Gizmo's blog: "Trucking"

Heading into another town The people moving around Like a lost soul I'm out of place Checking in at security Vision blurred from abuse Just another day Waiting to load now Still hours away Try to sleep to pass the time Too hot today Taking a walk in town People know I'm not from here Funny looks from folks Being polite as I pass I nod and say hello Ignored as usual It's fine with me Time to head back See if maybe sleep will come Back at the truck Lunch in the bag Turning on the a/c and tv Lunch eaten, movie going Time to lay back Sleep comes slowly Darkness falls, stars bright Check again on order Still have two ahead Lay back down to another movie Early morning, time to load now Backing up to the dock Smelling the smells Twenty hours later Finally loaded Six hours of sleep will have to do Gotta make this run In a short short Three days later On the left coast Pacific looms, waves crash Unable to see clearly I approach with ease Opening the doors What a sight Twelve bins, standing tall Chicken for this town's homeless Was it worth the lack of sleep Was it worth the lies and cheats Was it worth the ticket in Texas Was it worth SC to CA in 3 days These may not seem important to you To those of us who do this daily We sacrifice more than just that We lose our families, our homes For the loads I've hauled to that Shelter From Florence, SC to San Jose, CA That load is well worth the pain To feed those people there It's well worth all the suffering Long Days and Nights on the road Lack of sleep many times To get those loads where they're going Short periods of time Many miles covered Long Days and Nights alone Away from friends and family Making a living Enjoying my career

Looking through the window Driving along these Highways Passing scenes Passing trees All I see are the miles ahead Yellow line to my left Dotted white to the right To the right I slide Up in the distance Rising high above Off to the left The Cross of the Highways Further on down The flat landscape Once more to the left I look The Cadilacs sticking up Down the hill and climbing up On the south side a giant Roadrunner That big ol chicken would look good on my hood Really nothing to see in Arizona Except some elk towards Flag Over the Hoover Dam When it was allowed Hairpin turns, gotta wait til he passes Traffic behind me Traffic ahead of me My turn to cross Fender to the right Trailer axle against the other sidewall Taking up both lanes as I cross The lights up ahead Sparkling Sin City Through the high desert Looking at the coyotes Dart from side to side Flashing lights coming up behind Slowing down to pull over But they pass me by By the tallest Thermometer On it's roof Lays that car that passed me by Those sights are seen daily As I drive these lands Through the Badlands Coming next The land stretches out in front The Mountains rise again Snow capped passes Ice covered roads What a sight to see An elk crossing ahead No time to stare Slowly approaching the grade Making my way down the winding twisting road Slipping and sliding Out of control He flies on past me Over the side he goes Stopping to offer help The flames ignite Heat washes over me As I try to help the driver out His truck in flames He escapes with my help Sitting in my cab To wait on help to arrive Lights approach from ahead Rescuers on scene I'm free to go Climbing back in the truck Making my way on back West Through the ice and snow Taking my time for a change Running late and over hours No place to stop for my 10 Fudging my coloring book To make my time right When out in front An owl perches on my hood Glaring in at me with red eyes Taking flight into the night Time to drive some more Lit up like a Christmas tree Logs all legal looking now A bear crosses in front Near miss, no ice tonight Sun arising, snow shining White blanket covering the ride Animals all around No where to go Looking up again I'm in the ditch Must of happened late last night Pushing to make this load on time Lesson learned Maybe not Only time will tell Driving through the snow and ice Should stay pulled over But that will never be Truckin's in my blood Til the day I die Gotta see the sights Hear the sounds Never know when that next pass will show Maybe a flash from a lady passing by Who knows But that's a sight that happens Every now and then Just one of the perks Of sitting up high Seen it before Will see it again That one man who can't resist Gotta shake my head at that No warning to other drivers Only will tell when a leg check comes by Or a full grown bear has been seen County mounties are the worse They try and hide But still we see them Backed into the trees Down in the grass Trying to catch us speeding Plenty of low flying awards I possess Good thing they don't show up Only one left is from Kansas Running from a tornado Chasing close behind Got pulled over once it was safe 130 in a 70 Written as 85 to save jail time Will I ever learn Who's to say A passenger might slow me some But not all the way

