move, at first. The first thing that got us to consider it was the free time they were getting together. Flatbed is much more of operation…
Chains and Growing Pains
Truck drivers who have been driving for many years rode with a trainer for a long time before they were on their own. They know how to fix a lot of their own mechanical issues and generally they own their trucks, or more than one. With the large "mega carriers" of today (large trucking companies)…
Milk Jug and a Business Card
Whenever I go to a shipper or receiver for the first time, if there is somewhere to pull off out of the way, I take advantage of it. That way, I can get out and walk to where I think I need to be and take a look instead of just pulling in and having…
Jake Brake Failure
Freckles and I had just enjoyed some home time and landed a load to California from somewhere within a couple hundred miles of Florida (I don't recall.) We got about to Texas when the jake brake stopped working. A jake brake, or retarder, is a function that slows the truck by a change in the…
Humanity
Freckles was driving. We were on the I-285 bypass, around Atlanta, and it was raining. By raining, I mean a torrential downpour. We got about halfway around Atlanta, and the rain slowed to a sprinkle, the downpour having just moved through there. The interstate was closed with police directing us off an exit. The detour…
Got Straight out of Compton
Freckles and I took a couple of short loads through Iowa, Nebraska and to Los Angeles, California. Then we got our first long run from Compton, California to Miami, Florida. Compton was stressful as it was very tight turns, and honestly, I was concerned for our safety going in. Every movie I remember seeing about…
Wizard on Crack
One of these runs Willie and I took along the border of Texas and Mexico was particularly long, as it started in Louisiana and went through many active border patrol checkpoints. I was getting tired of getting in line and pulling up to the officer and rolling down my window and answering, "yes I'm a…
Littaredo!
I have had many awkward encounters with law enforcement since I started driving a truck. A couple of my favorites happened while I was teamed with Willie. We ended up repeatedly running through Laredo, Texas for a while. Laredo is a huge area for international trade with Mexico which means Mexican truck drivers. I engaged…
“That’s Snow, Dude.”
I had met Willie a few times as I worked with his wife, Elvira, for a number of years. I didn't really know him that well at that point, but I felt like we would get along based on our common goal. I had no idea that we would form a bond that lasts to…
The Adventures of Glowplug and Freckles 