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

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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...

August 15, 2010

August 15, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Provo, Utah)
Busy day ahead and I was well rested. Drove to the Provo Discount Tire Store(these people are always great to work with) and was there before anyone showed up. I knew which door to back up to so I was ready to go as the employees showed up. It wasn't long and I was unloading the tires to two guys at the rear of the trailer. Got their tires off(partial trailer load) and headed for the Orem(Utah) tire store.

When I got to the Orem store, the area I needed was clear; I backed to the correct door and checked in with the manager. He had one fellow come out and help me. We got these tires off and while I was getting my paperwork signed, I was invited to have some donuts from the back room. I had a french curl and an apple fritter. Back to business...
Note: The Provo and Orem stores were later combined into one larger store next to the "University Mall" in Prove. Left up I-15 toward Salt Lake City...

Traveled into the Salt Lake Valley and stopped at the Sandy Store. This store was a "back off the street and around the building to the back of the store" stop. I once tried to turn around in their back lot but it couldn't be done. (They later increased their back lot so that trucks could turn around in it). Off came their tires and it was off to Kearns(Utah).

I usually had the "Van Winkle" store-south Salt Lake City-- but this time I didn't. When I got to I-215, I took it west to the exit for Kearns. Went west to the Kearns store and it was a problem as it is a busy street that one has to back off of. No one ever helped with traffic...you just wait for a break. After backing off of the busy street, the trailer is parked in such a way that the tires have to be rolled "up hill" to get them off the trailer. Got this stop done and I left for downtown Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake City store was pretty nice as it was a straight back to the unloading door after a spin through a residential neighborhood. I had to wait a short while as lunch time was taking my unloaders. I was out of their by 1:30 PM MST and headed for the Bountiful store.

The Bountiful store was different as I had to pull in and into the parking lot of the business next door. If they didn't have much business then I could just dodge what cars were in there lot and back up to the door. I got these tires off and talked with the manager for awhile. I asked if he knew of any place I could park the truck for a couple days. I have a Sister and Mother in Bountiful and had got the OK to take a few days off to visit them. He said that I could just come back and park it next to his building on the far side. Great and I did later.

It was getting a little late for my last two drops so I called the Roy(Utah) store and they said tomorrow for sure. I parked next to the Kmart store in Bountiful and had my Mother come and get me. I took her to dinner and we visited for awhile. I went back to the truck and slept there as I have an early start tomorrow...

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