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...

June 30, 2010

June 30, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Hammond, Louisiana)
No real hurry so I got up around 6:30 AM CST and had breakfast. I got everything legal and was heading west on I-12 a little before 9 AM CST.

Between Hammond and Baton Rouge(Louisiana) I thought alot about eating Cajun food even though I was full from breakfast I guess I thought about it as I saw a couple billboards advertising the food.

Got through Baton Rouge where I picked up I-10. Between Baton Rouge and Lafayette(Louisiana) there has to be at least 20 miles of continuous bridge going over the Louisiana swamp lands. Whenever I go over this long bridge-day or night-I am amazed at the beauty of the area. Well, at least I think so.

I continue west and took I-10 through Lake Charles(Louisiana) and into Texas. Through Beaumont, Texas and onto Houston I went. Instead of taking the I-510 loop around the lower part of Houston, I went into the downtown area and got on Hwy 59 to the southwest. I stopped at Kendleton(Texas) for a break and got some munchies for the road. I continued and had four lane roads until I got to Victoria, Texas. After Victoria, it was two lane roads all the way two Laredo. After Beeville and passing I-37, the terrain changed to desert, which I enjoy most the time.

I got to Freer, Texas(home of the annual Rattlesnake Festival) and only had 15 minutes more of legal driving time. I wasn't in a hurry thou I had kept my speed up and I wasn't wanting to stay in Freer to sit out a break; I left after a half hour break getting to the Laredo terminal at 9 PM CST. I parked my rig and checked in with dispatch; was told to drop load in the terminal yard. I parked my tractor outside the terminal yard in an empty field, turned on my TV, watched it and went to sleep....

Oh yes, I lied on my logbook-as if that was never ever done- and put myself on an eight hour break in Freer before going to Laredo. I knew I would be legal when I left Laredo as I would probably be there for at least a day.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

What's in my blog...???

Blog Archive