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...

April 8, 2010

April 8, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Sunday- rest area near Lanett, Alabama)
Got up this morning feeling “lazy” and in a “I don't care” mood. It was 8 AM CST and I am sitting right on the Time Zone line. Soooo....It's 9 AM EST just a couple “feet” east of me. I was on the go at 9:30 AM EST after walking around the rest area, doing a vehicle inspection and getting my paperwork up to date. Traveled toward Atlanta, Georgia wanting to go straight through the city but knowing that I need to go around it on the loop(I-285). I had heard too much about the law nailing big trucks(semis) for going through if they have no business there(inside the loop). When I got to I-285, I took it to the east and then to the north to I-85. It would have been nice to have just stayed on I-85 through town. Anyway, I took I-85 north (it's a north/south interstate that's kinda running northeast for me) toward South Carolina but stopped for a break and lunch at a nice truckstop in Commerce, Georgia. It was 1:30 PM EST when I got back on the road toward Charlotte, North Carolina. Went past the big peach water tower and stopped at Duncan, South Carolina for fuel(108 gallons). Onto Charlotte, North Carolina where the state truck weigh scales were rolling us across the scales. I had no problems though I was heavy. I had paper that is used to make bank checks...33,756 lbs of it. Continued to my destination after having followed the directions I was given. Found the receiver and parked by the docks. The building was locked up. The building was out in the woods and the surroundings were beautiful to say the least . The time was 5:15 PM EST when I stopped and turned off my engine. I was so overwhelmed with the beautiful evening and area that I just had to take a walk. I didn't walk too far but I enjoyed myself. I wasn't in the truck very long when a few employees showed up for work. One signed my seal(security that trailer doors hadn't been opened since the shipper closed them) and told me that he would unload me so I backed up to the dock. He had me unloaded by 11 PM EST. I called dispatch and got on the trucker ready board for this area. Was told to call back in the morning and he said that I could sleep right there on their property...

Tomorrow...a little bit about real hillbillies...
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