tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35986733197367105142024-03-05T10:34:17.263-08:00Steve and Tara's Power Tour AdventuresA day by day blog of the annual Hot Rod Power TourSteve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-3473547359070174792019-06-16T13:25:00.001-07:002019-06-17T10:48:36.626-07:00HRPT 2019- Gettin' Home: June 14-16-Norwalk, OH to Orlando, FL (1,051 miles)Regardless of how near or how far the endpoint is, it's always hard to leave the last Power Tour venue and begin the trek home. After over a thousand miles of driving surrounded by hot rods, muscle cars, performance cars of all makes and models, it's strange to be on the highway alone surrounded by the mundanity of normal highway traffic. To be fair, I wasn't completely alone, we were a group of 3 cars. Occasionally, we'd pick up a Power Tour departee for a small stretch, but otherwise, it was a vast wasteland of SUVs, crossovers and meh cars.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a Power Tour car, but it helped break up the monotony</td></tr>
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Actually, the trip home out of Ohio and down the West Virginia Turnpike and through North Carolina was a nice drive. The roads still had plenty of curves and bends. On Friday, we got a few hours of the return drive out of the way. We took backroads from Norwalk down to Lancaster Ohio and it was like our own private Power Tour route. <br />
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The next morning, we headed out for our next waypoint, Columbia South Carolina. We went down some more backroads until we picked up I-77 which includes the West Virginia Turnpike. We found out it took 54 years and cost $1.5 million dollars PER MILE to build the 88 mile stretch that is the West Virginia Turnpike. Based on the tolls they charged, they're trying to get it all back in a hurry.<br />
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Tara continued her streak finding interesting lunch stops and found the Log House in Blytheville, VA. The restaurant was in a log house that was begun in 1776 and the last addition was made in 1898. It was an eclectic place and the food was really good. Tara enjoyed a brief stroll through their garden before we got back in the cars and resumed the drive south.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Log House in Blytheville, VA</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I probably could have left Tara here and she'd be perfectly happy</td></tr>
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We made decent time and got to Columbia, South Carolina a little before 6 pm. After checking into the hotel, we all decided we were done driving for the day and took an Uber to Midwood Barbecue restaurant for dinner. It was some of the best barbecue I've had. The best part was one of the specials was "Massive Beef Rib." I had to order it and, sure enough, it looked like a brontosaurus rib Fred Flintstone would get. The meat was tender and had a great bark on it. Everyone else ordered something different and no one was disappointed.<br />
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This morning, we left bright and early for the final stretch home to Orlando. We had breakfast in Georgia and then it was back in the cars and onward. We hit some fairly heavy rain around Jacksonville, but the drive home was, for the most part, uneventful. We made it home around 3:30 this afternoon. All told, it was another great Power Tour and we can't wait for next year.<br />
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Finally, to the woman in the white Lexus on I-4 near Deltona, I have to say: "Thank you for hearing my horn, stopping your ill-advised lane change, and getting back into your lane before running me completely off the road. You paid for the mirrors on your car, please use them."<br />
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-79822794709029943512019-06-15T05:00:00.003-07:002019-06-15T05:00:44.473-07:00HRPT 2019- Day 7: June 14- Fort Wayne, IN to Norwalk, OH (165.2 miles)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The torrential rain cleared out late yesterday and left us with beautiful blue skies and cool, crisp temperatures. The weather app said it was 52 out, but it felt warmer in the sun. Today was the shortest route and we left at 7:30 with the plan to get to the venue by early afternoon. After all, it's only about three and a half hours driving time. <br />
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<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5EsJXVi3NnabSerXG0fzEm4YDVgftbSMGUH43EhS8B3d6wI3xgRL6-8CNZwKTnJ3LmTODBksNbDc-hAS1oQrcjsmrTHFxclHNGxXDSABt94dguUfnvD_-IUst45ChvSTDdejJC3xkeHY/s1600/IMG_7448.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5EsJXVi3NnabSerXG0fzEm4YDVgftbSMGUH43EhS8B3d6wI3xgRL6-8CNZwKTnJ3LmTODBksNbDc-hAS1oQrcjsmrTHFxclHNGxXDSABt94dguUfnvD_-IUst45ChvSTDdejJC3xkeHY/s640/IMG_7448.HEIC" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Great morning for a drive</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice. 18 miles into the route, we arrived at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. Tara called yesterday and asked if they were opening early for the Power Tour. She was told they were not and would open at 9 am as usual. We arrived a little before 8 and figured we'd just opt for a picture in front of the museum before continuing on. </span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum</div>
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It was a good thing we stopped, the person Tara talked to was flat wrong. The museum decided to open at 8 am (how convenient). We parked the cars and the lot was already starting to look like a car show in its own right. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9vb3XKLP4fmcmAI-dHr203RvpAioIh3THc9cPHesKlpjgbvXS8W8uVY6xY8VQAK_sMS2g9janxy9fudd7G9XmykDhQ55p3l00akGAJCHubs08V6gBQecCTCTxen_IOUApvc-gw-e0Ujn/s1600/IMG_7450.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9vb3XKLP4fmcmAI-dHr203RvpAioIh3THc9cPHesKlpjgbvXS8W8uVY6xY8VQAK_sMS2g9janxy9fudd7G9XmykDhQ55p3l00akGAJCHubs08V6gBQecCTCTxen_IOUApvc-gw-e0Ujn/s640/IMG_7450.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bringing cars to a car museum is kind of like bringing sand to the beach, but way better</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">My mom is a big fan of this era of car, and Duesenbergs in particular, so this stop was one of the highlights of her trip. </span>We spent about an hour checking out the amazing cars and history of the museum. My It's in the original headquarters for the ACD company and it was restored to original condition. They even have several offices of the various executives. It's a little like stepping back in time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to the 1930's</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our next long haul vehicle</td></tr>
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Finally, we got back in the cars and headed on. We took an hour and a half to go 18 miles, but we were on the way now. We were cruising through the route with people still along the way waving as the Power Tour rolled through small towns. As we came around a curve, there was "Ken's Car Wash." Since we were driving with Ken, who wanted to wash his car, we took that as an omen and made another quick stop to clean the road grime and dirt off the cars. The Corvette really needed it. It was a pretty uniform shade of gray. While we were cleaning the cars, Russ got a good opportunity to take pictures from the roadside.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLuvfiud1durURqVoUdZO7OU5QSZvzDtFFX8Yn6ESwCFdNCGUuLC2ml3Tae-ijheqWs-Wx3W5dCDOcDos0guxp83PtLko7s4djMY5ne8_Ns04zz1yyVAdUFE2h_85DgROnN3wg9d8aqiN/s1600/IMG_7457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLuvfiud1durURqVoUdZO7OU5QSZvzDtFFX8Yn6ESwCFdNCGUuLC2ml3Tae-ijheqWs-Wx3W5dCDOcDos0guxp83PtLko7s4djMY5ne8_Ns04zz1yyVAdUFE2h_85DgROnN3wg9d8aqiN/s400/IMG_7457.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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With the cars now clean and gleaming in the sun, we got back on the route. We hit some traffic caused by road work in the middle of nowhere and, using a farmer's circular driveway to turn around, Tara found a detour that got us by it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK83mXZKlm1wk8v2GI2ZWeMvMkMgc8Vw0oMRCDrGu8OYiSUw07bHXs7XenHIv4VWqRcKO-aNqtD_CuFGTrLeFMLu_ElZZVXDNRW35cO5duLneoUkCCgoaL7YdbHJ81dQYIS30pCqWTC_k6/s1600/IMG_7474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK83mXZKlm1wk8v2GI2ZWeMvMkMgc8Vw0oMRCDrGu8OYiSUw07bHXs7XenHIv4VWqRcKO-aNqtD_CuFGTrLeFMLu_ElZZVXDNRW35cO5duLneoUkCCgoaL7YdbHJ81dQYIS30pCqWTC_k6/s640/IMG_7474.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good thing we washed the car. Maybe we'll be in the Magazine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WTjzbxLV_a-G2x3isGcVHG9eIa8dAAiABhpiyfr3duFwKmA9RLdfLz1uVzaLpHoOXbtZFhj-08xu2BQf1PbxCZS1ggio4hc3yJ4jb0JrB-_Gg_OHyLhWR2SmjPGPk9cH5K4lvLNO16yX/s1600/IMG_7484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WTjzbxLV_a-G2x3isGcVHG9eIa8dAAiABhpiyfr3duFwKmA9RLdfLz1uVzaLpHoOXbtZFhj-08xu2BQf1PbxCZS1ggio4hc3yJ4jb0JrB-_Gg_OHyLhWR2SmjPGPk9cH5K4lvLNO16yX/s640/IMG_7484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just about every gas station is full of show cars</td></tr>
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We followed Highway 6 around Bowling Green and into Freemont, Ohio where we planned to stop for lunch. There was another big traffic snarl for an accident and Tara worked another farm road detour and we skirted it without much delay. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr75fS4e_rOY0P0b5-rRA6rgrgA-dBUmhWPZtGu2T2MvbanN2amt0A4PCHhqGg4g3yHdGq7ciU2TwTgMhG0ok0iKyOxsvTJLjrpFqc-ovAdmMZdD2LchAy_3EMVWh5EhTYCphbXkYuZIW/s1600/IMG_7486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr75fS4e_rOY0P0b5-rRA6rgrgA-dBUmhWPZtGu2T2MvbanN2amt0A4PCHhqGg4g3yHdGq7ciU2TwTgMhG0ok0iKyOxsvTJLjrpFqc-ovAdmMZdD2LchAy_3EMVWh5EhTYCphbXkYuZIW/s400/IMG_7486.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the Route</td></tr>
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We met the Texans (Ted, Lori, Kyle and Bob) for lunch at the Tackle Box 2 on the river in Freemont. It was an unusual place. Every inch of the place was filled with weird advertising, signs, lights or other oddities. They had a "service dog" that I think may have been the manager. He followed the various wait staff around and would walk out onto the patio to make sure everything was ok. The food was simple, but great. We had fried walleye sandwiches. I got a side of Tater Kegs, which I had thought was just a name for tater tots. It's not. The ones I got were the "spicy" flavor. They were about 3 times the size and were filled with buffalo chicken, sauce and cheese. Ted got lobster ones which he said were really good too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5O8ZahwEdiflACpbdI3oxGynvwCMsEeUNPv3vbiM3ml8O7XQojMkFsuQBtMS4Xc-eJzOeHqrGEySvfsiNbPbcoFTE3YPJ4UE5Qnr6QGtvY4fAL06l4Vi9ajzrtpaeblI5mxRNoQvuCm9/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5O8ZahwEdiflACpbdI3oxGynvwCMsEeUNPv3vbiM3ml8O7XQojMkFsuQBtMS4Xc-eJzOeHqrGEySvfsiNbPbcoFTE3YPJ4UE5Qnr6QGtvY4fAL06l4Vi9ajzrtpaeblI5mxRNoQvuCm9/s640/IMG_7488.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riverfront parking</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTTnM7fXyMQ-QORoPgbpqtfIBpV956fUovgYjCOWQXAv72uLRsXOwe8VFA6TrVUhTbbvIqc4MuQSQCGC7_FfCZNKCbrS-HO3xqJ17pV5MO4Q3krFAnIOVXUXvB2r-ZXOUCLNfYQNcrqpL/s1600/IMG_7487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTTnM7fXyMQ-QORoPgbpqtfIBpV956fUovgYjCOWQXAv72uLRsXOwe8VFA6TrVUhTbbvIqc4MuQSQCGC7_FfCZNKCbrS-HO3xqJ17pV5MO4Q3krFAnIOVXUXvB2r-ZXOUCLNfYQNcrqpL/s640/IMG_7487.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Tackle Box 2</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgPozQA8T3Ob6f51zGczOYWV9i8aX-p0U_iTdwLM0NfvrsrOXgSObb1yq3-PlpxNqpSVLfALdixQSqVj10iipd2ew6hyphenhyphenpBc_pD347hp-SZEyutjd73eAggua4b9-5vbGSQ1T0LyxNkE14/s1600/IMG_7461.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgPozQA8T3Ob6f51zGczOYWV9i8aX-p0U_iTdwLM0NfvrsrOXgSObb1yq3-PlpxNqpSVLfALdixQSqVj10iipd2ew6hyphenhyphenpBc_pD347hp-SZEyutjd73eAggua4b9-5vbGSQ1T0LyxNkE14/s320/IMG_7461.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tater Kegs</td></tr>
