Exhausted...

Anyone that has been following me any length of time surely knows of all the issues I had with the Volvo during my flatbedding days. The most consistent one was quite possibly the exhaust problems. My body reacts very quickly to breathing fumes as I was nearly killed from exhaust poisoning over a decade ago. One of the most common reactions that I face is... I become EXTREMELY hostile. Everything pisses me off. I might even kick a puppy after get an extended dose of toxic air.

The Sterling that I am operating tends to smoke excessively during the first few miles after firing it up or idling for any length of time. A couple of months ago, I had some extreme smoking issues that would actually fill the cab. Ironically, no one can find an exhaust leak. Sure, there is oil and other fluids that drip on occasion, but no sign of exhaust leaking.

So, on my last tour of duty, I noticed the fumes getting stronger. Perhaps even noticing the air seemed a little cloudy at times in the cab. George ( who is in charge of all my repairs) suggested that my dog house insulation might be sagging and the fumes are coming in around the boot. So, I had that checked out and had some rubber installed to seal that up. It didn't seem to help at all...

After several days of driving with the windows down,  and stuffing towels around any crevices on the dog house, I am starting to think I might need to swap trucks.... I hate swapping trucks. Besides, this one is special.

I don't know why I decided to crawl into the firewall and look around, but underneath the edge of the rubber flooring, I noticed a 2 inch hole that was halfway plugged with a sooty paper towel. Quick as MacGyver, I check my pockets for supplies and although I did not have a paperclip, chewing gum or duct tape, I did manage to find some masking tape.

My fume problem is gone!!!

Okay, the truck still smokes, but I am no longer sucking fumes which is good news for the general public. Because, when I say I get extremely hostile, well... you better just trust me on that one.

Dragging Ass

It was bound to happen...

Saturday evening I was delivering the last of my cars in Chattanooga. Everything just seemed to fall into place for me that day, and I do mean everything. I left the dealership and headed south on I-75. After a few miles, a car flashed his lights at me, but then quickly changed lanes behind me and exited the freeway. Not thinking much about it because a lot of motorists flash their lights for different reasons, I continued onward. Being empty, I was able to climb the hills pretty quickly and was passing the slower heavy trucks with ease. About 5 miles later, another car eases up my left side flashing his high beams. He catches up to me and is blowing the horn too. He then merges into the lane in front of me and engages the four way flashers as he begins to slow. Of course, by now, I realize something is amiss. He slows me to about 40mph and we ease off onto the shoulder. There was a guard rail immediately to my right and with very little room for comfort, I was hoping he would pull forward to the end of the guardrail. He didn't. He jumps out of his car and runs back to my truck. He is an older Korean man who does not speak a word of English, but his gestures were frantic. He is standing in the right lane ( due to the guard rail, I am sitting on the white line) trying to communicate with me when I noticed the truck blazing a trail directly at him. I throw open the door and grab him by the shirt and pull him to the truck just as the truck roars by within inches of us...

This absolutely pissed me off beyond all means of reason. There were no other vehicles to the left of this truck. I had my four ways on, so I was not invisible. That idiot should have at least made an attempt to give my truck some room. There was no reason for him to be that close. There was no other vehicles anywhere near him at all. He could have easily moved left!!! And to add fuel to the fire, the CB comes to life with "fuck, there are people standing in the road" I am sure the flashing car-hauler on the shoulder gave no indication that there might be human life form close by. I would never have taken that chance, standing in the road like that, but the man was doing a good deed and getting squished was probably not even on his mind. The look on his face when I grabbed him...

Oh sure, it was nice for someone to finally speak up and alert the crowd, but where was all the chatter for the last 15 miles when I was dragging my ramp down the highway throwing sparks, I am sure.

Why did it take 2 motorists in cars to alert me to the fact that I was dragging a ramp. I passed over a dozen trucks and not a single word. It was not until after the fact, that someone mentioned the car-hauler who was throwing sparks. By this time, I had been parked for a minute or two, so obviously that comment came from someone I had previously passed.

I am very grateful that this gentlemen took it upon himself to get my attention. He had no idea who he was getting involved with. But it almost cost him his life. I am not sure how I would have reacted, had he been killed and thankfully I don't have to deal with that nightmare. But, I am just about fed up with the new school of truckers. In my opinion, the industry is full of £&@¥^#€ morons!!!! Don't get me wrong, there are some great people in trucks, but they are fewer and further between.

Scratch and Sniff

On a side note....

I rarely get personal on my blog, perhaps this is something I will attempt to conquer in the coming year. I have one resolution already in mind for 2012 and while it may be a challenging one, I am determined to implement it. But that is another personal post...

A few weeks ago, I managed to get by the apartment late one Friday evening. I quickly found that my washing machine was not working. I say quickly, but it was actually 2/3 through the cycle. I called for maintenance and was told that unless it was an emergency, no requests would be handled until Monday. It was an emergency, at least to me. I was set to leave on Sunday and really needed my work clothes to be clean. So, I loaded up and headed for the nearest laundromat. Ewwwwww!! Such a simple task, but I prefer to complete it in the comfort of my own home.

Not sure how quickly I noticed it, but..... Within days, my skin was covered in splotchy red welts. Reminiscent of mosquito bites, only twice as large and ten times more irritating. OH EM GEE!! Make it stop itching. Pretty sure I removed several layers of skin trying to alleviate the itch. Nothing seemed to help. This was weeks ago. I believe the irritation was due to the previous user of the washer or dryer having recently worked with fiber glass insulation. I was able to rewash all of my clothing and the bumps are subsiding.

Obviously, I did not get all the clothing rewashed, as they have started again. This time on my feet and butt. Week number 3 !!  Yeah, I am aware that whoever used the machines could not have cared less what residue they left behind, but needless to say I am MAD...

At least the washer at home has been replaced. And that my friends, is about as personal as this blog gets. For now, at least.

Enough With The Idiots Already

As a rule, I typically expect automobile drivers to make erratic and dangerous decisions while traveling the Interstates. I credit them for not being as skilled when it comes to traversing miles from home, as most people drive in a significantly smaller radius of asphalt. By this, I just mean I try to always expect the unexpected and not get disgruntled when it happens right in front of me. I anticipate!!

As a rule, I expect truck drivers to be more skilled, more conscientious and more considerate of their surroundings. They are suppose to be Trained Professionals..."suppose" being the operative word!

Earlier this month, I witnessed the aftermath of an accident which involved 2 Big Trucks. The particular circumstances of this incident actually enrage me to the point of wanting to kick, scream, and slap all the idiots that are driving 18 Wheelers. And believe me, there are plenty of those to go around.

