FIXTITLE Mike & Beth Blevins.docx

FREEDOM OF THE ROAD

The Story

Of

Mike & Beth Blevins

The entire evolution of our world changes by the year. With every new decade unfolds a variety separate from before. Different music genres are more popular, simple styles in clothing apparel may seem more appealing than before, what was trendy is now outdated. Some vice versa, making old-fashioned now up-to-the-minute. Maybe what you wore as a teen has come back full circle. Everything becomes more technologically advanced. Priorities in the business world shift. How people were able to make a living as farmers, can now be condensed to a piece of machinery. When education was put on the back burner to make a living, is now focusing on knowledge and the amount of schooling to be able to support yourself. Regardless of the dynamics of time and how our lives may alter to adjust, the one thing that remains constant cannot be seen by the naked eye. Our dissimilarities; your character, her personality, or his uniqueness can face any change and the only molding would be to sharpen our skill-set for the better. We’ve all heard the saying, ‘If I only knew then what I know now.’ It’s a simple cliché, admitting that you’ve matured mentally. Your individuality is your own, guided by your judgment and not the world’s. If you’re able to find a match and travel through this map of life, sharing in it together, know that you are blessed. Reality is harsh and life can get tough, but good, centered people will always be around.

Mike Blevins is the oldest of six children, born in Detroit, Michigan the year of 1954. He has three brothers and two sisters. Being the next in line, after his parents, the responsibility of helping raise his siblings was apparent. His father worked many years with a motor company, which led to his transfer to the city of Ypsilanti. At the time of the move, Mike was eight. His mother also worked when needed, otherwise her hands were full tending to the children. The Blevins family resided on a hay farm out in the country that included only a handful of other houses in the area. At the young age of 12, Mike landed a job helping his neighbor on their farm growing sweet corn and cantaloupe. He committed to his duties up until he turned 16. To pass time, he and a group of boys would all gather in the back yard of the old school house, to play baseball. During middle school Mike also enjoyed playing football. At 14, he would hitch a ride with his friends to take Taekwondo classes for two years. As the close nit group of boys grew older, Mike noticed his friends were ending up in some tough scenes. When I asked him what helped him steer clear of trouble he responded, “I think God had a hand in it.” I was curious for more, since Mike had such a distinct memory of growing up in the country. I asked him to give me one of his fondest memories… “It was after I turned 16 and got my license. There was a man that owned a pumpkin patch and he made it clear that he didn’t want anybody on his land. Well, a bunch of us went and raided his pumpkin patch right before Halloween. It was so much fun and we picked the biggest we could find!” I could hear Mike’s wife, Beth laughing in the phone as he’s painting the entire frenzy. Come to find out, Beth was actually there with her hand in the action too.

Before the pumpkin patch escapade, fate stepped in and introduced two lucky people to one another. Beth has four sisters total, three older and one younger. One day she and one of her sisters happened to be visiting their oldest sister’s apartment. Mike, who was 16 at the time, showed up to help her brother-in-law lay carpet. He brought along a buddy and the two guys quickly noticed the ladies in the room. Beth was 15 and her sister was a year older. All four decided to double date but neither one of the boys wanted to date the tall girl, which was Beth. “Oh you’re going to love how this turns out! They flipped a coin on who got to pick who first and Mike lost… so he ended up with me.” Then Mike added, “…and we’ve been together ever since.” Soon after the couple began dating, Mike had his license and purchased his first car with the money he had been saving. It was a 1962 Chevy Impala Super Sport convertible, candy apple red. Once he had his own means of transportation, Mike left the farm and took a job as a bagger at a local grocery store. He continued working there until after he finished school and joined the military.

