Travelling is one of my favourite activities.

It doesn’t even matter what kind of travelling I’m doing, I thoroughly enjoy it all. For business or for recreation, both are fantastic in my books.

Flying (well until recently anyway, but that’s another story.), driving, trains, boats – really the mode of travel makes no difference to me, just send me somewhere and I’m as happy as a trucker with a winning multi-million dollar lottery ticket.

Much of my enjoyment in travelling comes from the characters I meet along the way.

Recently, while attending the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., I had the pleasure of overhearing a humourous exchange outside the hotel I was staying at, which shared a parking lot with perhaps the finest Waffle House I’ve had the pleasure of eating an early morning breakfast at.

The conversation went something like this:

“You here for the truck show?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Where you from?”

“Canada.”

“Are there lots of trucks in Canada?”

(Awkward pause)

“Um, yeah.”

It just so happens there are lots of trucks in Canada. Who knew?

But not only are there a lot of trucks in Canada, there were a few Canadian truckers at MATS who represented with pride the hard work and dedication of the people behind the wheels of all our trucks up here in Canada.

The National Association of Show Trucks presented its 2006 Trophy Winner during the show and among the finalists were Pierre and Kerrie Lee Cinq-Mars from Iron Bridge, Ont. Their 2002 bright red Western Star is aptly named Maple Leaf Pride, and is emblazoned with images of maple leafs and Canadian wildlife. Although the Maple Leaf Pride did not win the overall trophy in 2006, the truck won the trophy the previous year and is a fine representation of the pride many Canadian truckers feel for their trucks.

Trucker Buddy also took the time during MATS to honour its Driver of the Month winners from 2006, which included two Canadians.

May’s winner was Gary ‘The Viking’ Ninivirta from Thunder Bay, Ont.; while August’s honouree was Tracey Alf and Sean Dillon from Arnprior, Ont. The winners have been participating in the Trucker Buddy program for the past three years.

Despite the hectic schedule of driving truck, these volunteers take the time each week to interact with an elementary school class they have been partnered with.

By being honoured as Drivers of the Month, these Canadian representatives went above and beyond the basic pen-pal requirements of the program in an effort to truly enrich the education and lives of the children they have been teamed with.

One of the best parts of travelling is arriving home.

It always puts a new perspective on how good it is to be Canadian.

Yup, there are lots of trucks in Canada and some of the finest drivers in the world at the wheel.

– Steven Macleod can be reached by phone at (403) 275-3160 or by e-mail at stmacleod@shaw.ca.