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...

October 10, 2009

October 10, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Tuesday-Bountiful, Utah)
Stayed last night with my sister's family in Bountiful Utah. She got me to my truck by 7 AM and after getting my logbook updated, I was off to Roy, Utah for my first drop and then to Ogden, Utah for my final drop. Got to Roy drop and parked in the middle road island while I checked in with the employees. Was told to pull up and back in. This place sent an employee out with me to control the traffic. Backed in with no problem and got tires off. I am far enough into the trailer to have to put "zip" into rolling the tires out. One stop left so off I went to it in Ogden (Utah). Found it and had to park on the side street. When I would roll the tires out, they had to roll the tires into their shop. Got the load totally off and called my dispatch. Was told that I was on the board(the "ready for a load" list) and to call back later. I went down to the "No Big Deal Truckstop" off of I-15 in Ogden(Utah) and parked my truck. Went in and bought two turkey legs to munch on while watching a movie in their movie area(didn't how a room). After about two hours, I called dispatch again to find I had a load waiting. The load was to pick up tomorrow in Blackfoot, Idaho at 10 AM. It was potato stuff going to Bettendorf, Iowa. I talked with a couple truck drivers about parking for the night around Blackfoot(Idaho) and both agreed that there was all night parking at Fort Hall(Idaho) just below Blackfoot. I took off for Fort Hall and the scenery was fantastic. Of course, people living here probably think it is boring or "all right". I got into Idaho on I-15 north and the trees just seemed to disappear when I looked at the mountains-yes, naked mountains. It seemed almost surrealistic. Got up through Pocatello(Idaho) and shortly got to Fort Hall, where I parked and bedded down for the night.
A LOT OF SPUDS TOMORROW!!!
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