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 30, 2009

November 30, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Memphis, Tennessee)
Awoke at 6 AM and was pulling out of the yard at 6:15 AM . Was at the customers at 6:30 AM waiting for them load me. They got to me around 8 AM and they told me that they would unload me where I was sitting. They told me to open my trailer doors and when I did I could heard that they where not happy, They where going to just drive them off onto a flat trailer until they saw the one sideways fork truck in the end of the trailer. They tried several ways to get it out but all failed. They finally brought their big fork truck out and picked it up and took it out. The rest they drove out with one gas tank. After I got done with them, I called dispatch and they said to deadhead(go empty) to Nashville(Tennessee) and then call in. Took off for Nashville east on I-40. I got to our fuel stop at Kingston Springs(Tennessee) and called in as it is close to Nashville. Dispatch told me to go to the Ford Glass Plant tomorrow for a load to Toledo, Ohio. The plant wasn't too far from where I was, so I decided to stay here in Kingdom Springs for the night. Watched my truck TV as I got Nashville TV stations. Set my alarm clock for 6 AM tomorrow morning.
--tomorrow, things change and you can't get upset about it. You have to go with the flow!!!--

Trucker Helpful Hint: (The early trucker gets the best load???)
I learned from my trainer-when I started driving-that when sent deadhead(with empty trailer), try to call in before you actually get to where you are told. This could put you higher on the "ready board" for a load with your company. OR it could actually put you closer to your pickup as it did with me in today's blog. NOW, THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE WHEN YOUR TRAILER IS EMPTY!!!! I HAVE HAD TOO MANY TIMES WHEN I HAD LOADS THAT SEEMED LIKE THEY WOULD BE EASY "UNLOADS" BUT ENDED UP WITH PROBLEMS. These problems took extra time...one I remember(problem with customs) took about 7 hours. Your company does not want you to tell them you are ready when you are not! They could have something that needs your immediate attention.
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