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We finally arrived at the Summit Motorsports Park dragstrip at about 3:30. We heard they were giving out the Long Hauler signs early this year and were afraid no one would still be at the venue when we arrived. We couldn't have been more wrong. This was the busiest and most full of any venue we've seen on this trip. Maybe it was the rainout from yesterday, maybe people were enjoying the weather, or maybe they just didn't want the Power Tour to be over.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIebkdX1rVFIJI1J9kVf7G-IcTthMBicpuL4k5HJhsu0i6KOBJMu5myNNWVvap6H0taKgxC9SjwsIFse-UPmi9253-qBv-RWUpXs_3HcgawgbI78u-7UkYtsinGYz7ZfY_I_3bpT20bf4f/s1600/IMG_7468.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIebkdX1rVFIJI1J9kVf7G-IcTthMBicpuL4k5HJhsu0i6KOBJMu5myNNWVvap6H0taKgxC9SjwsIFse-UPmi9253-qBv-RWUpXs_3HcgawgbI78u-7UkYtsinGYz7ZfY_I_3bpT20bf4f/s640/IMG_7468.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It started to thin when I took this picture, but every spot was full and this was less than a quarter of the parking lot</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa2Dj8pmTuhwNdsa-pGfLiGBcM9zEyulOn33d44g5gicZL_EkeNdcsV0uzboBya_GHmGtv3GSEnjRGFwVFg9G6WfzH9N-mJGiGKztiVEXaxjfMGpwr00vG7Z7ARfZovvSS8bJjnAsLWLA/s1600/IMG_7467.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa2Dj8pmTuhwNdsa-pGfLiGBcM9zEyulOn33d44g5gicZL_EkeNdcsV0uzboBya_GHmGtv3GSEnjRGFwVFg9G6WfzH9N-mJGiGKztiVEXaxjfMGpwr00vG7Z7ARfZovvSS8bJjnAsLWLA/s640/IMG_7467.HEIC" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkyjqXTOV8prZpxbTTmjdPnh1xRIjJ55ZC_SqgEzOXi4gToXt4yo-aEYRKjz5Xc9BjiooE8mxLl9BYaLCI8rLcOwybcplfiXi-iWcO96YubiKHDZjmjngQFpV68rA7v-TSTV_9dYcgX1c/s1600/IMG_7470.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkyjqXTOV8prZpxbTTmjdPnh1xRIjJ55ZC_SqgEzOXi4gToXt4yo-aEYRKjz5Xc9BjiooE8mxLl9BYaLCI8rLcOwybcplfiXi-iWcO96YubiKHDZjmjngQFpV68rA7v-TSTV_9dYcgX1c/s640/IMG_7470.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Motor Medics- these guys fixed 175 cars on Tour this year</td></tr>
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We went to get clocked in and get our Long Hauler signs and pick up our magnets for today and yesterday. To our disappointment, Holley had given away all of yesterday's magnets. They used to stamp or mark each credential and give one magnet per credential, but midway through this Tour, they ran out of ink and just started handing them out. As a result, people took more than one or non-Long Haulers took some. It wouldn't be a huge deal except that the magnets all come together to make a single image. They are going to post the artwork for the magnet online so we can print our own. It's not exactly the same, but I'll make it work.<br />
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After punching in and getting our signs, we walked the vendor midway one last time, strolled through the hundreds of cars between the midway and our parking spots. There was a pretty good traffic jam of cars leaving the venue and we were in prime position to watch them slowly roll by. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZ1z4Dy9LIQ_di4p6VZAgVT7xEbOaNn1xJ0aFFX128Vpn8RAx9A0FDvYqYwjx9iHQqlik4eFCy8BHdITzSFm5wAk8IsYiPii_4y5Vf2g-niNNsnYBrsut2VGGYrIgUg7016knl0WxOyw4/s1600/IMG_7463.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZ1z4Dy9LIQ_di4p6VZAgVT7xEbOaNn1xJ0aFFX128Vpn8RAx9A0FDvYqYwjx9iHQqlik4eFCy8BHdITzSFm5wAk8IsYiPii_4y5Vf2g-niNNsnYBrsut2VGGYrIgUg7016knl0WxOyw4/s640/IMG_7463.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it, again.</td></tr>
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Once traffic had thinned out, Tara and I, my parents and Russ hit the road and started the drive home. We decided to put a few hours under our belts today and stopped south of Columbus, Ohio. We had dinner with Tara's mom's friends Becky and Jerry who live in the area and then headed to the hotel for the night. By that point, I was done and decided this blog post could wait until this morning.<br />
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Here are some more pictures from our last day:<br />
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-36849610486160826992019-06-13T18:56:00.001-07:002019-06-14T03:47:05.024-07:00HRPT 2019- Day 6: June 13- Indianapolis, IN to Ft. Wayne, IN (204 miles)<div>
We woke up this morning to 50 degree temperatures, heavy clouds and strong winds. It's hard to believe it's the middle of June when we are experiencing what is clearly Florida winter. Regardless of the weather, as Robert Frost so eloquently put it: we've got miles to go and promises to keep. </div>
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<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Fort Rain, Indiana</td></tr>
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Given the grim forecast, which was absolutely dead on point, Tara and I, my parents and Ken and Kathy decided to leave a bit later than the rest of our group. Traffic was heavy on the Interstate, so Tara found a back route that kept us moving, except for when a flock of geese decided to jaywalk single file across the street.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geese </td></tr>
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Once on the highway, a 1960s Thunderbird had a tire come apart on him. We saw some of the tread come away and honked at him (as if he didn't realize something happened). We held back so he could change lanes in front of us and get onto the shoulder. We started to pull over to help, when 2 other cars he was traveling with stopped.</div>
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It was a rough morning for cars. On the way out of town, Russ called and told us he felt a vibration in the Grand Prix round 60 mph and it seemed to be getting worse. Tara directed him to a repair shop in Pendleton, the first town we were heading through on the route. Too bad, that shop was full and told Russ they couldn't even look at his car until Tuesday. But, time and Power Tour wait for no man, so we found another shop: Falls River Tire and Auto in Falls River, the next town up, who bumped him to the front of the line. We stuck around until we were certain he wouldn't be stranded. It wasn't a waste, there was a cool 1969 Mach 1 in the shop so we gawked at it for a bit. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> They diagnosed the problem as a bad U-joint as we had suspected. With the Grand Prix being sorted out, the rest of us headed back to the route.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHwVw3HvM4Suk_bHm7Twdjd-F5_EETM3N4uy_HA7o6sY7B2U2vcFaWJAZVAwmTFkSrlhsVdwpGCdpyJq0-uCM4erl7yebBjMzpdSD7FdSxbUbqU4QJBz7WoPg8ErisAcGOZG8L0owMW_B/s1600/IMG_7413.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHwVw3HvM4Suk_bHm7Twdjd-F5_EETM3N4uy_HA7o6sY7B2U2vcFaWJAZVAwmTFkSrlhsVdwpGCdpyJq0-uCM4erl7yebBjMzpdSD7FdSxbUbqU4QJBz7WoPg8ErisAcGOZG8L0owMW_B/s400/IMG_7413.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Car down!</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Pendleton was a cool old town with lots of old houses. A lot of today's route took us through towns like that. It was much different than the routes of the first 5 days. This was predominantly straight roads. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpYfsZe1aCarmYwdJ9UUEZnPZJ25RH892dgeXefjo3pFqS7czgmHQO5U2Ijwp-d0PiH7f1z-WWMi-JbXmYYLx-0wGwztOvAojKhFfz_3ZW57INMoWxadEr24Xk9ykAAd_zEZSmpqzClwv/s1600/IMG_7436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpYfsZe1aCarmYwdJ9UUEZnPZJ25RH892dgeXefjo3pFqS7czgmHQO5U2Ijwp-d0PiH7f1z-WWMi-JbXmYYLx-0wGwztOvAojKhFfz_3ZW57INMoWxadEr24Xk9ykAAd_zEZSmpqzClwv/s640/IMG_7436.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk1vkUtIMQmLIVQEr0QEpWO2wgKn3vX_zOJKnuTNv9DNunVjuniJCrkAKZ_C225DxSmfU9HNU71t7sILxkkzLF4nyK6Nqjhuj-hEKkuyNJAascUuBHE_zVa4g85ICB4zrJJMseqFD31qF/s1600/IMG_7437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk1vkUtIMQmLIVQEr0QEpWO2wgKn3vX_zOJKnuTNv9DNunVjuniJCrkAKZ_C225DxSmfU9HNU71t7sILxkkzLF4nyK6Nqjhuj-hEKkuyNJAascUuBHE_zVa4g85ICB4zrJJMseqFD31qF/s640/IMG_7437.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A collector along the route</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We passed a "bowstring" suspension bridge that was built in the early 1900s. As we drove, the temperature kept dropping and the clouds became more ominous. The rain held off for the first few hours. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEpcJzobBz-3zhF0C03sja8BXgGNo3nc_ugsM-L6jnOBJqVyuQvxwfnOIljbtIQWkFocSxZ5tSU9DfaGaZLonHrX1lsHwoUv9y4YkO2KUKLKcWr2fiNtbtezd4LsdZalpaTd865krgEOq/s1600/IMG_7438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEpcJzobBz-3zhF0C03sja8BXgGNo3nc_ugsM-L6jnOBJqVyuQvxwfnOIljbtIQWkFocSxZ5tSU9DfaGaZLonHrX1lsHwoUv9y4YkO2KUKLKcWr2fiNtbtezd4LsdZalpaTd865krgEOq/s400/IMG_7438.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photobombing a bridge</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Our lunch stop was a place called Trusty Woods in Fort Recovery, Ohio. It was one of the best lunches of the trip. We got a laugh when the waiter told us that they didn't have any chicken because the delivery truck was delayed by "some car thing going on." </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5xLcHyPSkYoxN88fFqvxz3EqS3qSa12w_ErWeVMXjj0Sk3OuwvMY7FQTZWz6pfTemiXAKU9UdxjutU5aB7p55TdQmJ8ER8rg6gVSelU9GEUeNiC4tm7Ju-iZmGjDZ3Q6AH9rqG_3ecSM/s1600/IMG_7421.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5xLcHyPSkYoxN88fFqvxz3EqS3qSa12w_ErWeVMXjj0Sk3OuwvMY7FQTZWz6pfTemiXAKU9UdxjutU5aB7p55TdQmJ8ER8rg6gVSelU9GEUeNiC4tm7Ju-iZmGjDZ3Q6AH9rqG_3ecSM/s640/IMG_7421.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We weren't the only ones to stop in Fort Recovery</td></tr>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After lunch, we got back on the road and the rain really hit. To add to the weather, there was road construction which required an extra 20 minute detour. We slogged our way through the rain and, worse, the high winds that blew the cars all over the road. But, we saw some cool towns like Celina, Ohio on the Grand Lake and St. Henry's. For memorial day (I think), St. Henry's hung banners from each light post with the name, picture and service dates for the veterans from the town. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you squint, the raindrops go away</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVc1q2md6XV2wZFVQ8Pfqn4TBLNgV4_RiCxDqJiByvi5dza6TkBIA1GFTW87ylwPMPf7IK0O7Mrd3PmKznBoOoknNCII4YaEBwEnDfKJZJj_mKECrpEcfxvHZeT92Wdu8rzuwreY3cA8RZ/s1600/IMG_0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVc1q2md6XV2wZFVQ8Pfqn4TBLNgV4_RiCxDqJiByvi5dza6TkBIA1GFTW87ylwPMPf7IK0O7Mrd3PmKznBoOoknNCII4YaEBwEnDfKJZJj_mKECrpEcfxvHZeT92Wdu8rzuwreY3cA8RZ/s640/IMG_0818.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighthouse for a lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUwcMTXXhNPbtEl7VMZB0CPamGYhAuIdwTkWJOE6RpkL5LvGNRPOwUh-TeenNzp25dpaXFz839IX5pVRPDP1A8fzI_d2EXhw5JgMGDry-_g_4zBSN4ZiYZE82SmbOFLt0RYYvLrBr-vw5/s1600/IMG_7433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="359" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUwcMTXXhNPbtEl7VMZB0CPamGYhAuIdwTkWJOE6RpkL5LvGNRPOwUh-TeenNzp25dpaXFz839IX5pVRPDP1A8fzI_d2EXhw5JgMGDry-_g_4zBSN4ZiYZE82SmbOFLt0RYYvLrBr-vw5/s640/IMG_7433.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great tribute to the men who fought for the country</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFne5ZOXjwqw5gYYsV7llbyxlQw6987c0myEbjeNJLALslO8WsnHwbRc6HtbVj5jSZ-DV34wpjIWjsKnUakWixYbA-npAvCEkbOIgU3wBS1UBxFvDRDgZuwU2PlYZqO84Dax2scNAf0Ugx/s1600/IMG_7441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFne5ZOXjwqw5gYYsV7llbyxlQw6987c0myEbjeNJLALslO8WsnHwbRc6HtbVj5jSZ-DV34wpjIWjsKnUakWixYbA-npAvCEkbOIgU3wBS1UBxFvDRDgZuwU2PlYZqO84Dax2scNAf0Ugx/s640/IMG_7441.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolling down Main Street</td></tr>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After being on the road for 8 hours (including stops), and getting caught in plenty of traffic, we finally arrived at the venue, the War Memorial Coliseum. The weather was even worse. When we arrived, the vendor midway was virtually completely shut down and there were maybe 40 cars arriving to punch in. No one stuck around. The staff didn't even bother parking the cars in the designated lots. Instead, we practically drove right up to the stage, jumped out, punched our tickets and bought the daily shirt. To our amazement, Clarence and the other MC, Jeff, were still doing their thing on the stage. There was one lunatic sitting in his chair with an umbrella and garbage bags looking completely miserable. I went to say hi to Clarence and realized that the lunatic was , Harry, a friend of a friend. He must have been determined to win some of the giveaways. Clarence tried to convince Tara and I to play "Clarence Says" for tires, but with the weather we opted for the comfort of the hotel bar instead.