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...

May 7, 2010

May 7, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday- Plainfield, Illinois)
As my day started, I was in the truckstop movie room just talking to the other drivers. I wasn't feeling tired at all and didn't really know what I was going to do. About 12:30 AM CST the last driver I was talking to went to his truck to bed(I guess he did) and I got me a soda(soft drink in Canada) and went to my tractor. I updated my logbook. I am the type that has to at least find the receiver before I can sleep so I headed up I-55 toward Chicago. I got off at Cicero Avenue and went south passed Midway Airport. Got to the receiver and found they had a guard that told me that I could open my doors and park at the docks and wait to be unloaded. GREAT!!! I did that and laid down, turned my TV on and "napped" until I felt the trailer being entered.

I was unloaded by 8:30 AM CST and called dispatch looking for my next load...I was told to make sure my trailer was clean and then pick up a load of auto speakers going to the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma auto assembly plant. I had a broom in my side box so I swept the trailer out and headed for my pickup off of I-55. Didn't take long and I found the pickup company. I was told that my appointment wasn't until 11 AM CST and to check back then. I sat on the street with several other trucks until 11 AM CST when I was given the dock to back up to.

I was loaded and on my was south on I-55 at 2 PM CST. I was feeling great and got my logbook showing a full10 hours to drive. At 4:15 PM CST I stopped at Funks Grove, Illinois rest area and took a less than 15 minute break. Was back on the road by 4:30 PM CST. Got to St. Louis, Missouri, and over the Mississippi River, at 7:15 PM CST and went right through the downtown area as rush hour was over. Got on I-44 west.

Stopped in Sullivan, Missouri at the truckstop for some munchies and a soda(soda drink in Canada). Wasn't there very long and continued on I-44 west. My day ended went I was between Springfield(Missouri) and Mt. Vernon, Missouri traveling west.
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