FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Newport, Arkansas)
My alarm clock went off at 1 AM CST and my new day had started. After up dating my logbook and doing a fast vehicle inspection, I was heading south on Hwy 67 a little before 1 :30 AM CST. Enjoyed the drive through Arkansas and it went by uneventful. I got to Little Rock, Arkansas and took I-30 southwest toward Texas. Rolled into Texas, stopping just past New Boston(Texas) at the interstate pickle park for a short break. Onto Carrollton, Texas by taking I-30 to I-635(northwest) and then to I-35E(north). Got to carrollton at 8:30 AM CST and checked in with the receiver. Since I had no appointment--none needed--and they had a dock open, they had me back up to it and unloaded me. Under unloaded, I went across the street to a donut shop, bought four jelly donuts and called local dispatch. They told me to come to the terminal. I was at the terminal in Lancaster at 11 AM CST and let dispatch know I was there. They had a load for me and asked if I wanted it. I took it. It had two deliveries: first in El Paso(Texas) Monday and Hayward, California for Wednesday. Since it was Friday and I had to be in El Paso Monday, I got a motel room for the night. Called my girl friend in Carlsbad, New Mexico and told her I would be there tomorrow night....A Trucker's Tale:(mine-a trailer tire blow out) While traveling north on Hwy 71 south of Kansas City, Missouri, I was just happily heading north when I heard--loud--one my my rear tires blow. Our company had been using recap tires on all but the steering tires. Well, the tire blew and a voice came over the CB radio. A driver behind me said that the tire tread totally came off, went under the mud flap and flew over--missing--the car between me and him. He then went over my tread. He said that there were two women in that car and that he bet I scared them pretty good. My company eventually did away with the "using" recap policy.
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...
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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)
- bull haulers (1)
- Catch 22 (1)
- caught but... (2)
- caught-almost (3)
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- church (2)
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- computer portable desk. (1)
- computer stuff (1)
- conservation agents (1)
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- cooking-on-the-road (2)
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- dispatcher's mistakes (1)
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- interesting (3)
- jackknife video (1)
- Just in time trucking (1)
- load content-strange (1)
- load turn down policy (1)
- logbook violation-see violation (1)
- logbooks (2)
- loyalty to a company (1)
- Matter of Opinion (1)
- Mayberry and Andy Griffith (4)
- mining--me??? (1)
- My opinion (1)
- Olympic bobsled (1)
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- places to see (13)
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- restaurants-good ones (5)
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- ripped off... (1)
- security-truck (3)
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- unreasonables (1)
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- violation (51)
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