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...

July 4, 2011

July 4, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-traveling through Utah)
A half moon kind of lite up the upper Utah desert as I traveled toward Green River, Utah on Hwy 6 on this July 4th. Pulled into the large truck parking area and the Green River convenient store and went to bed.

I got up at 9 AM MST and walked into the convenient store--often had hot dogs 3/dollar--and found that they had not put any hot dogs out yet. I got a quart of chocolate milk and left the store. I did my vehicle inspection, logbook update and them headed east and sout on Hwy 191.

Follow Hwy 191 through Moab to Monticello, Utah where I got on Hwy 666 south into Colorado. Before leaving Colorado, I stopped at the Cortez(Colorado) truckstop and got three buffalo(real buffalo) burgers and some onion rings to go. Followed Hwy 666 south into New Mexico where I caught hwy 64 east at Shiprock(New Mexico).

I was in the heart of the Navajo Reservation when I got on Hwy 64. Saw a couple Navajo reservation patrol cars when I got on Hwy 550 south; must have had something happen.
Off the Navajo ground I went, down to I-25 and went south past Albuquerque. Continued down I-25 past Socorro(New Mexico) where I had visited years ago; didn't look like it had changed. Just past Socorro, I found a small truckstop and pulled off for my 8+hour break. The time was 7:15 PM MST and my legal driving time was just about up. I could see all around me as this area is pretty much desert. as night fell, I could see people shooting off fireworks; I heard more than I saw. Went to sleep after setting my alarm clock for 4 AM MST...
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