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 27, 2009

September 27, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Wednesday-Joplin, Missouri)
Woke around 3 AM here in the Joplin(Missouri) yard and went into dispatch to see what they had. They gave me a load of bedding stuff that was to be in Cleveland tomorrow. Hooked up to the trailer and off I was east on I-44 . I like driving nights so the drive was pretty nice for about 2 hours. The third to fourth hours were bad as the sun was right in my face. Close to the fourth hour on I-44 I passed Six Flags-St. Louis on the north side of the highway. I passed I-270 and got to the "roller coaster" of I-44. The road is just fun through St. Louis until we get to I-55. Went over the Mississippi River on I-70 and then stopped at the truck stop in Troy, Illinois for a break. After a little time out of the truck, I was heading for Cleveland. Enjoyed the ride on I-70 through Indianapolis, Indiana. Drove straight through to New Paris, Ohio (Ohio/Indiana border) and my favor truck stop chain, "Just a Truckstop", on I-70. Fueled(took 105 gallons), ate(ribs buffet) and took a break until tomorrow AM. (Tomorrow I tell you what a Cleveland Policeman said to me-believe it or not!!!).

A Trucker's Tale: (ripped off at "Just A Truckstop")
Why do I call one of my favorite truck chains "Just a Truckstop". Well, I did not call them this until I was in San Antonio at "Just A Truckstop". I had been sick for a few days and had just felt well enough to eat a little something but not much. A cheeseburger sounded good so I went over to the fuel island's little store and food stand and bought a wrapped "double" cheeseburger. I paid for it and then went to warm it up and put stuff on it. I opened it to find one hamburger and two pieces of cheese. I took it back to the lady and explained I wanted a double cheeseburger only to get ,"You got two pieces of cheese didn't you?" and "You got what you paid for!!" She wasn't joking with me. I was not a happy camper!
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