joet82
07-31-2013, 03:02 PM
It's been a crazy last year since leaving the navy in May 2012 (still getting paid till Aug 2012). Going to trucking school, free thanks to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, always thinking trucking would be my backup career, long term.
The most suprising thing was in January, half joking around, Ricky, owner of Pitbull Powersports, posted something on facebook about needing help setting up the shop as he was not only working towards his grand opening, but with the help of the MoGang, was setting up for SpyderFest, I said that if I lived in Missouri, I'd come work for him. His reply, "The job is yours if your want it." I was taken aback by this, and talked about it in PM on fb, making sure he was serious. He was, and I told him I'd think about it.
From that day till March I thought about it. Making sure finances were at least equal, making sure plans with a planned roommate were ok, and biggest thing of all, making sure my gut feeling was right. In March, I told Ricky I would accept his offer and in April, after SpyderFest, we sat down and talked about it in person. YES, I GOT RICKY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT ONE THING! I'M AMAZED AS WELL. lol
After that meeting, we were both on the same page, but I couldn't take the job till at least August, as my job with Werner Enterprises, for the first year have an Apprenticeship Program with the VA where, with my OJT, I can get 13K on top of my regular pay. I wanted to get the whole sum without having to pay back anything for not completing the program, and so I had to make it to my first anniversary with the company, July 18th. Ricky showed concern cause he couldn't hire me right away, but understood my reasoning.
July 18th, I was home, cleaning out the company truck with exception of the things I'd need to get to Fontana, CA, to drop the truck off without having to get charged for another driver to be sent to Pacific, WA, to recover the truck. Horrible thing was, I had to fight with the weekend dispatcher for a few hours to not be sent to Cheyanne, WY, and instead, he sent me to SLC, UT, and then to Lodi, CA, with my assigned dispatcher getting me to Fontana from there the next Monday. I finally got into Fontana on the evening of the 23rd, and by the time I had cleaned out the truck, and turned it in to the shop at the terminal, it was about 9pm. I hung out for a while and relaxed while searching for a flight home....tough to find a cheap flight the night before.
after finding the cheapest flight available on the morning of the 24th, thanks to Southwest Get Away Now fares. I decided, instead of paying for a taxi, it was only 6 miles to the airport, and I had 8 hours to get there. even though the LA area is littered with gangs, and I kept an eye out for any tagging, I ended up only seeing 2 other people outside of a vehicle. 4 miles in, I saw a TA, and decided to take a break, get some food, and charge my phone. chilled there for about an hour. then continued the final 2 miles to the airport. got there safely, took a nap, and started the check-in process at 430am when they opened up.
I got home on the 24th, attended my first non-owner's rally, the Sun & Surf Run in Ocean Shores, WA. had a great time and was able to buy my first addition to my future ManCave, a signed baseball by Felix Hernandez, along with 4 of his bobble heads and 2 King's Court shirts, but a damn bidding war jacked the price up a little bit. lol
after the rally, I have had 3 days off of absolutely nothing to do. it's been a great break. :D thinking I'll wash the truck and Spyder today and call Camping World to see when my RV will be ready to be picked up. After it is, I'll pick up Sheila, my Can-Am DS450X, and bring them back home. then will pack up everything I own in the RV and truck and head south on I-5 to Hollister, CA, for a new seat on the Spyder (Farklitis never ends).
Will continue updates on my trip to Pitbull Powersports and Springfield, MO, as the milestones happen. :D
The most suprising thing was in January, half joking around, Ricky, owner of Pitbull Powersports, posted something on facebook about needing help setting up the shop as he was not only working towards his grand opening, but with the help of the MoGang, was setting up for SpyderFest, I said that if I lived in Missouri, I'd come work for him. His reply, "The job is yours if your want it." I was taken aback by this, and talked about it in PM on fb, making sure he was serious. He was, and I told him I'd think about it.
From that day till March I thought about it. Making sure finances were at least equal, making sure plans with a planned roommate were ok, and biggest thing of all, making sure my gut feeling was right. In March, I told Ricky I would accept his offer and in April, after SpyderFest, we sat down and talked about it in person. YES, I GOT RICKY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT ONE THING! I'M AMAZED AS WELL. lol
After that meeting, we were both on the same page, but I couldn't take the job till at least August, as my job with Werner Enterprises, for the first year have an Apprenticeship Program with the VA where, with my OJT, I can get 13K on top of my regular pay. I wanted to get the whole sum without having to pay back anything for not completing the program, and so I had to make it to my first anniversary with the company, July 18th. Ricky showed concern cause he couldn't hire me right away, but understood my reasoning.
July 18th, I was home, cleaning out the company truck with exception of the things I'd need to get to Fontana, CA, to drop the truck off without having to get charged for another driver to be sent to Pacific, WA, to recover the truck. Horrible thing was, I had to fight with the weekend dispatcher for a few hours to not be sent to Cheyanne, WY, and instead, he sent me to SLC, UT, and then to Lodi, CA, with my assigned dispatcher getting me to Fontana from there the next Monday. I finally got into Fontana on the evening of the 23rd, and by the time I had cleaned out the truck, and turned it in to the shop at the terminal, it was about 9pm. I hung out for a while and relaxed while searching for a flight home....tough to find a cheap flight the night before.
after finding the cheapest flight available on the morning of the 24th, thanks to Southwest Get Away Now fares. I decided, instead of paying for a taxi, it was only 6 miles to the airport, and I had 8 hours to get there. even though the LA area is littered with gangs, and I kept an eye out for any tagging, I ended up only seeing 2 other people outside of a vehicle. 4 miles in, I saw a TA, and decided to take a break, get some food, and charge my phone. chilled there for about an hour. then continued the final 2 miles to the airport. got there safely, took a nap, and started the check-in process at 430am when they opened up.
I got home on the 24th, attended my first non-owner's rally, the Sun & Surf Run in Ocean Shores, WA. had a great time and was able to buy my first addition to my future ManCave, a signed baseball by Felix Hernandez, along with 4 of his bobble heads and 2 King's Court shirts, but a damn bidding war jacked the price up a little bit. lol
after the rally, I have had 3 days off of absolutely nothing to do. it's been a great break. :D thinking I'll wash the truck and Spyder today and call Camping World to see when my RV will be ready to be picked up. After it is, I'll pick up Sheila, my Can-Am DS450X, and bring them back home. then will pack up everything I own in the RV and truck and head south on I-5 to Hollister, CA, for a new seat on the Spyder (Farklitis never ends).
Will continue updates on my trip to Pitbull Powersports and Springfield, MO, as the milestones happen. :D