FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Cleveland, Ohio)
Woke up early and took my time to get going as my pick up appointment wasn't until 1 PM EST. I checked out my map for the routing and it was a clear choice, go down I-77 into North Carolina. I will plan on fueling in Fort Chiswell, Virgina and having dinner there.
Got to my pick up in Wickliffe at noon EST and was backed up to the dock. I think they were loading me with buckets of roofing tar. Anyway, the load was 44, 624 lbs. They had a truck scale in their yard which I could weigh on. I had to move the trailer tandems up two holes so that the tandem weights where close to equal. I don't think filling my tanks in FT. Chiswell will be a problem. I can always reweigh after filling. I was on my way by 1:15 PM EST. I traveled west on I-90, past the 90 degree "Cleveland" interstate turn, to I-77 and on south. The drive south was nice and time went pretty fast. I was in some hilly area but hit the mountains-the beautiful mountains-of West Virginia when I crossed over the Ohio River. Following I-77, I continued down to Charleston(West Virginia) which I hadn't seen in the daylight hours. It is a fantastic looking city and I loved the way it is laid out, through the valleys it's in. Entered the West Virginia tollway and stopped at the first rest area I came to. Took a half hour break and then it was on down I-77. In and around the mountains I went. I like I-44 in St. Louis as it is kind of a roller coaster....so is the West Virginia tollway, especially southbound.
Into Virginia I went in the heights of the mountains. Through Virginia's two interstate tunnels I went as I descended to the intersections of I-77 and I-81 and Ft. Chiswell. Stopped at the "Just a Truckstop" at 8:30 PM EST and filled my tanks(78 gallons). The buffet was being taken down when I got to it so I sat down and looked at the menu. I was hungry but not wanting much. I had the breakfast plate with an extra egg and two pieces of sausage. After eating, it was back to the road(I-77 southbound at 10 PM EST). The interstate gets steep going south into North Carolina. I had to take it very slow as the 6% down grade can get pretty bad without a Jake Brake. I made it down into North Carolina with no problems.
Shortly after getting into North Carolina, I had to take Hwy 89 toward Mt. Airy(Mayberry and Andy Griffith) and then Hwy 52 southeast past Pilot Mountain( Mt. Pilot where Andy Griffith and Barnie would often mention going) to Winston-Salem(North Carolina). I got on I-40 east to Greensboro. As I closed in on Greensboro, I remembered that I didn't have directions and I didn't see a truckstop going into town....My day ended...
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
- The Protraveller...
- 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...
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- 666--Highway (2)
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