some pictures

Rule number 1. Dont go down hills fast using y0ur brakes they will catch fire.

don't time fly

I cant believe its been 3 weeks since my last update, (anyone still listening). I got away at midday and set off to california and got lost 2 blocks away from the yard, this isnt goin to well me finks, any way got my bearings and got awy. its all about fuel and you next fuel stops, the company plan your route based on these.the truck will go about 900 miles on 3/4 tank and you drive about 600 miles a day, 60mph x 10hrs dr.The truck stops in usa are brill, good food and facilities.because of the heat drivers keep their trucks running on fast tick over for th air con, ALL NIGHT, the yanks can sure give us a lesson in fuel waste.The T/S vibrates with the engines. I have a tri pac fitted to my truck that has a generator and runs the air con so i can keep cool at night.
I drove the same route to LA then back up to san fransisco to load wine(fetzer) out of santa rosa dest for edmonton.Most of the route was up H way 97, what beauty now i know why i came, the scenery was outstanding. The boarder crossing at Kingsgate was apicture of quaintness.
I returned to the yard and sent out to chicargo with a load of beef a place called napoleon, then reloaded puff pastry for vancouver 2200 miles and 35 hrs dr, why they cant make puff pastry in canada is beyond me, still its a dirty job and someone has to do it.

Return to leth bridge

Arrived in Vancouver at yard in Delta and found out that there was no load back to Lethbridge so Al took me to the local hotel only to be told that it was full.My boss then sent me to a posh hotel in twassenen.I stayed there over night and called in the morning only to be told that i would have to stay another night, so back to the sauna, hey ho its a dirty job and someone has to do it. Al picked me up the following day and brought along a picnic as he thought i would be hungry, what a star. I drove half way back as i had to go to class that day at work for the orientation course.
Thurs 15 July. Last day in class room and passed all tests. I was allocated my truck and a job down to california hooray, only to find out the truck was in the garage for a service, boo. So tmrw morning im going back to yard to load up my gear and hopfully get away midday.

second mentor trip to vancouver

Finally got away from Calgary. I got picked by a canadian driver called alex, a really nice guy about the same age as me.He showed me how to drive over the rockies without using the brakes.there was some long hills about 5 miles long up and down, the idea being that you use the engine retarder to slow the truck on the long decents saving the foot brakes for emergencies.Life always throws up surprises. Alex, as i found out was a computer programmer for the oil industry in the gulf, designing programs that operated the oil platforms. a really clever guy, He gave a running commentary of all the sights and history of the journey.Sadly his wife became ill and they came back to canada, and he was unable to find work in his feild so he started driving. I drove half the way negotiating the longest hill, and past the test.

Las Vagas

pictures at last

I finally got everything together so i've posted some pictures of my mentor trip to los angeles

Nothing is ever simple

Spent yesterday hanging around waiting for a mentor trip to vancouver that never materialised,so went to mojo's, a sports bar near colins( the driver who has let me stay at his house). and had a couple of cokes, i am a professional driver now so no alcahol( yeh right).this morning i was called up and told to be in the yard at 12 noon to get a lift to cagary where a driver will pick me up and take me to vancouver.that is where i am now waiting for him in the drivers lounge in their yard at clgary, which is not too bad if i may say so myself. It has 2 beds, a shower, washing machine and drier, tv and lounge seats and of course free internet,all working and new not bad eh. I now have all my leads and will post so pictures on next blog.

return to canada

Loaded out of oxnard, out of the docks,(i had to be escorted to the loading bays by a docker as i was not a us citizen , and escorted out again at a cost of 80 dollars, what a con), a load of bananas for safeways, edmonton, alberta, we drove up to santa clarita,barstow,baker las vegas,salt lake, idaho falls, crossing at sweetgrass and into lethbridge where we dropped the trailer for a city driver to take to edmonton, a journey of 1670 miles in 2 days, what a drive, we team drove the truck to get the load in on time this ment i drove while the other driver slept and visa versa. The scenery was stunning and the weather was sunny and hot all the way, im starting to turn brown.The hardest thing is relying on other people to help as i have nowhere to leave my belongings, steve is driving his car around with my suit case in his boot, and i have a few things in a night bag, martin has lent me his sleeping bag and i am staying at a drivers house. to save hotel bills.tomorrow i will find out if i am going to vancouver as i have to be shown how to drive over this mountanous road,i will let you know how i get on. I wanted to post some pictures but i have left the leads in my suit case.

First day out

Today was my first mentor trip. we left the yard at 0800 this morning destination california, sounds posh don't it.Anyway i drove first down to idaho falls, which is about a third of the way stopping for a rest at mc common idaho.tmorrow we are going as far as las vegas to make a rest stop and watch the 4 july fireworks display and then onto los angeles to tip and reload back to canada.

First trip out

Tommorrow im leaving the hotel and going out on my first mentor trip to america to learn the process of crossing the border, i have an early start so im off to bed.

Test day

Hi all, Passed my driving test this morning,what a relief.It was pouring down with rain and i got soaked, on the other hand the roads were quiet as it was a bank holiday week end.