Tuesday, February 16, 1965 The Frances Hubbard Diaries

February 16, 1965
Tuesday, partly cloudy, in 30's.  We finished painting ceiling a flat coat.  Went to Cobleskill in pm and got Gerald's chauffeurs license.  Saw Evelyn Tenblad and Billie and Virginia at Cobleskill.  Mother called in am and asked us over for dinner but w didn't go.  Freddie Coons died.  I went to Louvilla's to SS meeting at night.  Madelyn went with me.  David had letter from Doug.
Comment: Busy day...the NY state driving laws changed in '65 requiring a Class 1 Chauffeurs License to drive tractor trailer and although I was pretty much done driving at that point, I got it anyway and I still regret today that I let it lapse about 10 years later in Ohio.....here are some memories of driving performed by David...and I still would like to handle one of those rigs one more time......

Truck Driving

I’ve hauled bark for Timberland to make charcoal briquettes

Getting paid 8 cents a mile, I took all I could get.

Brockway diesels , Screaming Jimmies, Mack B63’s

Concrete batch truck, Andrews Air Base, Washington DC

I drove to put  myself through school, just trying to change my luck

Off the farm then just discharged I drove those damned old trucks.

I’ve  hauled clinker, ice and milk and charcoal by the ton 

Double clutching, jamming gears  making midnight  runs.

Quarts of Pepsi with no food kept me tightly wired

Sleep deprived hallucinations, always over tired

Triplex, Duplex, straight 5-speeds with vacuum  shift rear ends

5 speed mains -auxiliary 3’s, combos with out  end

I  always got them figured out sometimes while on the road

And I always drove those damned old trucks, as fast as they would go

I’ve left smoking strips of rubber and watched those big duals burn

When I locked them up to miss a car as they made a no-left turn

I’ve endured  the deadly boredom then the special thrill

When I blew the air brake diaphragms at the top of a steep hill

I’ve passed semis 3 abreast on  narrow 2 lane roads

Trying to keep momentum up with twenty  five ton loads

I’ve seen my trailer in my mirrors skid and come around

And damn near jack knife tires sliding on the icy ground

I’ve rolled backwards down a hill in a state of abject terror

When I missed a shift and stalled it out and my trailer brakes lost air

I got it started, revved it up and jammed it  into low

The tractor reared high in the air when I popped the clutch to go

So when I’m on an the interstate and see a big rig roll

I want to be there in that  seat but I guess now I’m too old

I know I’ll probably never get to go back to those times

But  sometimes just before I sleep I hear a diesel whine

And I feel the  deep vibrations of a big rig in my bones

And I drive a midnight highway, fast and young and wild,  alone.

And I feel the  deep vibrations of a big rig in my bones

And I drive a midnight highway, fast and young and wild,  alone.