How many in here have retired from trucking only to return to trucking ?
The friend who introduced us to trucking by taking us for our first-ever ride in a truck had retired at age 65+ but returned to the road because he could not stand it. The truck he showed us was the truck he bought to get back out.
Our experience is different, probably because we are not leaving the road to retire (don't know if we will ever do that) but to start a new business. The reason our truck is not yet sold is because we literally forget we own it. Our attention is now focused elsewhere and the days are full. The truck sits parked out of sight and out of mind. We check on it now and then, but other than that, we are mindful of and immersed in the new adventure.
Next week is blocked off to move the truck to Indiana where it will be put on the lot to be sold. It is a magnificent machine that has served us well, but in our new business the truck has become a distraction and we'll be glad to see it sold.
Do we miss the road? Sometimes, but not really. Granted, it has only been a few weeks since we parked the truck, but we're too busy now to even think about a previous career.
The other day, we saw part of a movie on TV that was set on the streets of Philadelphia. The sights, smells and sounds that we experienced there instantly came back to mind. It was fun to watch the movie scenes with personal experience of Philadelphia that we never would have had but for expediting. Memory triggers like that happen often and leave us pleased and grateful that we got to spend the time on the road as truckers like we did.
We are meeting many people these days who have traveled very little. We are a bit surprised by the envy the express regarding our travels. As truckers, we never took the traveling for granted, but doing the traveling, it came easily. For many non-truckers, the ability to lay down the miles like we did and travel to all corners of the country is a distant dream that will never come true.
Expediting is a rich, rich blessing; available only to the people who are courageous enough to embrace life on the road. Whether you miss the road enough to return to it after you leave depends on what awaits when you park your truck.
