FIRST 5 YEARS: (Monday-Red Oak, Texas)
Awoke at 5:30 AM at our Red Oak(Dallas) terminal in Texas. Still had that non-company trailer that was going to Laredo. Got my logbook done, did a fast vehicle inspection and headed for Laredo, Texas. Still having other truckers(company and non-company) asking why I am pulling this non-company trailer over the CB radio(channel 19). Continued down I-35 E until it joined I-35 W and turned into I-35. Continued passed Waco, Temple, Austin(I took the upper level of their double dock interstate)and into San Antonio. I took a break in San Antonio at “Just A Truckstop”. Had the buffet to fill me up and then went out and filled my tractor tanks. I had last filled in Joplin(Missouri) and I now took 105 gallons. Headed onto Laredo. I drove into the yard in Laredo, Texas after 1pm and the terminal manager was at my truck within 5 minutes. I hadn't even got my trailer backed up in it's spot when the terminal manager was at my window. Before he said anything, I said that I had nothing to do with the decision to pull this trailer. I just do what I am told. He didn't say anything but, “give me the paperwork” which I did. He was really irritated as he has to get it switched and our yard has no place to do it. OH well, it isn't my problem. Checked in with the regular dispatch was was told to get a motel room as I will be here a day or two. I got a room at the motel I usually go to. Got some munchies and some junk food and watched TV the rest of the day. Walked to the pool to see if there were any other drivers I might know but I found no one.
A Trucker's Tale: (The Christmas Present)
I was at our company's trucker lounge late one Christmas eve when a driver came in really upset. He then told me his tale...He had been traveling toward Joplin(Missouri) on I-44 at the speed limit. He was minding his own business when two Big Trucks(fast moving trucks) passed him. Just as they got back into the slow lane a highway patrolman shot them with his radar gun and caught them speeding. He pulled all three trucks over as he-the MHP-believed the three to be running together. Our company driver told the highway Patrolman that he hadn't been running with the other two and the other two verified it. The patrolman didn't believe any of them. Our company driver then said that patrolman was getting really to let the three go because it was Christmas eve, when the wife of the driver in the first truck got out, called the officer a couple really bad names and them started to give him a piece of her “rotten” mind. The officer, without saying anything, went to his car, got the ticket book out and wrote all three speeding tickets...
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)
- bull haulers (1)
- Catch 22 (1)
- caught but... (2)
- caught-almost (3)
- check trailer (1)
- church (2)
- citation-for moose killing (1)
- computer portable desk. (1)
- computer stuff (1)
- conservation agents (1)
- conservation agents-Maine (1)
- convoys (1)
- cooking-on-the-road (2)
- customs-US or Canadian (5)
- death while trucking (2)
- diabetes and driving (3)
- dispatcher's mistakes (1)
- DOT-Massachusetts (1)
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- drive-why??? (1)
- drunk driver (1)
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- fishing (1)
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- Highway Patrol-Wyoming (1)
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- interesting (3)
- jackknife video (1)
- Just in time trucking (1)
- load content-strange (1)
- load turn down policy (1)
- logbook violation-see violation (1)
- logbooks (2)
- loyalty to a company (1)
- Matter of Opinion (1)
- Mayberry and Andy Griffith (4)
- mining--me??? (1)
- My opinion (1)
- Olympic bobsled (1)
- people (10)
- people-nicer ones (1)
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- places to see (13)
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- popcorn capital??? (1)
- registrations (2)
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- restaurants-good ones (5)
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- ripped off... (1)
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- snoring (1)
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- trucker frustrations (41)
- trucker helpful hint (21)
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- Trucking Student Questions (4)
- unreasonables (1)
- vehicle inspection (2)
- violation (51)
- water-drinking (2)
- weapons-weird ones (1)
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- witches (1)
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