10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

JAMBOREE TURNS 25
STORY & PHOTOS BY SUZANNE STEMPINSKI

The folks at Iowa 80 sure know how to throw a party! To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their Truckers Jamboree, and the 40th anniversary of the truckstop in Walcott, Iowa, they pulled out all the stops. Traditionally held during the second week in July, this extravaganza included a Super Truck Beauty Contest, Trucker Olympics, their famous Pork Chop dinners, bands, a Pet Contest, exhibitor booths, and a collection of antique trucks that offered something for everyone! Oh, and did we forget to mention cake and fireworks?

In 1964, Standard Oil Company built and opened a truckstop in a small building nestled in Iowa’s cornfields just west of the Mississippi River. I-80 was still under construction and trucks didn’t travel as fast as they do today. Bill Moon took over management of the truckstop in 1965 and began the journey that brought Iowa 80 Truckstop to the place it holds today as the country’s largest truckstop, offering the most services and amenities of any truck-related facility, anywhere. The Moon family still owns and manages the truckstop.

Celebrating truck drivers while offering them an opportunity to stop, relax, clean up, have a good meal, service their trucks and shop – all in one place – has resulted in a number of expansions over the years. Today, you won’t have to wait to fuel up – there are 16 diesel fuel pumps including one specifically designed for over-width, over height loads. You probably won’t have to wait for a shower either, with 23 of them – all kept immaculately clean. You could get a haircut, visit the dentist, take in a hit movie, eat in a sit-down restaurant or grab some fast food on the run. You could buy luggage, gifts for someone you love and, of course, you can dress up your truck in ways that are simply mind boggling. There are aisles filled with chrome, stainless, aluminum, wood, wire loom, lights, sheets, boxes, bezels, stacks and more. You can find stuff to clean it, polish it, have vinyl made for it, embroider it, or just wander around in amazement. If you can imagine it – they’ve got it – and if they don’t have it, they’ll find a way to get it.

The Walcott Truckers Jamboree was the place to be on July 8th & 9th as 83 “Super Trucks” competed for bragging rights and chrome trophies. Trucks (and their owners) were spit-shined and sparkling as judges, truck drivers and visitors from all over roamed the parking lots admiring these wonderful examples of pride and attention to detail. At night, the only thing brighter than the blaze of lights from the rigs was the fireworks display that lit up the sky.

It wasn’t just trucks that competed for recognition. There were Trucker Olympics with tire rolling through an obstacle course, a strong pull – pulling a 12,000 lb. cement truck (men and women) and, of course, the water balloon toss. And, as if that wasn’t enough, there was the ever-popular Pet Contest, where 10-4’s own Kim Grimm and her Cocker Spaniel “Lizzie” were judged to look the most alike!

Iowa 80’s famous pork chop dinners were eagerly consumed, and this year a gigantic 25th anniversary cake, designed to treat more than 10,000 guests to a slice of something sweet, disappeared in record time.

Of course, the best parties have live entertainment and this one was no exception. Darryl Gilbert has been playing guitar and singing at the Walcott Trucker’s Jamboree for all of its 25 years. At the first Jamboree, Gilbert, who was a friend of Bill Moon’s, played his music while standing on the back of a flatbed trailer. Today, this talented musician who, along with his band “Big D’s,” has opened for country music headliners like Kenny Chesney, still loves coming back to the great atmosphere and good friends he’s made at Iowa 80. In addition, this year, Iowa 80 also hosted a Colgate^® Country Showdown, where twelve talented country music contestants competed for a chance to advance to State competition.

The Moon family and all the staff at Iowa 80 made every visitor feel welcome and special as they celebrated 40 years of truckstop excellence and 25 years of Jamborees. But that’s something they practice every day! And when the awards were announced, special chrome trophies were handed out to the following list of proud folks:

CABOVER: 1st Al & Kym Hemerson of Hemboldt, IA; 2nd Terence Thomas of North Plainfield, NJ; 3rd Jim Wiebengal of Jefferson, IA.
2005-2002 BOBTAIL: 1st Harvey & Karen Zander of St. Louis Park, MN; 2nd David & Victoria Weldon of Applegate, OR; 3rd Chris Hammen of Chipley, FL.
2001-1995 BOBTAIL: 1st Mike Knezevich of Astor, FL; 2nd Scott Batten of Deer Grove, IL; 3rd Chris Lewis of Jackson, MO

1994-1988 BOBTAIL: 1st Ron Brubaker of Sigourney, IA; 2nd Troy Huddleston of Willow Hill, IL; 3rd William Ramsey Jr. of Wheatland, IA.
1987-1980 BOBTAIL: 1st Gailand Johnston of Lamar, MO; 2nd Darrell Madden of New London, MO; 3rd Lavern Cross of Middlebury, IN.
1979 & OLDER BOBTAIL: 1st Willard Good of Denver, PA; 2nd Tim Miller of Oelwein, IA.
2005-2000 COMBO: 1st Kirk Rolling of LeMars, IA; 2nd Bill Carter of Victor, IA; 3rd Troy Elder of Hutchison, MN.
1999-1991 COMBO: 1st Rod & Kim Grimm of Vinton, IA; 2nd Max Haertling of Poplar Bluff, MO; 3rd Tony & Robin Bartels of Kahoka, MO.
1990 & OLDER COMBO: 1st Jeff Pruitt of Carroll, IA; 2nd Vincent of Eau Claire, WI; 3rd Dan Haffner of Farmington, IA.
PAINT & GRAPHICS BOBTAIL: 1st Mike Knezevich of Astor, FL; 2nd Pat Eilen of Hampton, MN; 3rd Scott Batten of Deer Grove, IL.
PAINT & GRAPHICS COMBO: 1st Tony & Robin Bartels of Kahoka, MO; 2nd Max Haertling of Poplar Bluff, MO; 3rd Troy Elder of Hutchison, MN.
PAINT (MURALS) BOBTAIL: 1st Harvey & Karen Zander of St. Louis Park, MN; 2nd Don Marvin of Rome, NY; 3rd Bucky Pierce of Muncie, IN.
PAINT (MURALS) COMBO: 1st Dale & Connie Ison of Hillsboro, OH.

POLISH & DETAIL: 1st Pat Eilen of Hampton, MN; 2nd Dave Marcotte of Momence, IL; 3rd Ernie Vole of Vernon Hills, IL.
OEM SLEEPER: 1st Shawn Swanson; 2nd Chris Lewis of Jackson, MO; 3rd Max Haertling of Poplar Bluff, MO.
OEM CONVERSION SLEEPER: 1st Harvey & Karen Zander of St. Louis Park, MN; 2nd Mike Knezevich of Astor, FL; 3rd Rod & Kim Grimm of Vinton, IA.
CUSTOM SLEEPER: 1st Willard Good of Denver, PA; 2nd David Seegmiller of Decorah, IA; 3rd Dave & Sheril Roberts of Raymond, SD.
LIGHTS BOBTAIL: 1st Harold Garrard of Fairmount, IL; 2nd Harvey & Karen Zander of St. Louis Park, MN; 3rd Pat Eilen of Hampton, MN.
LIGHTS COMBO: 1st Walt & Dee Waite of Dufur, OR; 2nd Tony & Robin Bartels of Kahoka, MO; 3rd Dave Marcotte of Momence, IL.
BEST OVERALL THEME: Harvey & Karen Zander of St. Louis Park, MN.
BEST SHOW TRUCK: Dale & Connie Ison of Hillsboro, OH.
BEST SPECIALTY RIG: Ernie Vole of Vernon Hills, IL.
TRUCKER’S CHOICE: Dustin Foster of Butler, MO.