well instead of sending me east on monday out of denver they sent me to fontana ca. with a load of rebuilt electric train motors. i dropped them off tuesday night and got back to denver with a load of junk train motors on thursday night. i got up early today to deliver my load and those turkeys are off today. i never liked being gone on thanksgiving or christmas. i had a lump in my throat all day yesterday. i15 and i70 are pretty lonely stretches of interstate especially on thanksgiving day.
every once in a while a family will pass by.  they look up at me with thier long faces as if to say "why isn't that poor guy at home with his family". i stopped in a remote part of colorado for some dinner. i sat there eating while people were meeting with relitives and spending time with thier kids. i hastefully finished my meal, paid my tab, and walked out. by the time i put the key in the door i was pretty choked up. non the less i started it up, pushed in the brake knob put it in gear and kept rolling. utah and western colorado have some beautiful scenery but this time those big snow capped peaks just reminded me that home is 2000 miles away and it wil be another week or so before i can see jack again. he's 3 years old and doesn't understand why daddies not home. all he understands is that he misses daddy. and daddy misses him toowell anyways if anybody is up here in denver and wants to have a beer  with a homesick truck driver, i'm available....or a dr. pepper dosn't matter

Sorry Johnny, I'm nowhere near Denver.  I do feel for you and hope you can get home, safe and sound, soon.

Ray

I used to travel quite a lot in my ex-job, Johnny, and I know how lonely it can be on the road--particularly on the holidays.

Too damn bad you're running so far south of us right now--if you're ever in our neck of the woods, you're welcome to give me a shout if you're so inclined.  Would enjoy meeting you.

Best wishes,

George

 

George wrote on Nov 29^th, 2008 at 12:45am:

I used to travel quite a lot in my ex-job, Johnny, and I know how lonely it can be on the road--particularly on the holidays. Too damn bad you're running so far south of us right now--if you're ever in our neck of the woods, you're welcome to give me a shout if you're so inclined.  Would enjoy meeting you. Best wishes, George

thanks george. you and ray have made me feel alot better. they pretty much send me anywere west of the mississippi. sooner or later i'll get up there. i have no set route. they shoot me around like a pinball. it realy is a fascinating job. i see all kinds of stuff that regular people don't get to see. or even regular truck drivers for that matter. i've been on the road for many years out of my life, but since jack was born i guess i don't feel as tough. i usually don't feel this way until i get home and have to leave but these hollidays really cut me like a knife. i often worry that i won't have any influance on him. i guess thats a litle bit personal but thats why we're here right?

Johnny, can Jack travel with you at all or is it against policy?

It’s no fun being away from the family on the holidays, and it makes you get that melancholy feeling.

When my wife was pregnant with Michel, the company I worked for at the time had me go out to Denver to do the fire alarm on the Maxtor R&D facility in Longmount.

While I was out there they refused to fly me home for the long weekend and I ended up working on Thanksgiving. I worked 82 hours that week and forked over half of the check to uncle sam. That was worse than all the holidays in the military because the military is like a second family and being all alone in a huge empty building was crappy.

Roll on Johnny  ;)

BTW Johnny if you will coming through Minneapolis at any point, PM me and I will fire up the Icom 718. Just give me a time range and a quiet frequency to meet you on.

Roland. 8-)

It breaks my heart to read your post, it really does.  I hope thru all of this you remember that you are doing what you have to to support your family so be proud of that, k?

You are a good man, Johnny.  Wish we had many more Fathers out there like you.

jack is only about 3 1/2. he's in head start right now and we live out in the country so thats the only time he has tp relate to kids his age. theres  allot of places i go that can be very dangerous. the place in fontana was a big rail yard with a huge mechanic shop where the pull train engines in and service them. i'm fraid that he would be fascinated by all those trains and want to go and check them out. and l don't think he would be safe in the cab cause he has to play with all the knobs and switchs which is cool if i'm siting there but sometimes i have to go teack people down so he would be sitting there by himself in a 78,000#  vehical. when he gets around 5 i'll put him in here with me. thats about the time dad started taking me out. before i turned 12 i had already been to 48 states. i've been out here for years and theres still places i haven't been to that did with dad. it's a stange lifestyle  i guess but it's a good honest living.

Oh Johnny, that's too bad, but age 5 sounds good and when they start really remembering certain times with their dads, so it looks like a good plan to me. ;)

I can just feel your heartache though, and I'm so sorry...

I'm sorry, Johnny...being away from home for long periods is tough and especially hard during the holidays.  I sure never liked it... :(

Can imagine how much you miss Jack.  He's such a precious little boy.  You all will have a grand time when he's old enough to go truckin' with Dad :)  Talk about a bonding experience!

If you ever come across northern Indiana on the Indiana Toll Road, give us a call.  We're only about 20 minutes south of the Bristol.  We sure would enjoy seeing you and it would be my pleasure to fix you a home cooked meal.

Much Love,
Jackie

wrote on Nov 29^th, 2008 at 9:11am:

It’s no fun being away from the family on the holidays, and it makes you get that melancholy feeling. When my wife was pregnant with Michel, the company I worked for at the time had me go out to Denver to do the fire alarm on the Maxtor R&D facility in Longmount. While I was out there they refused to fly me home for the long weekend and I ended up working on Thanksgiving. I worked 82 hours that week and forked over half of the check to uncle sam. That was worse than all the holidays in the military because the military is like a second family and being all alone in a huge empty building was crappy. Roll on Johnny  ;)

when i was in my early 20s i worked for flooring company that did carpet in  restuarants and theaters. they only kept the carpet down for about 2 years and then they would replace it.  when we would do new theaters we would have to run all the cove base reducer strips, light strips and strair nosings. it usaully took about 2 months to complete. when we would show up it was a big emty building with nothing more than steel colums. somtimes you'd be laying carpet when there was no exteirior walls. they would work you about 16 hours a day 7 days a week. avfter a while you were mindless. most of the crew were either on cocaine or they were heavy drinkers.i'm talkin 2 cases of warm natty light a day. it's hard to live with a group of guys jacked up all the time.
after about 2 years of that i started to get a little bit mean and i had to quit. i guess i didn't fit in.
anyways rolland when i get up that way and i can get to a computer i'l send you a pm or i'll have calico send you one. it's always nice to meet up with another cluster buddu and talk about headaches ;D

My heart goes out to you johnny, you are providing for your family, and that must be extra damn tough on you being away from them during the holidays.

The Clusterville porch light is on 24/7 if you ever need another "family" member to talk too at any time.

Hang in there bro! :)

hey jackie, i run us20 accross your way. it would be nice to see you and blake again. i don't think i'm going to make  to st. louis so i guess i'm doing my meet and greats on an individual basis.

US 20 is only about 5 minutes north of us.  We are on SR 15.  

It would be good to see you.  Let us know.  I'm PMing you the phone numbers.

Jackie