Trucks. A word every toddler has trouble saying.

This year, I went to MATS in Louisville Kentucky for the second time.
You might be saying, Linda, I had no idea you were a truck enthusiast, and I would tell you- DArlin' you hardly know me.
 You probably don't know I have been compiling interviews with long haul truck drivers for over a year, that I have teamed up with photographers to take portraits of the drivers, mostly working with this talented fireball, all to create a slick photo essay book called, We Brought It .You Bought It. 

It is our desire to bring greater understanding to the average Joe about these road warriors- the long haul trucker, whose life is lived on the road. They are not at all what or who you think. Believe me.

 SO, yes, I drove 7 hours to walk end to end of a huge convention center for three days. But wait, you ask, Was there Beer?
 Well, hell yeah.


 and also:

I saw some old friends... like Granny and Snuffy Smith

and made some new ones like Mush Mouth

   Sure it was a working trip. But we saved up one night to go play here:


 


                                      we did not dance on the bar like this guy, oh don't act so surprised

we did dance with Norwegians, like this, Go Angela!

And  there was some interesting "karaoke-esque" moments while singing along at the piano bar while this guy ( below) played and we drank with Lars #1 who thought the words to the song were "Sweet Town Alabama." Southern Rock is very popular in Norway. We tried to avoid getting dragged around on the dance floor by the short man with the chubby kilt-wearing girlfriend, a man who was convinced he was the life of the party.

AND as every trip I take must...  A. give me a story or character to take home B. teach me something that I can share with others C. remind me of something I already knew. or D. pleasantly surprise me

This time: It was all of the above, culminating with a wedding. An authentic Cherokee ceremony with singers and drummers and an officiating Chief. In a parking lot of semis. With a very brief reception as the killer storm blew in and sent everyone running. I would say that might be a sign of future marital trouble, but as these two have almost ten marriages between them- including once prior to each other, I think they have plenty of experience, to weather any storm.