FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Fulton, Missouri-home time)
At home and staying at the Barnes' place in my camper shell. Got to see the kids today and we just did things...
A Trucker's Tale:(My tale of a nice, young Amish couple)
It was a warm afternoon when I got a load at our Detroit(Taylor), Michigan Terminal going to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I enjoyed stopping at the convenience store in New Haven, Indiana in the evening where I would get some chips & dip, sit on large concrete blocks and watch the sun go down. To do this this evening was my plan as the time would be right when I got to New Haven.
I got to New Haven at the right time to work my plan. I got me a big bag of chips and a big container of dip and went and sat on the concrete block by my truck. I wasn't there more than a minute when an Amish buggy drove up with a young couple in it. The young man asked if the truck next to me was mine and I said yes. He then asked if his wife-8 months pregnant-and he could get in and look at it. I said OK and opened the doors. I helped his wife into the truck on the passenger side and he got in the driver's. They were looking at everything with a certain amount of excitement. We talked and he asked where all I went. I told him I would send him postcards or other things from all around(I sent several kids stuff from all around) if he gave me his address. I took out a business card and he wrote down his name and address on the back for me. Sorry thing is that I didn't check what he wrote until later and when I did I can't read any of it; not even his name!!!!
After they got done looking at my truck, he asked,"Would you like to see our buggy?". I replied that I would. We walked over to it and he first introduced me to their mare "Abe". He then showed me the taillight-required by law for night riding-and the simple generating system it had to charge its small auto battery. It was a very pleasant visit and ended after dark.
I ate my chips & dip while I drove down the road heading for Oklahoma City...I wasn't upset that I didn't get to eat my snack and watch the sun go down as I was happy for the time spent with this very nice couple.
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...
June 23, 2010
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