We’re at GATS! I’m sure this comes as a complete surprise, as Overdrive hasn’t mentioned a thing about the show. Of course I’m kidding, it’s our show and it’s a nice one. Actually it’s the best truck show I’ve been to — these people know how to put on a show; they’re the Ringling Brothers of truck shows. (I think I’ve brown-nosed enough now. But it is the best show.)
The first day on the floor I have to spend getting oriented and finding bathrooms. Also, we visit a lot of people we met from other shows and see friends from all over. People are excited on the first day, everyone is happy and ready to participate one hundred percent. The second day is usually a madhouse, the busiest by far, and schedules get a little hairy. By the third day, I’m hungover and tired of hustling but still enjoy getting out there to see the beautiful trucks in our Pride & Polish competition. I don’t know that I would love to attend trade shows for a living, but the Dallas show is well worth the time and money spent attending.
We have a special guest with us this year. We were able to get one of Hunter’s Travelers from our buddy Randy to bring with us. Hunter is a young man from Southern Ohio who is in renal failure. He loves big trucks and wants very badly to travel, but is unable to due to his illness. A group of lady bikers called The Mystic Sisterhood put together a program for Hunter and sent out several stuffed dinosaurs with people who travel for a living. We take pictures all over the country (and world) of the dinosaurs (who we call Hunter’s Travelers) and post them for Hunter on his Facebook page, so he can travel vicariously through his stuffed animals. We have Luke the Tyrannosaurus Rex with us for the show. Luke has met some awesome people, and we’ve gotten pictures for Hunter we hope he’ll like. (Thanks to everyone who doesn’t think twice about posing with a stuffed animal for a little kid – you rock.)