Joshua P. Simon - The Accidental Author

I’ve mentioned before that my new job takes a lot more of my time than my previous employer, which unfortunately has cut into my writing/editing time quite a bit. However, there are a few perks to the company and position. For instance, a couple weeks ago I was sent to a week’s worth of training in Seattle. The days were pretty long, starting around 7:30am and not ending until usually well after 8:00pm since dinners were scheduled each night. But, a bright spot to the trip was that I got to drive several trucks that most people will never get the opportunity to.

Overall it was an awesome experience. The first truck I drove was a DAF (common in Europe). Unlike transport vehicles here, the trucks are automatics. Therefore, it felt like driving a much bigger SUV. As seen in the picture below, I drove it without the trailer.



I was lucky enough to drive a second truck as well. This one was a Kenworth and included the trailer. It, of course, had a manual transmission which I didn’t know how to drive. Funny enough, I stalled it out. Thanks to the guy teaching me in the passenger seat, I was able to get the hang of working the clutch while he shifted (something he did for everyone). Though I may have struggled at first, I was one of the few who kept their vehicle in the lane and took the turns without letting the trailer wheels drift off road. Both were much smoother rides than I expected. Overall, good stuff!