Well folks we have another great event to add to the books. First of all, I want to say a huge Thank You to everyone that had a part or participated in this event, this weekend would not have happened without the help of all of you.
Second, please take a few minutes and check out the Smoky Mountain Nationals web site (
https://www.facebook.com/groups/smokymountainnationals/), there are literally hundreds of pictures posted there. Make sure you let "Dave”, his family and staff know what a great show they put on. A big Thank you to "Dave " for accommodating us and making us feel more than welcome, he made sure that our every need was covered.
The weekend actually started on Wednesday for Linda and I. We met Wayne (Wayne67vert) here in Brunswick for a late breakfast, great conservation and some catching up. Afterwards we had a fuel stop before hitting the road, Wayne fielded questions about "Little Blue" while there. It's great how many people recognize this Truck from the Children's books. Once on the road we had a hiccup, Wayne hit a chunk of wood almost at the South Carolina state line. At first all seem good and then Wayne pulled into the first rest area in SC. The rear tire on his pull truck had begun to separate, he felt the vibration and stopped. The tire was bulging and not long from coming apart. We pulled the tire and mounted his spare. The spare was 12 years old and seriously dry rotted; the rim was crusty from being exposed to the salt air in the Daytona area. Wayne made a few calls (you talk to a person in the Philippines when you call Sam's Club) and located a tire in Beaufort SC. We headed to Sam's and went through the process of getting not 1 but 2 tires after seeing the condition of the spare. A call from our good friend "Alvin" kept us entertained while we waited. Alvin had forgotten the Townsend show was 2 days and didn't have a hotel reservation for Thursday night, as such he and his new Bride "Helen" would see us Friday (I still think he just wanted more Honeymoon time). Once the Sam's crew had finished with the tires we topped off and were back on the road. The tire mishap set us back about 3 hours, it could have been worse had the tire come apart.
The remainder of the trip to Maggie Valley, the first leg of our trip, was uneventful. Wayne played piggyback with a couple of NASCAR Haulers going up I-40, actually I think they were pushing him at one point. We seem to have a thing for Race Car Haulers, last year it was PaPa Joe was qplaying tag with the # 42 Team Hauler. We rolled into the Hotel parking lot around 10pm, all looking a little tired from our day on the road. Maggie Valley greeted us the next morning with a beautiful sunny 50-degree day. We met up with Jay (Lugnutz), PaPa Joe and Grandson Eli at the "Buttered Biscuit" (
https://butteredbiscuitnc.com/), the official/unofficial Southern Bolters breakfast stop (Great food downhome service!!). We ate, swapped stories, watched a few of Jay's Magic tricks and enjoyed the company. A quick fuel stop and back on the road we went. It was great following PaPa Joe and Jay up I-40, both Trucks are inline 6's with T5's. These Trucks prove what a great combination this is. We made a slight detour and exited onto the Smoky Mountain Parkway, this a great drive, if you haven’t made this trip put it on your list. The road climbs and dips as it wraps its way over the mountain, beautiful vistas and riversides line the Parkway the entire route. The Parkway dumped us out into Pigeon Forge on the backside of “Dollywood”, right into the tourist traffic. PaPa Joe lead our procession though the mass of traffic lights until we were on Hwy 321 and back into the mountains. Hwy 321 leads through Wears Valley and down into Townsend, miles away from the hustle and bustle of Pigeon Forge.
Townsend Tn is a small community at the end of the Smoky Mountain Parkway. There are locally owned Hotels and Campgrounds all along the main road, small shops and Mom and Pop restaurants. It is the prefect location for the Smoky Mountain Nationals. The show this year had grown from the 104 registered Trucks in 2023 to 240 for 2024. The show grounds are just off the main road, tucked in behind the “Tally Ho Inn” (
https://talleyhoinn.com/) hotel. The area is a large grass field at the base of a hillside, ample shade and a great breeze throughout the day. This year “Dave” positioned the Southern Bolters along side the registration tent and band stage. We had an entire corner dedicated to our canopies and Trucks. As a change to this year’s show, only ’47-’55 AD Trucks were allowed on the show field. As such we had to park our non-AD Trucks along the entry drive curve, this meant our Trucks were the first show goer’s would see.
