Miles of trucking memories

The lure of truck shows and the camaraderie of the people who participated in them was irresistible for me and my husband, Bob – and before long, we found ourselves planning time off around them. Truckin’ For Kids, Walcott, Waupun, Carol’s Show, International Trucking Show, Great American Trucking Show and always the Mid-America Trucking Show.

MATS was the epicenter of the trucking universe. All the new trucks and components were unveiled there. The trucks and the people who drove them were the stuff of friendships and legends. Trophies came too, but the friendships we made on those parking lots were so much more important. They’ve never needed dusting.

I started writing a column for another publication, talking about trucks and drivers and asking questions about things that mattered to them. My skills got sharper, and photography – long a hobby – became an important part of the equation. At truck shows, I not only got to hang with the people I was writing about but also learned by rubbing elbows with people like photographer Bette Garber.

One day my phone rang. It was Sandi Soendker, then the managing editor of Land Line Magazine.

“I have an assignment for you if you’re available,” she said. “Western Star is offering the opportunity to do a test drive in Banff and Lake Louise, ending up in Calgary. Would you be interested in covering it for Land Line?”

I remember it like yesterday. No pause for breath or thought.

“Yes, please,” I said.

And just like that, I was catapulted into the big leagues.

My absolute favorite trucking adventure happened in 2012. I had the privilege of participating in the delivery of the Capitol Christmas Tree. An invitation came from now retired Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a U.S. senator from Colorado.

It took several months of preparation behind the scenes to obtain my press credentials. I met up with the senator and the tree at Mack Truck’s headquarters in Allentown, Pa., in November. The tree is always treated as a national treasure, and security is as important as it is for any visiting dignitary.

The trucking logistics are complicated. Together, the truck and trailer measure around 105 feet, much longer than your typical truck and trailer combination. Maneuvering in and out of parking lots, down city streets or into a secure location at the end of the day was a feat accomplished with tremendous care. Get it right and no one notices; make a mistake and the whole world will see you on the nightly news.

It was a few days of holiday magic and the opportunity to look behind the curtain of one of my favorite childhood memories. The trip and watching the groundskeepers set the tree into the ground remain etched in my mind.

I have so many more memories, as well – some that will never be told on the pages of Land Line. But they were good times.

In October 2019, I made the difficult decision to step away from my trucking adventures. As much as I loved every minute and every opportunity, I needed to spend more time at home. My husband had significant health issues, and the most important place to be was with him.

For more than 20 years, I was honored to call Land Line Magazine my working home. It still feels that way today. LL