40-Ton Tourists

End of the Road

2008-12-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

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!

REALLY holed up in Denver

2008-11-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

We're still in Denver. That's because the repair shop has discovered the need to bore the engine core - and the guy that does that isn't in until Monday.

So, we're here until at least late Monday, if not Tuesday. We'll make the best of it.

Holed up in Denver

2008-11-28T17:29:00.001-08:00

More truck troubles have us overnighting in Denver. After making our delivery this morning (NOTE - Arizona Ice Tea is NOT from Arizona; this batch came from Sacramento CA!), we decided to take the truck into the shop to have the latest coolant leak checked. (As you may recall, we had a new water pump installed three weeks ago.)

The good news is it isn't the water pump. The bad news is it's a blown head gasket - and that means an overnight stay.

In keeping with our philosophy of being 40 Ton Tourists, we decided to get a room at the Hyatt Regency across from the Denver Convention Center (site of this year's "DenverCrat" Convention, but we won't hold that against the hotel.)

The outdoor 16th St Mall is just a few blocks away so we did some quick window shopping, got some dinner, and high-tailed it back to the hotel. We did NOT bring warm enough clothes for walking at night.

The technician says the truck should be ready tomorrow. We'll see...

Thanksgiving dinner with a slice of “American Pie”

2008-11-28T04:31:00.000-08:00

We were fortunate enough to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in a part of America that continues to honor the “old fashioned” values of family, hard work, and tradition. How do we know that? It was pretty obvious just from observing the different groups that were there with us enjoying a nice holiday meal.

The restaurant at the Little America travel center in western Wyoming had put together a special holiday menu. Obviously the word had gotten out because, despite there being no “city” in the immediate area, there were lots of folks on hand. Much of the crowd was comprised of extended families of 10-15 people, ranging from great-grandparents to several newborns. It seemed that for many of them, this was where they always spend their Thanksgiving.

In recognition of the special-ness of the day, most everyone was in their “nice” clothes though several of the outfits reflected the ranching character of the community; cowboy hats, boots, big belt buckles, and wool-lined leather jackets. There were also several Native American families, including one gentleman who was wearing his Cherokee Tribal Council jacket.

The hardworking nature of the residents was also apparent from looking at the weathered faces and scraped knuckles. These are people who obviously spend a lot of time working outside.

One family in particular caught our attention because they exemplified each of those three values. It included a mom and dad, a teenage son and daughter, and a grandfather. One look at them and you knew they were ranchers, a tradition that spanned at least the three generations at the table – if not more. They also knew Whom to thank as they prayed almost as soon as they gave their order to the waiter. Mom also looked like she could handle a horse and a rope, and we imagined the daughter would probably marry into another ranching family. Of course, any boy wanting to date her will have to pass Dad’s scrutiny and face his wrath should he mistreat her.

Obviously, this kind of lifestyle is not for everyone. But it’s comforting to know there are people who continue to embrace this way of life, despite the growing pressures from “modern society” to take the easier route – at the expense of many of the values that have made this country what it is.