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 27, 2010

April 27, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday- Woodbridge, Ontario)
I was just here two weeks ago(April 12, 1990) and picked up vinyl sliding. The difference is that this load was going to Mobile, Alabama. I never went to the "Texas" bar-be-que or the mall like I did April 12th. Don't know why as this load wqsn't due until Monday and I had plenty of time.

Was hand loaded with 38, 640 lbs of siding and was ready to go at 9:45 AM EST except for... I was there first last night and got the last dock. Since we have to "drop" the trailers because the limited space, I had two trailers that needed to be loaded and undocked before I could get my trailer. The first trailer was a fast one to get out as it was a local truck and was done shortly after me. The other trailer belonged to the other tractor from my company. His handle(nickname) was "Slow & Easy". His loading was done at 12:30 PM EST and we were ready to leave at 1 PM EST.

"Slow & Easy" and I ran together and chit chatted all the way to the border. We took Hwy 407 to Queens Hwy(now Kings Hwy) 427 then to Queens Hwy 401 to Windsor, Ontario. We had "line clearance" so that we wouldn't have to stop at the US customs. I got through with no problem but "Slow & Easy" didn't get past that first customs office. We parked our trucks and went into the customs broker(person that takes care of the customs paperwork between countries). The broker looked over everything and said she saw nothing wrong...neither did the second customs officer that OKed "Slow & Easy" to proceed.

We went to I-75 south and stopped at the Taylor(Detroit) terminal for fuel(96 gallons) at 5:45 PM EST. We split up at Taylor as I headed south on I-75 with the goal of getting to Nashville, Tennessee before I shut down. NO WAY...I was too tired and was in no hurry so I followed I-75 south to Lima, Ohio and stopped in the truck parking for the Waffle House restaurant around 8:30 PM EST. Went in and got me the standard: cheeseburger, fries and a soft drink...
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