I'm in Miami -- And THOUGHT I'd be SCARED OUT OF MY WITS!!!

[swerve]

But...

I'm NOT...

Yesterday while driving through Atlanta (on my way from Seattle), my BF Opinterph met me at an exit ramp and brought me a home cooked meal...

As he was leaving he handed me a six pack of "liquid courage" for tonight -- knowing that I was going to be sleeping in a GANG RIDDEN city in a parking lot -- ALL ALONE...

I don't get here very often -- only been a couple times over the last several years -- EACH time, I stayed several hours north and drove in around 2AM to the delivery...

THIS TIME -- I couldn't because I need to be back in Atlanta to meet with a USA Today reporter (and photographer) who is featuring ME in a story he is doing...

In the past I delivered to AWFUL areas where I visualized gang members hiding behind EVERYthing WAITING for a truck to roll by -- slit the drivers neck -- and STEAL the cargo...

But -- I LUCKED OUT...

I'm actually in a really NICE and somewhat FESTIVE area...

If MOST of Miami is like where I'm at NOW -- instead of that area off of 826 that I usually go to -- I think it might just be a pretty cool city to live in!!!

I think I will sleep well tonight -- OH --And I will still take my "courage medicine" -- wouldn't want it to go to waste!!!

 

[swerve]

What's the scoop on the story? I missed it if you'd discussed it elsewhere.

I haven't discussed it -- because -- I was just waiting until it actually "happened"...

We firmed up the scheduling and it SHOULD happen next Tuesday...

The story is on "Driving Safety" from a truck drivers perspective -- I am the truck driver...

He got my name from an article written with a photo of me in an industry magazine a couple months ago...

It was more "logistics" than who I am...

His office is 8 miles from where I live -- LOL...

 

[swerve]

Hey cool. Will there be a centerfold spread?

We'll be going on a 90 mile TOUR of Atlanta IN the truck...

I'm SURE THERE WILL BE...

IF...

I wreck the truck with him in the passenger seat...

 

[Huskerboy]

Wow, Gentry... you certainly do 'get around'... (No, not THAT way! ) Seattle, Atlanta, Miami, and parts there unknown... ! I hate to drive across town - but always thought it would be cool to drive a truck - at least for awhile.

Glad your trip to Miami went well... the only time I've been there was screaming through town in a rented convertable on our way from Orlando to Key West for a week! Good times...

Anyway, that was sweet of your other half to meet you and bring you something good to eat from home... and the liquid courage, too! You need to hang on to a guy like that... I'm hanging on to mine!

Congrats on the article, too! You'll have to post it on here for us if we miss it...

All the Best - and Drive Safe!

 

[GL]

i hope you'll let us know when the article is published!

 

[Croynan]

please keep us informed about how the news article for USA today goes.

it sounds like a fascinating experience.

make sure you post the link to the story when it appears.

don't forget to give your friends here at JUB as "character witnesses"

a industry magazine spread. now USA today. tomorrow it could be a spread in Randy Cody or Randyblue or even Time Magazine.

have fun with the interview.​

eM.​

 

[gmoney]

We still need to get together after you "decompress" as you said..

I guess it's nice and warm where you are now..

Cold front came through here and the wind is something terrible..

You might not want to come back..

Be careful now. Hope to see you soon..

 

[Golliwog]

So glad your apprehensions did not prove to be true! And the feature soon to come sounds exciting. I look forward to reading it, with pix. We here at this site have known all along that your are a person of real worth!

 

[swerve]

Cold front came through here and the wind is something terrible..

You might not want to come back..

OH...

The WIND was over 50MPH going over Elk Mountain in Wyoming -- THEN I had to detour down through Denver because I-80 was CLOSED over Sherman (between Laramie and Cheyenne) -- WINDS OVER 80 MPH Blowing a BUNCH of trucks over...

30MPH winds in Atlanta Doesn't EVEN PHASE ME -- LOL!!!

I DO WANT TO COME BACK!!!

I'll be there BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!!!



I'll give you a couple of days (prior to calling) to wake up from all those PAIN meds you're probably on!!! LOL...

Glad you're going to be OK...

 

[kevbo]

You know, Eau Claire is one of the safest cities in the US.

You wouldn't even have to think about being scared out of your wits...

When are you going to make your way up here?

 

[swerve]

You know, Eau Claire is one of the safest cities in the US.

You wouldn't even have to think about being scared out of your wits...

When are you going to make your way up here?

I've been driving for 17 or so days STRAIGHT...

I DID drive through there 1 1/2 weeks ago...

PROBLEM WAS -- I was SCARED that YOU were on the loose -- LOL...

Actually -- it would have been a LOT OF FUN -- Ya'll JUST had a MAJOR SNOWSTORM and the roads were dicey at best -- exits were even WORSE!!!



And YES -- Eau Claire is a MUCH better place than "somewhere in Miami"...

 

[kevbo]

Yeah, we made national news with a ton of people in the ditch on 94...

 

[VICTORIADON]

What?

You are in Miami, driving through Atlanta, from Seattle?

What are you on?

Hook me up dude!

LOL

All the best

Don

 

[JR]

Good heavens. Gang members in Miami are not much like real gang members. Mostly the gang activities include graffiti and tattooing each other. That's not to say that there aren't 2 or 3 small dangerous areas of the city. But that compares to hundreds of really nice places to be.

Relax and enjoy the sunshine. There are far worse places to be on this planet in December.

Next time you breeze through, let me know. I'm out of the country now, but you never know!

 

[tommyj]

Did he relate your a gay trucker in the story?

 

[swerve]

Did he relate your a gay trucker in the story?

Nope -- I doubt sexuality has ANYTHING to do with "driving safety"...

but...

WOW...

I JUST got off the phone with the Photo Editor up in Virginia...

he is scheduling the photographer -- and was talking about what kind of "photo's" he could take to capture the writers "topic" -- he asked if I could drive up and down the road a few exits for possible photos WITH the photographer in the truck -- also said he'd be taking a picture of the truck and a PORTRAIT!!!...

It is all getting VERY EXCITING...

I'll have to post all about it in either my blog or a thread after it is done...



p.s. this thread was SUPPOSED to be about what a "not so bad" place Miami turned out to be (and JR -- I'll DEFINITELY let you know IF I ever make it back this way)...

Sorry...

 

[martin6]

Miami is a really nice place, in many areas. Anyplace near Coral Gables is a good bet... and off of 826, there's Kendall/Dadeland that is a nice area, as well as Pinecrest. You might usually go to the north end of 826, though, which I'm less familiar with.