The first driver was parked on the shoulder of the road for whatever reason and decided it was time to merge back into traffic. The second driver was moseying down the right lane minding his own business when the first driver pulled into the right lane directly in front of him. Whether or not the second driver had room to merge to the left and allow the first driver access to the right lane is really of no consequence. Some people would argue that, but the rule of thumb is to merge into the flow of traffic, safely. Not to slow the rate of travel to match that of motorists on the ramp. That is why the YIELD sign is on the ramp and not on the shoulder of the Interstate!!

So, the first driver pulls out into traffic and the second driver either has too little reaction time or cannot move over safely and ends up in the ditch. The impact indicated the first driver was no where near up to road speed as the last 10 feet of his trailer were obliterated by the collision with the governed tractor trailer who rear-ended him. I sincerely hope the second driver survived the collision. As I passed the accident, I noticed the first driver sitting in his cab. His blank expression said it all!!

I myself have had to dodge 3 Big Trucks who decided to reenter the flow of traffic at less then 20 miles per hour. The first time it was a JB Hunt. He pulled off the shoulder in a low gear directly in front of a pack of 10 tractor trailers motivating at 65plus mph. I was lucky that everyone was paying attention that day. As the truck in front of me made a left lane change, I saw the offending truck and dived into a 70 ft hole to my left, missing the corner of his trailer by mere inches. The second time was an owner operator pulling a flatbed. He also entered the travel lanes on the low side of his transmission and once again I dodged a bullet because a fourwheeler hit the left shoulder to allow me room in the left lane. I proceeded to get verbal with the driver and he felt the need to berate and belittle me for the next 20 miles. He seemed a little defensive to me and felt he could only exonerate himself by calling me a stupid bitch. The third incident involved a KNIGHT truck. This time, a car was pushed into the median as another truck began sliding into the left lane while trying to brake hard to avoid impact. I ended up jumping to the right shoulder to avoid a collision. Afterwards, the Knight driver hid behind his curtain as traffic passed him, obviously not wanting to acknowledge his bad judgement.

I am sick and tired of having to overcompensate for the lack of training and common sense that some of these drivers possess. In a perfect world, this would not be the case. I already allow for the cars to make mistakes, as I said, I expect it. But to continually have to watch for fellow truckdrivers is really testing my patience. But this is an old rant for me.... And one I am sure to repeat.

Cranial Excavation...

or more simply, Removing Your Head From Your Arse !!

I am soooooo pissed off. I do not intend to let this post become a long drawn out diatribe bashing new truck drivers. In fact, it is not always the newer drivers who pull stupid stunts. I do have a low opinion of how the new comers are being trained and while some of that could be blamed on poor educational courses, the fact of the matter is... It boils down to common sense.

Today, I was cruising up I-65 when I noticed a company truck sitting on the shoulder of the road about a half mile ahead. The driver in front of me also noticed, and as any courteous professional would do, we both signaled to merge into the left lane to give the stranded driver as much room as possible. With the high flow of traffic, we were having quite a time getting over to the left.

I noticed the blinker begin to light up on the "disabled" truck and thought...surely, he is going to wait. But NOOOOOOO!! The bastard pulled straight out into the right lane of the interstate at about 10mph. Here is what happened next..

It scared a fourwheeler who then drove into the grassy median, luckily without having an accident. The truck in front of me was trying to get left quickly, but with the one car already in the grass, several others hit the brakes leaving him no room as he was already merging. He tried to pull back to the right to avoid hitting innocent motorists and started to slide. After quick thinking on his part, he regained traction and was able to merge left. As for me, I have some very flat spots on my tires due to coming to a rather quick stop and ended up driving on the shoulder for a little bit to avoid the slow truck in the right lane...

Meanwhile, this freaking idiot is oblivious to the near mayhem he almost created. Who I am kidding, it was mayhem!! I am just thankful everybody was able to react in a way that not one person was injured or one vehicle damaged.

And for the record... I had some very unpleasant things to say to this steering wheel holder and all of Indiana had the pleasure of hearing it. Would you be surprised that the driver never acknowledged what he had done. He even went so far as to hide his face when I passed him.

This is the second time I have had my life flash before my eyes because of some stupid freaking truck driver.. Oh, and the worst part... The shoulder he was parked on was between the ramps for an exit!! He could have easily pulled off the exit and parked on that shoulder, therefore allowing himself room to build momentum for reentry.

I just don't understand why some people are so disconnected. You are driving 80,000lbs of mobile destruction.. and yet your only concern is your missed exit, how late you are, where the next McDonalds is or checking out the babes in the cars beside you.

Your lack of common sense infuriates me!!

Going Off The Deep End

Bah!!!!!! ARrrrrghhhh!! Eeeekkkkk!!!

You know, it is not often that I lose my cool. Nothing really ever seems to get to me, that I can't dismiss in a matter of minutes. I don't typically blow up at people unless it has been a very long time coming. My outbursts are kept to the confines of my truck while driving through South Carolina and usually result in my laughing hysterically at myself.. Because I am just not convincing in my anger, rage or hostility. I am comedian, not a fighter!

BUT.... Sunday solicited an extreme situation that had my blood boiling in a matter of seconds. I felt the flush in my cheeks and the hint of a tearful rage brewing just beneath the surface. Yes, I CRY when I am truly "angry".

I was walking around my truck checking over the situation when I noticed shiny new bolts attached to the area near my frame.. Awwww, they fixed something. The mechanics actually fixed something... YAY!!! It took about 10 seconds to realize that the shiny new bolts were attached to new black plastic mudflap hangers on my tractor...

That is when I lost it. I know, mudflap hangers? Really Terry? You came unglued over truck parts?

Yes, YES I DID !! and here is the reason why...

I am the only driver at the plant who takes the time to polish the tanks and keep a shiny truck. I was thrilled when I got the aluminum hangers which were issued from one of our shops. We are not allowed to customize out trucks, so the additional look of "chrome" absolutely made my day. I have worked hard and long hours rubbing the aluminum to get a nice result. I am the only driver that takes pride in my ride. Everything that I had done comes out of my pocket and it is not about money or time, it is about having pride in what you do. I claim NYC to be my baby. I take delight in being very good at my job! I am a freaking female flatbedder damn it and I run NYC like it was a small town out in the sticks. I embrace my inner "jersey" girl. I run like a local with a my East Coast Attitude and all I wanted was for my truck to represent who I am ....Countless hours polishing. I was just in the shop 2 weeks ago, all day polishing my truck in front of the mechanics because I wanted to get it done and I couldn't wait. Winter is over, bring on the shine!! They knew how much it meant to me.. They KNEW HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO ME !!

