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...

April 12, 2011

April 12, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS: (Friday-Laredo, Texas) I was up and going at 7:30 AM CST. I walked into the terminal building and saw my TRB number was 28 and so I checked with dispatch about the approximate time I would get a load. I was told that it would be this afternoon most likely. I then got in my tractor and went to the Morten's home and found Pam home. I gave her the bouquet I picked in Missouri a couple days ago. Cathy, who lived down the street from the Mortens. wasn't home so I just left her flowers at her front door with a "Guess who" note. Went to the big supermarket and got more munchies before heading back to the terminal. My favorite chinese restaurant was almost open so I waited for it and then had lunch. Back to the terminal and found that I wasn't too far from getting a load. I waited until just before 1 PM CST and then dispatch called my number. They had two loads; one to Nshville, Tennessee and the other to Commerce, Georgia...I took Commerce, Georgia. I hooked up, did a vehicle inspection and double checked my trailer number against the paperwork. I was in a hurry to get going though I didn't need to be. I headed out of town 1:30 PM CST at on Hwy 59 toward Houston. I was stopped at the border patrol check point and I had no problem. After the check point and miles before getting to Freer(Texas) I went through miles of white bufferflies. Though it was kinda pretty and made me feel spring was here, I feared that the bufferflies would block the air from going through my raditor. When I got to Freer, I stopping at the convienence store I liked that had truck parking and checked the front of the radiator for "butterfly" blockage. I had watched my engine temperature closer than normal to Freer but found flew butterflies when I checked after parking. Since I was parked, I went in and bought three ice cream bars before heading toward Houston again. At 6:30 PM CST I stopped for a short break at Kendleton, Texas and then headed toward Houston again. I took Hwy 59 right into Houston and hooked up with I-10 eastbound(I never had fear of the downtown areas like some drivers did). I continued into Louisiana and stopped for the night at the rest area outside of Jennings(Louisiana) at 10:45 PM CST...
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