TRIBUTE TO A MENTOR AND FRIEND
This month’s Readers And Their Rigs comes to us from Steve Rusher of Castro Valley, California. Although Steve has a very sharp Peterbilt of his own, he sent us some pictures and information of his longtime friend and trucking mentor E.G. “Butch” Mees of Hayward, California. Butch has been involved in construction-related trucking since 1948. Steve says Butch lives, breathes and eats trucks. A famous quote he often mutters is, “I’ve seen them come and I’ve seen them go, and I’m still here.” Life has not always been easy for Butch but he’s not one to complain. His heart is as big as his truck but he likes to keep that fact to himself. Back in the 1970s, when Steve was a teenager, Butch and his trucking buddies were his heroes. Over the years, Butch has taught Steve a lot and helped him to become a successful trucker - even in today’s trying economic times. Butch drives a perfect 1979 KW conventional that is painted black with blue and gold stripes. The truck features a rare Cummins motor, originally designed for tug boats, that puts a whopping 1,000 horses to the ground! The truck has lots of chrome and a super-clean custom interior - nothing is out of place or broken. Butch takes pride in his ride and has always stressed the importance of proper maintenance to Steve. Butch also has a cherry 1958 Kenworth that is all original and looks as good as the day it drove off the dealer’s lot. Both Steve and Butch are big fans and avid readers of 10-4 Magazine. We’re glad Steve could use the magazine to pay homage to his good friend and mentor - trucking legend Butch Mees. |
