Thursday, May 29, 2008

Our Life as a "Big Rig"

Here are a few images from what we fondly like to look back upon as our life as a "big rig". The truck we rented for our move out here was supposed to be 22' long. Our last move we used an 18 footer, so 22 was already quite a move up for us. Well, when we went to the rental company to pick up our rig, all they had was a 26 footer. This is a substantial difference from 22', and especially the 18' we are used to in such a sizeable vehicle. Anyone who has driven one before can appreciate the difference. Anyhow, my good husband squabbled a bit with them for giving us the wrong size truck, but they assured us that the mileage is just as good, and of course they were not charging us any extra for it. We also got a couple dozen moving blankets for free out of the deal. : ) Anyhow, we felt quite large and learned to hang with the truck drivers, as we could only stop at truck stops for gas, and food. We were hauling our car behind, so total, we were quite imposing on the road, measuring just a few feet shorter than the typical semi truck. We felt pretty cool next to all those big rigs. We once even pulled in next to them and spent the night on our bench seat, like real truckers (though I know they have much better digs than our benchseat turned bed). We were able to extend our benchseat with boxes and blankets and all in all made a pretty comfy place for sleeping. Yes, we stayed in a hotel one night as well when we visited Yellowstone (that will be another blog entry). Overall, we fared well as truckers, taking our turns wider and living with a lower speed on the open road. It is definitely an exprience we will not soon forget.





3 comments:

The Casaus House said...

That is sooooo funny! I am proud of you for braving it through the night in one of those. I like my comfort way too much so I'm not sure how I would have done. Wow, what if God calls my husband to be a missionary?!? Great photos, by the way.

Jenny said...

Wow, I can't even handle the thought of parking a Suburban at Walmart, let alone something THAT size! I'm so glad that you made it safely and so proud that you braved a night in the cab! Was it comfortable enough to get good sleep in? Or was it the kind where you wake every 45 minutes? It's hard to imagine where you put the boxes to extend your sleeping space...but I've never seen the cab of a "big rig". You'll have to explain that one to me later. Great post!

The Browning Family said...

Hmmmm . . . still not sold on the life of a trucker. I like my feather bed and room for my feet. I have a hard time sleeping in anything but my bed. Proud of you for being a trooper. I guess being in the military probably helped.