Someone asked me awhile back if I had any plans to retire or get out of trucking at some point. Of course, I daydream sometimes about what it might be like to step out of the workforce and into retirement. But I’m not even close to being able to seriously consider such things. I imagine I will do as my dad did… keep on truckin’ until my body says I can’t. This year is my 30th year with my CDL. I started driving trucks (legally) right after graduating high school in 1995. So, Lord willing, I have another 30 years to go. And besides that, none of these lotto tickets seem to be paying off, either! It doesn’t seem like 30 years have slipped by, but at least I’m still doing what I love, and married to the woman that God made just for me. I like to reminisce about the days-gone-by. I tend to linger in the past – a lot. The trucks I drove early in my life are still the kind of trucks I’d like to be rolling in today. And while I do own a newer truck to keep up with the regulations imposed by the states I primarily run in, I do play around with a couple of classic trucks that I have as a hobby. I dearly miss the good ol’ days of trucking – the days I grew up in and fell in love with, as it pertains to trucks and the trucking life. I may have many years behind me, and hopefully many more ahead, but if I had to hang it up now, I can honestly say, it was fun while it lasted!!
FUN WHILE IT LASTED
By Trevor Hardwick
I could say how long it’s been,
Since I first took the wheel.
Let’s just say, I think it’s been,
Much longer than it feels.
Power steering, cruise control,
Heated mirrors and such.
Were luxuries, more likely found,
On someone else’s trucks.
I’d never heard of ELDs,
Or telephones onboard.
A C.B. and some paper logs,
Were all I could afford.
We certainly weren’t tethered,
To a satellite above.
It wasn’t just a paycheck,
It was something that we loved.
We had a lot more freedom,
In the way our trips were routed.
The highways had a lot more room,
And the cafe booths were crowded.
We did a bit more wrenching,
On the rigs, all by ourselves.
And truckstops had what we needed,
Right there on the shelves.
Sure, we had our ups and downs,
And sun… and rain… and snow.
But we also had Paul Harvey,
On the FM radio.
I can’t say FOR SURE how long,
I’ve rolled the interstate.
Singin’ some old highway song,
And swingin’ bingo plates.
And I can’t seem to hang it up,
If there’s an exit, I sure passed it.
But if this ride should ever end,
It was sure fun while it lasted!