long haul truckers….we are close to them everyday….usually dangerously close….looming fast in the rear view mirror….who among us has not almost been killed by a long haul trucker?? and who can forget steven spielberg’s first movie "duel" ??….in that movie we never saw the driver of the renegade truck, but he definitely scared the hell out of us who watched steven’s USC student film..
now we get to meet him, or should i say, them……kim reierson takes us on a "long haul" in 150 pages of her recent work "eighteen" (b.olivia press)…no, that title is not her age, but the number of wheels on a long hauler….kim’s dad was a trucker…but, he took her nowhere with him….no details necessary, but the guy really didn’t have much to do with her…dad did buy her a first camera …mostly though he was a pretty busy dude ….however, "blood is thicker than water" and kim dedicated her book to "mom and dad and the truckers of america"
one of these good ole’ boys took kim ‘cross country for two weeks hauling 40,000 lbs. of oranges one day and chickens the next….kim says "these guys haul almost everything we consume" and for her, something else….."he became the father i never had"
catharsis can be the fuel for photographers who need to be long -haulers too…all artists have an empty spot….a well that needs to be filled…..but perky, dynamic kim has got her act together…she has blended art and life…..i am sure that her mom and dad are proud…
I will definitely look for this one. The two photos presented here only tease me. Having a father as a long-haul trucker is hard. Mine was on the road sometimes up to 6 months at a time. His family life suffered and so did his family. Looking forward to the book.
My wife and I are long-haulers, and have seen 47 of the lower 48 states, some of them over 16 times each, and I look forward to seeing your photographs of the people, machinery, and scenery. We DO live in a beautiful country, don’t we? And My wife Connie and I have been proud to help it keep moving. She drives as my co-driver, and handles the rig every bit as good as I do, and sometimes even better! LOL!! (don’t tell her I said that—don’t want her head to get so big she can’t get into the rig!!!) LOL!!!
Thank You for letting the rest of America get a glimpse of what it’s like for us out here on the road.
And, by the way—-Have you sent your dad a copy yet?? Just wondering…..He probably will be Very proud of you, as he should be.
Again, our heartfelt “THANKS”
Kelley and Connie Huse of Battle Ground, Washington
Saw the write up in National Geographic, my son, Dale has been out there in Canada for two years, doing cross border long haul, how I envy him . I am a retired U.K. car transporter driver, and I am now going to order two copies of “Eighteen”, so truck on easy you guys.
How do you order the book or Which book store will carry this book?
Hi Kim- As I began looking at the Nov. 2007 issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC I saw a full page regarding your work. THANK YOU!!
I have been involved in the trucking industry since 1982, working on a produce shipping and receiving dock. I couldn’t wait for my chance to begin driving. In Nov. ’84 my career as a driver began. Along the way I’ve been a company driver , owner operator, and spent 7 years employed at a community college teaching truck driving. At present I’m back in the owner operator game again.
I want to thank you for your efforts, most people really don’t understand how the products they consume get transported to the store, be it food, gasoline, or their clothes. Your comment about babies being the only thing we don’t deliver is very true.
Thank You again Rob
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