I’m sure at times we all moan about our jobs as truck drivers, wether in the UK or here in North America, I know I’m more than guilty of that one myself. Since starting my new job just over two months ago on dry vans I’ve covered some serious country, earnt some very good money (by NB standards at least) and seen some spectacular sights and scenery. I’m currently layed over in Texas but my trip so far has taken me frm Woodstock NB to Portland, OR, then to Kelowna BC, down to Wichita Falls and Jacksboro, TX and I’ll be reloading on friday back for the Maritimes if all goes to plan.
In the past when on reefer work at my first company here, I’d waste my on the road resets sitting in truckstops feeling annoyed with life, largely because they’d keep you on edge and make you think a load was imminent any minute. At my current job they’re more than happy for me to park the truck in a Pilot or Flying J, get a rental car and bugger off for a day or two so long as I tell them when I’ll be back and they can get hold of me if a load suddenly comes up. So thats what I did in Portland, I’d always wanted to see the Pacific ocean and they said it might be a while before a reload so I hit the road in a rental car and came across some breathtaking scenery along the Oregon coast.
Just wanted to portray a different view to my earlier doom and gloom about Canada…
Ain’t it beautifull 
For the brief time I was self employed I travelled coast to coast several times, I thought Oregon to be the most beautifull state. I carried disposable cameras with me and snapped away at every chance. I have no idea where those cameras are ? somewhere in the house but now 6 years old, I’d love to find them and develop the films.
I have woken up at various times … In Dodge city right opposite the Wyatt Erp hotel, next to the ■■■■■■■■■■■■, On a cliff on the coast of Oregon, in Vegas and deep in the Mohave desert, seen area 51, Death Valley, spent a whole weekend parked south of Homestead FL looking out at the Keys. This country is so damm beautfull, unless you see it in real life you can’t really know what it’s like.
My most memorable stage of travel was loading a midnight in Vegas for Portland OR, with another guy (British of course) sharing the driving we travelled through the night hugging the NV / CA line keeping out of that DOT hell up to OR, taking state toute 78 through a deserted area that consisted of 3 hours driving in a desert with no sign of life, climbing the Cascades during the following evening / night in heavy snow and arriving in Portland at 02.00 next day. The differences in terrain and weather was awesome.
You are 100% right Pat. Some of the sights I’ve seen on this trip alone have left me feeling that I’m very lucky and privilledged to be able to do so. I have no intention of doing this long haul in the long term but I love the adventure at the moment and I only need California and Nevada to get all lower 48 states, thats another goal of mine.
I’ve got four to cross off on my list of 48, Oregon is one of them 
The other three are ones that you and Pat are in all the time, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine 
Never hired a car, but I have cruised all around Hollywood bobtail in my Pete 
I’ve done NYC quite a few times, I jump on the park and Ride next to the Vince Lombardi rest area and $6 later I’m in the Port Authority bus terminal. Did the Space Museum in Florida & met a real Astronaut, lost count of the resets I’ve had in Vegas
Seen plenty of awesome scenery too, not a bad life really 
Of all the places I’ve been, my favourite is Beautiful British Columbia, breathtaking scenery over there, it’s about the only place I would consider doing week in and week out, which considering it has the World’s most boring drive (through the prairies) at the beginning and end of each trip, is saying something 
Mark, you need to see Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont (although the latter is full of idiots). Franconia in NH is awesome scenery and the coast of Maine is breathtaking.
Pat Hasler:
Mark, you need to see Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont (although the latter is full of idiots). Franconia in NH is awesome scenery and the coast of Maine is breathtaking.
I know I do I nearly got VT & NH ticked off a few months back, went to load for NH in Ontario, I had a reefer and they wanted/needed a dry van, bloody load wouldn’t fit, so ended up in RI instead
We do a load to Vancouver out of Georgia that would get me to OR, never been in the right place at the right time for that one
I’ve only been through the top corner of Arizona too, just that little bit on I-15, so there’s more to see of that, same with New Mexico, I’ve cut the far North Eastern corner of that a few times
The one I want most of all of is Alaska, preferably in Spring, so there’s still some snow on the ground, but no need for any dramas on the road, not worried about going up the IRT routes, just an easyish run to Anchorage would do
Coming back from Ontario last weekend and I took Highway 17 so hugged the shoreline of Lake superior for best part of a day n half and all I can say is wow I’ve never seen views like it breath taking and also the same for running over the rockie to BC. People pay some serious money to see the views we do whilst we get paid to do it I feel very lucky
Great pictures Robinhood.
We still feel priveliged to be travelling 'round North America. We just need the few little states in the top north east to complete the lower 48, although we did travel from Montreal to Yonkers (Pat Hasler), but it took 10 hours for 150 miles, by train!
Mick … I remember in 1992 you picked me up from Boston and I told you about watching ‘My cousin Vinnie’ on the plane and the scene where they are woken up by a freight train at 04.00am and you laughed, I didn’t realise what you were laughing at untill that freight train came by at 04.00 you plonker.
The track has has some maintainance since then especially since a train derailed in our village.