Even though it was Thursday, “Dave” immediately put us to work helping set up the grounds and helping with show registrations. We did make time to set up “Command Center”, the “Stovebolt” canopy was front and center at registration area. We set up an area for Eli (PaPa Joe’s Grandson) to sell his license plate toppers, these were a real hit this year. Additionally we had an area for Archie (Texaco46) to display and sell his book “Refueling the Past” (
https://www.abebooks.com/Refueling-Past-History-Service-Stations-Batavia/31728170481/bd). We positioned a few of the trucks on hand and called it a day. Later we gathered at the “Burger Master” (
https://www.burgermaster.net/) and enjoy a great evening breeze.
Friday we hit the ground running, breakfast at the “Pancake House” (
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=414968669361402&_rdr) and then off to the show grounds. We met “Dave” and discussed the award for “Best Stovebolt”, he left the actual criteria up to us, asking that we consider all inline 6 engines. We discussed what “We” considered a good award candidate, an engine original to the Truck, not overly modified, and in keeping with the theme of “Find it, Fix it’ Drive it". Armed with that knowledge I selected a team of Judges, PaPa Joe (daily driver), Jordan (JDL- Mechanic), and Jay (Lugnutz — research expert). Alvin and his new bride “Helen” joined us around 2 that afternoon. We unloaded “Blue Thunder” and it took it’s place in line with our Trucks. At 4 o’clock we gathered at the “Peaceful Side Social Club” for a cruise over the Smoky Mountain Parkway. There where so many Trucks present that the line was split in two, half in one direction, half in the other. The COOL thing about this was that they would pass each other in the middle. Linda , Megan and I rode with PaPa Joe and Eli, from the back of “Old Blue “ you had an incredible view.
Friday evening, we had our “Jamboree” cookout. How many “Bolters” does it take to fix a gas grill ??? All of them. We had issues with the regulator on Archie’s grill, with that many “Bolters” you would know it had to be repaired᠁ well maybe. In the meantime, I resurrected the old charcoal grill and fought with damp coals. A quick run to the store and we had “FIRE”. The cookout saved we talked into the evening, watched Jay perform more Magic and actually discussed “Stovebolt” business. We decided that at the end of the show the “Stovebolt.com” canopy would be turned over to the Great Lakes Bolters, as we had now had it for 4 years. We decided that it should be past from one group to another, as everyone would get to display it.
Saturday started again with breakfast at the “Pancake House”. The show was in full motion once we got to the site, we jumped in and went to work. Jay took his team of Judges and began looking at engines. Eli sold a lot of his “Plate Toppers” and donated 2 to the show raffle. I sold all but 2 of the “4th Jamboree” shirts. I had a special shirt made for just the “Lady Bolter’s”(and Don-2 Ton), it’s pink with the “Breast Cancer Awareness” logo on the front and the “4th Annual Jamboree” on the back. The shirts were a hit. Archie answered a great many questions about his book and played around by moving “Ed” ( the Texaco Service mannequin). People would actually stop and talk to “Ed”᠁ We met a great guy from West Virginia, Scott Adams and his wife, they joined us for most of Saturday, Scott say’s he will definitely register as a “Stove Bolter”.
Jay and his team made a great choice when deciding on the award recipient. “Gary (Bo) Bowling” from Clinton TN, was chosen as the award winner. Gary’s ’54 3100 is his daily driver, he bought the truck in Mississippi and has only made repairs to keep it “Road Worthy”. The engine is a 235 original to the Truck, it cranks and runs on the first try. “Gary’ say’s he drives it to work everyday (unless it’s snowing) and wants to keep it as original as possible. There were a great many beautiful Trucks at this year’s show, there literally was something for everyone’s personal taste. At last count there were 14 inline sixes at the show, not a great number but when you consider that many of the owners were younger people, it shows that the old “Sixes” are here to stay.
The show closed with the award of “Best in Show” going to a beautiful Suburban. “Dave” does an outstanding job of promoting the AD trucks and gathering the right people together to make a show like this come together. The days events ended with a longer cruise over the “Dragon’s Tail”, the curviest rode in the US. We loaded Alvin’s “Blue Thunder”(Yeah, I drove it!!). PaPa Joe, Eli and Joe Jr. left for home in Statesville NC. Wayne left heading to FLA , and Jay left for Columbia SC. Ron (We Be Old) and Jordan (JDL) left heading to Indiana.
Sunday, those of us that were left gathered for Breakfast at, you guessed it, the “Pancake House”. We ate and said our “So Long’s”. Archie was sick that morning and I had to help load the '46 Texaco Chevy, which means I got to drive it (VERY COOL). Jerry and I chain the '46 to the trailer and Jerry was gone.
Thus ended a great weekend spent with great people and beautiful Trucks, we’ll be back next year, bet on it!
