"I'm a Real Boy"

I have noticed that at my school, the thing to do is put big writing on your truck window such as above the windshield or across the back stating something about your personality. I guess that is how these very loud people want their trucks to be seen, like themselves there personality is in your face. There really isn't anything you can do but wonder at how they are the way they are. If you are a die hard red-neck then I hope this blog doesn't offend you. Some of the ones I can think of are as follows along with the rating I gave them 1 to 10.

"Irish Man"

Unless that is a new super hero then I'm not really sure why you would use this one. Last I checked there was a large majority of Irish men in America and it's not that crazy. 3 points not so good. (It would be worse but he has it written in green and orange lettering.)

"Hell Raiser!"

This is a good one because he could be talking about his sweet 4x4 or it could be what his mom called him all his life... Or both! Whatever the case when you see "Hell Raiser" coming up in your rear view mirror you tend to get out of the way. 8 points to this guy.

"Whiskey bent and Hell bound"

Now I like the idea of this guy when you first read it, like "yeah! rock n' roll" or if you where reading about him in a book or saw him in a movie you would like the character because he does care what he does and is going to do it anyway. But then I immediately remember that this is real life and the poor guy probably is just what he says. "Hell bound" 5 points for being such a downer.

"4xDIG!"

This one seems like it would be really dumb but if you think it through its a great thing to write on a truck. He doesn't just want to tell you that he has four wheel drive but that his four wheel dive is used for digging though the mud! really made me laugh. 9 points for originality.

"To Do List" Followed by about twenty random car parts all numbered.

This is just a classic in my mind. The guys car was so trashed that right on the hood in white paint he wrote out all the things that he still needs to fix on it. I really had to laugh at that. 8 points for being crazy. I hope he doesn't try to sell it like that.

The next one needs some background. At my school they model all the tests after the ASE certification tests and there are questions that go as follows. Tech A uses a dial-indicator to check crank shaft end play. Tech B uses propane to enrich fuel mixture.
Then you have to select who is right. A or B or both or neither. Every test has about ten of these type of questions.

This guy has a picture of Calvin peeing on "Tech A and Tech B"

Awesome! could not think of a better thing to put on a car at school. 9 points
Next.


"Eelliterit heelbillie"

Yep, right across the back window in the biggest font they could get. If I where illiterate I don't think I would try to say so across my back window. Now I know that just is the joke that they can't spell, but the really sad part is, this is on at least four different trucks in the parking lot. It's like they really are all illiterate and couldn't think of what to put on their own truck. 2 pionts for being dumb.

"I WANT MY BIKE!"

First of all look at this! This is what my life feels like sometimes at school! Like a room full of torn apart engines.




Second of all I want to announce that I officially have landed a job! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support, all the credit goes to my Lord who has always provided for me but you guys get some points in there too. I now work at a Valvoline Instant Oil Change. After a seven hour orientation I think it is safe to say that I will be working there. I really don't think it's as magical as my mother's job but, it's oil, what are you going to do to dress that one up?

Speaking of God providing I want you all to know that I recklessly spent all my money before I started work and bought a road bike. I know what you're thinking "Jessie just bought a road bike and Tyler is such a copy cat" or "How cutie, they miss each other so much that they ride bikes and have become soul mates though the asphalt they ride on." or "How can he afford to buy really expensive things when he's broke and starving and now has no time for biking anyway?" Well all of that is true so just keep thinking it.

Really though I didn't technically copy Jess (I love her) because I bought mine Friday night, where she bought hers Saturday afternoon. So there.

I have really liked the idea of going long distances so I rode (on my old bike) about 16 mi. on Monday, 20 mi. on Tuesday, and 25 on Thursday. So when I found my new bike on craigslist I was able to talk the guy down, into, about a little above, what I wanted to spend and just had to buy it. I knew my money was going to "go far".So that made it better.

I spent the rest of the day on Friday taking my new prize to my collage-budget-friendly-bike shop and fixing it up. I was really happy when I told them how much I paid for it and the guy just kind of blinked at me. "Is that a good deal?" I asked. "Yeah... you got your money's worth." He said sarcastically. I was also thankful that he looked it over he said everything was working perfectly. So all I did was get the handle bars re-taped and ready to go. A few rides around the block at my house was all I got in before it was dark that night. Then came Saturday.

I wanted to make a day of it because I didn't have anything else to do and I knew with my job starting I wouldn't have Saturdays like this anymore. So I started out with a good breakfast of PP&J and Chicken Noodle soup and was out the door by 9:50ish. It was an awesome 67 degrees out with a lite breeze. I headed down the Greenway trail by my house which I later found connects to other paved trails around Nashville. As I went there was plenty to see and lots of people to almost kill, as I quickly found that my new bike was faster then my old one. Much faster. I went so many places.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that I was going so fast, I didn't get to take pictures of all of them.
I went by parks and ball parks with kids playing baseball (Who knew?) and rivers and bridges and guys fishing and other bicyclist who would actually wave back now and everything!

I went by pastures out in the country too. It was a great day!

(Yes those are cows)

As I kept on peddling I started to notice a familiar sky line and before I knew it I was standing in front of the LP field!





