Third Year, OTR~

 Congratulations to my husband on the safe completion of your third year of driving OTR!

Recap~

Three years ago today, Butch received the keys to his first semi-truck. He had completed a month of training for CFI in Joplin, MO, then another month (10,457-miles) driving with a trainer.  He wasn't able to leave town on his first dispatch until the 27th, when the roads reopened.

2-24-2022 - Big Red~

Since that time, Butch has driven seven trucks.  Big Red, Ranger, Blue, Rebel, Traveler, Maverick & Maverick II.  Four Freightliners & two Volvos.  Big Red was the only Kenworth, a T-680.  Big Red's breakdown & lengthy repair precipitated the move to Blake Scott.

6-7-2022 - Ranger

In those three years, Butch has driven for four companies.  CFI, Blake Scott, Jacko & his current employer - Nationwide Transportation.  At Blake Scott, he drove four of those seven trucks.

9-8-2022 - Blue

Butch moved from Ranger to Blue August of 2022.  A newer truck, but with quite a few miles.  After several visits to the shop for repairs, he was given another truck to drive until a replacement could be purchased.  

12-2-2022 - Rebel~

He ended up driving Rebel on two different occasions & loved this truck.  The newest Freightliner he'd driven. He didn't have too long to wait though, when he was called back to Salt Lake City to pick out his next truck!  

2-8-2023 - Traveler with the new Blake Scott Logo~

December 16, 2022, Butch came home with Traveler.  He was driving Traveler when Blake Scott ran into difficulties & leased their last six trucks to Jacko out of Vancouver, WA.  Butch was the only driver Jacko hired, so he made the transition with Traveler.  It wasn't a good match. Butch was driving the west coast again.  He did make the most of it though & had several visits with our daughters & grandkids!  He wasn't getting home & when he did it would take forever for them to dispatch him back out.  Jacko had very little business that wasn't in the west.  Butch had driven Traveler 96,888 when he handed the keys to Jacko October 24th, 2023.   

10-31-2023 Maverick~

Butch had applied at Nationwide during his home time, mid-October.  He was hired & was leaving on his first dispatch the end of the month, driving his first Volvo.  At first, he wasn't sure he liked the truck, but after a while, the roomy interior won him over. 

2-1-2025 Maverick II - days before the breakdown~

January 11, 2025, Butch took the keys of a brand-new Volvo with 21 miles on the odometer.  February 5th, the truck was towed to McMahon Truck Center in Cincinatti, OH, for warranty engine replacement.  The odometer read 7,460 miles.

Returning to Omaha, Butch was given his original Volvo, Maverick to drive until the new truck is repaired.  As of today, Butch has driven this semi 159,798 miles!  The last three years he's driven a total of 377,906 safe miles!  I miss him more every year he's been away & look forward to having him home again one day soon...

First Year OTR 

Second Year ORT

300,000 Miles!

 June 17th, Butch passed another OTR milestone - 300,000 miles!  He accomplished those miles in 28.5 months from the first time he took the driver's seat February 1, 2022.  Maverick has been his steady ride since November 1st. of last year.  From then, until now, he's driven Maverick 81,231 miles.  It's taken from August 23rd of 2023 to accumulate his third 100,000.  This time, he's only driven two trucks, Traveler & now Maverick.

Butch & Maverick~

I've been keeping record of Butch's drives from the beginning.  I use Google maps & plot his dispatches from when he stops each day or night - as it may be - to the next.  When I realized how close he was getting, I reminded him to watch the odometer.  His GPS had stopped working for a few days earlier this year, then reset itself.  I was so happy he'd been taking photos of the odometers of the semi's both when he took keys & when he surrendered them.  Using Maverick's - we still had an accurate accounting of his miles.

6-17-2024 - 300,000 - Crossing the state line, Ohio to Indiana~

Nationwide Transportation in business since 1982, has been a solid company to drive for.  Based in Omaha, Butch gets more opportunities for overnight stops at home now.  Reminiscent of when he was driving for Blake Scott.  

6-14-2024 - Maverick, Near Pleasanton, KS

His routes now include SD, MI, MN, WI, OH, IL, IN, NE, MO, KS, AR, KY, TN, TX & of course IA.  

He carries the usual wide variety of items - from refrigerated loads of food products to massive rolls of colored paper!

6-13-2024 Colorful Delivery~

Life on the road hasn't become any easier.  Pulling in behind a truck at the fuel island, after quite a wait, Butch walked up to see what was going on, only to find the driver at his mid-day prayers.  Later, he came up on the same truck going 60-mph in a 70-mph zone.  As he passed, he could see the driver paying more attention to his cell phone than the road.  As he gave a short blast of Maverick's 130 decibel horn, the driver jumped in his seat!