I literally stewed on it all day Sunday. I was anxious to talk to the shop foreman to get an answer... THEY KNEW HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO ME.

Monday morning, 6:58 AM. I am on the phone..

" Where are my mudflap hangers?" and in his best ( I am a dumbass voice) the shop supervisor responds, "Now that is a good question!"

Seriously dude... where the hell are my mudflap hangers ??

I was distinctly told that while servicing the APU they had to literally CUT the hangers in half to get them off of my truck... While servicing an APU that I refuse to use because it makes my lungs burn, gives me headaches and dries out my eyes. Don't think the damn thing has been serviced in over a year! I don't use the freaking APU.. I do polish my aluminum!! After his asinine explanation, I politely thanked him for answering my question and hung up on him. It would have done me no good to curse at him because the hangers were already destroyed. I did not write up the APU for service... Why is it I cannot get the things I needed repaired, but I am always unpleasantly surprised by some other form of bullshit..

Yes, I am angry over silly little mudflap hangers.... My truck stood out! My pride showed though. Now all I want to do is find a big mud hole to drive through and hang out in the middle lane with all the other non descript company trucks.... BLECH !!

But wait, there is more. I shall leave you with a touch of humor to make up for my hostility. While unloading at my first stop, the lift driver comes up to me and asks if I had a blowout on my drives. "No, why would you ask that?"

Because you have new mudflap hangers..

ARRRGHHHHHHHH !!

To Everything.. Turn, Turn, Turn

Spring is in the air, my friends and that would make this an excellent time for new beginnings. I have had the luxury of running the air conditioner in the truck on numerous occasions. I have been watching all the new signs of life as the planet slowly wakes up from its Winter slumber... but I have also woke up freezing several times due to sleeping with the truck turned off... Not quite Spring, but I am soooo ready!

And since I am mentioning life refreshing itself, this seems like a perfect time to also mention the ending of things passed. I have been very preoccupied the past few months with emotional upheaval and perhaps just not in the mood to share. My relationship has ended and it was very bitter for me. Deceit and indifference reigned supreme as deciding factors and while I am so much better off, I will not deny that my heart seemingly was ripped out and tossed aside. So the past few months, I have not exactly been myself. I am no longer mourning the loss of this relationship, but it has once again left me questioning people and their motives. People just suck sometimes, but I am slowly returning to the person that my friends adore. This post was not intended as bitter and it is definitely not bittersweet. It is a post of new hopes and awakenings. My eyes are open and I am ready to dig my heels in. Life is waiting !!

What Can I Say

Last week was full of it's ups and downs... What can I say? Such is life...

The week started with apprehension as there was a driver's meeting that was going to introduce a new policy that the company will be putting into place at some point this year. A policy that will inevitably change my life. Sure, change is good, but when that change is forced upon you without your consent, it is very frustrating.

But on the upside, at the meeting which I did not attend, it was also announced that our current Boss was leaving. Once I found this out, my truck seemed to pull better and run faster. Of course, it didn't, but I sailed through Sunday with a huge grin on my face. Most of the drivers are apprehensive that things are going to get worse, but it is my opinion that there is a 50/50 chance it could get better. My only real concern is the lack of professional mechanics, and I don't see that changing anytime soon, so how could it get any worse?

On the downside, I was once again pulling a springride trailer which literally beat me up. I was so sore and frustrated by the end of the week that my vocabulary was largely limited to 4 letter words, and " love" was not one of them. On top of the excruciating ride, the trailer had maintenance issues that have not been addressed. Big surprise there!! Nothing in the way of safety, but rather the simple fact that I could not slide my tandems. If this one issue had been eliminated, I could have smoothed out my ride significantly.

On the upside, I managed to discover a few new shortcuts on some wonderfully scenic two lanes, and that always lifts my spirits.

On the downside, the list is seemingly endless.. With all the personal frustrations I am going through right now, the physical abuse I am enduring in the truck just seems to magnify the fragility of my emotional state. Hopefully, as I work through all of this, I will come out on the other side on Cloud Nine.... I miss it up there.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

There has been a lot of "excitement" going on around the workplace lately. Not exactly the type of excitement you would hope for either.

It seems that one of our Tennessee driver's had recently hurt himself on the job and was living it up on workman's compensation. For reason's unknown to myself, the insurance company decided to investigate him and took pictures of him doing things that would have negated his "unable to perform job tasks" status. Naturally, he was terminated immediately. That is what happens when you get caught abusing the system. Supposedly, he took great offense to this and proceeded to write some expository letters to state and federal DOT offices. I am sure his intentions were to hurt the company who had fired him, a payback if you will.

So for Christmas, the Georgia division of this account received an official visit from the Department of Transportation and was audited extensively. So for the past week, everyone has been on edge. I made it through the preliminary audit with flying colors. In fact, there were only 2 drivers who made it through this stage with no evidence of violations, me and AA. But that doesn't mean we did not feel the anxiety of the situation.

The week passed, the audit complete and 3 of the Georgia drivers were terminated for various reasons. I feel really bad about what happened to them. One of the drivers had put in an entire lifetime hauling aluminum, 37 years. He was fired... Whatever happened to verbal warning, written notification, suspension and then termination....

While I am very grateful that I still have my job, I am very much disgruntled about how this all played out. This all started with one driver in Tennessee abusing the system and getting caught. Yet the Georgia office was put under scrutiny and people lost their jobs. Tennessee was untouched. It is not the audit or the scrutiny that angers me. It is the fact that the fat bastard in Tennessee got caught in a lie and and in a fit of anger, decided to wreak havoc upon the lives of 10 drivers who were in no direct relation to his situation. Thats right, his accusations of company misdeeds were placed on the shoulders of 10 drivers who worked across the state line... This is a guy who faked injury and illness for the elicit purpose of abusing prescription medication. This is a guy who faked injury and illness for the sake of receiving monetary compensation. This is a guy who wanted to sit on his fat ass and do nothing while everyone else supported him... I have absolutely NO TOLERANCE for his kind.

B!tching and Complaining

Recently I have been going through some major changes and adjustments at work. Both the Boss and the Assistant, had both recently turned in their resignations. Lucky for me, the Assistant was convinced to stay, with a healthy pay raise and a snazzy new title. Lucky, I say, because she is the one person that every driver can count on at all times to know what is going on and to treat each driver equally. Corporate then decided to bring in a few more Chiefs to run the show. So now there is one fellow doing something....(I am not sure what), and another who had taken the Boss' position, while a third has been hired to seek out back hauls for every out going trailer. Yikes!!

