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I had heard about the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) and talked to others who had gone to previous MATS. This year, I finally went and did it. I went to the 2008 MATS!

My buddy, Mike Howe and I got media credentials and drove to the show on Thursday. We arrived Friday morning about noon and checked in. The place was already in full swing. Man, what a place! To be honest, I was not sure what to expect. Although Mike and I came to the MATS together, he had a different agenda than I, so we parted to fulfill our own needs. This was a place of discovery for me.

Overwhelming. Spectacular. Wow! These are a few words that describe what was discovered. Walking into the south hall, I realized that this was a free-for-all. My jaw dropped and for a few seconds, I just stood mouth almost gaping. You name the product, there were exhibitors. Here for my convenience, was about every product in the transportation industry available for me to look at, touch, ask questions about, and observe others doing the same thing.

The halls just kept going on and on. Every new step was as thrilling as the last as each opened new opportunities for questions and observations. Chrome, lights, the crowd, noise, sensation overload! Here are a few facts about this year's show:

• More than 1.2 million square feet of space on display
• 1,174 exhibitors representing 47 states and 12 foreign countries
• 76,563 trucking professionals from all 50 states and 48 foreign countries
• Product give-a-ways and free seminars
• Appearances from the Chrome Shop Mafia, Suzy Bogguss, Rhonda Vincent
• Most all the truck manufacturers' (along with Big-Rig Build-Off) trucks on display
• Concerts and a preview of a movie called "Alligator on the Zipper"

There were inside displays, outside displays, things to sit in, sit on, and sit under, as well as a plethora of items related to drivers, mechanics, and families. I cannot describe the feeling seeing an International Lonestar inside and out. This was a really impressive piece of equipment. I wish that I could have put one under a load and tried it out. Kenworth had custom sleepers that gave equipment more than a 310-inch wheelbase. In my opinion, you'd have to permanently live in one of those to afford it but wow, what a living space! There were the always classy Peterbilt women very kindly participating in showing Paccar's goods. The line at Volvo was more than I wanted and missed looking in on their equipment.

Trailers were everywhere. Flats, vans, dumps, drop decks, RGNs, and other specialty equipment galore. One company had a 3D driver training unit, which I tried. I got blasted in a simulated environment of day driving, night driving, extreme cross winds, rain, and heavy traffic. I finally crashed when the brakes were removed from my control. I know that this was a training simulator but looking back, I learned a couple of things about control.

The first day my dogs were tired. The next day we got in right at 9:00 am and spent the day discovering and learning. I still had that "wow" feeling! I finally had enough by about 2:00 pm. In a little over eleven hours of looking, I had gathered over four bags of goodies to look at when I got home.

There was one huge contingent from China at the MATS. It was odd that their displays were being passed and not looked at. I stopped and talked at a few and I understood why. Many of the vendors had an extremely tough time speaking English. The ones I stopped at were very pleasant and courteous, but gave me a brochure, a DVD and pointed. A few were able to converse very well and offered to get me parts at 10 percent less that I could get in the states-delivered. Although their displays were not very busy, I suspect that in a year or two, those products will be flooding the market here in the USA. My major concern is product safety: how durable will these products be in relation to OEM standards? I know that there are operators who will only buy the cheapest parts, but safety should prevail in these instances.

I had talked with so many people during this show that I cannot tell you who they all represented. There were health insurance representatives, truck insurance representatives, trucking company recruiters, manufacturer's reps, tire suppliers, fuel, oil, water additives reps-you name it, they were there pushing it.

I talked with and got an autograph from Suzy Bogguss for my son. I also got to see Bill Mack! Women in Trucking were well represented throughout the show as well as Truck Writers of North America (TWNA).

More than this article will come from the MATS encounter I received. I will tell everyone now that this is an experience that can be told about, but must really be lived! I plan on going to MATS again.

Before I sign off, I must thank the staff for the gracious package that they supplied. There was a very nice area available to media only that had storage for personal belongings, refreshments, a computer area, and a lounge location where one could relax and eat. Without question, it really is the show of shows! See ya' there next year!