It's fun at first...kind of like camping. But soon that truck turns into a Peterbilt prison and then the "lifestyle" gets old FAST.

Wouldn't you rather have a girlfriend and enjoy a steady lay versus pocket-pool in the sleeper? How about going home and enjoying a few cold ones...uh huh, no alcohol allowed in a CMV. No firearms either.

No guns, no booze, and no women...why the hell would you want to do OTR?

 

OTR can be enjoyable. I have enjoyed it for many years. I have a number of friends who have been doing this for several decades. We all enjoy it or we would find something else to do. It is all about attitude. If you go into this with a poor attitude then you will probably not last. While it can be enjoyable, it can also be demanding. For me it is relaxing to get out on the open road. There are aggravations, such as heavy traffic in Chicago or other larger metropolitan areas. As you can gather from a few malcontents on this forum, there are some who either didn't enjoy otr or could not cut it. You will need to learn how to read and follow a map and budget your time. This is a business. You need to treat it as such. You need to enjoy spending time with yourself. I enjoy spending time by myself but not everyone does. If you don't like being by yourself for extended periods of time, then I would look for another profession. You can have a good time on the road, but you can't spend all your time playing video games.

 

Man there isn't anything else like it in the world.

True, the irregular work that interrupts any regular sleep pattern and the 80hr work week can leave you just a bit tired. But trying to get some sleep just 30 miles from a city I've always wanted to visit can be exciting. I get to see many people that live there get angry at me because I'm "slow" and I take "forever". But thats OK because now I can say I've been THRU there.

Sarcasm aside. It does start out almost like an adventure but quickly turns into a j.o.b. A very time consuming job with little appreciation. And a lot of boredom. That said. I really do try to make the most of it. Because as much of a bs slogan as it is- It really is what you make it. That is the choice you have because it soon becomes very obvious that there isn't any "freedom of the road". Most drivers are too tired, dirty, lonely, and short of health to have any fun.

 

Complaining and ranting is what I do when I'm not driving. You can find plenty of evidence of it elsewhere on this site.

Right now, I'm on the first of a three day run from Albuquerque, NM to Oroville (look it up), WA, and I couldn't be happier. Albuquerque offers plenty of casinos in which to squander my retirement, all with convenient truck parking.

I 40 between ABQ and Gallup is breathtaking, US 491 between Gallup and Shipwreck (rock) is interesting with distant views until you get up to the awesome rocks that seem completely out of place with the desert, like they were just dropped there. Shiprock to Cortez (was bypassed, today!) to Dove Creek, where I had a flat last time through but met some very nice people (except for the guys who charged my employer $700 for the new tire, alone!) and Monticello . . it's just a different world. The bluest skies and the cleanest, driest air you'll ever breath. The towns are vibrant but with just enough delapidation that you can park a truck pretty much anywhere.

You descend out of Monticello into a somewhat barren landscape. It's a narrow two lane road that pretty much takes all your attention. There isn't too much to distract you . . until . . Your life changes forever.

The landscape erupts with textures and forms known only to a fortunate few. No picture can do it justice. The color of the world changes to the most incredible shades of red and suddenly it's hard to imagine you're still on Earth and even harder to reckon how you lived so long without seeing this.

Your first temptation is to stop smack in your tracks. It is that unbelievable. Fortunately, there are plenty of safer places to stop and I think I've stopped in all of them at one time or another.

Next comes Moab. It's a fully developed tourist town that retains loads of Western charm and character(s). You can park your truck on the main drag but not in the immediate downtown area. Overnight parking is available on the outskirts of town. The food and hospitality are excellent but not cheap. You can rent a bike to get yourself around and the recreational opportunities are endless.

There are two National Parks on the way out of town, including the not to be missed (fallen) Arches, as you cross the Colorado River and climb out for the next leg of the journey. The geographical break which occurs as you leave Moab and the reds begin to fade, to Crescent Junction is pretty tame by comparison but it gives you a chance to reflect on just how diverse and incredibly beautiful so many parts of this Great Country are and that there really isn't anything quite like truckin'.

Fun at truck stops? What planet are you from?

 

that was a great post. The four months I've been with my employer I've only been west once and it was I40 NM and NV. I could see it as I read your post. thxs

 

Yes...

NM is magic

no doubt about it

 

Some of you guys that like NM so much - want to house swap? :lol:

There are some cool things to see, but like everything else you see constantly, it becomes stale.

 

Yeah........what was the name of that movie????? :lol:

 

Some people can handle "change" better than others. It was very difficult for me to adapt to constantly changing sleep schedules, different showers, toilets and basically 4-5 of the same places to eat year round.

I started driving a semi at the end 2006 at the ripe age of thirty something. I was OTR for 15 months it was definitely interesting for the first 6 months.

So many things we take for granted like taking a shower in our own house, being able to sleep in our own bed and cook and eat whenever you are ready. I quikly realized this during my first 3 months OTR.

I guess after spending thirty something years living one kind of way it was difficult for me to adapt to the constantly changing variables thrown at you as an OTR driver. I found a local home daily job after digging franticaly.

 

I have experienced some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in my travels across this great nation. Some have been absolutely incredible. Some of the colors in the West are spectacular. If rates were better I would still be running West. On the other hand, there are beautiful sights about everywhere I have traveled. Each state is a bit different. Earlier this year I was in Oregon. I traveled across a mountain that had about 17' of snow packed alongside the road. Going off the mountain toward Portland the view was beautiful. There are beautiful views in North Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and many other states. Maine is a beautiful state. Corpus Christi, TX is a beautiful area. Some of the most beautiful areas have the cheapest freight rates. What a pity. :cry: