About This Site

This blog is primarily intended to keep our family and friends up-to-date on where we are and where we’re going as we drive around the country as long-haul truckers. But it’s also a chance to share some observations about life on the road and life in general.

The title is a reference to one of the things we find so attractive about driving a truck (which weighs 40 tons – 80,000 pounds – when fully loaded); it allows us to travel all over this great country of ours, see the sights, and get paid while we're doing it!

Monday, December 8, 2008

End of the Road

We're hanging up the reins, so to speak.

Lori has turned in the truck back in Springfield today and is on her way home. I drove back from Denver last Monday while Lori waited for the truck to get fixed (a job that wasn't completed until Friday, a full week after we dropped it off.) She then picked up a load of beef from Fort Morgan, CO and drove the trailer to Springfield for someone else to pick up.

While it was great being able to see so much of the country, I underestimated how much I would miss being at home. I knew that being away for weeks at a time was part of the deal but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal; it was. It's rather humbling to realize I didn't know myself any better than that.

In addition to not being at the house on a regular basis, I struggled with the feeling that I was never "off duty." Even when we were between assignments, we always had to be ready to head out at a moments notice. That made it hard for me to "unwind" and really relax.

Even so, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. We went places and saw things we probably never would have otherwise. And there are lots of great memories of life on the road.

Not sure what we'll do next. Local driving jobs are an option and I'm looking into part-time or contract work back in local government public affairs. Whatever happens, we know God is in charge and is putting us exactly where He wants us to be.

Thank you all for following our adventures, for sharing your thoughts, and for providing the encouragement to keep this blog going.

Take care and God bless!