FIRST 5 YEARS: (Wednesday-Joplin, Missouri)
Woke around 3 AM here in the Joplin(Missouri) yard and went into dispatch to see what they had. They gave me a load of bedding stuff that was to be in Cleveland tomorrow. Hooked up to the trailer and off I was east on I-44 . I like driving nights so the drive was pretty nice for about 2 hours. The third to fourth hours were bad as the sun was right in my face. Close to the fourth hour on I-44 I passed Six Flags-St. Louis on the north side of the highway. I passed I-270 and got to the "roller coaster" of I-44. The road is just fun through St. Louis until we get to I-55. Went over the Mississippi River on I-70 and then stopped at the truck stop in Troy, Illinois for a break. After a little time out of the truck, I was heading for Cleveland. Enjoyed the ride on I-70 through Indianapolis, Indiana. Drove straight through to New Paris, Ohio (Ohio/Indiana border) and my favor truck stop chain, "Just a Truckstop", on I-70. Fueled(took 105 gallons), ate(ribs buffet) and took a break until tomorrow AM. (Tomorrow I tell you what a Cleveland Policeman said to me-believe it or not!!!).
A Trucker's Tale: (ripped off at "Just A Truckstop")
Why do I call one of my favorite truck chains "Just a Truckstop". Well, I did not call them this until I was in San Antonio at "Just A Truckstop". I had been sick for a few days and had just felt well enough to eat a little something but not much. A cheeseburger sounded good so I went over to the fuel island's little store and food stand and bought a wrapped "double" cheeseburger. I paid for it and then went to warm it up and put stuff on it. I opened it to find one hamburger and two pieces of cheese. I took it back to the lady and explained I wanted a double cheeseburger only to get ,"You got two pieces of cheese didn't you?" and "You got what you paid for!!" She wasn't joking with me. I was not a happy camper!
I kept a day by day journal the first 5 years I was enjoying North America. While earning a living,I kept track of where I went, often what I did, feelings I had and various other details. I am writing this blog day by day as I lived it. The month/day I lived it is the same as the month/day I write about it. The years are obviously different...thus the days title: ie: August 30, 1989, 2009.
About Me
- The Protraveller...
- Starting as a preschooler, I remember my Grandfather bringing me rocks from his trips he took after he retired. Each rock had a story to tell. In the sixth grade, I watched a freeway be built and then wondered where all the trucks would go. I remember in high school looking at the mountains and wanting to travel. I did many jobs BEFORE trucking but I always wondered what driving would by like. I really wanted to see things and drive a big truck. So after almost finishing nursing school, a divorce and three cute little kids, I became a truck driver. While earning a living, I found myself enjoying North America and seeing the land and people. NO ONE ENJOYED TRAVELING MORE THAN ME. There are two things I have enjoyed in this life and they are traveling and writing. I use to call myself "Protourist" but my Mother-in-law and Wife would become upset with me as they know I really love THE "travel" and not THE stopping to see things. I now call myself "protraveller"(I like it with a double "L") and my Mother-in-law and Wife are now happy!!! I love to write and this blog gives me the opportunity to share my past and thoughts with the public.
About this blog's layout...BLOG UPDATED ONCE PER DAY...
I follow my journal daily by writing under the daily title, "FIRST 5 YEARS:" The first five years will strictly follow my 5 year journal. If I find the day I am writing about to be boring, I will either write about thoughts I remember(placed under the title of "SECOND 5 YEARS"), write a trucker tale(placed under "A Trucker's Tale"), give a helpful trucker hint, ask a "student driver" question or do something.....When a location appears after the day of the week after "FIRST 5 YEARS:", it is where I am at the start of that day((IE: FIRST 5 YEARS: (Sunday-Kansas City, Missouri))..... I would encourage those that find themselves enjoying North America to follow me day by day.....REMEMBER: THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR A TRUCKER THAT DOES NOT HAVE A DAILY ROUTINE ROUTE(called a "dedicated" route). THERE WILL BE MANY TIMES WHEN THE ROUTING, SCENERY AND DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL BE SIMILAR(boring???) TO PREVIOUS DAYS; THAT'S TRUCKING! THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN THE ROUTING, SCENERY AND DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL BE TOTALLY NEW; THAT'S TRUCKING. Frustrations? I mention the frustrations I had as a driver. I loved my job while earning a living and realized that all jobs have frustrations; truck driving is, and was, no different..... Many pictures on this blog can be left-clicked and made larger.....Questions?...Please E-mail PT at fabalt2000@centurylink.net
Blog Dictionaries...
The Trucking Dictionary...words in this dictionary will many times appear highlighted. If a word isn't highlighted or in the blog dictionary and sounds "different", check it out in this dictionary. Please note: Many times when clicking on these dictionaries anywhere in the blog, the first thing that comes up is an advertisement which I have no control over.
The Blog Dictionary...This dictionary contains words I use that aren't "trucker" words and thus not in the "trucking dictionary". I separate them--the dictionaries--in case someone wants to copy the trucking dictionary for personal use. This dictionary also contains names of people(not real names) that I dealt with many times through my trucking career. Blog word found in this dictionary often will be licked to it.
DAILY UPDATES SHOULD BE UP BY NOON CST...
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What's in my blog...???
- 666--Highway (2)
- A Trucker Tale-introduction (1)
- A Trucker's Tale (33)
- abandonment of truck (1)
- accidents (12)
- animals (3)
- backing (2)
- buffalo burgers (1)
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- violation (51)
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