Enjoying North America while earning a living...: July 21, 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

July 21, 2010

July 21, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Kansas City, Missouri)
Day started as I drove into the terminal yard. I knew I was to drop my trailer so I did. I took my paperwork into dispatch, handed it in and he put me off duty until Monday. I decided to sleep in my truck and go home after sleeping; I did just that...

Got up from sleeping in my bunk, got in my car and drove home to Fulton, Missouri

A Trucker Tale:
It was after midnight. I was getting close to Kendleton, Texas off of Hwy 59 and my logbook showed me out of driving time. Kendleton had a nice small truck parking area and convenient store I like stopping at, so I decided to park for a sleep break. As I drove into the parking lot I hit one really bad pothole. I had everything changing selves in my bulk and I felt, while in my seat belted seat, I hit the ceiling. I parked the truck and got my logbook caught up; I was logged off duty in the sleeper bulk. I had to check and see if hitting that bump broke anything under the hood. I didn't find anything broken but still didn't feel good about possibly have broken something.

I decided to continue toward Laredo, Texas and listen to see if something had broke. I didn't hear anything strange. The next couple truckstop were totally full so I kept moving toward Laredo. Now, along Hwy 59 between Houston and Laredo, there were 4 pull off areas set up to check big trucks. In my years driving to Laredo on Hwy 59, I had never seen one of them open for business.

I got to the two lane highway(59) past Victoria(Texas) so I decided to just go to Laredo. I was beeboppin down the two lane road toward Laredo when I saw the lights instructing big trucks to pull in for inspection. I pulled in and there was a truck in front of me. My logbook showed me in the bunk sleeping in Kendleton(about a 100 miles back!!!). I WAS CAUGHT!!!! The other truck started moving and I moved up to the officer. He asked to see my bills(shipping papers). I only hand over what I am asked for. I gave him the bills and he looked at them. He then asked if I knew how much weight I had on and I answered, "About 27,000 lbs.". He handed me the paperwork and said to have a good morning. BOY WAS I LUCKY!!! I said, "Thank you and you too". I put the truck in gear and got out of there. I couldn't have gone to sleep if I had wanted to so I went on to Laredo...