FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Haystack and I had just entered the city limits of Tulsa when our new day had started. Luckily he had been to this warehouse before--actually twice--and he took me right to it. We were backed up to the docks--the warehouse was closed and our doors not open--and bedding down for some sleep at 12:30 AM CST.
Haystack informed me that this place gets an early start, and they did. Someone woke us both up at 5 AM CST and had us open our doors. We both were unloaded by 6:30 AM CST and called dispatch. Haystack talked first and had a load to St. Paul, Minnesota; I had a load to Dallas, Texas.
I found Quaker Oats where I was to pick up the trailer. A problem... the yard guy had put the wheels in a washed out ditch and I couldn't get the trailer out. The yard guy came by and had the solution(from experience no doubt); use a couple 4x4 boards. I got out.
I had my load but I was still tired. I decided to sleep until noon. Noon came and I was on my way. I normally would have gone down Hwy 75 to Dallas, but I decided today I would take I-44(Oklahoma Turnpike) to Oklahoma City and then take I-35 south to Dallas.
Stopped in Oklahoma City for lunch--or an early dinner--and then it was off to Dallas. I found the location I was to drop my trailer off at a little after 6 PM CST. I dropped my loaded trailer and picked up an empty one. Called dispatch and they said to come to the terminal. I asked if they had a load of tires to Utah and they said they did. The dispatcher assigned the load to me and said he would put the paperwork with the trailer, which he did.
I went to the terminal at Lancaster(Dallas) and got my loaded trailer. I got dispatched, fueled(124 gallons), did a vehicle inspection and updated my logbook. I pulled out of the terminal at 8 PM CST going west on I-20. Took Hwy 287 through Ft. Worth. The moon was big and bright tonight and it made driving good.
As my day ended, I was about a half hour before Childress, Texas, where I had planned to stop for the night...
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...
June 27, 2011
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- 666--Highway (2)
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