Alone in the cab of my truck I call into my broker Seeking a load To get me to the one I love No such luck she says Such is life on the road Weeks and months out on the road Away from loved ones We sacrifice much in life To do what we do best Seasons come and go Sometimes months away Graduations missed Videos all that we see Baby's first words First steps on tape First day of school First test passed All these and more We miss as we drive our trucks This life I as many others lead Is not a lifestyle for many It takes a special breed To do our work Trucking's in our blood For some it's just a job For others, it's our life Pictures in the cab Talking on the phone With the one we love Sometimes that's the only way we have To see or hear our significant other The hours away from you Seem like years instead We may be tired when we get home But rest assured You are more important than anything else More than life itself Just to see your smiling eyes Gaze into ours As we embrace Clutched in each others arms Cheerish this time we have For it is short I have to get home again To be in your arms once more Whatever it takes I will do It may be illegal But trust me, I'll be there One way or other Just to see your smile To kiss your lips once more Before I have to leave again Know my love is true This is my career Only for a short while longer Til the time is right For me to hang my keys Once and for all Driving is in my blood But for you, I'll give it up The sights I've seen The places I've been The people I've met All are worth it The memories remain But yours is the one I remember the most I like the many others out there Do this every single day We leave our loved ones behind To do our job Without us, America will stop Your food, clothes, cars, gas Everything you see in your life At one point or other Was a load we delivered Your groceries that you eat Perishables that they are Are the most important of all The hardships we face Are worth it to me for one To make sure you and yours Have what you need to live I will do this til the day I die Once a trucker, always a trucker Driving is my companionship Love is only a bonus If it happens again So be it If not, fuck it As long as I have my truck All shined and polished I'll continue to look good Where ever I roam It takes a special breed of woman To live the life we place on them Not all can handle The stress and loneliness That's why some end in divorce But there are many more That stay strong throughout Driving is what I do If you don't like it Oh well If you do Great, I for one appreciate it

Hauling ass in the left lane Talking on the CB Listening to Sirius 23 Not paying attention too much Just background noise is all Up ahead is Cabbage My what a sight Covered in snow and ice Time to back it on down Taking it slow for once Moves to the right lane Drops 4 gears Jakes loud and proud Starting the climb Slipping wheels Black Ice is what I'm on Oh shit Spread comes around Steers out of jackknife Drops another gear Slowly I proceed Up and up I go Slipping and sliding An hour later Still four miles to the top Weather worsening Getting slicker Chain laws in effect Pulls over to chain up Throwing iron, what I do Getting started again Slower and slower I go Only in 12th Starts to slide again Chain comes loose Pulling over once more Checking on the chain Four wheeler flying up the hill No time to react I go flying through the air Landing on my back All is black Looking down upon my prone body Wondering what is wrong No sounds around No loved ones close In a Morgue all alone No family comes to claim the body State held funeral No one shows No one cares Wondering what happened Find out I was killed that fateful snowy day Out on the Highways That's the chance we take When we chain up in Winter Always having to watch our backs Wondering if this will be the day That I die, or live To those who drive out west Pay attention to those of us on the side Of the roads throwing iron They are an aid to help traction Drive safe on the Highways Give us room to stop Highways can be safe If we all work together And not apart

Driving across this Nation's highways I roam in the cab alone Except for my CB and phone Listening to my 8" straights Loud and proud Looking down at my gauges I'm out of numbers My needle says I'm doing H in MPH Revs at 2200 In 18th gear My CAT runing strong Looking in my mirrors Green light on That ThermoKing going strong Sun shinning off the sides of my spread Full grown bear in the middle Back it down Get to 80 as I pass him and wave Looking back he stays put Winding it back up again to cruise I get on down the Interstate Broker calling to ask where I'm at I tell her still another 1200 miles to go She says my appointment has been moved up Well shit I say, now I get no sleep again Time to search for some go fast Calling on the radio to my neighbors I find where some is at Pulling in to get some West Cost turnarounds Do the deed, then out again I go On down the highway I travel Closer to my destination Eyes wanting to close But knowing I can't I keep pushing harder and harder 700 miles down I don't remember the last 500 Rough, tumbling I feel strange Next thing I know, I'm upside down Off the side of the mountain I've gone My Chicken Truck is gone Flames erupting all around Flashing lights Six months later I wake up again In a coma I was The nurse sees my eyes Tells me I'm lucky to be alive What life shall I lead now A year later I recover fully Back out on the road I go Soon back to being an outlaw I tote that ass Do that speed Whoop Whoop Ain't no stopping me now Hauling ass where ever I go Always in that left lane Pushing 4wheelers out of my way No care for safety, mine or theirs The only thing that matters Is making that green to pay my way Flashing lights behind me once again I get my coloring book out and license Take my ticket for 95 in a 75 I tote that ass once more Trucking up as a Chicken Hauler Is the only way for me.