What can i do in Denver
 

Well I'm an LCT driver which means I have too much time on my hands. 6 days for an 1800 mile (not to mention 2 days waiting on the load), so I took my time and did it in 3. Now I have a couple of days.

Not sure what to do. Any suggestions? Enterprise is coming shortly to bring me a car. I like the historic stuff and some of these train rides through the mountains seem nice but they are mostly closed.

By the way, I think this has been the worst place to find parking. Right up there with Dallas. Thankfully last time I was here I took the wrong street by accident and found me a nice quite deadend. So I parked there last night and found a spot this morning.

Hang out at Sapp Bros T/S
Beautiful spot :P

That's what I always did... Free internet and they have a subway... I took a LONG bike ride from there and explored all over the place. Just go driving. I wish I was old enough to rent a car!

Well, it's probably too late to offer advice, and it seems Denver was just hit with snow again, but....

You can get to Vail for LUNCH!

You can drive downtown and see the MALL.

You can go to a game at Coors Field (if they're playing this early)

You can go to the Museum of Natural HIstory. (great place.)

You can drive 285 south through the mountains to Cripple Creek! You know.... as in the SONG!

You can go fishing.

You can go to a bar on the Southeast side, with an outdoor patio, and have lunch while gazing at the mountains!

Because of the snow, you probably CAN'T drive up the HIGHEST AUTOROAD in America! Or over the HIGHEST CONTINUOUS road in America! Or visit Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes, CO.

You can go skiing!

You can probably put the TOP down, and cruise Cherry Park and pick up beautiful women!

Or.... you can change jobs with me.... and I'LL do all those things! :shock:

I was joking-One of the dumpiest truck stops anywhere :wink:

I wasn't. I like that place.

I wish I was old enough to rent a car!

HUH??

Do you have to be 25 ? Never rented a car so I'm not sure. :?

Denver has an awsome bike trail through the center of it, that runs north and south. It is on either side of a little river. I know it's on the west side of I25. I would walk that all the time when I delivered by the stadium. Wish I could have fit a bike in my truck*sobs*

I thought it was 24, maybe it is 25. Just call up a relative that is old enough and have them rent it for you.

That "little river" is probably the South Platte, the only MAJOR navigable waterway by which Denver was discovered and settled.

Or you MIGHT be referring to Cherry Creek, which feeds it, and came from the original StageCoach stop southeast of Denver.

Well day 1 done. I liked your suggestions golfhobo, but I didn't see them til later in the day. I ended up going to the Gardens of the Gods park in Colorado Springs. Really was amazing. I took a lot of pictures but I don't have a server to upload them from so I can't post them here.

I was going to drive back to Denver tonight and then tour the State Capitol tomorrow along with possibly do the Coors tour. But the wierdest thing happened. I have no problem living out of that truck. Sleep like a rock there; very comfortable. But for some reason the thought of going back to the truck stop tonight was turning my stomach so I got a room. I think tomorrow I will head down to Cripple Creek and tour the mines. I'm hoping after I deliver on Wednesday that they have nothing for me cause I really want to do the Cog train up to Pikes Peak.

Of course eventually I'll have to stop vacationing and get with a real company. I called Melton and the pay is much better and I think I'll like flatbed, but she said they only average 2500 miles a week. In another month I can give Crete a call. But for now, I'll just enjoy this. The weather was beautiful today; I hope it's nice as well tomorrow.

Just want to add a PS, yes I'm enjoying myself but I did complain like hell to LCT. I don't know if you have seen their new trailers that say Call LCT TOP PAY and MILES. I asked why am I driving that around when it's low pay and low miles. But I'm not going to change that place so in a month I'll move on, not going to sit there and drive myself crazy over it. Fortunately I have saved my money so like I said I'll just enjoy myself but I would like to be making money too.

Re: What can i do in Denver
 

Why do you guys put up with that nonsense? If I saw such a pre-plan come across my Qualcomm, the first thing I would've done was to call the consignee and see if I could deliver early. If not, the next step would be to call my dispatcher and ask if he's go anything else besides that garbage. If he said "No", then I'd ask him where he wanted his truck turned in.

Like Aaron Tippen said, "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything." Don't listen to all these hobby truckers. You're out there for one reason and one reason alone and that's to make $$$$$. And you just can't do that sitting around for free spending it.

Re: What can i do in Denver
 

Believe me I know that. Really I'm surprised at you ColdFrosty, because what I could have done is went there and went on standby (I couldn't get them by phone) now if I did that I'd be sitting there for free. On top of that I was going to hit the dispatcher up and get me an earlier appmt, but I figured that if I did that then I'd be on standby for the next load and as I'm not paid for being on standby I'm not doing it. So I know when I have my appointment and other than that my time is free and their truck is idling at the truck stop. If I'm not making money, neither are they.

