FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-traveling to Huntsville, Alabama)
At midnight, as my day started, I was closing in on I-565 while on I-65 south. Got to I-565 and took it east toward Huntsville. I found the receiver at 12:30 AM CST as they were off of I-565 west of the downtown area of Huntsville.
I bunked down for some sleep and was sleeping well when there came a knock on my tractor side door about 6:30 AM CST. I had my alarm set for 7:00 AM CST but I guess not to get up early enough. The fellow from receiving was wanting to get to the unloading of my trailer. I backed up to their dock and they had me unloaded by 9 AM CST. I called dispatch about my next assignment and was told to deadhead to our Memphis(Tennessee) terminal.
A little before 9:30 AM CST I was heading west on I-565. Once I got to I-65 I continued west on Alternate Hwy 72. Just south of Florence(Alabama), Hwy 72 Alternate and Hwy 72 join up and Hwy 72 continues west. I continued on Hwy 72 into Mississippi and into the southeast corner of the Memphis area--In Tennessee. It was an uneventful drive.
I checked in with Memphis dispatch and they gave me a load going to Rexdale, Ontario...more auto parts. I hooked up to the trailer that was in the terminal yard. I updated my logbook, did a vehicle inspection and fueled(58 gallons) before leaving at 2:15 PM CST. I followed I-240 east to I -40 and then east on it. I kept my speed up and passed through Nashville caughting I-65 north. I got into Kentucky and continued to Shepherdsville(Kentucky) where I shut down for the night at 9:30 PM EST...
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 4, 2011
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What's in my blog...???
- 666--Highway (2)
- A Trucker Tale-introduction (1)
- A Trucker's Tale (33)
- abandonment of truck (1)
- accidents (12)
- animals (3)
- backing (2)
- buffalo burgers (1)
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- caught but... (2)
- caught-almost (3)
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- places to see (13)
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- restaurants-good ones (5)
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- violation (51)
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