JUNE 2012 – Decatur, IL We were headed to our first ITPA (Illinois
Tractor Pulling Association) at the Decatur Macon County Fair Grounds on June 8th
and June 9th. Mike Miller,
President had agreed to let us have the opportunity to spread the world of
Kentucky Whoopies to a new group of Truck and Tractor Pulling Fans. So, many thanks to Mike and Dee Ann Miller
for letting us be a part of a very fun weekend. We were on the pit side of the track and we
knew that there were some serious FANS of this sport on that side……First row
seats should be defined as those that can back their truck up to closest side
of the track and then you elect just what “your seat” is going to set on. Much of the basic fold out chairs, but
there is more! ! When you have your own
set of recliners designed to fit exactly in the back-end of your pick’em’up----you
mean business. Then when your
neighboring truck constructs an on-site tent that will be lifted, fitted, nut and
bolted to their truck bed, you then have competition beyond the track… LOVED IT
!! Truly the nicest and most fun lovin’
group we have met. How could we be so
lucky, even with these protected real estate lots in front of the Whoopie
Wagon, we had the best seats in the house.
We love to pan-handle our cakes, but to get to sale and have front row
viewing of all the hooks, it was better than good. There was some Illinois dirt a flying, but
when the Modifieds took the stage, there was more than some Illinois
dirt-----We have learned, just to cover up the product, keep your hat on and
everything just falls into place.
As we
continue on in our little venture, Trey and I have the opportunity to meet so
many of the pullers and their teams.
This league put on a Great Show in Decatur. The fans are looking for
excitement and when the “Madness” bunch hit the track, they entertain. I took a few minutes to go to the fence to
video Jordan Nelson’s dad make his run of Midnight Madness, and it took a
little “hang in there to my brain” to stay put ....There really are few words that
can describe the sound, speed, vibration, & heat these machines generate all at the same time.
Our travels
took us from Kentucky to Decatur then to Hutchinson, MN and our final stop on
this part of our 2012 tour at Tomah, WI.
This was one of those tours that started one way and just was hard to
get back on track…if you know what I mean.
We use the term in our marketing of “Are You Hooked Yet” (In the Pulling
Circuit, it simply means that machine of yours has elected to stay snagged at
the perfect sweet spot and just stay that way until it can go no further down
the track)…..For us, it really means is that trailer of yours hooked to your
truck and “if’in” it is…then you fit into the category of a DOT vehicle!! Before we left Kentucky, we had what we
thought was all the proper checks done…NO, got stopped within 2 miles from the home
place and had to go back to make proper DOT adjustments. Ok, now we finally head to IL (Only Three
Hours Later) to then find that we need an IL inspection (Ok, now that’s done),
then just one more stop in MN (One hour inspection) and we passed the test
again and allowed to proceed. Not
complaining,,,,,,but when you elect to drive a rolling billboard, you are
asking for it? Oh, I forgot to factor
into this little mix of trying to get this little road show moving that our
Freezer Unit had to have a new fuel pump in Springfield, IL. Now that service center elected to not
change a cellionoid and then by the time we got to Madison, WI, we had to have
that changed. So at the end of this
tour, DOT good – Thermo King unit good --- Hours waiting for inspections and
service centers --- NOT good!
HUTCHINSON, MN On June 15th
and June 16th, The Power Pull Nationals took place. Julia and Ricky Rose and their teams have
made this a Number One Grand National Pull for NTPA. The facility is just one of those that is
super Fan Friendly and just grows bigger and better each year. The crowds were in Hutchinson for this
weekend and the weather stayed perfect.
While we had a great time at the Illinois pull, we knew that something
just was off……..We found it in MN. Cuz
Dion and Uncle Larry, plus the addition of Josh and Matt. Now we were back in our game! Larry on the track, Josh and Matt in “their
rolling tower” and Dion set up next to us to meet and greet the puller fans and
sale them “STUFF”. Late hours and long
lines for the “Port-A-Potty” just made it feel right. I still say that if you think you don’t
want to buy anything, then DON’T walk by Dion’s set up….that guy will SELL (Must not forget his able assistant – Seth
Heldabrand; he can dish out that merchandise, too-----Plus he is soooo cute and
the girls just luv-em)
This Grand
National had so many of the best from the Classes: Super Stocks, Modifieds, Two Wheel Drives and
Semi (The last hook of the last night,
poured out fire and the most excitement --- the stands were still full and all
left knowing their money was well spent)
Thanks again to the volunteers and to all that created such a successful
event.
