10-4 Magazine October 2021

Truck Show Report: By Frank Strohmyer Thanks to bad weather and Covid, it’s been a few years since I attended the annual truck show and gathering hosted by Paul Riggle and Sons at their facility in Apollo, PA. The last time I attended this event was back in 2018, so I was really excited to hear the news that the show would be happening this year on Saturday, June 5, 2021. It is always worth the long drive for me, even after working (driving all night) the night before, then getting in my personal car and making the trip to Apollo, which is 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, PA. And with a bunch of amazing rides that I had never seen before, it was definitely worth making the trip. With great weather in the mid-80s and mostly clear skies, it was a perfect day. Pennsylvania is a state that had some of the harshest Covid-19 social restrictions in the United States, so it was great for everyone to finally get out and have some fun. The Riggle family took bold steps to provide a good show atmosphere complete with great music, provided by a DJ and a local band called Americana, that played country music from the 50s to the 80s. Food is always important, and this year they had two vendors – Hot Ash Wood Fired Pizza and Del Vecchio’s Sausage and Fries. The purpose of this event, put on by the Riggle family, is for local (and not so local) drivers to show up and show off what they have, and just relax and enjoy the day. This year they had about 60 trucks and around 20 cars and pickup trucks. The show had competition with this year’s ATHS National Convention and Antique Truck Show being held in Harrisonburg, VA on the same weekend. With that event happening, some of the usual crowd wasn’t there, but the trucks that were there, were awesome. Kenworth of Pennsylvania brought out a few trucks, including the newly updated “Next Gen” T680, along with a T380/T480 medium duty truck. They also brought a beautiful 2000 K100E Aerodyne – the last K100 ordered through Motor Truck Equipment Co. Originally set up as a moving van with a drom, the original customer couldn’t make it work, so it was resold to Dick Mease of Jacksonville, FL who pulled a reefer with it up until his retirement. Motor Truck Equipment Co. was able to purchase the cabover and fully restore it. Wow – what a great looking ride! Coltin Stutzman recently restored a cool looking 1985 Peterbilt 359 with a 400 Cummins and a 13-speed, riding on a 290” wheelbase, with a 66” ATG sleeper. The cab, hood and sleeper are painted gold, and the frame is Midnight blue. At first, I was thinking it had a 70 10-4 Magazine / October 2021 SHOW WHAT YOU GOT