FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Taylor, Michigan)
Was sleeping nicely when I heard a knock on my tractor. I asked what “they” wanted and it was dispatch. He had a load of auto parts that needed to be taken to Talbotville, Ontario and dropped at the auto factory. I asked if I would be up in Canada all weekend and he said no; that I would be deadheaded (empty trailer) back to Taylor(Detroit suburb) terminal after I drop it. I had hoped to sleep until I felt like getting up but I said I would take it. I looked at my clock and it was 7:30 AM EST. I got up and checked with dispatch to see if I had time to go to the store and I was told yes. I just went to the grocery store and got a whole bunch of munchies, 4 gallons of drinking water and a half gallon of chocolate milk(it didn't last long). I was back at the terminal by 8:45 AM EST hooked up to the trailer. Checked the paperwork and it showed the weight of the load to be 29,576 lbs. I filled my tanks(136 gallons) and got my paperwork all legal and then took off for my drop off in Canada. Took I-75 to the Ambassador Bridge, paid the toll and then went over the Detroit River into Canada. Had to stop at the custom broker(a company that helps with the paperwork and fees between the countries) and got cleared to go to my delivery point. Traveled through Windsor, Ontario on Hwy 7 to the start of the Queen's Highway(now the King's Highway) 401. (see February 25, 1990, 2010 for more detail) I wasn't on Hwy 401 very long until I came to the first rest area. I stopped and bought a dozen donuts and paid for them with an America $20 bill. I got back over $23 in Canadian change. Continued northeast on Hwy 401 toward London, Ontario. The speed limit is 100 here...that is 100 kilometers/hr or 62 miles/hr..Went to exit 177 and got off Hwy 401 and went to the auto assembly plant in Talbotville. Turned my paperwork into the receiver and then dropped my trailer. Hooked up to an empty trailer, did a vehicle inspection and called the Taylor(Detroit)terminal dispatch. They said to come back to Taylor empty. Got my paperwork caught up and left for Taylor, Michigan about 12:30 PM EST. I just got back on the Queen's Highway(now King's Highway) 401 and headed for Windsor, Ontario where I paid the toll over the Ambassador bridge with the Canadian money(I get a free dozen donuts that way-see 2/25/1990, 2010). Take I-75 back to the Taylor terminal and am back by 3 PM EST. I them checked in with dispatch and got on the trucker's ready board where I was number 12. I won't be going out tonight. I and a couple drivers went to the Swedish buffet and filled up our tanks. Back to the terminal and we watched terminal TV until we went out to my trucks to go to bed....
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...
March 24, 2010
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- 666--Highway (2)
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