Camper?

[wannatruck]

I see alot of people talking about "I camp a lot" when they talk about going into expedited freight. Why is that? Is it a camping mindset? I know you sit more than traditional trucking, but its not really camping is it?

I mean, if I could find a nice quiet lake in a slow freight area and had the money to fish a little while there? Oh you know I would in a heartbeat. But I don't see expediting being much like camping.

I've had a couple 14-24 hour waits for loads, especially coming out of AZ, but I never once thought of it as camping, to me sleeping in a car/truck/van just isn't camping. So, what WOULD you liken it to?

What do you all do to pass the time while sitting? I read, or watch movies in the truck, if I know its gonna be a long wait, I'll take a walk...usually to someplace close. (we are given our load info by cell phone/text so we can get it out of the truck too.) I even hit a casino outside Tucson....not impressed, but it passed the time.

 

[purgoose10]

Actually you answered your own question. When we talk of camping out it's more of a med-a-for than anything else. We used to call it laying over but Camping sounds better.

What do I do, well I'm doing most of it right now.

 

[Moot]

So, what WOULD you liken it to?

Expediting is similar to fishing except without the boat, rods & reels, lake, beer and bait. Sometimes you gotta wait for days for a bite. Sometimes you have to move to a new spot and sometimes you need to troll.

 

[Hightech_Hobo]

Sat at noon, Chances of getting a load drop significantly...I actually do head for a state park and get a campsite. Build a fire, cook and so on...16 bucks and I can plug in..do my laundry..take as many showers as I want and sit around the fire and shoot the breeze with the other campers I meet...

Even at the truck stops in the front lot where the vanners are, evenings quite often turn into several expeditors sitting around and yakk'n. The Vanners are an especially social bunch

 

[greg334]

The Vanners are an especially social bunch

They are?

The last time I tried to talk to vanners, they all looked at me and left.

 

[ATeam]

Expediting is not one of anything. It is some of many things. Sometimes it is trucking. Sometimes it is mechanics. Sometimes it is customer service. And, yes, sometimes it is camping.

Diane and I built our truck with the totality of life on the road in mind. By design, the front half of our truck is like an RV. The back half is for hauling freight. It has been referred to by some as a camping machine, for good reason. It is not uncommon for us and other expediters to go to an RV campground to lay over or rest. We have also used to truck to boon dock, as the RV people call it. That is camping in a place where RV hookups and other services are not available.

We have camped in several fun and interesting places including at an RV park on the Las Vegas strip, on a network of hiking trails in California's Santa Monica forest, nine miles deep into a national forest in Oregon and in the mountains looking down on the Rio Grande River in New Mexico to name a few.

That is not to say we do not also work the business. We are in this business first and foremost to make money. Everything else is secondary. If there was no money in the business, we would not be either.

 

[Ragman]

They are?

The last time I tried to talk to vanners, they all looked at me and left.

If you looked at you, wouldn't you leave also?

 

[jansiemoo]

If you get to talkin' to alot of expeditors, you will find many do carry a camp stove, a few have fishing poles, too. A folding chair is practically a neccessity at many popular truckstops in nice weather

 

[wannatruck]

Ok, so it is camping some times......I could definately do that! I love "roughing it". I guess I could carry a tent with me, I don't think I'd want to pay the fees for a temp fishing license in every state I'd end up in though. Which kinda takes away from the camping feel for me.

I always camp at a lake/river/water feature with fish in it....because I love to fish. The solitude and serenity of it is VERY soothing to me. I think thats why I gravitate towards trucking and expediting like I have, I LOVE to be alone. I'm not anti social though, as evidenced by my presence here. I do like to talk, especially when I start having entire conversations with myself!

I had noticed van drivers are more social, more willing to talk to folks. That could be though that they are more approachable as you can see straight into their windows and see they are awake, and they can see you coming too. ST's and TT's sit too high to see people in them unless you come at them from a ways off, or catch them coming out of the truck. I've talked to a few ST and TT drivers, but I've talked to probably 10x as many van drivers....I really like what I'm hearing about the industry as a whole. I really want to get into it now, where before it was just a curiosity thing. I don't "live" in the freight lanes for it, but I'm willing to run my butt off and be out for months at a time if need be. I think I'll drop a "multi app" on the main page and see if I get any interest.

Any pointers for getting into it? I've read the newbie threads and read a lot of other postings for info and pointers too. I'll certainly be looking to drive someone elses vehicle first. If I like it as much as I think I'm going to, I may just be digging up sleeper threads to spec out my own van or sprinter. I'm leaning towards sprinters though, as I've driven the passenger versions and really like the amount of room they have for cargo and me.

I'm rambling again.......oh well, thanks for the info folks, I do appreciate it. Oh, if you were in the group I talked to here in Denver at the hook, thanks again for your time!

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I don't like camping, so we call it "living like Deadheads". Just there's no Grateful Dead to follow around the country and deadheading means something entirely different in this life. We read, walk, sight-see when opportunity allows, watch DVDs, and OMG!...TALK TO ONE ANOTHER!