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GmPyipmp13KOsw9_EaMocF4_Y5DAR5qo7MpL8YtuSx-dL7Sf-9OwSvO08q7OMg-Kq3j0rvEztCXWnMPrW51HzxcOsnFCzV-XYPs5PvnrISCzPUmRPRNMvjl3TAryLuzEeflgsiB5HoPa/s1600/IMG_7444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GmPyipmp13KOsw9_EaMocF4_Y5DAR5qo7MpL8YtuSx-dL7Sf-9OwSvO08q7OMg-Kq3j0rvEztCXWnMPrW51HzxcOsnFCzV-XYPs5PvnrISCzPUmRPRNMvjl3TAryLuzEeflgsiB5HoPa/s640/IMG_7444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drive thru and punch in. You can see Harry's umbrella behind the golf cart.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vn1512Ani8-6JzaFNzdzg4HxAuBIqqJqfGq4lZZDoyLuZHjLEc0BTFnr2eFuxiOsrZZLbAnAQxJkt0oGOXSi3rDd7rEHKuEEFNu8ZM2A1a1jbBIRK_EF-GF8PP4kLBsXzaCgBD-8hLXw/s1600/IMG_7445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vn1512Ani8-6JzaFNzdzg4HxAuBIqqJqfGq4lZZDoyLuZHjLEc0BTFnr2eFuxiOsrZZLbAnAQxJkt0oGOXSi3rDd7rEHKuEEFNu8ZM2A1a1jbBIRK_EF-GF8PP4kLBsXzaCgBD-8hLXw/s640/IMG_7445.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of an empty venue from the comfort of our hotel. </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">For dinner, we went to Hideout125, a speakeasy themed steakhouse that claimed to have been in existence since 1933. I was over driving for the day, so we took an Uber. Ken and Bryson met us there. This was definitely the best meal we've had on the whole trip. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRKrfEIDZDjwqeHsKafS0JRQCAjq8u-mZP9u3FMUvvY-0jLkU325eohV5wOpJOoOMwMQV-Czb_9REEdusSGtR21z-MehSeIrhC6BJmJNvZjt7lxwgZacH4jVzCe6LjzZEPyMxy5OPKxQ7/s1600/IMG_7446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="359" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRKrfEIDZDjwqeHsKafS0JRQCAjq8u-mZP9u3FMUvvY-0jLkU325eohV5wOpJOoOMwMQV-Czb_9REEdusSGtR21z-MehSeIrhC6BJmJNvZjt7lxwgZacH4jVzCe6LjzZEPyMxy5OPKxQ7/s400/IMG_7446.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ending the day on a positive note</td></tr>
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Finally, once we had finished dinner, the sun came out (it's 9:30 and only now beginning to get dark). Tomorrow is our shortest run and the forecast is for perfect weather. The only cool car picture I got today was of an awesome blue hot rod in our hotel parking lot and a really bad attempt at a panoramic of a 1970 GTX next to me at the light (it was too close to take a normal picture).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Custom paint and copper fuel lines</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzuUT39smtzEhZDUTP1DBCIIW17MLIyCWEYN0Zq89V9ErqVflr0w5aktkxT2H6ltoQ8gprzxoYOL4bhzRizqXNLOfZHJLjcK9hqqVQoqgkR9DwW67zUbpbe7mw0lmmge11TpyTE_MaDT1/s1600/IMG_7423.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1600" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzuUT39smtzEhZDUTP1DBCIIW17MLIyCWEYN0Zq89V9ErqVflr0w5aktkxT2H6ltoQ8gprzxoYOL4bhzRizqXNLOfZHJLjcK9hqqVQoqgkR9DwW67zUbpbe7mw0lmmge11TpyTE_MaDT1/s640/IMG_7423.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
This might have worked if I didn't have to rush the shot because the light went green. </div>
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Instead, I present the stretch GTX limo</div>
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-32872293406236929932019-06-12T20:10:00.001-07:002019-06-13T04:25:37.018-07:00HRPT 2019-Day 5: June 12- Sparta, KY to Indianapolis, IN (213 miles)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Half our group took off extra early because the Power Tour was providing free lunch to Gold VIP members. Tara and I, Russ, and Ken and Kathy planned to leave at 8 am and Lori from Texas met us and rode in the back of the Acadian. A wheel bearing in their 1973 'Cuda failed 40 miles into yesterday's trip. They took the 'Cuda to a local shop, diagnosed it and had to order a new spindle and have it overnighted. All 4 Texans piled into the GTO and drove to Sparta to clock in. This morning, Ted, Kyle and Bob drove back to Bristol to fix and pick up the 'Cuda, so Lori rode with us. My parents decided to sleep in and have breakfast at the casino buffet and getting a much later start.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8peHFqfpESJ6yNlBprk86lAVT9CAM1xUlnsO9D0qWNlPLobKRcWw2-dDonp0v_uR9ASAZmrgcYJELcO2pQHqdu3xVU1Mb3HealfBzeFv44PVf6KuNKgm9QjMgNHMND7A9uIp-kWP2DVf/s1600/IMG_7376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8peHFqfpESJ6yNlBprk86lAVT9CAM1xUlnsO9D0qWNlPLobKRcWw2-dDonp0v_uR9ASAZmrgcYJELcO2pQHqdu3xVU1Mb3HealfBzeFv44PVf6KuNKgm9QjMgNHMND7A9uIp-kWP2DVf/s400/IMG_7376.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would the last one to leave town please turn out the lights?</td></tr>
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Within the first 10 minutes of leaving the hotel, Ken's car died and we were on the side of the road. Luckily, the problem was a fuse that wasn't stamped properly and didn't lock into place. We were able to trim it and pop it back in and were back on the road in no time. </div>
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Today's weather was absolutely perfect (mostly cool with a high of 76) and the route was another great one. We drove through the quaint town of Madison, Indiana and wound through open farm country. It's not a Power Tour without gratuitous cornfields. </div>
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We thought we had traded trees and mountains for rural farmland. But then hit The Indiana Scenic Byway (State Route 136) which was a great driving road. It wound along some state forests, had some curves, twists and elevation changes that made it a blast to drive. On a few of the of the more open curves, it was easy to confirm there was no oncoming traffic and clip the corners.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfTGNPd1do970m0fUPsddpiTRG1eVmvQ0kKylsjrEGB-qagCwj2xSxYjgI_ncKOsY3MqB8f3kAJ93zcISnr_7QCvhcD9lR7Cm2OUuvlXC5458eTDh8dQdIDskcD0UcEDD4UrbsJeQxD5c/s1600/IMG_7403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfTGNPd1do970m0fUPsddpiTRG1eVmvQ0kKylsjrEGB-qagCwj2xSxYjgI_ncKOsY3MqB8f3kAJ93zcISnr_7QCvhcD9lR7Cm2OUuvlXC5458eTDh8dQdIDskcD0UcEDD4UrbsJeQxD5c/s640/IMG_7403.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign says "fun ahead."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6l0ydw7F4I7h0gzcb71D4jYpYc_sRjYqNV5MKSV3TgLycIzpFfBJ75B8kL4vHvyvRaHoEo3ZvmDF52FYy4QjBfqEIVofpL4reGcHDv4fuP2ag8BKa_9dbjSi4zEAVBFD33LNYkjR3HIHP/s1600/IMG_7402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6l0ydw7F4I7h0gzcb71D4jYpYc_sRjYqNV5MKSV3TgLycIzpFfBJ75B8kL4vHvyvRaHoEo3ZvmDF52FYy4QjBfqEIVofpL4reGcHDv4fuP2ag8BKa_9dbjSi4zEAVBFD33LNYkjR3HIHP/s640/IMG_7402.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Along the way, we came across a church where everyone in town had parked their hot rods and encouraged people to light their tires. I guess the sign a few days ago was right, Jesus loves burnouts. There was more than one kind of burnout on this leg of the Tour, we also came around a corner into a thick cloud of weed smoke. Ironically, it was just as we were passing the local jail.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGuaPkph2iG6071X9xqXxMqYIfy67cJYad7iLA8VenhbmTBzFFWG_5h3OjMjWkJX4CRu2z1GuezQGXk5rPfBVWAjNv0yVyLGpEvtj4Vl5WSx-xo_MD3QI1QHVgXAH2prorHy4OhED5tHn/s1600/IMG_7400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGuaPkph2iG6071X9xqXxMqYIfy67cJYad7iLA8VenhbmTBzFFWG_5h3OjMjWkJX4CRu2z1GuezQGXk5rPfBVWAjNv0yVyLGpEvtj4Vl5WSx-xo_MD3QI1QHVgXAH2prorHy4OhED5tHn/s640/IMG_7400.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the Church of the Holy Burnout</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We had lunch at the Hob Nob Corner Restaurant in Nashville, Indiana. Nashville is a cute little village with lots of old buildings and shops that have been kept up and was a great stop. I had pepper steak soup that was unbelievably good. After lunch, Tara and Kathy grabbed some homemade ice cream from the shop next door and then it was back on the road to Indy.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWWhiF_5m8KX8Gp5izO5IAZP9Bc_2UOZVqWndlyxDfCg_meP1n5su88Va01oYF0qnVzfYWwhbKeJHcixa18h-9qjDjLGMkdkL1xmv16ZEZSLycM-talZ4u61y8JYsEmjcLsa7U3k_KpdG/s1600/IMG_7407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWWhiF_5m8KX8Gp5izO5IAZP9Bc_2UOZVqWndlyxDfCg_meP1n5su88Va01oYF0qnVzfYWwhbKeJHcixa18h-9qjDjLGMkdkL1xmv16ZEZSLycM-talZ4u61y8JYsEmjcLsa7U3k_KpdG/s640/IMG_7407.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hob Nob Corner Restaurant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI_ebdSs4spzGxs_ovF_dOo7Ap2VtOCyXvI027dGqAoe-5p0FXdRCfcrFLoY4HI3F8WqW6EsYG-xIt9YNMMqT0Ig5miVTYYYFiYGTsol3TrdFCrIJN7D6oBP2c4zX2Cl6WMk7b7Mpdc6S/s1600/IMG_7378.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI_ebdSs4spzGxs_ovF_dOo7Ap2VtOCyXvI027dGqAoe-5p0FXdRCfcrFLoY4HI3F8WqW6EsYG-xIt9YNMMqT0Ig5miVTYYYFiYGTsol3TrdFCrIJN7D6oBP2c4zX2Cl6WMk7b7Mpdc6S/s400/IMG_7378.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new 1966 models are out in Nashville, IN</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mfoEGKJvzkzESCIW8Lvj34udLcsf9o4lfeu9m95m21dfiRlDJ87zeNC6cjZCtdfX1MJ1sxOqLjwnvHvdlc2lQrfHLqyaqDZcy-tpMVoq1LiFylLnj-BFasyTYAnXPdLUlIkOu-wvuJJO/s1600/IMG_7408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mfoEGKJvzkzESCIW8Lvj34udLcsf9o4lfeu9m95m21dfiRlDJ87zeNC6cjZCtdfX1MJ1sxOqLjwnvHvdlc2lQrfHLqyaqDZcy-tpMVoq1LiFylLnj-BFasyTYAnXPdLUlIkOu-wvuJJO/s640/IMG_7408.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the Grand Ole Opry, but I guess you could still claim to have headlined in Nashville</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The second leg of the route also had some good roads with twists and turns and only a handful of traffic lights and about 20 miles of interstate driving. We got to the venue, Lucas Oil Raceway about 3:15. Unlike yesterday, there was no traffic or problems getting into the venue and we got a space right up front near the vendors.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cItILWKORSzxZvmsn-dzGFXXBEAOJP3LZgUD2NmtszgdZhD9Vil_Zd4lfxvh8j-C-qVLb2QicwPYb5ROPEAXEQItTrsCCIa0CCzmV_M2NFoE_tBY_lVYQagWhiF40N0OsLGsg0idJbYi/s1600/IMG_7381.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cItILWKORSzxZvmsn-dzGFXXBEAOJP3LZgUD2NmtszgdZhD9Vil_Zd4lfxvh8j-C-qVLb2QicwPYb5ROPEAXEQItTrsCCIa0CCzmV_M2NFoE_tBY_lVYQagWhiF40N0OsLGsg0idJbYi/s640/IMG_7381.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Premium Parking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Tara started her ritual of cleaning the car while Lori and I went to punch our credentials and pick up our magnets. I also stopped by the stage to say hi to Clarence, one of the MCs that year in and year out entertain the crowd of long haulers that set up in front of the stage. He suggested I come back to try my luck at "Clarence Says" later that afternoon and try and win a set of tires (see below). On my way back to the car, I came across a familiar yellow Challenger convertible that was not supposed to be on the Power Tour. Our really good friend Scott from Kansas with whom we have done many long hauls, told us he was not going to be able to make the Tour this year. Well, after reading my blog and seeing everyone's pictures, he and his daughter Cody decided to drop what they were doing and make the 700 mile drive from Kansas to Kentucky. They caught up with and ran with Tim and Lori earlier, but it was a complete surprise to me to see them. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUq_mNLPmb679xhZ08vvNwvBoNUliow7yFvKZ1vb4O65ynl4SlkEl_wSr90q93sx7Y7SsYM2JJP3ftGJtjAz5z_UOr07GTuPa0wKP3ck7vXrqc20ALLfsUXFBKBV5CF_xKBUu-gRlaj56/s1600/IMG_7380.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUq_mNLPmb679xhZ08vvNwvBoNUliow7yFvKZ1vb4O65ynl4SlkEl_wSr90q93sx7Y7SsYM2JJP3ftGJtjAz5z_UOr07GTuPa0wKP3ck7vXrqc20ALLfsUXFBKBV5CF_xKBUu-gRlaj56/s640/IMG_7380.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Premium-er Parking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
