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...

September 14, 2010

September 14, 1990, 2010

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Lancaster, Texas)
Sleep felt good last night as my tractor sat in the yard of our new terminal in Lancaster, Texas(Dallas area). I got up and checked with dispatch. The dispatcher told me that they had a Utah tire load coming in later today. In fact, he told me that I could deadhead to Carrollton, Texas and pick it up. I said OK.

I followed I-35E north to Carrollton and got to the location where the tires were being loaded. I checked in with the fellow in charge, dropped my empty trailer and waited for my tire load. I was there before my load was to be loaded into the trailer so I drove around awhile. I stopped for lunch at a pizza buffet and filled my tank. I got back to the loading location about 1 PM CST and my trailer was within an hour of getting done.

I was on my way back to Lancaster with this trailer at 2 PM CST. Dispatch wanted to do something with the paperwork so I had to take the load back to the terminal instead of taking it on to Utah; no problem as I get paid for the extra miles. Back at the new terminal, I fueled(142 gallons), did a good vehicle inspection, got my paperwork gone, eat left over pizza in the truckers' lounge, got my paperwork from dispatch and left a little past 4 PM CST. I decided to take I-20 west to Hwy 287 north where I could go up there the downtown of Fort Worth. I was amazed at the lack of traffic I run into on this Friday night, but not disappointed. The buildings of downtown Ft. Worth(Cow town) and downtown Dallas have architecture that seems so different from each other; strange to me for being so close.

Continued the long drive northwest on Hwy287. going through the "mess" in Wichita Falls, Texas. The drive was pleasant but for some reason, this stretch always seems never ending. After traveling through Childress(Texas) I stopped at the truckstop on the west end. I looked around for awhile and then headed toward Amarillo(Texas). I got to the "Just a Truckstop" at 11:15 PM CST. I was tired but I went into the truckstop, looked around and went back to my tractor and went to bed...
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