On top of that I have learned with this company that even if I hurry up it won't matter. I've reset my hours 3 times in the last 8 days. I'm just with a starter company and will be leaving shortly. Lambast me if you want if I'm still here 6 months from now.

Honestly I did see so much time on this load at first but I figured I could just get it bumped up but for the above stated reasons I decided not to.

Anyway I had a great day, saw some beautiful things and it didn't cost me a dime to get here. Last week I spent the day with a childhood friend up in New England and it didn't cost me a dime to get there either. Other than that, just biding my time until I move on.

By the way, not everything in life is about money either. I'm am not out here for that one stated reason as you say. If it was only about money I would have stayed local. I live in South Florida where all is about money. Keeping up with the Jones etc, but as I stood before Pikes Peak today I had such a sense of awe that really no money can bring.

You have to be at least 24-25 at most places I'm pretty sure. When I was otr I was 21

Move to the pilot then you could walk over to the Purina dog food factory for a tour. May not be too much to see but it sure smells nice. :)

That place is really cramped and tight back in there. All the loads I've taken out of there were overweight (not illegal) so I had to run the back roads instead of the interstate... It sucked.

Merrick4 said:

That's what I'M talkin' about!!!

GOD'S COUNTRY!!!!

Good for YOU, Merrick! There IS more to this job than just the pay!!

Can't believe I forgot to mention the Garden of the Gods!! Got some great pix of that, myself! And have you seen the pictures of that old mill with the staircase down to the stream?? I think it's called Marble Mill, but I can't find it on the map. Anyway.... been there and took that same picture myself... before I ever saw it in the stores.

Obviously, no one could survive on the schedule you've got this week.... but when you get the chance, people..... get out of the truck and LIVE!!

Hobo

Its nice to see that a certain someone still likes to remind us all on almost every single thread that we are all wasting our time while he has moved on to bigger better and far superior jobs than we have. Does it ever get old posting the same general thing everytime?Just curious, not pointing at any particular person or calling any names.... :roll:

Coldfrostymug is absolutley right. Having 6 days to an 1800-mile run is ridiculous unless it paid a high rate to an O/O. For a company truck that gets paid by the mile me thinks someone in the office isn't doing their job right. Trucking is a JOB,not a hobby. An idling truck burns and wastes fuel that could have been used to stay on the road to turn a profit,even if it is a slim one. :lol:

Truck management isn't Merricks problem..it is the problem of his managers. As for leaving the truck running unattended..that is not good.

Uh,that's what I meant. That is why I said someone in the OFFICE isn't doing their job right.

Ok day 2 done. Another great day. Went to tour the mines in Cripple Creek and then went to Seven Falls. Amazing how those poor bastards worked in the mine. They crammed 5 adults and two children in the elevator to go down to the shaft, thought I was going to have a panic attack I heard the tour guide, an acutal miner say that those were the only jobs in town. Well then move to another town! :) Nice guy though. No Golfhobo I didn't see the old mill but there was so much to see. I had never even heard of Colorado Springs but I would without a doubt come back there on vacation.

I would like to comment on a couple of things that have been posted here. I don't know why the word hobby has been interjected here. I think the word hobby is being confused with perks of the job. My JOB was to drive from Florida to Denver. This I did without stopping or fooling around. One of the PERKS was my JOB took me to a place that I otherwise wouldn't have had a chance to see. This is no different than a traveling salesman who frequently finds himself in different cities. As a matter of fact I know one guy right now whose job is to go to different cell phone kiosks around the country in the airports to check on things. Actually I'm not sure what he does there but I know he has been seeing the sights on his free time.

Anyway today I called the head of operations and of course at first I'm just another whining driver, but when I explained everything, well only a fool would allow a company to be run like this. So he's switching my dispatcher and said he was going to talk to the Florida planner. He couldn't understand why someone would dispatch a load like this. I won't be here too much longer anyway.

Don't mind CFM. That is what he does. Check his previous posts. Hopping into any thread with posts of the slightest hint of frustration from disgruntled OTR driver and pouncing like a tiger.

LTL RULES! OTR SUCKS! QUIT WASTING YOUR TIME! COME DRIVE LTL! YOU MAKE NO MONEY RUNNING OTR! blah blah blah

Over and over. Of course he has a point. OTR drivers do work for free some of the time. But he fails to acknowledge that not everyone can drive LTL (only so many jobs, right?) and not everyone wants to drive city traffic or make multiple stops everyday or haul doubles/triples in a line haul situation.

The bottom line is if you're happy, you're happy.