6-15-2024 Loves Travel Stop, St. Joseph, MO

Mechanically, besides repairs to Maverick's AC the semi has been very reliable.  The truck also received a new set of tires!  Trailers too are kept in good repair & issue free.

3-8-2034 - The I-80 Slip & Slide through IA~

The weather was, as usual, weather.  Driving the central U.S. is as challenging as anywhere else & Butch witnessed the usual interstate mishaps.  He managed to skirt some of the worst of the storms that rolled through.

Maverick's favorite view~

Home Time happens regularly, usually about every three-weeks.  Butch has been able to get home for holidays & appointments.  Getting back on the road is always quick too, which he appreciates.  Soon, it will be three years since Butch left for Joplin.  

Traffic in the cities, long waits at some warehouses, lines at the fuel islands & the sometimes-impossible task of finding a place to park at the end of a drive are the main challenges.  I'm thankful every evening when the phone rings & I know my husband has stopped & safely completed another day's drive!   

First 100,000~

200,000 miles~

2023 - In Review~

 The seventh year in Iowa - on the Home Place!  The New Year dawned chilly & gray, but the temperature was moderate, especially for January!  What little snow we had left on the ground was melting.  

New Years Day - Tinkle Branch Trail~

Mari Jo & I decided if the weather was decent, we'd start the year with a bike ride.  Even without sunshine, it wasn't too cold.  It was great to get out in the fresh air & it felt pretty amazing to be on our bikes so early in the year.  Butch pulled in at home by 8:30 p.m. in the evening.  It was a short stop, but he managed to come by again a day later & a total of three times during the month. The last time was the saddest - we lost Nika...

2-16-23 Lots of snow!

February was a tough month for me.  Nika had helped to buffer the loneliness of having Butch gone.  Without her, it was so quiet, so still & so lonely.  Butch completed his first year of OTR driving on the 25th.  (He made it home for our birthday weekend, but Nika's recent loss cast a long shadow.)  During the winter months, Butch made some interesting drives through snowstorms in WY, CO & CA.  The weather cooperated enough I could do some riding at Lake Manawa.

3-9-23 Beautiful Snow~

March gave us a couple good snowstorms with several inches of white stuff.  I met Mari Jo & Gracie for a few walks on the trail, but it wasn't the same...  Luckily, when I saw the first of the tulips emerge from the ground, my spirits lifted.  Butch made it home & we had fun riding our bikes at the Lake.   By month's end, the Wabash was open again & we loved getting back out in the countryside.

4-7-23 New trees planted~

April - with nice spring days - I decided to get some long overdue projects done.  The first, was to get all the old Mulberry tree trunk & limbs we'd had stacked against the east fence since May of 2017 - removed!  That was a nightmare.  The fence ended up with a $800. repair.  The yard was torn from end to end, but having the mess finally gone was worth it.  Butch came home & we took Traveler to pick up new Emerald Green trees to plant along the now bare looking east fence. 

5-18-23 The Marsh~

May, the most beautiful month of the year, didn't disappoint.  It was dry, I did spend a lot of time watering, but it was so rewarding to see the flowers I've planted grow & bloom!  The end of the month I took my yearly trip to Greenfield & Creston.  The weather cooperated & the flags flew at the Memorial Day Service in Greenfield.

6-1-23 Rain!

June roared in with 3.1" of badly needed rain!  The novelty of it kept me outside watching most of the morning.  The month was wetter than usual.  It didn't make up for the deficit - but it was a huge relief anyway.  I almost was caught out in a thunderstorm on the trail.  Beautiful, but scary at the same time.  On the seventh - a bad hailstorm hit.  It was hard to watch as the vehicles got plummeted.  Two of the three sustained major damage.  Only the Bronco - solid steel - had a few minor dents.

7-12-23 Skyla, Josie & Jentry Visit!

The highlight of the year was a long overdue visit from our daughter Jentry & granddaughters Skyla & Josie!  Butch made it home & we enjoyed every minute they were here.  We visited our favorite attractions, Fontenelle Forest & the Henry Doorley Zoo.  As always, it's so hard to see them leave. 

8-8-23 New Gravel~

With Butch parking the semi on the drive by the cabin - it was ready for another layer of gravel.  Pat, one of the volunteers who keeps the Wabash trail passable, was available to do the job. Since we were hauling gravel, I decided to add rock along the drip line of the Cabin's roof.  On his home time, Butch installed new shutters on the front of the house.

6-18-23 Picking up a Jacko Trailer~

September, Butch passed the 200,000-mile mark driving OTR.  After just over a year with Blake Scott, the owner turned over Authority to Jacko LLC.  Butch had been pulling Jacko trailers since the middle of June, but now Butch would be driving for them.

