FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Kansas City, Missouri)
1 AM CST: I had been napping throughout the previous day and wasn't tired when I was sitting watching the lounge TV by myself. All the other drivers had gone to bed. A driver came in and was talking to dispatch and wanted to drop his load. He had just got to the terminal and didn't want to take his load of car batteries onto Denver, Colorado. Dispatch. who knew me, called me up and asked if I wanted his load. I was told that the customer was not far off I-70 and was easy to find. I said sure!!!
I fueled(26 gallons) and hooked up. Vehicle inspection, logbook update and I was gone at 2:15 AM CST on my way down I-435 to I-70 westbound. Got into Kansas and the night was beautiful with a big full moon and no clouds. Got through the Kansas toll road and continued west on I-7o stopping at the rest area near Junction City, Kansas. Was there only for a short break and then back to moving toward Denver. I was enjoying the ride so much that I didn't even notice the rise of the sun until I got to Russell, Kansas. I just noticed the sun was up. I was on the flat land most people consider "boring". Just kept moving west. Got to Colorado and stopped at the first rest area for another short break. I could take longer breaks as the load wasn't due until tomorrow.
I found the customer at 11:30 AM MST and they said they would unload me. Great! I backed up to the dock and was unloaded by 1:30 PM MST. I called dispatch and told to call back in an hour. I went to our truckstop in Watkins, Colorado to wait. I called in and was told to deadhead to Kansas City, Missouri. Long deadheads are rare but happen. My longest deadhead was over 1500 miles...
I went to sleep, taking my break through the end of my day...
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...
October 2, 2010
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What's in my blog...???
- 666--Highway (2)
- A Trucker Tale-introduction (1)
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