The back haul situation is one that has been attempted in the past. It didn't last long because the Aluminum Company put an end to it when the trailers were not returned in a timely manner. This caused major delays in reloading and even shut the docks completely down a few times. So, I am anxious to see how long it will last this time. I know, most other truck drivers have to sit and wait on reloads, but that has never been the case with this dedicated account. I am concerned that the trucking company's greed will get the best of them. Aluminum should always remain the number one priority! Not to mention that I get paid peanuts for any additional work I do outside of my metal loads. Two weeks ago, my back haul took a total of 6 hours out of my work day, loading and unloading. It forced me to work 12 continuous days with very little time out of the truck, because my day off was spent playing with "additional" freight. And it only profited me and additional $37.50 to haul it. I do realize that I am at the mercy of the folks who sign my paycheck, but I am not too enthusiastic about working 6-7 days a week, for mere pennies more than I would make in 4-5 days.

Another issue that developed during the first week of seeking additional freight, was a crazy notion our new "Load Man" got lodged in his noggin. He wanted me to pick up a load in Indiana on Friday. A load that was not going to the Aluminum Company. A load that would then leave me stranded at a truck stop over the weekend, waiting to deliver on Monday. A load that would also knock me off of the following weeks dispatch for extrusions. A load that would tie up a trailer that would be needed to load the extrusions that I was not going to be around to haul. A load that would reduce the following weeks paycheck because I would be too busy sitting around a truck stop waiting for Monday to deliver outside freight and would not be able to return in time to haul my extrusion load because there would be no trailer to load it on and no driver to deliver it because I would be sitting my lazy ass at a truck stop all weekend WAITING. I asked the "Load Man" who was going to deliver this Indiana load, and pointed out all the pitfalls involved. He called me an hour later and said the load was cancelled, but I have a sneaky suspicion that someone told him that he could not follow through on those crazy notions of his.

As for the new Boss. I have not met him yet. But already he has ruffled my feathers indirectly. The first feather fluffing incident involved a small note that was placed with our load manifest his first week on the job. It simply stated that all drivers were required to fill out DAILY INSPECTIONS on our vehicles. Well, duh!! Not something to get upset over except that we do this already. If he cannot find them, maybe he should look in the Shop Foreman's trash can, where they are filed daily. Once again, the blame is laid at the feet of the driver, with no research or questions asked!! This, my friends, perturbs me to no end because of all the unnecessary complications I have faced while dealing the Shop Foreman, or Moe, as I like to refer to him...Head Stooge!!

The second issue I cannot wait to address with the New Boss, is load safety. This week, we all received pretty bright yellow stickers all over our trip packs requesting that drivers check their loads often, tighten straps and drive safely. I know, I know....it is just a sticker. But this sticker seems to indicate that the recent misfortunes with certain loads are due to driver negligence. Seriously, a sticker.....Why not teach the loaders how to place metal safely on a trailer to be hauled thousands of miles...That would be too complicated, now wouldn't it. I mean, after all, a sticker is the easy way out, except a sticker does not get my trailer loaded safely. I can tighten straps all day long, but if the metal does not have a good foundation, the load is going to collapse anyways. An experienced driver can work around these complications, but a new driver might not know what to do in a bad situation. Hey, lets give him a sticker and that will make it all better!! Lets just go ahead and blame it on the driver now and get it over with.

Third week in a row my load has collapsed!

No items were placed in the center to support the outer bundles!!

In reality, I am not complaining about the sticker, I am grumbling about the 3 punches that the Boss has already thrown at us, and I don't even have my boxing gloves on yet!

The third mussing of said feathers, came when it was brought to my attention that the temporary drivers were being dispatched first, because they had other things to do that week. Um, seriously, what have we spent years doing, building up our seniority if only to have the loads given to temporary drivers. And when asked why this happened, it was rumored that the Boss stated that in no uncertain terms that the permanent drivers would take what they were given or else they could seek other employment...WOW!! Now that definitely tends to ruffle the feathers, especially now that I have relocated back to Georgia, to eliminate my weekly commute.

I have no intention of abusing any of the new commanders, and the 2 that I have met are dealing with my personality very well. For example, when the Load Man called last week, I muttered into his ear, " Do you think it would be very rude of me to say What the heck do YOU want?" He laughed at me, because he has been told I am the company clown. I am anxious to meet the new Boss, and will do so at the conclusion of this load. Wish me luck!! I think I will leave my boxing gloves in the truck, at least for the first round.

Sour Puss

Two weeks ago, when I had the misfortune of driving 247, I arrived back at the plant in such a state of ill emotion that one of the security guards decided to cheer me up. She sent me this picture, telling me that THIS IS WHAT I LOOKED LIKE upon my return..

Knowing my CB handle, is was absolutely perfect and I laughed until I cried!!

One week back in Frankentruck, and there was the whole pine tree incident...I knew I would be back in a spare the coming week. I asked Stooge #2 which truck would that be. He updated me on the scheduled repairs for each of the spare trucks and I remarked that I never wanted to get back in 247...He claimed that as of 1/20/10 there were no repairs made to 247 and Volvo could find nothing wrong with it. My video shows different!!

Guess what....Sunday night rolls around and the keys placed in my box are for 247. I literally came unglued. The guard heard a few nasty words come out of my mouth. I even threatened to quit. Thankfully, Andy was able to calm me down I after a shed a few enraged tears.

To make matters worse, it was raining cats and dogs and I still had to load up my gear. The first thing I did was check the inspection book. The only mechanic whom I trust, had actually signed off on all the repairs I had previously requested...This brought about a sense of hope. So, I loaded my gear, dragged my trailer out of the only muddy crater in our parking lot and proceeded down the highway...

Everything seems to be in order, but there is still a hint of that horrible whistle. It comes and goes. So my sanity might prevail this week.

I am pulling a 16 stop load through Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. I expect it to be a long week, so no trying to race the clock. The customers are too far spread out.

The good news is that I managed to grab the bike out of my truck. I figure with all the hostility that I am experiencing, I should be able to get some good miles in this week. Kind of hard to make that 3500 mile goal for the year, if the bike is locked in a shop and I can only ride weekends.

He's Alive

You have no idea the relief I felt when I pulled into the yard on Sunday and saw Frankentruck sitting in his designated parking spot. The sheer joy, I felt to open the doors and see all of my creature comforts...er, um piled high on the bunk. The passionate abandon I experienced , when I pulled the hood to see his shiny new heart! (even if the motor was the wrong color).

