OOIDA’s tour trailer stops in Rochelle, Ill.

In between a couple of truck shows, Marty Ellis plans to park OOIDA’s tour trailer for a couple of days in Rochelle, Ill.

The Spirit is scheduled to stop July 19-21 at the Petro Stopping Center in Rochelle, Ill. It’s at I-39 and Route 38, and is Exit 99 from the interstate.

The Rochelle Petro has parking for 400 tractor-trailers. The Iron Skillet diner is open 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Rochelle is 30 miles south of Rockford, Ill., and about 80 miles east of Chicago.

The city is known as Hub City because of several major transportation routes intersect there. Not only do I-88 and I-39 intersect there, but so do two major rail lines, Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway main lines. Rochelle straddles the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway in the United States.

Running out of fuel

On the way to the Western Nebraska Truck Show, Ellis reports stopping at the TA Travel Center in Ogallala, Neb., to fuel up and shower only to find out there was no fuel available.

He said another driver told him this was the third place he had stopped that either didn’t have fuel or was limiting how much you could get.

The Ogallala TA got a fuel delivery that night, so Ellis could fill up and get on the road.

If you have reports of truck stops running out of fuel, please email Land Line a head’s up to News@LandLineMag.com.

Fuel prices have been rising for several weeks now, according to weekly federal reports.

Western Nebraska Truck Show

At the Western Nebraska Truck Show over the weekend, Ellis reports that Fred Wohlers won first place in his class and the championship belt for best in show for his 1986 Peterbilt 359.

Event organizers Rhys and Melinda Obiedo, owners of Grime Scene Unit, a mobile vehicle detailing business that polishes tractor-trailers based in Scottsbluff, report reaching their goal of raising $5,000 for Autism Speaks, a nonprofit organization that sponsors research and awareness programs for autism.

Here are images from the show on their business’ Facebook page.

Upcoming truck shows

Besides the Western Nebraska Truck Show, Ellis and OOIDA’s tour trailer – the Spirit of the American Trucker – are scheduled to be at several other truck shows this summer, including the following.

• July 23-25 – TopGun LargeCar Shootout in Rantoul, Ill.
• Aug 7 – Ault Truck Show in Ault, Colo.
• Aug 13-14 – Waupun Truck-n-Show in Waupun, Wis.
• Aug 20-22 – Eau Claire Big Rig Truck Show in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see OOIDA’s tour trailer, stop by and say hello. Ellis is looking 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 there. Face masks are available for anyone with a commercial driver’s license at The Spirit.

After Rochelle, The Spirit is scheduled July 23-25 to be at the TopGun LargeCar Shootout truck show in Rantoul, Ill. After that, on Aug. 1-3, OOIDA’s tour trailer is scheduled to be in Troy, Ill.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL