mrgoodtude
Not a Member
Hey Everyone,
Just wanted you to know that it wasn't easy, but I got my Class B CDL license today!!!!!
Mike and I flew up to Chicago last Wednesday to pick up the truck (38 feet) and drive it back. Mike had me drive for about 100 miles Wednesday night on our way home in Illinois on I-74. Since it was my first time ever driving a truck, he had me pull into a truckstop before we got across the Indiana border to cross the weigh station. He drove for another hour till we were just outside of Indianapolis and stopped at a Wal-Mart to purchase a couple of pillows and blankets to sleep in the truck rather than taking a motel. We slept for about 5 hours and awoke to a snow covered truck and roads. When we got southeast of Louisville, he had me drive again and said I was doing a good job. Once again, we swapped seats to cross the state line and weigh station.
I had scheduled the road test for Friday morning in which I failed miserably, but it helped me to understand and know what I needed to work on. The pre-trip was the nightmare from hell!!!! I've never been mechanically inclined and I had to know and explain all the parts of the truck. Geez, I couldn't even tell the examiner what the tie rod was. Even though I failed the pre-trip, the examiner had me take the skills test which encompassed pulling up at a 90 degree angle and then backing the truck between pilons without going too far back or hitting a pilon. Needless to say, I failed. The next test was driving forward through pilons and then backing up about 100 feet. I succeeded in that portion of the test (I hit one pilon). The next test was parallel parking (geez, I couldn't do that in my car) in which I failed once again.
The examiner (a female) was incredible. She spent over 20 minutes after the tests explaining what I missed on the pre-trip. She rescheduled me for Monday. Since I had a difficult time judging where the back of the truck was as it has a liftgate, Mike and I went to Home Depot, bought some 2 inch PVC pipe that we had them cut in 12 inch pieces, and neon orange spray paint. He painted the piping, drilled a couple of holes and secured it to the end of the box truck so that I could judge the back of the truck. We spent a few hours in an empty parking lot working on my backing skills and parallel parking and I finally got a feel of the truck and even succeeded in parallel parking.
My retest was scheduled for Monday, but we awoke to heavy rains. I called and was fortunate to get the test rescheduled for today. The past several days all I have done is study the manual for the pre-trip to the point that my brain was scrambled and I was dreaming about it. Mike thought I was having a nightmare this morning, but I was actually going over the steering system of the truck!!
Mike had me drive to the testing station which is about 45 miles from the house, through town, rush hour traffic and through the city. I got us there safely and Mike never had to correct me or "yell" at me. LOL I was thankful that I got the same examiner that I had on Friday. She's been on the job for 27 years and knows everything about trucks which was amazing. I took my time going over all the parts of the engine, under the truck, tires, lights, doors, wheels, gas tanks, air brakes, etc. I just kept repeating that the part I was describing were secure, had no cracks, breaks, damage or missing parts. (Say that 100 times and I bet you'll get tongue tied!) When I felt that I had successfully (had to climb under the truck a few times) completed the pre-trip, I told her I was done and she said we would take a 5 minute break and that I needed to just relax. I asked her if I had past that portion of the test in which she said I had. HALLELUJAH! I felt the worst part was over. I struggled with the basic skills test since I was so nervous, but passed it also. Then came the road test which took 45 minutes. I survived and didn't hit anything or anyone and passed the test.
I accomplished something today that I never dreamed possible. Mike has always believed in me and my driving capabilities and having that, made me believe that I could do it.
We leave on Sunday for Ann Arbor, MI for orientation on Monday and Tuesday and then we start our new life together driving across this incredible country.
I have never been so happy as I am now. To love someone as much I love Mike and to have that love returned and to be able to enjoy life is more than I could have ever thought possible.
After Sunday, any e-mail I receive (if you would like to drop me a line and help me to save your address to let you know what's happening) should be sent to [email protected]. Mike and I have a laptop and a sprint internet card so we will be able to check mail when we stop.
Lookout America and Canada, here we come!
