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...

December 31, 2011

December 31, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Laredo, Texas)
I was getting ready to leave with a load to Lima, Ohio) shortly after my day started.  I left at 12:30 AM CST and headed toward our Lancaster(Dallas) terminal up I-35.  I stopped at our fuelstop on the east side of San Antonio for fuel.  I figured, after I somewhat figured my miles since my last fueling, that I had enough to reach our lancaster terminal.

I pulled into our Lancaster Terminal at 8 AM CST and fueled first(171 gallons).  I hung around to terminal until a little after 10 AM CST and then left, heading east on I-30.  I stopped at the truckstop in Winfield, Texas for some sleep.

I got up about 8:30 PM CST and continued northeast on I-30.  As the end of my day--and year--arrived, I was about 30 miles southwest of Little Rock, Arkansas.....
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December 30, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Laredo, Texas)
I had to deliver my load to the broker this morning.  I had to dock on the blind side off the street; it went well. 

After I was unloaded, I took my trailer to the terminal yard and dropped it.  I then went to the tractor dealer for servicing.  After the standard service my tractor had to have a wheel seal changed.  I got done by 1:30 PM CST. 

I went to Arlene's and she took us and her boys to lunch...After lunch, I needed to go back to the terminal and try and get a load.

I seemed to be a long way from going out so I went out to my tractor and went to sleep.  At 10:30 PM CST the dispatcher came out and woke me up to tell me he had a load to Lima, Ohio for me.  I got my paperwork and then hooked to my trailer.  As my day ended, I was readying to go....
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December 29, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Sunday-traveling toward Laredo, Texas)
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December 28, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Saturday-Mobile, Alabama)
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December 27, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Friday-Eloree, South Carolina)
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December 26, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Thursday-Eloree, South Carolina)
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December 25, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Wednesday-Spartansburg, South Carolina)
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December 24, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Tuesday-Memphis, Tennessee)
I went into dispatch when they opened for the day and checked in.  Dispatch gave me a load to Eloree, South Carolina.  I hung around the terminal for awhile and then left for eastern Tennessee after hooking up to the trailer and fueling(115 gallons).  Left out at 8:30 AM CST on I-40

I stopped at the "Just a Truckstop" in Knoxville for lunch and break.  Afterwards, it was on to North Carolina and Asheville where I took I-26 into South Carolina.  I stopped at our fuelstop in Spartansburg, South Carolina, getting there at 8:15 PM EST and spent the night...Christmas Eve...just went to bed !!!!
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December 23, 1991, 2011

FIRST 5 YEARS:(Monday-Shepherdsville, Kentucky)
I woke up at 11 AM EST and went into the truckstop for awhile.  Didn't eat there as I just didn't like their restaurant.  I left down I-65 at 11:45 AM EST toward Nashville, Tennessee.  Grabbed I-40 west to Memphis.  Checked in with dispatch at our Memphis terminal and was told to drop the trailer and take it easy the rest of the day.  No loads out today.  Sat in the terminal until it closed...
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