September 11, 2015
Our Very OWN Truck!
After many months of researching, planning, and 100%+ effort put forth in execution, Hooper and Whistle are official! We have been issued our very own truck and assigned our very first load! It has been an interesting journey so far and we are looking forward to the adventures that await us! It is so good to be back together again.
Whistle must be easier to live with, he had the same trainer through the whole progression, which is pretty typical. I went through three, to include Whistle having to loan me his trainer. I started out with one, which lasted for only 2 weeks. We went all over the southeastern part of the US and when we got back to Richmond, I was tested on and passed stage one. It must have been such an overwhelming 2 weeks because my trainer took an extended vacation and I was assigned to a new one. Hmmmm 😉 (ok, he had a pre-planned cruise…so he says)
Next trainer, longer trip….to southern California and back up through Nevada, Utah and the mountains of Colorado!! Love those mountains….and was even told they were executed perfectly!! So much pride and confidence restored…I tried telling them I knew the mountains and wasn’t skeered! A couple people just thought I was a ditz and that I didn’t realize what the mountains were like! HA! This girl doesn’t need guard rails! Now the Labor Day weekend was upon us. Our trainers were both taking time off which meant we were taking time off as well. They were so kind as to do their best to arrange their days off to match as close as possible so we could spend time together. It worked so well we were able to go see Mason for the weekend!
Upon returning Whistle was able to get a load assignment to the north east. I was still in the ‘days off’ time. Well Whistle made it to and was on the way back when I was notified I was out another trainer. With plotting and scheming and all parties in agreement Whistle’s trainer was able to take me on a run to the northeast. (ok, so this time there were unforeseen circumstances that left me trainer-less) With both of us completing the northeast runs successfully they issued us our own truck!! Our new home is a 2015 Volvo 780 with a condo sleeper. It was very well taken care of inside and out so to us it feels brand new! For those of you that really know Grant this should come as no surprise…the first thing we did was give it a good bath and polish the wheels so they were sparkly! We would like to thank our trainers, Jeremy Baker, Shirley Duke, and Joe Bauer! We appreciate the passion, effort and time you each have given us. Lessons taught, lessons learned, and stories created will stick with us forever.
Our first load assignment is to Riverside, California. They are allowing us to deviate from the normal route to stop in Salida to grab some of our things, but not enough time for visiting (that will happen in the future) We have equipped our new home with a GPS designed for trucks but also 2016 Rand McNally Motor Carriers Road Atlas, cuz we are old school like that! We also have a Dale Earnhardt edition Cobra 29 CB radio proudly displayed on the dash. All of which is necessary equipment to be a trucker!
We would like to thank Abilene for the opportunity and great training program, as well as all the wonderful people we have met, the excellent advice we have been given and the offers of help any time we need! We are excited and feel very blessed to be a part of the Abilene family.