Enjoying North America while earning a living...: June 28, 1990, 2010

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

June 28, 2010

June 28, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Norwood, Missouri)
By 2:15 AM CST I was heading east on Hwy 60. Nice Dark morning to travel except for just about hitting a deer that ran out in front of me. Note that I don't brake for animals. Hwy 63 joins up with Hwy 60 and I changed to Hwy 63 heading south. I followed Hwy 63 past West Plains(Missouri) and then into Arkansas at Mammoth Spring. We are in the Ozark Mountains but Mammoth Spring southbound in where the winding and elevating roads really start. Hardy, Arkansas was passed through, with it's police car visible-as always-to southboarders. On past Jonesboro, Truman and Marked Tree to I-55 south. Followed I-55 south to West Memphis, Arkansas were I stopped for the breakfast bar at "Just a Truckstop" at 6 AM CST. I left and went to our Memphis, Tennessee terminal where I fueled(76 gallons), parked my truck and went in and talked to some of the drivers there. I asked about Anniston, Alabama and a couple of drivers said that there was a truckstop -store and truck parking-off of I-20.

I left for Anniston, from Memphis, 9:45AM CST. Headed east on I-240 to Hwy 78 where I took it(Hwy 78) south east into Mississippi. Past Tupelo, Mississippi with alot of Elvis Presley history.
Pressed onto Alabama and stayed on Hwy 78 to Birmingham, Alabama where I picked up I-20 which I went east on. I pulled into the Anniston Truck stop that I was told about at 3:45 PM CST.

I called the plant I was going to and was told that if I got the bottles(my load) to the plant by 5:15 PM CST they would unload it. I was there by 4:15 PM CST and they unloaded me. I talked to the fellow that unloaded me and was told that this company was changing to a water bottle filling company because the money was better. They will sent to tanker truck to a spring and bring back a load of "Spring" water. He said that the government rules are that they can call water they bottle "spring"water as long as they have at least 5% or 10%(I don't remember which) real spring water in the bottle. So....if I buy their spring water, I am actually buying 90% to 95% filtered water...I asked him and he said YES!

After I was empty I went back to the "truck" stop along I-20 and called dispatch. I told them I was empty and that I was needing a break. I was told to call back in the morning...Great! Stayed there for the night.