Everything I had been through the first few weeks of the year suddenly melted away into oblivion. Albeit an ephemeral oblivion!

As I started to reacquaint myself with the interior, and load my weekly requisition of staples, I was quickly forced into battling a surge of negative emotion. Poor Frankentruck was trashed! When I left him, I made sure everything was tucked away, so it would not hinder the task at hand. But who knew certified mechanics would need to root around in the sleeper just to replace an engine. It was bad enough that when I first attained Franky, the previous driver had already done enough damage to the interior, to make sure it never really ever felt clean enough. What I mean by that is, even though I could obtain the look of cleanliness, the scarring and tearing of the paneling and cabinets would never be up to my standards. I like my truck to continue to look new for as long as I am in it. All the screw holes and ripped upholstery would prevent that from happening. But still I claimed him and mustered through as best I could.

Grease!!

The filth left behind from the mechanics had me in a blinding rage. Even the rugs I had folded and placed out of the way, were covered in grease. But I decided to try and ignore it. I did not have time to do another thorough cleansing, so I covered the muck and proceeded to test out his capabilities. I did have to wipe down the steering wheel and shifter and cover the seat in a towel, but the flooring and side panels would have to wait.

As soon as I put him in gear, I knew ! I knew that everything was going to be okay. I hit the Interstate and he churned away in a dignified fashion, making each hill seem less of challenge than it had ever been before. And I could hear myself think, for once.

Could I be dreaming? Is this real?

Frankentruck survived his surgery and has come back to life as the Monster Of The Highways, and even with all the deep cleaning he will endure in the next few days, his performance is nothing less than stellar.

For those of you not familiar with how he got his moniker, Frankentruck is named for the fasteners mounted on his shoulders, as well as the internal upholstery scarring.To me, he resembles Frankenstein's Monster!!

HE'S ALIVE!!!!

The Last Straw

My last post was written in Mt Jackson, Virginia. I had decided to wait on AA, who was only a few hours behind me. I figured as long as we were running together, I might not be so volatile in regards to the behavior of my truck. I was more than willing to wait, even though it would require a 12 hour break. If you know me at all, you should be well aware that I do not linger..The second I am able to roll, I am gone. So this should reveal how distraught I was.

We proceeded south first thing Wednesday morning. Surprisingly, even though the noise was still unbearable, the performance was up to par. I still maintain that I was having injector cup problems but they seem to have reseated themselves after the engine cooled off. Such as the first telltale signs of cups going bad. We made it 200 miles before parting ways. During this time, AA complained that his truck was not running efficiently. My spare was racing down the interstate like hell on wheels. But as soon as we parted company, the truck I was driving decided enough was enough. I immediately began to have performance problems again. I later joked with AA that his truck was having sympathy pains for me.

The next 400 miles had me dropping gears like crazy, pulling my empty wagon over the crest of tiny mounds, that normally offer no resistance even with the heaviest of loads. I could barely do the speed limit of the flat stretches.

I finally made it back to the plant and was feeling so dismal, that I just about lost it when I did the final write-up before turning the truck back into maintenance. It was after hours, so I had no one to yell at.

First I noticed that the previous driver had not been turning in any of his write-ups. How are the mechanics supposed to fix anything if they don't know it is broken?

Next, I noticed the previous driver's write-ups were marked NO DEFECTS. How can this be, if even the Stooges knew to tell me that the truck had problems.

The previous driver was The Mayor....This is the second time I have followed him into a truck. This is the second time his write-ups were not turned in to maintenance. This is the second time his write-ups were bull-shit and left me driving faulty equipment.

So I wrote up everything I could remember ( I did forget to mention the inverter did not work, but I am sure someone else will figure that out, maybe even the effing Mayor..) And before saying my farewells, I had a little fun !!

This picture was suppose to show the carelessness of previous drivers, with the broken pieces, but it you look closer, you will notice I did a little 10 wheel mudding to alleviate my rage.

On Friday, I received the news that Frankentruck is back in action, with a shiny new motor donated by Volvo. I am going to test this motor, and I am pretty sure any small glitches I stumble upon will be more readily acceptable than to continue to endure what I have already become accustomed to . Thank God this is over!!

Enclosed you will find a short clip I produced to show you just how miserable this week has been. WARNING...when you get to the portion that says OUTSIDE THE TRUCK, you may want to turn your volume down. I did not alter these noises at all. This is what I dealt with all week. The last segment of the video is so you can hear how terribly the engine was performing. ENJOY!!

With those noises and performance, the traffic issues I encountered seemed somewhat trivial...Well, except for the embarrassment factor.

PA Toll Booth I-78 (3 mile back-up)

Bruckner Expressway, Bronx, New York @ 1pm

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A Year of New Beginnings ??

As is with every year, there is a part of us that reflects where we have been and where we would like to be. A time to readjust attitudes and motivations...

I think my attitude is just fine and considering everything I have been through this week, I think you will agree. At least I hope so. Or maybe, with everything I tend to encounter, I am no longer thinking clearly and lunacy is fast approaching...But, I did find myself laughing through most of my pitfalls, because crying only makes the mascara run....

It all started about 30 minutes before I arrived at the plant on Sunday night. The Mayor called to inform me that I would not be driving Frankentruck this week, because Volvo had not even started on him (after 2 weeks). That little piece of news would have been greatly appreciated, had I known before I left the house. It is too far to return home to renegotiate my supply list for the week, so I was faced with running my route without bedding, a coat, work gloves, work boots,tools, microwave and cooler. Essentially, I would be deprived of all creature comforts and work essentials. At least they left me a cheater bar so I could unstrap my load. After the initial angst, I made a purchase of Truck Stop bedding at an exorbitant cost, but I should get reimbursed for that. What is even worse is that the Mayor called several more times, (I believe to gloat over my angst) and informed me that he knew of these circumstances for at least 5 days. I was enraged that NO ONE informed me, not the boss, not the shop, not even the Mayor until after the fact.

Monday morning, after a 2.5 hour wait to unload (this rarely ever happens) I set out through the mountains of north Georgia, when the truck suddenly loses power. Oh Great!! I knew exactly what was happening and within minutes, I noticed the telltale smoke which indicated my regeneration filter was clogged and needed cleaning. This is a simple mechanical task, and can be completed in 2 hours by the mechanics. The frustrating part is that when I had done my inspection, I noticed the truck had been written up for this problem 5 times in the past 2 months. I assumed it had been taken care of, but alas, I assumed incorrectly.

