I just wrapped up my last show of the year with my first trip to Sittin Pretti, north of Seattle, in Arlington, Washington. The weather, at least for this Northern California expatriate, was perfect, which led me to wonder why many custom truck shows take place during the hottest, most humid times of the year? The average temperature for Austin, Texas, in the month of July is 95 degrees. The average in March is a comfortable 73 degrees.

How about Biloxi, Mississippi, in June? Only 86 degrees, but considering its gulfside location, humidity is always hovering around 110 percent. I'll bet you didn't know it could get that high. It can't, but it feels that way. Scrapin' the Coast is always great, but what's wrong with Biloxi in April, when the average is only 74? I'll bet there are fewer thunderstorms in April too.

I just picked on those locations because they represent two of the biggest shows in the country, which either means that us truck lovers are sadistic and enjoy the misery, or that we're so dedicated that it doesn't stop us. Is it because so many truck builders that tore their trucks down at the end of the previous show season are just barely getting them back to show-ready condition, or is it just tradition that summer in the South is truck show season? I'd appreciate any answers you guys have. In the meantime, I'll be drafting up petitions to move Heatwave and Scrapin' the Coast to March and April, respectively. Come to think of it, even the name makes me feel hot, how do you guys feel about changing the name to Balmywave while we're at it?