Enjoying North America while earning a living...: August 18, 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 18, 2010

August 18, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Bountiful, Utah)
Taking a few days off with family living in Bountiful. The visiting of relatives and friends around North America was another positive with driving a truck nationwide. That is, if your family and friends are spread around the country.

Started working on a shelf for my tractor sleeper yesterday with my oldest nephew. Finished the shelf and my nephew took me to my tractor and helped me put it in. It ended up over the area for my feet and I was able to watch my TV very easily. Spent rest of day away from the truck.

Side Note: (What do you want out of driving???)
I ask that question as I have seen several drivers with reasons for driving other than earning money...

I always wanted to travel and see places without paying for it. The pay is great but the travel is what I wanted. My excitement came when I got my loads delivered and had to wait to see where I would go next. I loved not knowing where I would be in the next week.

I was stuck with one fellow that had been a Vice-President of a huge corporation. When we were in San Francisco(California), we went up to one of his old offices and talked with some of his past employees. He just always wanted to drive a truck and after he was successful with all other goals, he dumped them and lived his dream.

Just to drive must have been one fellows goal. I run with him one day and he said that he had worked for the company I did. He quit as my company didn't give him enough miles. He was very happy with the miles he was "now" getting. I asked what he was earning and he said (now this is 20 years ago) 17 cents a mile. He had been earning 24 cents a mile with my company. I drove fewer miles to earn what he had to drive alot for. HE WAS HAPPY WITH IT...

I run north through California if a fellow that liked being his own "boss". He started off driving as a lease(hired his truck out to other companies) driver. He came from a family of truckers. He "now" had a broker that had him in a loop from Memphis, Tennessee to Los Angeles(California), to Chicago(Illinois), and then back to Memphis. HE WAS HIS OWN BOSS. He answered to himself only.

And finally for now, I knew, and talked twice to a doctor(MD) that "burnt out" with his doctor job. He always wanted to drive a truck and so he did!!!!