new traveling job

Discussions about our lives, families, jobs... things may get a little personal
pbnuc
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:12 am

new traveling job

Post by pbnuc »

Hi guys, I have a job offer for traveling service work. Company leases equipment to food processing plants and wanted southeast service rep( electrical,mechanical). Don't know how many other employees in area but sales are separate department. They don't have regional office ,just home office on west coast . Any advice from road warriors on living on road , possible get home bag etc....
User avatar
Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: new traveling job

Post by Weetabix »

I have not done lots of travel for work, but just enough to develop a few opinions.

Get wool socks and tee shirts appropriate weight for your climate. They are expensive, but add to comfort and reduce laundry. You can wear them several times.

Have a good umbrella.

Buy a Nook or Kindle and get lots of free books from Project Gutenberg.

Carry a small stock of OTC medicines to cover a variety of situations.

Have a decent multi tool and a good but small flashlight.

Carry extra batteries for whatever uses them.
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
User avatar
Dub_James
Posts: 3833
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:20 am

Re: new traveling job

Post by Dub_James »

Good luck, hope it's a rewarding career!
Oh, the heads that turn
Make my back burn
And those heads that turn
Make my back, make my back burn

-She Sells Sanctuary
The Cult
Precision
Posts: 5268
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:01 pm

Re: new traveling job

Post by Precision »

To add to what weet wrote

I would add a pack of Datrex bars for instant food, throw a case of 16oz waters in the car, a life straw or similar for on the go water replenishment, a fixed blade with at least 4 inches of business end, a mid sized pistol and at least 50 rounds and if a semi auto, at least 2 spare mags (loaded), a method of making fire, some candles (as fire starters). At least $100 in bills no larger than $10. And good solid, well broken in hiking boots.

Probably most important is a strong comfortable pack to carry all this crap in.
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~Thomas Jefferson
My little part of the blogosphere. http://blogletitburn.wordpress.com/
User avatar
Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: new traveling job

Post by Weetabix »

Forgot to ask what you're trying to prepare for. TEOTWAWKI? Inconvenience? Comfort? Are most of your miles rural or urban?

What types of situation are you likely to run into where you'll be traveling?

I've never eaten the Datrex bars, but Nature Valley Crunchy Granola bars last pretty well. You probably won't snack on them before you need them, but they're palatable enough when you need them. If you have water. ;)

You might consider some type of radio so you'll know what's going on nearby. CB? Amateur? Baofeng (legal to transmit on any frequency in an emergency, IIRC)? Weather/AM/FM?
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
User avatar
Odahi
Posts: 700
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:21 am

Re: new traveling job

Post by Odahi »

Weetabix wrote:
Carry a small stock of OTC medicines to cover a variety of situations.
I use a little box with adjustable compartments, that I bought from the fishing section of the sporting goods department. I have small medicine bottles with various things (aspirin, Benadryl, Imodium, Ranitidine, etc) in there, along with a tube of antibiotic cream, some bandaids, super glue, a small, sharp knife, stuff like that. It's kind of like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Plano-2-3700-Sto ... th=1&psc=1
Inexpensive, and keeps things handy. I even wrote expiration dates on the cover, over the compartment with each medicine. I used Sharpie, and it wipes right off with isopropyl alcohol when it's time to refresh the stock.
ETA: Congratulations on the new job!
Birds gotta swim, fish gotta fly, assholes gotta ass, until the day they die.

"Common sense" is an oxymoron.
User avatar
blackeagle603
Posts: 9770
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Re: new traveling job

Post by blackeagle603 »

Daily morning and night movement plan and postural therapy. the sitting in planes and cars will turn you into an old rounded immobile husk and slowly kill you.

Rubber bands from and roller balls.

Do some body part mobilization daily from MWod and and myofascial release roll therapy from Jill Miller YogaTuneup -- either subscribe to channels or crush Youtube for free vids).
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
pbnuc
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:12 am

Re: new traveling job

Post by pbnuc »

Thanks Blackeagle and every one else. Really Looking for the day to day survival on the road. Will have company truck traveling around south east US. Living in hotels etc.. quite different than past 20 years working at same plant. Don't look forward to walking home from Memphis after EMP but you never know. I don't know how I am going to handle travel after so long in one place (baring vacations ).
BDK
Posts: 1698
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:14 pm

Re: new traveling job

Post by BDK »

Travel cubes
Shoe bags
Plug in cooler. (Buy food in grocery stores, rather than always eating at fast food joints, etc.)
Plus 1 on the need to exercise.
Undershirts
good sunglasses
Keep a daily journal (what did you do that day, what has to be done tomorrow.)
Write a personal travel journal - grocery stores/lunch counters/cigar bars/dry cleaners/laundrymats, etc in each town.
LL Bean washable wool pants, if appropriate to your style of dress
Good flashlight to look for bugs, etc before you go into a room. (Also, useful around a food plant)
Change purse (parking meters and washers/dryers
Get AAA membership, and sign up for all the various mileage programs
Talk to locals, and find local lunch counters and lunch spots.
Get a file for your business card, in case you need a rapid reprint of them.
compact fishing rod set ups.
Pack some "non-work" clothes. There will come a point where you don't want to wear anti-slip shoes, etc.
Take some time off.

What is your family life like?
User avatar
Durham68
Posts: 1044
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:36 am

Re: new traveling job

Post by Durham68 »

pbnuc wrote:Thanks Blackeagle and every one else. Really Looking for the day to day survival on the road. Will have company truck traveling around south east US. Living in hotels etc.. quite different than past 20 years working at same plant. Don't look forward to walking home from Memphis after EMP but you never know. I don't know how I am going to handle travel after so long in one place (baring vacations ).
Good flashlight and some basic understanding of where to look for bedbugs in your hotel room. Drop your bags in the tub and search the room before unpacking. Seriously.
"Unattended children will be given an espresso and a puppy"
Post Reply