I know about him, it's just that someone else mentioned it too. I actually have no problem with ColdFrosty talking about OTR they way he does since a lot of it is true. What aggravates me about him is he has a job that pays $22 an hour and he gets to wear a uniform (you couldn't pay me enough to wear a uniform) and he talks about it like he's Hugh Hefner; like he's made it in life. Let him go over to the FatWallet finiance forum talking about his $22 an hour with a uniform job and he would be laughed off in about 3 minutes. Don't get me wrong $22 is a decent paying job, but let's be realistic here. That's all he talks about. At the end of my life I'd like to say I did more than just earn $22 an hour and got to wear a uniform. This week I made nothing but I will remember what I saw in the last couple of days for a lifetime.

Re: What can i do in Denver
 

Don’t listen to CFM, everything that he types is pure shi$. Nothing in his life is better than yours, he just wishes it was. He talks a big game, but that’s all it is in the end, it makes him feel better, while he is sitting in the welfare line. Remember its all just words when its typed on the Internet, and no one knows if all the bragging he spouts off with is true. I for one think he has his head up his as$. It’s just a ploy to get people feeling as bad as he is......... He just doesn’t know how to make the OTR system work for him, plain and simple..........
By the way CFM, don’t bother responding to this, you’re a sorry case for a human being!!!! And frankly most here are tired of your pompas as# of coarse this is my opinion, and I’m sticking to it!!!!!!

Ya, you are pointing fingrs, He is a as% hole, dont worry about him, makes him feel better, but he is still left wanting at the end of the day!!!!....lol

You are right DD...my bad...I was hungry and tired when I posted..and did not see the "someone in the Office" part of the post!


My humblest apology. :oops: :oops: :wink:

Merrick...glad you have enjoyed Denver....now you need to make it to Vail and Aspen! Both are great...year around.

:idea:




WAIT! You missed Gunnison..Southfork.....Pagosa Springs....Telluride..Ouray....Silverton...Durango ...... DUDE Your just gonna have to do some more sight seeing :!: :!: :!:

Drive from Durango to Ouray in a truck...and you know you have been on a Mountain!!!

But, stay OFF of "Wolf Creek Pass" until you can sing the song while downshifting through smoking brakes! :lol:

THAT has to be one of the most beautiful awe inspiring stretches of road around...tho I wouldn't probably be saying that with 80K lbs taggin along behind. I spent a long weekend two falls ago in Siverton and drove/hiked that area. Too bad the narrow guage Durango-Silverton RR was closed for the season.....

If you get a chance, make it down that way this time or another.

I last went throught wolfcreek pass about 2 years ago when they had all that construction up there and where drilling through the side of a mountain.It was the most beutiful run ever. Thank god I was empty, or I'd probaly still be trying to get up that pass. That tunnel borrer or whatever the hell it's called is one of the most evil looking pieces of machinery I've ever seen.

I'd like to vacation for a few weeks and just ride a motorcycle all over that area. Simply fantastic!

If you are in denver long enough you can learn to speak Spanish by immersion ... :cry:

And if in PA long enough, you can learn Dutch and Polish! In S.F. you can learn Chinese and Japanese!

In fact, it is ALMOST as easy for an American to learn a foreign language SOMEWHERE in this country, as it is for foreigners to learn English! But, for SOME reason, it is the foreigners who speak multiple languages at a rate somewhere near 90%, while a mere 20% or so of Americans can speak a single foreign language! Many can't even speak ENGLISH!! :roll:

I don't FAIL to see your point. I just fail to see the humor in it. The racism, however, in inescapable. :roll:

GolfHobo Wrote:
I don't FAIL to see your point. I just fail to see the humor in it. The racism, however, in inescapable.

Very Well said I agree.
As a Native raised in Evergreen & Idaho Springs, You can spend months in Colorado and still not experience all that it offers.
In the summer, spend time in the San Jauns and do some real 4-wheeling something like Black Bear Pass in an open air CJ-7 then you will experience God's Country like you never have before...

Black Bear is a one way Jeep Trail leading from the Top of Hiway 550 down into the box canyon of Telluride.

It Is What It Is.

Timberwolf

I already speak fluent spanish (I'm not spanish). As a matter of fact the receiving office at Safeway in Denver where I was had all Mexicans working there and when I started speaking with them in Spanish they treated me very nicely. (They were polite before I started speaking spanish I should say)

Just as an update, after unloading I sent in my empty call and these jerks at LCT at nothing planned so I sat in my truck all day whaling away on the Qualcomm. Told them if they didn't get me moving I'd contact Harvey Gainey himself (he owns LCT). Caused quite a ruckus. I wanted to know what the meaning of PRE-PLAN meant. I mean they had days to get me out of there. I had management sending me messages back. Just trying to pacifying me though they claimed they were upset about the whole thing as well as the truck is sitting etc.

