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Back in those days 40 footers might have been the big ones. Every once in a blue moon a 40 would come in the yard it was like a dream. When I started shifting trailers in the yard we were still running lots of 28 foot pups. The rule was 2 pups then a 53, 2 pups, 53. When I retired 3 years ago we had almost completely quit using pups, so the 53's were lined up side by side. About once a week an out of center driver would rip a rear swing door off trying to get his load out. Hate 53's. Had a private contractor with a long haul double sleeper ask/tell me to park a 53 in the yard for him. I told him to use one of the drive through spots and I'd get it later. He got pissy and said there was legislation to go to 57's, what was I going to do then! I said sit on my fat arse at home watching soap operas and collecting my Union pension. He climbed back in his half a million dollar rig and went looking for his outbound load. If he hadn't acted like a jerk I would have got his outbound load and staged it for him where he could have pulled straight through the phones and left. If those private guys acted like jerks we would let sit till our shift was over. We weren't supposed to help them. But, we felt sorry for them risking tearing up a beautiful tractor in a yard that was too small to handle them.

?

I'm not a truck driver but my theory is if you can't back you shouldn't be driving it. I've seen more than a few "truck drivers" who couldn't back their rig. It would get real entertaining sometimes.

That's easy to say if you are used to backing into a boat ramp, or anything where you can pull forward, and then back straight up. If you have to back a 53 ft trailer into a 10 foot bay, with a 53 footer on each side, and a row of trailers 48 feet in front, how do you get it in?

If the ? mark is about all of the truck stuff? You brought up the 30,000 pounds of nanners.

I wondered about the tie-in to a truck careening out of control down the hill into Scranton, PA. I'm certainly able to steer a thread off into the weeds myself, not so good at backing a trailer. In fact, I can't. Nor do I want to, and hope I never have to.

The backstory to 30,000 lbs. of bananas.

Both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are located in the greater metropolitan area known as the Wyoming Valley. Fifty years ago before the completion of the Interstate Highways (I80, I81 and I380) that currently serve the area trucks approaching from New York City and other points east had to descend long hills with steep grades to reach the cities in the Wyoming Valley. Runaway trucks were actually a pretty frequent occurrence on PA 307/Moosic St. leading into Scranton and PA 115 leading into Wilkes-Barre. Heavy truck traffic is now prohibited on both roads. There are still two old runaway truck ramps along Rte. 115 heading into Wilkes-Barre.

Alright! Enough with the "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" song. I've had it rattling around in my head for two days now! Ha ha!

Been dealing with truck drivers 30+ years


You can tell a truck driver his wife is ugly and he will laugh at you, but don't tell him he can't back his trailer unless you are ready to fight.

..wow, it really sucks bananas to spend two days explaining a joke! Enjoy your day Gary!

"It was then he lost his head, not to mention an arm or two before he stopped."

Let's move on to Headless Roland. I wonder if his Thompson was made by Savage?

As of now the Savage Rendezvous will be the weekend of August 23,24,25.

Joe

That son of a bitch, Van Owen...

Arghhh, ya beat me to it, Joe!!

Ok fellas. Now's the time to start saving your nickels, making bargains with your wives, telling the boss you will be out sick those days, and polishing up your Savage shooting skills. Bring as many Savages that you can pile in the jalopy, bring some ammo, bring your appetite- but primarily bring yourself.

Can't sneak a couple 99's onto the plane, bus, train, uber car? Don't want to sashay through gun unfriendly states with enough weapons to arm a squad of Mexican Bandits? Meh. Just come unarmed. There will be plenty of guns to ogle, extra ammo to be shot up, and most importantly plenty of gun talk to partake in. It's as much about the people (and the beagle, Ted) as it is the guns.

Plenty of sleeping facilities, but if it gets out of hand we'll be looking at tents, yurts, and igloos (hey it's Pennsylvania, dontcha know). First come first served so to speak. Sign up early, and sign up often.

Gary, how many guns did we have spread in the median strip trying to get my jack out from under the back seat when my wheel fell off? Sure glad it was Frederick county and not Baltimore, or else we would all still be in jail. The State Trooper that pulled over to help us never said a word. Must have been a Western MD resident.

Ha ha! Yeah that was something. Joe's truck wheel actually fell off (well, it was held on by one half loose lug nut) and to get at the jack we had to unload about a half ton of crap out of the truck and then another half ton to find the jack handle. There we were with, literally, about a dozen rifle cases piled beside the road when the State Bull pulled up. The three of us just sort of stood there whistling and smiling and looking at the sky.

That must have been awkward for a bit. Great story though.

I should be able to make it. I have a pop up camper that I can drag along if needed. I'm waiting for a couple of things to come together but I should be traveling from the DuBois area.

Dale

Dale, I think Joe said it will sleep 20 in the bunk house. The past 2 years every body fit and I don't think we had to double up in the rooms.