Job Update

Mixed emotions.

That is how I feel after my first day of truck driving school. I enjoyed learning how to drive a truck, but I am a little disappointed that it is harder than it looks.

I actually got to spend about a half an hour behind the wheel of a freightliner with a big Detroit diesel engine and a 46 foot trailer. The instructor (Bob) drove us (3 students including myself) to the playground which consists of a loop in an industrial district of approximately 5 miles. I was the first to get behind the wheel. "Push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor" said Bob, (which engages the clutch brake). "Wait about 3 second then put her in 2nd gear" said Bob again. "Now keep your right foot off the accelerator pedal and let the clutch out slowly."

The rest is history, our goal is to practice "progressive shifting"(rev the engine in second to 1200 rpm, then clutch to neutral, clutch to 3rd, rev to 1300 rpm clutch to neutral, clutch to fourth, rev to 1400 etc.) There is no way to explain, describe, or convey how to drive a big rig with a non synchronized transmission. You have to make lots of mistakes and learn from them. Our truck had a ten speed transmission but we are not allowed to use low gear, so for all general purposes we only use eight gears(1 through 4 then switch the splitter and 1 through 4 all over again).

I can't close this post without telling you about air breaks. I never dreamed it would take over a second after I hit the pedal for the brakes to work. Almost every stop I made, was like riding with a teenager learning to drive a stick. I push the pedal, nothing happens, push harder, then wham! I am kissing the windshield.

I greatly enjoyed driving the truck and I look forward to getting better, but I can't seem to shake my anxiety about being away from home, 3 weeks of every month for an indefinite period of time. My two year old son almost cried with happiness when I got home even though I had been gone for only one day.

Please continue your prayers and ask God to either bless this decision or to close the door firmly.

Until next time

David