Beth was born in Cheboygan, Michigan while her father worked for an Aerospace Division and her mother was a Registered Nurse. At the age of two, they relocated to Ypsilanti while their family house was being built in Ann Arbor. Beth remained in Ann Arbor until she and Mike were wed. After Mike’s high school graduation in May, he left for the Air Force as an aircraft technician. The reason he picked the Air Force was for his own personal reasons. He wanted to choose a profession that would allow him the home time that he was needing, because in his heart he already knew that he wanted to get married soon. If he were to be sent overseas, he didn’t want them to be away from each other. Given the choice, he would bring Beth everywhere with him. That following July, Mike returned home and the two were married on the 11th, in 1972. The next twenty years, Mike and Beth dedicated their lives to the Air Force. Moving from station to station, living in different countries and states every so many years.

They started off in Texas for four years, where both of their sons were born. First they welcomed James in 1973, followed by Lee in 1974. That same year, Mike moved his family to California. Then in 1978 he was stationed overseas in England for another four years. This is where their two sons first started school. Towards the end of 1981, Mike was able to move his family back home to Texas. Then by 1987, he relocated again to Aurora, Colorado. In 1992, he felt that he served his nation well and that it was his time to retire from the Air Force. Once he was out of the military, he found it difficult to find a decent job. He began driving a school bus, which is how he ended up with his Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). After a year of driving, they uprooted one last time to south Texas where Beth’s parents retired at. Her mother and father were getting up in age and needing a little more attention. Both of Mike and Beth’s sons stayed behind. James had met his future wife, Noell and joined the Reserves. A year later, he went into active duty. His younger brother, Lee had also met his future wife, Lisa. At the time Mike and Beth moved to Texas, he was a student in college.

Once the duo got settled in Texas in 1994, Mike went to work for a company making fish nets, where he initially received his Class A CDL. He started off helping in the warehouse. Then began driving a bobtail truck for deliveries. After a few trips across the southern U.S. to deliver the netting, another driver had taught him how to drive a big rig and the rest is history. A year later, Mike decided to move on and find his niche in the trucking industry. He drove fuel tankers to flat beds. The year of 2009, Mike leased on with a company out of Indianapolis, Indiana and was able to purchase his first truck. It was a white 2007 Columbia Freightliner. Pulling dry van Mike went to all 48 states, plus Canada.

April in 2011, Mike and Beth noticed the freight and miles were going down. They wanted to be proactive, but not jump the gun. The two started with a list of companies selected from a number of trucking magazines. There were a total of eight to choose from. Next they jotted down questions that concerned the both of them. After narrowing it down to three companies, they found Summit Express to meet all of their needs. You can still hear the excitement in their voices, “We just knew it! Summit had the best package for us. Here, they’re very friendly people. To us they’re more like our family.” Beth goes on to explain why she’s more comfortable with Mike working for Summit Express, than any other company. “They treat the riders just like the drivers! We know everybody there. From the dispatchers, the safety department, to the office staff. They’re all super people and it makes us want to do a good job for them.”

In January, 2013 they traded in their freightliner for a grey 2013 Western Star 4900SB with an extended 82 inch sleeper, 250 inch wheel base, and a 13 speed transmission with a 560 hp engine. That following July, they sold their house and took to the road as their home. Traveling right by their side is their seven pound, Shorkie, Shiloh. She’s a Shih Tzu and Yorkie breed, solid black and only two years old. Since beginning his professional trucking career, Mike is close to reaching his two million mile mark. When Mike and Beth are not traveling and enjoying the freedom of the road, they try to visit their family as much as possible. Back in 2002, the two welcomed their nephew, John into their home and raised him as their own. Now 22 and still living in Texas, Mike and Beth make sure to stop by in passing. James and Noell are still in Colorado with their five children, three boys and two girls. In Phoenix, Arizona is Lee and Lisa with their family of four kids, two girls and two boys. Beth’s light-hearted laugh makes me smile, as she describes themselves, “Now we’re just gypsies on the road. Our truck is our house and I love every bit of it!”

If you’re a professional truck driver and interested in joining the Summit Express team, please contact Ron Bell at 888-493-9950 Ext. 116 or 112.