10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

JAMMIN’ JAMBOREE
BY ROVING REPORTERS ROD & KIM GRIMM
(Click here to see the photos!)

The annual Truckers Jamboree, held July 13 & 14 at Iowa 80 Truckstop in Walcott, Iowa, surpassed all expectations. After 27 years of great shows, they keep adding to it and making something so good even better! In addition to a few new firsts this year, there were the usual pork chops, polished chrome, beautiful antiques, fireworks and vendor booths that help make this show one of the best every year.

Eighty trucks participated in the Super Truck Beauty Contest and over 200 antiques (photo 6) were on display. Even though Iowa 80 is the world’s biggest truckstop (photo 1), they still almost ran out of concrete – there was shine everywhere and lots of elbow grease to get it that way. Some might say one is crazy for putting all that time and work into getting a truck (and even crazier to get a truck and trailer) that clean, but getting to drive it when it looks like that, even for just a short while, is always worth it.

Sharing all that work with others just as crazy as you is what has been keeping drivers coming back to Walcott for years. This year we didn’t show our truck, but instead stopped in on Friday just for the fun. Many good friends have been made there and it’s become somewhat of a reunion for several of us. This “trucker appreciation” event is held annually to help thank drivers for what they do for this country and what they’ve done for Iowa 80 over the years. I’d like to tell everyone involved with the show, job well done.

It seems that every time you go by the Iowa 80 Truckstop, there is something new or it’s gotten bigger. This year, the chrome shop got newer and bigger! With three full size trucks inside (a yellow Pete revolving in the window, a dark blue KW set up like a heavy haul tractor and then the biggie, a red Freightliner with a 48’ Kentucky trailer covered in a breathtaking mural featuring Interstate 80 from east to west) this place is huge – and filled with all the things trucker’s dream of in one stop. In all of the Iowa 80’s expansions over the years, none have been celebrated with a ribbon cutting until this one. And they had quite a crowd on hand, with cookies, coffee, tea and lemonade afterwards. If you haven’t been there, you should stop by and check it out – it’s pretty awesome.

Another first this year was the free Wells Fargo Stage Coach rides (Photo 5). I saw the coach go by but didn’t get a chance to ride in it. Hopefully, their schedule will work out so that they can come back next year, and I will make sure to get time to hop aboard then. Of course, you have to have an Iowa pork chop if you’re at the Jamboree. For those who don’t know about Iowa chops, they are an inch and a half thick and delicious (unlike those paper thin and dried out ones you get at other places). This year, they served 14,000 of them! Thursday night was the light show and fireworks display. Ah, big trucks with tons of lights and fireworks – what a great way to light up the Iowa night!
An estimated 32,000 people visited the truckstop during the two days of the Jamboree, checking out not only the trucks on display, but also the 200 exhibitors at the show. Everything trucking is represented here: new products, new trucks, recruiters, OOIDA and our personal favorite, Trucker Buddy. That takes us to the last of the firsts.

This year, every trucker in the show was eligible for a new trophy awarded to the most deserving trucker buddy at the show. Gary King (the founder of Trucker Buddy) came out to the show to present this first-ever award (photo 7). Rod and I can remember being at the Kenworth Drivers Board meeting in 1993 when Gary first pitched the idea of the Trucker Buddy program. He passed around a notebook and I’m very proud to say that we became members that very first day. Since then, Gary & Carol King have developed and shaped the program, which has joined thousands of truckers with well over a million kids. I was honored to say a few words about Gary before he handed out the award. Like I said at the ceremony, “There isn’t anything like big trucks and little kids,” and Gary has brought the two together in a BIG way!

The first Gary King Trucker Buddy Award went to Harvey and Karen Zander (photo 3). They were flabbergasted and truly surprised, but there wasn’t anyone there more deserving of this honor. Harvey and Karen always go above and beyond what’s necessary when they visit their class. The Trucker Buddy Log Book was designed by the Zanders and Karen always makes the coolest things for their kids (key chains, posters, the list is endless). We’d like to congratulate them on winning this prestigious, first-ever award.

If you are interested in becoming a Trucker Buddy, call them at 1-800-MY-BUDDY. You won’t regret it. School will be starting soon and lots of teachers would be happy to have a trucker for their class. And if you’re planning on attending the 2007 Truckers Jamboree in Walcott, Iowa, be sure to mark your calendars for July 12 & 13. Come out and see what’s new next year. We’ll see you there!