A few days
in between the next pull and back to work in our mobile office:
Phone/Computer/Printer/Fed-X/UPS)---all
it takes. Not all work and no play….. I
don’t think that I mentioned that Trey and I have an alias (Whoop and LouBee)
--- simply check out the local Texas Hold’em Standings at any Buffalo Wild
Wings ----- We have to do something between – Travels, Whoopie Sales – Office
Work and this is so much fun….The
only down side is that it is for points only – no money exchanged “dang” we are
pretty good at it—so if it were for real cash, hummmmmmmm ?
TOMAH, WI This was our last stop for
this month. We were at the Budweiser
Dairyland Super Nationals last year and it gave us the opportunity to start
last year’s season off good. So, we
were excited to be back to Tomah. Surprise—No
Thermo King, No DOT, just unhooked the Whoopie Trailer and we were off to
business…Does not read for much of an exciting story, but we were ready for all
to Go GOOD!
We were back
into the Swing of Doing Business as Usual (Cuz Dion----INCLUDING MGB & RB
!! next to us) (Uncle Larry on Tract, Josh & Matt busy as always). Seeing pulling friends and laughing just made
for a good week. This was the first
pull in along time, that we were able to meet up with the Tractors (Whoopie
Maker and Raging Bull /SF) & the Hauler……I mention this for two reasons, I
do like to watch them travel down the track , BUT I love being able to have a
Bath Room vs. Port-A-Pot. On this
tractor trip, Jess was at guard duty and it was left to the two – John &
“Chicken” -- One of em' was tired, and
the other one was sick and therefore not ANY fun to be around…then, The Whoopie
Maker got sick and it was downhill…..They were so out of it, on Sunday just as
soon as they finished their pulls, they packed those babies and headed
out. (Quickly---I made one smart
move, or I thought. My last stop
to the Bathroom in the Hauler – and while I was finishing up! – the rig was
shake'in – I rushed out and it was sooooooo
very close to heading down the
road, Now picture this, me in the hauler with doors locked, no phone, etc…. I could just hear Whoopie Boy asking RB in about
an hour, have you seen MOM!)
Bottom line,
I got out of the hauler! Finished
Sales—Closed Up –Hooked Up and had a nice dinner with Trey and our friend, Tim
Gibbens (Those two are fun to be around – they laugh, talk sports & pulling
and I just sit back enjoy dinner & spirits
--- I had already claimed to be the non-driving person)
BTW:
This was the first time, that we noticed that our DOT Required /
Attached Fire Extinguisher went missing.
JULY 2012, GEORGETOWN, OH /NEW HAMPTON, IA
/ CHAPEL HILL, TN / FORT RECOVERY, OH:
A quick review --- Georgetown,
Ohio on July 6th and 7th was memorable in several
ways---We love to be in Georgetown and to see our friends (Bob, Julie, Charles,
Robbie, Bill, Bryan, Gigi – All Neals and of course Amber (Neal) and hubby-
Brian Wallace – Brian just back from 5 tours of protecting and serving our Country…Thank you Brian)
Georgetown, gets my vote for being the “Hottest” Tractor
Pull this season / Hot in as a good Pull, but also the weather----(We only sold Whoopie’s directly from the freezer, it was
that HOT) We still had a GREAT Time and
we thank everyone for their help and for being such great fans of our product.
BTW: This was the second time that we lost a
DOT Required / Attached Fire Extinguisher--hmmmmm!
New Hampton, IA was a few miles away
from Kentucky, but we made it and big thanks to Dee & Chuck Knapp and Julie
and Jim Eckenrod for hosting, in my opinion, the Future Next Super National. Great
Classes and Crowds……We were set up by Dion's Booth (Did I mention that we always like
to be next to Dion?) and it was busy.
