Desert Storms
From a truck stop in Phoenix shortly after a dust storm, Mike reflects on learning his rider duties assisting with truck deliveries. Also discussed are the commonly mistaken distinction between power and energy, as well as procrastination habits, and remembering back when talking about nazis used to be comical.
Good afternoon from the nice desert land of Phoenix, Arizona! This is Mike George, and I’m doing tonight’s episode solo because my boyfriend Matt is already back in the cabin getting some sleep. He has a really early day tomorrow, heading out at 2:00 as we make our way northeast toward Denver, Colorado.
We are currently at a Love’s truck stop. Around sunset, we experienced a dust storm — I think the word is "haboob" — that had a reddish-orange glow and looked super ominous. It freaked me out a little because I had just won $280 at the casino playing Blackjack. I’m not usually a big gambler, but all the practice I had playing Fallout: New Vegas finally paid off!
We were originally supposed to be in Flagstaff by now, but we hit some setbacks. We picked up a load of 60-foot rebar steel from a plant outside of Phoenix, which is used for reinforcing concrete during earthquakes. I’ve been helping Matt secure the load with chains and tarps. Safety is critical because nobody wants a 60-foot rod falling off a truck and going through a windshield—that’s some "Final Destination" shit right there. We had some mishaps with the scales at the facility and some incompetent staff, which wasted a lot of time and kept us here in Phoenix for the night.
I’m standing out here enjoying some dry lightning right now. It’s the best kind because there’s no rain yet, though I should probably wander back toward the truck stop where there are taller objects for the lightning to hit instead of me.
This trip has taught me a lot about the life of a trucker. You have to plan routes to avoid bridges lower than 13.5 feet, manage wide turning radiuses, and account for the massive stopping distance required for a vehicle this size. We also have to be careful with our weight; the gross weight for the whole tractor-trailer, including our "fat asses" in the cabin, can't exceed 80,000 pounds.
I brought my book of inspiration, Sparkle and Kick It, and flipped to a page that said, "Time works for people who take care of their space". It reminded me of how clutter and a messy environment lead to stress and procrastination. In the academic world, you always had a "reset button" at the end of the school year, but in the professional world, things just constantly accumulate. I’m trying to focus on my own bad habits as I apply for new jobs with companies like Portland General Electric (PGE).
Oh, look! There is our friend Jaime passing by in his lime green tractor. He went to the casino with us earlier.
Since it’s late August, my safety contact for today is to watch out for kids going back to school. They might be walking home for the first time and could do something unexpected, like walking into the middle of an intersection.
I also noticed Donald Trump was in Phoenix last night, which made me a bit anxious, but we are safely away from the epicenter of those shenanigans here at the truck stop. On a lighter note, shout out to my Montreal viewers—I miss it and hope Pride was great, especially with Justin Trudeau marching with the community.
I’m starting to run out of things to talk about, and the word "Nazi" has been so re-contextualized lately that you can't even say "Soup Nazi" without a freakout, although if you say the word fast enough, it almost sounds like "naughty".
It’s starting to rain now, so I need to find some shelter. I’ll climb onto the flatbed for a moment and respond to some comments. This iPhone is supposed to be waterproof, so it should be fine. From a rainy Phoenix, Arizona, this is Mike George. See you guys later!
