Well, the invitation was to "Hop in your truck (or whatever ride you choose) and come visit with your fellow Bolters." And over 25 Stovebolters, from as far away as Texas and Maryland, made the trip to gather for a Friday - Sunday All Truck Nationals show put on by the Genuine Chevy GMC Truck Club of Kansas City. The event raised over $8,000 for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.

            What a welcome we all received! KCMongo (our HiPo forum moderator) was the Direction of Operations for the show and he reserved shelter space for the Stovebolt gang, made up name tags, a big Welcome Stovebolters banner and some directional signs. That was impressive. THEN he arranged a personal tour of Jim Carter Truck Parts. Shazam. Does it get much better than this?

            Over these last ten years, we've all seen threads about Bolters wanting to get together in person ... and it's happened in small doses (some mano-a-mano) and some a little bigger. We knew this was yet another great opportunity to connect a smiley face with that bizaro screen name!! Plus, Peggy had some kisses to deliver from some of the female Bolters to Joker!

            The venue was terrific. Riverfront Park is large and newly designed. The permanent shelters had picnic tables so it was a great place to take a load off and continue chatting. The large grounds were spacious for lots of activity, people and the ever-so-important rides! The "event within an event" concept was absolutely perfect.

Here we are!

First row - sitting
    Joe Hand, Steve (KC Mongo) Mosley

Second row - kneeling
    John Milliman, Peggy Milliman, Fred (Joker) Scott,  Ed Blouch, Joe and Jacob Oetken

Third row - standing
    Mike (50GMC253) Barnes, Jennie Falke, Toby Falke, Sherry Ward, Scott (48bigtrucks) Ward, Mike (Ol Trucks) Taylor, Tom (235 Fatfenders) Ryan, Arch (56 pickup) Oetken, Greg (55cabover) Pate

In fatweed's truck
            Kneeling / "front row"
            Joe (TooMany2Count) Weimer, Paul (baldeagle / Stovebolt Geek) Schmehl

            Standing
            Charlie (Cletis) Hardin, Shirley Falke, Al (resto44) Falke, Ray (Oehm Jr 46) Oehm, Donna Oehm, George (Wrenchbender Ret) Captico, Gary (fatweed) Nesser

Not shown
    Craig (revoh) Hover, Russell (Mo503100) Hargis, Linda Schmehl, Gaileen (is2blu), Lisa Mosely, Xander Mosely (Is Mongo a little nuts about Bolts? Nah ... a fun factoide for ya -- Xander's "full name is Alexander Dean Mosley or "AD Mosley" Get it? ("He's our little Advanced Design!") We wonder if Lisa (Mrs. Mongo) would like to conduct a workshop next year for wives of Bolt-a-holics?

            Mike (Ol Trucks) Taylor took us on a private tour of Jim Carter Truck Parts. Notice all the dropped jaws in the photo. It must have seemed like a dream .... parts and parts ... ORGANIZED and CLEAN! As Joe (TooMany2Count) said, "All we need is more time and more money!"

            We had a good time handing our prizes, too. It was fun just dreaming up the categories: Ultimate Stovebolt, Virtual Farthest, Best Blue Truck, Oldest Bolter, Youngest Bolter (Mongo's little boy, Zander, won a prize for being the youngest Bolter -- he's two), Oldest Bolt. Lots of prizes just for fun. Be sure to see the "prize toss" photo!

            Besides the winners of the Stovebolt super-duper neato trophies (that Mongo made) and prizes that were donated, some of our crew won for the over-all show! Joe H won Best of Make (1937 Chevy), Arch (56 pickup) Oetken, Joker "one for distance and the other was a third place for 1950 - 1959 truck stock. I'm not sure why they had stock on it but the judges marked the entry. There were three of them looking at the truck. I guess it looked stock -- engine looked stock without all those carbs some have I don't know -- I just drive em." Here's a picture of Fred's Granddaughters with his trophies!

            And the excitement didn't end on Sunday as folks departed. Once back on the site, everyone was still pretty wound up and already planning the 2007 Reunion.

            We had pictures from the show posted in the Stovebolt Photobucket (temp lost ~ 2023). Here are pictures from Joker,

            Early on, we saw RedRyder and started looking for Fred "Joker" Scott. We found Craig "Revoh" Hover later just by chance -- John and Scott Ward were wandering around the show field, found this great original '60-'66 truck (and its owner) out in the toolies and it turned out to be Revoh!!! So we invited him and his truck to join the crew over by the Stovebolt Pavilion and Chalet.