May God bless you and your families,
Cyn
Kitty Litter and Ms Puss
Just wanted you to know that it wasn't easy, but I got my Class B CDL license today!!!!!
Mike and I flew up to Chicago last Wednesday to pick up the truck (38 feet) and drive it back. Mike had me drive for about 100 miles Wednesday night on our way home in Illinois on I-74. Since it was my first time ever driving a truck, he had me pull into a truckstop before we got across the Indiana border to cross the weigh station. He drove for another hour till we were just outside of Indianapolis and stopped at a Wal-Mart to purchase a couple of pillows and blankets to sleep in the truck rather than taking a motel. We slept for about 5 hours and awoke to a snow covered truck and roads. When we got southeast of Louisville, he had me drive again and said I was doing a good job. Once again, we swapped seats to cross the state line and weigh station.
I had scheduled the road test for Friday morning in which I failed miserably, but it helped me to understand and know what I needed to work on. The pre-trip was the nightmare from hell!!!! I've never been mechanically inclined and I had to know and explain all the parts of the truck. Geez, I couldn't even tell the examiner what the tie rod was. Even though I failed the pre-trip, the examiner had me take the skills test which encompassed pulling up at a 90 degree angle and then backing the truck between pilons without going too far back or hitting a pilon. Needless to say, I failed. The next test was driving forward through pilons and then backing up about 100 feet. I succeeded in that portion of the test (I hit one pilon). The next test was parallel parking (geez, I couldn't do that in my car) in which I failed once again.
The examiner (a female) was incredible. She spent over 20 minutes after the tests explaining what I missed on the pre-trip. She rescheduled me for Monday. Since I had a difficult time judging where the back of the truck was as it has a liftgate, Mike and I went to Home Depot, bought some 2 inch PVC pipe that we had them cut in 12 inch pieces, and neon orange spray paint. He painted the piping, drilled a couple of holes and secured it to the end of the box truck so that I could judge the back of the truck. We spent a few hours in an empty parking lot working on my backing skills and parallel parking and I finally got a feel of the truck and even succeeded in parallel parking.
My retest was scheduled for Monday, but we awoke to heavy rains. I called and was fortunate to get the test rescheduled for today. The past several days all I have done is study the manual for the pre-trip to the point that my brain was scrambled and I was dreaming about it. Mike thought I was having a nightmare this morning, but I was actually going over the steering system of the truck!!
Mike had me drive to the testing station which is about 45 miles from the house, through town, rush hour traffic and through the city. I got us there safely and Mike never had to correct me or "yell" at me. LOL I was thankful that I got the same examiner that I had on Friday. She's been on the job for 27 years and knows everything about trucks which was amazing. I took my time going over all the parts of the engine, under the truck, tires, lights, doors, wheels, gas tanks, air brakes, etc. I just kept repeating that the part I was describing were secure, had no cracks, breaks, damage or missing parts. (Say that 100 times and I bet you'll get tongue tied!) When I felt that I had successfully (had to climb under the truck a few times) completed the pre-trip, I told her I was done and she said we would take a 5 minute break and that I needed to just relax. I asked her if I had past that portion of the test in which she said I had. HALLELUJAH! I felt the worst part was over. I struggled with the basic skills test since I was so nervous, but passed it also. Then came the road test which took 45 minutes. I survived and didn't hit anything or anyone and passed the test.
I accomplished something today that I never dreamed possible. Mike has always believed in me and my driving capabilities and having that, made me believe that I could do it.
We leave on Sunday for Ann Arbor, MI for orientation on Monday and Tuesday and then we start our new life together driving across this incredible country.
I have never been so happy as I am now. To love someone as much I love Mike and to have that love returned and to be able to enjoy life is more than I could have ever thought possible.
After Sunday, any e-mail I receive (if you would like to drop me a line and help me to save your address to let you know what's happening) should be sent to [email protected]. Mike and I have a laptop and a sprint internet card so we will be able to check mail when we stop.
Lookout America and Canada, here we come!
May God bless you and your families,
Cyn
Kitty Litter and Ms Puss
