On the Road Again

That's the song that goes thru my head and the thought that tugs at my heart every time I see a semi going down the road.  I know I can't do it at the moment but I dream of one day getting behind the wheel of a semi and driving into the sunset carrying a 40 ton load behind me.


Why do I love driving?  Why can't I see the long hours, the "loneliness", the stress, the bad food, the cramped quarters, the idiot drivers, the 100's of other excuses those who don't have a CDL use to try to convince me to take it easy and "enjoy" retirement (aka disability)?


What?  And miss the storms marching in from Lake Michigan preceded by a fanfare of spiderweb lightning reaching across the sky?  Miss the Oscar Mayer Weiner-mobile going down the road to its next destination; and maybe getting a chance to tour it?  (Forget the futile attempts by Red Bull to do the same thing; anybody can weld a trash can to a pickup wannabe.)  Miss seeing each state's welcome sign as you trek past a milestone?  Miss the gorgeous sunsets (fortunately, I didn't see many sunrises).  Miss listening to the radio without having to seek a new station every 30-45 minutes?  Miss not knowing where my next load is going to take me?  Miss the wonder of seeing a Bald Eagle majestically soaring through the air, free to fly where it desires?  Miss seeing wild turkeys, deer, maybe a moose standing along the side of the road?  Missing a chance to eat at some of the best restaurants in the country?  Miss the easy camaraderie long gone in most industries but still exists amongst fellow drivers?  Miss the satisfaction of backing into a really tight spot without hitting anything?  Miss the wind rocking me to sleep while a storm rages outside my cab at night?  Miss a hot shower and shave after a long three days of running during the summer with no time but to fuel, potty, grab a dog-n-dew then sleep cuz yer load is on a tight schedule?


Am I getting my point across?  Sure, it's stressful.  Sure, it's tiring.  Sure, there're idiots out there who think 40 tons can stop like a Dodge Neon.  But I was never more alive during those two and a half years on the road than I can ever remember being in my entire life before then.


And I want to go back...

Tell me, how's the view from yer office window?  Mine was just fine.