I had made it all the way downtown! I didn't want to stop then so I went over an awesome people bridge over the river!




The people bridge had a great view.




I then went down Broadway and took a left towards a great park that is very historical.
It has a wonderful monument to WWII and I really enjoyed looking at everything and taking a break.


Next door to the park was a huge farmers market that everyone I know would have loved but not me, and they weren't there so I didn't go. :) I got to see lots of sites and found it much faster to get around on my bike downtown then in a car. I can see why people do it so much.





I was pretty worn out by the time I got back but I really had a blast me and my new bike.


My total trip according to google maps, and the fancy computer on my bike, I went a little over 40 mi. that day. Needless to say I only went about 20 on Sunday.

Thank you :')

I went HOME last week and I had way more fun then I ever had when I lived at home. I just want to say thank you so much to all of you who made my day everyday I was back. It truly felt like home.
Thanks to...

My awesome family who does everything for me. (They really do) I love you all.

Kelly, you are so great I don't want to even talk about you because everyone else will find out and I want you all to myself.

Glenna, you need to keep being so wonderful and stop growing so tall.

I didn't get to see some extended Family but they did send gifts, so thank you Grandma Ya Ya, Grandma Cruz, and I think I will get to thank my Grandpa in person here in a little while.

The B's for throwing me one of my parties and helping out with a generus birthday gift.

The R's for also helping out with the home team. (I know you'll never see me go hungry)

Mr. L for being great and caring for me in more ways then I know.

(This is great I don't have to spell people's names)

Everyone at circle for really making me feel welcome as always.

Thank you to Paul for being willing to pick right where we left off. Rock 'n Roll 4ever! (You really need to listen to some hardcore though, folk music makes you slow in the head.)

Thank you to Tali for being such a good friend. I loved getting to talk about God's grace with you and I hope you never forget how awesome He is.

Snyder. I love you man. I think you're one of my only guy friends who I can say that to! Ha! Don't ever stop doing what you're doing and being who you are in Christ.
PS Your gift is going to a good case as well, I'm making the most of it.

Special thanks to Josh for being such a great friend. I think you're really good at making up advice for anything. :) You're also good at finding great places to eat.

A very special thank you to the Mitchel's for feeding me and giving so much of your home and heart.

THANK YOU to Ben who pretty much made the best day I've had in a long time. You know what we did. Also to your Wife and cute little kid. Logan and I, we're going to be friends when he grows up, just so you know.

And my sweet Jessie, what would home be like without you? I can't wait until getting to see you is normal life again. I love you my dear. :)

I didn't write a record or a book but sometimes thank yous are a must. Thank you.

I didn't forget anyone so if you're not on the list I'm not thankful for you. Not really. j/k lol haha rofl byob (You really didn't believe that did you?)

I have had two job interviews in three days so things are really looking better. Thank you again for everyone's prayers and support. I will let you all know when I land a job.

I have been riding my bike for miles at a time. Here are some pictures for you. Blogs without pictures are kind of like books and that's no good...

"Tell 'em Large Marge Sent Ya"

So Last Friday I got to go to the Mid-American Truck Show and had a great time looking at all the stuff there. I felt like the show was a book and I only looked at the pictures. There was so much to see! I definitely have set the recorded for the most pictures in one post so I will get right to it. I will include a brief description above each picture or group of pictures. Enjoy!


First thing is first I drove my truck to the show. It was held in Louisville Kentucky.



The show was everything to do with trucks (Semi-Trucks) but some of the displays where just there for kicks.




I really had a great time looking around and asking all the sales guys tough questions. Here are a few of the trucks themselves.



The logo on the back of this is carved out and lit with the brakes.



One thing that really caught my eye was these lifts that pick up whole box truck into the air! having worked under these for a while I can imagine how nice this would be.



The best part though was getting to see the engines on display with all the new releases. Here is a 6.7 liter inline 6 cylinder Cummis that they put into the Dodge Ram diesel truck. I hope to one day own that truck. My plan is that its value will go down and my income will go up! (Just for reference my truck that I own is a v6 4.3 liter engine)






Next is Cummins new release for the year the ISX15. It also is a inline six cylinder but has 15 liters of displacement. It goes in the big trucks. (note the man standing behind it)




Here is a Mack engine (I believe) that caught my eye. Sorry I don't have the specs for it.



This is the Detroit Diesel that I rebuilt at school. I saw it and pointed it out to my friend and as we where looking the sales rep. came up to us and said "let me guess. You have rebuilt this engine." I think he was tired of all the students coming up. If I remember right it is an 12 liter engine.




One of the greatest parts of the show was getting to see the cut away models of all the products. What could be better then a hands on model with a rep. from the company right there to tell you how it all works? Here are some of the engine cut-aways. Its scary that I know how most of these work.




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With all that engine you need somewhere for it to go. I had a great talk with a sales rep about this Allison Transmission cut-away.





After the transmission comes the rear end gearing.




Maybe big trucks don't float your boat but I had a awesome experience at my first Truck Show looking at all of parts that break and need someone to fix them :)