Welcome
To My Blog
Postscript: In December, 2010 I hung up my Driver's cap for good. The road had taken its' toll. I was no longer willing to drive 180 days a year, regardless of the money and the ability to work when I wanted. I had seen America. I was tired of being gone from home for 9 months a year. I needed a rest. In 2011 I sold my truck and trailer and was unemployed for the year. However, I wasn't inactive. I traveled overseas to Asia and South America for several months. In the fall I enrolled in an online course to to become certified in Oracle, the world's preeminent database. I want to go back to work sometime in the near future as a software developer or administrator. Even though I programmed for 20+ years, my skills are dated. Fortunately, I have a little flexibility as to my future.
RollingOkie OKC, Jan 1, 2012
"114 Countries"
I've Visited
Albania
Andorra
Antigua
Argentina
Aruba
Austria
Bahamas
Bali
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bonaire
Borneo
Bosnia
Botswana
Bulgaria
Canada
Cambodia
Cayman Islands
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Crete
Croatia
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
England
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guernsey
Herzegovina
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland (Eire)
Ireland (Ulster)
Isle of Man
Italy
Java
Japan
Jordan
Jersey
Kenya
Kosovo
Laos
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Malawi
Malaysia
Martinique
Mexico
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Norway
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Rhodes
Saba
San Marino
Sarawak
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Srpska
Sumatra
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Tortola
Turkey (Asia)
Turkey (Eur)
Turks & Caicos Islands
United States
Vatican City
Vietnam
UAE (Emirates)
U.S.A.
U.S. Virgin Islands
Wales
Zimbabwe
Welcome to Ohio - Trucking Posted: May 7, 2010
It's a sign along I-70. Seeing this sign probably means I'm headed away from home. Significance? Eventually, I would head away from home too often for too long. I loved being a trucker. It was fun and, in my humble opinion, the absolute best way to see America. But, eventually, being on the road for hundreds of days a year takes its' toll. I'd never advise anyone with a young family to go over-the-road. You're gone from home too much. I could write a book on what it's like to be an over-the-road trucker. Maybe I will. However, in my case, there came a day when I had to give it up.
Yummy Wings Posted: May 7, 2010
They're Flying J hot wings. Flying J is a truck stop with lots of places to stop across America. They have really yummy hot wings. They have delicious egg rolls. They have good salads. They have good fuel and, sometimes, quite large parking areas. They also have a place where I can dump the toilet that I carry in my truck. That's important. Significance? Road Food.
The Man Has Carts Posted: November 7, 2009
Actually, the man (me) has about 200 of them in total. I could have carried more, but the 200 was all they had. I picked them up at a Wal-Mart and took them to a shopping cart manufacturer in Oklahoma. The load took me home. It didn't pay well, but what could I do? When I need to go home I need to go home. When I got to the Wal-Mart they said they would load them for me. After a while of no activity, I got out of my truck, went in and found the manager who was in no hurry to re-allocate the labors of his people to loading shopping carts. They were busy with "Wal-Mart stuff" he told me. Eventually, I got loaded by getting involved. Significance? People ask me what I hauled when I drove. Repeat after me - everything. If it gets sold in American stores a big truck will be involved in the transportation of the product.
17 Layer Lasagna Posted: October 21, 2009
One day Ethel and I are out driving around in Oklahoma City. She says "Are you hungry?" I say "Sure." We decided we were both hungry for a little bit of Italian food. We figured we'd go to Bella Vista, an Italian restaurant on the south side of OKC. Big mistake. There is nothing little about the servings at Bella Vista. This is a 17 layer lasagna. Incredibly cheesy. The kind of food your cardiologist would tell you to avoid at all costs. Way too good. Fortunately, they have take-home boxes for those of us who don't make a total pig of ourselves. Dollar-for-dollar, the Bella Vista is the best value in Italian in OKC. Significance? You don't have to go to Paris or London or Tokyo to get really good food. There's a reason why Americans are the pudgiest people on the planet. Hint: good, cheap food.
What a Sunset! Posted: October 10, 2009
I get to see some nice sunrises, don't I? That's one of the benefits of driving a truck. The sunsets can sometimes be just as spectacular. What's so special about this picture? It reminds me that no one sees great weather like truck drivers and sailors.
Rental Car in Connecticut Posted: September 9, 2009
It's the car I used to go up to Vermont. How often did I rent a car and go exploring when I was out on the road? Every chance I got. Sometimes, I would go home, pick up Ethel and we would go out on the road just to go somewhere, stop for a week, get a rental car and go exploring. We slept in the truck, showered in the truck stop and were tourists. Trucking is the absolute best way to see America. You get to go out on the road and live. If you have your own truck, you can set your own schedule. You can stop when you want for as long as you want. You can go anywhere in the United States and someone else will foot the bill. I would still be driving a truck part-time if my wife would have been willing to go with me, but I can understand why she didn’t. Not everyone can deal with the lifestyle of being a trucker. Or Driver, as they like to call themselves.
Welcome to Delaware Posted: June 12, 2008
Scooter Riding is so much fun... One reason I traded my Gold Wing for a Silver Wing was that the Silver Wing fit so nicely in my 53 foot trailer. Ethel and I would stop, take the Swing out of the trailer and go cruising.
Loading The Swing Posted: June 8, 2008
How do I get the Honda Silver Wing to places like Indiana, Delaware or Florida? Simple. I have ramps. I ride the scooter into the trailer. How cool is this? Travel all over the country and, when you're ready, stop and unload the scooter and go for a ride. I loved it. The significance of this picture? Think about it. I have a big truck. I can live in it. Very cheaply. I could take my motorcycle with me and stop anywhere I wanted for as long as I wanted. Well, anywhere I could park my Big Truck. People paid me good money to travel.
Mr FLD Gets Washed Posted: June 8, 2008
Periodically, I wash the truck. A wash can run as little as $20 but usually runs $30-40. Today, I pay $32 + tip. What the significance? Not everyone in the world gets to drive one of these babies. You just can't go down to the truck lot and take one out for a test drive. Actually, most people couldn't drive one if they tried. They are a little tricky. If you own one you aren't able to purchase liability insurance on the truck unless the driver has at least a year's experience driving a Big Rig. Driving a Big Rig is a unique experience. I liked mine. It had a porta-potti, bed, microwave, flat screen TV with TIVO and satellite reception and a small refrigerator. It had a generator with 110 volt electricity and central heat and air. I had 100_channels of satellite radio and 24/7 internet on my 17" laptop. Life’s not necessarily that bad living in a truck. Some of the bigger ones even have a kitchen, hot water and a shower.
At The Park Posted: June 8, 2008
A block from my apartment is a park. A very nice park. All thru the spring, summer and fall there are events there that draw large crowds. We were passing by on the scooter when we noticed that the amphitheater at the park was full of people. We stopped. Significance? Community. That's one thing that makes humans so unique, that sense of community and culture. I like the community I live in.