Originally Posted by bigtimba

Fun at truck stops? What planet are you from?

Originally Posted by str.whl.hldr

H-E-L-L-O....the IOWA 80 Truckstop....I have a blast getting lost in the row after after row of chrome, lights, steering wheels, bumpers, etc....

I get a little tingle when I'm pulling in to the parking lot deep in my stomach knowing I'm going to be soon lost in "trucker heaven"

Originally Posted by BlooMoose

Yes, I'm living in Lubbock. Hobbs is much nicer than it used to be. When I left there for college, it was a dead town. They built a casino and horse track there and that helped a bit. Then there is the Uranium Enrichment Facility outside of Eunice and that brought in quite a few white collar jobs. Now the oilfield is picking back up but I can't get on as a driver (not enough exp) or as a geologist (no exp - they told me I was too "old" - the new kids out of college already know the new computer programs and I would have to be trained on them). I have been drilling in the environmental sector off and on since 1993. I like being out (out doors or on the road) much better than being sitting at a desk anyway.

Originally Posted by bigtimba

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?

Originally Posted by bigtimba

I've heard it said that "the truth will set you free".

truthabouttrucking will set you back $37.00.