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...
March 29, 2011
March 29, 1991,2011
FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Bountiful, Utah) I spent the night with my Sister's family and when morning came, My Sister took me back to my truck--parked next to K-mart--so I could get moving. I didn't move too fast as I decided to have lunch at the buffet in Provo. I had plenty of time to get there. I got my logbook and vehicle inspection done and headed for Provo and breakfast(brunch) at around 9 AM MST. Taking my time through Salt Lake City, I went through the Salt Lake Valley. I then traveled over the mountain into the Utah Valley(seeing the Utah Highway Patrol "turkey shoot"--see "Highway Patrol-Utah" below-- as I did) and got to Provo. I parked in the buffet restaurant parking lot and waited for the restaurant to open. IT OPENED and I was the third one into eat. I ate and took my time as I don't have to be in Arlington, Texas until Monday. After eating, I left Provo south on I-15 at 12:30 PM MST. Shortly after leaving Provo, I took Hwy 6 east up over the mountains over Soldier Summit down past Helper, Utah--a town history I enjoy reading--into an upper desert valley leading to Green River(Utah). I stopped in Green River at the convienent store with alot of truck parking at 3:15 PM MST. I bought 6 hot dogs(3/$1) and saved them. I then headed east on I-70/Hwy 191 until Hwy 191 went south past Moab(Utah), continuing to Monticello, Utah. At Monticello I took Hwy 666 eastward into Colorado. I was fascinated for some reason with seeing the mountain Monticello sits against grow smaller as in got closer to Colorado. Anyway, I took Hwy 666 on down to Cortez and then into New Mexico and it's slow, continual decline into the community of Shiprock(New Mexico). At the junction of Hwy 666 and Hwy 64 I had to stop at the State weight scale but had no problem. I switched to Hwy 64 and went east to Broomfield(New Mexico) where I stopped at a convienent store and bought some munchies. I was there a short time and then I headed south on Hwy 550 and stopped in Cuba, New Mexico for the night at 10 PM MST.
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- 666--Highway (2)
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