Enjoying North America while earning a living...: November 17, 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

November 17, 2009

November 17, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Friday-Joplin, Missouri)
Had a wake up call at the motel I was at for 7 AM. I went to the terminal and checked on my load. The trailer was sitting in the yard and dispatch gave me the paperwork. I went out to my new tractor and drove it around the yard for awhile. My previous tractor was a cabover and I felt like I wasn't going to be able to keep the tractor in the proper position in the travel lane. Anyway, I filled my tanks with my knew fuel cards and hooked up to my trailer, weighed load(whole truck: 57,260lbs) and started moving toward Laredo, Texas. Wouldn't you know it, the I-44 Missouri couple(weigh station), before going into Oklahoma, was open. I still wasn't comfortable with where I was in the lane. Now I have to pull onto the scale. I did it very carefully and successfully. On to Big Cabin, Oklahoma where I will get on Hwy 69 south. Those road signs advertising the buffalo farms; I really need to stop and see them one of these days. I got to Wagoner(Oklahoma) and felt I needed a break so I stopped at Wal-Mart department stores. I walked around the store just looking at people and things. Saw nothing exceptional...bought some stationary supplies. Went back to the truck and headed south. Drove through Muskogee, Oklahoma. Just after passing I-40 we get into the hill country which ends with a good downgrade into McAlester, Oklahoma. Got to Stringtown, Oklahoma (interesting history) and slowed down for the well known speed trap(in1989) and then back up to a decent speed and hooked up with Hwy 75. Took Hwy 75 over the Red River into Texas and then down into Dallas. Went through downtown Dallas and hooked up with I-35E to our Red Oak Terminal(Texas) Filled with fuel to see how my knew tractor is doing with fuel. I got 5.89 mpg and I guess the engine still is tight. Continued to where I-35E and I-35W merge into I-35 and then kept going. Stopped at a truckstop at Georgetown, Texas for the night. I had plenty of time to get to Laredo, Texas.

Trucking Student Question: My rig(18 wheeler) weighs 57,260 lbs. My steering has 11,060 lbs on it, my tractor drives 28,800 lbs. What is the weight on my trailer tandems??? Even though I am legal, what would I have to do if I wanted my trailer tandems and tractor drives closer in weight(my fifth wheel doesn't move)???