FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Spokane, Washington)Bill,my son, is riding with me for awhile...
We were at at our fuel stop on the west end of Spokane when I woke at 5:45 AM PST. I decided to fuel(109 gallons) as I am not sure of the fueling points on the west coast. I have a booklet of fueling spots but I don't use these places alot. I did my vehicle inspection and logbook update.
I left the truckstop and backtracked on I-90 to Division St and went north on it. I had quite a ways to go before finding the tire store. I checked with the manager and was told where to back up to. While I was backing, Bill woke up and made his appearance. Bill watched as I unloaded the tires that were going there(this load has several drops). I told Bill that he could help on the next couple loads.
We were headed toward Seattle at 8:45 AM PST. I kept my speed up and enjoyed the flatness--except for one steep downgrade near Moses Lake(Washington)--of the land; wheat fields as far as one could see. Past Ellensburg(Washington) where I started climbing into the mountains and went over Snoqualmie Pass. When I got to I-405, I went north to Kirkland where our second drop was. We got there at 1:15 PM PST and got the few tires off. Went to the third drop in Bellevue(Washington) and got those few tires off. By 4 PM PST we were heading south on 405 and then south on I-5. We continued south on I-5 until we got to I-205, north of the Oregon border. Took I-205 over into Oregon and stopped at our first stop tomorrow in Gresham, Oregon at 7:30 PM PST.
Laura, a friend of mine living in Tigard(Oregon), was waiting for us at the Gresham tire store. I parked the truck---I was staying at the store that night--Laura drove us around and I took us to dinner. Bill went home with Laura and she is to show Bill Portland and all the bridges tomorrow morning. She will meet me at my second stop tomorrow...
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...
August 12, 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)
- bull haulers (1)
- Catch 22 (1)
- caught but... (2)
- caught-almost (3)
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- computer portable desk. (1)
- computer stuff (1)
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- diabetes and driving (3)
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- interesting (3)
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- logbook violation-see violation (1)
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- mining--me??? (1)
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- places to see (13)
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- ripped off... (1)
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- trucker spouses (2)
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- Trucking Student Questions (4)
- unreasonables (1)
- vehicle inspection (2)
- violation (51)
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