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...

March 17, 2010

March 17, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Joplin, Missouri)
Checked in with dispatch when I got up and was told that there is a load coming in this afternoon that I can take to Kansas City and drop. I waited around for the load all morning and into the afternoon. I did, after I was told I would be waiting, go out and fuel my tractor. Because my tanks were about ¼ full I decided to put on only 12 gallons. I believed I had enough to reach Kansas City but didn't want to take a chance. My load came in about 1:45 PM CST. I hooked up and weighed as it was around 44,000 lbs. The previous driver had got the weights on the wheels legal so that wasn't a problem. I took off for the Kansas City(Missouri) terminal at about 2:00 PM CST. Took I-44 east to Hwy 71 north. Followed Hwy 71 to I-635 and took it up the east side of Kansas City, Missouri to the terminal. I dropped the trailer in the drop yard and took my paperwork into dispatch(5 PM CST). I was informed that that dispatcher could dispatch me to deadhead(go empty) to Arnold, Missouri where I would pick up a load of cans for Kansas City, Kansas early Monday AM. I took the deadhead and load as I have done this load before and know where the shipper is. Knowing my load will be extremely light in weight, I filled my tanks(174 gallons). I was off for Kingdom City, Missouri and the “Just a Truckstop” by 6:30 PM CST. A lot of traffic out tonight and driving was a little slower it seemed . Got parked at the Kingdom City truckstop by 9:30 PM CST and decided to wait to see the kids tomorrow as it was late now. Went inside truckstop and “pigged” out on “all I can eat” ribs and then went to their movie room where I watched a movie with the other drivers until about midnight....
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

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

Blog Archive