“K, so now what yer gonna wanna do is...”

Im starting to hear this in my sleep! 🤣 I’ve always been open to feedback, new ideas, and change. But, damn! Good thing I’m even tempered most of the time. *rant over*

As of now, I’m quite enjoying our time together! Being married to Trent, aka Gomez, is fairly entertaining, fun, and exciting, but at times frustrating. From the day we began dating I knew in my heart and soul he had undiagnosed ADHD. He displayed all of the classic signs and symptoms. This past winter he was finally diagnosed and started taking medication. I could immediately see a difference. There have been many times that I feel sad because I’ve encouraged him to use it, but he doesn’t always want to take. He doesn’t like the side effects. I like my crazy, unpredictable, and energetic husband. He is a blast to be around, until he’s not. Sometimes he can be a little much. Him taking his medication is whats making this joint effort on the road possible. He is such a loving human, with a soft heart, especially for animals. 


Trent, aka Gomez 10/28/20

I LOVE traveling, seeing new things and places. I didn’t realize this until I became a certified pilot car driver in 2010. Man! The places I’ve got to see. Places that I had no idea even existed mostly around our home state of Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Nevada. There is still so much more I want to see and experience especially Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and my birth state Louisiana. I can’t wait to get loads to those areas! 
Over the weekend we left for Oregon, Washington, and California with a “full load”.  This would be my maiden voyage. My initiation, and I nailed it I must say. We had on 2 giant (just my opinion) Mules in the first compartment, destined for Goldendale, Washington. Their new owners, Bill and Cindy Mello were so kind. They own and run B-C Mello Arena, where they offer an amazing endurance course for competition training. Their website is www.bcmelloarena.org and they have a Facebook page. They offered us “off the bus” layovers and water if we’re ever in the area and need a place to crash. ❤️ 

B-C Mello Arena


B-C Mello Arena

Next compartment we had 3 Charolais cows, and a calf. I had never heard of them before, BUT.. let me tell you how stinking cute, and curious that calf was. They are cream in color, and to me seemed smaller in stature than your average cow. I’ll upload pictures of them later. They went to Alan and Leslie Alexander at Hang’n A Cattle Co. In Pasco, Washington. This area would be heavenly to live in. Thank you Alan, who also offered us “off the bus layover” and water. Your farm is beautiful! ❤️ If I’ve peaked your interest in the Charolais, which I later found out are french bred, (not to be confused with French bread 🤪) take a look at their Facebook page or website www.hangacattle.com 🐮 In the last compartment we had two Aberdeen Angus, one cow and one yearling heifer. (Bet y’all didn’t think i knew all this bovine lingo.. and you’re correct! I didn’t, but i am a natural learner. Feed my brain with info please!) These cuties went to Julie Davis with Clear Valley Farm in Arlington, Washington. Curious about their breed, I googled them and discovered they are a small, hornless, black scottish breed. That yearling though... 😍 Julie, thank you for trusting us to transport your animals. 
Trent drove from Utah and most of Oregon. At some point he said I can’t do it anymore. You’re going to have to drive. 😳 💩 Oh shit!! I mean, this is what I’m joining for right.. I’ve pulled our 34ft camper up and down the mountain, so I should be able to manage this?! I jumped in and started moving slowly out into the busy I-5 traffic. Every muscle in my body was tense. I’m not just pulling a trailer, I’m loaded with Julies Aberdeen that she’s been waiting 4 days for, and that’s all I could think of. Get them there safely! And this is where Trent began saying “K, so now what yer gonna wanna do is...”  I quickly shot off with a “shhhtt.. I’ve got this.” He snapped back, “Ok then...” and sat back in his seat, flaring his nostrils. It was a quiet ride for a while. The traffic was crazy. Periodically I would notice him sitting erect, grabbing the grip bar. Eventually I giggled at him, and he let out a big, deep sigh.. you can hear it can’t you? His sigh haha I drove all the way to Julies driveway. It was a good experience, probably the best way to learn how to do what I signed up for. I was so proud of myself! We celebrated by getting a room in Tulalip, and sharing the most delicious wet burrito from El Rey mexican food truck. 


Julies Aberdeen cows 


#boops

It’s us, The Slaugh’s aka Turn and Burn livestock transportation

I’m Brandie, and I’ve been married to Trent for ten years. He’s a truck driver in the oilfield, rigging up and down then hauling oil rigs from one location to another. Ive worked as pilot car driver, a cashier at a convenience store, but most of our marriage ive been a house wife. Together we have 6 grown children, 4 beautiful granddaughters, 2 dogs, a goat and a couple of horses.

Brandie 47, married to Trent

Trent 47, my handsome, hard working husband. 

 Trent has spent 26 years working in the oilfield always providing very well for his family. In 2019 the oilfield essentially went away. Oil prices dropped, rigs stacked out, and work came to a halt. Luckily there’s been just enough work between us to keep us paying the bills, but things have been spread thin. In the beginning of 2020 we began to talk about how to bounce back from knowing nothing other than the oilfield to provide for our family. We had heard there is money to be made in transporting animals for people, and talked about it incessantly for months. Finally we decided we had to give it all we had, and Trent dove in head first while I continued to work at the convenience store. Right off the bat, the livestock hauling was a hit. He spent the majority of his time on the road hauling horses for people who had purchased them from another state. Needless to say, we had to be apart more than we wanted to be. He tried to make it back home atleast once a week or so, sometimes he’d get home late at night just to leave early the following morning. 

We talked a lot about how nice it would be to have me join him, but it made more sense to maintain my employment just in case. I started thinking that if I could go with him, he wouldn’t have to try and make it back home to spend just few hours together. Maybe that would make his time more profitable. He could take more loads, and I could learn to help him making it easier on him to be on the road for long periods of time. We talked several time on the subject, and agreed that it made sense. I put my notice in and set a date for me to join him. We decided on October 21st, 2020. We left early that morning for my first ever livestock transportation job.

Trent and I, our first day working together over the road. October 21,2020

 By the end of that day I was a proficient driver of a Dodge 5500 super duty flatbed, pulling a 28ft Cimmaron stock trailer loaded with cows. My lesson was driving through the Portland rush hour traffic.