FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Taylor, Michigan)
Wake up came some time after 1 AM EST after a real good sleep. I went into the terminal and talked with the dispatcher until about 2 AM EST; did a check call with the dispatch before I left. I went out, hooked up to the trailer, weighed(total weight 57, 470), did vehicle inspection while fueling(145 gallons) and left headed west on I-94 around 2:30 AM EST.
I pulled into the "Just a Truckstop" in Lake Station, Indiana for breakfast at 6:30 EST and was on the road again(I-80 west) by 8 AM EST. Just a desire to get it there. I don't seem to get good loads out of this area(St. Louis) so I just wanted to get it delivered and then be disappointed.
Took I-80 west to I-55 south. On I-55 south, I stopped at the Funks Grove rest area for a short break. I like writing "Funks Grove" on my logbook. Continued down I-55 to I-270 west. Crossed over into Missouri and got to Hazelwood shortly(12:30 PM CST). found the plant and checked in with the guard. I then checked in with receiving and was told to drop my trailer and get an empty one. I did.
Now I was empty in the St. Louis area. I had a little running time but my 70 hour rule didn't have much time in it. I didn't have much time to run a really good load so guest what dispatch gave me....a load to Seattle, Washington. I really wanted it but there was not time on my logbook. I told dispatch and he said to go pick it up in Bridgeton, Missouri and take the load to the Kansas City terminal and they would relay it.
I went the short distance to Bridgeton and got the trailer assigned to me. It's paperwork showed the load weight was 3,564 lbs. I couldn't believe it. The perfect load and I had to relay it!!! I thought about taking it anyway but if I got caught the load could be really late and the lateness, fine and notes on my record all would be extremely bad.
Frustrated, I called dispatch and got dispatched to Kansas City terminal where some other lucky driver would take it. I went on west on I-70 and got to the terminal at 7 PM CST where I dropped my trailer and checked in with dispatch. They took my paperwork and they didn't have it more than a couple minutes. There were several drivers at the terminal so I went on the TRB and then went to my tractor to write, watch TV and sleep...
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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