FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Red Oak, Texas)
I woke up around 7 AM CST with my TV and engine going. I checked in with dispatch and was told that they had a load of tires coming in that will go to Arizona. Dispatch asked if I wanted it and I say, "YES!"for two reasons. One, it was a good load and two, it got me off the common routes our company runs regularly.
The load came in and I hooked up to it. The weight by the paperwork said 28,266 lbs of tires and so that was no problem. I fueled(128 gallons). I was ready to leave and left by noon CST. I headed up I-35E to I-20 where I went west. I followed I 20 west through some pretty boring land. This area is one of the many areas in Texas I don't enjoy traveling through. Got past Abilene and Sweetwater where I took Hwy 84 to Snyder, Texas. At Snyder, I stopped at the Diary Queen ice cream place on Hwy 180 and got a large raspberry shake. Followed Hwy 180 west through Seminole, Texas where they have, or had, the smallest Wal-Mart store I ever saw. Kept on Hwy 180 into New Mexico and through Hobbs(New Mexico). After Hobbs I took Hwy 529(pretty interesting travel if you like oil rigs) to Hwy 82. Went through Artesia on Hwy 82 and went past Artesia, The road had some huge signs I didn't pay any attention to.
Got through the little town of Hope, New Mexico and I saw the signs again. They said that I couldn't continue on this highway unless I had an engine retarder(Jake Brake?) because of the mountain road's steepness. I pulled over and truly thought about continuing. Should I or shouldn't I??? I really thought and thought. I decided to return to Artesia and go down to Carlsbad, New Mexico as a driver that past me said that often there will be an officer checking for engine retarders down the road. This I did even though I hate to back track!
I got to Carlsbad and shut down at 10:15 PM CST for the night in the dirt lot next to the Wal-Mart store. I adjusted my time so it didn't show the screw up with going to Artesia. Yep, it showed me going from Hobbs to Carlsbad. Hey, it is lost money if time becomes short. I turned on my TV, laid down, left my engine running-for the air conditioning- and went to sleep...
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...
May 15, 2010
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- 666--Highway (2)
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