To preface this post, I have an irrational fear of birds.

Was it from accidentally watching Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds when I was little? I cannot confirm or deny.

This week, we had a load going to Idaho, which was SO exciting for us because we could see new places and different scenery. We drove through Nebraska, Wyoming (I waved hi!), and Utah, which was so wonderful to see in the summer compared to the last time I saw snow-covered mountains.

In short, trucker speak, we had to take our 34-hour reset, meaning we legally needed a day off to reset our hours. We usually take the reset simultaneously and spend the day together running our errands (groceries, laundry, etc.) and walking or hanging out until Ryan’s bedtime. We were looking forward to our day off in Idaho and potentially exploring, but our dispatcher told us we would do a rolling reset to keep moving. One would not drive for 34 hours, and the other would continue their regular shift. We were not happy about this one bit. We would not get to spend the day together and be off together. Worst of all, we would not get out of the truck! Life moves on, and in this story, Ryan is driving his shift, and it’s my day off.

I woke up in the morning and was unsure where we were. I had a bathroom emergency and felt terrible because Ryan did not want me to walk through the parking lot, so he woke up after driving all night to accompany me. I found out we were at the Little America truck stop in Wyoming, a beautiful, stable place to be as a trucker (one day, maybe we will stay in a room)! After I used the little ladies’ room, we went for a walk with our dog around the property and stumbled upon a man holding an owl.

Unique to us, Ryan said, “Beautiful day to walk your owl,” which opened up conversation. It turned out we were talking to Jeff Shelburg and Hoot, the celebrity owl. Jeff showed us Hoot’s resume, which was an old binder filled with old-looking photos of Hoot with various celebrities, as he has been in numerous films.

Jeff said, “It’s $20 to hold him and take a picture”.

Was it that we live in a truck and do not get out much? I have no idea, but I, terrified of birds, needed to hold this owl. When would I ever have the opportunity again? Never.

Ryan was not interested because he is mentally stable, and we continued walking. However, he said, “I have cash. If you want to do it, I’ll pay for it .” I’m 36 years old, and I was like a 4-year-old who was just offered ice cream. I also have the best husband in the world.

Ryan would not participate, but Jeff encouraged him several times and said, “The $20 covers you, too”. Ryan did it!

This was one of the happiest moments of my life and I talked about it all day and still am! haha! I mean, the bird was on a leash and well trained. No owls were chasing me in the woods.

It’s the little things in life. You gotta live a little.

The best part was telling our dispatcher, a former truck driver and no-nonsense country boy.

“I was impressed until you said you paid $20.”

I knew he would have a story. Someone he knew hit an owl, breaking through the windshield, and somehow my dispatcher had to fight it to get out (I missed how he got into this predicament). “Them things got an 8-foot wing span. One wing was out of the passenger window, and the other was out the driver’s window.

I knew he had a story and was not disappointed!

Jeff’s website and Hoot’s Resume:
https://www.worldbirdsofprey.org/