Enjoying North America while earning a living...

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

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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 28, 2011

August 28, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Laredo, Texas)
I was once again in Laredo with a decision to make; go to the Morten's home or not. Since my number on the TRB was pretty low I decided to stay around the terminal yard. Went out to eat breakfast with two other drivers and when I returned I found I was no 11 on the TRB.

It was 2 PM CST when I got called to the dispatch window. I had a choice of two loads: Houston or Fort Worth. I took the Fort Worth as I seem to get better loads out of that area. The load was going to Mattel Toy warehouse; a place I had been many times. I took the load paperwork and then finished talking to the drivers I had been talking to.

I found the trailer in the yard and had the maintenence man put three lights on the trailer as they were missing--not uncommon of our trailers that come from over the border. Hooked up, did my paperwork and then the vehicle inspection. I was on my way north on I-35 by 2:45 PM CST. It was a warm afternoon in the Texas desert but I had my air conditioning going.

I got to "Just a Truckstop" in San Antonio(Texas) just before 5:30 PM CST and decided to have dinner. I hurried dinner along and decided not to fill my tanks at this fuel stop of ours. I would fuel at our Dallas area terminal in Lanscaster. I was once again heading north on I-35 by 6:30 PM CST. As I traveled through Austin, Texas, I decided to take the lower level of the bi-level interstate, something I rarely did.

When I got to were I-35 split into "E" & "W", I took I-35W to Fort Worth. This Mattel warehouse is right between Dallas & Ft. Worth so I could have taken either way. I got to I-20 and went east to Hwy 360. Hwy 360, I took north to the warehouse. I got to the guard gate at just before 11:30 PM CST. I had a "Drop & Hook" load so I dropped my trailer, gave the paperwork to the guard and got another trailer that was empty. I called Joplin dispatch as the Lancaster office was closed and was told to just call Lancaster in the morning....
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