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

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...

May 21, 2011

May 21, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Taylor, Michigan)
I checked out of my motel room early and went back to our Taylor(Detroit) terminal to see if I can get out today. I checked the TRB and my number was pretty high. To get out today, I volunteered for a Canadian load as the majority of waiting drivers didn't want to leave the US. It was a little before 11 AM EST when I got a load to Scarborough, Ontario. I was happy to be moving again or I went out and got hooked up to my trailer. I did the vehicle inspection, logbook and fueled(146 gallons) and was heading to Canada after 11:30 AM EST. I had to go to a broker on the Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge before I got through Canadian Customs. The whole "customs" experience today took about an hour...I took the Queen's Highway(now the King's Highway) 401 through London and Toronto and got to Scarborough at 5 PM EST. I called Steven, a friend of mine from Laredo, Texas, and invited him and his Mother to dinner. His Mother was busy and so Steven and I went to a real nice Chinese restauant. This restaurant was one of the fanciest I had been to. It was a buffet with two long tables of food with desserts at the end. Napkins were cloth and the waiters--and waitresses--wore tuxes. The cost was $13 Canadian dollars apiece and the food was well worth it!!! After eating, I placed a call to Cathy--a girl friend from Laredo--as Steven knew her also. Cathy never answered the phone soooooo...
After eating, Steven went home and I went back to the truck. I wrote and watched TV before going to sleep for the night...
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May 20, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Taylor, Michigan)
Canadian holiday(Victoria Day) and nothing we are getting is going or coming over the border. I was told that I wouldn't have a load today so I got a motel room for the day...
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