By Al Muskewitz

Friends and colleagues of LB3 driver Jeff Watson are putting together a fundraising motorcycle ride around Alabama's scenic Calhoun and Cleburne County area Saturday to benefit the 40-year driving veteran.

Watson is battling Stage 4 lung cancer and his trucking and riding buddies are stepping up to help their friend.

The “Keep on Truckin’” ride will assemble at the Mt. Cheaha Harley-Davidson dealership in Oxford, Ala., starting at 10 a.m. KSU (kick stands up) is noon.

The convoy will head out U.S. 78 east towards Heflin, jump onto scenic Alabama SR 281 and wind its way back to the dealership where the non-riders and volunteers will already be partaking in the drawing of door prizes, food, live entertainment by Ben Moseley & The Contraband and camaraderie. The event is expected to wrap up by mid-afternoon.

“We just hope for a lot of participation,” said LB3 fleet manager Jimmy Price, the ride’s organizer. “It would be real cool if we could get 100 or more (bikes).”

Registration fee is $20 per bike and $10 per passenger. Organizers also will be selling raffle tickets. Private donations also will be accepted. All the proceeds will go towards Watson’s needs.

UPDATE: The event drew more than two dozen riders and raised more than $2,000. Jeff couldn’t attend, but the family brought his bike to the staging area, the dealership cleaned and polished it and Jeff’s son and wife rode it off the lot to lead the convoy. The threat of inclement weather kept the crowd down, but of the whole day LB3 CEO Brian Lindley called it “Mission: Accomplished.”

“It was a really good event regardless,” Lindley said. “It wasn’t the money. Wendy and the family were touched beyond any kind of monetary value; that’s all that matters. It was Mission: Accomplished.”

Watson, 62, is a self-described old-school trucker, a throwback to the days when drivers were “kind of a like a last-of-the-cowboy thing.” He’s been driving for 45 years, the past 42 on the interstates with an estimated 7 million safe miles under his 18 wheels. He’s been hauling chicken for LB3 from Ashland, Ala., to Savannah, Ga., and Batesburg, S.C., and back the last three and a half years.

In June, he won the Wedowee, Ala.-based carrier’s version of the COVID-canceled Alabama Truck Driving Championship.

“It’s an honor for us to having someone with 40-plus years of experience and no accidents a part of our team,” LB3 CEO Brian Lindley said at the time.

Lindley applauded Price’s effort for putting Saturday’s ride together and has been moved by the response it has received.

“The support for Jeff through the guys has just been overwhelming, it really, really has, and it’s in many facets,” he said. “Jeff has been taken aback since it all started. Jimmy and I went to see him and he said he’s never worked for a company that actually cared about the driver like this group of guys has. It’s truly been great to see the guys on this.”

While it’s not likely Watson will be able to attend the event, the plan is for one of his sons to bring one of Jeff’s bikes and ride wife Wendy on the back.

“Jeff really wants to be there,” Price said. “His statement was, ‘Can we just see if they can put me in a wheelchair and get me to that bike ride?’ His wishes are to be there.”

Al Muskewitz is Editor of Wright Media. He can be reached at musky@wrightmediacorp.com

Click here for truck driving jobs with LB3.

On the cover: LB3 driver Jeff Watson (L) accepts the trophy for winning the company’s in-house Truck Driving Championship from CEO Brian Lindley.