READERS AND THEIR RIGS - JULY 2006

LONG VALLEY’S SPOTLESS FLEET

This month’s Readers And Their Rigs comes to us from Joey Machado, owner of Long Valley Hay in Firebaugh, CA. Joey (43) operates the company with his partner George Hansen, his wife Angie and a handful of great drivers, hauling hay to local dairies in California’s Central Valley. Long Valley Hay currently has three sweet rigs: a 2005 Pete 379, a 1996 Pete 379 and a Freightliner FLD 120 (year unknown). Each of the trucks pulls a pair of matching 28’ Utility flatbeds. The trucks are painted white with purple fenders and pinstriping, and all three of them are decked out in chrome and stainless. Joey started the company about three years ago with one truck (the 1996 Pete) and one driver (Eddie Carballo). Eddie spent some time and money fixing up the truck, and then Joey decided to buy him a new Pete. After getting the 2005 truck, Eddie really went crazy, adding 7” straight pipes with turnouts, custom stainless steel deck plating, over 200 LED lights and many other extras. Joey told Eddie (and his other two drivers) that they could do whatever they wanted to the trucks, as long as they took good care of them - and boy do they! Mike Cullen drives and takes care of the Freightliner and Victor “Pops” Banda runs the 1996 Pete. All of these trucks are spotless all of the time - even though they run down dirt roads every day. Joey doesn’t really want his company to grow, but thinks he might have to add a fourth truck next year anyway. Buying and selling hay takes up most of Joey’s time these days, but whenever one of his drivers are sick or on vacation, he fills in for them. Our thanks go out to Eddie’s friend Miranda for originally sending us a letter and some pictures.