FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-start of Memorial Day weekend-Berkshire, Ohio)
I was in no hurry today so I got up and headed down I-71 into Columbus, Ohio. I love the older architecture of this large city. Got on I-70 heading west and stopped at "Just a Truckstop" at New Paris, Ohio. What's interesting at this truck is that, when going west, I cross the border into Indiana. Just as I cross into Indiana I get off I-70 and go north about 100 yards back into Ohio and the truckstop. When one eats in their restaurant, that person can look out the window at the businesses in Indiana.
I parked my truck at 11 AM EST and got my paperwork caught up. I repeat...I was in no hurry at all. I decided to stay here all day and just KICK back. I did decide to fuel before I ate so I did. I took on 146 gallons and one gallon of oil(semi truck diesel engines use "gallons " of oil, not quarts). I had the buffet for lunch and filled my tank up. After lunch, I went to the movie room and stayed their until around 7 PM when I went to my truck and took a nap until tomorrow...I had a nice, easy going day...
Trucker Spouses: I once had the opportunity of meeting a driver who was a lease( independent driver who drives for a particular company) driver. He owned his own tractor and his wife rode with him. I met several drivers who's wives rode with them but what was special with this one was that she prepared most all their meals. When I met them, she was putting the meat-roast- and potatoes in their oven. Their oven was a metal container they had made that was firmly attached to the engines exhaust system. She knew how many miles it would take to cook the different types of food she would make in it. They seemed very happy with their system...
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...
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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)
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- computer portable desk. (1)
- computer stuff (1)
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- cooking-on-the-road (2)
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- diabetes and driving (3)
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- interesting (3)
- jackknife video (1)
- Just in time trucking (1)
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- logbook violation-see violation (1)
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- loyalty to a company (1)
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- Mayberry and Andy Griffith (4)
- mining--me??? (1)
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- restaurants-good ones (5)
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- violation (51)
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