The Spirit of the American Trucker – August 2017

“Some people get it, some people don’t” – small fleet owners Ryan & Jamie Gjerde

Dan Miller says, “Live free or die!” – and once you’re born a cowboy, you die as one. He’s been driving for 25 years now, with many of those years hauling livestock. And that’s how we first met out on the road – I joined his two-rig convoy (greetings to Pepper) on their way to a barn. It had already been a tough day for them, but despite horrible mistakes made by others on the road, Dan managed to keep his wagon straight and loaded with 50 healthy cows. He says bull-hauling is a lot like professional sports, but if he was playing baseball this long every day, he would be able to hit a ball 500 feet. But, he chooses to be a professional bull-hauler instead. Then, half a year later, we met again, and this time he had a beautiful co-driver named Anna Simon with him. On this meeting with Dan, I noticed that he was joking and smiling a lot more, proudly saying, “This truck just ran 12,000 miles in the last ten days!” After that, we hammered down again for hundreds of miles and barely stopped, but when we did, I realized that I was in the presence of a trucking angel – Anna is a kind and warm person and you can tell she, like every true bull-hauler, really sympathizes and relates to the animals trapped in the trailer and would do anything possible to comfort them. She is a true country girl, that praises God, and tries to be helpful to anyone in need. “She’s a real wild child… got a rebel soul with a whole lot of gypsy wild style” (her words). Cowboys and angels – two people who truly have “The Spirit of the American Trucker” and are not afraid to show it. I loved meeting you both, that day. Stay safe in your travels, and never lose sight of your dreams because here – in America – you actually have the opportunity to achieve them!