Sprinkler Blowouts For Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Eddie came up just four blowouts short of finishing his route yesterday — not bad, considering he had his usual Tuesday afternoon meeting to attend. He made a solid run at it (literally), because that man doesn’t walk anywhere. Customers keep reporting sightings of him sprinting across lawns like he’s late for a touchdown. I’m starting to think if we gave him a stopwatch and a whistle, he could qualify for the sprinkler blowout Olympics.

It reminds me of my military days when running was the universal solution to everything. Need to go to chow? Run. Headed to the BX? Run. Feeling sick? You guessed it — run. If you were too ill to run to the infirmary, you’d better be arriving by ambulance. I once tried to tough it out with a raging fever, only to have one of my teammates — a 6’10”, 300-pound human forklift — throw me over his shoulder and jog a full mile to the medic. By the time we arrived, I was half-conscious and registering a cozy 106 degrees. He saved my life that day.

Sadly, that friend passed away a few years ago, and I’m now the only surviving member of my team. Moral of the story: some people run because they have to, others run because they can — and if you’re lucky, you’ll have someone who’ll run for you when you can’t.

Ben absolutely crushed it yesterday, wrapping up his entire route without a single hiccup in sight. He’s one of those guys who puts his head down, works hard, and gets it done — no drama, no excuses, just results.

Today, though, he’ll be starting later than usual. A close relative of his is in the hospital, and he’s taking the morning to visit and make sure everything’s okay. Once he’s comfortable leaving, he’ll jump right into his route. No worries, though — anything he doesn’t knock out today, he’ll finish tomorrow. That’s how Ben operates: steady, reliable, and built with the “get it done” wiring most of us wish we had.

While Ben was steady as ever, Challis’s day was… a little more explosive. He had what you might call a compressor wardrobe malfunction when the main hose running from the machine to the hose reel — the big supply line — decided to explode like a miniature nuclear test. The sound probably set off car alarms three counties over.

He swung by my shop, and within 30 minutes we had him back on the road — hose replaced, compressor topped off with diesel, and my truck conveniently refueled with gas in the process. Challis tore through his route afterward like a man on a mission, only leaving four stops undone because it got too dark to work safely. He’ll knock those out first thing this morning before heading off on his regularly scheduled route, hopefully without any more “boom” moments. I’m very proud to call him my nephew.

If there’s one thing this crew has in common, it’s determination — whether it’s Eddie sprinting through yards like he’s training for the Olympics, Ben methodically checking off every stop like a machine, or Challis wrestling a rebellious air compressor into submission. Every day brings a new story, a new challenge, and a reminder that The Maintenance Shop team doesn’t just get the job done — we get it done with grit, humor, and a whole lot of hot air.

Here are the routes for today:

Ben with “Leroy” in Boise 83705

West Camas Street
Edson St
S Roosevelt St
West Teton Street
Glencoe Place
South Latah Street
Leona Circle
Randall Street
South Shoshone Street
Opal Street
W Hoover St
Manor Drive

Challis with “Orange Julius in Boise 83716 (After finishing is route from yesterday)

East Chateau Drive
North Whittier Place
North Sequoia Place
East Anemone Lane
South Fuchsia Place
South Indigo Place
South Nasturtium Place
East Immigrant Pass Drive
South Yarrow Avenue
East Wormwood Court
South Pegasus Way
South Tulip Place
E Felly Rim Ct
South Peppertree Avenue
South Cruzatte Lane
East Fort Boise Lane
E Trail Bluff Ln

Eddie with “Purple Rain” in Eagle

West Bolton Drive
West Bavaria Street
W Gray Fox St
S Brandenberg Ave
South Chipper Way
West Stafford Drive
South Whitehaven Place
South Willow Grove Lane
Lakemoor Way South
East River Quarry Court
E WoodLander Drive
South Island Glenn Way
West River Trail Drive
West Water Grove Drive
South Lake Pointe Way
S Kestrel Pl
S Riparian Way
East Joplin Lane

Here are the routes for today: