FIRST 5 YEARS: (Monday-Marshall, Michigan)
Woke up at the truckstop here in Marshall about 7 AM. I immediately got to cleaning the trailer out of that horrible dark purple natural asphalt I had been carrying. I swept out a little of the stuff but it still was on the floor and I was tracking it around with my shoes. I went into the store and bought paper towels and some cleaner spray and went back to the trailer. I got on my knees and hand wiped the whole floor and it still looked dark purple. I decided that I had done what I could so that was it!!! I called dispatch and was told to pick up a load of auto parts in Battle Creek, Michigan and take it to Troy, Illinois for a relay. I got to the pickup in Battle Creek at 10:30 AM(CST) and was told to back up to the dock. They started to load me as soon as I did. I watched the fork truck load me with dark purple tire tracks as they exited my trailer. The dock was clean. I was headed for Troy, Illinois by 11:45 (CST). I went I-94west to I-80 west to I-55 south. Stopped at Funk's Grove, Illinois rest area off of I-55 for a short break(I love writing Funks Grove in my log book) and then I was on my way again. Got to the truckstop at Troy, Illinois at 6:30 PM my time and traded loads. I was told I would get a relay in the morning. Backed under the other drivers trailer he traded with me and went into the truckstop and watched TV until about 10 PM. Went to bed...
SECOND 5 YEARS: (difference between receiving companies)
One time I received a meat load from Colorado to two companies in Kentucky. I decided to unload the meat myself. The first stop, I was given a powered pallet jack, pallets and told to "GO FOR IT". Before lunch in Kentucky, I was at my second stop. This second drop, I was told that I was to palletize the boxes of meat and the dock employees would take the pallets out. Well, the employees went to lunch and I had gone as far as I could with the palletizing. I went and got a powered pallet jack and was moving the pallets out. An employee came onto the dock, saw me using the pallet jack and started yelling at me to not use their equipment. Luckily I got enough out of the trailer to finish stacking my meat load before they all came back from lunch.
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
- The Protraveller...
- 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 13, 2009
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- 666--Highway (2)
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