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 30, 2011

July 30, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Kansas City, Missouri)
I talked with Bill--my oldest son--this morning and I am going to try and pick him up so that he can ride with me for awhile. I had the needed permits for him to ride with me.

Side note: The federal, and I believe all state, DOTs require trucking companies to give writers' permits for all those that drivers wish to ride with them. I believe all trucking companies have rules and regulations concerning "riders". If you are a 'trucker", or future "trucker", check with your company concerning their "rider" rules.

At 9:30 AM CST the Kansas City terminal dispatcher called me to his window. I was given a couple loads to choose from: Denver or Cleveland??? I took Cleveland as I could pick up my son as I pass Kingdom City, Missouri.

I was given a trailer of empty racks going to the Cleveland(Ohio) engine plant. I left our Kansas City terminal by 10:30 AM CST after fueling(96 gallons), hooking up the trailer, doing a vehicle inspection and calling my son, and his Mother, telling him that I will pick him up at the Kingdom City(Missouri) convenience store that I often stop at. I got there at 1 PM CST and loaded Bill's stuff on the tractor. We picked up some munchies and a couple sodas(soft drinks in Canada) and then left for Cleveland east on I-70 at 1:30 PM CST. When we got to I-270, around St. Louis, I took it over the northern end and into Illinois. I-270 then connected back with I-70 which we took to Effingham, Illinois. We stopped at our Effingham fuelstop for dinner. Bill got to eat with three other drivers from my company; he seemed excited. At about 6:30 PM CST we continued east on I-70. The night darkness set in before we reached Monrovia, Indiana at 9:15 PM EST and settled in for the night....
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