FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Cleveland, Ohio)
Woke up early today while at “in the pits” truckstop...because it was in the Cleveland “pits” as I call them. Called into dispatch at 8:15 AM and was told that I had a load to pick up that was going to Laredo, Texas. I had to pick up the load in Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. I was happy as I finally got two good loads in a row...or so I thought. I went to Euclid and was loaded with 20,000 lbs of car seats going to Mexico. I called dispatch to let them know I was ready to go and they said to “relay” this load at Troy, Illinois with a team(two drivers per tractor so that the tractor can keep moving the load without long breaks). WHAT??? I always hated getting stuck in the St. Louis area as loads out of there weren't the best(I felt)...They set me up with a midnight relay which would be very attainable. I was moving east on I-90 by noon. Not long after stating, I got to I-271 and took it south toward Columbus, Ohio. I-271 south ended and went into I-71 and I followed it south. As I got close to Columbus, I stopped at a rest area for a short break. Continued and shortly came to I-270 which I did NOT take around Columbus. I enjoy going through Columbus as the downtown area looked to me like a combination of the present times and the “good ol” days. Took I-71 to I-70 west out of Columbus. Followed I-70 west to New Paris,Ohio(border of Ohio & Indiana) where I stopped at the “Just a Truckstop” for dinner and fuel(96 gallons). MY luck! I found a parking spot right at the restaurant entrance door! With my tank full and my tractor tanks full, I continued west on I-70 to Troy, Illinois. Of course, when I got to Indianapolis, Indiana I continued on I-70 through the downtown area. It is beautiful at night with the lighting. Got to Troy, Illinois and transferred the load to the team drivers at 10:45 PM. Dispatch told me to call in in the morning. Went to bed...
Coming up: (stretching the limits of being a “family friendly” blog-done rarely) Conversation I had with a lumper(trailer unloader) as he unloaded the load of meat I had. It happened in Geneva, Alabama. Also could be listed on this blog as a “trucker helpful hint”.
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...
February 1, 2010
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- 666--Highway (2)
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