Central PA truck run

[farmer52]

On my way from central PA to OH today I was thinking a good run would be Mack Hagerstown north on I-81, Chambersburg to Bedford via route 30, I-99 north to route 22, route 22 west to New Alex home of Watt Mack. Lots of uphill and downhill grades crossing the mountains. Lots of neat places along the route.

[mowerman]

On my way from central PA to OH today I was thinking a good run would be Mack Hagerstown north on I-81, Chambersburg to Bedford via route 30, I-99 north to route 22, route 22 west to New Alex home of Watt Mack. Lots of uphill and downhill grades crossing the mountains. Lots of neat places along the route.

too far from reno.lol.bob

[other dog]

That is a good route, especially the rt. 30 part. Or, you could swing by the dragstrip freightrain went to a while back, that's a good route too.

[Freightrain]

Anything "hillly" is not a fun trip for the most part in my truck LOL!!! I've found that out in the last 12 yrs. Especially this past spring in PA!!! Ugh.

[farmer52]

I have been doing more thinking about a central PA run. Thanks to radwillg for providing a contact for the Oregon Run. I contacted Rob Cowan (admin for www.Straightstack.com old truck forum) and he provided some background information. I think this would be a fun run to do but definitely too late this year to organize anything. Perhaps a "spring" run before all the truck shows and vacations start. If anyone has ideas or is interested in helping organize a run please message me. Another idea is to "convoy" to Gerhart's, Trucktoberfest, and/or Macungie (June 2014).

Here is Rob's reply to my questions concerning the run.

This started from a conversation my dad (Keith Cowan) and his friend, Roger Emmert had. They thought it would be cool to get a few trucks together and run them up the mountains like they used to do here (big logging community where my dad lives). The first year they just called up a few friends that had old trucks and went for it. (I think we had 6 that year.) I thought it sounded like a great idea and wanted to get it on video. Once I got the video done and posted it on YouTube, it was really all the advertising they needed. :-) Every year it has grown significantly. It's a lot of fun and I'm glad those guys decided to have coffee that morning. :-)

Now to your questions:
1. The group normally just travels together one way. It's about 50miles. We have moved the end point a couple times because of Widfires in the area. I think it takes around 3 hours typically. It's a really curvy, steep road for the most part. Hopefully this link works: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=foster,+oregon&daddr=Hoodoo+Ski+Area,+Sisters,+OR&hl=en&ll=44.41024,-122.265472&spn=0.790692,1.345825&sll=37.6,-95.665&sspn=55.104926,86.132813&geocode=FSKmpQIdTiuw-ClBNBS31YfAVDFt_OksUk-48Q%3BFdifpQIdH0K8-CFrpLoUW3fMKCmdfY4_TDe_VDFrpLoUW3fMKA&oq=hoodoo+sk&mra=ls&t=m&z=10
That link shows the most common route.

2. We meet to start at 9:00 and typically get to the end point around 12:00.

3. Roger and my dad chose this route. They live in Sweet Home, OR. Hwy 20 heads into the hills from Sweet Home. Every truck that hauled a load of logs would head somewhere up Hwy 20 to get the load. It just made sense from their location. The end point is just basically the summit. They picked Hoodoo Ski area because they have a large parking lot that is not used this time of year.

4. We do have one planned rest stop. There's a couple reasons for this. It allows all the cars stuck behind the trucks to get around (this is a 2 lane highway with very few spots to pass). The trucks do get split up by traffic in the few spots people can pass so this allows them to get back together. Lastly, it works really well to allow those that are running video cameras to get past the trucks and get set up at another spot. I guess we do actually have a second rest spot, but it's also kinda the end. At Hoodoo (or wherever the end point is), we all park and have a BBQ. Everyone sits around, talks, eats, and then people just leave whenever they want to. Typically small groups of friends.

5. We don't have any official sponsers so no prizes, just the BBQ. For the first few years my dad and Roger just bought all the food for the BBQ themselves. It has become a big enough expense that now they just have a donation bucket at the beginning of the food line. That has worked out well. As far as serving and preparing the food, my mom and Roger's wife, Angie, have been great sports. They organize all that. Lastly, my sister (and her family) and myself (and my family) always make it a family outing and help out where we can.

Hopefully that helps some. Feel free to keep the questions coming if you have more. Its a great time and I'd love to see more of them started. I know I have gotten similar questions from a truck club in Washington. I believe one of their members is coming down this year to check it out and get ideas. Trucks look cool sitting around at a show but it doesn't come close to seeing and hearing them in action! :-)

[Vladislav]

Ken, it sounds like a plan.

My only sorry I can't get myself there with a truck.

[rsb502]

Im looking at starting a new ATHS chapter in TN with about 5 friends and we are already talking about a convoy/cruise in the fall if the year and a show in the spring.