We also heard from Larry and his father who confirmed that the G8 was "fixed" and they made it to Indy too. Tour on!!</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0.5px; margin-right: 0.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIny6nyJwtWBCD-LMd_eigBeZe_Afzz_J0mhowTfTeDArb7TIOWXzlxvb6RLD-bj_J5rvC9GOs8rPUKT9vgK-nutmyVyjKzJ1TOGPwsRKiGKmIraw9VkXHyVpq0eIQ3NcnJvvliQ4P4LN8/s1600/IMG_7395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIny6nyJwtWBCD-LMd_eigBeZe_Afzz_J0mhowTfTeDArb7TIOWXzlxvb6RLD-bj_J5rvC9GOs8rPUKT9vgK-nutmyVyjKzJ1TOGPwsRKiGKmIraw9VkXHyVpq0eIQ3NcnJvvliQ4P4LN8/s640/IMG_7395.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Looks like a boxer who lost the fight</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<div>
My parents also made it to the venue around 4:30. I guess if you are the last to leave, you don't get caught in as much Power Tour traffic. Shortly before they got there, a BMW pulled into our row and we had to tell him he had been in a head-on crash with a bird. He looked at his grille and said "Someone asked me if the skunk on the front of my car was real and I had no idea what they were talking about-now I do."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-0diqqkqzNG2epli78y2ybBMskI9GLOGJduJxjj_7hdPnFU8X7GAZFC8jJnaovRqNgKhsNKBGy9wUvYS0x4d9ORBwdHzkmoVurW6O8Y_rzk24yE284ZiTg7au2mNaejWVyBUrHO8A5Pu/s1600/IMG_7382.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-0diqqkqzNG2epli78y2ybBMskI9GLOGJduJxjj_7hdPnFU8X7GAZFC8jJnaovRqNgKhsNKBGy9wUvYS0x4d9ORBwdHzkmoVurW6O8Y_rzk24yE284ZiTg7au2mNaejWVyBUrHO8A5Pu/s640/IMG_7382.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We looked the bird up on Google it's called a "German Bumper Diver." Scientific name: <i>Beemerus Dusplaticus</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
We all went to the stage for me to play "Clarence Says" and before that started, I answered some easy Mopar trivia and won a hat. Then he pulled me up to the stage as well as several others. The best part was he twisted Tara's arm into playing too. I was quickly eliminated. Tara lasted for a while longer, but eventually everyone lost to a 3 year old whose dad was moving him like a puppet. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHH8nIxZzMMmf-6KtWgi253CmRZKGvLM_b33qttkSkvwYF5TnJYrs-lhs-G10K0L1DJpg7vmhLPdCz9Jebxy5FL2RryJP3XhjYZol4Ho4pBzzOguD8J2KU7bHiAO0x3AXE6UfjzOI6vFO/s1600/IMG_7390.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1484" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHH8nIxZzMMmf-6KtWgi253CmRZKGvLM_b33qttkSkvwYF5TnJYrs-lhs-G10K0L1DJpg7vmhLPdCz9Jebxy5FL2RryJP3XhjYZol4Ho4pBzzOguD8J2KU7bHiAO0x3AXE6UfjzOI6vFO/s400/IMG_7390.HEIC" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Clarence Says put your hands on your head"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The weather was so nice, we stuck around the venue for a while before all of us, joined by Scott and Cody and Larry and his dad , headed to dinner at the Mug n Bun. It's a drive-in restaurant that is nearly 50 years old. The food was so-so, but they make their own root beer which was really good and the overall experience was pretty cool.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLkebX3AAqrIPwaoPyYvQalPMJn4ZZX1SzMveU_SzdmJ_K82b5_iqYFxxRhSS3O3EKSJ_wd8JWW5FxOG8eYSSqiPT6BnT_21D66NODheYpvwcIemV5M91vv3mVp6dFj7te9Wqrzw-xunW/s1600/IMG_7410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLkebX3AAqrIPwaoPyYvQalPMJn4ZZX1SzMveU_SzdmJ_K82b5_iqYFxxRhSS3O3EKSJ_wd8JWW5FxOG8eYSSqiPT6BnT_21D66NODheYpvwcIemV5M91vv3mVp6dFj7te9Wqrzw-xunW/s640/IMG_7410.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Premium-er-er parking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
With dinner done, we gassed up the Acadian and checked into the hotel where we began a large, boisterous game of Left, Center, Right (a fun dice/gambling game). Our group was joined by a couple that Tim and Lori met while drinking in the lobby. They had just finished working at the US Embassy in Peru and were living at the hotel until they could close on their house. Finally, it was time to call it a night. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tomorrow we head to Ft. Wayne and there's a cold storm coming through. The high is supposed to be 62 and, they are predicting that, with the windchill and rain, it's going to feel like the 40s. Here are some other pictures from the day:</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrlt4EvLQZAfYjJzouXU7lL_1AuwKQvbDobUl9fkSNo_HKhEEYf5M-xxWxYxNqn-pxRtQD3awBbM7SZ0HkLEB9hP5Egd2_xeLI23ylNpwC7hv93luzrK5c74kSKCLvyDbV9urAoHcqx_M/s1600/IMG_7385.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrlt4EvLQZAfYjJzouXU7lL_1AuwKQvbDobUl9fkSNo_HKhEEYf5M-xxWxYxNqn-pxRtQD3awBbM7SZ0HkLEB9hP5Egd2_xeLI23ylNpwC7hv93luzrK5c74kSKCLvyDbV9urAoHcqx_M/s400/IMG_7385.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Souped up 1962 Corvette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIStDMDCJFlWKYCi-xuKdIOwV1Vq71tVcfIQmfutxNp-fRdh2EEx9woxDAtwTSkCCGfQO3lqnyHM3V-3gTr9lp-qUdaH5_gjZb6yZkngB6epIPviUOt9G9mngYekwfTj4Exu6uIzetdqO/s1600/IMG_7383.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIStDMDCJFlWKYCi-xuKdIOwV1Vq71tVcfIQmfutxNp-fRdh2EEx9woxDAtwTSkCCGfQO3lqnyHM3V-3gTr9lp-qUdaH5_gjZb6yZkngB6epIPviUOt9G9mngYekwfTj4Exu6uIzetdqO/s400/IMG_7383.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No hotel required.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5OQw4sWysSrbNHlnUHq5ZK0CdncHZLSHGdhHjRzzsm47ufygZeSgvnnmNzZm6OI_sZ6bmh-kZ5ZdSZij0wUfxK9mvKVS3m_87qhbBbjB3006Lumx_gPVS2zoQYZ5In3w0k1g3wYpnpNi/s1600/IMG_7392.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5OQw4sWysSrbNHlnUHq5ZK0CdncHZLSHGdhHjRzzsm47ufygZeSgvnnmNzZm6OI_sZ6bmh-kZ5ZdSZij0wUfxK9mvKVS3m_87qhbBbjB3006Lumx_gPVS2zoQYZ5In3w0k1g3wYpnpNi/s640/IMG_7392.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellcat powered "Police" Cruiser (a crowd favorite)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9uDmuemgd_mDnhLzA2ixHkJ2fx8JgBQOYo2ad9orWaA7TCKftduW8XmoAq4MP8DyDbCTjBA1xRdWx-CWSLQhC2KmV7tRnpXChPM89TWHBGZ8scEDFGeyKq78AXl9KLnnDRItmW6dDuuU/s1600/IMG_7387.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9uDmuemgd_mDnhLzA2ixHkJ2fx8JgBQOYo2ad9orWaA7TCKftduW8XmoAq4MP8DyDbCTjBA1xRdWx-CWSLQhC2KmV7tRnpXChPM89TWHBGZ8scEDFGeyKq78AXl9KLnnDRItmW6dDuuU/s400/IMG_7387.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best looking generation Pontiac Trans Am.</td></tr>
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-441545523935857172019-06-11T21:38:00.002-07:002019-06-12T18:56:38.367-07:00HRPT 2019- Day 4: June 11- Bristol, TN to Sparta, KY (293 miles)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0SszDc1jxD_Hde5DWEK2LW0QNkL2WMWh4CKnwElvo_lGcsQ58zK0XydQ3snrjxrcpOuogsuWsgY0iTHtMq8S-AuY2H05zebVKYIjM1A0AHyQXdieH-4_jQIwp3Dq4Staiy4AihXfvMQw/s1600/IMG_7331.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0SszDc1jxD_Hde5DWEK2LW0QNkL2WMWh4CKnwElvo_lGcsQ58zK0XydQ3snrjxrcpOuogsuWsgY0iTHtMq8S-AuY2H05zebVKYIjM1A0AHyQXdieH-4_jQIwp3Dq4Staiy4AihXfvMQw/s400/IMG_7331.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to Roll!!</td></tr>
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This morning our 6 am alarm was the sound of the early departing Long Haulers cranking up their engines as they headed out of town. Since today's route was the longest of the whole tour, our group hit the road at 7 am. Today's weather was perfect. The sun was finally shining and temperatures were in the mid-60s for most of the day.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37Zmn0KgECkHEwciVRyGpevflW6QmAFOH2_t-Ztz_saxzpMLDYd4Wr2RsHDJQwRh2cbYp3mVdjcxJZRlKGlOCK6vYtYlZ4P6PCnqMKGjmWsc7PAQtskL9z9nRvhb63_QGQbKJDfdhN6u1/s1600/IMG_7353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37Zmn0KgECkHEwciVRyGpevflW6QmAFOH2_t-Ztz_saxzpMLDYd4Wr2RsHDJQwRh2cbYp3mVdjcxJZRlKGlOCK6vYtYlZ4P6PCnqMKGjmWsc7PAQtskL9z9nRvhb63_QGQbKJDfdhN6u1/s640/IMG_7353.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left turn + Power Tour = Traffic</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Our group of 10 cars ended up splitting along the way. Jake, Meghan, Ken and Bryson split off early to get their cars washed [I still can't believe Tara didn't follow them]. Tara and I, my parents, Russ and Ken and Kathy also split off to check out Natural Tunnel State Park. We thought it might be a drive through tunnel (based on some unidentified Facebook posts). It wasn't.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLP2kuwUubQ2XDaBn60fbXb4olWiJtg8PDfOCx1qCJfV84HukFATHfNZbNPDNMg6BB6QC1QmGN2WnRDFvr_3oLkEUWf5kzdo6YmC92AdWFMCwPQp1keAyDDQHh6fz3Q9lRIHethuqjl6lq/s1600/IMG_7354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLP2kuwUubQ2XDaBn60fbXb4olWiJtg8PDfOCx1qCJfV84HukFATHfNZbNPDNMg6BB6QC1QmGN2WnRDFvr_3oLkEUWf5kzdo6YmC92AdWFMCwPQp1keAyDDQHh6fz3Q9lRIHethuqjl6lq/s640/IMG_7354.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Instead of the tight switchback roads of the Blue Ridge mountains, today's route took us through the sweeping curved roads of the Cumberland Mountains and through the Cumberland Gap tunnel. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhrrLo6EIFqqAdjqb7903DXgDTLWNbSb2V0sVDwjeXkjBzT4YW06K9oRp0BIn5AhZu3PZGxupVONZIP6N_GhJ3sB1w2BTFFlH35DPJaVJOndyxYSjUhx8lrFTQGQVWltF43FVeVsAaC33/s1600/IMG_7351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhrrLo6EIFqqAdjqb7903DXgDTLWNbSb2V0sVDwjeXkjBzT4YW06K9oRp0BIn5AhZu3PZGxupVONZIP6N_GhJ3sB1w2BTFFlH35DPJaVJOndyxYSjUhx8lrFTQGQVWltF43FVeVsAaC33/s640/IMG_7351.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day was full of road like this</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAy5QPJ08dwBHLoKjtZW8x8iOVp0Mg0QhF5IWfnwSkUR45mD5n-T3JL2KYjkIhNZWud6ImxQ69e3bXn9L-cRcvP3cu0eP2N7DjR6j71C2byCbCQFYItiV5G8J8VJD3oys5MAJ1bmr0aJw/s1600/IMG_7358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAy5QPJ08dwBHLoKjtZW8x8iOVp0Mg0QhF5IWfnwSkUR45mD5n-T3JL2KYjkIhNZWud6ImxQ69e3bXn9L-cRcvP3cu0eP2N7DjR6j71C2byCbCQFYItiV5G8J8VJD3oys5MAJ1bmr0aJw/s640/IMG_7358.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Through the Cumberland Gap</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The police were out in force and a few Power Tour cars got some hefty speeding tickets. If we hadn't been in a group and if I had been driving my Corvette, I'd likely have been one of them. The roads were wide open with big S-curves that were asking to be carved with triple digit speed.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bgJ0v8i5k9h61ZuupfhUjZ6rarht2WFYEoBsenw3rPEz_t32faO57a2ArO1a5EZ0NJcb-h51SnoJxHSuryg1gqr-y_yfwKvNdlGEVJdbUC9AsGC6_8gmM8oh95lDd3Uq_LR_JKUOE_Jt/s1600/IMG_7359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bgJ0v8i5k9h61ZuupfhUjZ6rarht2WFYEoBsenw3rPEz_t32faO57a2ArO1a5EZ0NJcb-h51SnoJxHSuryg1gqr-y_yfwKvNdlGEVJdbUC9AsGC6_8gmM8oh95lDd3Uq_LR_JKUOE_Jt/s400/IMG_7359.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brief roadside chat</td></tr>
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Once we were back on the route, we opted to skip breakfast and planned for an early lunch after the Cumberland Gap. Tara found a cool antique store/café in Barbourville, Kentucky. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawrHevmOimbdT0E_FWNQRTjCT2pJcPXQnHQOfA_by8WuPA0_ShPcCWRGo6axE5YNHp7IXz5jLzi1kkHA8IqYZ2sSqHM8DxhGql7taxIrMUtOv0lgZGHZw2xRDrzzq3znjQiYMjc242pFD/s1600/IMG_7336.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawrHevmOimbdT0E_FWNQRTjCT2pJcPXQnHQOfA_by8WuPA0_ShPcCWRGo6axE5YNHp7IXz5jLzi1kkHA8IqYZ2sSqHM8DxhGql7taxIrMUtOv0lgZGHZw2xRDrzzq3znjQiYMjc242pFD/s640/IMG_7336.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They didn't have many antiques for sale, but the food was pretty good.</td></tr>
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We had lunch and got gas before our 130 mile run on I-75. The routes typically avoid significant highway driving, but sometimes it can't be avoided. We were lucky, we managed to get onto the highway before a significant accident ended up closing Northbound I-75 and stranding a number of Power Tour cars.</div>
