FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Rest Area between Lordsburg & Deming, New Mexico)
The Sun had been up for awhile when I woke up and pulled my sorry rear end out of bed. Shortly after getting up, I headed east on I-10. Just before getting to Las Cruces, New Mexico, I stopped at a highway convenient store and truckstop and got some munchies and chocolate milk. Drove on into Texas on I-10 and saw some areas so run down that it looked like I was driving through Mexico-across the border that I could see alot of.
I got to the El Paso, Texas terminal at 11:30 AM MST and checked in with dispatch. The terminal was getting ready to close at noon. I was just sitting thinking about where I would eat-lunch buffet at the "Just a Truckstop" here or dinner on down the road-when another driver came and started talking with me. He had a load to Laredo(Texas) and didn't want to go down there. I offered to trade him and he happily traded loads. That answered my question on where and when I would eat...here and now....
This load was due in Laredo Monday so I had a little time here. After fueling(181 gallons) at he terminal, I went and had lunch at "Just a Truckstop" and then left east on I-10 at 2 PM MST.
When I was refueling, another driver pulled up to refuel in a Peterbilt tractor-I had a Kenworth. We started talking and he claimed to get his best fuel mileage when he traveled at speeds over 70. I asked if he often traveled that fast and he said that he did most the time. Well, we split up and I went and ate. I then headed east on I-10. The interstate was pretty empty and I was just doing the speed limit( 60 mph) and enjoying the drive. I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw this truck catching up with me but was far behind. I kept my eye on it and it caught up with me by the McNary(Texas) exit. I got on the CB radio and found out that it was Big Joe(handle), the one I had refueled with earlier. He was moving right along and I decided to run with him. It took all I had to keep up with him. We were literally passing everything eastbound on I-10. We went through Sierra Blanca(New Mexico) and I was getting worried as he-Big Joe-didn't seem at all worried about getting caught by any law enforcement. I never asked if he was running a Bird Dog, but I would imagine he was. We got near Van Horn(Texas) and I told him "bye" and let him speed away.
I got to Fort Stockton, Texas, stopped for a short break and then headed down Hwy 285. I got to Sanderson, Texas at 8:30 PM CST and was tired. I pulled off into a parking lot of a closed down restaurant, near a phone, and laid down for some sleep...
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...
November 3, 2010
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- 666--Highway (2)
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