 Later in the month, the front hose spicket broke. While the plumber was here, I had a new hose bib installed at the back of the house. Next, the AC quit cooling.  Mari Jo's husband repaired it & replaced parts in the compressor, along with an overhaul of the furnace.   

10-11-23 Butch, Lake Okoboji 

For our 41st Anniversary, we drove up to revisit the Lake Okoboji area.  Our first time here had been for our anniversary in 2017.  A favorite restaurant with lake views had been torn down, to make way for expensive high-rise condos.  The main street through town was completely torn up & the two detours took us through some beautiful residential areas.  

Returning home, the garden style tub in the master bath developed a crack.  We hired a contractor to tear it out & replace it with a walk-in shower.  The same week, my Speed Queen washer quit, we replaced it & the water heater too.

11-27-23 Butch & Maverick~

Butch gave notice to Jacko in October & started driving for Nationwide out of Omaha November first.  He was ready to be done with the winter driving in the west.  He enjoys his new truck, Maverick.  A 2022 Volvo with a large interior & more amenities. Dispatches have taken him to IL, IN, OH, KY, MI, WI, NE, KS, MO, TX, etc.

12-20-23 - Finnigan~

As the winter months approached, I found myself browsing dog adoption sites.  When someone would ask what kind of dog I was looking for - I couldn't answer.  I just knew if the right one came along - I would know.  Well...  That happened & December fourth, Finnigan came home!  I feel very lucky to have found him & it's wonderful to have a companion again.

__________________________________

12-31-23 - Butch takes us for a ride!

The 31st., Butch came into Omaha.  He dropped a trailer at Nationwide, Maverick was serviced & he arrived home before noon!  He left again on the second.  Soon his second year of OTR driving will be in the rearview mirror & he'll be starting his third.

I continue to pedal the trails & rode just shy of 700-miles, mostly on the Wabash.  Working outside is still my favorite pastime.  

Happy New Year!  Welcome 2024! 

Past Year - 2022~ 

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~

Winter Driving OTR ~

 Butch's last few dispatches kept him out of the snow & most of the bad weather.  He was in OR, UT & ID.  He drove out of OR on Monday & made a delivery in UT that evening.  The snow moving down the face of the mountains, gave a fair warning of the day to come.

2-21 Bear River Valley, Corrine, UT

Tuesday, he was dispatched to pick up two loads of potatoes at two different locations in - you guessed it - Idaho!  From the first pickup in Newdale, he then dropped south again.  His final load was in American Falls.  

2-21 - Walters Produce, Newdale, ID

From the above photo, you can see the snow was piling up in Newdale!  By 7 p.m. last night when he stopped for the night, he'd traveled just over 450-miles.  He said in the last few miles he counted at least 18 cars off the road.

7:00 p.m. - Flying J, Willard, UT

Both of us were more than happy when he was done for the day.  He & Nika had parked here before & she had always enjoyed the walk to see the cattle pastured nearby.  We both still feel her loss every day & will for a very, very, long time to come... 

2-22 7 a.m.  Scary view~ 

This morning, Butch texted me with the photo above & said he wasn't going to be able to leave until the truck in front of him got moved.  He'd been just ready to get out of Traveler & go in for a cup of coffee when he saw the white truck come sliding at Traveler! 

Where Butch was parked~

He took instant evasive action & put Traveler in reverse!  Thankfully, he had room to do that!  You can see from the bare spot in the snow, where he had been parked & the tire marks of where the white truck would have hit him.  The flat bed trailer the white semi was pulling, narrowly clipped the front of the black semi on the far right.  No chains, no load & going too fast to stop...

2-22 I-15 Southbound, near Salt Lake City, UT

I was relieved when he texted he had left the Flying J & was out on the road - until he sent the photo above!  The storm was moving fast & dumping lots of snow all the way down I-15.  He had decided on I-70 rather than I-80, which has been closed for days now.

2-22 Chains required for the pass, nowhere for the drivers to chain-up!

By noon today he'd reached Spanish Fork, UT - south of Provo where a large sign told the truck drivers to chain-up.  That would have been fine, but there was no place to chain up!  Trucks were lined up for miles along the edge of the interstate with nowhere to go.  Eventually there were so many, the interstate was completely blocked.  (Butch had taken a detour through part of town to try to find a safe spot, but nothing large enough had been plowed out.)

The State Patrol appeared & told Butch & the other drivers to go ahead & chain up right where they were.  Far from a safe place, but the pass was ahead of them & another semi was jack-knifed up on top.  Drivers coming from the south said they were able to get around it.  

1:50 p.m. southbound~

Our last conversation, he was moving again, about 15-mph, everyone chained up...  Miles of partly dry road & chains, before the climb up the pass...