FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-El Paso, Texas)
I was awake by 7 AM MST just to see how the TRB was going. I went into the terminal and found my number at 23. Nothing soon...
As I walked out of the terminal, there were a couple drivers sitting by the door, one had an assignment. He was to bobtail to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I just went back to my tractor and continued to watch my TV and lay there. I thought of filling my tanks with fuel but I don't know what my load will be or how much it will weigh. I went back into the terminal about 8:20 AM MST and found I was number 11 on the TRB. I had brought in some munchies so I just sat down and waited.
Erma, the dispatcher gal, didn't look busy at the window so I went up and asked what my status was. She looked my truck number up and told me to call the dispatcher in Joplin, Missouri. I did and found I too was to bobtail to Oklahoma City. Joplin dispatch, my main dispatcher, said that he would just put me down to be in Oklahoma City Friday at 8 AM CST. Great, no problem.
I filled my tanks(148 gallons), get my logbook updated and looked at my map. I decided to go out Hwy 180 toward Carlsbad, New Mexico. No one is running with me so I can do what I want to do. As I headed out Hwy 180, looking at all the desert, I started thinking about seeing Carlsbad Caverns; the opportunity couldn't get better than this...plenty of time and no trailer. I went up-a good climb past El Capitan Mountain- into New Mexico to Whites City. Got to Whites City, New Mexico at 12:30 PM MST and pulled to the side of the road to think. Should I, or not, go up to the Caverns? I really wanted to.
I decided to follow the several mile road to the top of the mountain where the caverns had their opening. I parked in the RV section of parking. I had a choice, take the long walk down or the elevator to the cavern floor. I took the long walk, a mistake to be realized tomorrow. It was a nice , well angled, long walk. The downward angle was pretty steep but I handled it. I rented the ear piece that told of the rock formations as I descended to the cave floor. Getting to the floor, I found myself amazed at the beauty the the area. There were two telephones at the cave bottom and so I called two of my girlfriends: Jan in Kansas City and Cathy in Laredo. I took the elevator up to the surface when I got done looking around. It was now getting close to 4:45 PM MST and I got back to Hwy 180 and headed told Carlsbad, New Mexico.
I was back to Hwy 180 westbound at 5:15 PM MST. Zipped through Carlsbad and got to Texas by 7:30 PM MST. Hwy 180 runs with Hwy 62 and they separate in Seminole, Texas. I followed Hwy 62 to Lubbock, Texas and took the "289" loop north and then east to I-27 north. I pulled into "Just a Truckstop" in Amarillo, Texas at 9:30 PM CST. I was hungry so I went to the buffet at the restaurant. The buffet was just about done for the day and wasn't looking good. I decided to have the "all the ribs I can eat" meal. I was sitting with two other drivers from my company so as my day ended, I was talkin' and eatin'...
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...
August 29, 2010
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- 666--Highway (2)
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