Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Just got my bike..ow may have to stop riding

As many of you know, I have had my bike for a little less than a week now and I may have to stop riding for a while. With me having no job, and my bank account dwindled to almost nothing, I may have to go back out on the road as an over the road truck driver! I hate doing that job. I hate driving, I hate the stereotype from it, I hate the food that I am forced to eat on the road, I hate not being able to move from the drivers seat or the bunk.

If I go back out, I will have to go out as a team with a good friend of mine. This means that the truck will never stop moving except to fuel and go to the bathroom. I drive, sleep, wake up, drive, sleep, wake up, drive...It i NOT a life that me or anyone else would want to really have to live.

I dont know what to do. Im finally taking my health back from me driving for the last three years. Im finally feeling better. Now it seems I will have to go right back to that lifestyle.

Im sad today. My wife is on me to take it and run, but I am balking because i KNOW what its like out there. I feel like I dont have a choice. :notamused::(

Unfortunately, a family/wife means you have commitments to keep.

So that might take you away from your bike ... but you can commit to yourself to eat better while on the road, and honestly, steal time to walk/run/ride whataever, whenever you get the chance.

it's not ideal ... but do NOT give up this healthy lifestyle choice you've made. You can do it

Indeed, tough situation. When work threatened to cut into my cycling hours I started cycling to work... unfortunately that doesn't seem to be a situation you'll be able to take advantage of.

Either way, don't give up. I gave up once and I regret doing that. 5 years down the line I keep thinking... how much better would I be right now if I had kept cycling for 5 years instead of sitting on the couch?

You can also try finding a solo driving gig, preferably something local. Or choose a different career all together. I drove for 12 years. I am now an estimator.

allen: you gotta take care of the family.... at the end of the day its important. I have helped many of my friends in trucking eat better while on the road. You can to. Just need to make a pack with your driving partner that ya all will stop and get healthier stuff.

allen: you gotta take care of the family.... at the end of the day its important. I have helped many of my friends in trucking eat better while on the road. You can to. Just need to make a pack with your driving partner that ya all will stop and get healthier stuff.

sounds like great advice. i hate driving so i don't think i could ever be a commercial driver so i've gotta give big props to those of you that can do that.

No space for a cooler for better meal choices?

I am not going to admit how I know this but..

about two years ago Dr. Oz (who gives me pain) was on Oprah (additional pain) and described suggested specifc foods for truck drivers on the road to help with caloric intake and some common truck driving issues from the sedentary position all day. Don't know if Oprah has archives or if Oz does with his new show, but it was actually an interesting segment.

Thats a tough situation. Of course, in this economy, we have to do what we have to do. Im a tech contract-worker and last year my position was moved almost 20 miles away (40 miles round trip - huge hills too) versus the usual 10 miles (rolling hills). I loved that original 10 mile commute as the 20 mile round trip, 3x a week did wonders for my health.
When the year-long contract ended for the 40 mile-commute position,I was so happy as I was legally restricted from returning to the company for a few months and had doubts on returning. I used that time to ride many, many miles while unemployed and loved every minute of it (except for the no paycheck thing). Fast-forward three months and I was not able to find anything other than returning to that same long-distance (for biking) contract. I was hesitant but had to return for another year as I have a mortgage and a family. Dont get me wrong, I appreciate the paycheck but I know what your going through - to a a certain degree. At least, I can still get "quicky" 30 min/7mile rides in but usually late-evening. I also do at least one long ride at the weekend - 30+ miles.

I make myself feel better by treating myself to a cool bike gadget/gear every couple of weeks. Keep your chin up - you will figure something out.

I am not going to admit how I know this but..

about two years ago Dr. Oz (who gives me pain) was on Oprah (additional pain) and described suggested specifc foods for truck drivers on the road to help with caloric intake and some common truck driving issues from the sedentary position all day. Don't know if Oprah has archives or if Oz does with his new show, but it was actually an interesting segment.

Ugh... Oz is a quack. He started the OMG APPLE JUICE HAS ARSENIC IN IT thing the other week. Trace amounts of arsenic which are harmless and comes from APPLES. That guy will say anything for ratings.

