FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Kingston, Ontario)
Left the rest area on Hwy 201 near Kingston(Ontario) after getting me some Canadian donuts(see May 15, 1991). Time of leaving was 10 AM EST. Got to the truckstop in Lancaster, Ontario at 12:30 PM EST where I found another driver from my company. we eat together and found that the majority of drivers here were waiting for the word that the Quebec Scales had closed.
At 2 PM CST, the word came out that the Quebec scales had closed and there was a mass exodus toward Quebec. I got into the "convoy" into Quebec. Hwy 401 turned into Hwy 20 in Quebec and I followed it throught Montreal and across the St. Lawence River. I decided to take the southeast highway to Quebec City. I really enjoyed the ride upthere. When the St Lawence River came into view, the rows of homes seemed to become interesting...The houses were basically except for the multi-colored differences in them...Fantastic!!! Got to the city from the south and saw massive amount of industry. Industry all around!!! Crossed the St. Lawence River again and found the warehouse I was to deliver to with little problem.
I was in the heart of the North American "French" speecking area. I found the warehouse and they had a guard walking around. We had a hard time talking to each other and he finally got me to back in to a dock in the area that I was to unload at tomorrow. I got him to point to where a convenience store was and I walked to it.
I walked into the store and asked where to bathrooms was and the young man looked puzzled for a moment and then pointed to the mens' room. I did what I had intended and reentered the shopping area and found the young clerk talking with another yound guy. They both quit talking when they noted me and I said, "You can keep talking about your girlfriends. I don't understand French". They kept looking at me and I walked up to the clerk and paid for the sandwich I had with a Canadian $20 bill. The two boys still were quiet and not talking, acting like they didn't understand English. I felt like laying down the $10 bill I had and saying something like, "First one that can talk to me in English gets the $10." I didn't as I felt I would loose the $10.....
Went back to my truck and bedded down for the night. Turned on my TV and found everything in Frech. Just left TV on and went to sleep...
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...
October 14, 2011
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- 666--Highway (2)
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