So last year about July, we decided it was time to start getting the Ultraliner ready for the 50 Years of Mack show. My whole family and I (Mum, Reece and my sister Lucy) spent many hours down at the truck yard polishing wheels, bumpers, the diesel tank and so much more.

The old girl then went for a quick trip to Dunedin where Terry at Custom Signs tidied up the sign writing. Reece told me he was going to get my name on the passenger door. I didn’t believe him, until he sent me a photo. Oh my gosh, how cool is this!!!

So in September Reece and I hit the road. We left home in Balclutha and were heading to Tauranga. We picked up some bulls in Hawarden and headed to Picton. We had three hours to wait in Picton so we had a short sleep in the cab. Then at 1am we drove onto the big ferry ramp. First time I’d been on the ferry!! Once we parked the truck we headed to our room for some sleep.

Nearly four hours later we arrived in Wellington. Once we got the truck off the ferry we headed up the road to the Matamau Diner for breakfast. They have walls of truck photos, it’s awesome! After we left the diner we headed up the road to Hastings where we unloaded the bulls to their new home.

After unloading we headed to Taupō, which is another three hours up the road. We stayed in Taupō that night, and the next morning we carried on up the way to Tauranga. We dropped our truck off where they repaired and painted the crate.

We then got a hire car and headed to the Waikato to do some soil testing on a farm for my step dad’s other business, Highland Nutrition. Check out the photo of me holding the impressive clover and plantain.

Once we’d finished soil testing we drove to the airport and flew back home.

50 Years of Mack Truck Show

Thursday 20 October
Reece and I got up super early, drove to the airport and flew to Tauranga to pick up our freshly painted truck. Only to arrive there and find the signwriting hadn’t been done. Our stomachs dropped to our feets, this was a nightmare! After a lot of stress and some fast phone calls, Cliff and the guys at Sign Art did us a massive favour and got the crate signwritten for us. Wahoo!

Friday 21 October
Mum and my sister Lucy flew from Dunedin to Palmerston North to meet us. Reece and I got in the truck and drove down to Palmerston North. We all arrived around dinner time and settled into our motel for an early night.

Saturday 22 October
We had another early start. Today is SHOW DAY!! We had to head to Motor Truck Distributors where all the trucks met, so we could travel to the show in convoy.

It was a massive convoy with around 180 trucks. We drove to the Manfield Raceway where the parade was held. There were around 200 trucks there. It was amazing! All Macks, all shining, all so cool!

When the parade was over we went back to the motel to get ready for the dinner and speeches. I was getting tired so I sat in the corner and did some sketching. Glenn and Julie Allingham from Jaks Trucks were the owners of the winning truck.

The next day Mum and Lucy flew home. Reece and I went to Felding saleyards for a photoshoot. The following day we cruised around Palmerston North and for a look through the Motor Truck Distributors workshop where the Macks used to be built. We caught up with National Sales manager Stu Wynd.

Then headed to Bulls for the next day’s work.

This was a super early start. We carted heifers to the port of Nelson for a live export. I had a few naps throughout the day.

We stayed in Levin for the night then went back on the ferry the next morning. We then picked up calves and took them to Culverden. The following morning we loaded steers at Scargill and took them to Makikihi.

Next, we’re homeward bound… PHEW!! What an epic trip.