Many of Lake Placid's promotional efforts involve casual conversations, sometimes over breakfast at one of the town's fine restaurants. The idea to create a ''moving mural billboard'' came from one of these conversations. A few weeks ago, Bob Porter of the town's Mural Society and Glen Zuberbier, a local long haul owner-operator were having breakfast at the Main Street America restaurant. Glen told Bob about his new trailer and offered Bob the sides of the trailer to promote the town's 26 murals.

Bob liked the idea, of course, and soon the two of them were at a local sign company, Chip Off The Old Block, where owners John and Brenda Wike thought the idea was terrific, and the promotional project was underway.

Many of our thriving town's creative projects have begun this way. Members of this south central Florida community have established a reputation for coming up with ways to beautify this historic town and make it more and more attractive to visitors and tourists.

The Peterbilt rig stretches a total of about 70 feet, a moving mural billboard that will take the town's compelling mural message over thousands of miles of the nation's highways from Florida to the Midwest and through much of the Southeast.

The Mural Monument located north of Lake Placid along U.S. 27 was created and built by John Wike. He used the theme and much of the art from the monument to create the stunning display on both sides of Zuberbier's trailer. Brenda Wike produced all of the lettering and detailing using the sign company's computer program.

The information on the trailer includes the Mural Society's internet site, Also included on the trailer is the society's toll-free number for people along the way who want more information about Lake Placid, the town's beautiful murals, and make arrangements for mural tours.

The moving mural billboard promotes murals like the Cracker Trail Cattle Drive, an immense mural painted across the south end of the Winn Dixie Shopping Plaza.

This image shows the Mural Monument and part of the side of the trailer. Father and son truck drivers Scott and Glen Zuberbier and sign makers Brenda and John Wike posed for this snapshot Sunday morning, November 8, 1998.

There are 26 completed murals in Lake Placid which draw thousands of visitors and give pleasure to hundreds of local residents. Each mural portrays a component in the town's rich history and the area's cultural heritage. Two more murals will be completed soon, bringing the number to 28.