 

[wannatruck]

and OMG!...TALK TO ONE ANOTHER!

Dear god no! The horror! That analogy fits too, its like following a band in a 60 something microbus......

Oh, by the way, I love those "camping" pictures! Its awesome that they'll let you take that beast into the camp grounds. What is the overall length on that thing!? I'd love to drive a straight truck, but I'd want to be solo, as I don't think I could stand being cooped up with someone in something that small for months on end. I do love the pictures I've seen of the insides, its like a small studio apartment. WAY bigger than the Classic XL sleeper I'm used to. I probably could do teams in one that size. I team with my brother in law in his truck, and its not THAT bad, but we only go out for 3-4 days at a time. (regional gig) I want more time.......

 

[chefdennis]

Greg wrote/;

The last time I tried to talk to vanners, they all looked at me and left.

SSo there was a group of vanners talking (2 or more) you walked up , introduced yourself and they looked at you and THEY ALL LEFT...since they were doin fine before you got ther... Maybe it was you....

 

[moose]

I don't like camping,

Me neither,
and Thank U very mach for standing out for the hotels junkeey's .
many a times i take part of the restart in a nice hotel, the CLC card guarantee a full 24 hours stay ,(not that they like it), and the receipt looks great on the loogbook binder .
a fine restaurant food always appeal to me better then a long cookout .
and the chlorined pool beets any mesqidoe's breading grounds.
i camp once a year in Brainerd for the race, which makes it way more unique.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Dear god no! The horror! That analogy fits too, its like following a band in a 60 something microbus......

I'd love to drive a straight truck, but I'd want to be solo, as I don't think I could stand being cooped up with someone in something that small for months on end.

We are in a C/V; extended wheelbase and raised roof; it helps if you REALLY REALLY like each other (ok, "like like" is the 8th grade description). Have the same tastes in music. Have an open mind to whatever conversational topic will surface next (with me, you never know). Have a bodacious sense of humor. I've been going on the road with my boyfriend now for 6 months. We avoid the "stir crazies" by making our own distractions (NO, not THAT). I learned how to do things HIS way (such as managing trash, storage of bedding, arranging our personal items to accomodate freight, etc.) because it is his gig, his van, he has done this for several years and knows what works best for his van; and we do our best not to complain, because after all, this is the nature of the business and no one is forcing anyone to do this.

 

[TeamCaffee]

We have also taken the time to "Campout" in our CMV. I enjoy taking pictures of our truck at cool places and I will start a thread about that.

DSC00121.jpg

Bob chair Lake Erie.jpg

 

[gotta go]

If you get to talkin' to alot of expeditors, you will find many do carry a camp stove, a few have fishing poles, too. A folding chair is practically a neccessity at many popular truckstops in nice weather

Janet, where were you guys? Dingle said it looks like a good hunting area.

 

[denny2010]

sure looks SWEET.....lol of course i grew up camping and was in the service ( no rv type camping there) i bet it's fun.... and by the way you guys have some beautiful trucks......

 

[jansiemoo]

Janet, where were you guys? Dingle said it looks like a good hunting area.

Gainesville, GA. It took quite a bit of hunting and even more convincing to get in there. It was our first try at it, but we told the guy we do it "all the time" He seemed most worried that someone would complain about the "commercialism" of the logos on the truck...?!?
We went swimming, helped a kid catch bait with a net (they were biting us anyway), cooked chili, and a deer tried to stare me down while I was waiting for our pizza delivery. Tons of fun! Dingle would have loved it!

 

[jansiemoo]

Oh, by the way, I love those "camping" pictures! Its awesome that they'll let you take that beast into the camp grounds. What is the overall length on that thing!? ...

Straight trucks by law cannot exceed 40' in length. We're the same size or smaller than most pickup/trailer combos, and 2/3rds the size of those $$$ RVs. Pull thru spots are reccomended, however, and you really, really must have a shore power plug, as a generator is way too loud

 

[wannatruck]

Straight trucks by law cannot exceed 40' in length. We're the same size or smaller than most pickup/trailer combos, and 2/3rds the size of those $$$ RVs. Pull thru spots are reccomended, however, and you really, really must have a shore power plug, as a generator is way too loud

Wow, only 40? They look so much bigger when you walk by them. 40' is NOTHING, when you've driven a T/T. I have seen bigger RV's, and they almost always scare me. Some places don't even require special licensing for those behemoths! You obviously team in that one, h/w? How well does that work out for you?

I could team in one, as long as "space" is maintained I think. I did get a good look inside one the other day. It'd be easier if my kid was a bit older and out of the house, then I could teach my wife to drive too. She hates big cars though, she wrecked my FSJ Wagoneer by backing over one of those guide poles.....pulled the front fender all out of shape. I think she could learn to drive it though. We both have the dream of retiring on the road though, so that would be a good step in the right direction.

All you H/W teams should start a thread with your adventures, maybe if she sees how many of you are doing it and succeeding at it, she'd be more willing. Its still five years off though, minimum. So you all have time to collect your thoughts, and run a couple more loads!