Road music

Diana

Diana

Final Approach
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Feb 21, 2005
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Southwest MO
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Diana
So, next weekend I'm driving a Penske moving truck from Dallas to Atlanta to help my son move. Lots of solo time on the road. What do y'all listen to on the road? :)
 
Whatever the local stations play. Eventhoughy I'm just driving through, I get a feel for who lives in an area and what they listen to. Some places seem to have a lot of Mexican music. You don't get this local flavor listening to XM.
 
Not much... I travel better just thinking...
What I do play when I am in the mood are a few homemade CD's with selected bits of 60's/70's pop music leavened with Vivaldi, Chopin (piano mostly), Purcell, Callas as Madame Butterfly, and then I finish it off with a bit of Cannonball or Trane or Charlie Parker - and go back to thinking...

denny-o
 
I did 1000 miles on the road this weekend - satellite radio was nice, plenty of stuff to flip to. BAd song on one channel? Flip to another. My music tastes are pretty eclectic, ranging from Gershwin to jazz to U2.
 
Diana said:
So, next weekend I'm driving a Penske moving truck from Dallas to Atlanta to help my son move. Lots of solo time on the road. What do y'all listen to on the road? :)
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Creedence, Rush, Guns n Roses, Led Zep, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Dave Matthews, Toby Keith, ZZ top, Sheryl Crow, U2...just to name a few. Kept things smooth for me up and down I95 NC to NJ...
 
Sounds like a long trip, Diana. Hope that truck has air conditioning... I drove from Dallas to Tucson in 1981 for my first job after university and it didn't have AC - August across W. Texas to Arizona, it was HOT.

Have a great trip!
 
Last road trip I did, my friend and I eventually gave up on our collection and started listening to local FM stations on the way. It was good mental exercise, trying to guess which overplayed 80s hit it was on the first few notes, then making fun of it. :D

And of course, I heard a lot of tunes I actually like that I hadn't heard in a while.

Also heard some kickass bluegrass, etc...depends on where you are going, but scanning the dial can still be worthwhile.
 
No suggestions on road music, but, depending on your driving schedule, we could meet up for dinner somewhere along I-20 when you're in the area. You've got my #. Maybe the river will be down a little by then.
 
You're driving a truck from Texas to Atlanta...gotta be Jerry Reed
 
I see a lot of good suggestions on here. I need to get XM for the plane again, but I tend to listen to iPod in the plane. When driving, usually whatever the local stations are, but I look for a country station most of the time. Depends on my mood.
 
Okay, now I have to download a lot of new songs. :D You guys have some great suggestions!

DavidWhite said:
The only good way to start a road trip is with Willie Nelson "On the Road Again"
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Got that one in my iPod. I love the movie "Honeysuckle Rose"...watch it at least once a year.

wabower said:
Merle
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Now if a girl were going to download a few of his songs, which ones would you recommend?

denverpilot said:
Aviation podcasts. ;)
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I've never listened to those before. Where would be a good place to find them?

Jeanie said:
Sounds like a long trip, Diana. Hope that truck has air conditioning... I drove from Dallas to Tucson in 1981 for my first job after university and it didn't have AC - August across W. Texas to Arizona, it was HOT.

Have a great trip!
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Thanks, Jeanie! :) Hmmmmm, air conditioning...I hope so too! :yes:
 
Steve said:
No suggestions on road music, but, depending on your driving schedule, we could meet up for dinner somewhere along I-20 when you're in the area. You've got my #. Maybe the river will be down a little by then.
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Steve, that would be great if we could visit. But, my son will have his three little kids with him, so it's hard to visit when they're around. :yes:

My son is planning the schedule, and says we're going to stop in Jackson, MS for the night on Saturday. I've been involved in his moves before, so who knows what will really happen. :D

I hope we can hook up sometime this summer. :yes:
 
Diana said:
Now if a girl were going to download a few of his songs, which ones would you recommend?
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It don't matter, they all sound the same. Just your basic 5-chord co-dependent country songs. My favorites are those with the best story lines, like "From now on, all of my friends are going to be strangers" and good phrasing like "and in here, the atmosphere's just right for heartache" from "Swinging Doors." The missus sometimes quotes the lyrics from "Someday when things are good, I'm going to leave you"
 
I have a few PIlot's Audio Update CD's that I play when I get tired of listening to music. There is a lot of good information on there and I keep hoping it will get in somehow by osmosis! I must have a steel plate in my head, though, because it doesn't seem to work very well.
 
Load up your Ipod with a couple good books-on-tape. Your public library probably has several hundred to choose from; worse case you can rent them from Cracker Barrel. If you want it to be a enlightening use of time get a history or biography and learn something. A good entertaining book on tape will make the trip fly by (note the thread salvage for Pilots of America content)
 
I just found out what size truck I'm driving. It's a 26' truck. Haven't ever driven a truck that long. Helpful hints? Suggestions?
 
Diana said:
I just found out what size truck I'm driving. It's a 26' truck. Haven't ever driven a truck that long. Helpful hints? Suggestions?
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Leave PLENTY of stopping space. When you're climbing long hills, try to get the speed up before you get there. Accelleration up a long hill is going to be tough.

As for music? Check out Pandora if you have a mobile device, and if you can connect it to the truck's stereo, you'll have anything you want at your fingertips (and free). I love Pandora, and rely on it heavily for these types of drives.
 
Ooh, ooh - load up on Marty Robbins.

Challenge:

Learn all the words to El Paso, and Big Iron.
 
Diana said:
I just found out what size truck I'm driving. It's a 26' truck. Haven't ever driven a truck that long. Helpful hints? Suggestions?
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take it easy, have fun.

Leah and I usually just listen to whatever we can find on the radio when we are road tripping with the glider. We found a wacky station on Sunday night out of Great Bend, KS I think that played everything. We enjoyed "King of the Road"
 
Diana said:
I just found out what size truck I'm driving. It's a 26' truck. Haven't ever driven a truck that long. Helpful hints? Suggestions?
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Plan ahead at all times, but then 26' isn't too bad. You won't need to swing corners as wide as you might think. Use the mirrors (check adjustment before rolling - make sure you can see the rear tires). Double check when changing lanes.

Check the tires every morning - air pressure is a good thing and a problem with a front tire can ruin the whole day. Just treat the start of the road day as a preflight walk around (but sumping the tanks can be skipped!).

I drove a 45' equipment carrier for about 5 years. You get used to the length and turning radius pretty quick.
 
Use your mirrors to keep the driver side in your lane (barely). The right side will take care of itself. Be very careful backing up. Best if you have a spotter.

And, that box is taller than you think. Won't be a problem on the highway, but watch for low overhangs like awnings, trees, etc.
 
A
nd, that box is taller than you think. Won't be a problem on the highway, but watch for low overhangs like awnings, trees, etc.
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Yeah, be real careful about pulling into gas stations, motels, etc. A lot of gas stations, especially older ones, have a pretty low canopy. Be sure to lock the door to the back so it will be secure when you stop for the night.
 
Diana said:
I just found out what size truck I'm driving. It's a 26' truck. Haven't ever driven a truck that long. Helpful hints? Suggestions?
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I drove a 26' Penske from New Orleans to Lincoln a few weeks ago. It'll be a diesel. I was also pulling a trailer with a car which made it pretty long.

It has a max speed of 70 mph - if you reach that speed it'll govern the throttle. If you have a hill you'll be going up slowly - I was down to 40mph on some.

There is no cruise control but you don't need it. Just hold the accelerator to the floor. If you really want cruise just bring a brick to put on the pedal.

I had fun driving it.

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SkyHog said:
As for music? Check out Pandora if you have a mobile device, and if you can connect it to the truck's stereo, you'll have anything you want at your fingertips (and free). I love Pandora, and rely on it heavily for these types of drives.
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And your carrier doesn't have a really low data cap... :yikes:
 
I, too, drove a 26' Penske truck like the one Jesse pictured from Florida to Pennsylvania. Except mine had cruise control.

Note that you can't make turns really close like you can with a car. Give yourself plenty of room to turn. My preference is to make sharper turns later when trying to avoid things like fences. The brakes will feel funny compared to what you're used to, and the throttle is somewhat funny in response as well. Once you get used to it, it's fine.

I think it's fun to drive in the same way a Navajo is fun to fly. Then again, I like big engines with turbos that make lots of noise. :)
 
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One other thing to watch, Diana. The rear tires on the one Jesse posted a picture of (probably the one you will be driving also) are quite a ways in from the rear end of the truck. Be careful when turning because the back of the bed will sweep in the opposite direction of the turn. If there is something in that area, like a car, pole or something, the back will swing around and hit it.
 
Sonic drive throughs are littered with the remains of tall vehicles.
 
I learned to drive (and park) in 20+ foot box trucks, so I'll echo the basics you've already heard:
-Remember it's heavier; even with bigger brakes it'll need more room to stop than any passenger car.
-Remember it's longer; wider turns for sure.
-Remember you can't see anything directly behind you; whenever possible, if you have to back the thing up, have someone outside the truck looking out for people/vehicles/obstructions. Yes, it's worse than a van or pickup truck, and unlike those vehicles, a 26-footer's rear bumper will go over people and things more than it will bump into them. Food for thought.

-Know thy box height, and if going under something with its clearance height posted, be very wary if that height is less than a foot taller than your box. Take it slow. A pothole or something under there could ruin your day.
If there is no height posted, you should nose in slowly, just to the front edge of the box, then get out and take a good look (or have a "spotter" outside the truck look).

And one more thing: remember that you're bigger than many other vehicles out there. Most (not all, but most) drivers will think twice before trying to cut off a truck, or some other bonehead move. Not suggesting you drive more aggressively, but knowing you have the potential to intimidate would-be aggressors can actually enhance safety when driving trucks.

A good thing, too, because trucks aren't exactly sporty. There are times when you just have to keep on goin' in a truck, when you might hit the brakes or swerve in a car.
 
rottydaddy said:
Most (not all, but most) drivers will think twice before trying to cut off a truck, or some other bonehead move.
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I've had exactly the opposite experience. Everybody wants to be in front of the "slow truck" and by in front of, I mean three feet off the front bumper they'll come into your lane.

I bet Kent will have some insights too.

I always just lift out of the gas and force the proper distance to be there, even if it means I'm stuck doing 30 in a 45. On the highway people are generally better but not always.

My favorite are the people who have a deep seeded need to "get around the truck" and then slow down in front of you.
 
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