Enjoying North America while earning a living...

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

My photo
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...

November 14, 2009

November 14, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Tuesday-Troy, Illinois)
Was woken up at 6 AM by a company driver who was told to swap his trailer with me. I swapped it with him and called dispatch. This load was set up and I wasn't told of it. Anyway, I had this load that was to go to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma car plant. Left Troy and headed for Joplin(Missouri) first. Went I-70 west to I-255 south and which changed to I-270 north. Kept on I-270 until I got on I-44 west. This routing kept me out of the morning traffic. Got to the restaurant at Marshfield, Missouri that I simply enjoy...great salad bar, fried chicken and ribs...The lunch buffet was just getting started so I helped myself. After lunch, I headed for our yard in Joplin(Missouri). Got there and found that they had gotten in a few new tractors. I requested one but was told to go ahead and take my load to Oklahoma City. I did and around 7 PM I had dropped my trailer at the car plant east of Oklahoma City. Went to our yard in Oklahoma City and called into dispatch. Was told to pick up a load of glass tomorrow in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, just west of Tulsa(Oklahoma) and take it to the Joplin yard where I was scheduled to get my new tractor. I went to Tulsa and parked for the night at the truckstop just entering Tulsa.

SECOND 5 YEARS: (I don't understand...just do what I am told...)
I once picked up a full load of frozen whip cream in midstate New York and took it to the caves around Kansas City, Missouri. While I was being unloaded, a truck from my company was being loaded with the same frozen whip cream to New Jersey. Why couldn't I just have taken my load to New Jersey? I saw this once in awhile with different companies. I once picked a load of glass up in Sand Springs, Oklahoma to Columbus, Ohio. After I was unloaded, I was sent to Zanesville, Ohio for a load of glass to Dallas, Texas. I get paid to do it, not to ask questions...
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