We have been leased to our company for almost ten years and in those ten years we have qualified for the 4-Star trip each year, and been finalists five times.  This is a safety award with a complicated list of qualifications with the first being no preventable accidents.
 
Our first year to qualify and to receive the phone call that we were going to the Bahamas is still fresh in my mind and that was in 2006.  We could not believe our good fortune and were in awe till after the trip.  The top fifty trucks to qualify and many of the management all spent three full days at the Atlantis with all expenses paid and a little extra to see the sites.  We went for our first and my last trip of snorkeling as I quickly found out that this girl that was born and raised in the desert of Arizona does not handle that much water very bravely.
 
We then went on to win three more times over the years, once going to Naples, Las Vegas, and then to Disney World.  Each trip has wonderful memories for us, as we were able to stay at hotels we would not normally stay at and to participate in activities different they we would have picked.  During this time we were able to make friends with fellow drivers and put faces to the names that work in the offices.
 
On one trip as a group we took a dinner cruise on a large yacht and as we headed out to sea the sea became very rough.  I learned quickly that I have pretty good sea legs as I was having a blast as we were thrown around like a rowboat.  Not many were having as good as time as I was and before there was a mutiny we turned and went back into the channel and calm water. 
 
Another time we went on an air boat in the swamps of Florida with six truck drivers and the captain of the boat.  Talk about a HOOT and I would highly recommend trying this for the stout hearted.  Luckily the captain knew where he was going as the channel was just wide enough for one boat and it felt as if we were going 100 mph with lightening left and right turns.  We were egging him on to go FASTER.  Next we reached the clearing and then we were able to run over grass and do some really fast spins.  We were all exhilarated after that trip.
 
On the trip to Las Vegas we took a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon for a Champaign brunch.  We were able to fly over Hoover Dam, hoover facing the walls of the Grand Canyon and then to fly over the Las Vegas Strip.  That was really something. Saddest part of this trip is a young girl from England spent the whole time we were flying with her head in a paper bag.   She missed all of the amazing scenery. 
 
This year we are once again going back to the Bahamas to stay at the Atlantis hotel.  We will have time to tour the fantastic fish tanks, float in the lazy river, and sit by the ocean.  We are hoping to check one more thing off of the bucket list and go deep-sea fishing for the day.  This is something that has been on my list for a long long time and since I like to fish off of the shore and in lakes I believe this will be a great day. 
 
It will be good to get away for a bit and rejuvenate, as it does not take long before we start wondering what is around the next bend in the road.  It will be time to go back to work.
 

Comments (6)

Linda Caffee

Bob and Linda started their driver careers after their children left home for college in 2000. Bob started as a driver for a large motor carrier with Linda as a rider. They decided to enter the Expedite industry as team drivers in 2005 and purchased their first Freightliner. Both, Bob and Linda have had their Class A licenses since the early 80's starting out driving in the oil field and hauling grain as fill in drivers where Bob worked as a diesel mechanic. Linda worked at the local country courthouse in data processing.

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October 17, 2015

 
 

We are back from the Bahamas and it was a fantastic trip. Best part no internet and not I-Phone and this was odd for the first two days and on the third day I was fine. When we stopped in Atlanta on the way back though the I-Phone came on and we slowly came back to the real world. Thanks to the company we are leased to for a wonderful vacation.

July 19, 2014 6:44:27 AM

Enjoy and use the time to hot the reset button .

July 13, 2014 17:56:49 PM

Thanks You guys! I will be waving at all of you as the plant takes off!

July 11, 2014 20:48:20 PM

Wow, what a generous company. I wish others would follow suit.

July 11, 2014 12:11:01 PM

I hope your trip is fantastic! Enjoy, relax and remember the road isn't going anywhere while you are away.

July 11, 2014 8:08:16 AM

Have a wonderful and relaxing trip, Linda!

July 11, 2014 7:32:17 AM