This was one of those times, that Larry was one NTPA tech shy and Cuz
Dion stepping in as usual to fill the spot---for both nights !….Now, this was
great for Uncle Larry, but it was a busy two nights for demand of the NTPA
Merchandise. Seth took CHARGE and did a
great job for Dion, but it also took the assistance of Whoopie Boy. (I should have taken a video of the action
at that booth, it was non-stop and somehow in all this mix, we still had great
laughs)
Fun for Me: Second to
playing Texas Hold'em with WHOOP at BWW, was that Whoopie Boy stopped @ I 80
Truck Stop (World’s Largest Truckstop) for me on the way back home.
He did not stop on the way up and I kinda' expressed by disappointment
to a “few” people….and it got back to Trey.
This sounds like he was being sweet to Mom…but truth, he was on the
phone with his friend, Miles Krieger and imagine this, we were both only 10 minutes away from I 80 exit—we were
headed South and Miles headed North and I think he wanted to have someone else
to talk to beside yours truly !!
BTW:
This was the third time that we lost a DOT Required / Attached Fire
Extinguisher. (Pattern Developing
????)
CHAPEL HILL, TN (SUPER PULL OF THE SOUTH) our
next stop. We are back in the
SOUTH. What a crowd and an event…
Somehow, we feel like family when we are around the ORANGE SHIRTS…Chris Gilbert
and his Super Team, promote, prepare and execute ---the BEST PULL EVER.
We were busy
from the time we opened shop until we closed.
Both nights not out of there until after 2:00 a.m. But know this, the Fans of Chapel Hill stay
put not matter what the weather does. A
rain delay does not make anyone leave.
At one point, we were so busy, we had the fastest quick study of a
Whoopie Sales team put together that you can imagine (Thank you Kim Richwine,
and Bill Rowzee and Rachel and thanks to Tim and Bob for helping us close shop) If you have never been to the Chapel Hill
Pull, put it on your calendar----Triple Fun Place.
BTW:
Fire Extinguisher Gone Again….This time, we had it tie strapped down
(There was a pattern, but someone mentioned the Tie Strap ‘Thang’ and the
mystery came together)
FORT RECOVERY, OH – Headed to our
favorite State, OHIO and thank you to all our new fans in the area…a Great
Weekend of Sales and Fun. Thank you Nick
Dues and the Ambassador Club for your assistance. Great Classes, Large Crowds, Good Friends were
in the mix for this successful weekend.
Down side, no BWW in the area and no Uncle Larry (Earl Wiseman, Jr. was
a great replacement and always good to see Alan Washburn (#1 Announcer) --
& Butch Krieger (#1 Announcer)—cannot
say one is #1 and the other is #2 … but to have them both at the same event
–WOW. Thank you PULLERS for GREAT ENTERTAINMENT
!!!!!!!
Back to
Kentucky for a few weekends off / NOT, baking, baking, baking on
the schedule !
BTW:
We DID NOT have to replace the
DOT Required / Attached Fire Extinguisher this time (We realized it was just
easier to remove and place back when we hit the road---It worked) Ok, so we were a
little slow on this, but……..
See you on our NEXT STOP --- NATIONAL TRACTOR PULLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BOWLING GREEN OHIO (August 17-19)
Be sure to Visit:
Next
Scheduled Pulls on our Tour
August 17th-19th
National Tractor Pulling Championships in Bowling Green, OH
August 21st-22nd
The Great Darke Co. Fair Pull, Greenville, OH
August
24th-25th Midwest Xtreme Truck and Tractor Pull,
Jefferson City, MO
September 7th-8th
Knox County Truck & Tractor Pull, Knoxville, TN
September 15 The 26th Enderle Pull-Off, Urbana,
OH
September 24th-29th
The BROWN CO. Fair, Georgetown, OH
September 28th -30th
The World’s Largest Cranberry Festival, Warren, WI --Watch for the World's Largest Cranberry Whoopie -- ONE TON !!!!
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