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Once we got off the highway, we refueled and drove through the town of Dry Ridge where they really rolled out the welcome wagon.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHCoY0ON3CyppO6eq410vUZvdxanmJ0pXcEpsd47fb676GEI8T-9YQjMmbBpQfgyS5uCWrND6Hz0usl01bjatMTzz_JPf2u6fQc1dCtZuuvByTf4loGK0XFv2o8YRbSP10WFwbFXLTO4L/s1600/IMG_7360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHCoY0ON3CyppO6eq410vUZvdxanmJ0pXcEpsd47fb676GEI8T-9YQjMmbBpQfgyS5uCWrND6Hz0usl01bjatMTzz_JPf2u6fQc1dCtZuuvByTf4loGK0XFv2o8YRbSP10WFwbFXLTO4L/s640/IMG_7360.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDULNYwAqgFKruYYInmE-jHRBpIi0ckesKlMhFV_qhEuvFEJ5LupMXd4oBQ7iCwR0YeUwdT6wYLZlALlLXsMm0I2at_i_0wx80GLZ4ySGV8ZofENiLlkz9EggVtUowiTQRCLbFF8mHhn6p/s1600/IMG_7361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDULNYwAqgFKruYYInmE-jHRBpIi0ckesKlMhFV_qhEuvFEJ5LupMXd4oBQ7iCwR0YeUwdT6wYLZlALlLXsMm0I2at_i_0wx80GLZ4ySGV8ZofENiLlkz9EggVtUowiTQRCLbFF8mHhn6p/s640/IMG_7361.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, after 8 hours on the road, we exited off the last bit of highway expecting to cruise on into the Kentucky Motor Speedway. It ended up taking an hour. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIE49ZfpSS9LPGBBRTVtuimnceehsm1h6MY0yMDtzj-fc0ykAVaXe63UxFSYel0wLPpopo-MxwNqNvUX9MWZRmLDa-IgXrgVJ3NbXWhYRfzR_MQVwK4u6k6OIfW8Wk3M4NiDPPGYuaHoC/s1600/IMG_7363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIE49ZfpSS9LPGBBRTVtuimnceehsm1h6MY0yMDtzj-fc0ykAVaXe63UxFSYel0wLPpopo-MxwNqNvUX9MWZRmLDa-IgXrgVJ3NbXWhYRfzR_MQVwK4u6k6OIfW8Wk3M4NiDPPGYuaHoC/s640/IMG_7363.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power Tour Induced Traffic</td></tr>
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A number of cars succumbed to overheating. Others got creative and started doing "cool down" laps in an unused parking area before rejoining the line.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqD2PJ5AaiVUahNuIm-oA3VYK3_07J0Ev1TgbdYO_zkNjT6aZx9rYlTU67HIqPmLxZaa0WFAz38X3J1mocZzNA3Rd6HUI6V8-NvSL7iVl8Gn5bRQFOSJyexfP_O_NAyo9QKwd-rFJsyXt/s1600/IMG_7341.MOV" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqD2PJ5AaiVUahNuIm-oA3VYK3_07J0Ev1TgbdYO_zkNjT6aZx9rYlTU67HIqPmLxZaa0WFAz38X3J1mocZzNA3Rd6HUI6V8-NvSL7iVl8Gn5bRQFOSJyexfP_O_NAyo9QKwd-rFJsyXt/s400/IMG_7341.MOV" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Cool Down laps (hopefully this video plays). If not, here's a picture- imagine the car going in a circle:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuLpUyg1JMAP7jqtZ8XEcZjPkMOvORp0Y1c9WMQePeQAWeVlGngPSvFSyRHeW0WTDtEFNn68j918gtFl5v80eGWDcSkGA4RgA25FdgDQmrcOcbGS_wfvOL7IevuxhAPSFSXJwTmBo5FyT/s1600/IMG_7340.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuLpUyg1JMAP7jqtZ8XEcZjPkMOvORp0Y1c9WMQePeQAWeVlGngPSvFSyRHeW0WTDtEFNn68j918gtFl5v80eGWDcSkGA4RgA25FdgDQmrcOcbGS_wfvOL7IevuxhAPSFSXJwTmBo5FyT/s400/IMG_7340.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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Eventually, we got into the speedway and found a parking spot. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRyKfWcAz06uQsOpb_fPx5GF2Gnzrbr2rGBSluEeKcyFnRSx_UUR3UaXzkeiSM63KaA10dAzR-lirdA3q7_knOrf1sYluOfbQDvFVyLIlN30u3M1HwHXeJb_PSiCzS2_DP6A7unTVyjLK/s1600/IMG_7342.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRyKfWcAz06uQsOpb_fPx5GF2Gnzrbr2rGBSluEeKcyFnRSx_UUR3UaXzkeiSM63KaA10dAzR-lirdA3q7_knOrf1sYluOfbQDvFVyLIlN30u3M1HwHXeJb_PSiCzS2_DP6A7unTVyjLK/s640/IMG_7342.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, we made it!</td></tr>
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<div>
Tara decided the parking spot had too little foot traffic and, while my parents and I went to the vendor midway to get clocked in and pick up today's magnets and T-shirts, Tara found a new place to park. The weather had warmed into the high 70's and my parents decided to head to the hotel early. Before we left, we talked to Larry in the G8 who had an issue while autocrossing his car and ended up in a wall. He was mostly unharmed, but the car took a pretty healthy hit. They were trying to straighten it out as best they could to try and limp to a buddy's place in Indianapolis that had a lift and a lot of the parts needed to fix the car.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OPqu00SxWrGXRRPnNyAEf1dCMGQy2CiSvSLXIxhNfG5Fx_yYkSUJtHRY2fttK55Pp96IT8ovDbqjPqNJvjyxIR7q8K06cgOaOOucHTuObIm8uLExRUWtzOYFxVI5laGFWdTL05KbePrV/s1600/IMG_7394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OPqu00SxWrGXRRPnNyAEf1dCMGQy2CiSvSLXIxhNfG5Fx_yYkSUJtHRY2fttK55Pp96IT8ovDbqjPqNJvjyxIR7q8K06cgOaOOucHTuObIm8uLExRUWtzOYFxVI5laGFWdTL05KbePrV/s640/IMG_7394.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry added a few green pinstripes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Shortly thereafter, my dad called to tell us that Ken and Kathy's hot rod was stranded on the side of the road and Ken had gotten a ride to the hotel to get some assistance. Tara and I left to meet Kathy and exchange me for her. As we pulled up on the side of the road, so did Ken and another Long Hauler, Dan from Minnesota. It turns out that Dan saw Ken on the side of the road and then recognized him in the hotel lobby. He asked if Ken got the car straightened out and when Ken said "no", Dan said, let's go and took Ken back to the car. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2gbkwdIj9Vi9ns6DOQ08ulTzqd3hzXNsf8iQZs28R6dB9KCd-FzXjK7_kDeraZun_zmMQ-E-EwtKrKXSURSUhhmifcuT2Gec7SVF91iU4sWP6np8o7f7YNEjPDzZIhX1NgjSaDndAsvB/s1600/58198486409__BEB50CCA-4DDE-4DB7-AF19-7484C2F79A0C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2gbkwdIj9Vi9ns6DOQ08ulTzqd3hzXNsf8iQZs28R6dB9KCd-FzXjK7_kDeraZun_zmMQ-E-EwtKrKXSURSUhhmifcuT2Gec7SVF91iU4sWP6np8o7f7YNEjPDzZIhX1NgjSaDndAsvB/s400/58198486409__BEB50CCA-4DDE-4DB7-AF19-7484C2F79A0C.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's the cuprit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YUqqn4duyHVQOmpTzTRps7jCUwJX2rnYuoGQVR2IAFaN_jAB02YlzLgMgWodA5g5vY3GsCtzEgdF7Ar1-IyGMAmUURhCWHUOo2bl7S4VzicFuJPU5GBonnin89RhrOM-cwebBOhWsvyB/s1600/IMG_7367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YUqqn4duyHVQOmpTzTRps7jCUwJX2rnYuoGQVR2IAFaN_jAB02YlzLgMgWodA5g5vY3GsCtzEgdF7Ar1-IyGMAmUURhCWHUOo2bl7S4VzicFuJPU5GBonnin89RhrOM-cwebBOhWsvyB/s640/IMG_7367.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Dan!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
We got the car in the air and confirmed the fuel pump's positive and negative wires melted together and shorted out the pump. Ken had a new one and Dan had some extra fuses and Dan changed the pump. It didn't take long before we had the car running again and were back on the road.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our hotel tonight is the Belterra Casino in Florence, Indiana. The hotel is on land and the casino is technically a "boat" on the river, but it's connected in a way that you don't recognize it. The wait for the restaurant was insane, so my dad and I played some blackjack while Tara took in the car show in the parking lot and stopped for a photo op with the Hot Rod RV. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyqThOUldy60jU5CZ7usIKsL65Kz8oi_Qx-aCOGE9pBtjPPPQVagyWlm24qmQ15dsgpdIgyeEkq_xCDIFwGk2MlhX2XRWVkquELRtVftUtn80K__nWD2D5IStQDAh56GDlst58KPymEwU/s1600/IMG_7368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyqThOUldy60jU5CZ7usIKsL65Kz8oi_Qx-aCOGE9pBtjPPPQVagyWlm24qmQ15dsgpdIgyeEkq_xCDIFwGk2MlhX2XRWVkquELRtVftUtn80K__nWD2D5IStQDAh56GDlst58KPymEwU/s640/IMG_7368.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole Power Tour is staying here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIN4_d4gglgMIlhsr40D9htB7ujlbvvzkWaFDsUgRy14mtc7TNzzuCgZgPu8e8hh4OtZlC-qNRRbAIYSXvM8VldTLHnuNyRMtUIbjhC-oTJCC5gsHJICBaMgqhusuHMiNHXcw4FEDkVIi/s1600/IMG_7372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1440" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIN4_d4gglgMIlhsr40D9htB7ujlbvvzkWaFDsUgRy14mtc7TNzzuCgZgPu8e8hh4OtZlC-qNRRbAIYSXvM8VldTLHnuNyRMtUIbjhC-oTJCC5gsHJICBaMgqhusuHMiNHXcw4FEDkVIi/s640/IMG_7372.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guerilla photo op with the Bus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
All in all, it was a pretty good day. Tour on! Tomorrow, we head out for Indianapolis. Here are some other pictures from today:</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtd0QNwT-2VsnLXni-TkfjFbBHbAcIIKcEz96NBgYRG9KRXVoUNyUA46FujblMv6MXWuQ10VsrjkM9PIbl69VhOjwMO8XtgIxhPjVS32tck4STZexrGhYqBZOxzymOlUi1_rhpi4AHRqH/s1600/IMG_7370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtd0QNwT-2VsnLXni-TkfjFbBHbAcIIKcEz96NBgYRG9KRXVoUNyUA46FujblMv6MXWuQ10VsrjkM9PIbl69VhOjwMO8XtgIxhPjVS32tck4STZexrGhYqBZOxzymOlUi1_rhpi4AHRqH/s640/IMG_7370.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Street Rod</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDRLtWpQZyM_kJhfOeqK7atI6uCrpiLF8Axt-NgFAx1AEW64HwUFVzY9Xm0pClvHTQOO6rtFQv3Zn_x4ZYOAMvQMRmge-fJW0TRZPNncpkrrkUhKzBW3kLzytgcu0nGwcPjM8t9B5jZJJ/s1600/IMG_7366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDRLtWpQZyM_kJhfOeqK7atI6uCrpiLF8Axt-NgFAx1AEW64HwUFVzY9Xm0pClvHTQOO6rtFQv3Zn_x4ZYOAMvQMRmge-fJW0TRZPNncpkrrkUhKzBW3kLzytgcu0nGwcPjM8t9B5jZJJ/s640/IMG_7366.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara's next Nova will be this color (she points out every one she sees)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_3QdPOEftP7nwZF1FNViewKwGwmFIIh_0JNXvsrDEMvcL8vieMupN5dHnSVQ_MuZo4yh51IjWsp7PaLQHwI92HMezki4N4ob-LKxPTu4a2NTTqcG0bIpEmwICxYd7N_KXXOn5AxZe7a5/s1600/IMG_7371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_3QdPOEftP7nwZF1FNViewKwGwmFIIh_0JNXvsrDEMvcL8vieMupN5dHnSVQ_MuZo4yh51IjWsp7PaLQHwI92HMezki4N4ob-LKxPTu4a2NTTqcG0bIpEmwICxYd7N_KXXOn5AxZe7a5/s640/IMG_7371.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this truck may transform into a robot </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-60940722295973909612019-06-10T19:08:00.004-07:002019-06-10T19:09:07.698-07:00HRPT 2019- Day 3: June 10- Martinsville, VA to Bristol, TN (178 miles)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymH8L9bOMfxuQQWnMYQ4IlcKEaqysn9DIa5NCtLxKfxK7z1fG1y3BPfTmBF_hifuVMrITlxe1RVGRMj-h69IbU2VPmFn_lUsXYJzag84oHgEnxJjTRfSafh22hbYO6neyzgznquc1rYh7/s1600/IMG_7286.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymH8L9bOMfxuQQWnMYQ4IlcKEaqysn9DIa5NCtLxKfxK7z1fG1y3BPfTmBF_hifuVMrITlxe1RVGRMj-h69IbU2VPmFn_lUsXYJzag84oHgEnxJjTRfSafh22hbYO6neyzgznquc1rYh7/s640/IMG_7286.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art on the hotel wall claiming Virginia is for lovers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We loaded up the cars this morning and headed into the drizzle and fog towards the Mabry Mill Restaurant, our chosen breakfast spot. It's near Meadows of Dan on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and was just off the official Power Tour route.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji38vZHR6qxZDioWkgZR_W6LMInSarEhD9TkvjuWs3gtieB6ZBzLdTduNsHqLIJLNTAPZNI1tr57Tms4ujid5NsQhvh2uBrExb6GuVLJHg9Gc8-jbkuI0Sgdxw-XSyCc4evzeOGqD5PfYT/s1600/IMG_7299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji38vZHR6qxZDioWkgZR_W6LMInSarEhD9TkvjuWs3gtieB6ZBzLdTduNsHqLIJLNTAPZNI1tr57Tms4ujid5NsQhvh2uBrExb6GuVLJHg9Gc8-jbkuI0Sgdxw-XSyCc4evzeOGqD5PfYT/s400/IMG_7299.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's really exciting when you can't see the curves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcTK5N2sq2hDcLoeDQ4GbwzYM_V-ytFHrnyReswsBzqzxj_E2nGpNcSDrv9wj2rWRbHHjEguqxy0llr0YNeOy5sA4LrRS0SKpKefnrYTwDp4JfE5DyfznFA08n0FUncvyY2HXgCcaPaoG/s1600/IMG_7305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcTK5N2sq2hDcLoeDQ4GbwzYM_V-ytFHrnyReswsBzqzxj_E2nGpNcSDrv9wj2rWRbHHjEguqxy0llr0YNeOy5sA4LrRS0SKpKefnrYTwDp4JfE5DyfznFA08n0FUncvyY2HXgCcaPaoG/s400/IMG_7305.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
The Mabry Mill (next to the restaurant)</div>
</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAT_z2Tw4CPgiYYcWcLgC2ErhFuXR6Dz9gtpDc7Jh2ZkG1ScMIRuHmq0CeqaXKpStuGMv1teVQyprF-kURbKoGcS_BLWC-I84ib-lzla2lg2CEPXrxm_8fF8UpJTLwuh5vt9pGRTp54xs/s1600/IMG_7289.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAT_z2Tw4CPgiYYcWcLgC2ErhFuXR6Dz9gtpDc7Jh2ZkG1ScMIRuHmq0CeqaXKpStuGMv1teVQyprF-kURbKoGcS_BLWC-I84ib-lzla2lg2CEPXrxm_8fF8UpJTLwuh5vt9pGRTp54xs/s400/IMG_7289.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Words cannot describe this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once we finished breakfast we headed back to join the route and meet up with Russ at his hotel a few miles further along, but first had to let a deer cross the road. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuXnmOKo1as6WflEmMmBXeUra51axlKJVdt8UZEVfuNPQKJnDMsDzWwzWyRBrGJ2VHXW2j2xtWpcBr3Y7ABTr3-hZR37qUg9G_n3Odp6OYPK42HBjFfZpyVcADxDW33x76QVN8xrLQ5l8/s1600/IMG_7306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuXnmOKo1as6WflEmMmBXeUra51axlKJVdt8UZEVfuNPQKJnDMsDzWwzWyRBrGJ2VHXW2j2xtWpcBr3Y7ABTr3-hZR37qUg9G_n3Odp6OYPK42HBjFfZpyVcADxDW33x76QVN8xrLQ5l8/s400/IMG_7306.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I interrupt this car blog to bring you more nature.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today's route was one of the best we've ever driven. Once again we had cool weather, the high was supposed to be 73 degrees, but most of the drive was definitely in the 60s. The driving route pretty much followed highway 58, also known as The Crooked Road, Virginia's Music Heritage Road. It wound up and down the mountains and hills. There were no big cities and very few traffic lights. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHM2-8zR9iBlH59wpKkgL2I385cKr5wZ1PSWBvjC4MsZ4WMYhgMSokNW4JzlDzRF-eoBuq_aYeRgHllxeCXk_lzVSM6e3uqyJxKQsdjEtEIxeJ6W-kLFfkJLD1pItBeMhoutgAJuBVABo/s1600/IMG_7313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHM2-8zR9iBlH59wpKkgL2I385cKr5wZ1PSWBvjC4MsZ4WMYhgMSokNW4JzlDzRF-eoBuq_aYeRgHllxeCXk_lzVSM6e3uqyJxKQsdjEtEIxeJ6W-kLFfkJLD1pItBeMhoutgAJuBVABo/s400/IMG_7313.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yjcE9j14AeuAZnsscxiR-Gux9ftWdt2_SNyExjZaPj110r-AfHD-ZeLvMDURXXgmGEiEOGy3g5aNZgtmKAxI2DyxJFwFWXZkVscUQwt-qR3C5q_Qn9eN4riN1jyKyXqqGR_2A6BvICbP/s1600/IMG_7310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yjcE9j14AeuAZnsscxiR-Gux9ftWdt2_SNyExjZaPj110r-AfHD-ZeLvMDURXXgmGEiEOGy3g5aNZgtmKAxI2DyxJFwFWXZkVscUQwt-qR3C5q_Qn9eN4riN1jyKyXqqGR_2A6BvICbP/s640/IMG_7310.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Show cars as far as you can see</td></tr>
