Monday 13th / Tuesday 14th July 1998
With the Bloomsburg show out of the way it was time to prepare for
the next show.
For John, 1998 has been a very busy year for him. With a show or
display to go to nearly every weekend through out the year, it doesn't
allow him much time to do much else.
The next show for John was in Springfield, Missouri, at the Ozark
Empire Fairgrounds. This show was also a three day show like Bloomsburg.
John & myself would be leaving on the Wednesday afternoon, even though
the show wasn't until Friday. This was so we would have time to stop off
at the 'Home of BIGFOOT' in St. Louis, Missouri, & meet up with the
guys there. This would give John a couple of days to prepare the truck.
Monday morning for John, like most of his mornings, is spent on the
phone to suppliers, sponsors, contacts & looking after his kids.
In the afternoon we went to the shop & John assessed the damage
& work, needed to be done to the truck.
On the way we stopped off at the local mall & found a toy shop.
John has recently secured a toy contract from Miasto toys. They
have produced a die cast toy of his truck. So we got hold of a cardboard
logo from the toy shop & then went to a local decal company to arrange
a giant Miasto decal, to go on the tailgate of his truck.
We also went to local auto stores to pick up other parts for Sudden
Impact.
On the tuesday, John decided that because the lights on the back
of the Sudden Impact trailer where looking a bit dim, he would replace
them. As we would be going on quite a long journey taking us through five
states, the last thing John wanted was to be pulled over.
The Sudden Impact trailer was originally the trailer for the Jersey
Outlaw Monster Truck.
John changing the lights.
Wednesday 15th July 1998
As John would be driving through the night to get to Missouri, Wednesday
morning was a chance to get some extra shut eye. In the afternoon we loaded
up the Sudden Impact truck.
With both truck & trailer all set, John drove us back to his
home, so we could pick up our stuff.
The journey of about one thousand miles, each way would take us
from Pensylvania, through West Virginia, Ohio, Inianna, Illionis &
into Missouri, crossing over the Mississippi & stopping of in St Louis.
Before heading up to Springfield.
We set off at about 6:30pm & stopped off at a number of truck
stops along the way, to stock up on snacks & get some sleep.
John driving us to Springfield, MO.
Thursday 16th July (My birthday)
As we got closer to Missouri, we pulled into a truck stop, where
we stopped & got the hauler & trailer washed in a truck wash. John
also pulled in the garage to have the engine checked over. However the
water valve had broke so while that was being fixed, it gave us a chance
to get showered & get some food.
Along the way we also saw two different BIGFOOT haulers, on the otherside
of the Highway, going to different shows.
John spoke to them briefly on his C.B radio.
We eventually got to the Home of BIGFOOT at about 4pm.
The Sudden Impact hauler outside the BIGFOOT shop
We spent a couple of hours at the BIGFOOT shop. For me it was a dream
come true, which made a great birthday for me.
Bob Chandler, creator & owner of BIGFOOT gave me a personal
tour of the BIGFOOT shop. He showed me where they made parts, where they
spray painted the bodies & frames & where they stored all the different
BIGFOOT body parts.
We finaly left there & headed up to Springfield, MO.
We arrived at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds at about 9:30pm. When
we arrived the only other truck was the Overkill ride truck, & with
no officals around myslelf & John checked into a motel across the road
from the fairgrounds & parked the hauler in the motel car park.
And after traveling all that way we ordered a take away, & then retired
for the night.
