Enjoying North America while earning a living...: August 8, 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

August 8, 2010

August 8, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-St. Paul, Minnesota)
I was sleeping really well when there came a light knocking on my tractor. I answered the knock and one of the other drivers waiting in the Ford trailer drop yard, was standing there. He said that the other drivers were going to the truckstop on the St. Paul southeast side. He just wanted to know if I wanted to go with them; I did. We were there by 8:30 AM CST.

We, four trucks, went to the truckstop off of I-494; What a dump!!! I walked into the restaurant and saw the cook, a short, stubby guy wearing a dirty white apron and hat, talking to one of the waitresses, a larger than average gal. I felt I was watching a "truckstop skit" from an old television series called Hee-Haw. I didn't have anything to eat while the other drivers did; I just had a large soda(soft drink in Canada) and talked with the drivers. Around 9:30 AM CST, one of the drivers found he had a load so I called to see if I had one; I did.

I called in and found I was picking up tomorrow in Spring Grove, Minnesota and going to the Ford plant in Oakville, Ontario(Canada). We all had loads and left the truckstop around 11 AM CST. I took Hwy 52 south to Rochester(Minnesota) where I found a Target store to do some shopping at. Looked around mostly and bought some munchies for later. I stopped at a KFC restaurant before Target and had their afternoon buffet. I left Rochester around 3:30 PM CST and headed for Spring Grove down Hwy 52. One thing I found interesting was that once I passed Rochester, the country became exceptionally beautiful to drive through. Loved it. Followed Hwy 52 to Harmony, Minnesota where I took Hwy 44 east. Shortly I came to Spring Grove and found the pickup on the east side of the small town. I checked in and found it too late to load today but I was told to back up to the dock and just wait until tomorrow. These people were some of the friendliest I have met in North America. I was told that I could use the bathrooms and break rooms of their company while I waited.

I walked around the plant and the people talked with me-not much as they were working-on a variety of topics. One thing I noted in my journal about these individuals was that they all kind of looked alike....