Learning to Tramp
I’ll admit, when my husband and I first decided to live this life, I still wasn’t exactly sure what it meant myself. What I did know, though, is that I wanted more time with him.
Storm is unpredictable. When a lineman is called on storm, there’s no certainty behind when he’ll come home. It could be three days, it could be three weeks. That uncertainty is lonely! As a wife (as anyone significantly attached to a person in linework, even), it’s difficult to be home
alone not knowing when that lineman is coming home. Not that I’m the biggest emotional sap, I’m a STRONG, independent woman, but it’s also boring! I’ve attended a lot of social events alone, thanks to storm.
When my husband pitched the idea of tramping to me, I threw all caution to the wind. Regardless
of what it meant entirely, I was ready to spend fewer nights alone. In what felt like an instant, we put our house on the market, began searching for our favorite RV, and looked into all of our options related to hitting the road.
Tramping literally means that you’re choosing to follow the work/go where the money is - choosing to have the flexibility to change jobs (“drag up”) on a whim. So far, my husband and I have seen Dickson, TN, Paris Landing, TN, and Clarksville, TN. My lineman, like most others that I’ve met, is extremely dedicated to his work. He loves what he does – he loves to build
power lines! Tramping allows him the flexibility to do what he loves in many different locations not to mention the exploring that we’re able to do on the weekends. And me? I was bitten by the travel bug years ago and that desire has never gone away. If it were my choice, I would see a new city each week!
All of this being said, though, and despite how much I love spending more time with my husband, tramping is still very stressful! Right now, for instance, we’re preparing to leave our current location in Clarksville, TN to travel to a brand new location. After four months in TN,
we’re craving something new. Our options are virtually endless. Wherever there are job postings on a job board, we are able to go. The catch?! Tramping also means briefly giving up stability. In order to bid on a job in a new location, my lineman is required to quit the position that he’s
currently in. Signing a job board in a new location without giving up his current position would mean that he’s double booked himself, and that is a huge NO. So what does this mean for us?
This means that my husband is getting ready to voluntarily leave his current position, we’ll choose a new location, move, he’ll sign the job board in that location, and we’ll wait for a phone
call. Days will likely pass, potentially even a week or more, but once his bid is picked up by a new contractor, he’ll start work with an entirely new company and we’ll start another new adventure.
Stressful, right?!
I think it’s in my blood now, though. I live for new experience/new adventure and I think that, from now forward, part of me will always crave this life.
-Cheylene
Glamp Life Travel Wife
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