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...

April 17, 2010

April 17, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday- Troy, Illinois)
Was up and ready to go at 4:30 AM CST but my relay to Laredo, Texas wasn't there yet. I was disconnected from my trailer and just sitting under it. While I waited for the relay, I thought about which way to take...through Newport Arkansas or through West Memphis, Arkansas. I decided on West Memphis for two reasons: easier driving and the buffet for lunch in West Memphis.

The relay got here at 5:45 AM CST and I was sitting in the driver's seat writing when it did. I helped the other driver to get unhooked from my new trailer and then I backed under it and hooked up. The other driver told me that the load is right at it's weight limits. He gave me the paperwork and weighed it. The total weight of the truck and trailer was 79,920 lbs (I have had closer to the 80,000 lbs weight limit). With everything legal, I took off.

I traveled south on I-255 and into into Missouri. Shortly after entering Missouri, I caught I-55 south where I followed it into Arkansas. For some reason the Missouri and Arkansas weigh stations were closed today while on I-55.

When I got to West Memphis I stopped at the "Just a Truckstop" and had the buffet lunch which I had been planning on. I also put 50 gallons of fuel in my tanks to equal just what I had used from Troy, Illinois as my weight could go over if I put on much more.

I headed west on I-40 through Arkansas about 12:30 PM CST. I decided to take I-440 around the southeast corner of Little Rock, Arkansas so I could keep up my speed. I took I-440 to I-30 west and kept moving. Past the 2 Texarkanas as I entered Texas. Stopped in Winfield, Texas for the night as my hours ran out and I was in no hurry....Time when I got parked...5:45 PM CST. No TV here on my TV and not hungry so I listened to the radio and went to sleep...
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