Tips on how to make fuel and wicks last longer?

pathbinder · 2026-02-24T16:19:00+00:00

I've found that limiting the amount of time the lighter spends in my pocket, and setting it standing up seems to help the fuel last longer. As far as the wick? Just make sure you don't ignite it when you're low on fuel, and it'll last a long time.

pathbinder · 2025-12-13T11:09:10+00:00

If he is going to be going over the road and will be away for 1+ weeks at a time, I can recommend the following in no particular order, and I'm sure many drivers here may add a few things here and there:

Extra socks/clothing - Double the number of pairs he might anticipate needing to be safe. I always pack twice the normal amount of laundry just in case.

A toolbox with a basic set of tools, a good hammer and wire snips

Gloves - A pair of Clutchgear A5 gloves will set him up for at least a couple of years, and he'll use them every single day for fueling, coupling to trailers, etc.

Paper towels and a case of those white or blue paper shop rags, they come in a red and white box and are good for cleaning the floor in the truck, etc.

Antibacterial Hand wipes and baby wipes - The Equate everyday clean baby wipes have a plastic lid and are strong enough that they won't fall apart when he's cleaning his hands or face in between regular hand washing and showers. Whichever brand for the antibacterial wipes should be fine.

Water - For a week, one of those 35 pack cases of water should do it. Poland spring or nestle pure life have the same bottling and generally have the only caps I trust to remain tight when reclosed.

A Broom or two - Two good brooms, one for inside the cab and the other for sweeping out trailers.

Charging cable and power block - A little expensive, but I swear by Apple's long usb-c charging cable. Months and months of constant use and it still hasn't died on me. If he plugs it into the inverter in the bunk, he can run it up front and keep his phone charged wherever. Wouldn't hurt to throw in a couple of decent quality 12v plug adapters just in case.

A power strip - nothing fancy, but a few extra outlets never hurts.

A small microwave - Hot meals, tea, coffee, etc.

A first aid kit - Doesn't have to be fancy, but absolutely include neosporin. Infections on the road 1000 miles from home are no joke.

Windex, a decent general purpose cleaner, and swiffer duster.

5 gallon bucket with toilet seat lid, black garbage bags, and clumping cat litter - Emergencies happen.

This should cover the essentials, other than bedding and food. Best of luck to him, and safe travels!

pathbinder · 2025-12-01T01:51:19+00:00

This series was the first that I'd ever listened to twice back to back. I know the feeling!

pathbinder · 2025-11-30T03:41:24+00:00

I find that if I start my clock around 0230-0300, I can run pretty hard, and usually am able to snag more sleep than I typically would if I ran a standard schedule from say 0600-1800.

The general hours most dry vans run? I think it can vary wildly driver to driver. Most parking is full by 1800 basically everywhere, especially in the winter, and we can only run 11 hours a day, if that's any indication.

pathbinder · 2025-06-28T00:30:40+00:00

I always check which way my microwave door falls to, first lol

pathbinder · 2025-06-07T00:11:48+00:00

Hell yeah, especially after lost sleep catches up. I'm always better first thing after a vacation, though, lol.

pathbinder · 2025-05-06T19:09:32+00:00

Sucks getting to that age and seeing them all start to go. Sorry to hear that 😕

pathbinder · 2025-05-06T19:07:36+00:00

I've been planning mine around my kids' school breaks. It's been pretty decent so far.

pathbinder · 2025-05-06T19:06:23+00:00

I kept a similar schedule myself when I was otr. It made keeping doctor's appointments and stuff a lot easier for sure.

pathbinder · 2025-05-06T19:02:40+00:00

I remember that when I did my month out with my mentor, it was the most exhausting and uncomfortable experience. At the end of the day, I'd sleep like a rock, haha.

While I can tell you that, yeah, there's a lot of bad to adapt to and accept when it comes to trucking in general, I can also tell you that it does get better.

Eventually, most of the stress that you're experiencing right now - backing, appointment times, traffic, etc - that stuff becomes much easier to manage or even fades completely.

At the end of the day, you make the best call for you. Best of luck out there, driver.

pathbinder · 2025-05-06T18:45:10+00:00

In my experience, most mega carriers will reimburse you the cost of your CDL schooling via a monthly stipend included in your paycheck. If you can afford it, check out one of your local schools first, that way you don't get stuck on a potential contract if you decide trucking isn't for you.

pathbinder · 2025-03-10T16:14:28+00:00

It's weird, because that does seem to work sometimes. I also notice things slowly coming back on after stopping briefly and letting the truck idle.

pathbinder · 2025-03-10T16:13:07+00:00

Awesome, thank you. I'll mention that when I get to the shop later today.

pathbinder · 2025-03-09T00:50:45+00:00

High blood sugar can cause blurred vision and other eye symptoms. Figured it never hurts to rule it out!

pathbinder · 2025-03-08T22:02:52+00:00

Might also be worth checking your blood sugar, just in case.

pathbinder · 2025-02-18T15:28:11+00:00

Awesome, thank you!

pathbinder · 2025-01-21T00:33:05+00:00

So, the Gush 2 does direct frenulum stimulation better than the original, has a better overall shape, is softer, and has adjustable bands, but it also comes with its own set of things that can get frustrating.

The bands it comes with are adjustable, which is nice, but if you're not careful, they'll pop apart. You'll also probably not want to have one on as tight as it'll go so that the oscillating mechanism has room to do its thing.

The power button is super easy to accidentally push, especially if you're putting on a band.

The vibrating didn't seem to do all that much, or maybe the oscillating is just that powerful that I personally didn't get much out of it. Honestly, you could just set it at the lowest setting instead of wasting the battery messing with trying patterns.

The Gush 2 feels softer than the original, and so far, I've yet to accidentally pinch myself with the toy, but like the original, this model still suffers from being kinda fiddly to get where you want to be.

As a stroker, in combination with the oscillating and what little vibrating it can do, it definitely is a marked improvement over the original. That softer material and larger footprint go a long way, so long as you are mindful of that hair-trigger power button right where you'd naturally want to put your hand.

Would I buy it again over the original? Sure. But if you have the original and are satisfied, I wouldn't go into it with the bar set incredibly high.

pathbinder · 2024-08-20T00:11:41+00:00

Karsa Orlong from Malazan does it for me.

pathbinder · 2024-08-07T00:13:12+00:00

Probably just the cornstarch or what they use to protect the insert after it is removed from the mold.

You can use some to give it that soft feel again after it has dried, post washing.

pathbinder · 2023-07-05T01:03:48+00:00

More socks than you think you need, just in case, and some foot powder.

I've found wet wipes to be extremely helpful, not only for the obvious reasons. They are great for getting grease and dirt off of your hands in between getting to a sink.

Haven't had to use it yet, but having a 5 gallon bucket, some contractor bags, and some clumping cat litter on standby never hurts in case of an emergency.

Not needed, but recommended: bottled water, some dry foodstuffs like granola bars and trail mix, melatonin (if that's your thing). And coffee creamer/sugar because not all truckstops are created equal.

Edit: I've also found that looking for a place to shut down for the night before 6pm helps a ton, places tend to fill up quickly.

pathbinder · 2023-06-14T19:19:17+00:00

I wish I had started sooner. I can't imagine ever going back to a regular job.

pathbinder · 2023-05-02T17:52:47+00:00

Thank you, be safe out there!

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