Enjoying North America while earning a living...: February 24, 1990, 2010

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

February 24, 2010

February 24, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Chillicothe, Ohio)
Had my alarm clock set for 5 AM((6 AM EST)) and when it went off I didn't want to get up but I did. Got up and looked outside and it was raining...no problem I thought. Got some munchies and chocolate milk and was headed north on Hwy 23(was on Hwy 35-both run together where I slept). Rain, rain and more rain. Got to the southern side of Columbus, Ohio and took the I-270 loop to the east until I came to Hwy 23 going north on Columbus's north side. Took Hwy 23 north and a short distance past Upper Sandusky, Ohio left Hwy 23 and followed Hwy 15 to I-75 north. Rain, rain and more rain. Traffic was slowed due to the heavy rain but the situation wasn't bad. Rain stated turning into sleet at I started to get to Toledo, Ohio. It seemed like the wind was picking up from the west and as I got to the Michigan border snow was falling with the roads getting bad. The Michigan weigh scale was closed but it was there that the winds started bringing in short lasting whiteouts(you can't see the hood of your truck yet alone the road). The whiteouts got longer lasting and thus scarier. At the Michigan 23 mile marker the white out cleared and I saw a semi(major truck company) standing across all lanes on the south bound lanes. There was a small pickup truck that had hit the back of the trailer in the fast lane and the driver appeared to be laying over the steering wheel. Then I hit another short whiteout and when I came out of it, I saw a fast moving semi(compressed gas hauler) going south. A moment later I heard the crash and thought that the little pickup truck had been between them.(in a couple weeks I learn some details of the accident). I called many semis going south and told them what was ahead of them. Hopefully I saved some from getting involved in the accident. Got to the Taylor(Detroit)Michigan terminal and didn't want to go further. I and another driver got a motel room for the night. On the TV news it was said that all the roads in and out of Detroit where blocked by traffic accidents. Glad I was safe for the night...