2007-2004 BOBTAIL: 1st Michael Barry, Pilot Grove, MO (Nothing Left To Say); 2nd Randy & Michelle Kramer, Ankeny, IA (Excalibur); 3rd Dave Hinz, West Bend, WI (Blue) (photo 4).

2003-1997 BOBTAIL: 1st Rusty Wyrick, Mansfield, OH (French Quarters); 2nd Harvey & Karen Zander, St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 3rd Glen Page, Camden, MI (Precious).

1996-1990 BOBTAIL: 1st Ron Brubaker, Sigourney, IA (One of a Kind); 2nd Carl Crider, Aurora, IN (Little Critter).

1989-1982 BOBTAIL: 1st George McGregor, Mesquite, TX (Kozy Kabin #2); 2nd Arlyn Workman, Morrison, IL (Martha); 3rd James Randall, Claremont, MN (Handlebar).

1981 & OLDER BOBTAIL: 1st Jerry Howard, Fairborn, OH (Midnight); 2nd Steve Perry, Fairborn, OH (El Turbo); 3rd Joshua Metz, Hicksville, OH (Cruiser).

2007-2002 COMBO: 1st Pat Eilen, Hampton, MN (Iron Outlaw); 2nd Billy Carter, Victor, IA (Orange Blossom Special); 3rd Shawn Swanson, Prophetstown, IL (Pure Attitude).

2001-1993 COMBO: 1st Dustin Foster, Butler, MO; 2nd Mike Aschenbrenner, Fremont, IA; 3rd Randy Huddleston, Willow Hill, IL (Just Awesome).

1992 & OLDER COMBO: 1st Mike Stoneman, Payette, ID; 2nd Brandon Wise, Carlinville, IL (Green Hornet); 3rd Larry Winkler, Rockport, IN (Barnyard Beast).

PAINT/GRAPHICS BOBTAIL: 1st Randy & Michelle Kramer, Ankeny, IA (Excalibur); 2nd Dave Hinz, West Bend, WI (Blue); 3rd Ellory Lange, Holyoke, CO.

PAINT/GRAPHICS COMBO: 1st Ron Baird, Thorntown, IN (Hoffman’s HOT Rod) (photo 2); 2nd Pat Eilen, Hampton, MN (Iron Outlaw); 3rd Brandon Wise, Carlinville, IL (Green Hornet).

PAINT/MURALS BOBTAIL: 1st Rusty Wyrick, Mansfield, OH (French Quarters); 2nd Harvey & Karen Zander, St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 3rd Randy & Michelle Kramer, Ankeny, IA (Excalibur).

PAINT/MURALS COMBO: 1st Ron Baird, Thorntown, IN (Hoffman’s HOT Rod); 2nd Larry Winkler, Rockport, IN (Barnyard Beast); 3rd Larry Dyck, Winnepeg, Manitoba.

POLISH & DETAIL: 1st Harvey & Karen Zander, St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 2nd Rusty Wyrick, Mansfield, OH (French Quarters); 3rd Mike Stoneman, Payette, ID.

INTERIOR (OEM SLEEPER): 1st Tad Schultz, Peosta, IA; 2nd Jeremy Hassevoort, Hamilton, MN; 3rd Glen Horack, Elkland, MO.

INTERIOR (OEM CONV. SLEEPER): 1st Harvey & Karen Zander, St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 2nd Brandon Wise, Carlinville, IL (Green Hornet); 3rd Vinnie Diorio, Pleasant Hill, WI (Picture Me Rollin’).

INTERIOR (CUSTOM SLEEPER): 1st Rusty Wyrick, Mansfield, OH (French Quarters); 2nd Randy & Michelle Kramer, Ankeny, IA (Excalibur); 3rd Ellory Lange, Holyoke, CO.

LIGHTS AT NIGHT BOBTAIL: 1st Matt Baenziger, Kingston, IL; 2nd Harvey & Karen Zander, St. Louis Park, MN (Icy Blu 2); 3rd Rusty Wyrick, Mansfield, OH (French Quarters).

LIGHTS AT NIGHT COMBO: 1st Ron Baird, Thorntown, IN (Hoffman’s HOT Rod); 2nd Brandon Wise, Carlinville, IL (Green Hornet); 3rd Steve Hendershot, LaPorte City, IA (Buckshot Express).

OVERALL THEME: Rusty Wyrick, Mansfield, OH (French Quarters).

SHOW TRUCK: Ron Baird, Thorntown, IN (Hoffman’s HOT Rod).

SPECIALTY: Tom Hansen, Laramie, WY (Never Satisfied).

TRUCKER’S CHOICE: Brandon Wise, Carlinville, IL (Green Hornet).