Our Story

We are cousins, roommates, and friends, and this is our story:

We are both nannies and our current jobs are finishing up this fall when our kids take their grown up selves off to kindergarden (sniff).  Since they are all moving on, we decided it was time for us to move on as well, and try out something new.  The goal for both of us over the past few years has been to pay off our debts, so that we will be freed up to pursue our long-term dreams and goals.  We are both willing to work hard, but were having trouble finding other jobs that wouldn't have us still paying off our bills in 30 years.  Neither one of us has very many marketable skills, other than nannying, and in this economy, there aren't many options if you don't have experience.  

Then one day while driving down the freeway, Ariel started noticing all of the trucks on the road.  Any of you who know Ariel will know that she is really good at ideas.  Like really good.  She overflows with them.  So she noticed the trucks, one thing led to another, and the next thing I know, she is sitting on our couch suggesting to me that we be long haul truck drivers.  Of course I immediately said no.  Absolutely not.  The more we talked about it though, the more sense it made.  We are both willing and able to work hard to get rid of the debts.  Our only other option besides nannying seems to be cleaning houses, which I believe pays even less than nannying, so no to that.  Aside from Alaskan fishing boat work, which I am not willing to do, trucking seems to be our best bet.

  

As long haul team truckers, our starting pay will be higher than our nanny jobs, and there will be the opportunity for better pay as we gain experience, (which was not the case with the nannying).  We will be team trucking, which means that we will share the same truck and take turns driving (one sleeps while the other works).  This is a huge perk for us, because not only will we be making money and traveling the whole country (and Canada and maybe Mexico), but we will be doing it together, which makes it a big adventure (not to mention a killer story to tell the grandkids). :)  We are both aware that this will be a lot of hard work, and have spent a lot of time trying to think through the realities of being on the road; all kinds of things from meal planning and sleeping in a moving vehicle, to the all important, "but…what if I have to pee?".  Really, it's just going to be a big adventure, and we'll figure it out along the way.  This blog is our way of sharing our big adventure with all of you-so you too can experience the life of a long haul trucker, all from the comfort of your own home!


-Amanda