Overweight

I drove semi trucks long haul and short haul for 24 years before changing careers. I remember unloading in Springfield, Illinois one morning. My next load was dispatched to be picked up in Indiana that afternoon. It was a nice morning and I was in no hurry so instead of taking the bypass around the city, I opted to take the business route through the city and take in the urban sites. Mistake. Maneuvering my empty 48 foot flatbed behind my long nose Pete through the narrow city streets, I turned a corner and found myself looking at a small bridge with a 5 ton embargo on it. My truck and trailer are nearly 70 foot long and virtually no place to stop or turn around. The bridge looked fairly solid - made of concrete and mortared block. I took a deep breath, grabbed another gear and slid over the bridge. On the other side, as if he was waiting for me in the bushes, was a commercial motor vehicle officer or, DOT man. Of course his lights went on as he pulled out behind me, signaling me to stop. Busted!. Even empty, my truck and trailer weighed in at close to 30,000 pounds. After a brief conversation and pleading all the alibis I could muster, I was instructed to follow him all the way back to the other side of town where another motor vehicle inspector was waiting with a portable set of scales.

More later.... 

Overweight - Part II

On the other side of town, I was weighed on a set of portable truck scales and found to be, oh I don't know, several tons overweight on that tiny 5-ton embargoed bridge. My fine: $3,000! I had to call my company and ask one of the VIPs to send the money for my, and the truck's, release. They did. I paid the fine and went on my way. A month or so later, I appeared in court, plead guilty to a lesser charge, and was refunded $1,500. Lots better but still a costly lesson.

My First Computer

 I remember my first computer. I purchased it from OfficeMax for about $300. November 1998. Fargo, ND. Packard Bell with 32 MB RAM.

Welcome Back

 Shazaam! Found this dusty old blog in the attic and decided I now have time to pick up where I left off...which was basically nowhere anyway. If you're a new visitor, Welcome! I hope you find my blog interesting enough to add it to your favorites and follow along. If you find me slacking and not keeping p this time, I encourage to to contact me and give me a little boot in the bootie to add more memories.

This is me

 This is me

I’ve been to a lot of places and done a lot of things.  I’ve done just about every kind of illicit drug you can imagine. Drank myself into stupor and woke up in places totally unfamiliar to me. I ran away from home at 17, traveled with a carnival, nearly killed in a motorcycle accident, and hitch-hiked to the west coast and back twice. I’ve lived in 6 different states, worked countless jobs, and been unemployed and homeless living in the basement of a church at one time and the kitchen floor of a crack house another. I’ve met and conversed people rich enough to pay off a portion of our nation’s debt and others so poor, a couple coins put in the palm of their hand brought a gleam to their eyes. I spent 24 years driving some of the nicest looking big rig trucks and hauled loads large enough that others move out of my way. I’ve driven to virtually every major city in the continental USA, on every mile of every interstate and most US highways. I’ve been overseas to Japan and Philippines, married and divorced twice, did my time in the military and in jail, and logged nearly 400 skydives. I’ve had so many bumps and bruises and broken bones and had so many lacerations sewn up with so many stitches, that it’s a wonder I’m still alive. I made a major career change at 47 years old, went back to college, made the president’s list and wound up where I am today.

Regrets you ask? I’m certainly not proud of some of the things I’ve done in my life and the regrets I have are few.  I’ve done a lot of stupid things. Some may say I wasted a good part of my life doing stupid things. But those ‘stupid’ things made me who I am today and brought me to this place in time. God was patient with me and has forgiven me for the poor choices I made and has blessed me with a new wonderful life. Today, I have more riches than most. I pinch pennies to make ends meet, wear socks with holes in them, buy my clothes at the thrift store and wear the same pair of shoes 7 days a week. But I have 2 of the greatest boys on earth who are responsible and respectful and I am proud to call them both my sons. My aches and pains are a consequence of my past and a constant reminder I’ll never be as young as I once was. I now admit my time is limited and will need to slow down to soak in what few memories I can find. My future is much shorter now and the end is in sight. But now I feel fulfilled knowing I have a legacy to be proud of, that will follow me.