Having just dealt with this situation in Frankentruck when I was in Minnesota, I was not going to allow it to continue in another truck. Because when I say smoke...what I mean is enough exhaust fumes to kill every insect in a ten mile radius and reduce visibility to 10% for those traveling behind me. I called the Stooges and asked for another spare. I was told I would have to drive this one, and I lost it....With temper at full throttle, I blurted into the phone, " This is a piece of crap, and why have you not fixed it. It has been wrote up 5 times for this shit!!" Moe stated that he did not care what the inspection book had written in it. He had placed a temp driver in the truck for the past 3 weeks and they said nothing was wrong with it.. ??

That is when I aborted the call. Nothing else said, I just hung up on him and started laughing to myself..The inspection book indicated that the Mayor had driven the truck the previous week, so Moe's statement was bull. But in dissecting what he said.... A Temp driver said that there was nothing wrong with it....I would like to point out that the majority of all temp drivers do not even do inspections, and could care less about the state of someone else's equipment. But to take the word of a disposable temporary employee over my 12 year experienced ass, was like a slap in the face. Therefore...I simply hung up..and LAUGHED.

The fumigation process finally ended as I got back to the interstate, so I trudged along to my next customer. At this point, I should have 1800 miles before the environmentally friendly Volvo exhaust regeneration system commits genocide on all flying life forms again.

I arrived at my next customer and was forced to wait an additional hour at this facility. At the third stop, another lengthy delay. I still had over 7 hours to drive to my Ohio delivery, and I was just not in the mood for it. I only made it to the Kentucky State line before calling it a day. But the stress of the past 24 hours was kicking me in the arse, and while I noticed no visible symptoms, I struggled to get any sleep that night...and failed miserably at that.

Tuesday morning, I head into a wintry mix with minor delays in traffic due to road conditions. I finally made Columbus around lunchtime (Yeah, only minor delays..lol). I was then informed that my customer would not be taking any deliveries due to their annual inventory process. More laughing to be heard coming from me.... But as I was preparing to leave the premises, a man flagged me down and said he would go ahead and offload. This is the first instance when the work gloves would have been very handy, because there nothing worse in cold weather, than wet fingertips...I do have to use those slushy covered straps, you know!! But my work gloves are locked up tight in Atlanta...

Because of my late arrival, the next two customers will have to wait another day, so I go about my business and stop early just south of Sturgis, Michigan.

The next morning, I peek out of my sleeper around 4am and notice a fine sheen of ice glazing everything in sight, so I turn over, curl up and sleep for a few more hours. Thinking the sun might help a little, I discovered the sun does not rise until 8am in Sturgis, Michigan. I could not delay any longer and after unloading, I head towards the Indiana Toll Road and my final customer of the week.

But it couldn't be that easy, now could it. I made the turn approaching the only toll lane that was open and noticed that traffic was not proceeding through it. After a few minutes, thinking someone did not have correct change, I asked if there was a problem...Seems the truck at the booth was broke down....more giggling.....We waited for 45 minutes before someone decided to open another lane and let us proceed. By this point, I am regretting my excessive slumber because I am now aware that the Arctic Blast is making its final descent, and me with no coat. The highest temperature I had seen all week was 24 degrees, and the arctic chill had not even arrived yet.

I arrive at my final point of delivery and endure yet another extended delay, this time due to the snow covered ground. In order to get unloaded, I had to wait for the trailers inside to be loaded and pulled out of the way. I was finally heading southbound around lunchtime on Wednesday. A very long week considering I only had 6 customers on the trailer to begin with.

But this story is not over. On Thursday morning, I write up this truck after having endured another barrage of "Did you blow your Turbo, driver?" on the trip home. I walked in and handed the slip to the closest Stooge, and without a word, I slipped out of doors and headed for the front office. While finishing up paperwork, Moe calls in and says I should be aware that I would still not be in Frankentruck for another week. I politely asked the assistant Boss to remind Moe to repair the regen on the spare truck.

I make it home with only minor deterrents (that will be another post in itself) only to receive a phone call from the Stooges. I was informed that I would be driving an alternate spare because they had purchased the wrong parts for the one I had been driving. I call bullshit. I think they just did not feel like doing the repair, so they gave me another temporary fix. BUT....the call (which was actually a voice message) also informed me that the new alternate spare had problems that they were very aware of and I should not write them up, but that I should be able to make it to New England and back....So basically, I am driving a broken truck to replace the broken truck I drove last week, while my Frankentruck remains broken. Ahhhh, you just gotta love it.

Three trucks in the first 3 weeks of 2010....That makes 37 !! 37 times that I have jumped ship since the new fleet arrived only 28 months ago. Nope, doesnt look like anything is changing this year...LOL

To Err is Human...The Finale !!

The phone call was from my Office. They needed to inquire about a few particulars concerning my load.

Hmmmmm??

Yes, Winona was on the way, saving at least 100 miles. Yes Winona was actually loaded next and not underneath the Minneapolis. No, no one reloaded any of my freight, except the pallets back in Tennessee. Yes, they agreed to wait on me.

It seems the Aluminum Company got a nasty little email from Minneapolis concerning my delivery. Of course, I feel that their complaints were legitimate, and I did do everything I could to help out with the situation. I run into this problem all of the time in New England, but because I know the customer's needs, I am able to accommodate them before arriving with an undeliverable load. I did not know this customer, so I did not know I needed to make alternate arrangements with the freight.

What ensued over the next few hours was a battle of laying blame. The load planner claimed it was my fault for changing routes mid-stream and That I was obviously having my freight moved around . She knows I do this in New England, but there was no need for it on this trip. It just wasn't loaded properly. My boss waged war for me, and in the end it was revealed that I was not to blame at all. Really?

Don't you just love the fact that almost everyone seems to throw the driver under the bus, when a mistake occurs. Luckily, I have a wonderful boss who will fight tooth and nail for his team of drivers.

The best part of this little battle...The original email from Minneapolis included a paragraph about me. It stated that I was doing my best to help them out. That I had physically helped them unload over 4000k of metal. That I was a great asset to my company. The final sentence advised my company to extend gratitude to me, the Driver....You know, the one the load planner was trying to blame.. LOL

I made it home early on Friday and was scheduled to be off for the next 2 weeks. But, I just had to volunteer to work the week of Christmas....Seems, I am a glutton for punishment.

