Yeah we're old....and yes Clint, I said "we". You incriminated yourself by your music choices... :)

But thanks for mentioning the Dead....stirred up memories of some really good times back in "the day"....summer evenings watching the boys perform at Red Rocks.

Yeah, Geo..... Foggy memories, but as clear as yesterday in some ways.

The Dead's last performances at Red Rocks happened in the summer of '87. I lived in Denver back then. I had a 3500 sq/ft shop called Clint's Place. I was servicing and restoring MB's, BMW's, Porsches and Jaguar E types. It was a fun time which ended in the pitfalls of cocaine. Amazing what you can stuff in one of those little glass pipes.... House, shop, friends and family.

I had a season's pass to Red Rocks and other venues. It allowed the pass-holder to purchase tickets two weeks ahead of everyone else. I saw "everyone" that year: Stevie Ray, CSN, Dire Straits, Joe Jackson, Bowie/Glass Spider Tour (@ McNichols arena) to name a few.... And of course, Jerry and the boys.

The Dead played three nights before calling it quits at Red Rocks. Too small, they said; couldn't handle the crowd. I was there for all three nights. Acid was the call.....

On the last night, a friend and I were milling about after the show. We finally made it back to the parking lot and my car. Back then, I had a '73 Ford Gran Torino. She was mint. 351CM, fat rubber, lots of suspension and chassis mods. A sleeper to the eye. Raised more than a few eyebrows in the fast sweepers along I-70 west.

Back then, high quality car audio was just hitting its stride. Nakamichi made a cassette deck, the TD1200/II. It was the best thing you could get in analog. They also made the finest sounding amplifiers that money could buy. I had four of them. B and W was making car speakers back then, and just like their home systems, they used silk dome tweeters and kevlar cones in their mid, mid-bass and bass drivers.

Matt, my installer, built beautiful woofer cabinets and cross-over boards. I wish I had pictures of the work he did in my white sled. Gorgeous, elegant, sonically perfect. Fully balanced with a white-noise generator and a spectrum analyzer, acoustically flat. The goal was to have the same quality sound with the windows open on the highway as with them shut. Mission accomplished.

Back in the parking lot, Gary and I sat down in the car and left the doors open. Not quite up to the task of driving, I threw a tape in the sliding drawer of the TD1200/II. It was Echos, by Pink Floyd from the Meddle LP.

I remember settling back into my seat and closing my eyes. Visuals of the Dead came rolling onto the big screen in the center of my mind. The engineers who cut the tracks for Floyd were brilliant. The sound staging, the separation and balance.... a feast to the ears. 13 speakers, 1200 watts of pure class A, and the sheer genius that was Pink Floyd.

Echos traverses approximately 20 minutes, yet it may well have been an eternity. For that matter, there may have been no time during the while in which that track played. Space would have been a more apropos descriptive than time. The universe unfolded its Majesty to me.

The track finally came to an end. It was hard to say which was the more powerful event. The Dead, who we just saw carve a moment in their touring history, or the um-teenth time I became lost in space under the powerful influence of Floyd. No matter, didn't matter....

As my friend and I came back into the world, we decided to get up and walk around a bit to see if traffic out of the park had died down yet.

As we got out of the car, we were greeted, surprisingly, to a huge round of applause from a couple hundred fellow Floyd fans. They were all sitting in the dirt lot some twenty feet, in a semi-circle, behind my car. I was in shock. It was one of the coolest events in my life at that time. One which I will never forget... 8)

Meanwhile, back to Betty. The girl must have worn through on her 1st drive axle oil seals. A thick gear oil smell began to permeate my cab at a stop along the way into Atlanta. In looking at the drives, there was that messy spin-art looking pattern of oil on the inner sidewalls of both front drive tires. Further inpection revealed oil on the brake shoes and s-cam brackets. Not good.

I brought her into the Decatur, GA terminal and got here in line to be fixed. Seals and shoes, for certain. While they are at it, I asked to have the windsheild replaced as well as getting an alignment done. No problem, the foreman said. But it will be either Sunday night or Monday before it gets done.

OK, thinks I. I'm now running off my re-cap, which is fine by me. But a re-start couldn't hurt either. So, off to Motel 6 and your writer gets some quality time to re-charge and rest. There's plenty to do around here, so I'll just have me some fun. I got all my laundry done last night and today is off to a sleepy and slow-moving start.

Bo, of Tootie and Bo called this morning just to wake me up. He seems to do this often, which is fine by me :shock: He and Tootie are taking their time running east in their rental car to pick up another tractor which they just bought. Funny; he seemed to lament the fact of his "lack of hurry" on this trip. Driver-brain; it's a malicious thing sometimes. I told him to relax and enjoy the ride.... I am guilty of the same crime to pleasure sometimes.

So I am dead in the water for now and couldn't be any happier. Nothing to worry about, Betty will be good as new shortly. The shop guys are cool, the shop is spotlessly clean, and it would seem that she will be treated with good care.

I'll leave Atlanta well-rested and refreshed and with a new 70 with which to run like a 63 mph wind.

Happy Sunday, All!

Dang Clint...you're like a cat! How many lives have you fit in those 50 some years? 8)

I left Colo in '80 to move to SoCal (Costa Mesa) so the shows I saw were in the mid to late 70's. Don't know if RR season passes were available back then and even so, I was a long haired leaping gnome (aka ski bum)and couldn't have afforded it anyway. What a GREAT place for a show....lights of Denver off in the distance, the stars of a clear Colorado night over head....ahhhh.

Anyway Clint....thanks for your written eloquence in describing the Pink Floyd moment in your car. I could almost smell the dust of the parking lot and hear the applause...

Happy trails....

Some new pics http://web.mac.com/samael9/iWeb/SwiftBetty/Library.html

You hit that nail on the head.........

Hehe..... Yeah RonJon,

I saw those car carrier rigs gathering moss at the PHX terminal. It looked like they hadn't moved in quite some time. I laughed my as^ off when I first read ColdFrosty's post. Succinct was the first word which came to mind, once the giggling quieted down.

I'll refrain from comment with regards to my overall view of the van division. While I have met some very dedicated and intelligent people on that side of the Swift fence......... ColdFrosty would be correct :oops:

BTW, RonJon,

Did you shoot that photo in your post? It is really beautiful! Having had some experience in shooting stills and video in the BDSM world, I have a great appreciation for the art form. My compliments to the photographer and model. Got more?

Thanks!

No, I got that from a website.

I was reading thru your other posts and had a question. When you are ready to unload at the dealerships, do you carry ramps to get you vans off the trailer? I read some where you were waiting on a team to come and unload you?

Were you over-fed too? :?

Parallel lives. I landed in Vail back in '79 while on my way to a job spinning wrenches for Beverly Hill Mercedes Benz during the summer of my 20th birthday. Yup, Geo. Many stories from that period in my life, and more lives than I can count.

50?????? Don't push it, buddy. :twisted:

49 in July. The last year of the second quarter century of my earth-based existence. I plan on leaving my fleshy container by the time 75 comes around. As most of the men in my fam tend to die of heart attacks around that age, I figure that I will be no exception. It's not an issue, though. In fact, I welcome my passing on and into the infinite.

One thing which I have finally come to terms with, which makes my job/life much less conflicted is that I do not thrive in stasis, i.e. a fixed-base home. Hence, I will be making the truck my permanent residence soon, after I move out of my place in Neosho, MO.

The next big deal will be in the acquisition of a yacht on which to live. But before that, I will find my way to owning my own tractor. The plan is to get my own rig, make as much money as I need to buy the boat, and then it's off to see the world before check-out time. Shouldn't be too difficult to do. Especially at the rate that I am moving.

Yes indeed. Red Rocks. Too, was the light show over the eastern plains. On many occasions, there were huge thunder boomers out east during the shows. And you could easily see them from anywhere in the amphitheater. It was, and is, a magical place. Especially at night.

I checked in with the shop this morning. Betty is getting her new windshield as I write this, and the axle seals should be done by 1500. Perfect. That gives me time to stock up on smokes, get some other things done, and get ready to hit the road-e-o.

FYI: Exit 71 and I-20 (Panola Road) in Lithonia, GA is home to C'est Bon, a reasonably-priced and super-yummie Cajun restaurant. Which, btw, is right in front of a Motel 6. The Super 8, across the street has some big truck parking, so it might be the better option when looking to crash.

This has been a great re-start. Not what I had originally planned, but I remain open to what's available given the situation. I'm really glad that Betty is getting fixed up and even more so that I have had nothing to do except rest and re-charge. No worries, no stress. And as the Beatles put it: Oh, that magic feeling; no where to go, no where to go.....

Look out, Oklahoma... Here we come 8)

I don't carry ramps, although I could if I wanted to, which I may in the future. Typically, we are directed to call a national wrecker dispatch company, in where they send out a roll-back truck to un-deck the vans. It's a simple operation.

I make the wrecker call when I am about an hour away from the drop-site. This seems to work out very nicely, as I tend to get empty and moving again with out much delay. Weather depending, I've seen guys who have waited for hours on the wrecker. The challenge with the ramps is keeping them on the trailer. They tend to get removed unless you keep your eye on them. A couple of Kryptonite chain locks would minimize the disappearances, however. Then there's the liability issue, in case something goes wrong. But I feel pretty confident in my decking and un-decking skills, so we'll see.....

[/quote]I landed in Vail back in '79

OK, old man.... Yup, those Erikson's are fine ladies. If I had my druthers, it would be a J-44, but anything from Sparkman and Stevens would do. Probably a Swan is out of the question on account of the $$$s. Oh well. The boat needs to be ocean-worthy, no matter what.

The idea is to buy in Tortola. Better prices and free from US taxes. At the same time, I will be looking into banking off shore as well. I want to spend a long time in the Caribbean chain before heading south to Brazil. Then, cross the Atlantic to Africa, up through the channel, into the Mediterranean and ultimately down to the South Pacific.

I think people fear death and dying mostly due to regrets, perhaps second to having to face the unknown. I fear neither. And through further emancipation from things "thought to be best for me" by others, I stead-fastly believe that if I died in my sleep tonight, I would pass with no regrets or feelings of having short-changed my time here on this planet.

Mortality, if I read you correctly, is painting a more coherent picture of your intended horizons. Fuc*in' don't hesitate man! Make it work as your Will sees fit. Get the things you want done, done. Then go to the place you want to be.

Redd Foxx once did a hilarious routine about not wanting to have to work to remember his last piece of pu$$y when faced with his final moment. I wish I could recall more of what he said. And whether it's that last shag or the final broad reach off the coast of wherever, I consign my Self in *movement* towards it. Hence, Enteclechia and Telos meld into the ultimate *action/actuality*. His comedy was more than just funny; it was a message which impressed me many years ago. Yet, the gist of it still fuels my flames to date.

And speaking of "best laid plans"..... I went to visit Betty in the clinic today at 1030. Sure enough, her new windshield had been installed. The axle seals had yet to be attended to, so I got her all washed and pretty. At 1430, someone guided us into the work bay, where she sat, virtually ignored. Oh, honey..... :oops:

By the time 1730 (EST) rolled around, she magically shed her first drive wheels and little more. Tuesday. OK. Call my DM, gave him the update and get cleared for my 3rd night at Motel 6. I can feel myself gaining weight as I ready my blood sugar meter for another trip into C'est Bon and Waffle House. The first nights were of my own choosing, but this one's on them. So be it.

It's a day plus a little into Oklahoma City and I'll be back in the loop again. Nice thing is, none of these days are chargeable as days off. So, I am building a nice stock-pile of time out of mind.

Crossin' my fingers on the night shift in the shop.

And as we speak, Tootie and Bo are ridin' high in their new T-600. Gotta love 'em 8)

'Til next.

Yep Clint...you're talkin a blue water boat....no Hunter need apply. Lots of solid bluewater designs available.
You might like this link....
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zXuzy0k9m...elated&search=

Great plan by the way....Funny how the wind that I loved as a sailor I now hate as a cyclist...there's a metaphor lurking in there somewhere, I'm just too tired to dig it out... 8)

And you are close on the mortality thing...perhaps the horizon has always been there but I have never noticed it beofe. It's been a full life as well but I have always looked at the future as open ended....I can't look at it that way any more.

It's great that you do not fear death and dying ....you are part of a small minority my friend. I think it causes people to come face to face with their own personal mortality and then...(gulp)....what "lies beyond"....and frankly, people don't want to think about that as it will probably not jive with how they are living their lives.
I'm glad that I have challenged my views and values....it has led me to faith and closer to a point of no fear as well....a good thing. Hey...what ever we believe in, whatever world view....if all roads lead to Rome. then jump on one and start travellin down it!!

OK, What is wrong with a Hunter?? We want a 45ft Hunter.....sooner is better!!

tootie

Hi Tootie....come join the sailing hijack I have going here.... 8)

I actually like Hunters (42' mid cockpit). They would work for what I would want which would be coastal / carribean cruising and living aboard...however for the blue water world cruising that Clint is gunning for; I would probably want a full keel heavier boat. Don't know if I would want to find myself in the conditions from that youtube link in anything but a heavy draft boat. (that said, all those boats in that video were ultra-light flyers)

Following is comment from a sailing and crusiing board....

We used to call 'em Clorox bottles. Sort of the same meticulous attention to detail in the fit-and-finish department as with my nemisis, the FL Co-Lumpia.

Geo has a good point though. It's a good boat for a casual <ahem> hack sailor. You can see lots of them out on the water with ill-trimmed sails, junk hanging off the railings, etc.. Gee; am I a snob or what?????

I'd recommend going the extra dough and getting a Benneteau First 40.5. A little less waterline, but you will immediately see when the money went once you take your first step aboard. An older Morgan 41' center cockpit is also a nice way to go. You can buy those out of some of the charter fleets, well-maintained, for a good price.

Now if you really want to get "charm", look for a nice clean Hinckley Bermuda 40 Mk II. Ooooweee, baby. I'll keep her all polished *for* you..... (drool) You guys are well on your way to becoming the Ari/Jackie Onasis of the trucking world very soon anyway, so $$$$ won't be much of an issue, no matter how cheap your husband thinks he is :D :shock: :D :shock: :D :shock: :P

OMG! I was breaking out in HIVES! Those videos.... inspired.

We delivered a Freedom 45' stayless sloop from West Palm up to Greenwich, CT once. The captain hated the intra-coastal, so out to sea we went. Between 30-50 miles off shore.

Started out beautifully. Nice fat 10-15 knots over the port rail, a couple of reefs in the main.... All our intial way points logged in the AutoHelm plotter.... Couldn't get any yummier. We were holding 7-8 knots over the ground. Oh, bliss. What a rocket she was. Self tacking jib, dodger, power everything, winches included. Even picked a few bunches of "apple bananas" right off the tree by the owner's private dock.

Until a Nor'Easter came lashing down upon us off Cape May. We were tacking to stay far away from the water spouts which were starting to happen. If anyone hasn't seen one, they are quite a thing of nature. As if some thirsty giant, hiding amidst the clouds decided it was time for a drink. Like tornadoes, the swirl begins. Then, against gravity and reason, large columns of water rise up out of the ocean and head into the obscurity of the clouds. Like the clouds are hydrating themselves with extra ammunition for the looming storm which lay ahead.

We spent 18 hours in that storm, going no where but sideways. Night fell, and with the darkness, the swell was growing to 10 footers, sometimes more. Dark, howling wind, steep waves. East/west, east/west.

I was at the helm round about midnight when the jib halyard decided to give way to the wind. Another member of the crew went up to the foredeck to try secure the halyard before it went up the pole.

Because the keel on that boat was so narrow, it was increadibly difficult to keep her on course. She would twist at the crest of each wave, and there was no telling which was she would fall into the troughs. I did my best to guide her, but I accidentally jibed the boat a couple of times while he was still up on the foredeck.

After the second jibe, the captain finally came up topside and relieved me of my watch. Fine by me, I said to my self.

Wouldn't ya know it. Within minutes of taking command, he jibed the boat a few more times. Keep your mouth shut, Clint. Just be quiet...

Meanwhile, our lovely bananas were flying across the galley; like watching a Chinese ping-pong tournament. Everything was goin' everywhere.

What a ride; what a night.

The storm finally subsided in the morning. Below deck was absolute chaos. I resigned my self to cleaning up in the galley, and that is when it hit me. Oooffff. Sea sickness. I was green for two days.

By the time we came around Riker's and into Long Island Sound, things were pretty much back to normal. Typical LI Sound chop though. It ran in all directions by Execution Rocks. No matter how you steered the boat, the chop would beat the wind right out of the rigging. In the end, we ended up powering most of the way into Indian Point.

Greenwich, CT is home to an incredible American Bistro name the Boxing Cat Grill. I petitoned our weather-worn captain and crew to go have our "Hero's Dinner" there. Mmmm, I can still taste that finely roasted rack of lamb and spicy Red Zin like it was last night's fare.
__________________________________________

Now, back to you, Betty.

Dear sweet Betty got her due today. New axle seals, new brake shoes and a thorough cleaning of her brake backing plates, s-cam shafts and even the inner sidewalls of her affected drive tires. The technician who worked on her was indeed a man after my own heart.

We spoke about the peculiarity of *both* sides leaking at the same time. I asked if he checked the axle housing vent for obstructions, thinking that it was blocked. Knowing all to well that the out-gassing from the gear oil would pressurize the axle housing and literally pump the oil out the seals.

Much to my pleasure, he said "I'm way ahead of you, man!" In fact, he cleared both axle vents. Gotta love it. Like minds....

So with her new windsheild and the love-honey issue resolved (she doesn't leak oil, BTW. She oozes class) we happily headed out of Atlanta just ahead of the evening rush. I-20, 30 miles west of Atlanta, is a mess of one-lane construction, FYI. Avoid if possible. It runs all the way to the 'Bama line.

T'was a beautiful ride up 78 to Memphis. We made West Memphis, scored a prime space at the TA, exit 260 on I-40 and parked it for the night.

Great weather, nice miles, Oky City just a scant 400-ish miles away. Nice morning/early afternoon ride. Oh yes; another twelve hundred and something got loaded to my Com Data account this morning. Ohh, Swift... how sweet it is.

We'll come back to mortality, Geo. But I must say, I like your style
:D

Been out of wireless coverage the past few.....

Made my Sprinter van drops in Oklahoma City and down in Ada, OK. Nice run. Can barely remember the mileage any more...

Geo; your boating stuff has served as fuel to keep me going. I am running really hard, and the thoughts of boats make it a bit easier to manage. Nice stuff to occupy the mind with :D

Had a very solid night's sleep in Paul's Valley, OK. It started out at the Love's on I-35 until I found out that they didn't have showers there. Ok. (no pun intended) So I moved over to Vallero. Got all cleaned up and it was immediately off to slumber-ville.

I awoke the next morning, did my check-in call and waited. There was small CB shop across from where I was parked, so I walked in and introduced myself. I asked about what could be done to my Cobra Nightwatch radio. The guy said he could "tune and peak" it for $25.00. Sounded good, so I had him do it. I also asked about antennas. He suggested a pair which was only $30.00, which seemed fair as well.

