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 28, 2010

July 28, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Milan, Michigan)
Well rested and backed up to the dock waiting to be loaded as my day started. Shortly after midnight, I felt the trailer start shaking indicating that I was being loaded. I got out and walked back to the dock and found the loading done. I was loaded by the forktruck pushing the load(less than 6,000 lbs) in; a loading procedure I have seen before.

By 12:45 AM EST, I was heading toward Kansas City, Missouri down Hwy 23. I went into Ohio and connected with I-475 going south. Followed I-475 south to Hwy 24 which I took to the southwest. Night darkness surrounded me as I passed Waterville, Napoleon, Defiance and Antiwerp, Ohio before passing into Indiana.

The traffic was light as I passed one of my favorite spots-convenient store at New Haven, Indiana-at 3:15 AM EST. I kept on moving and went through Ft. Wayne(I-469 not built yet) to I-69 southbound. On I-69, I stopped for a short break at the first Pickle Park I came to. On past Indianapolis through the downtown area on I-70. I-70 westbound into Illinois and to our fuel stop at Effingham, Illinois at 7:30 AM CST.

At Effingham, I sat in the truckstop restaurant, eating the breakfast buffet, and talking with a couple drivers from my company. We talked and really said nothing; just enjoyed the company. By 9 AM CST I was sleeping in my bunk with my tractor engine running.

I was up and ready to go at 4 PM CST and left the truckstop, after eating a couple munchies, shortly after that. I headed west on I-70 and took I-270 west over the north part of St. Louis. Hooked back into I-70 and continued west. Thought about stopping at Fulton, Missouri to get my post box mail but didn't. I did stop at the Pickle Park by the town of Danville, Missouri and that stop may have made me not want to stop in Fulton....When I am moving, I really want to keep going.

Got to the Kansas City terminal at 10:15 PM CST where I checked in with dispatch. He said to drop my load in the terminal yard and go on the TRB, with I did. Watched terminal TV with a few other drivers past the day ending...
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