Look for the OOIDA tour trailer in Montana

August 29, 2022

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Chuck Robinson

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Marty Ellis is seeing the scenery of Montana as takes the OOIDA tour trailer to Laurel, Mont.

Ellis and the Spirit of the American Trucker are scheduled to be at the Laurel TA truck stop on Aug. 29-30. That is at Exit 37 from I-90.

The Laurel TA has parking for 80 tractor-trailers. There is a TA Café there open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It got four out of five stars on Sirved.com, which offers a menu.

Why did Ramsay say no to a truck stop?

On the way to Laurel from Spokane, Wash., one of the sights Ellis took in was the exit at Ramsay, Mont., where area opposition convinced Love’s Travel Stops to look elsewhere for a new truck stop location with 100 parking spots for tractor-trailers. Love’s had been negotiating to locate there since January 2017. This month, the company pulled the plug, reports the Montana Standard.

Ellis took the exit and looked around to see why area residents had so strongly opposed the truck stop. The reason wasn’t apparent. The area looks vast and vacant with neighbors far away.

Wide open spaces in Ramsay, Mont. (Photo by Marty Ellis)
Wide open spaces in Ramsay, Mont. (Photos by Marty Ellis)
Not enough room for a truck stop in Ramsay, Montana. (Photo by Marty Ellis, OOIDA)
Not enough room for a truck stop in Ramsay, Mont. (Photo by Marty Ellis)

 

In Spokane, some previous drivers of The Spirit

OOIDA life member Howard and Pam Hart and heir great grandsons
OOIDA life member Howard and Pam Hart of Edwall, Wash., stopped by the OOIDA tour trailer in Spokane with their great-grandsons Lincoln and Monroe. Howard and Pam drove the OOIDA tour trailer for five years before Ellis’ immediate predecessor, Jon Osburn. (Photo by Marty Ellis)

 

Freightliner cabover
It isn’t all that common to see a cabover out in the wild on U.S. highways anymore, but this one seemed to be going strong. Freightliner made the original cabovers. Cabovers became popular when overall length laws made shorter trucks more profitable. Length laws eased up in the early 1980s. Here is a video history of cabovers from Smart Trucking. They were easy to work on and had a short turn radius. However, they also rode rough, were cold during the winter, were loud, and were prone to electrical problems. (Photo by Marty Ellis)

 

Big, powerful Peterbilt 359 in Laurel, Mont. Photo by Marty Ellis, OOIDA
Here is a big, powerful Peterbilt 359 in Laurel, Mont. Peterbilt stopped making the 359 in 1987, ending two decades of production. Smart Trucking has a remembrance. Jack’s Chrome Shop lists some interesting facts about the 359, including that the first “Fast and Furious” movie featured one. (Photo by Marty Ellis)

 

Land Line Now

Ellis regularly discusses things he sees on the road or hears from truck drivers on Friday broadcasts of Land Line Now. Last Friday, Ellis talked about the high price of fuel and fuel surcharges with host Mark Reddig.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

After Laurel, Ellis is scheduled to take the Spirit of the American Trucker trailer to Steele, N.D., on Sept. 1-2, and then Fargo, N.D. on Sept 3-5.

If you see the OOIDA tour trailer, stop by and say hello. Ellis looks forward to visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. There are copies of Land Line Magazine to pick up there. You can join or renew your membership for $10 off the regular price at The Spirit. Face masks are available at The Spirit for anyone with a commercial driver’s license.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL

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Chuck Robinson formerly was senior copy editor for a weekly trade publication serving the fresh produce industry. He has served trade publications, horticultural journals and community newspapers for 25 years.