Back out to Ms. Betty to install the whips and hook up my radio again, and along comes the DOT for a little surprise visit. I pretended not to notice as they wrote up a few tickets. I gathered up my goods and thought it best to do some shopping at the nearby WalMart. Outta there.

I came back out to the truck again to lay down; still nothing on the Quaaly. And then, a few minutes later, 4 beeps. Kewel! Lo and behold: A 560 mile deadhead to John Deere in Ottumwa, IA, then off to Spokane with a final in Yakima, WA. Dang......

I was asked to run into the OK City terminal to switch out my skate for a step deck. No problem, as I needed fuel anyway.

So I roll into the OKC yard and there was only one step deck sitting in the whole place. OK. I hook up, check my lights, then go to release the brakes and air up the bags. Hmm. Nothing happening. Crawl underneath and check the trailer tank for pressure. Yup, good. I loosened a couple of air lines at the distribution valve to see if anything was getting out of the tank and into the system. Nope. Better go see if the trailer technician will come out and help.

Sure, he said. It was like old times, messing with air valves, leveling valves, fittings, etc. We had a good time trying to make sense of it all. While he was working on freeing up the slack adjusters and checking the brake chambers, I was trying to find the issue with the bags. By the time he got the chambers checked and the slack adjusters slackened, I came to the conclusion that the leveling valve was blocked. So I disconnected the lever and moved the actuating arm, and Viola! Up she went.

While we were rolling around in the dirt, I was telling him about the older Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 liter sedans from the early 70's. They too had air suspension, 3 leveling valves, adjustable ride hight, and were very similar to the systems on the trailer. He thought it was pretty cool that I jumped in to help solve the problems. He said that he couldn't recall the last time that a driver took an interest in his work. Oh well. I was having fun.

Turns out that the brake shoes were rusted solid to the drums and that it would take a lot more effort to get them free than either of us wanted to expend. So we bagged it, and I just took another skate up to John Deere. Cool person. Glad to have met him.

My trailer was pre-loaded up at JD. Spent an hour or so securing all the stuff and off we go. Running west on US 92, heading for Des Moines and onto I-80, one of my trailer tires blew up. Oddly, I was approaching two grain haulers heading east which were parked on the opposite shoulder. And in seeing them, I thought "I wonder if they need help". And no sooner did I think it, then BAM. My tire blew.

I pulled over to look for damage, then I walked over to see if the other guys were OK. They had just popped a drive and heard my trailer tire blow just as they were getting out to look at theirs. We had a good laugh over the coincedence and then moved on. I nursed ol' Betty to the Bosselman's just outside of Des Moines, where they promptly went to work on the now-shredded tire. In and out in an hour or so.

I kept in touch with my DM for this trip and she was very cool about it. We changed the ETA's for my two drops in WA without any stress what so ever.

As CB JR said to me over the phone this evening, "this whole thing reads like a fairy tale". It just doesn't seem like the average newbie experience, it doesn't seem like the average big company jerk-fest, and the miles, hence pay is amazing. I am earning every cent, but the supply of opportunities to *make* just keep showing up. Fantastic. I like it like that.

Yep....the sound of water under the rail, the boat answering to your commands...sailing is quite a thrill tho it's been a while for me. Latitudes & Attitudes or Blue Water Sailing is a good mag to pick up on occasion to whet the appetite.
What size would you be looking at Clint? Every now and then I entertain the idea of a cat...never sailed one but the pitch poling actiion and lack of heeling keeps pushing me away. Just doesn't seem right!!

Anyway back on topic...happy trails to the NW. Shoot me a pm if you end up going south on I5 thru Sac-town....lunch or din-din will be on me.

Hey Clint....

Nice to see you today.....even if it was from opposite sides of the interstate. 8) Nice looking load ya had there.

One day we WILL get to meet :wink:

tootie

This is what I want:
http://www.jboats.com/j44/

Black hull, red waterline, all the toys. That's it. Furling headsail, auto pilot, dodger/bimini. Before I die, it will happen. Hopefully, I can get one for less than $225,000 which is, and always has been market value on a used one.

It's gotta be 40' or better. Whatever it is.

Cats are amazing. Super fast, like 12-14 knots under the right hand and with good wind. Very slow to come about before the wind though. You are almost better off jibing the thing, unless you have good crew who can back-wind the jib. Traditionally, the tacking angles on cats are a bit wide too, which makes beating to windward a bit of a chore. You wind up hoping for lots of lifts because headers will toss you way off course on an upwind leg.

Then there is the room issue. On a cat, there is more room than you ever thought possible. Much more so than in a monohull.
See: http://www.endeavourcats.com/

Still, it's that friggin' style thing I have. I couldn't do it. There is something about a sloop that just does it for me.

I'm looking at a bareboat charter for next February, Geo. Wanna hop in on the plans? 7-10 days in the BVI's might be fun, eh? Split costs and it gets within reason pretty quickly. Especially after new year's....

Yup, I will. There's no telling where they will send me after my drops in Spokane and Yakima. Couln't even guess. This is my first trip west with Swift and also the longest single run to date. And thank you very much for your kind offer of food. Not one to ever pass up a good meal.....

I wound up crashing in a F/J to the west of Council Bluffs, IA last night. I was cooked from the load/flat tire combo. Plus, I ran like a mad-man to get to my pick-up early. I musta slept 11 hours.

Sho' 'nuff, Bo called me at 0600, just like he said he would. Rather groggy, I asked him to call me back in a little.... Two hours later, he called me again, and much to my surprise, I was still in bed snoozing.

OK. I'll get up now. He and Tootie were heading east out of Grand Island, NE. I was in Gretna, NE so I figured we'd meet half way and get some coffee.

Well, as I was heading west, my transponder red-lighted me at a weigh station. So I'm sitting there, one rig back from getting on the scale, and I look across the highway to my left. Hmm. There's a green FLD with an oversize machine on it. Doesn't Bo have a ..... Ooops; my turn to weigh in.

Ring, ring, ring. "Hey Clint. Are you sitting on the scale right now?". And before I knew it, the green FLD with Tootie and Bo was gone. Dang. Well, like I said to them, at least I know they really exist. So close and yet so far away, as Carol King once sang. At least now, I'll be able to spot 'em in a parking lot.

Back on the road: It's getting cloudier and cloudier as I head towards Cheyenne. I make my fuel stop in Burns, WY at the TA. Funny; the pump initialized, but she no pump da juice. Lady comes running out and re-starts my pump for me. Emergency power, she cried. TA is having a black out and the law just closed I-80 west. Oh, fu#k. I'm getting out of here. I got 120 gallons before the pump decided to quit again.

I got my stuff together and got gone in a hurry. The place was already getting kinda jittery with nervous drivers scurrying for spaces. Fortunately, I was heading up I-25 and missed the 5 mile back-up near the I-25/I-80 exchange. See ya..... wouldn't wanna be-ya 8)

Hit some slush and snow heading up the valley, but nothing too bad. Made the truck stop in Wheatland, WY before the evening rush and got a great parking space. A&W was the cuisine for the evening. Raining steadily, your author is all warm and cozy. Put down a nice 550 on the sheet for today, and that is plenty. I have 1000 miles to go to get to Spokane and then another 200 to get to Yakima. They will have their green and yellow hay bailers on Monday.

Hey Clint....That was a green T600, sweetie....not an FLD :cry: I would have rather HAD the bigger FLD....but I am getting used to the cramped space of the T600 again. 8)

On your way through MT at the 2 hundred something MM after Billings is a wheat place....cant think of the name of the place but there are billboard signs for it and also a truck stop there....Anyway they make their own bread out of the wheat they grow and it is a GREAT place to get a sandwich. :wink:

tootie

Holy spinnaker batman....that's a lot of dead presidents that need to be acquired to get that boat underneath you. Nice lookin lady tho.

Tootie and Bo...here's a sailing forun you might be interested in. Some interesting perspectives. I expect CAD won't mind me posting this as about the only time these two overlap is when one is hauling the other... ...or on Clint's thread...:)

http://www.livingaboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi

Ok, ok. I got the green part right anyway :P Interesting that I didn't recognized it as a T-6. I guess my thinking was elsewhere when I figgered it was you two. Alas, an aging brain.....

Yes. Wheat Montana. Just what the doctor ordered for my elevated blood sugar levels. I love Wheat Montana. I used to hit 'em all the time when I ran for W/S out of Missoula. Talk about some industrial-strength cinnamon rolls. Ooo, baby. Mmmm. Just a few more injections of Byetta and I'll be fine, Doc. Really I will...... :twisted:

One can only hope, Geo..... If I keep banking the cash, I may get there. And like I said, it's the "perfect world" acquisition. There are plenty of alternatives to be had for far less.

No_Sleep_Til_Broo <err> Missoula.... Ahh yes. Muralt's. Home to much fine fodder and fare. Too dark out to see my old haunt, W/S. But the air smells nice. I-25 north and hung a left into Montana today. What a ride. I forgot how beautiful it is. New to me was the ride north from Cheyenne. Also beautiful.

Wyoming, in a measure of extremely good taste, placed metal sculptures of people on horses on some of the bluffs which overlook the highway. Remarkable the emotions that these testiments to western culture stir....

I bagged a bunch of miles today. The idea was to hit Spokane and still be able to clear my deck in Yakima by the end of tomorrow. It was slow going in the beginning of the trip, but I didn't want the delays to hold up my original ETA's. I hate that...

Lots of rowing on Betty's box while going up and down the hills. Nothing lower than 8th, however. Stiil, she needed some coaxing on the steeper climbs. More to come on the way to Spokane.

OK. A little accountancy of time and miles to date.

I went solo for Swift on Feb. 16th loaded with a coil going to Pendergrass, GA. I pulled it down there with a very nasty trade-in. I was then treated to my current ride. Me and Betty rolled 15k today.

So it looks like this:
37 days out to date.
Three days off in Laredo, TX on a re-start.
Three days off in Decatur, GA on break-down.
31 days running.
Average daily miles: 483
# of times waiting on dispatch: 2
Once in Pendergrass, GA on first trip. Total wait time: 2 hours.
Once in Ada, OK (just at the start of this trip) 4 hours.

As I have said before: I don't know much about the van division except what I hear from the various levels of drivers I speak with. The most common replies with regards to average weekly miles appears to be in the 2k to 2300 mile range.

On the flatbed side, I smoke them, consistantly. It would appear that Swift has more flatbed frieght than they can handle. Which would explain my recent 560 mile deadhead to pick up my current load. I head one flatbedder tell tale of a recent deadhead from PHX to Gaffney, SC (1700 miles) just to run a load of Sprinters somewhere.

All I can really say is "thank you" to the recruiter at Melton, who suggested I go run for Swift for a little while, so I could accumulate current OTR time. And guess what? I ain't goin' no where. Nope. Not.

Is the equipment as cool as TMC's or Melton's? No, not quite. Maverick is out by virtue of the fact of their fleet. (Ugh). Do I care? Nope. Nothing beats a Volvo for quiet. Not as sexy to me as a T-600, but I am EXTREMELY happy.

I might add here that I am also extremely proud of my work. I love hauling flatbed frieght. I meet the coolest people, I see a chunk of American industry which most people don't even know exists, Swift has run me into parts of the country I never even knew I wanted to see, and everyone is happy to see me. They either want it shipped or are waiting for the stuff to be delivered. Very different from hauling a dry van.

The flatbed division is very small, but it is encompassed by a giant organization. 38 terminals in which to get service, fuel, goodies, showers, name it. And dedicated flatbed dispatchers. I have worked with several of them in different regions. All of them are excellent people. All of them have been polite and refreshingly enthusiastic in their dealings with me. And the word spreads quickly throughout the flatbed network. Good work gets recognized and acknowledged very quickly. It is easy to be *seen* here.

The really, really nice part is that I feel I am being treated based on my performance and not for my time in the industry. This is key for me. While I am a rank beginner in terms of seat time, my work history, if however scant, speaks differently. And Swift routinely entrusts me with valuable loads and challenging delivery schedules. And I do my absolute best to meet these challenges and surpass them.

Forgive my redundancy, but I friggin' love this job.

And we continue….

I made my drop in Spokane today around 11:00 am. The guys were doing their best to get the two hay bailers unloaded as quickly as possible. We got it all done in short order and I was good to go by 13:00.

It was nice to have breakfast at Murolt’s in Missoula. My two favorite waitresses still work there. Both asked me where I had been for so long. That, and the good food set the tone for a very nice day.

I forgot how beautiful the ride is over Lookout Pass heading into Idaho. Too, I forgot how beautiful lake Couer d’ Alene is. Indeed, it was a real treat to see it in the bright sun. Still, there was lots of fresh snow at the higher elevations to make it all the more gorgeous.

OK. So the farm implement store in Yakima, WA closes at 17:00 (PST). That means I have four hours to get there. I called ahead to see if they thought I could make it. The manager didn’t think so. I told him that I would make a run for it just the same. My GPS had me in at ten minutes to closing time. Hmm. This will be fun. Guess I am going to need every bit of my extra 3 mph over 63 on cruise.

Damn if I didn’t keep my foot in it the whole way down there. I had never seen the Columbia river basin before. Didn’t get much of a chance to look at it either.

Betty sure got her pipes cleaned on this run. There were several major hill climbs on the way in to Yakima. I mean some really big ones!

Heart a’pounding, we made the drop site @ 16:48 on the nose. The manager was none too pleased as this meant he would have to hang around for a bit, just until we could un-deck the bailer. Oh, pity…..

The Quaaly went off on my last short leg into Yakima, but there was no time to look at it. I didn’t even want to see what it was. I knew, in speaking with Barb (my DM on this trip) that there was something cooking for me once I hit Sumner, WA. I’ll check it, like, later.

By the time I got out of the drop site and secured the last bailer, I was cooked. I hit the local Shoney’s for some grub and nearly collapsed. Dinner was absorbed in very short order.

Ok, Clint-o. It’s 158 miles to the Sumner terminal. You can make your last bailer drop, also in Sumner, when you wake up (you mean; if I wake up). Bound and determined to get a shower and a shave, I had an easy cruise into town. I made the terminal with ease.

After getting all cleaned up, I wandered slowly back to the truck. I took a deep breath as I pushed the “read next” key on the QC. Low and behold. A 2950 mile, six-stop run with a final in Alabama. Didn’t I just come through Alabama???

Looks like I am heading that way again.
:roll:

Glad things are going well for you , I miss those 2000+ mile runs...

Indeed. Thank you, Smooth. That makes two of us. Funny how you can find the "jewel" in the most unexpected of places. I still can't believe that I work for Swift. I just never would have imagined.....

Really interesting, low-impact day. And boy, did we need a simple one.

Spent a bunch of time on the phone with my DM’s regarding the current multi-stop run. Then we got into the logs for the past month. While not bad, Mr. Perfect did manage to make a couple of errors. Oh, the pain… I did see where I went wrong on a couple of days though. And the conversation went very, hmmm, smoothly ? As I seem to run pretty close to the edge, it just means that there is little tolerance for error. So; I watch things a bit more carefully and everything should be OK. Nothing wrong with a little reality-check now and then. Peachy.

Made my final drop in Sumner at the local Deere dealer. Piece of cake. Get out of there, go back to the yard, drop my step-deck, clip to a skate, and away we go up to Redmond. It’s raining. Gee, in Washington? Imagine… Remembering all to well how easy it is to jack knife these things, I leave plenty of following room.

The pick-up at Genie (the scissor-lift folks) was hilarious. I get to the drop yard, which is also the pre-loaded trailer yard. I’m looking over the load, which has a few of one type of lift and three others. It took a while for me to see how to chain these things down. But that’s one of the things I really enjoy; the figuring out part.

So I’m chaining away, minding my own business, and who should back his trailer right next to mine so I didn’t have enough room to work? Some freakin’ Arrow driver. Never even thought about what he did and how it might affect me. So he gets out of his truck and I’m thinking “don’t piss this guy off”. He looks like Tony Montana. Big sunglasses, scruff beard, you get the picture. We start talking and he seems reasonable enough.

But then it gets better. I told him that I used to pull for Arrow, but wasn’t getting enough mileage. He said it was hard for him in the beginning as well, but with three months under his wing, he was now running really well. Then a Melton driver went past us. I told him about wanting to run for them, etc., etc. and that they would hire me once I had more current OTR experience.

He said “Yeah, they wouldn’t hire me either. When I asked him why, he told me the following: I was with another company, mang. I was loading out of Brownsville and got busted for possession of one and a half tons of weed on my truck. I ‘splained that I didn’t know it was on there, but Melton wouldn’t believe me. But Arrow did! So I went with them”.

Oh, excuse me sir. I’ll just be moving across the yard now…. Yikes.

It was fun though. I helped a few other drivers get their securement plans figured out. Kinda nice to be able to lend a hand.

Back down to Sumner and on the Swift yard. Laundry is happening, stuff is getting done, and yours truly is loving a few extra hours of down-time. I told my DM that I would pick up the load today, but wouldn’t begin the run until tomorrow. No problem, says he. Have a good night. And oh, I sure am.

BTW: If you find yourself at the Pilot in Columbus, MT along I-90, there is a cool little café across the street called the Apple Village Café. Sick of Subway? This is an excellent alternative. Nice folks, good food and lots of little chachkas in the gift shop. Lois is the proprietor and Brenda is the waitress.

The map of the USA reveals a lengthy line between Sumner, WA, Fort Worth and my first drop. Better get some good rest.

‘Til next.

Thanks.....off to dream of the future :wink:

tootie

Really, I think that we would all look good at the helm of our matching J44's. Maybe Geomon will get one too. Then we can all get our captain's licenses and start a sailing vacation business for road-weary trucker friends. Now wouldn't that be something?!?!?!?! 8) :lol: 8) :lol: 8) :lol:

I got lots of new photos to finish up for my next blog update. The best-i-est of the best are shots from the conclusion of a high speed po'lice chase on I-84 east, in the Columbia River Gorge today.

I'm on a rather sluggish wireless connection this evening, so it will take a while. But I will post the link once they've all been uploaded. Oh, it was, like, Sooo bitchin'..... :P

Crash Test Dumbo
 

The chatter on the CB was that the guy driving the Mustang had robbed a bank in Troutdale, OR and was trying to get away.

As to whether or not this was true, remains a mystery. Anyway, here's the link to some pics of it. Or the tail end of it, anyway:
http://web.mac.com/samael9/iWeb/SwiftBetty/032807.html

Nice ride out of Sumner! My route solution had me heading north to Seattle and out I-82, then down through Yakima to I-84 east. I didn't want to run Snoqualmie pass with 38,000 on my tail. And then run all the climbs through to Yak.

So I decided to run I-5 south and pick up I-84 east and run the Gorge instead. Might have been a few extra miles, but I saved a bunch on fuel. It was non-stop gawk all the way through. Made Baker City and called it quits for today.

Enjoy the photos :roll:

The george is really pretty!! I love the ride through there....just makes ya want to pack up and move there....oh well back to sailboat dreamin 8)

tootie

Hey Samael, here's the online report from the State Police on that chase you saw. Just thought you'd like to read it.

http://www.oregon.gov/OSP/NEWSRL/new...ude_ruiz.shtml

West_Coaster

Dang.... Nothing like a little police report to spice up an already exciting little jog to the old brain cells. Thanks, West_Coaster! That guy sure doesn't look so great in his picture.

Interesting little synchronicity, with your post this evening.

I made my way down from Baker City, OR through our SLC terminal and about 15 miles up the US 6 canyon on the way to Price. I found the nicest family-owned Sinclair station and food joint. The restaurant is called Yabbos. Not like in hooters, but apparently it is Aussie for "friends". A nice *wide spot* in the road; it has an RV park, little hotel and great grub.

There were a few other truck in the lot went I happened upon it, so I immediately pulled in. I racked up some good miles today and thought it best to shut down before heading further up into the hills. It was a very warm group of heavy haulers having dinner and this extremely nice family serving us all.

The TV was on, and we were all watching the weather and the local news. Really pathetic stuff: A nineteen year old rapist, and some other kid with a shotgun. My mind went oblivious to the details, but everyone else was really jazzed by the busts. So I asked the crew if they had heard anything on the news about the chase I saw up in OR. No was the general concensus, but here you are with the police report. It was quite something.

Another FYI: Should you find your trucking self traveling along US 6, this is another "must do". Great food, great people, lots of fresh air.

After a great meal, Andy the owner told me to park 'round back of the station rather than in the far east parking lot. He gave me the lock code to the hotel office and said that I was free to use the bathroom and the shower if I wanted to. You can be sure that I will take him up on his offer in the morning. I can't start running again until 0800, so it will be a leisurely launch into the day.

I'm hoping that I can make my first drop in Fort Worth late in the day on Saturday. We'll see how the mileage goes tomorrow.

Yes Tootie, we have our dreams, but it is the force behind them which makes them into realities. One close look at how you and Bo brought your new-found trucking company from a party of one to three is living proof that there is no limit to what one can accomplish with Will. Bo, who is so modest will write it off as dumb luck, perhaps. Maybe even sheer folly. But the fact of the matter is, that both of you worked your way *to this*.

And much in the same way, you will find your way to your yacht. As will my self. In doing some casual figuring today, I came to the conclusion that I could see this vessel under my feet within 5-6 years, if I play my cards correctly. Perhaps not a J44 as would like, but something similar. No matter. As Geomon so aptly put it, there are a jillion boats out there to be had. Many of which are distressed sale merchandise.

And if you think cars and trucks depreciate hard and fast, wait until you start looking into the used boat market. Also, a very good and old friend of our family is a prominant yacht broker down in Miami. Once you and Bo start finding your "tastes" regarding a yacht, we can put "The Boogie Man" to work for you.

Here's a fine example of an extremely stable full keel cruising yacht:
http://www.ipy.com/Default.php?Page=...nguage=English

Island Packet builds some of the finest, most forgiving, easy to handle boats on the water. Solidly built and great sail plan, these yachts are absolutely fantastic.

My roots are in yacht racing, so my tastes are a bit different. Once you look over the host of ammenities and layouts, you will see why this is one example of a perfect fit for you guys. And as promised, I will teach the two of you how to sail it. I think you will be quite pleasantly surprised when you see how similar running a boat is, in comparison to pulling a flat. You're gonna have to get your DH a blue blazer and a skipper's hat for when you pull up to the yacht club..... :roll: And don't forget the Nantucket Reds.

Anchors A'weigh.....

OMG clint.....that is a great looking boat!! That would be beyond a dream come true!! How much money for one of these USED??

tootie

here ya go, you can change all sorts of search parameters

Island Packet...

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...&pbsint=&ps=30

Well, there ya go..... You ARE the man, Geo!!!

The one in Mobile looks nice. And only a shade over 160k. Gee whiz, I'll be going right by it after my drop in DFW. I wonder if they would take a gently used Volvo VNL 670 in on trade?

Likely, these used ones are within spittin' distance of your Hunter 45, eh tootie?

Parked in Albequerque. I'm doing my 34 hr. re-start here. Had an amazing drive down through Moab and along 191/491. Got some photos, but haven't looked at them yet.

The timing was perfect. I called my first drop today in Fort Worth. (Wheew) They don't unload on the weekends. So I hauled balls to NM so I could restart and have a full 70 to run all my drops with. I can get back on the road at 0800 on Sunday.

It's 615 miles to my DFW drop, which will make for a nice run on Sunday. I'll make my delivery right at 0800 on Monday. Then, it's off to two drops in LA and a few more in AL.

I gave my landlord my notice, so when I get back to Neosho, I'll be moving out and becoming a resident of my tractor. More on that later, though.

It was a long bunch of two-lane-ing today, so we goin' night-night now.

:o

Indeed; a perfect day off.

Slept until 0930. Got up and sauntered over to the driver’s lounge and proceeded to use up all the hot water while showering and shaving. The facilities are excellent here. The TV area has some really big, fat LazyBoy recliners, and your author made good use of one of them while enjoying a freshly brewed bucket of joe.

So what to do on this cool and sunny Spring Saturday? Hmm. How ‘bout a trip to the local Kenworth dealer to talk numbers on a used T-600? That would be fun! And how ‘bout a trip to the Home Depot to look at new carpet for Betty’s floor? Hmm. That would be fun too!

Inland Kenworth had a brand spankin’ new T-660 parked right out front. (They must have known I was coming). Fortunately for me, there was no one in the new truck sales department at the time of my arrival. (Oh, thank goodness).

I had a good long talk with Carlos, a used truck guy who used to work as a technician in their service department. Good thing too, because I had a lot of questions regarding the C-15 and the ISX engines, either of which can/could be had in the T-600. He favored the ISX over the 2004 and newer C-15’s. And after seeing the plumbing on the ACERT C-15, I immediately knew to avoid these engines. Way too much stuff to break.

I learned about the ISX and the three “families”. Family # 2 produces 1850 ft/lb of torque, which is plenty for what I typically haul. Carlos said that finding a used T-6 with the ISX Fam. 2 is getting more difficult, as no one who owns one seems to be willing to part with it.

The numbers seem very reasonable. $55,000 + or - gets you a nice well-maintained x-Melton mobile, complete with headache rack and tarp box. 3.55 rears and an E/F 13 speed complete the package. They had three of them on the lot and more at their Denver location. $15,000 down on a three-year note at 10% interest would run about $1500.00 per month. Add a two year warrantee, cut a deal on all new rubber, chuck in a set of alloys and pitch the steel wheels on the inside drives and off you go. They even have their factory refrigerators in them. And these are 72” Aero-Cabs with a full sized mattress instead of a twin.

Can I do better for less money? Sure. As this is the first trip into a dealer, I guess this is the more expensive way to go. Bo called while I was there and he told me he has a hook-up for used trucks. He said that for $3000-5000 down would get me into a slightly older $30,000-ish truck with payments around a grand. We’ll just have to see how it goes, but I think this is the route I’ll be heading, after six months or so.

One last stroke on the fender of the pretty blue T-660, and I headed out of there.

$30.00 bought me enough black indoor/outdoor carpet to do Betty’s floor and then some. After strolling around in HD, I went back outside and took a long nap. I had a great parking space, wasn’t bothering anybody, so, why not….

Back at the terminal, the only empty place to park was next to another flatbedder. Donny came out to see what I was doing, as I was throwing all kinds of stuff out onto the tarmac. We had a great time yakking it up about all of our trips and how much we love what we do. He was just as happy with Swift Flatbed as I am, so it was very enjoyable speaking with him.

About an hour or so later, and my crib looks beautiful. I then realized I would need to dig out my little Dirt Devil vacuum when I get home. What a difference, though. How nice to be able to do this kind of thing for myself and enjoy the process.

As Donny was still hooked to his trailer, I asked if he wanted to join me for dinner, as I was going out. Sure, he said. When he got in the truck, I already had the restaurant category pulled up on my GPS. He had never seen one, so he was quite amused. I asked what type of food he wanted and we immediately agreed on Italian.

When I found one near to the terminal, which wasn’t pizza only, I called to ask if they thought a native New Yorker would be happy with their food. A confident “yes” was given, and off to Luigi’s we went.

Nice meal, great company, some good laughs and back to the yard. Betty is all put back together from today’s home improvement and we are good to go for a leisurely morning departure. Just gotta top off Betty’s tanks, and away we go.

Hey Clint, have been reading your post and enjoy them, good read. I am new to trucking about 6 months and would like to get into flatbed, i need the exercise, have gained 20lbs in 6 months of driving so i want to ask u a few questions about swift, do u get paid more for flatbed than van? 2. do u get additional pay for tarping and such and do u get monthly mileage bonus like the van division does. and lastly when u buy your truck can u stay with swift or are u going out on your own. thanks in advance for replys. danny

As always, you are most welcomed. Nice to have you along for the ride!


FYI: While you do get some more exercise w/flatbed, you will still need to get a cardio-vascular work out to burn off the extra baggage. Remember: It takes 40 minutes per day of elevated heart-rate CV to accomplish weight loss. That means walking, cycling, swimming, etc. You will, in time see some muscle-mass building in your arms and shoulders from tarping, chaining, etc. And, diet is everything for loosing weight.

At the very least, flatbedding gets you off your ass, gets you out in the fresh air, and you get to meets some really cool people in industrial environments doing some pretty cool stuff.

I think Swift pays 1 CPM more on the flatbed side. It, on its own, isn't much. They have a graduated payscale determined by length of run as well. There are other companies who pay more than Swift on CPM, but you always have to ask, will you get the miles? I have never run more miles than I have with Swift. Period. They have freight that no one else has access to. So while the other guys were sitting parked this winter, I was busting hump. So, what's more important?

Yes, but I am a weird one in that I just do my work, and let the $$$'s mind themselves. Tarp pay is like $23 or $28. I forget which. But on a multi-stop tarped load, you will get stop pay and tarp pay for each stop. I would defer to Dempsy Hunter, my recruiter in Phoenix regarding monthly bonuses. I'll check with my DM as well.

Dunno. I am so fuc*ing happy right now, I am not going to mess with ANYTHING. When I hit six months, I will sit down with my CPA and do the math to see if it's worth it or not to get my own rig.

There are more than a few flatbed companies out there who have nothing but O/O fleets. Hit up Tootie for more info on that one. At the rate I'm going, I couldn't be any happier with what I have. So, I am reluctant to change it. But, yes. I could lease on to Swift on the chance that I do buy my own tractor.

If you are a hard worker, and can manage your time wisely, the flatbed division will give you all you can handle. I've had absolutely ZERO complaints to date. And I am a very tough customer, as you might have gathered. No conflict, no abraisions, nada....Zip. Everything I wanted in a trucking job has come to be with Swift. Everything I have asked for has come with almost disturbing ease. I am treated with respect, I feel like family within the flatbed network, and they give me everything I ask for without batting an eyelash.

But you also have to remember, I am a freakin' cash machine to this company. Nothing is ever late, more so, it's always early. I always call my drops ahead of delivery so that no one else has to do it for me. All my QuaalComs are punctual and precise. In short, nobody ever has to wonder what Clint is doing. I make absolutely certain that this is so.

Be prepared to ride with a Mentor for a while. They may not make you ride for the full 42 days, but you will need to go out with someone to learn the ropes. There is a lot to learn with regards to securement and most of it is best learned out in the field. You will get class time, but you will get most of your hands-on, while on the job.

Having said that, I made my Fort Worth drop site this evening. It was a spectacular ride across I-40 to Amarillo and then south east on US 287 in to FW. Tomorrow, the shipping and receiving dude will be greeted by my smiling face bright and early. Then it'll be fukengrueven down to Houston and out to Sulfur, LA....... I want this gig done by Wednesday. We'll see how it goes. 8)

Just a quick break from your thread .. to repond ....

Just to say the "lose weight" excercise is a little bit different than "conditioning" exercise.

If your purpose is to lose weight you need to get your heart rate about 25% above resting but not so high you exculsively burn sugar. At that rate every minute beyond 20 minutes burns fat. If you are burning sugar .. than you get that sick feeling after 20 minutes. At the 20 minute mark your body will set into motion its long term fat buring operation if you have not exceeded the sugar in your blood stream.

The standard conditoning cycle is 80% of your max heart rate for 20 minutes.

I do 60 minutes every other day on the nordic track at 120 bpm .. then I do 20 minutes at 150 bpm three days a week.

Now back to your Swift flatbedding programing ..