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

My photo
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 24, 2011

April 24, 1991, 2011














FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Hayward, California)


I slept light last night and was woken two times before dawn by trucks-not semis going into the receivers. The first was at 4 AM PST and that truck was apparently taking on delivery stuff. The second was at 5:30 AM PST and they were delivering. These two trucks looked like they did this daily. At 7:30 AM PST the people I needed started showing up. Shortly before 8 AM PST a fellow came out and told me to back into the out door dock I had noticed yesterday. I had to pull up next to it and then wiggle my truck back and forth for a good 15 minutes to get to the dock-see pictures-and when I did I noticed my doors where shut. Luckily I just had to pull up and open them...The receiver got me unloaded of the rolls of cable wire and then came the strangest ofter to help me that I beleave I have even gotten...Because the dock is so difficult to wiggle the trailer in and out of, they--the unloader--offered to pick up my trailer-after I unhook it--with their huge forktruck and move it-the trailer--over so I can rehook and judt drive out. I thought for a few seconds and decided not to have them do it. I could see me calling my company and telling them that this company had "dropped" my trailer because I didn't want to do my job.........It wiggled my unit out and once out the gate called dispatch at 9:30 PM PST. Dispatch told me to call back in an hour. I left for the main roads so I could find a truckstop. The CB radio channel 19 didn't help much as I didn't hear much on it and thus didn't talk to anyone. California CB radio, I believe, WAS handled on channels 15 & 17; one for northern and one for southern California. I was not familiar at all with this area so I just drove until I found a restaurant with street truck parking. I found a spot to parellel park--on the blind side--and was happy I did. I went into the restauant and called dispatch; they had a load for me. I was to go to Anaheim, California for a tomorrow pickup of auto batteries to be dropped in our Oklahoma City, Oklahoma dropyard. I was glad to get going!!! I took I-580 east to I-5 south. Went right down through the San Joaquin Valley. Went through the scale & check station--no problems-- before climbing the Grapevine(see yesterday) into the mountains. Stayed on I-5 into the 2+hours of "population" city through Los Aneles to Anahein. Found the shipper for tomorrow close to I-5. I was there around 6 PM PST only because the Los Angeles traffic slowed me up alot. I lived in this area for years so I drove around for awhile just looking around. Went back to the battery plant and the guard told me that I could park in the furniture warehouse parking lot across the street for the night. I did. I did what I usually did; typed, wrote and watched TV before falling asleep. ..

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