Good news, however! When I finish my run this week, I am to send my truck to Volvo to have the new engine installed....YAY This could not come at a better time, because even though my problems were temporarily at bay with the regen situation in Wisconsin. They almost immediately returned when I got empty in Missouri. Only 1200 more miles and Frankentruck goes under the knife.. Let's hope he lives through it.

The Results Are In

I really never seem to be able to muster any enthusiasm when it is time to head back into work. But then, who does? However, this week, I was a bit anxious to find out whether any of the repairs had been made to Frankentruck. We normally have a 2 day wait period on ordered parts, and as far as I know, the Stooges had not properly diagnosed any problems to necessitate the need for placing that order. I did call in the previous Monday and issued a demand for certain items. I just figured they would have to assess the situation for themselves before following through. I did entertain the thought that something might possibly be done, because when I rolled in at the end of the week, I was able to place my repair request with the only mechanic who seems to be able to get things done correctly.

As I drove into the yard, late Saturday evening, my first reaction was a feeling of dismay. I am very over the idea of continuing to drive malfunctioning equipment, but it appeared as if my truck had not even been moved.

I grabbed my flashlight, and upon further inspection, my fears slowly subsided. First , I noticed the telltale signs that someone had been at least lingering about the frame of my truck. Then I spotted the new leveling valve. Ohhhhh, if only.... You see, this is the 4th valve installed on this particular vehicle. Maggie had at least another 4 placed on her. Why is it that NO ONE else has these problems?? I think perhaps the rough terrain of New York and New Jersey may play a role, that and the fact that I do not keep up with other driver's repairs. LOL

With mounting excitement, I quickly made a tour of the outside of the truck and noticed the shiny glint of new wheel hubs on my steer tires. This is not something I had previously written up, so I was shocked to see this repaired so efficiently . I had lost the rubber plug on one wheel the previous week, which almost seems suspicious. And the other one was apparently beginning to show signs of leakage. This is one of the requests I had made via phone call...

Next, I pulled back the hood and was even more pleasantly surprised to note that the air boot had been replaced.

I also noticed that the missing bolt was , well, still missing. After finishing my inspection, loading up my gear and warming up the engine, I decided to take him for a quick spin. Yep, my deductions had proved to be correct. The horrible air sucking screech was no longer present. Glad I made the judgement call and phoned in my repairs, otherwise they would have just replaced the bolt and I would be wearing ear plugs to work.

With renewed enthusiasm, I decided to test my suspension. It was a simple test actually. Simply hooking to the trailer. You see, for the past 3 months, whenever I pulled under the trailer, my bags would not inflate and I would have to work overtime trying to raise the dolly legs. So I pulled into place, watched my gauges for a moments and noticed there was virtually no change. I climbed out, hooked up the lines and raised the landing gear...still no change...

At this point, even with all the repairs having been made, I was completely deflated, as were my rear air bags. Anxiety set in. Should I call the Stooges and wait for a spare truck? This would take hours...My first stop was 16 hours away, and I did not have hours. But, I cant pull a load with deflated bags, and knowingly cause immense damage.Anxious and angered, I decided to make a few laps around the yard just to see if I could wiggle a response out of it.

It felt okay when moving. My gauge showed inflation. I stopped to check out the progress and my bags were responding appropriately. HUH? That is when I remember something minutely important to this scenario. Our trailer drop line has a few points that are significantly raised. Humps, if you will. I was parked with the rears perched atop one of the humps... Yeah, no wonder it was not responding. In order for a raised frame to appear to be level, the bags have to exhaust air. Okay, I feel like an idiot. But in my defense, it was 9pm and very dark out.

Anyways, in an extremely long nutshell, all my hopes and prayers had been miraculously answered. All repairs were made. As is with consistency, I also was aware that some new malfunction would occur within a short amount of time, and I should embrace the positiveness of my current situation, as it would not last long.

Lo and behold, my next dilemma appeared before I ever even made it out onto the asphalt. The faux toggle switches began to fall out of my dashboard. Well, two of them. I am thinking, if I do not actually tell anyone, then this could be my last malfunction. I gathered up the parts, which do not control anything, and tucked them away in a cubbyhole. Keeping my fingers crossed that this assures me some much needed relief from actually needing legitimate repairs. Besides, as long as I do not stare at it, I will not even notice the abysmal holes leading into a snakelike labyrinth of wiring....Right? Oh well, at this point I will settle for a good ride, rather than a good looking ride.

A Bad Impression

I have decided that I cannot let you think that I am always this wonderful person, full of sunshine. So, I have decided that I should probably share one of my Not So Shining Moments, and because it happened this week, and that makes it very convenient.

One of my particular pet peeves, is that I absolutely cannot stand to listen to someone whine. While I am very aware that we all have our moments, myself included, it just absolutely infuriates me to listen to someone complain, just for the sake of complaining. Sure, if you have an issue and need a shoulder for a moment, I am there. If you are struggling with situations in your life that you cannot change fast enough, I will listen. But to mutter nonstop about how EVERYTHING in life is horrible and unjust, I would just as soon shoot you as to listen to another word.

Tuesday evening, as I was leaving New Hampshire, I ended up cruising along behind one such fellow. Everything he commented on was derogatory. His truck, his trailer, his load, his paycheck, his boss, the traffic, roads, cities, food, truckstops...Grrr. He had an opinion on everything, and they were all negative.

After the first few minutes, I simply turned off the CB so as not to have to endure his rant. But due to traffic delay, I turned it back on and he was still just a fussing. At one point he told how he needed new wiper blades. He works for a small mom and pop company, and his boss did not have time to get any for him. So the boss handed him $20 and a handful of tools and told him to replace it himself the next time he got to a truckstop. The fellow then came unglued and supposedly told his boss that he was a DRIVER, not a MECHANIC and under no circumstance whatsoever, would he ever be making any repairs to his equipment (This is one of the things that is wrong with the new breed of driver, in my opinion) and he still has bad blades. He then commenced to griping about having to use his driver reward points to purchase showers, and cleaning supplies and foodstuff. He thought his boss should provide everything for him. EVERYTHING, because it is too expensive to live on the road.

Well after about 50 minutes of picking up his conversation periodically, I just about had my fill. Another driver had now joined in and was encouraging his negative speak. Just as I was about to turn the radio off again, he finally pushed my button. The next thing I heard over the airwaves was " I do not think I am cut out to drive for this company... "

The rest of what he said was silenced in my mind as my hand reached for the microphone.

Normally, I do not interject my opinions onto other people. I will simply tune them out, if I disagree. I never butt into a conversation that does not apply to me, but when I have had enough, I cannot be held accountable :)

In an instant, the mic was in my hand, and after he finished his next statement, I quickly spoke up.

