The past few months have been extremely hectic here at Truckin'. Although the middle of the year is usually busy with all of the different truck shows going on around the country with many of our staff attending the shows gathering features and photographing trucks for the magazine, things really kicked into high gear toward the end of the year. September found us conducting our Truck of the Year competition, followed immediately by SUV of the Year. Soon after that, it was time for our State 2 State Cruise and Truckin' Nationals in Phoenix. Keep in mind, our entire staff is involved in all of these events, in addition to putting out Truckin' magazine on a monthly basis.
With all this excitement and hard work, the beginning of November found us panting heavily trying to catch our breaths, just as the biggest event of the year slammed upon us. We're talking about SEMA, the world's biggest automotive aftermarket trade show, and one of the largest trade shows in the country. We know many of our readers would love to attend SEMA, but can't, since the show is only open to industry representatives. I've talked to many enthusiasts who think the ultimate experience is to walk the aisles of SEMA, checking out all the cool trucks and SUVs, ogling over the latest equipment, and basking in the ambience of the greatest aftermarket show on earth.
I'll admit, it's a great experience, and this year marked the 10th year I have had the privilege of attending this unique event. However, not to detract from the excitement that is SEMA, the show has its flip side. For us at Truckin', and for those in the aftermarket industry that actually work the SEMA Show, the event can be a lot of hard work, and at times, overwhelming. To give a bit of insight into the nuts and bolts of working the show, let me relate my personal involvement at the recently held SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Since all of the Truckin' editors were to be gone the week of SEMA, we needed to finish up the March issue of Truckin' prior to heading out to the show. That meant moving up our deadlines a full week, putting an editorial strain on the entire staff. Everyone came through with flying colors, and we were ready for the show at deadline time. Personally, I was putting the final touches on my Project Toyota Sequoia that was to appear in the Audiovox booth at SEMA. Although SEMA actually opened its doors on Tuesday morning, I needed to be in Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon to place the vehicle in the booth. Saturday morning found me driving to downtown Los Angeles to fit the final piece in the Sequoia puzzle, a set of custom carpets from Artexture that would put the crowning touch to the Toyota's interior. Bright and early Sunday found me behind the wheel of the Sequoia, driving the 275 miles to the show. I made a quick stop in Barstow to wash the vehicle before arriving in Las Vegas to place it in the Audiovox booth. Audiovox actually detail the Sequoia in their booth, but I wanted it shiny and clean when I drove it into the show area.
After maneuvering the Sequoia into the show and moving it several times to get it just right in the Audiovox booth, I was ready to check into my room (at 8 p.m.) and get some much-needed rest before beginning the week's activities. For us working automotive editors, the demands at SEMA are many. One of my primary goals at SEMA, as always, was to walk the entire show, checking out every SUV and truck on display. I needed to scrutinize each vehicle for possible feature shoots, see what enthusiasts were doing to their vehicles to make them new and different, and gauge industry trends and vehicle popularity. This latest installment of the SEMA Show covered 30 miles of aisles, and I'm here to tell you that I walked nearly every inch of those carpets.
Walking the SEMA Show is not the end of an editor's duties while attending the event. It seems that every one of the exhibitors at SEMA has a new product to announce, and since Truckin' is a well-respected member of the aftermarket press, a large number of these companies invite us to attend press conferences in order to show us first-hand the many benefits its products offer the enthusiast. During the show, our advertising managers were also dragging us to a number of potential advertiser's booths in the hopes that a visit from an editor will pay off in advertising dividends. And let's not forget all the late-night parties thrown by the various manufacturers, where a Truckin' editor's appearance is a necessary part of the job.
During our wanderings of the show, the demands are many. There are hundreds of vehicle owners and company representatives that exhibit at the show that steer us in the direction of the company's spanking-new project vehicles and let you know in no uncertain terms that it must be featured in Truckin' - and definitely as a cover. The companies will urge you to take a photo of the vehicle and the booth while you're there, to place in Truckin's show coverage feature.
After four days of this excitement, I can attest that the average Truckin' editor looks like a war-weary soldier - dead on his feet, eyes glazed and staring ahead, bandaged feet propped up on the nearest chair, and an IV of sugary soda clinging to his parched lips. The SEMA Show is a tough chore, but somebody has to get the job done.
Please take the aforementioned ramblings with a grain ofsalt. SEMA, and events like it, is a lot of hard work for myself and my fellow Truckin' editors. However, we live for such events, and the rewards they bring more than compensates for the long and difficult hours. It is exciting to see the multitude of project trucks and SUVs at the show, and it never fails to fascinate me how so much can be accomplished in such short amount of time. I received many words of praise for my own Project Sequoia, which received its fair share of attention at the Audiovox booth, and each pat on the back helped me square my shoulders, pick up my pace, and walk a few more aisles.