Ugh... Oz is a quack. He started the OMG APPLE JUICE HAS ARSENIC IN IT thing the other week. Trace amounts of arsenic which are harmless and comes from APPLES. That guy will say anything for ratings.

I totally agree. And he arsenic thing is BS. But his thing on truck drivers seemed well thought out and it was one of his first appearances with Oppie, so before the head swelling. Well, he was already a doctor, so before the additional head swelling.

What kind of schedule? How many days on and off?

Can you bring your own food, maybe have a plug in cooler and an inverter to run a microwave?

Maybe google for some exercies you can easily do when you stop or are in the back of the truck.

No fun, but I understand having to do what you have to do. I at least would try to redesign the lifestyle as much as possible.

I made a decision...Im not going back on the road. I have some leads on a few jobs here and can always go back to selling cars if I have to. I just do not want to give up being with my family and the progress that I have made with my health. I know as soon as I hit that truck, it will be nothing but fast-food and truckstop cr*p. Ive worked too hard on my diabetes control to let it get way out of hand like that again. An A1C of 12 is NOT good and that is what mine was about two months ago. I had dropped it to 10.4 last month and want to be under 7 when I test in October. For the record, HIGH A1C is 7. I was at 12. Not going back to that.

What kind of schedule? How many days on and off?

Can you bring your own food, maybe have a plug in cooler and an inverter to run a microwave?

Maybe google for some exercies you can easily do when you stop or are in the back of the truck.

No fun, but I understand having to do what you have to do. I at least would try to redesign the lifestyle as much as possible.

No such thing as a schedule or days off when driving a truck. In a team environment, it is literally drive, sleep, drive, sleep, drive, etc. The truck really never tops except to get fuel and go to the bathroom and loading/unloading. There is no time off. 7 days a week 24 hours a day, that truck is moving. When I sleep, teammate drives and vice-versa.

Just learn how to pull the trailer with your bike. ;)

You don't have to eat bad on the road, but it sure is easier. With a bit of planning, I'm sure you don't have to eat pizza and fast food all the time. Do you really drive > eat > sleep and back to > drive the second you wake up? Can you go for a 30 minutes walk/run before you start driving in the morning?

Robberry...thats it, there is NO stopping except for fuel and BR. As a team, the truck moves 24/7 unless you are loading/unloading and fueling or BR. Usually, we are on a time limit. Going from NY to LA in 3 days to be there on time. Then turn around and do the same thing back.

Robberry...thats it, there is NO stopping except for fuel and BR. As a team, the truck moves 24/7 unless you are loading/unloading and fueling or BR. Usually, we are on a time limit. Going from NY to LA in 3 days to be there on time. Then turn around and do the same thing back.

Sounds like you were going to drive for the wrong company (one who doesn't gve a crap about it's driver's well being),after having had a 13 year career (48-51 trips from NC-CA per year the last 8-9 of em,dedicated route from Roanoke,VA-Dallas,tx-Denver,CO-LA,CA and straight back).

We'd run it in less than 5 days (to the 24 hour mark),but yeah,LOTS of non-stop driving...but of course,we were almost always ahead of schedule on our run,in an effort to get home faster. Also,to run legal on your logs (as if many ever did,LOL!),with the new-in-the-last-few-years D.O.T. regs,one could conceivably take an hour every shift change...else why bother living,not having ANY personal time? Seriously-I'm like you though,100%,I HATED i,especially after we started having kids,that's when it really became a job.

The last couple years,though (and this may not have been an easy option with another company/different run,granted,but it's an eg: ),we started taking a manditory minimum 30 minutes break/personal time per shift change (assuming w hadn't been held up unreasonably so for uncontrol-ables),and we'd either walk,hike,or even ride bikes that we'd bring with us (not crappy dept store bikes either,with the truck always moving,the top bunk housed them). And DEFINATELY,when we could stomach to do it (junk food junky here,LOL),would eat healthy,even if we brought it from home.

But to say "24/7"? That may give someone who'd never driven a truck a general idea of what it feels like,but...nah,not on a consistant basis for any driver I ever met in 13 years of cross country driving,maybe the occasional "Super Trucker",LOL.

