Imagine nearly reaching the maturing age of 60 before attending your first big truck show (Cheryl Lynn is several years younger than me) but good things come to those who wait.
As motorcyclists for many years we have been to countless biker rallies, rodeos, poker runs and other exciting 2 wheel events, been to many classic car cruise-ins and in general "hung out" with many people of various professions and outlooks on life. Being a musician since the 60’s (and hanging with Cheryl Lynn, my favorite Groupie / Roadie since 1963) has also afforded many different venues and exciting nights.
Burnt Beans (Don) has been a great friend for many years and has tried to get me to the truck show for the past several years but terrible weather or other commitments have prevented me from going and after all, what could there possibly be at a truck show?
Well this year things were different. The weather forecast sounded pretty good, I didn’t have another gig booked, the Harley was still hibernating and wouldn’t know the difference and heck, my Dad was an over the road long distance trucker back in the late 60s and early 70s but never really talked about his experiences.
I guess the closest we have come to getting to know anything about truckers (besides Don) was when Cheryl Lynn would wear her shorty shorts or a very short skirt on our trips in the Explorer. For some reason that caught the attention of the men driving the big rigs and created somewhat of a bonding experience for all of us. Of course the CB radio listening to channel 19 that we had hidden in the backseat made the trips even more interesting.
Although we only caught the very end of the truck show we were most impressed by the show trucks and wish that we had more time to study them in detail. It only makes sense that there would be Big Rig show trucks but until Louisville we had never seen any of them. It was a custom bike show on a completely different level (and expense).
The Bobtail caravan was a sight to behold and for more than a few moments I felt like a little boy watching the proud drivers as they honked their air horns and waved and I had to wonder how exciting it must be to actually drive one.
Inside the convention hall I got my first look at what a diesel motor looks like and we were both amazed at the luxury sleeper options that are available. We agreed that living in a truck sleeper would not fit our lifestyle very well but they appear to be comfortable and well outfitted for the available space. For the time being we will pull over at a Marriott and Holiday Inn.
Last but not least, the most enjoyable part of the truck show was socializing with the drivers. Meeting drivers that Don has mentioned from time to time and making new friends was a real treat for both of us. Hard working mainstream Americans behind the wheels of those big rigs are what this country is all about. Combine friendship, good food and toss in some live music and whether you are driving an 18 wheeler, a Harley or a 55 Chevy, that is a party! Keep those wheels rolling and keep it safe.
Regards,
Bob and Cheryl Lynn
Further videos from Bobs Visit to Poppa Johns Parking Lot at Mid-America are below. Thank you Bob from all of us who enjoyed every moment you gave to entertain us there!
