Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Backbone of America - Truckers

When I was about 18 or 19 years old my dad would talk about how he wanted to start his own trucking company with my brothers once they graduated from high school. I'm the oldest in a family of four kids and my brother Fred is six years younger than I am and I didn't see why we had to wait for him to grow up before we could start our trucking company.

So I remember the day that I told my dad that I wanted to be a truckdriver and help him and my brothers with the trucking company. My dad just laughed at me and said, "Estas loca enanita? Estas muy chapara para subir y amarar los viajes, mejor estudia papar poder hacer los libros de la compania".

I know right? How dare he dismiss me like that! What? Oh...you don't read espanol? Ok, let me translate. What my dad said is, "Are you crazy little midget?" (this is what he called me cause I'm only 5'2" and he's 6 foot.) "You are too short to climb up and tie down the loads. Why don't you study to be the company bookkeeper instead?"

He burst my bubble, let me tell you. But being the ever dutiful daughter I went to Bakersfield College and got my Associates Degree in Accounting. I did my share but by then both my brothers had decided they didn't even want to be truckers!!! I can't blame my dad though, he was old school and women just didn't drive trucks in those days.

But things have really changed. Now I work as an insurance agent specializing in policies for trucking and transportation; so I get to speak daily to a lot of truckers, even women truckers. While I love my job, I really feel a little twinge of jealousy when I speak with truckers and they're driving through snow in North Carolina or rain storms in Washington and I'm just sitting there, day after day behind my little desk living vicariously through their stories on the road! But I look awful cheerful while I sit there don't I?

Truck drivers are some of the hardest workers I know. My brother Fred actually did eventually become a truck driver and he's up sometimes at 2 or 3am in order to get a load to where it needs to go on time. While I dread my small 25 minute commute to and from work, Fred has to drive through Los Angeles and San Francisco traffic on a daily basis. He was to deal with flat tires, crazy suicidal drivers and long, lonely roads. I can't imagine myself on the road as a truck driver now...I don't even like getting my hands dirty while I gas up my personal vehicle!

Lately though, I've gotten hooked on watching a great show on the History Channel called Ice Road Truckers. Have you ever watched this show? It's so exciting. There's a woman truck driver on the show right now named Lisa Kelly and I want to be her! I would never have the courage now, but I would like to think that way back when I would have done what she is doing!


Lisa has to fight the big boys daily to keep her job. She has to work harder than they do just to prove herself worthy to be there. She's just a little bitty thing but she has the experience and she's showing them that she has what it takes. I love watching her tie down the loads and putting chains on the tires in the snow.


The next season of Ice Road Truckers is going to be even more exciting to watch because of this woman! Not only can she keep up with the big boys...she's looks gorgeous doing it! Go Lisa!!...do us women who wanted to be truckers and woman who are truckers PROUD!

10 comments:

  1. That show scares me:O) But that would be a very exciting job!
    And I love your hair, did you cut it. You looks very cute and cheerful:O)

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  2. I know what you mean Summur, some of those situations they get into can get kinda scary, but I tell myself they won't show something tragic happening so that helps to keep my nerves down so I can watch it :-)

    Thanks about the hair...yeah, I did cut it. Trying to keep it short since I lost so much of it with the medication I'm taking and the radiation treatments I did. I have to do another one before the year ends, so I'm sure I'll lose a bit more, but hey...at least I'm still alive!

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  3. That's a cute picture of you. I am just catching up on my blogging, and you say you have had medication and radiation? Are you okay? I missed reading about that. You look wonderful...!

    And yes, I love Ice Road Truckers too. Isn't it a hoot?

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  4. Oh my- I couldn't possibly imagine hauling a load so huge, especially in inclement weather. But then, I'm a big chicken when it comes to snow even in my big ol' SUV. This girl on the trucker show is one tough cookie, I'd say, because it's a man's world in this field.
    How's the sciatica doing right now? Hope you have gotten some relief.
    hugs, Sue

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  5. Aicia, you do look cute and cheerful in your photo. I've heard of this show before but I have not seen an episode.

    Talk about synchronicity. My sister and I were just talking on the phone this morning about truck driving. I told her that If I could just drive from one place to another, I'd have the perfect job and that's when she mentioned truck driving. I told here that I don't think I could handle being a truck driver but I would be very happy If I could be in motion and see different things on a daily basis.

    I think you would have made an awesome truck driver.

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  6. My God! SHE'S a trucker? She totally looks like a super-model! If I were her, I'd feel a hell of a lot safer having the camera crew follow me around for safety. Does she know martial arts or something??

    I'll have to look for this show!

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  7. Jo - Hi Jo! Thanks for the compliment on my picture. As to my medication and radiation; I had thyroid cancer surgery back in September of 2008. So far I'm cancer free but I have to do one more radiation treatment just to make sure and I have to take thyroid medication for the rest of my life. It's been a rough go of it and I think the worse part was losing so much of my hair, not that it was super thick to start with. But it could have been worse so I can't complain.

    I'm glad you came by to visit Jo! And I'm glad you are a fan of Ice Road Truckers...I just love Hugh and Jack as well...they are all a hoot as you say :-)

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  8. Sue - Hi Sue,
    Yep...it is a scary job, especially one you see them hauling a huge load over a frozen river and you never know it the ice will hold up. I know I couldn't do it. I've only driven in snow once and I remember slipping and sliding all over the place!

    I'm healing slowly. I know I probably should go back to the doctor and back to physical therapy again, but I'm really scared they would do something that would re-injure me and I only have two more vacation days left for the rest of the year...maybe after the first of the year I'll go back if I'm not completely healed by then. But thank you so much for remembering and thinking of me!

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  9. ~JarieLyn~ You would have made a great truck driver too! I can just see you in those stiletto's you love to wear!

    At least for now I can live vicariously through Lisa Kelly, she rocks!

    Maybe we could try to be local truck drivers? I wouldn't mind if they loaded and unloaded me and I knew I could be home each night!

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  10. kathryn - She is gorgeous isn't she? And on the show she is without makeup. I wondered sometimes how she feels when she has to stop and check brakes or ties when it's dark and lonely...I never thought about the camera crew, duh!

    I guess that's how realistic the show is, you never even take into consideration they have a camera crew with them.

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Please leave a comment.I would love to know your thoughts!