At any rate,though my last co-driver still drives (and we keep in touch with occasional calls ad emails) long haul...things could have changed a bit in the last 3 years or so that I've been out,but I doubt it being that big of a change. Of course,I'm living proof that if a team pushes it too hard for too long (especially with a rokie co-driver),there are consequences,LOL,else I wouldn't be disabled now :twitchy:(having been wrecked in 2001 and broken C2 and C4-worked until 12-8-08 though).:lol:

This wasn't really helpful I suppose...but it wasn't intended as argumentative either (honestly)...I guess I'm bored :innocent:

Robberry...thats it, there is NO stopping except for fuel and BR. As a team, the truck moves 24/7 unless you are loading/unloading and fueling or BR. Usually, we are on a time limit. Going from NY to LA in 3 days to be there on time. Then turn around and do the same thing back.

Do you at least get overtime if you're driving 18 hours a day?

dont drive 18...you have 14 hours to drive 11. We work 12 hours on 12 off. No ot

I made a decision...Im not going back on the road. I have some leads on a few jobs here and can always go back to selling cars if I have to. I just do not want to give up being with my family and the progress that I have made with my health. I know as soon as I hit that truck, it will be nothing but fast-food and truckstop cr*p. Ive worked too hard on my diabetes control to let it get way out of hand like that again. An A1C of 12 is NOT good and that is what mine was about two months ago. I had dropped it to 10.4 last month and want to be under 7 when I test in October. For the record, HIGH A1C is 7. I was at 12. Not going back to that.

Bravo!

No such thing as a schedule or days off when driving a truck. In a team environment, it is literally drive, sleep, drive, sleep, drive, etc. The truck really never tops except to get fuel and go to the bathroom and loading/unloading. There is no time off. 7 days a week 24 hours a day, that truck is moving. When I sleep, teammate drives and vice-versa.


Until you quit?

This is horrible. I agree, sell cars. Or find a different company to drive for. That kind of job will kill you.

I don't understand why anyone would use an 18 wheeler to ship cargo from NY to LA... trains can do the same thing faster and cheaper!

I don't understand why anyone would use an 18 wheeler to ship cargo from NY to LA... trains can do the same thing faster and cheaper!

One wonders how it gets to and from the train?

Also... faster is dubious. Sure, it's faster, if the train is leaving when you want it to, but you still have to get it TO the train, load it, and unload it and drive it to it's final destination at the other end. The logistics of that can eat up all of the time benefit of putting it on the train to begin with.

Trains can't run food that need to be refrigerated cheaper...trains can't get the product TO the drops. That takes time to unload from a train and load it on a truck. Trains are not faster, nor are they cheaper.

dont drive 18...you have 14 hours to drive 11. We work 12 hours on 12 off. No ot

I would definitely look for other company. That sounds horrible!!!

Allen, that's a tough decision. I hope you find a better job situation, but if you end up having to go with that intense team-driving situation, you should do some research beforehand, and you can probably find some helpful tips about heating somewhat healthier at truck stops. Also 12 on/off, there must be at least 3-4 hours when you're awake/riding instead of driving. You should research exercises you can do in a car seat, or in the confined space of the bunk, like isometrics.

I know, it's not as fun as riding, but it's something!

Or here's an idea, install a banked velodrome on top of the trailer, so when it's your partner's turn to drive, you can ride tiny laps. Sure it'll be windy, but that will just make the forward halves of the laps better exercise. Or maybe just bolt a trainer to the top of the trailer, fix your rear wheel into it and pedal away up there!

More seriously, would something like this fit in the passenger footwell:?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Therapy-Trainer-MagneTrainer-ER/16539450

(Or look how small (and cheap!) this one is:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Drive-Medical-Deluxe-Folding-Exercise-Peddler-with-Electronic-Display/12248733?findingMethod=rr

I don't understand why anyone would use an 18 wheeler to ship cargo from NY to LA... trains can do the same thing faster and cheaper!

Holy cats our rail system is horrible... HORRIBLE! We used to ship trailer loads of stuff from CA to AL (5-10 53 foot trailers a week...) and I'd say about 5% of it made it on trains because we didn't need it for 2 weeks. Everything else is nearly just in time and you can't afford to wait for the rail system to deliver it.

Some people are cut out for driving, others aren't. I think it would be enjoyable for oh, a week. Tops.