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

My photo
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...

February 13, 2010

February 13, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Springfield, Missouri)
Was woken up at 7:30 AM and told to back up to door “C”, which I did after the gal that woke me up-by tapping on my sleeper-checked my trailer door's seal and I opened the doors. They started unloading me at 8 AM and I went and watched the unloading. All the mufflers were in boxes on pallets so the forktruck they used did a pretty fast job. When they took out a pallet, they checked the contents and labeled the whole pallet. Them they stored it wherever it went. They had me ready to go at 9:30 AM. Called dispatch and was told to “deadhead(go empty)” to the Joplin, Missouri terminal. Did my daily checks and paperwork, ate some munchies and headed west on I-44 just before 10 AM. Was in Joplin yard by 11:15 AM. Dropped my empty trailer and checked in with dispatch. Dispatch said they had a hot load that had to get to Kansas City, Missouri and I could have as no one really wanted it(because it didn't have enough pay miles). I said to give it to me and I would go with it. The load weight was light(31,490 lbs) so I fueled(174 gallons), hooked up the trailer, did a vehicle inspection, did the paperwork and was out of there by 1 PM. Got on I-44 east a short ways to Hwy 71 where I took it north. I kept moving as the traffic was light on this 4 lane road. Followed Hwy 71 to just below Kansas City where I took the I-435 up the east side of KC, Mo to our terminal above I-70. Got to the terminal and checked with dispatch as to drop in the yard or deliver it. Was told to drop it and a local driver would deliver it in the morning. After I dropped the trailer, it was after 4PM and dispatch said I would have nothing tonight so....I talked with the other waiting drivers and we all ordered pizzas to be delivered to us. I got a large sausage with extra cheese...Watched the terminal TV with the others and ate my pizza....went to bed around 10 PM....

Finally going west again.....tomorrow.....PT
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

What's in my blog...???

Blog Archive