" I would have to agree with you driver, I do not think that you are cut out to be a truckdriver period. After listening to you complain for almost an hour, you make me want to open the door and fling myself out on the asphalt. I have heard you complain about everything under the sun. Life is not that hard out here. You can buy a cooler and fill it with food, you can purchase fuel and claim your free shower. If your boss is so terrible, you could search for another job. It takes all of two minutes to attach new wiper blades, be thankful he handed you the tools and money If you really want my opinion, I think you should use your driver reward points to purchase a bigger pacifier, because honestly, you need to find some contentment, or get out of the industry."

He never said another word, at least until I was out of range.

A Picture IS Worth A Thousand Words...

And when it comes to getting repairs made on my little truck, well, I have wasted thousands upon thousands of words...

In the past, I have tried several different methods in order to get work done. There was the eyelash batting method (only works at other shops). There was also the direct approach, the indirect approach and finally, my latest method, the IN YOUR FACE approach.

The Direct Method. Simply put, I would tell the Stooges exactly what the problem was, and which parts needed to be repaired or replaced. How much more simple could it be, but yet, this method failed.

Thinking it was a matter of masculine pride, I then altered my approach to be indirect. By playing the role of the uninformed female, I decided to let the Stooges figure it out for themselves. My requests would be simple. "There is a funny noise" or "My truck is broken". Surprisingly, the big tuff guy mechanics still did not get it.

My newest method will be fool proof. I think.

A few weeks ago (no surprise there) I requested an exhaust leak repair. It is still not repaired...(no surprise there, either) The head stooge did inform me that he thinks it might be missing bolts on the intake of the motor, as our little Volvos are constantly losing these. He Thinks.... Okay, so why not look and see.

Well, I did look. In fact, I have looked several times to make sure the damage is not getting worse. So far, so good. And even though I would like to have the missing bolt replaced, me thinks that if THIS

is replaced, then maybe my screeching exhaust leak might disappear too. Hmmmm, maybe??

I figure if I actually leave a picture with the request repair, they might just get a clue.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass

I have not done one of these posts in a while, but the Stooges are at it again.

This current scenario started 3-4 weeks ago. I noticed my suspension was started to ride rough (again). This is also about the same time that I noticed my air bags would not inflate when picking up a loaded trailer. Normally the suspension adjusts to the weight placed on it, and after a few short minutes the bags should air up to accommodate for the added weight. Mine do not. I have to climb back into the cab and race the motor for at least five minutes to get the bags to fill, and even then, they do not do the job. ALSO, if I ever use the dump valve (which evacuates the air bags) it continues to exhaust the air until the bags are EMPTY, only then trying to re inflate. This can take up to 15 minutes. Of course, if you are driving down the road and the suspension readjusts for every bump, you do not have 15 minutes for the air to find its appropriate pressure.

If I check the ride height (which one cannot do while driving) I also have noticed that the suspension always looks to be riding low. This my friends, leads to some very hard riding, reminiscent of the old spring ride tractors of yesteryear. I might mention that a malfunctioning suspension also leads to unnecessary and rapid deterioration of key components, including the entire drive line.

But wait, there is more... During all of this, I have developed a very loud groaning noise, that at first only sounded off during the evacuation of the air suspension. Now, it continues to groan whenever it pleases and can be heard at 68 mph on a bumpy road.

Also, this situation means that EVERY trailer is now set too high for me to grab without having to crank down on the landing gear. I did almost run into a nose of a trailer because the king pin slide over the top of the fifth wheel. Caught it in time, because I visually noticed the trailer getting a little too close to the back of the sleeper.

With all that being said (whew!!) I will also mention that all of this was explained to the Stooges three weeks ago. It has been written up for repairs each consecutive week. Last week, when I got back to the shop, I asked if the parts were in for repair (as we stock nothing). I was greeted with a deer in the headlights expression as I was told no parts were ordered. HUH?? It was then explained to me that each week, as the request was rendered for repair, one of the stooges would climb into my tractor, turn the key and note the air pressure in the supply tank. Confirming that the truck was holding at least 100 pounds of air in the tank, it was assessed that no repair was necessary.

I am at a complete loss, but then again, no.

I never once said I was having a problem maintaining suitable air pressure. My requests stressed the dump valve, leveling valve, ride height, groaning noises, and horrible spring-like ride.

Sheesh!! Well, at least I am now comfortable in my seat. Because, you see, from this point on, whenever I take the NYC route, I will be pulling a 45' spring ride trailer. This combined with my spring ride tractor will make for an even more disgruntled Little Trucker. YAY!!

The 45' trailer is a demand placed by the New Hampshire customer, as weather is turning cold and a 53' will not allow them to close the dock bay doors while unloading. All of our 45's are old spring rides!

Jumping the Gun

Perhaps, just maybe, I might be posting this a little too early. BUT...

After experiencing pain and discomfort for the past 10 MONTHS, I am very happy to report that I have had ONE FULL WEEK of entirely no pain whatsoever. Well, maybe one little twinge, but I readjusted to eliminate that one immediately.

You have no idea what this means. Seriously..I have been living in extreme discomfort while at work, only to slowly begin to recuperate while at home. At the point that my legs, knees, joints and hips were finally easing up, I would return to work with the pain flaring up literally within 30 minutes of driving. No way to live.

I think this definitely accounts for alot of my foul mood this past year.

It all started with changing trucks. The seat .... The seat caused excruciating discomfort, numbness and swelling in my legs. I had it replaced with the seat out of the old truck, but this only offered a temporary solution. I bought a deep tissue massager. I purchased 3 new pairs of running shoes. I have had personal massages. I decreased mileage in my exercising. Nothing seemed to offer any real relief. In fact, it had gotten so bad, that when I was off of my feet, the only comfortable position I could relax in was laying on my belly. But even then, the nerves and joints remained irritated.

I was actually beginning to think I would have to give up running completely. I was going to schedule appointments with doctors. Orthaepedic, nerve, circulation, whoever needed to be seen to get this diagnosed. The pain was too much and I was forced to live with it...

ARGHHHHHH!!

So, now it seems to have disappeared. Just like that!! I went through 2800 miles of driving with only one tiny remnant of pain flaring up this past week.

The remedy...

I know it seems ridiculous, but I think all of my physical problems may have just been solved, And as further evidence, I dropped 5 minutes off of my 4-mile run this morning!!

I bought a $10.00 cushion and placed it in my driver's seat. It works like a charm, so far!! No pain anywhere