Monday, September 16, 2013

I Did It, I passed!

My son took a day of vacation and drove my motor home and me up to Huntsville, TX so that I could take the driving road test to get my class-B license which a person needs here in Texas to operate a motor vehicle whose gross vehicle weight (GVW) is over 26,000 pounds.  My son has a CDL.  I don't need a CDL (Commercial Driving License) to drive a non-commercial privately owned vehicle.  I passed the written test back a few weeks ago and today was my appointment to take the road test.  I am happy to report that I passed the test.  Now I can drive my RV legally.  I didn't know I was breaking the law until a fellow in an RV park that I had stopped at mentioned it.  Then my son asked me if I had one.  Therefore, now that I know, (and more so, because my wife now knows!) I had to take the tests.

On the way home to celebrate, I had my son pull into the Cracker Barrel restaurant.  I had biscuits and gravy.  They are one of the few who are RV and Trucker friendly with long pull through parking areas.  From the restaurant I drove the rest of the way home.  About three miles from my home, we were stopped by a motorcycle policemen who was escorting another large load down the road.  On yesterday's blog I showed pictures from the news web-site of the large ones we saw yesterday.  This one is quite a bit smaller, but still pretty big.  While I was waiting for them to get past, I took a few pictures.  These are mine and not from the news site:


 
Of course they had to raise the wires:
 

They sure do have a lot of tires on their vehicle to handle all the weight:
 


 
In my motor-home, I sit up even with most 18 wheelers and look the driver straight in the eye.  So, knowing that, you then can get a better idea of just how tall this load is:
 


Don't forget, you should be able to click on the pictures to enlarge them if you want to.  Now, you all have a great day today, you hear?

14 comments:

  1. Congratulations! (though there was no doubt you'd pass ;-) Again today we ogled the cargo being transported by those 18 (or more) wheelers... thought of you when we went past a refinery (or compressor stations) that had several of those cracking towers.

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    1. Thanks, I practiced parrallel parking and the tester never asked me to do it, although she could have.

      The pic today was probalbly some kind of generating unit. Not sure. Could have been a box full of rats running on those spinning wheels (grin)

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  2. Hi DD, Congrats on passing your MH driving test.
    I had a CDL for many years, but gave it up, as I don't need it anymore. It was more expensive and was valid for a shorter time than a regular license.

    How come I never see any of those super loads when I am on Loop 336?

    Happy Tails, and Trails, Penny

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    1. Thanks Penny, I was relaxed and that always makes things easier. I do not have a CDL, just a class-A & B now.

      I guess you are lucky not seeing those large loads. Then you don't have to sit and wait for them to get past you.

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  3. yay... congratulations! your Class A is HUGE... I know you know that ... but isn't that limiting on where you can go? 26,000 pounds.... that's ... let's see here... 2,000 pounds is a ton.

    You're driving a 13 ton house? holy moly and you can parallel park it? holy moly

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    1. Yep, the GVW is 26,600 pounds. It has three 100 gallons tanks; a fuel tank, a fresh water tank, a grey water tank, and a black water tank. There is a lot of weitht there if they are all full at one time.

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  4. So how does it feel to be all legal and stuff?

    Congrats, buddy!

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  5. Massive thumbs up to you Dizzy-Dick and congratulations. Legal at last, and don't you feel good? Ha ha ha ha. I remember all the things you had to do to get your RV up to date but at least it's all done and dusted now. Happy driving mate.
    Have a wonderful week, and I remember 'Cracker Barrel' from when I visited America. I was so shocked at the amount of food you get and it was so cheap compared to our prices. It could have fed me all week :)

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  6. Barney, thanks, and I am not sure when the next trip will be. Have a few other things to do first.

    Hermit Jim, It feels great!! Of course for a long time I didn't know I was not legal. Of course ignorance is no excuse.

    Rum-Punch Drunk, thanks for the thumbs up. Although the Cracder Barrel still gives you a lot for what you pay, I am not sure if the protions are as large as they use to be. But my plate was so full it couldn't hold any more, so I guess they still do. . .

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  7. Dizzy - My hubby used to route those kind of loads and get the permits and escorts for them. Took me out once to see a load that was so big, I could stand upright under the trailer! The scary part to see is when the traffic is shut down completely, Like 59 N at Beltway 8, so the truck and its load can go the wrong way on the freeway in order to make the turn. I'll send you some pics of a load like that.
    Was that flea market fire at your favorite shopping spot?

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    1. No, that flea market was down 59 south of Cleveland. The one we go to is about half way between Cleveland and Conroe. I would like to see those pictures.

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