Question:
What do you guys carry with you over the road for weeks at a time to make the trips go faster and for convenience in that 63", 70" or larger condo on wheels. I have seen microwaves to inverts and satellite Tv to showers. My question is, you guys have been on the road for a good time now, so what do you carry with you in your truck or have seen something different in someone elses truck?
Surprise me and the rest of us on the board.
Hey, if life throws you a curve ball, try and take a swing at it. Who knows what might happen

Answer:
I just got home and was gonna post something very similar to this.
I was gonna ask because I don't understand why people wouldn't want the biggest sleeper they could. I understand wheelbase, but for example Pete 379, why 63" instead of 70".
That is the whole thing keeping me from choosing one company. If they offer me an International I will sign tomorrow. The trucks they have are 58" midroofs, but I have seen inside of a 72" Pro Sleeper and that would suit me just perfect.
TimThis is USAF 2T2 and I approve this message.

Answer:
I think I've seen someone cram a 3 bedroom house into a 58" international sleeper .
Hey, if life throws you a curve ball, try and take a swing at it. Who knows what might happen

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It all depends on how you like to live - I can live with my 3' casket, since I'm rarely in it
Supposedly we're getting a bunch of new T600's with 60 something" flat roofs in the near future, and I'm getting one. I don't know how I'll handle it!

Answer:
There are a few reasons why companies may not spec trucks with those large sleepers. One reason is weight. Generally the larger the sleeper the more it is going to weight. Add to it that the larger the sleeper the more stuff drivers tend to pack into them.
Another big factor is overall height. Depending on where a carrier may typically run the larger, taller sleepers may not be practical.
The type of freight a company pulls often dictates the type of trucks the buy. Van and reefer companies have the highest percentages of the Condo sleepers out there. Because of the height of the trailer there is not a concern about having to get the truck under a low clearance obstacle, and also the condo offers built in aerodynamics to a 13'6" trailer.
Flatbeds and especially tankers more often than not will spec out the mid roof or flat top sleepers due to weight savings and also due they may be going into places to load or unload where a 13'6" truck could never fit. (Especially tankers).
Now then I can certainly understand the desire for a large sleeper especially while being on the road for weeks at a time, but I am glad none-the-less that few companies (if any) spec trucks anymore with the 36" coffin sleeper.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
At one time I had almost everything except a shower and kitchen sink crammed into my truck.
Large inveter, microwave and other 110v appliances, tv, vcr, about 90 movies, sattelite tv, two 12v coolers, porta potty. This was of course in addition to the typical stuff like 2 weeks clothes, 3 coats/jackets, work boots, office supplies, etc.
I no longer carry that much with me. I gave up the sattelite for one because it just became too much a pain to set it up in the evenings and many times I only watched Tv for maybe 30 minutes before falling alseep. I whittled down my movies to carrying only about 14 at a time and went to rotating through them when I was home. got rid of one of the coolers, and the porta potty (became a pain to get it emptied sometimes).
Now my typical stash is tv/dvd, 12v cooler, lunch box stove, 14 movies, my clothes and office supplies, and two small inverters.
What broke me of carrying all that stuff was having to move it from one truck to another. It took too long. About 5 hours to get packed, moved, and unpacked. Also I came real close one time to having to leave my truck when it was broke down and travel by bus to pick up another truck.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
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Uturn, Thats alot of stuff in a truck really that is, anyone else have more or anything odd?
Hey, if life throws you a curve ball, try and take a swing at it. Who knows what might happen

Answer:
I will always have my free weights on the truck with me (almost 200 pounds worth). Along with that, when I first depart the house I have close to 75-100 pounds of canned goods with me, which of course slowly gets whittled away as the time goes by. I guess you can say that I'm along the "boring/gym rat" category as I eat 4-6 times daily, sleep (usually between 7-9 hours a night, no midday naps for me!), work out at a minimum every other day, and drive. I will bring my inverter and t.v. with me now that football season is about to start and adjust my schedule/routine to catch a few games during the weekend, and then Monday night if it's a good one. Oh yeah, and I do yak on the phone a lot...just ask TaxiBob and Chilidawg !
Carlo 0351/8151/6531 I.Y.A.O.Y.A.S
Truck #176
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat."

Answer:
Originally posted by Cyanide:
I will always have my free weights on the truck with me (almost 200 pounds worth)...I guess you can say that I'm along the "boring/gym rat" category as I eat 4-6 times daily, sleep (usually between 7-9 hours a night, no midday naps for me!), work out at a minimum every other day, and drive.
Dude, do you carry your own bench? I'm assuming free weights. Do you use the combined dumbbells (Power something or others, I think)? I lift a lot at home and would love to take something with me. Thanks.

