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Friendly Truckin' People


other dog

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I spoke with Shirley Sponholtz on the phone recently,and she is A very nice person.You might be thinking,"so...who the heck is Shirley Sponholtz?" Well,she's the editor of "Old Time Trucks" magazine. I called to order some back issues my mixer was in,and she answered the phone! And she talked to me like A regular person,so I guess she's A regular person. When the back issues came,they were the wrong issue,but I just kept them and re-ordered the issues I wanted by mail.Yes,I paid for them!.They sent the wrong issue again,so I sent an E-mail telling them it was wrong,and she called me,but I wasn't home,so they called me today to get everything straightened out,and we did. Most people wouldn't bother to call twice if you had A problem,or once for that matter,but it really impresses me that people like Shirley,Barry,William Weatherstone-all trucking people-will go out of their way to help you with A problem,and treat you like an equal ...well,I'm just happy to know people like that. I've never met Paul VanScott,Bulldog Man,or Freighttrain,or anybody else but I like them all,and kind've feel like I know them...know what I mean? All good truckin' people. I'm just A Mr. Nobody,but A great antique truck magazine is called "Old Time Trucks"-give Shirley A call @513-573-3513,maybe she'll answer the phone.

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Truck oriented people, especially at our level, are a different kind of people. Most are kind, because they remember the kindness shown to them. Most are generous and quick to help, for the same reasons. These are life lessons learned by personal experience, and not soon forgotten. With these experiences comes the realization, that you just can't be any other way. You absolutely can not afford to. Have you ever heard the saying 'What go's around, comes around"? You can never know for sure whats around that next bend in the road. I learned one of these leasons one Sunday afternoon, while on my way to Syracuse NY. for a Monday morning delivery. I was on that short stretch of 81, in W.VA. I had started down an off ramp in search of something to eat, when I heard a squeaking in the right front wheel. I could see right off, a wheel seal blown and no oil in the hub. After asking permission, I dollied the trailer down at a convenience store. and backed the tractor close enough to reach an electrical outlet. I jacked it up and made short order of pulling the wheel and hub. I found both bearings burned up, and the inside seized to the spindle. I carried a lot of tools in those days. I even had an electric die grinder with a cut off wheel. I split the bearing race laid a chisel in the cut and smacked it hard and it peeled off. As I stood up, a man in a pick up stopped. When I explained what had happened, he said , get in and we'll run out to my shop. On the way, I learned that he owned a local fuel and gas company. At his shop we found two usable bearing races and a used outside bearing. Not to worry he said, Then he called the owner of the local NAPA store, had the man meet us at the store, so that I could buy the seal and bearing that I needed. Then back to my truck. He would not accept payment of any kind, either for the used parts or for hauling me around. Just help someone else, that will be payment enough, he advised. My truck was probably down no more than 3 hours, I was able to make an on time delivery, and I have been helping everyone I could.

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Truck oriented people, especially at our level, are a different kind of people. Most are kind, because they remember the kindness shown to them. Most are generous and quick to help, for the same reasons. These are life lessons learned by personal experience, and not soon forgotten. With these experiences comes the realization, that you just can't be any other way. You absolutely can not afford to. Have you ever heard the saying 'What go's around, comes around"? You can never know for sure whats around that next bend in the road. I learned one of these leasons one Sunday afternoon, while on my way to Syracuse NY. for a Monday morning delivery. I was on that short stretch of 81, in W.VA. I had started down an off ramp in search of something to eat, when I heard a squeaking in the right front wheel. I could see right off, a wheel seal blown and no oil in the hub. After asking permission, I dollied the trailer down at a convenience store. and backed the tractor close enough to reach an electrical outlet. I jacked it up and made short order of pulling the wheel and hub. I found both bearings burned up, and the inside seized to the spindle. I carried a lot of tools in those days. I even had an electric die grinder with a cut off wheel. I split the bearing race laid a chisel in the cut and smacked it hard and it peeled off. As I stood up, a man in a pick up stopped. When I explained what had happened, he said , get in and we'll run out to my shop. On the way, I learned that he owned a local fuel and gas company. At his shop we found two usable bearing races and a used outside bearing. Not to worry he said, Then he called the owner of the local NAPA store, had the man meet us at the store, so that I could buy the seal and bearing that I needed. Then back to my truck. He would not accept payment of any kind, either for the used parts or for hauling me around. Just help someone else, that will be payment enough, he advised. My truck was probably down no more than 3 hours, I was able to make an on time delivery, and I have been helping everyone I could.
That's great Bollweevil,there's some nice people in W.V. Many years ago I was coming south on I-79,somewhere north of Flatwoods,trying to get home,when A tire blew on the trailer.When I pulled over another truck pulled in behind me.He was A local hauler,I don't remember if he was A log hauler or pulled A coal bucket,but he had A spare tire,and I didn't.He said he would sell me his spare for $50,so I bought it,just traded wheels,and he helped me change it.I carried A jack and lug wrench but didn't have enough blocks to put under the jack to get it high enough so we "borrowed" one of the wooden blocks that go between the guard rail and post to jack it up. His spare got me back to the shop...nowadays if you're on the shoulder,it's rare for trucks going by to even move to the left lane,and they certainly don't have time to stop.
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