India and Frank Hammer

ATeam · Sep 14, 2008

India and Frank Hamner

So, Diane and I pull into Castaic, CA for a truck wash only to find it closed. Diane parks on the street. Back in the sleeper I am on the computer looking for another truck wash.

I hear Diane open the passenger window and someone on the sidewalk with a cheery voice starts chatting it up with her. The two talk for a bit and then I hear, "My name is India ..." and before she finished, I was up front to greet her too. India Hamner, it had to be, I thought. Sure enough, it was. (ihamner here on EO)

It turned out that we parked right next to the Hamners and two other drivers they were dining with at an outdoor table at a small Mexican restaurant. We joined the four and would have talked the night away if midnight EDT had not come first.

These kind of chance meetings are part of what makes the job fun. Here is a photo of India and Frank Hammer, showing off their brand-new copy of Expedite NOW. The photo of the group at the table is not published. Everyone blinked.

India and Frank Hamner, as good-looking of a team as there ever was, dontchya think?

pelicn · Sep 14, 2008

What a great picture!! Thanks for sharing

arkjarhead · Sep 14, 2008

I'm glad you all had a good time. That is the main thing I miss about being on the road. The fellowship. The money was nice, but what I really enjoyed was when I had the wife with me and me another driver or two from the same company were running together and they had their wives with them as well. The last company I was with it happened alot. Our boss paired up the guys whose wives rode with them alot to take the longer trips like out to British Columbia, Washington, and that area. We got such good bonuses for fuel economy there was no was way we were going to speed so we didn't really need to listen to 19. We'd pick a channel and ride along and talk. If weren't careful our wives would hijack the radio and talk. We both miss those days. It's not all about the money. Sometimes that is hard to remember. Times when you just enjoy being out there are good things to remember when you feel like your back is against the wall so to speak. At least it was for me.

TJ959 · Sep 15, 2008

Now see... there you go again. You just hit on the very thing I miss most about expediting. I always had a few folks I'd run into ( not literally ) out there and I miss that very much. The Sprinter hasn't sold yet but I think the family would shoot me if I went back out on the road again. I guess I'll just be like the old retired fire dog that followed the engines to all the fires. Bummer.

fastman_1 · Sep 15, 2008

I know what your saying TJ, My van is Parked in the Yard, sometimes at Night I go sleep in it just so I can complain about the Lousy Bunk. I still have Lunch everyday at The J In Austinburg Ohio so I still see some friends from time to time.

ihamner · Sep 15, 2008

Thanks Phil and Diane! What a fun evening! Hey Phil, you promised me you would "morph" a beautiful body on my head!!

TeamCaffee · Sep 15, 2008

Well Phil you got to meet two people we consider pretty special! Those are great and we are lucky enough to be called their friends also. Always always look forward to seeing India and Frank.