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...

July 19, 2010

July 19, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Memphis, Tennessee)
I woke while sleeping in my tractor bunk around 1 AM. I laid there, kind of watched TV for awhile and dozed off and on until about 2:15 AM CST. I was up ready to leave, fueled(122 gallon) and heading over the Mississippi River by 3 AM CST. The Arkansas westbound coupe was open so I went across it; no problem.

At 5:30 AM CST I had found the delivery spot in the northern part of Little Rock, Arkansas. The place was still closed so I just sat at the gate that looked like it took me to the loading/unloading docks. I could see a convenience store about a block west of me so I took a walk to it. I got me a couple donuts-no police at the store eating donuts-and a chocolate milk. Went back to my truck and sat in the driver's seat and ate and waited. A little after 7 AM CST the employees started showing up. One employee opened the gate and told me where to back the trailer up to. A little after 9 AM EST I was empty. I walked into the trailer and the smell about knocked me over. The smell was like the oil base drugs I had given as a nursing student years ago. I can still "see" the thick oily yellow texture of the medicine.

I called dispatch and was given a load to pick up tomorrow afternoon in Batesville, Arkansas.
I drove to Searcy, Arkansas where I got a motel room for the night. After checking out my room, complaining about what a hot day it was, I dropped my trailer and drove over to the Wal-Mart. I did some shopping and then went back to my motel room. Around 6 PM CST I went to the Waffle House for dinner.

While eating, I talked with a Husband/Wife driving team of another company. They mainly complained about their company (a nation wide, well known company) and made me happy I was driving for the one I am. My company had problems but don't all???

Went back to the room for the night.
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