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...

September 23, 2009

September 23, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Saturday)
Dispatch in our Detroit office gave me a load of empty racks from Canada, going to Hazelwood, Missouri. The trailer is not scheduled to be there until Monday so I decided to get the trailer and head for Effingham, Illinois for today and tomorrow. Got hooked up when a couple drivers asked if I wanted to go to breakfast with then. I did. Afterward, I headed south toward Toledo, Ohio, on I-75. Took I-475 around the west side until I got to Hwy 24 where I went west. Hwy 24 is another two lane road that I find interesting and don't know why. As I approach Antwerp(Ohio), I start to get anxious as the town has only three stoplights & I have never got through all three without having to stop. The spotlight on the east end of town is totally worthless!!!TOTALLY!!!
Anyway, I cross into Indiana where on the south side of this two lane highway, in the middle of a corn field half the year, there is one huge tire plant????? I stop for a break at a New Heaven (Indiana) east side small truck stop. I like this place for a bunch reasons. Stopping here I often get to see the Amish and their buggies. Also the way the trucks stop in the parking lot. I usually will stop and get some chips and drip to eat while sitting on large concrete slabs. After New Haven it is through Fort Wayne(Indiana) until we get to I-69 going south. Munching on my chips and dip, I happily head south toward Indianapolis stopping at a rest area about 25 minutes before Indy. This is the last stop I make before getting to Effingham, Illinois. Pulled into the companies truck stop(the one we 're contacted with) and park for the night. I went into the restaurant and find other driver from my company so I sit, eat and tell trucker tales like them...
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