Rodger Rabbit

Congratulation on passing Lyndon,
thanks for the info on the test as well....

Hope you have a good trip and looking forward to seeing them photo's!

Still sat waiting for my LMO .....

Kev.

chris12

Hi ya lindon.
It's chris12 here, congrates on passing your test. I'm the geeza that's going over with Iain. been following the threads intently and chatting with Iain most days. Just want to wish you all the best for sunday. Can't wait to see your progress and looking forward to meeting up with you for a couple of beers when we enentually get over there. Talk soon geeza.

Look you Iain is'nt it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. x for Cair

Lyndon001

Thanks for that, i just rewritten this post, i must learn to read before i post. Just had a phone call from the driver i am teamed with, waggons roll at 08:00 in the morning (15:00) over there. Ive been trying to contact the other driver who i trained with.....

John Penney, if you read this then answer your bloody phone or call me.......................................

Lyndon001

Hi Kev

dont worry about photos, i am a demon with the old camera, when we came over here in May for 2 weeks i snapped over 600 shots.

Big Truck

Well done Lyndon,
Did you crunch many of the gears double clutching on those dam Fuller Roadranger boxes?
Am I right in saying most of H+R's "Freightshakers" have auto's?
What about the Reefer trailers,I take it the diesel you put in those is a different colour to the road fuel?
I think it was green "field" fuel when I worked the harvest in the States.

Lyndon001

Hiya Big Truck

Hey come on you dont catch me out that easy , "double declutching" you know and i know its clutch the gear out, clutch up, match road speed to engine speed and back in with no clutch. Must admit though i was double declutching at first till Bruce (my instructor) put me right, i tried to explain thats how we did it in the Army but all i got was a dirty sideways glare . Never mind can do it okay now althogh o the test i did have a nasty crunch, even the examiner said i did it text book and he couldnt explain it, it was on an uphill gradient, 1st to 2nd, high revs & swift shift, never mind its history now.

H & R have some older Kenworths but yes all the new stuff is Frightliner (thats no typo) and its all on auto. They are also all fitted out with tri-packs, i wont insult your experience by explaining a Tri-pack, if i remember correctly you had that conversation with "Vastly Experienced" a little while ago.

Yeah the tax free diesel thing, i believe if you are in Alberta or Seskatchewan you put "Purple" juice in the the reefer, same principle different colour. I am off on my first run in 7 hours so im sure i will find out over the next few days.

Anyways i had better get to my bed as i got a busy day shotgunning tomorrow (unless he wants me to drive ) I feel like a complete novice at the moment but its good fun, i am teamed with a dutch guy, he seems to know where we are going and when weve got to be there so looks i am going to be the cameraman. Ill enjoy it while it lasts eh?

Speak soon & take care

Lyndon

Big Truck

Actually when I did the USA CDL in 2002 I didn't really use the clutch pedal at all, I just sort of held my left foot over it on a "bluff" and done the old shifting the gears via rev's and "feel"
When I went out with the truck for my first runs I actually found it easier when downshifting to left foot brake while holding the rev's about 200rpm higher and any of the custom harvesters "rough" trucks took the gears alright!!

Lyndon001

Different way of teaching i suppose, all i have to worry about now though is push the little lever up to go forward and down to go backwards.

In case you are wandering why i am posting when i should be on the road, we had a problem with the customs, no real problem, we hooked up and scaled off (a bit overweight ) thats the trailer not me so i got to see a bit of 5th wheel juggling, its all left hooked up to we can shoot straight off in the morning. Im quite chuffed as i can still have my Sunday lunch and we have only lost 12 hours.

Spoke to a few drivers there and everyone seems happy enough, one thing i did notice was everything is a lot more laid back over here, if you try the UK way and try and get things done yesterday, it just wont happen.

Lorna_D

Don't eat too much Sunday lunch or you WILL be overweight . Have a good journey down south and don't forget to let us know what it's like. I enjoy reading all this banter even though I'm only a little wife at home.

Lyndon001

That little wife comment reminded me of something from my army days called "Ode to an Army wife" or something, i think it applies to Trucker wives too, i'll see if i can find it.

Lyndon001

The good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared
She said ‘Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. What’s wrong with the standard mode!?’
The Lord replied, ‘Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely independent, possess the qualities of both father and mother, be a perfect hostess to four or 40 with an hour’s notice, run on black coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully, ever if she is pregnant and has the flu. and she must be willing to move to a new location ten times in 17 Years. And oh, yes. she must have six pairs of hands.’
The angel shook her head. ‘Six pairs of hands? No way’. The Lord continued, ‘Don’t worry, we will ma other military wives to help her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husband’s achievements. sustain the pain of separations. and be large enough to say u understand’ when she doesn’t, and say. ‘I love you’, regardless’.
‘Lord’, said the angel, touching his arm gently. ‘go to bed and get some rest. You can finish this tomorrow’.
‘1 can’t stop now.’ said the Lord. I am so close to creating something unique. Already this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six unexpected guests for the weekend, wave goodbye to her husband from a pier. a runway or a depot. and understand why it s important that he leave.’
The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at ,it closely and sighed. [ looks fine, but it’s too soft’.
‘She might look soft.’ replied the Lord.’ ‘but she has the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure.’
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord’s creation.
‘There’s a leak.’ she announced. ‘Something is wrong with the construction. I am not surprised it cracked. you’re trying to put too much into this model’.
The Lord appeared offended at the angel’s lack of confidence.
‘What you see is not a leak.’ he said. it’s a tear.’
‘A tear’?’ What is it there for’?’ asked the angel. The Lord replied. ‘It’s for joy, sadness. pain. disappointment. loneliness. pride and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear. -
You’re a genius exclaimed the angel.
The Lord looked puzzled and replied. I didn’t put it there.’

Lorna_D

Much karma for your thoughtfulness

loafy

Hi all,
That just about sums it Lyndon, very nice piece.

I'm glad it's a bit more laid back there i hate to rush out on long trips as normally something will go wrong or that you forgot something which you really need, sounds like it will suit me sir.

Have a nice beer chill with the wife and kids and have a great first trip mate, you should do most Dutch drivers i have met on my old trips were great to be with and better behaved than some of the UK drivers.

All the best,
LOAFY...

Lyndon001

Hi Iain

i was talking your "compadre" Chris on MSN the other night, how close are you to coming over??

RodRos&Co.

Hey Lyndon I feel kinda special now emmm wonder if hubby feels the same when I'm away

Hope all goes well for you tmw

Rosie