Okay...so the picture isn't great, however it is really two pictures made into one because the truck is so flippin big! The trailer is 53 feet and along with the tractor it measures 70 feet 4 inches total. We have been driving 48 foot trailers at school...and yea it is only 5 more feet, but when your backing it up it seems like its 20 more feet. But after practicing backing for 9 hours on Sunday I'm hoping I can get it "in the hole". I know what most of you are thinking...but your wrong. The trailers in the background are lined up like you would see at a truck stop. We are backing in to the spots that are empty, with just room for one trailer. Truckers make this look so damn easy, but its really not. There is about 2 to 3 feet extra on each side, but it can seem like 2 or 3 inches. Someday I am just sure Jeff and I will look back on this little task and wonder why it was so difficult :o )
We took the truck out 3 times last week. The first day of city driving. Not too bad. That is truly the part I enjoy the most. Heck thats why we wanted to do this in the first place, right...to drive a truck! The second day we learned how to up shift on an uphill grade (6%) and then down shift on the same hill going down hill. It was awesome to know that you can always catch another gear so you don't have to worry about burning your brakes out. Takes a lot of worries out of mountain driving. The Jake Brake is great, but this is a skill that is truly fantastic to have. The third drive we went downtown and took turns and curves that I would have never thought a big semi truck could ever take, let alone me taking them, but..who knew...it can be done. I believe only 1 curb was bruised along the way, which if I could have shown you what we drove down you would be proud as punch.
Both of our instructors, Dick and Kelby have been great. They both have a great sense of humor...which is important when dealing with The Linn's. Both of them make everything look easy, so you know that they are good truck drivers. I have come to the conclusion that when anybody shows you how to do anything with the truck and they say " see, its just that simple", is usually somebody who makes it look really simple, but when you get behind the wheel and try the same thing it doesn't seem to be as "simple". Time, practise and more practise will all make a big difference.
Its getting late so I think I will be turning in so I can be fresh for tomorrow...who knows what might be coming next.
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