Answer:
...no, I don't carry a bench with me at all. I will take my pillow and place it centered on my bunk and then I'll fold up my spare comforter and place it on top of that. That is my "road bench". It raises my chest up enough so I can get the full negative stretch at the end of each rep. My weights consist of the following: (4 each) 25-lb, 10-lb, 7.5-lb, 5-lb, and 2.5-lb plates, (2) threaded dumbbell handles, and a 5' threaded barbell. I know it isn't much, but it gets the job done out here (especially when doing dumbbell movements). Now if I only had a leg press sled with me and another 400 pounds of weights I'd be really happy ...
For the most part (especially while on the road) I stick to a very basic routine centered around squats, stiff-leg deadlifts, high pulls, upright rows, bent over rows, shoulder presses, "bunk" bench presses, and on very rare occasions I'll throw in overhead tricep extensions and curls. I'm not one for doing shaping/toning movements and always inquire when I see another lifter who "wants bigger arms" and begins their routine with set after set of curls or another isolated arm movement, and they completely ignore the proven power movements that will do so much more for overall strength AND development. Have had a couple I convinced to switch to a strength/power routine with little to no direct arm exercises that literally, "grew like corn in Iowa" after a good few months of training. To be very blunt, I am a firm believer of the principles taught by Stuart McRobert in his books "Brawn" and "Beyond Brawn"; very good reading for any lifter. Dare I say required reading!!! Going to stop ranting about a subject I dearly love and float around the board for a few before calling it a night. More later .
Carlo 0351/8151/6531 I.Y.A.O.Y.A.S
Truck #176
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat."

Answer:
I like the sound of your workout plan. I do power lifting myself. 400# for your leg press? Geez, I warm up with that! My max on the leg press is 1240#. I guess I could just press the tractor, if I need to, eh? I'm thinking about investing in the PowerBlocks. They're compact, and with the add-ons, you can pile on some weight. I'll still have to work on a barbell, though. Thanks for the info. I know there has to be life for lifters away from the OC's!

Answer:
I was saying that I would need another 400 + my current 200 to have fun. Have never maxed anything. Just love lifting for the purpose of gains in functional strength and there's always more to gain, isn't there? Sounds like you and I'd get along great! Don't you just love it when you start putting 100# plates on the sled vice 45's and you get those looks like you're just nuts !!! Hard to find a good leg training partner that's for sure... Most I've ever done on my leg press was 740 for reps, back when I was able to train a lot harder while active-duty and be very attentive to my diet, rest, and recovery. Unfortunately I have to be very careful nowadays since I received my medical discharge from the military for my shins, and they aren't back to where they used to be before injury. That really blows as legs are my favorite bodypart to train . I'm definitely not the biggest guy around and when I finally got the nerve to begin lifting in mid '93 I was about 145 soaking wet at the gigantic height of 5'6". Ha-ha-ha. I stay around 185 now, but still pushing to crack 195-200. I will get there one of these days ! Of course, had I discovered "Brawn" and true strength training earlier vice following whatever routine the latest muscle mag threw out there, no telling where I could be at now right??? I would like to get the Powerblocks myself but can't see spending that kind of cash (yet). They would be great to have though since they simply will not roll around. Keep in touch, as it's hard enough finding someone who knows what langauge I'm talking when it comes to this matter, especially in this occupation. Maybe we'll run into each other out there one of these days if you're in SOCAL since I do have the opportunity to get to Fullerton and Fontana every now and then.
Carlo 0351/8151/6531 I.Y.A.O.Y.A.S
Truck #176
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat."
[This message was edited by Cyanide on August 13, 2003 at 2:15.]

Answer:
Sounds like you put on some serious bulk! Yeah, it is nice to find someone who speaks the same language. I like Bill Phillips' program, especially the nutrition part. Makes more sense. Kinda hard to stay true to it on the road, but you do what you can. I don't like canned food, even tuna. They make tuna in a vacuum-packed packet now...not packed in water or oil, so it is ready to eat and not too messy. And just the right portion size, too. I hard-boil eggs when I can, and Trader Joe's has this stuff called Just Chicken, cooked chicken in bite-size pieces. Great for the road. And, of course, fruit. Lotsa fruit.
Sorry to hear about your shins. Work em nice and slow and they'll be back good as new. I love working legs, but I love Upper Body as well, especially chest. I been thinking about getting some of those rubberry cords you can use for stretching and using them for some pseudo-cable work. Could probably fake crossovers with them. Maybe we'll meet up in SoCal. I'll be the one doing laps around the parking lot!

Answer:
Ok, I see alot of things. How do you guys store the stuff. I have been in a century class and there is some storage room, but I would use it up in a minute. So, where do you guys put it all? Have any of you build like storage shelves or have storage bins?
Hey, if life throws you a curve ball, try and take a swing at it. Who knows what might happen

Answer:
Before getting into my Mack Vision here at Indian River I had a Century Class. My Mack has less available space but I make the best of it. I keep all my canned goods in boxes under the bunk, as well as my weights (stored in a milk crate). I keep all my shirts hanging in the wardrobe closet, my cooler in it's designated space, and my other clothing under the bunk also. All my paperwork is in a seat-back organizer. To be honest, I like the smaller space in my Mack as it makes it easier to keep track of everything and prevents me from bringing too much unnecessary gear! Anyone else remember the acronym, K.I.S.S.?
Carlo 0351/8151/6531 I.Y.A.O.Y.A.S
Truck #176
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat."