3D Hills

 

Terry Gross is one of my heroes. She's the shit!

I should have taken Ernest's advice. Well I did the easy part, I wrote drunk. I just didn't follow up and edit sober. Details, details. I'll let it stand. It's true, after all. My sentiment, that is. Whether global warming is a hoax or not still seems to be in some dispute.

I was strapping down a load over at Indiana Limestone in Oolitic. Another driver was doing the same next to me. He drove for Boyd Bros out of Washington, IN. He was the talkative sort and asked me if I'd ever considered driving for his outfit. My warning systems went off immediately. "This guy wants to take advantage of the 'recruitment bonus' that so many companies offer, as much as a thousand bucks if your new hire lasts a year."

"Nah, I'm pretty happy where I'm at," I replied.

Did I really say that? Happy with this nightmare?

The guy kept rambling on but since I'd released him from potential gain all he had to say for the company were complaints: problems with the dispatchers, problems with the logistics...problems, problems, problems.

It's tough all over. I could relate to what he was saying, though mostly in retrospect. "That's one of the things I really like about Stonebelt," I said, "they've all been drivers, they know what it's like."

I had to take a hit on the equipment. His rig was nice and new and I was obviously driving a worn out piece of shit, hooking to a battered old trailer, but in the end it's true; I'm fairly happy with this gig, and I do like the people that I work with and for.

Why just the other day I discovered a new scenic route. I'd earlier recommended US 50 from Bedford to Lagootee. I still do, but once you climb the hill just outside Lagootee stop at the overlook park; that was the only reason to go past Shoals anyway; then turn around. On the far side of Shoals follow US 150 East. You'll see what I'm talking about. That might be the hilliest, curviest highway in Indiana, I dunno. I do know that it's beautiful. You come down out of the hills into French Lick so you can visit the casino before heading home, if you want to, or why not just stay there at the resort!

I got a boost the other day. I was being loaded over at Victor Quarry and the guy who was before me came over to ask advice in securing the load. He was new to trucking. He'd been a contractor until "the bottom fell out."

Interlude: Another one of those. I don't know how many former contractors, carpenters, stone masons, bricklayers I've met in the last year. It's definitely a theme. There's no telling how skilled they may have been at those jobs since the housing bubble scooped up so many laborers into its maw and may have simply spit them back out again, but it's encouraging that these new drivers fulfilling the present "driver shortage" may have had some other experience before getting behind the wheel of a big truck, at least, on this race to the bottom.

I had to admit my own ignorance, but gave him what help I could. Later, when he was ready to go but the exit lane was blocked by other trucks he came over to chat while I strapped down. "So you're local?" he asked (I drive a day-cab).

"Yes," I replied.

"You lucky..." At first I thought it was that I got to go home every night he envied but it became clear that he was quite taken with the area.

The bottleneck opened and he left. I left shortly after. When I came down the big hill and around the sharp curve and there he was almost in the ditch on the side of the road with his flashers on. You don't understand, there is no shoulder, soft or otherwise, but there is a ditch, at least in that spot.

"Oh no," I thought, "what trouble has the new driver gotten himself into?"

There was a car behind him that after some hesitation zoomed past. I was going to stop but as I approached he climbed back up on the road and started off. When he came to the entrance to the 3-D Mill he pulled into the drive. I stopped in the road with my flashers on. I still don't have a CB so I wanted to make sure he was alright.

"Did you see that old railroad trestle back there? It must be a hundred years old! I was trying to get a picture of it." By that time of the day I knew that they were done at 3D, who have another drive anyway, so I told him he could stop right there and get as many pictures as the remaining daylight allowed.

He was from Norther Illinois. I don't know whether he thought this was Appalachia or what, but he was quite taken with the area.