            Randy (the "event photographer" and also know as MyBlueChevy'sKC on Stovebolt) took the calendar picture for us (so he's not in it -- but somehow, he's in this one -- the guy farthest right). It was his first time to shoot the event and he did a darn good job.

            Gaileen (is2blu), the Genuine Chevy GMC Truck Club of Kansas City Club President, missed the photo. "I would like to throw my thanks in here. I am very happy that all of you came to our event. We wanted everyone to enjoy it and to take home a great feeling about your truck, your new friends, and hopefully looking forward to coming again next year. I only regret I did not have enough time to visit more. Keep in touch." (Oh, shucks, Gaileen, you're not suppose to have any fun until it's all over. Maybe next year we'll stay longer so we can be around long enough to get under you skin ... I mean, get to know you! Whaddya think, Fred?)

            Paul Schmehl got a little tied up in traffic on Friday as he was coming in. Apparently, all those Texicans leaving town got the President wondering what the heck was going on. So, naturally, he flew into Kansas City to check it out. What a blockade at the Airport Marriott (for Paul ... we were already at the Park). On our way home, the President had just come into Washington so we got to see Marine One fly over us as we traveled the highway home.

            Al "Resto44" and Shirley Falke had "the kids" (son Toby and his wife Jennie). One of his buddies (Caleb) won second place in the "burnout" contest with his 4 x 4. Caleb's Mom, Dad and Grandpa where there also. After he heads home, Al is going to be painting his 1953 3/4-ton project truck. Hopefully, the KC event was a good motivator.

            Mongo was busy as can be. And Sunday night, while driving his 2-ton to its show premiere with his buddy's roadster on the back, he had to make a quick stop. His cell and two bottles of water that were on the seat  hit the floorboard. He was a little busy driving so he didn't take time to pick 'em, up (forgetting the couple cell phone sized holes in the floorboard!!). So when he reached his destination, he realized the water was down there -- but not his phone! It probably got crunched by the big duallies after it plopped through a hole! He went back and searched for the phone, to at least retrieve the memory card. But he couldn't find a trace. Not a good week (as show coordinator) to be without his cell phone!

            As if that wasn't enough to keep him busy, Mongo had volunteered his 1953 6400 big Bolt to be used as a stage. Then, he figured that the old paint on it looked just too bad and several spots had surface rust. So, what he planned for a quicky scuff on the paint and shoot some "Preservation Paint," ended up snowballing -- as all old truck projects end up doing. It turned out looking really good.

            Tom (235 Fatfenders) Ryan got back home safe and sound. "It was a good truck meet. Man what a heard of good looking trucks and wonderful people. I for one had a great time. My thanks to all who organized this get together. I hope to be there next year. I can't believe my wife let me come on our anniversary (32 years). Wait a minute ... maybe she wanted to get rid of me? Oh well. She rode home with me and let me in the house."

            "I was not expecting to get any trophies -- there were a bunch of trucks that looked a lot better. Thanks to all who had anything to do with that. Those hub caps will look good on the garage wall."

            Arch "56 pickup" Oetke appreciated the way "you all accommodated our traveling partner in his F--d. He was wearing his 'one of these trucks is not like the others' award clipped to his shirt on Sunday. I also appreciate you letting me wear my Great Plains F-100 club shirt (no Chevy truck clubs in Omaha) for the Stovebolt picture." (Sometimes we all have to make concessions. After all--that's why my engine is painted F--d T-Bird red.)

            BigSix302 reports: "Great people, cool trucks, fun atmosphere!! Need I say more. I really hope everyone can make it back next year and maybe a few more Bolters can join us all. We are already planning for the event again. Thanks for making the trip to all of you.

            Cletis needs to bring more bread crumbs for Fred next year (he got lost). We'll need to get Cletis an itinerary, too so we don't loose him. Fred said it was okay because we could talk about him since he wasn't there. Fred seemed to like the smooches Peg delivered from the Stovebolt Women-folk. Peg will be happy to deliver smooches next year, too. Send in your requests early! On the trip home Cletis reported an "uneventful trip. Laid back, cruise control, CDs blasting. I hope next year I can have a miserable drive in an AD like Fred did. Speaking of Fred, I'm glad you found your way back on your own. I was afraid you'd end up in Nebraska trying to go home a different route."

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Updated January 2024