One for Michele
When I was just starting out in trucking, I hadn’t really been anywhere before. Well I had made a few trips to Atlanta and one memorable vacation journey to Florida, but really that was it. I had never visited the northeast and hadn’t been west of Kansas City as far as I could remember.
As you can imagine, when Michele, my trainer, was driving, I would sit in the passenger seat of the truck for miles and stare at everything like a slack-jawed yokel. I remember several times when Michele would point to something particularly beautiful or awesome and say something like, “That’s why I drive a truck. I wouldn’t have been here to see this moment if I didn’t.” She had been driving for three years at that point, so I thought it was especially cool that the sights of our country still moved her even though she had to have seen the same view many times before.
I hoped I would be the same way and not slide into taking all the beauty of the road for granted just because I’d seen it so many times. I’m happy to say for the most part I’ve kept my innocence on that front. Sights still move me. Sunsets over the Nevada wastelands still make me smile. Babbling brooks running along the highway still demand my attention. And mountains still make me think of Michele. What a good person and a good driver she was, and how lucky I was to have met her when I needed her.
So Michele, this post’s for you:
Mount Shasta
Again, Mount Shasta
Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing
Ahhhhh…seeing the beauty of the same thing again and again. Nice post.
Mt. Shasta is so awesome looking in person!Don’t you just love driving past it?
i’m with you….i never get tired of the sights we see…even if you’ve driven thru them a hundred times, they’re always different….different season, different lighting…maybe even just my different state of mind……
Awesome!
A prime reason for putting up with torture by monkeys.
Are you still in touch with Michele? Did she stay in trucking?
Am through my first week of trucking school; proud holder of a CDL learners permit and lots and lots of questions. Next week is first lesson on the driving range.
Of 10 in my class, 3 are women. One of them truly should have her own radio or cable show. Hilarious stories about the husband. The other is renewing her license after years.
Have missed keeping up with Highway Hags, but very busy settling in and testing, and internet connection has been a little sporadic.
Cheers!!
Yes, I took the same photo every time I drove buy Mt Shasta. And that truck stop, next to Shastina gets my vote for the prettiest truck stop in the US. And Weed is a nice town too.
I love Mount Shasta! And after five years on the road, I still love looking at almost everything! Glad you had such a great trainer and not one that was bored with life on the road and just going through the motions to teach you. Lucky! When will you guys be back online???
Stunning pics. Just gorgeous.
Yeah I love Mt Shasta, too. The thing is that it had the good sense to be located pretty much alone. If you’re just one of the crowd it’s harder to get the “ooohs” and “aahs” but if you’re a big old mountain standing all by your lonesome you’re going to get noticed and appreciated. Well done, Mt Shasta.
Michele did drive for quite some time after kicking me out of the nest, but then she finally married her long-time love and they decided they didn’t want to be apart anymore. So she left the road for the love of a good man… which is a pretty good reason in my book.