KEN'S KORNER - SEPTEMBER 2007

GET OUT AND PLAY
BY AUTHOR, EDUCATOR & DRIVER KEN SKAGGS

Ah, the smell of diesel fumes in the morning. Yes, it feels good to be behind the wheel again. I took a long break from the road and had a home-based business for a while. It was great, being home with my family, but it was a constant struggle financially. I didn’t give up though, I hung in there and somehow made it through and was able to pay my bills for over a year.

Truth be told, I was slipping deeper and deeper into debt. But, just like any other dedicated entrepreneur, I hung in there and worked very hard. I wanted it to work, and I made it work, for a while, or so I thought. The funny thing is, at the time I quit my last driving job, I did so because I really thought that I wanted my own business, and I was tired of all that sitting. But after doing it for a year, I realized that I wasn’t happy, for several reasons.

When working at home, I wasn’t making any money to speak of and I still had to spend long hours sitting and staring at a computer screen. If you think the road gets old, try sitting in front of a computer screen for a while. At least the road has a change in scenery and some fresh air. The more I thought about it, the more that I realized that I actually love driving. I found myself missing the open road, the smell of diesel, the peaceful rumble in the bunk, satellite radio, CB arguments, eating in restaurants and, of course, the money.

I always used to say that driving over-the-road was like being on an eternal paid vacation, and lately I have been yearning for that vacation. It will be a solitary vacation, but I always liked to have some time for myself. Of course, I will miss my family, and I don’t look forward to traffic jams, DOT inspections and the likely weight gain to come, but the good outweighs the bad, for the most part. This time, I will watch what I eat a little better than I used to and I am going to stay focused on the “paid vacation” aspect, and consider it a chance for me to get out and play.

When I was working at home, it was easy to get up from the computer and do a little exercise here and there to break up the monotony and (try) to stay in shape. When I was driving, it was a little harder to do that, and, as a result, I gained a lot of weight. I can remember one year in particular, when I was an owner operator running long hauls coast to coast, I must have gained fifty pounds that year. This time, I vow not to do that. I will make sure that I stop the truck from time to time and do some sort of exercise every chance I can get.

Some years ago, when I was driving locally, I used to find great places to do some exercises. I had regular stops which I got to know very well. So, when I would get to a certain one that I knew would take a while, I’d go walk around, climb up and down some stairs, do some push-ups next to my truck and then stretch my legs on the railings or the fuel tank steps.

Back then, my trailer was only 12’-9” high, so when I was at a dock it was easy to grab hold of the top and try to do some pull-ups. I say try because I never could do more than one pull-up in my whole life, except for when I was in the Army, when I could do a few. So I used to try and try to do them, and I actually got to the point where I could do one, kind of. For me, that was a real accomplishment, since I was about thirty pounds overweight at the time and pretty much out of shape.

Another funny thing about me and the difference between working at home versus driving over-the-road is that when I was at home I didn’t call people on the phone as much as I did when I was driving. Since there was seemingly more to do at home, I hardly found the time to keep in touch with family and friends. But, for some reason, when I was driving, I would use my cell phone a lot more often than I used my home phone while working at home. Maybe it was because being away from people like that made me miss them a little more, and, maybe I actually did have more time for phone calls on the road than I did at home. Whatever the reasons, I am also vowing to keep in touch with people a little better than I have been lately. That’s a lot of promises I’ve made to myself. Now if I can just keep them. Whether I do or not, one thing is certain - I will enjoy myself a lot more now that I am back driving.

So, whether you are sitting in front of a computer or in front of a windshield, we all need to get out and play once in a while. All that inactivity is not healthy or fun. So, if you are one of those stationary beings, like me, I urge you to do the same. Take walks. Purposely park your truck far away from the truck stop. Do some stretches when standing on the dock. Nail a few push-ups before you step into the shower. You don’t have to overwhelm yourself with a rigorous workout that you know you won’t stick to, just do a little here and there, and build upon that slowly. It’s a lot easier that way. You’ll feel better about yourself and your job. If the road is getting old and you find yourself gaining weight or getting bored, get out and play.

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