The First Year OTR - Complete!

 Congratuations to my husband! 

As of this past weekend, Butch has completed his first year of Over-the-Road driving!

February 15, 2023 Glenwood Canyon, CO

February 25, 2022, he & Big Red were on the way to Ohio with his first dispatch to Home Depot.  By the end of March, he'd driven 12,135 miles.  I accompanied him for my one, three-day adventure into trucking...  It was not successful - for me...  I found my time better served - at home on terra firma!

March 3, 2022 Big Red at home~

May, after two breakdowns in two-days, Butch decided to take advantage of another driving opportunity & give CFI notice.  (It's difficult to find a driving position without at least two-years of OTR experience.)  He flew home from Dallas.  We took a road-trip to Seagonville, TX to pick up Butch's belongings out of Big Red.  The truck was waiting for parts & was still there months later - when a friend went past & saw the semi still parked.

May 26, 2022 - Where Big Red went in for repairs~

By the 7th of June, Butch had flown to Salt Lake City.  There he picked up his first truck driving for Blake Scott Logistics LLC & his first Freightliner!  It was love at first drive!  

June 10, 2022 - Ranger at home~

Butch came home mid-month to outfit Ranger & decided to take Nika with him.  Nika really seemed to enjoy the time with Butch.  The two of them took walks - saw interesting animals - like cows & had a great time.

June 14, 2022 -  Nika the OTR dog!

July, Butch & his sidekick were driving the miles!  A trip to OR, made it possible for our youngest daughter & our two youngest granddaughters to meet-up with Butch & Nika for a picnic dinner at a beautiful park!

July 13, 2022 Clackamas, OR  Skyla, Jentry & Josie~

By August, Butch & Nika switched semi's.  Another Freightliner & the only blue truck Butch has driven so far!

August 7, 2022 - A new ride!

This truck aptly named Blue - had a problem with the AC in the middle of the warmest days of summer!  It went into the shop.  Butch was given another truck to drive in the interm. 

August 26, 2022 "Guard dog!"

Butch drove this truck twice over the year.  The second time, we decided the truck needed a name & Rebel it became.  This was the nicest Freightliner Butch had driven to date & he was a little sad when he dropped it off & returned to Blue by the end of the month.  

October 14, 2022 - Blue with new mudflaps~

October Butch & Nika came home for a few days, so we could get away for our 40th Anniversary.  Butch found new mudflaps for Blue at the Iowa 80 Truck Stop near Wolcott, IA.  One of these days he'll find time to install them on Traveler!  (We decided Nika would stay home with me.) 

November 1, 2022 - Butch at 100,288-miles!

Blue was the Freightliner that carried Butch over the 100,000 mileage mark on November first!  But by the 17th, Blue was back in the shop, this time with more serious issues.  Butch flew home on the 20th from Twin Falls.  He was home over Thanksgiving, before leaving December 1st for Shreveport, Lousiana to recover Rebel.  (The driver had decided to drive for another company.)  

December 9, 2022  View of a wreck from Rebel~

Butch was driving Rebel for the second time - until he dropped the truck off in Salt Lake the 16th of December.  He then moved into his latest & hopefully long-term Freightliner - Traveler!  

December 26th - Traveler's first time home~

Winter driving - was - well - winter driving.  Lots of snow, ice, cold.  I-80 in spite of the WY Highway Departments best efforts seemed to be closed more than it was open.  Butch ended up making several cross country trips using I-70 through CO.  Butch was impressed with the way the CO State Patrol handled traffic over the passes, keeping the cars in the passing lane & allowing the trucks to maintain momentum in the right.

January 15, 2023 Northern Sierra - CA

In January, during one of the worst storms of the winter season, Butch drove Traveler over the northern Sierra's to make a delivery in southern, CA!  He had one option to cross & though it took him miles out of the way - the delivery was made!

January 23, 2023 - Traveler has a new Logo!

A real logo!  For the first time, Butch is driving a Freightliner with the new company logo!  The compliments started coming in - just about every time Butch drove through a warehouse gate!

February 8, 2023

February, Butch scheduled his home time to be here for our birthday's.  (Our mood was dimished by our all too recent loss of  Nika... ) The first time Butch has been home without our little Buhund girl here to meet him :-(  The weather was beautiful though.  We enjoyed our time together & a ride on our bikes. 

As we look back, it's gratifying to have accomplished our goal for the year.  The day Butch left for Springfield last January seems like the distant past to us both!  If the distance Butch has traveled is taken into consideration - it's an apt description!  Butch's mileage for the year - 140,540!  We've been very lucky in so many ways.  The top of the list is how Butch has traveled all those miles safely!  He's received his first safety bonus & is well on his way to the next!  

We look forward to 2023 & another safe year of driving~