Personally I don't care if people don't want to work, that is these dispatchers etc. I'm not the work police, but just keep me moving and then I don't care what they do. They told me they were going to pay me blah blah blah, I told them I was too young and healthy to be sitting in a truck for $50 dollars a day. I was told it would be more but not given an amount. This was from my new dispatcher that they gave me.

So what happens? they give me a load the next day going from Denver to Hammond, LA (how they hell do you spell that state anyway :D ) That is pick up on the 5th to deliver on the 9th. If that's taking care of me then I don't know what not taking care of me is. So I start asking the dispatcher about this and he says the company has a poor on time delivery rate 72% so they give more time to get there. I told him giving double the needed time to deliver is the simple way of fixing the problem not the smart way and that I felt that it was indicative of poor management and I see no reason for good drivers to stay there (I have a 100% on time delivery rate). I was saying all this in a matter of fact tone not to argue or anything, I'm not staying there anyway and I'm sure they know that.

If that's how these big companies operate than I should be all right when I get my own truck. It can't be hard if your competitors are the like of LCT. (of course I say that half in jest as I'm sure being an O/O is not easy. These people have deep pockets)

Just to edit, hey BigJeep, not to argue or anything but I don't know if you actually talk with spanish people. But I know very many and though a lot do not speak english, as it is not so easy to learn a language as an adult, their kids do in fact learn english. As a matter of fact I personally have seen where the kids refuse to speak spanish much to their parents dismay. I can't explain why, maybe because they learn english in school so maybe their friends only speak english but I'm just telling you that this does happen.

As a matter of fact the kid I grew up with, well his parents spoke basically only Italian and I don't believe any of their kids did. So it's not just Spanish. Don't believe everything you hear from these conservative talking heads. I can assure you that English is not in danger of becoming obsolete in this country. As a matter of fact if someone grows up in this country and doesn't speak english than he really is no threat to you, as they are obviously not that bright and will be stuck in the pit of society. You can't worry about everyone adapting well, I recently read a quote that said," It's easier to put on a pair of slippers than to carpet the whole world"

By the way I am married to a spanish girl, and in our house we only speak english though she is much more comfortable with spanish. However with her bad english she studied for the Series 7 exam (stockbrokers license) and she passed and went on to pass the Series 4 and 24 exams as well. Her english has improved quite a bit since then.
Believe me they won't be giving those tests in Spanish and like I said, anyone that wants to move up in this country will surely be learning English. Anyway just my input.

.

Racism ...NO...But I find it very wrong of those that immigrate to this country and can't even respect it by speaking in English ...You have 1st generation immigrants who think it's optional to learn to converse in English ,And 2nd generation and so on who continue to not want to speak English as their primary language . And yes there are many groups who pull this crap , But none on such an immense scale as the Spanish speaking segment of immigrants who actively pull this crap.


I fail to see why you would be astonished that an Amercian living in his native born country would feel the need to learn a foreign tongue when not immigrating to a foreign country , And I fail to see why you would be astonished that a person immigrating to the U.S. would ...dare I speak it "LEARN ENGLISH"...as should be expected .

My Grandmother on my father's side came to America with her 3 sons Via the Azore island in 1927 when my dad was 2 years old. He grew up in a household that spoke nothing but Portuguese, he learned to speak English but choose to continue with their traditons in his home, does that make them un American, or not willing to conform. Famlies came to America for a better way of life but still wanting to keep a part of their homeland is that so bad.
I do agree if you are in the work place you should try to conform to the needs of your employer, but while you are with famliy in your home live as you choose it is what this Country was built on.

It Is What It Is...

Timberwolf

The Azores? I bet she didn't land in Florida, must have landed in New Bedford or Fall River. I'd be surprised if she didn't.

BigJeep said:

,

If I understand you correctly, you fail to understand the need for an American to learn a foreign language if he doesn't plan to move there?

Because, by doing so, you open yourself up to a whole world of new learning experiences, cultural exchanges, travel opportunities, and even financial gain. But, mostly....

Because, by doing so, you expand your horizons. And the more you expand your horizons and understanding, the more you diminish your feelings of superiority and discrimination.

It's part of a Liberal Arts education. And before this world became so intensely Technology driven, that's what MOST Americans who went to college received. And, IMHO, that's what made America one of the most "civilized" nations in the world - at that time. Sadly, today we have drawn back from that summit.

On a lighter note: I need some help! (don't say it, RoadHog! :lol: )

This week, I get to return to God's country again. Going to Glenwood Springs! Yee haw! But, I left my truckstop guide in my truck.

Anyone know if there's a good truckstop nearby? Or other place to park? How about a cheap motel?

(I'll be coming from Denver.)

BTW, Merrick.... how are things? You still with LCT?