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<br />
We went through the city of Enterprise were folks were all out waving as the cars went by. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsjgq13F-3ftFhZkAiWQIfklBJPcKuHbwVasOrbUHmKtsufbzDlV1ZZzSiWZH-DIcFf_nJbKABXvqcb44uaSxevMjgM8ocKmLlWsoOUZXQJRztf3JdZyZUnvIHAONpwb8Y_rG3b57kuRQ/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsjgq13F-3ftFhZkAiWQIfklBJPcKuHbwVasOrbUHmKtsufbzDlV1ZZzSiWZH-DIcFf_nJbKABXvqcb44uaSxevMjgM8ocKmLlWsoOUZXQJRztf3JdZyZUnvIHAONpwb8Y_rG3b57kuRQ/s640/IMG_7311.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the police were stopped to watch the Tour roll through</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpFZn-UkUXmdxGzo9Rdt6IFiagBKDKuO3rthpt6Lz8tMRZOUwOXtZkAHafOy024YQ3sB8-wVmah4CUJ9RU28tCDX5-Gl2L3rX3AG8A2YFpYadO9ff0it6SKMdDQh97N7eV4YdRUh5VT3N/s1600/IMG_7312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpFZn-UkUXmdxGzo9Rdt6IFiagBKDKuO3rthpt6Lz8tMRZOUwOXtZkAHafOy024YQ3sB8-wVmah4CUJ9RU28tCDX5-Gl2L3rX3AG8A2YFpYadO9ff0it6SKMdDQh97N7eV4YdRUh5VT3N/s640/IMG_7312.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After passing through Enterprise and some other towns, it was mostly a scenic drive through the Jefferson National Forest. The road twisted, turned and rose and dropped. It was an absolute blast to drive. In the Acadian, taking a 15 mph curve at 35 or so is certainly exciting. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I tried to see how many curves and twists I could take without touching the brakes. I was doing pretty good, but caught up to a 1970 Skylark in front of us, so I had to slow some. My dad had a little easier and faster go of the curves in the Corvette.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0.5px; margin-right: 0.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIBIcnaiXKScwN5j9Gy2GvabJEakuR6N64DJDjNZCs0JjB4x2Znb69lvYWGmO6mYZP840wIJzQOI65E2G3AzlcykRhh2SwKmN-W21felRLOz0KkCqVYn4VQw2eJ7SBl6rURDVFop5tatq/s1600/IMG_7315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIBIcnaiXKScwN5j9Gy2GvabJEakuR6N64DJDjNZCs0JjB4x2Znb69lvYWGmO6mYZP840wIJzQOI65E2G3AzlcykRhh2SwKmN-W21felRLOz0KkCqVYn4VQw2eJ7SBl6rURDVFop5tatq/s640/IMG_7315.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Wheeeee!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwSMHLpDe2uYe-d92_7-ryrQxrzguZQrBWLWhGdhS718axzHa8V_BYY05zqcxo5F4t1gbNy5Ra0WVWVWIPFWX1VURplj6xqKLVZcJ5Bk-apa_ezcMvwtOvFX3w84d0fAMA72eOignZlMI/s1600/IMG_7318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwSMHLpDe2uYe-d92_7-ryrQxrzguZQrBWLWhGdhS718axzHa8V_BYY05zqcxo5F4t1gbNy5Ra0WVWVWIPFWX1VURplj6xqKLVZcJ5Bk-apa_ezcMvwtOvFX3w84d0fAMA72eOignZlMI/s640/IMG_7318.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I NEED this 1970 440 6 pack Road Runner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82BDWzeQt7JxeK7QXqKmanpYOeCuD6Lm5EctQZ3rWDFpLidyDD6l-UeBsOxeoCH-IMeUOb49c0Oa_4A3Fwa7U7wPHeZ5hdbEB-ghVGSq3t3fdzYsKtThQui1Z9wPUbvgcOY5oIMdOc1Y4/s1600/IMG_7317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82BDWzeQt7JxeK7QXqKmanpYOeCuD6Lm5EctQZ3rWDFpLidyDD6l-UeBsOxeoCH-IMeUOb49c0Oa_4A3Fwa7U7wPHeZ5hdbEB-ghVGSq3t3fdzYsKtThQui1Z9wPUbvgcOY5oIMdOc1Y4/s640/IMG_7317.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How do police call this plate in??</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>Along the route, we passed some Christmas tree farms and you could smell the trees. As we approached Bristol, our weather luck ran out and it started pouring.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdajMaLYMwwuWlpnvtjKWxUpfnmyaKvlZBnsCiQWGQ5zurn-QpXXgrcREs4F4ddYrcEqrsmFrdp9QM2Q_VaTPbIoZpKnc8VwcOTMTvawk0N6ghpJwCF4igEmr3G0lZ6A9p0mvNEjdakRzM/s1600/IMG_7307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdajMaLYMwwuWlpnvtjKWxUpfnmyaKvlZBnsCiQWGQ5zurn-QpXXgrcREs4F4ddYrcEqrsmFrdp9QM2Q_VaTPbIoZpKnc8VwcOTMTvawk0N6ghpJwCF4igEmr3G0lZ6A9p0mvNEjdakRzM/s640/IMG_7307.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Rod Shower Tour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn54icHyVtu6coz9CDDUge7tSmEbc84DUlZPkMZIANIdkFBStrgjt26CZ0Gg6HeQUDNNXQYO61PpUDzCNyqhHXSoHaO61ZVr1ElAkU6a-dnAfaaaJMiBqcDOlr1j7WPA3Kn7N5Nq-5y7Pb/s1600/IMG_7319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn54icHyVtu6coz9CDDUge7tSmEbc84DUlZPkMZIANIdkFBStrgjt26CZ0Gg6HeQUDNNXQYO61PpUDzCNyqhHXSoHaO61ZVr1ElAkU6a-dnAfaaaJMiBqcDOlr1j7WPA3Kn7N5Nq-5y7Pb/s640/IMG_7319.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impressive entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fortunately, the shower was short and once we got parked, it stopped raining long enough to punch our credentials, pick up our swag and check out a few cars before the rains came back and chased us away. Because of the weather, we were not able to do the parade laps around the Bristol Speedway track.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Lw4aR9mH9KhOJQUWjttwYC77X7DPnkxC3X-34xYXoAFSfH_tddPAXRtTyuqLEyB8Jy7wDHbwanBDkQqCvChzbuluXqqXEak6YD5jmrrRtRqs4GDTm7swcDHzpNTdrylg77ojbsLGcYBj/s1600/IMG_7320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Lw4aR9mH9KhOJQUWjttwYC77X7DPnkxC3X-34xYXoAFSfH_tddPAXRtTyuqLEyB8Jy7wDHbwanBDkQqCvChzbuluXqqXEak6YD5jmrrRtRqs4GDTm7swcDHzpNTdrylg77ojbsLGcYBj/s640/IMG_7320.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vendor midway on the infield</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPR-URF4xqPHs1iYY51eq2IksMXxslrGMD8BXyjSArtPBGTl0NuKflG7lvXREX5VCcG43KQyGEooo94ldoBV7ZN4_KSw4wBeNL8mr8j_U30nu7zNdmTZe7KalAk0O-Pnz4PItSVJk3Md5q/s1600/IMG_7330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPR-URF4xqPHs1iYY51eq2IksMXxslrGMD8BXyjSArtPBGTl0NuKflG7lvXREX5VCcG43KQyGEooo94ldoBV7ZN4_KSw4wBeNL8mr8j_U30nu7zNdmTZe7KalAk0O-Pnz4PItSVJk3Md5q/s400/IMG_7330.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye Thunder Valley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had to wait for a family of geese to cross the road before I could back into my parking spot at the hotel.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1y7Isq72gfTz3zaFDajS4MtOjjg9M3UNeoJpFc6wwoSlQb3ccb7Qu0cGfGnmygXWuvtWb238gEJNx7EVQ0M5aVKk4S2rE110ZaTpfY2kz2UutYpo-1MXEStx6M6libAMbQszA4l-XcL8/s1600/IMG_7321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1y7Isq72gfTz3zaFDajS4MtOjjg9M3UNeoJpFc6wwoSlQb3ccb7Qu0cGfGnmygXWuvtWb238gEJNx7EVQ0M5aVKk4S2rE110ZaTpfY2kz2UutYpo-1MXEStx6M6libAMbQszA4l-XcL8/s640/IMG_7321.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Your car's from Canada? How weird, we're from Canada too!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the plus side, our hotel, The Hotel Bristol, is a unique modern boutique hotel. Tara was thrilled with the corner room and a view of our cars.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wpRwBzEZrtNthbilQcnwVVl-QGB4bABOZ0HgKLbRtluE13-4XxcUa1A873aLI0jGQnqg-yYRqY-p6GG1q_QF91KdOee57kE1tkIlUgjSu_adh_O4C5ZR4sPAXNpQF5oiRRSlryUxTLqa/s1600/IMG_7322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wpRwBzEZrtNthbilQcnwVVl-QGB4bABOZ0HgKLbRtluE13-4XxcUa1A873aLI0jGQnqg-yYRqY-p6GG1q_QF91KdOee57kE1tkIlUgjSu_adh_O4C5ZR4sPAXNpQF5oiRRSlryUxTLqa/s400/IMG_7322.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We got checked in, dropped our stuff and spent a few hours hanging out with our friends at the hotel bars. First we had drinks with Ken and Kathy and Jake and Meghan at the downstairs bar. Our friends Paul and Kerri Berman met us for drinks and dinner and told us about how their hotel gave their room away to a couple named "Beaman." Lucky for them, they managed to find another room at another hotel. We all ate dinner at the hotel restaurant, Vivian's and it was excellent. I had pasta Bolognese with smoked brisket and Tara pulled a "When Harry Met Sally" over her butternut squash ravioli.<br />
<br />
After dinner, we went up to the rooftop bar and had some more drinks. We caught up with 2 other friends from Orlando, TJ and Juney who are on their first Power Tours and, from the sound of it, having a good time as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1fNUDbVJoNJvmysYp2Bif8S1xGmBNpO_APwMI94MK7QDhj4buoXsoe5Xzb6gffCn0cdmvQMRRqUcj37QwOvdLxexCfY_4TdOmaPHQjhInmQ5YgznazbUvsDY0G0hJHpZqiHwfdHJRLcm/s1600/IMG_7323.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1fNUDbVJoNJvmysYp2Bif8S1xGmBNpO_APwMI94MK7QDhj4buoXsoe5Xzb6gffCn0cdmvQMRRqUcj37QwOvdLxexCfY_4TdOmaPHQjhInmQ5YgznazbUvsDY0G0hJHpZqiHwfdHJRLcm/s640/IMG_7323.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAVpPhyT_PZF1EOhH_iF4qyijl835T-VcVP0H4Om0vcDvcPK3F9KPfqCFUbu4TwokeDykmjS0vGd97P-x5aUvm6IqG2XbyaOtMMhrU-keQj5JfLxVkpLGf8bWAHJ4HBxSGseLIRXtxWCe/s1600/IMG_7328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAVpPhyT_PZF1EOhH_iF4qyijl835T-VcVP0H4Om0vcDvcPK3F9KPfqCFUbu4TwokeDykmjS0vGd97P-x5aUvm6IqG2XbyaOtMMhrU-keQj5JfLxVkpLGf8bWAHJ4HBxSGseLIRXtxWCe/s640/IMG_7328.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Country Music Museum (next to the hotel)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Before calling it a night, we walked a block over to a bakery that is open for 116 straight hours a week (6 am Monday to midnight Saturday) for pastries and ice cream. I've now got a pre-breakfast snack.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialOBwySRKLwPRXeiYeS6pCsVzdOwmi7MgXFGpthuc4Q3yGdd6tAyhLSrvZWshQBLSR6mvQ9Z4aExYgSYBp4pvim7q4yKgQ-csgmZ5xj7QbpzLus_PFOAfpu1MhTv8K6VGbhLb98Bgd-uh/s1600/IMG_7326.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialOBwySRKLwPRXeiYeS6pCsVzdOwmi7MgXFGpthuc4Q3yGdd6tAyhLSrvZWshQBLSR6mvQ9Z4aExYgSYBp4pvim7q4yKgQ-csgmZ5xj7QbpzLus_PFOAfpu1MhTv8K6VGbhLb98Bgd-uh/s640/IMG_7326.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm..Donuts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here are some more pictures from today:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBT7XM1OEq79gYQ29vuzsOwd0ou_mJ5HGeFN6t09ryH6unJWsoHnb9Tku8lnqf5Kr5lXg_WToxhR1QhyzVWep9kvhQfFxu35KMg_04LR_KiQ_55lJXBqt4ATr7a7Ew_etagj_3EslSGhh/s1600/IMG_7295.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBT7XM1OEq79gYQ29vuzsOwd0ou_mJ5HGeFN6t09ryH6unJWsoHnb9Tku8lnqf5Kr5lXg_WToxhR1QhyzVWep9kvhQfFxu35KMg_04LR_KiQ_55lJXBqt4ATr7a7Ew_etagj_3EslSGhh/s640/IMG_7295.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twin turbo Ford Torino Talladega</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbDayu3yAQZJ5HgEX05v9g_PuxDaHRPlhyphenhyphenv6xmJi7Wl3JCDjhPSUgMCrvq0iXVPWqoHsfRKHN6Hu_cvg4CQ_8JtNHYkVq9IjXfphBJMSh6Y53si65owx60VajbO-D5AwwbupBpT-Vye1B/s1600/IMG_7296.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbDayu3yAQZJ5HgEX05v9g_PuxDaHRPlhyphenhyphenv6xmJi7Wl3JCDjhPSUgMCrvq0iXVPWqoHsfRKHN6Hu_cvg4CQ_8JtNHYkVq9IjXfphBJMSh6Y53si65owx60VajbO-D5AwwbupBpT-Vye1B/s400/IMG_7296.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19Y0C50C4EYuGnaflu5lGUuvfsn7HstsLB5mv8CHqgax3MndR7fCJpv6TJLCrksh5ZOw2Usuw1_B5SyxTOo5KpUIK9se_6l6CSNbMYTR2HpFFwLD6xs_KHrojK3oa0CAFvoKU5Rmbyxws/s1600/IMG_7294.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19Y0C50C4EYuGnaflu5lGUuvfsn7HstsLB5mv8CHqgax3MndR7fCJpv6TJLCrksh5ZOw2Usuw1_B5SyxTOo5KpUIK9se_6l6CSNbMYTR2HpFFwLD6xs_KHrojK3oa0CAFvoKU5Rmbyxws/s400/IMG_7294.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So clean and tidy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fLEoedufqbYjuZx4cKueybOt9wyY07F3TXdj65L2Iqe9sMKFkzt8xJZweJkl3RNP-51Imji3uVatHvHEapiXKW98TO-skNH16yjicqUs7bhtWDsgnUG1Aujjk6biqJISihBsNvbvFiNU/s1600/IMG_7293.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_fLEoedufqbYjuZx4cKueybOt9wyY07F3TXdj65L2Iqe9sMKFkzt8xJZweJkl3RNP-51Imji3uVatHvHEapiXKW98TO-skNH16yjicqUs7bhtWDsgnUG1Aujjk6biqJISihBsNvbvFiNU/s640/IMG_7293.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellcat powered Jeep Rubicon (this one's for Kelly, Jim and Brett).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZNokkNfrFLzsSp4bO7EPcDn-qzVKjX4UviRwrqqDBk5rT9mHhcRZiThq1d-iPaYrW7H5Y3tzhFRSrLhBrbsoss4oeRZuQRk5elCT36HHlmRxPWBaHRY7G8Ar1F-yYrENsXVV8e_c7cKn/s1600/IMG_7297.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZNokkNfrFLzsSp4bO7EPcDn-qzVKjX4UviRwrqqDBk5rT9mHhcRZiThq1d-iPaYrW7H5Y3tzhFRSrLhBrbsoss4oeRZuQRk5elCT36HHlmRxPWBaHRY7G8Ar1F-yYrENsXVV8e_c7cKn/s400/IMG_7297.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple more Mopars.</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-18117811682003002712019-06-09T20:17:00.003-07:002019-06-09T20:18:18.008-07:00HRPT 2019- Day 2: June 9- Concord, NC to Martinsville, VA (206 miles)Our group of 10 cars left the hotel at 8:15 this morning. The weather was a little cloudy and it rained for part of the route, but temperatures were cool all day. I think the highest temp we saw was 71 degrees and it was in the high 60's at the venue. I'll gladly continue to trade a little drizzle to not be stuck in sweltering heat. <br />
