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...

November 23, 2009

November 23, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Thursday-Stringtown, Oklahoma)
Thanksgiving Day...Kept on going as no one to spend day with. Woke a little after 7 AM and was headed toward Joplin, Missouri by 7:30. I stopped in McAlester, Oklahoma around 8:15 AM and went to the Wal-Mart store. Closed. Wanted some munchies so went to truckstop across street and then got back on the road. By noon I was rolling into our terminal in Joplin, Missouri. I had a drive wheel seal leaking on my new tractor and so I parked my empty trailer. Went back to the maintenance guys who got hopping on fixing my tractor. While they where working on the seal, I went to dispatch and was given a load to Maryland Heights, Missouri(outside St. Louis) that was due in the morning. I fueled and weighed my load. I took 108 gallons of fuel and under the hood checked out fine. The load, according to the paperwork was only 23,560 lbs. I was ready to go by 2:30 PM and I took off up I-44 east. The state coupe(weigh station) was open but it was no problem. Stopped at the 100 mile marker at one of my favorite restaurants. Had the buffet of ribs, salad, potatoes and corn. Filled my tank and continued east on I-44. The ride to I-270 was uneventful. The conversations I had on the CB radio were so so. The state weigh station near Sullivan, Missouri was closed and the most exciting part of the trip was my 15 minute break at the rest area just past Stanton, Missouri. Went up I-270 to Dorsett Road and went east. Found the receiver real easily and they were open. Checked in and they unloaded me within the hour. My logbook still has 2 hours to drive before I needed a break and I was feeling pretty good. Dispatch was happy to hear that I was unloaded as they had a load in Bridgeton, Missouri to pick up. I went to Bridgeton(about 15 minutes) and swapped trailers. This load was going to Des Moines, Iowa for Monday morning. Headed west on I-70 to Hwy 61 and went north. Weather was nice and clear. I got to Hannibal, Missouri and found a parking place at the small truckstop. I stopped there for the night.
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