Enjoying North America while earning a living...: September 4, 1989, 2009

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

September 4, 2009

September 4, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Monday-Monrovia, Indiana)
Woke this morning to light rain. Oh, I love it! Went in truck stop and got me a big bag of potato chips with drip for breakfast. I love junk food. Why a poor breakfast? I am planning on stopping at one of the nicest places to eat in the country, Der Dutchman Restaurant. I headed for my two destinations, the restaurant and the Cleveland(Ohio) customer. Headed for Cleveland while eating my potato chips. I soon came to Indianapolis(Indiana). Many truckers like to use the southern bypass around the bottom of Indy: I like to go straight through. To me, Indy and Columbus, Ohio, have two of the most beautiful downtown buildings. They both are great looking at dusk. Leaving Indiana, I stopped at the first rest area in Ohio(very nice rest area) to use to bathroom and log a 15 minute break in my logbook. Continued toward the Der Dutchman Restaurant. When I got to Exit 79, I headed north on Hwy 42. This way of going to Cleveland gives truckers a way around Columbus and a bypass around the government scale on Interstate 71 north. I find this Hwy 42 is a nice route through this Amish Area. I love it. Got to the restaurant on the east of the Hwy and south of Plain City. Parked in the truck parking and went in to chow down. Came out totally satisfied. Should have logged this stop in my logbook but didn't. Continued north past another "fun" restaurant, Woody's, in New California(Ohio). Got to Delaware(Ohio) and caught Hwy36 east to Interstate 71 north. Where I met I 71, we have a truck stop where I filled my tanks(only took 97 gallons). Continued up to Interstate 271 and found the customer's place(in Maple Heights-suburb of Cleveland) around 7 PM. Not too warm outside so I parked outside the gate(they were closed and I was the only on there so far) so I could make a easy left turn into the gate in the AM. No houses around so I opened my passenger door and turned some easy going music on my tractor radio and sat on a boulder, read and enjoyed the sun going down. After dark, started my tractor up, turned on the air conditioning and watched TV until I fell asleep. Tomorrow...going to where I like and seeing something not seen too often...