Enjoying North America while earning a living...

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

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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...

November 2, 2010

November 2, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Phoenix, Arizona)
Was at the first tire drop east of I-17 on Bell Road at 6:30 AM MST. The Manager showed up at 7 AM MST and he told me were to back the truck. Things were a little slow as I didn't get out of there until 9:30 AM MST. Was at my final drop and backed up to the door at 10 AM MST. I was totally unloaded by 11:30 MST and just moved my truck out of the store's way. I mad my call to dispatch.

I told dispatch that I wanted out of here today as I don't really know anywhere to spend the weekend. He checked with planning and came back with a load to pickup in Nogales(Arizona) going to Memphis, Tennessee. He said the trailer was sitting in our Nogales yard as he spoke. Fantastic!!! I headed down I-17 and hooked into I-10 eastbound. I stopped at the "Just a Truckstop" for for lunch/dinner and filled up.

As I ate, I thought about fueling. I have half tanks and I will be going to El Paso where I can fill with company fuel....I decided to wait to fuel.

I continued to Tucson, Arizona where I took I-19 south. This interstate is the only one I know of that doesn't have "mile markers"; it has "Kilometer Markers".

Got to the company yard in Nogales, found my loaded trailer, dropped my empty trailer and hooked up to the full one. I was not in Nogales long as I left it as soon as I got dispatched.

I took Hwy 82 out of Nogales and boy was it a beautiful drive. I stopped in the very pleasant town of Patagonia, Arizona and tried to call my sister in Bountiful, Utah. She didn't answer the phone. Since I was enjoying the town and had my truck parked, I walked around a short time. After the adventure at Patagonia I continued northeast on Hwy 82 to Hwy 90. Hwy 90 I took north to I-10 and then eastward. I got into New Mexico and was pretty tired. Before my day ended, I stopped at the rest area between Lordsburg and Deming to sleep...
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