Day Three of Orientation with Davis Transport 07/11/07
Today was yet another jammed packed day. The morning started out with some more paper work and then the rest of the day was load securement. My trainer George showed up this morning and I got to meet him. He and I will head out in the morning with a load of stuff called Molybdenum going to PA. It is some sort of stuff that is added to steel to strengthen it. We have a little over 46,000 lbs in 10 large bags on deck. His truck is a 2007 KW T-800 Aerocab. This is the same type of truck I did my road test in the other day. Anyways, will be my very first load and I am a little nervous and excited at the same time. Wish me luck

Day One of OTR Training 07/12/07
My training gets up at 3am and usually shuts down every evening around 4 or 5pm. He told me that I was not required to get up until 8am. I decided to get up at 3am and try to adjust my schedule to his.

I did not sleep well last night at all. Not sure if it was because I was sleeping in a new bed (upper bunk in the truck) or if I was just nervous or excited. What ever the reason, it was a very restful sleep. So I am up at 3am sharp, George has me do a pre-trip which included checking the securement of the load. By 4am we are ready to roll. George starts off driving and getting us out of town, having me just observe. After about 20 miles, he pulls over and says it’s my turn. I got to drive through the Montana mountains, 6 & 7 % grades :shock: and since it was my first time and with 46,0000+ lbs on deck, the seat was attached to me and I figured it was never coming out. My shifting SUCKED big time today. :evil: I felt like the rookie that I am. I ended up driving only about 300+ miles and George took over the rest, but that was plenty as I felt completely exhausted.

We shut down for the night at a truck stop in Rapid City, South Dakota. After we got a bite to eat, I went into the store to buy some water. While I was in there, I hear over the intercom a first name followed by “of Davis Transport, your shower is ready”. I recognized the name and waited at the counter. When this guy showed up I asked if he was ‘so & so’ and he said yes. It turns out that the other Davis driver was GFI (GFIW’s hubby). We chatted for only a few minutes as I was plain tired and could barely keep my eyes open much less hold a conversation. He is a very nice guy and it was pleasure chatting with him even if only for a short time.

As I remember when my husband first was with May he felt the same way about his shifting. It will come and by the time you are out on your own you will have your shifting down and before you know it will be second nature to you! Don't worry almost everyone is like that staring out.

My husband understood about your being tired (been there himself already) and he enjoyed meeting you!

Those bunks take a little getting use to but the time will fly when you will be in your own truck and no longer in a bunk!

Hey ask George if by any chance he was at Sage in Post Falls with Diana and Matt! I think he was the day I went down there! If it was tell him hello!

Anyway it will all come to you! Glad you will be getting GOOD training!

I was happy to see you were able to update your thread!

Goin Fer It's Wife

Alright! You are now on the ROAD! Wish you the best with your trainer and "finally training"(It really never ends) period. How long are you out with him? 6 weeks?

How was the 10 bags secured to the trailer? I imagine that they were 5 sets of bags side by side and a least one strap over each set. Is there any blocks on the deck preventing fore and aft movement? Was the loaded tarped?

When I drove it was a dry van and I once pulled a load of talc from Dillon, MT to Dallas. I remember these big bags(Don't remember the count) that may have been palletized. Of course, in a dry van only blocks were nailed to the floor behind the last 2.

Anyhow, best of luck.

Once you get back to the posting here, tell me;

Did you enjoy the drive from Missoula to Big Timber? That is pretty cruel, getting to hit Homestake Pass the..(what...third hour out the gate?) But really..Homestake isn't that bad a hill. The drive from Missoula to Butte isn't so bad...awesome during the spring when things are greening up. Once your on the east side of Homestake it's a decent drive as well. The lollipop's between Whitehall and Three Forks are an easy drive.

:twisted: :twisted: Or..were you terrified? :mrgreen:

And ..so you know....The day Kennedy was shot, I was sitting on the front steps of the Elementary school in Whitehall...and watched as the Janitor lowered the flag to "Half-mast". I asked him why he was crying, and he told me what had happened.
My first trip into Butte as a "Driver" was over the old "Pipestone Pass" on Hiway 10, in a 1970 Chevy C60 stock truck, with a full load of 2 year olds, headed to the livestock auction. Homestake Pass didn't open until I was a Junior in high school....which for me was in Twin Bridges...about 35 miles south of Whithall. My first trip over Homestake was in the same Chevy C60...with 2 very ticked off Hereford Bulls in the back.

2; Not a question...more a "request". When you are headed back to Missoula, if you are headed up that way out of the Salt Lake City area...see if your trainer won't take you up over "Lost Trail Pass". That drive will really impress you. LOL...the fact that you ask to do it...may even impress your Trainer. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

banned huh??? thats a load of BS

i can only imagine yer first day....lol...dont feel bad about it, we all start somewhere, and training will be over quikly

one day , if it ever wiorks out, ill hafta have you over to the house, then on the way to missoula you can experiance macdonald pass (8% in places), just anouther one of the many wonderfull montana mountians, and dont worry ,my ditch is big enuff for 2 trucks....lol

if ya ever feel like bs'ing, the one who gave ya crap also has my cell #

be safe , have fun and learn

i myself am not an early riser so dont expect to see me that darn early in the day....lol

isnt the windmill a lovely place to be.....could be worse

orangetxguy.....where ya from...i know a few folks down in the area you mention

I grew up in Twin Bridges. Chased cow tails all over SW MT. Especially the Bighole Basin.

Who do you know down that way? I may well know them too.


PSSSSSSSST...couldn't ya post a smaller pic??

if someone could tell me how to make it smaller id appreciate it....im kinda a computer dummy

the haydens and some clouse's in sheridan, rufnok's in dillon

im in the reserves and drill in butte, most of them guys are all from around the local area ( local for mt being 50 mile radius)

plus i did alot of diggin around the butte, whitehall, dillon and anaconda area's....so im sure somewhere along the way we've covered the same ground

Which Haydens and Rouse's?? I knew..a few.

Do you know a Harvey Frank, out of Dillon..or did you? I don't know if he is still in the Guard..but I think he said he was, when he was down last year.

By digging..you mean?

In Butte...the M&M was my place...of course..any place where the drink's are free, could have been my place. Freddy was always good for drinks and eats. When he came down for hunting season on the Blacktail..him & Charlie always brought a good supply along with. Used to hang out at the Bowling Alley out by the airport a lot to. Plenty of the Butte girls hung out there...and fish creek wasn't far away. Pork Chop John's was a fav for a quick bite..and a nice view. I usually behaved when we were around the Knievel's(Evil's parents). Mom & Dad really liked them.

In Dillon...there are a couple places I didn't go into...I'm pretty sure....I think. Snead's was the place for food though..steaks that hung over the plate!

As for Twin & Sheridan, well...ya know how it is when your a kid growing up. Plenty of things to get unto trouble with..and plenty of other's to do that with! My Mom was one of the main cooks in the Blue Anchor...back in the 60's & 70's.

Only thing I really did around Anaconda was school stuff...you know...tour of the smelter..basketball tournement's..stuff like that. Spent a couple summers in Deer Lodge..out on the Prison ranch....Boy Scout camp.

DD ar you still based(living) in texas or did you go to Davis Trans location or area of operations?