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We managed to stay together as a group for exactly 0 turns. During the left turn out of the hotel, the Acadian sputtered and stalled midway through the intersection (more about that later). I got it restarted and we cleared the intersection and promptly lost the rest of the group who had managed to make the next right turn and a quick left with a very short turn lane arrow. Our friends Paul and Kerri in their red Olds 442 were also trying to meet us at the hotel and swung a U-Turn behind my dad. Unfortunately, my dad missed the left turn and our group was further splintered. My dad managed to catch up, but the 442 thought they were following the wrong white Corvette and turned around again.<br />
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Once most of us were on the right path, albeit a bit scattered, we caught about 10 minutes of Power Tour Induced traffic caused by another left turn light a few miles down the road. We got most of the group back at a large gas station 40 minutes or so down the road. The route was mainly 2 lane roads which took us through the Uwharrie National Forest. It was a really nice drive. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0.5px; margin-right: 0.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTsATXvKrwfWCPFf5iwCduvCd88O3JN8janHXVRGHM_7HoZ8D57iDX5d3kih7a5fdFgPlC4ma79Kw5FeIOgy4eln5_I6UTjfypV9MpIH3dVpBEdopwG6Q40ZL0jltQFVhwDU80zYjvyen/s1600/IMG_7245.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTsATXvKrwfWCPFf5iwCduvCd88O3JN8janHXVRGHM_7HoZ8D57iDX5d3kih7a5fdFgPlC4ma79Kw5FeIOgy4eln5_I6UTjfypV9MpIH3dVpBEdopwG6Q40ZL0jltQFVhwDU80zYjvyen/s640/IMG_7245.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Power Tour coming through</td></tr>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
Sunday is always one of the best days because since it's a weekend, lots of people are out on the sides of the road waving and taking pictures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNy9dpfa9yHCfTWyi2ly4q5xcScJWETMAm8nJP3bZPiSFwb4gskBNIYOdzgYMfWpzD7Sah8Znve6ZqSWcHBD8I8oyfTtPeO4PcLM2XiFErMizYn_5jnioiD-dQCblC_-HcEsWg86ha4iT/s1600/IMG_7275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNy9dpfa9yHCfTWyi2ly4q5xcScJWETMAm8nJP3bZPiSFwb4gskBNIYOdzgYMfWpzD7Sah8Znve6ZqSWcHBD8I8oyfTtPeO4PcLM2XiFErMizYn_5jnioiD-dQCblC_-HcEsWg86ha4iT/s640/IMG_7275.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of spectators. These folks' sign reminded us that "Jesus loves burnouts"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidVv4t5RvSoevQcFiPMI6xwoEDArdAVlt7XW-KRtxgJ-jQBuH3CFl47rFynlHEV6Qp2byN7EZdsocwq5KzqoRSSQaGz60MFqufWdt0cGpUlQnx2cZPmofJtglT_QGYXUuyTMEAwouvC4G/s1600/IMG_7274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidVv4t5RvSoevQcFiPMI6xwoEDArdAVlt7XW-KRtxgJ-jQBuH3CFl47rFynlHEV6Qp2byN7EZdsocwq5KzqoRSSQaGz60MFqufWdt0cGpUlQnx2cZPmofJtglT_QGYXUuyTMEAwouvC4G/s640/IMG_7274.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry making Jesus happy.</td></tr>
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After about 2 hours following the route, Tara and Lori started working on the lunch plan. Jake and Megan in Jake's not-so-sleeper Caprice Wagon are from the area and recommended Pano's Café. But, as we drove by and Tim and Lori and our friends Ken and Kathy (36 Ford convertible) turned to park and waved the resto of us off because the place was too full. We kept on the route and planned to meet everyone back at Beaver Creek BBQ which was just slightly off the route. It was a fine plan, but Tara misjudged where we were relative to where we were going and figured it out 25 miles past where we needed to go. At that point, there was no turning back and we, Russ, and Keith and Julie in their white Cougar just kept on driving. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcjti6eYNIz5ipdkDoTwFNCHEzYK2VPsbfNAN1yweKgzh21z3fgKi-i6bgKYKB0dBMN1jyh3aPTt5p6ghmRGpxPpTIR7_AA84xisqXY5Nv1dv3dlaw2fPCHQ_AxyWfb3AZycCQx4cf3Ec/s1600/IMG_7272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcjti6eYNIz5ipdkDoTwFNCHEzYK2VPsbfNAN1yweKgzh21z3fgKi-i6bgKYKB0dBMN1jyh3aPTt5p6ghmRGpxPpTIR7_AA84xisqXY5Nv1dv3dlaw2fPCHQ_AxyWfb3AZycCQx4cf3Ec/s640/IMG_7272.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're not lost.</td></tr>
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Once Tara stopped beating herself up for missing the turn, she found a cool lunch spot in Danville, Virginia- the Schoolfield Restaurant. Basically, it was the only other place open on a Sunday. At first, we were a bit apprehensive because there was no one there. It ended up being a really great stop. Across the street used to be the Danville Mill, a textile factory that employed most of the town. The restaurant used to be a lunch counter that served 2000 meals a day to the millworkers. In 2008, the mill was closed and ultimately torn down. The Restaurant changed hands a few years ago and the owner refurbished it, but kept the history. We had the place to ourselves and the owner and staff told us all about the place. They even gave us souvenir books about the mill (they found thousands of copies in the attic when they took over the place).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIM8FVm-_DsqKP089ua_q571m7nkA6YMgFxLoAFskLIROFA5SntaAcA97V0RPFdvmwkLCIviA0g1OMPLBgfVJ7N15BNetpfC0waieC5r4oMm1HYCkgYwl1wmcer78gNRJQH8qHejNMKM1J/s1600/IMG_7252.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIM8FVm-_DsqKP089ua_q571m7nkA6YMgFxLoAFskLIROFA5SntaAcA97V0RPFdvmwkLCIviA0g1OMPLBgfVJ7N15BNetpfC0waieC5r4oMm1HYCkgYwl1wmcer78gNRJQH8qHejNMKM1J/s400/IMG_7252.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Schoolfield Restaurant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_58V844mR-XHsYEmgHOrOCSouE2dkpA6nRkTVPrNprcS0t-SJ-nOsF-53zv2o1YTQBSFC2TZZg6Qz3Z2YQXCARfGeQxh-CqbyYVIe31AmZ4M_kJJhfLmBHd7MTK7r29OYl0AwCgOEM_3/s1600/IMG_7251.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_58V844mR-XHsYEmgHOrOCSouE2dkpA6nRkTVPrNprcS0t-SJ-nOsF-53zv2o1YTQBSFC2TZZg6Qz3Z2YQXCARfGeQxh-CqbyYVIe31AmZ4M_kJJhfLmBHd7MTK7r29OYl0AwCgOEM_3/s640/IMG_7251.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We reserved the whole place for ourselves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHR58JNkkW7ppPV6sTy45C5AuL0vxcJjRG7yJRYy-pGmNt1HuYpyNJi7-6NTNW5eG2F1H_1bIYxfHK4jwYUm06RNgS-93-arNf3rTdILSB2M6rLFGI2EpjFYkqDZ2LfQV81wH5WAiTdbdZ/s1600/IMG_7248.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHR58JNkkW7ppPV6sTy45C5AuL0vxcJjRG7yJRYy-pGmNt1HuYpyNJi7-6NTNW5eG2F1H_1bIYxfHK4jwYUm06RNgS-93-arNf3rTdILSB2M6rLFGI2EpjFYkqDZ2LfQV81wH5WAiTdbdZ/s400/IMG_7248.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2,000 meals a day served here</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08wtZX_ptUkI5_Cy3Lq49O9gMgzNvdlTWw4heLnVtVjLnBv7ySKJcNI-WdxDk6o6AYKJ_hI1kPCrnWOwumrB3FhyphenhyphenHpiXCRwsYNkkLk3PpqncGR09Dji6EA1O-6e-DrELOdwWHjOlkrgdx/s1600/IMG_7273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08wtZX_ptUkI5_Cy3Lq49O9gMgzNvdlTWw4heLnVtVjLnBv7ySKJcNI-WdxDk6o6AYKJ_hI1kPCrnWOwumrB3FhyphenhyphenHpiXCRwsYNkkLk3PpqncGR09Dji6EA1O-6e-DrELOdwWHjOlkrgdx/s640/IMG_7273.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of what's left of the Danville Mill on the Dan River. There was a fence that prevented us from getting what would have been some great pictures with the cars.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Our friend Larry and his father in an orange Pontiac G8 (pictured above), skipped the lunch stop because he was planning to get a hot dog at the venue. It appears that the famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog is a thing. </span><br />
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After lunch, it was a pretty easy straight shot to our venue: the Martinsville Speedway. This may have been the easiest venue to get into in the 9 years we've been doing the Power Tour. Straight off the highway exit, they had cones designating the entry lanes to the track and we barely even slowed down before getting to our parking area. We arrived at about 3:15. This was a short route and we didn't have much traffic or many stops and it still ended up taking 7 hours on the road to get there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN7PH2-0IsbiYbT1UFnrP0HxRuB6SF9OQ8lYWwpeha5K9Xxu4aYWrxXt-PqMzaa2HvO122cEPjythZ66mfPe-kD0cShkvEW0ffdEwEXse5uSv4_1Vf5YRdxGZ-uKfheBWC-4oOfReqVj8/s1600/IMG_7254.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN7PH2-0IsbiYbT1UFnrP0HxRuB6SF9OQ8lYWwpeha5K9Xxu4aYWrxXt-PqMzaa2HvO122cEPjythZ66mfPe-kD0cShkvEW0ffdEwEXse5uSv4_1Vf5YRdxGZ-uKfheBWC-4oOfReqVj8/s640/IMG_7254.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cars everywhere!!</td></tr>
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The vendors were set up in the infield of the racetrack and my dad and I went to get clocked in, buy our daily shirts and pick up our Day 2 magnets. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBRPJR4ajnF45EKvL645VRZq7zDELXI-jKRezBsKiGnRpN4u06t93Tsb8SJwuTOqDPKqOBRdvqBycTMnWhXISGgfn0GyVcDwVdpfrBdr0jxYWqLpvt11vLjzrge1DU_NP-YfKSmQlZfXc/s1600/IMG_7261.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBRPJR4ajnF45EKvL645VRZq7zDELXI-jKRezBsKiGnRpN4u06t93Tsb8SJwuTOqDPKqOBRdvqBycTMnWhXISGgfn0GyVcDwVdpfrBdr0jxYWqLpvt11vLjzrge1DU_NP-YfKSmQlZfXc/s640/IMG_7261.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Platinum VIPs got to park on the track, alas we are only Gold</td></tr>
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We also got hot dogs because, it's a thing. They are flat priced at $2.00 regardless of whether you get it plain, with chili or STP all the way (mustard, onions, chili, and slaw). The price alone should have told me all I needed to know, but we tried 'em. They were literally red and my dad and I agreed they were possibly the worst hot dog we've ever eaten. I then bought a chili dog for Tara- she didn't seem to mind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbTc4p_6aLz-vcdHdagkQYqtl4tqtc_krytRT3nmB0r0iHjwSwzYivWHLfOBXn8-1SvQUCrkYWF69jOskOj2l44x-j7zr1sI9MZRsFIG4mtkTooJv2a1uSlcpWjydMu6rCiRYyUyBlQTX/s1600/IMG_7260.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbTc4p_6aLz-vcdHdagkQYqtl4tqtc_krytRT3nmB0r0iHjwSwzYivWHLfOBXn8-1SvQUCrkYWF69jOskOj2l44x-j7zr1sI9MZRsFIG4mtkTooJv2a1uSlcpWjydMu6rCiRYyUyBlQTX/s640/IMG_7260.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is famous???</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehAHWBLfSEV8O0zYmZZvV2MRhjbupdAW9LYvcejTkIhId_J61OWGbqng2ApXGOHD6Q9MF7lROqGa108uK3_SjbvO11oMn5iI0hJ0Prr_Pu8G9fBcS5LLiKFBrD_rBtMmC68ApCKv9KOMZ/s1600/IMG_7268.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehAHWBLfSEV8O0zYmZZvV2MRhjbupdAW9LYvcejTkIhId_J61OWGbqng2ApXGOHD6Q9MF7lROqGa108uK3_SjbvO11oMn5iI0hJ0Prr_Pu8G9fBcS5LLiKFBrD_rBtMmC68ApCKv9KOMZ/s640/IMG_7268.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mmmmm</td></tr>
