Signing off

The negative postings and associated hard feelings are just not worth the pain and trouble for this blog.  I don't want to drag my family through anymore discomfort.  My purpose has not been to make anyone feel badly or be upset, but obviously, i have failed.  Poor judgment on my part, i suppose....Good luck everyone.  Signing off.  I won't be back.

KWA

The journey continues.....

Well, looks like i'm going to be hired to drive for May Trucking, based out of Brooks, Oregon.  Probably will start next week, operating as a solo company driver (won't repeat THAT same mistake).  Waiting for the paperwork to be processed before it's official.

Territory will be 11 western states, so home time will be far more frequent.  That's a high priority, as i want to be sure to see the girls as often as possible.

Very strange being back in Salem.  Everything seems so different -- i suppose because i am a different person than i was when i left.  So much has happened, good and bad.  Looking forward to connecting with the people who really count.  Don't really care about those who don't.  And that list is pretty well defined now.

I guess i wouldn't be true to the spirit of this blog if i didn't record that it appears the divorce was made official earlier this week.  Time for a new beginning.  Truly wishing good things for all concerned.

Doing a few odds and ends projects for the folks while i wait for the new job to begin.

Thanks to everyone for their support.

Stay safe....

KWA

Back in Salem....

Well, had a nice road trip with the parents, who came and picked me up from Salt Lake City after i dropped the truck off.

Back in Salem now.  First order of business, connecting with the girls.  Second order of business, getting a job and transportation.  Time to get to work.  Hope you all are well.

Stay safe....

KWA

Anonymous? Really?

I get such a kick out of those who post negative stuff anonymously.   It gives me free license to ignore their comments altogether.  Especially when they have no clue whatsoever what they are talking about....:-)

KWA

That's Ken Armstrong, 48, from Salem, Oregon.
kenarmstrong123@gmail.com

Going out in style....

For those who haven't already heard, i've had an eventful morning -- trying to turn around on a street in Valencia, CA i hit a fire hydrant and sheared it right off at the ground.  Had a water geyser shooting 40 feet in the air for a good half hour.  Didn't even scratch Charley.

Good news was that the cop who responded was a former truck driver and he didn't even issue me a warning.  Said the firefighters trying to fix it needed a shower anyway....

Pic at the left is where the hydrant USED to be.  Would have got a pic of the geyser but it was dark, so nothing to see.

Just dropped this load of baby formula in Valencia, and then on my way with an empty trailer to Salt Lake City where i'll drop the truck for good.  The folks are on their way to SLC to pick me up, so won't need to take the damn bus again.  God bless them.

Next step?  Don't really know.  I believe i'll keep the blog going just as a means to process all of this.  I think i'll start looking for a local truck driving job.  Lots of companies are hiring (CR England is training all of them and then they quit because they aren't making any money.).

So very hard not to comment on my feelings about the divorce, on which i seem to have just defaulted since i don't have an attorney and can't respond or do anything from the road.  Best not to though.  I'm learning that my words have an impact and i don't want to say something i regret.   And to the haters out there who think i deserve whatever bad stuff comes my way, you can go to hell. (little preemptive comment there....).

I'm going to choose to not let it impact me though, despite it leaving me with less than nothing.  It's not going to beat me.  I'm still a dad.  And i still have the ability to get a job.  And i have friends and family who care about me.

First order of business is going to be to get transportation.  Maybe it's time to get that motorcycle endorsement....

Oh, i also picked up a nail and got a flat tire this morning, so they've been fixing it while i write this.

Time to head north on the final long-haul journey for CR England -- Interstate 15 from LA to Salt Lake City.

More to come.

Stay safe....

KWA

It's over....

Well, today the grand experiment officially failed -- i quit.

I did the math and the next paycheck was going to be in the red.  Couldn't keep going like that.  All told, i averaged less than $200 in take-home pay per month for four months.  What a disaster.

Very, very disappointed.  Headed home to God-knows-what...a bitter divorce, no home, no car, no job.  Could be worse i guess.  At least i have the girls (i think).

Thanks for staying with me....

KWA

A dark cloud in sunny Arizona....

Well, i was going to take a break from the "heavy" and go with some lighter stuff for today's blog, because it's been a pretty good couple of days up to this point.

But i'm kind of bummed out right now -- my paycheck for the week was a grand total of $1.37.  Sigh.  Last week I was in the hole $35.  How does that work?  Well, i'm what they call a "lease-operator" as opposed to a company driver.  A lease operator is an independent contractor to CR England.  We lease the truck from England, and are responsible for all costs, including fuel, insurance, permits, etc.  My total fixed and variable costs for the week were almost $2,400.  I get paid $0.95 per mile.  I did about 2,500 miles for the week.  Needless to say, that's not sustainable.

We each have a Driver Manager, who is responsible for managing the dispatches and other issues for a fleet of about 80 drivers. My DM is pretty good, and we have a good relationship.  I told him about my situation and he's going to try to get me 3000+ miles this coming week.  I appreciate that, but it doesn't help when you can't eat today....

CR England pushes all students hard to be lease operators.  They claim that lease operators get priority dispatch on the best loads (i.e., most miles), which helps you make all kinds of money.  I think i bought in to the rhetoric and trusted that they have a good program worked out to help you at least stay afloat.  Clearly, that's not happening to me.

Not sure that this grand experiment isn't going to end in a ball of flames very, very soon....

Very discouraging, but trying to keep my chin up.  I wonder if Subway is hiring...i'm pretty familiar with their product.

Stay safe....

KWA