FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday- Winfield, Texas)
Was up, awake and moving west on I-30 by 4 AM CST. This stretch of Texas seems so long to me though the scenery isn't, when the sun is out or moon full, boring. There are several roads in Texas that seem long...maybe because they are long!!!--I-10 through Texas is close to 900 miles!!!
Went over Lake Ray Hubbard--just east of Dallas--and continued to I-635 where I were south. I-635 ends when it meets I-20 which I continued west on. Got to I-35E and went south to Red Oak, Texas. Our terminal at Red Oak had just opened up at 6:15 AM CST when I drove up. I fueled(176 gallons) at the terminal as it is a fuel stop also(our terminal was an office on the side of a truckstop). I wasn't worried about the weight and weigh stations in Texas as there aren't any weigh stations all the way to Laredo, Texas. I went south past the point where I-35E and I-35W join up to become I-35. As I past the double level interstate through Austin, I got in the fast lane and took the lower level...Why??? I don't know...Just did.
Passed Selma, Texas, which in 1990 was a speed trap for the City of Selma's yearly budget. They slowed you down to 55 miles/hour on the interstate and had a police car with radar sitting in a convenient spot it seemed like every time I went past. The interstate highway was reworked through this area and Selma's speed trap was done away with.
Got to the "Just a Truckstop" in San Antonio, Texas where I had lunch and topped off my tanks(41 gallon). Topped off my tanks as I am not worried about the weight and our company doesn't have a decent fuel stop in Laredo.
I got to Laredo by 2:45 PM CST and dispatch said to drop the trailer in our yard. I did and I didn't go on the trucker's ready board as I was out of time and trucks were moving too fast and I would get my wanted 24 hour break in. Got a motel room and stayed there the rest of the day...
Tomorrow: An Arkansas Highway Patrolman and "vehicle inspections" tomorrow on "Second 5 years".
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...
April 18, 2010
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What's in my blog...???
- 666--Highway (2)
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