Enjoying North America while earning a living...: September 7, 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 7, 2009

September 7, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Thursday-traveling)
Got to San Antonio, Texas in the early, predawn morning. Drove around the truck parking lot and it was full. WHAT TO DO??? I wasn't feeling tired so I decided to continue toward Laredo. My logbook was out of driving time but maybe a little further to find a truck parking space would be alright? OK, a lot further(about 3 hours) to Laredo!!! Got to Laredo, Texas after the sun came up and my trailer was to be dropped in the yard, so I did. Was tired now as drove all night. Dispatch told me to get a motel room as I would be in Laredo to at least Sunday, so I did. Checked into the motel-great Latin atmosphere!-for two nights(company paid) and checked out my room. Walked across the street to the food store and got me sausage, a quart of half & half(heavy cream milk product) and some sour gummy bears-they go good with sausage-(I love junk food!!!). Stayed in room the rest of day...In the evening, I went to the pool-once again, great atmosphere-but there were a group of truckers, some I knew, sitting around and getting drunk. Didn't want to stay so I grabbed a pizza box with a couple pieces in it and went to my room again.

SECOND 5 YEARS: (Dad, I gave you three weeks...)
My second son Ron had been riding with me for three weeks and was scheduled to be in Kingdom City, Missouri(read history) on Saturday. Friday afternoon we were in Charlotte, North Carolina. I re-informed dispatch that I needed to be in Kingdom City the next day. They deadheaded(sent empty) me-and paid me-to Kingdom City. Ron and I drove to Knoxville where we bedded down for the night. Next morning we were heading toward Kingdom City and made one stop in Paducah, Kentucky for fuel; then straight through to Kingdom City. Now just think of how boring is it for a young teenager to sit in a truck all day and night...day after day. While we were traveling, I figured that he could stay out another week with me and so I asked him if he wanted to. What he said and how he said it was so cute that I will never forget it. He said, "Dad, I gave you three weeks. I have to go get ready for school to start". We met his Mom in Kingdom City where I dropped him off, called into dispatch, and was told to go the our terminal in Olathe, Kansas.