FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Taylor, Michigan)
Woke up at 7:30 AM EST by the alarm clock. Went into the Taylor(Detroit suburb) terminal dispatcher and checked in. Was told it wouldn't by long before I would be leaving on a run. I went to my tractor and got some munchies to eat and I got my paperwork caught up. Took my writing tablet in to write some “things” and I hadn't been sitting long before I was called to the dispatch window. I was to take an empty trailer and deadhead(go empty) to Ionia, Michigan where I would be loaded for Oklahoma City. I was told the load was ready now and it wasn't due in Oklahoma City(Oklahoma) until Monday. I grabbed the empty trailer I was told to take and did a vehicle inspection after I hooked to it. Found the trailer a little dirty on the inside so I cleaned it(did not log cleaning time on line four of logbook!!!). Checked out my map and routing and took off after fueling(205 gallons). Time: 9:10 AM EST. Took I-275 north to I-96 west. Stayed on I-96 around the south and west sides of Lansing, Michigan and continued to Hwy 66 where I went north to Ionia, Michigan. Inside Ionia, I had to take Hwy 21 east a short distance to the shipper. Checked in with shipping and was docked. Loading started immediately. I got out and went to the dock and watched. After I was loaded, I talked with the loader and he told me a little about the town. He said that this whole area was once owned by one man and he walked out his front door and looked around. He then said, “I own ya!!!” thus the name of the town...Ionia, pronounced “I-OWN-YA”. Also he claimed that Ionia was the home to three prisons. Got my paperwork and off I went west on HWY 21 to Hwy 66 south. Feeling tired and not in a hurry, I stopped at a truckstop at I-96 and Hwy 66. The truckstop was a nice appearing one and the restaurant was nice inside. I had two cheeseburgers, fries, malt and water. Went to my tractor and laid down for awhile. Got up after laying without sleeping and left for Oklahoma City around 2 PM EST.. Took I-96 west to Grand Rapids, Michigan where I got on I-196 south. Seeing a lot of beautiful country as I drive south. Passed Holland, Michigan and continued south where I took I-94 west to I-80 west. Followed I-80 to I-55 south and headed for St Louis, Missouri. Got to McLean, Illinois at 7:30 PM CST and decided to stay here for the night. Went into the truckstop restaurant and had a Chef's Salad(great salads at this truckstop). Went out to my truck and went to sleep....
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...
March 15, 2010
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What's in my blog...???
- 666--Highway (2)
- A Trucker Tale-introduction (1)
- A Trucker's Tale (33)
- abandonment of truck (1)
- accidents (12)
- animals (3)
- backing (2)
- buffalo burgers (1)
- bull haulers (1)
- Catch 22 (1)
- caught but... (2)
- caught-almost (3)
- check trailer (1)
- church (2)
- citation-for moose killing (1)
- computer portable desk. (1)
- computer stuff (1)
- conservation agents (1)
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- convoys (1)
- cooking-on-the-road (2)
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- death while trucking (2)
- diabetes and driving (3)
- dispatcher's mistakes (1)
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- drive-why??? (1)
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- interesting (3)
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- logbook violation-see violation (1)
- logbooks (2)
- loyalty to a company (1)
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- mining--me??? (1)
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- violation (51)
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