Butch & Nika - OTR Update~

 It's been over six-months since Butch left home for driver training in MO.  A month of school, a month of driving with a finisher & three-months driving for CFI.  After a breakdown with Big Red, inconsistent dispatching & a lack of drive miles  - Butch accepted an offer with Blake Scott LLC out of Ogden, UT.

6-10-2022 Ranger comes home for the first time!

Normally without at least a year, usually two,  of OTR experience, companies don't hire drivers.  (Our friend Roxi, recommended Butch.)  Butch flew out to Salt Lake City on the 6th of June to meet the company owner & pick up another truck!  Delayed overnight in Omaha, Butch arrived on the 7th & was back on the road the same day!  He did a run to southern, MO before turning for home to outfit Ranger.

6-13-2022 - 7p.m. Butch & Nika leave~

Home time only lasted a couple days before he was leaving again - this time with Nika as his companion!  With this company, Butch is hauling refigerated trailers.  He will be doing mostly dedicated runs from Idaho to Missouri & return.  He will also get to come home every three-weeks!

Nika enjoying the ride :-)

In June, Butch & Nika came through Nebraska City.  I met them for lunch & combined a shopping trip.  The 29th, they came home for one night.  I was thrilled at the unexpected stop!  On the fourth-of-July, I drove down again to meet for a quick meal as they were going north. 

July fifth, the two of them returned for home time!  Butch picked me up at the house.  We drove to Blue Beacon truck wash in Council Bluffs. This time of year Ranger's front was covered with smashed bugs.  Butch said at the truck stops, the birds come from everywhere to snack on all the bugs on the grills. 

Nika  ~

Butch really enjoys driving the Freightliner!  There's more room in the sleeper, better seats, a bigger engine & smoother ride.  Ranger doesn't have the Blake Scott logo on the doors yet.  There's a temporary sticker Butch put back on after going through the truck wash.

Three days sped by!  He had his usual coffee with friends, we enjoyed some really nice weather & sat out to watch a big thunderstorm roll by.  Butch made a shelf for his microwave & installed the mount for his TV.  We went to see the new Top Gun movie!  

By Saturday morning, Butch & Nika were back on the road.  Butch said Nika kept an eye on him while he was putting the last of his things in the truck.  She enjoyed being home, but didn't want to be left behind!

7-9-2022 Flat on the trailer~

By 3 p.m. Butch called from Elk Point, SD to tell me he had a flat on the trailer.  He passed his first Level Two Inspection, but had to wait two-hours for service truck to arrive & replace the tire.  Better to have discovered it at the Weigh station rather than out on the road.

By late evening, Butch had driven 480-miles in 7.5 hours & was done for the day.  This trip is taking him back to WA, but not close enough to visit the Grandkids.  Maybe one of these days that will happen!

7-10-2022 Nika ready to roll ~

After driving the east coast & southern states, it's been a nice break to be dispatched west.  We keep in touch during the day.  A text when he's leaving, a morning call & another when he's finished his drive & found a place to stop for his rest break.  

7-10-2022 Sunrise, Montana

I keep daily google maps of his routes from one stop to the next.  It's fun for me to follow along in the virtual world :-)   It will be a month this time before they return home again.  

7-11-2022 In line at the weigh station, MT

Butch said Butte has grown & has spread out with new housing under construction.  The mine itself has grown too, since the last time we went through.  

7-11-2011 12:30 p.m. Near Butte, MT

After tomorrow, the heat is going up here in Iowa & the weatherman tells us it will be staying days into the long-range forecast.  Not my favorite month in the mid-west, but I've enough projects saved up to stay busy!