Once Upon A Time: New Beginnings

We didn't start out to become truck drivers.  Twenty years ago when we first met, we were in college, young, idealistic, determined to change the world.  Our paths followed a similar course for a few years, and then diverged through various changes, including marriage and (for Terry) kids.  

There were years when we lost touch with one another, but sooner or later the connection was renewed, and we picked right up where we left off -- you've perhaps had friendships like that; they are a thing to be treasured.

Fast-forward to a couple of years ago:  I was newly divorced after 10 years of marriage (the vast majority of which were happy years; we are still on good terms), and decided to do something I always thought I'd love:  drive a truck.  I went through training provided by Schneider, well respected in many quarters for their emphasis on safety.  

I drove for Schneider for a year (and loved it just like I thought I would) before I decided to move back to Georgia where I grew up to help take care of my grandmother.  While I was there, I drove for a local company which let me be around enough to help as much as I could.   

About the time I started driving for Schneider, Terry was involved in a farm he had started that served as a residential placement for clients with special needs.  When that ended, he did social work for a while, but was intrigued by the idea of driving a truck because I wouldn't shut up talking about how much I loved it.

Last year, he also decided to give driving a try, and went to work for Schneider.  Almost right away, he suggested in passing that it might work out for us to drive as a team one day.

That planted a seed that we watered through conversation and consideration over the past year. When things reached a point for me where my being there didn't really matter any longer as far as caring for my grandmother, we decided that the time was right.  

And so I find myself sitting in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas, on this Saturday night beginning this blog (a new experience for me, and right now it's just an experiment).  Terry is taking some time to spend with his family, and I am about to go through four days of orientation with Schneider.

Then our adventures begin.  

You are invited along -- ride as often and as far as you want, and we'll stop and let you out whenever you get tired of the sound of the tires on the pavement.  Comments and feedback are welcome.  

Oh yes, one other thing:  the name.  When we first started talking about teaming, we talked about the possibility of one day getting our own truck if our friendship survives long enough to get that far.  So the question came up:  what to call our company?  

After a rather lame suggestion from me, Terry hit the magic the first time:  "How about Lonesome Dove Transport or Lonesome Dove Express or something like that?"

And it has stuck since then.  I adopted Lonesome Dove Xpress for this blog because I had the idea for the "Xpress-ions" part of the title.  

I've wanted to do a blog for a while, and this seemed like a great time to begin.  

Until next time . . . keep the wheels rollin' . . .
Allan