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We stuck around the venue and enjoyed the cool weather until around 6. Then it was on to dinner at Rania's Restaurant Bar and Grill. As we left the track and continued to drive, the Acadian's stutter and stumble got worse and we nearly stalled out a few times on acceleration. At dinner, we diagnosed it as likely a bad accelerator pump. Since I've never taken a carburetor apart, we decided this was not the time to try it. Dinner service took so long, I was able to call around to find the carb I needed, take the Corvette to O'Reilly Auto Parts, buy a new Edelbrock Carburetor and get back to the restaurant before our food got cold (It was tasty though). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHksKAc9QECW5ABDT3T3vMxrPOK2niIvvsoO_g9e6KCrT9Vko0ZM6O1a1pXNcYm9H-qBIimLq4mp1uNcl3SU86eX3-TGkm0EE8T2tpYMW0w_hK817B7rCWBnRIhdW0fAJnI1psKxt4J-ec/s1600/IMG_7277.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHksKAc9QECW5ABDT3T3vMxrPOK2niIvvsoO_g9e6KCrT9Vko0ZM6O1a1pXNcYm9H-qBIimLq4mp1uNcl3SU86eX3-TGkm0EE8T2tpYMW0w_hK817B7rCWBnRIhdW0fAJnI1psKxt4J-ec/s640/IMG_7277.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Rania's-Downtown Martinsville</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyDSf7pCOOwR5INd_c_7WkwK9TnQk2QM877-AS0SRwm7D0panQPkBwx80m14Pym3g5ESdmLZatskOBPtFs0iQ18VitkbRoNRKjtMSbZB4fAO1COZw0Tp9L9WfJwgdOJwDyzg8lxBYVrbH/s1600/IMG_7278.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyDSf7pCOOwR5INd_c_7WkwK9TnQk2QM877-AS0SRwm7D0panQPkBwx80m14Pym3g5ESdmLZatskOBPtFs0iQ18VitkbRoNRKjtMSbZB4fAO1COZw0Tp9L9WfJwgdOJwDyzg8lxBYVrbH/s640/IMG_7278.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wasn't the only one in need of parts at the last minute</td></tr>
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Tim and I installed the new carb in his hotel parking lot. Ken, Bryson and Jake insist they "helped."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDFpJt5JI2Ct4hccxANGVA17swbGmDLHz8upcj6vhB0DUiWNfJD8Fswom7HDaV00ENtLc8_j8s45BGUXFygzUhXSPCeoLD0aGMwUkz0LEkDZ4lrbvF6uybT2LDaWw4BGFsRNhBV-M9ah6/s1600/IMG_7285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDFpJt5JI2Ct4hccxANGVA17swbGmDLHz8upcj6vhB0DUiWNfJD8Fswom7HDaV00ENtLc8_j8s45BGUXFygzUhXSPCeoLD0aGMwUkz0LEkDZ4lrbvF6uybT2LDaWw4BGFsRNhBV-M9ah6/s640/IMG_7285.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0n40ygqX_GYvObTzC1gfv9nuJqGIclN4M7asbWtlQ9oOiuoc0BaHXZoqsnOO8HER7SnKWrLAdEsCBnZUBvV0jPqexAOZ9IDiDEClSdJNqQN-qTVoUeKxugs_vcBk5EIilQiNPti1B0iN/s1600/IMG_7283.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0n40ygqX_GYvObTzC1gfv9nuJqGIclN4M7asbWtlQ9oOiuoc0BaHXZoqsnOO8HER7SnKWrLAdEsCBnZUBvV0jPqexAOZ9IDiDEClSdJNqQN-qTVoUeKxugs_vcBk5EIilQiNPti1B0iN/s400/IMG_7283.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soo shiny and new</td></tr>
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Once the carb was straightened out, we drove the 30 miles out of town to our hotel- the Uptown Suites in Stuart, Virginia. It's a tiny little inn, but we got a 2 bedroom room that's bigger than my college apartment and is very nice. <br />
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While we had to stay outside of Martinsville (all of the hotels were booked) we are just off the Power Tour route and have a head start on the rest of the crowd. It's a fairly short run to Bristol, TN tomorrow, but it's supposed to be one of the more scenic drives. <br />
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Below are some more of my pictures. Also Russ is posting his photos to his Facebook page: Russ Muller Photography.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YdhBmL9j8-nypn3EPFRAGg1G2uzqACEeQIq3M6oX18i6lg-4XLCcmOjg_JSLq9gikb8J1AuVKv4rhTzANwILL5-AbqxLWorrEnL1EaDnlOV7BP0WGyoF5DYJXImr6zxg2fQj31wP_jOj/s1600/IMG_7259.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YdhBmL9j8-nypn3EPFRAGg1G2uzqACEeQIq3M6oX18i6lg-4XLCcmOjg_JSLq9gikb8J1AuVKv4rhTzANwILL5-AbqxLWorrEnL1EaDnlOV7BP0WGyoF5DYJXImr6zxg2fQj31wP_jOj/s640/IMG_7259.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019 Corvette ZR1 (I want one!!)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHu0Vojis-6_MtiVSWjMOZB0FAimF5fOIUMgiQKRVzHXVYXKU1_RimfwbeQL5FnCwnR9hdoGdmBV17bj-NDv-ExEOHPCoKQDDzblH4aeuKFfvJXBafy64ADt2qjGrervsurrYREisvX9e/s1600/IMG_7258.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHu0Vojis-6_MtiVSWjMOZB0FAimF5fOIUMgiQKRVzHXVYXKU1_RimfwbeQL5FnCwnR9hdoGdmBV17bj-NDv-ExEOHPCoKQDDzblH4aeuKFfvJXBafy64ADt2qjGrervsurrYREisvX9e/s640/IMG_7258.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saleen Mustang</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsfFG55Ut20LLIo0uCbz_qvEdUuHdMi0zZQSD0F2WAO0946FHiE2jdrmNg-FpUvFW-FAB9Q4d4nMdgZDInOBn06qKkVfuzV42mCD8vb_mktqIPlIYT_JWplSq7Mcwke-SyWb6tO42aLty/s1600/IMG_7256.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsfFG55Ut20LLIo0uCbz_qvEdUuHdMi0zZQSD0F2WAO0946FHiE2jdrmNg-FpUvFW-FAB9Q4d4nMdgZDInOBn06qKkVfuzV42mCD8vb_mktqIPlIYT_JWplSq7Mcwke-SyWb6tO42aLty/s640/IMG_7256.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mercury Cyclone- you don't see many of these</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSY0UYmXQn8iYKLkoLJGcmMlsKYkxqbhSOh98N0MrwJfpiFcZUDcGPn0eNO7nOvpX0nKFnEcOf8tBc3acBSgUGXaHOGFo2pY_Xj8nJum66I-Q5EQK0gZpmujc56GAL_8ZvmQlgGLtMhO_/s1600/IMG_7253.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSY0UYmXQn8iYKLkoLJGcmMlsKYkxqbhSOh98N0MrwJfpiFcZUDcGPn0eNO7nOvpX0nKFnEcOf8tBc3acBSgUGXaHOGFo2pY_Xj8nJum66I-Q5EQK0gZpmujc56GAL_8ZvmQlgGLtMhO_/s640/IMG_7253.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1970 Plymouth Road Runner convertible- beep beep!</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-15406831419979035082019-06-08T19:34:00.004-07:002019-06-16T13:29:45.003-07:00HRPT 2019- Day 1: June 8- Concord, NC (0 miles)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 120.5px; margin-right: 120.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFg4lSi2ZzEMtnCVVdZSv5MVOX6WNiQPMZcbVgQb8CcDz7YGivmcakPK-06e36iReR2QkXY2PVCG4bdEZYqV-oqWyyNczbXQlQN7Yi_nYsXVa1fsR__8eElw-fWev6gYtzD-oHvYV1Qyu/s1600/IMG_7184.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFg4lSi2ZzEMtnCVVdZSv5MVOX6WNiQPMZcbVgQb8CcDz7YGivmcakPK-06e36iReR2QkXY2PVCG4bdEZYqV-oqWyyNczbXQlQN7Yi_nYsXVa1fsR__8eElw-fWev6gYtzD-oHvYV1Qyu/s400/IMG_7184.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">When this is the first sight of the Morning, you know it's going to be a good day</td></tr>
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One of the best things about the first day of the Power Tour is the fact that we are already at the destination. Don't get me wrong, I like the driving from venue to venue, but on the first day, we get to sleep in a little and everyone is already here. We met up with most of our Orlando group for breakfast at the hotel. Tara did what Tara does and scarfed down breakfast and went to clean off the bugs and road spray from the past 2 days of driving. Since we didn't get into Concord until last night, our first stop was the Charlotte Motor Speedway to get our Long Haul credentials. On the way out, Tara ran into a friend who was with her on a drive through the Florida Panhandle. He and his father are doing the Long Haul in a 1971 Dodge Polara.<br />
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After getting our credentials and putting the 2019 Power Tour stickers on the cars, we headed towards the ZMax Dragway which is maybe half a mile from the Speedway. Since everyone was already in town, the traffic to get into ZMax was thick with show cars. Fortunately, it was cool and breezy and there were plenty of cars to look at just sitting in traffic. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCtZaxtbrqVG4dAiMaLpTucQ20geOSqvTQjswvCxfURddT5GY8so7_JvzONpauM1V7DQZvRCzuUmACiX28pMK-dO0V6XrjcrBDBklYuFRB8cTqZZoPt65zcCddLJwY1ZJgJayKZWTXs2o/s1600/IMG_7233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCtZaxtbrqVG4dAiMaLpTucQ20geOSqvTQjswvCxfURddT5GY8so7_JvzONpauM1V7DQZvRCzuUmACiX28pMK-dO0V6XrjcrBDBklYuFRB8cTqZZoPt65zcCddLJwY1ZJgJayKZWTXs2o/s640/IMG_7233.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approximate wait time from this point- 25 minutes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv_us7W2r0vi5J8LFOJqAux0cqaF5ifUprKl7bKGBtzg0AfgDCbAlSohTiizkYdjXPEnOiAQ3BiVmUVHuIxh7DxYXieP-CiLYFti-b5Fmpm_7ww7hJfwV1-BF4sz5F9iUvRR0V3rXXRaH/s1600/IMG_7234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1600" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv_us7W2r0vi5J8LFOJqAux0cqaF5ifUprKl7bKGBtzg0AfgDCbAlSohTiizkYdjXPEnOiAQ3BiVmUVHuIxh7DxYXieP-CiLYFti-b5Fmpm_7ww7hJfwV1-BF4sz5F9iUvRR0V3rXXRaH/s640/IMG_7234.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty to see, even in traffic</td></tr>
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We got parked (for the first time) not far from our friends Rick and Lisa from Tampa in their Dart Sport. Once parked, my dad and I went to get clocked in and walk through the vendors to pick up the MSD/Holley magnets, Edelbrock hats, and Mother's dry wash spray. The magnets are a big thing. Holley/MSD give out a magnet a day and at the end of the tour, they fit together for a unique souvenir suitable for framing (I know because I framed all of ours from the last 8 years).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx5MSRqKS7cmHhhbChyphenhyphencYyLqRZuFv6TAMiSVsckSy2cJ-XwcdkNm_7oTfCFpA3HsrF_bxqqTRcpmPUriJPYkit8xTYgNmhm1rbh4Qw4m91s94ib7gFx90SogKPxValZXcyG7-DHqYf2JT/s1600/IMG_7236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx5MSRqKS7cmHhhbChyphenhyphencYyLqRZuFv6TAMiSVsckSy2cJ-XwcdkNm_7oTfCFpA3HsrF_bxqqTRcpmPUriJPYkit8xTYgNmhm1rbh4Qw4m91s94ib7gFx90SogKPxValZXcyG7-DHqYf2JT/s640/IMG_7236.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vendor midway</td></tr>
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The vendor area also has some amazing show cars parked around it. There were 2 1969 Dodge Daytonas. These were limited production cars made solely to qualify the aerodynamics for NASCAR and they dominated it. The ones on this tour couldn't be more different, but each one is amazing to see.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytWy5D5FSaFIhZYapA3WIj18jXtrv8TCsjhX9HL5wvcYu1Os3J3ZNFC-QJj3BYbu5lgIDzsfAFzMKwPN1r5AugQB8ns5gqciO9oaaMu_UZAXeacHh7dHmcEYbN32O8fb6K1SGRgFFSnN3/s1600/IMG_7185.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytWy5D5FSaFIhZYapA3WIj18jXtrv8TCsjhX9HL5wvcYu1Os3J3ZNFC-QJj3BYbu5lgIDzsfAFzMKwPN1r5AugQB8ns5gqciO9oaaMu_UZAXeacHh7dHmcEYbN32O8fb6K1SGRgFFSnN3/s640/IMG_7185.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that you don't have to be pretty to be a cover model</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41PxPEUDz2c2u5MqCs1-hkw0JUEe98sagktGJBcTYHf1kVPt8CnNX698lyZ4_sX9ctMOzKy557IX4P21MWcRi4brMphVecncyX0uTAzko3dwJSdpLzIGShsXQTl6Yo0Nyd5jUWXXJuWNT/s1600/IMG_7186.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41PxPEUDz2c2u5MqCs1-hkw0JUEe98sagktGJBcTYHf1kVPt8CnNX698lyZ4_sX9ctMOzKy557IX4P21MWcRi4brMphVecncyX0uTAzko3dwJSdpLzIGShsXQTl6Yo0Nyd5jUWXXJuWNT/s640/IMG_7186.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original!</td></tr>
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Another amazing car in the vendor area was a 1950-something Imperial convertible that had been completely modified into a 2-door custom variant that is truly one of a kind. I'm sure thousands of hours were spent on customizing this thing. The attention to detail on this car was amazing. It even had a hinged back window in the convertible top that opened for more ventilation. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-cBlvM-lsenFFKdLvyhjVj9jEy3sSzc6BDorZ9JM1rm6CovkH_ZCdRvbXl_zSbyfMBQpDyel3L6_slIreh88k3X6fIx8bSfKn0JcoRHEI-ADziXvggHVoSD5yyylWPAdKPaq5rAO4wU0/s1600/IMG_7190.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-cBlvM-lsenFFKdLvyhjVj9jEy3sSzc6BDorZ9JM1rm6CovkH_ZCdRvbXl_zSbyfMBQpDyel3L6_slIreh88k3X6fIx8bSfKn0JcoRHEI-ADziXvggHVoSD5yyylWPAdKPaq5rAO4wU0/s640/IMG_7190.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This may be one of the most beautiful cars I've seen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP98cf9izEdGSxJ80TCl0LxJgzXgJRxYiqcmqzJWUDmaUnPPjCRj-_JgvsnqdrEe0VnKqeap7yxKUd1GIfsKpT1KTsdwdF0obmXytZ4r-F9kn5cxSJu99Ttn4YADcJ935BFGfyebth-3Me/s1600/IMG_7192.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP98cf9izEdGSxJ80TCl0LxJgzXgJRxYiqcmqzJWUDmaUnPPjCRj-_JgvsnqdrEe0VnKqeap7yxKUd1GIfsKpT1KTsdwdF0obmXytZ4r-F9kn5cxSJu99Ttn4YADcJ935BFGfyebth-3Me/s400/IMG_7192.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErq3gThQ1ST5phhcOFDVE9wuzVrvfu1khvS7vgWItZ-gRYhOCEiTiGRQTi6qQcEw7ZzlZGP4Xuu03OBFf6JaRZTzX-5X1meFMbDg4m45dg7YhGlN2WgvPceMePoWg0-9lWct6Ar1beYZ8/s1600/IMG_7191.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErq3gThQ1ST5phhcOFDVE9wuzVrvfu1khvS7vgWItZ-gRYhOCEiTiGRQTi6qQcEw7ZzlZGP4Xuu03OBFf6JaRZTzX-5X1meFMbDg4m45dg7YhGlN2WgvPceMePoWg0-9lWct6Ar1beYZ8/s400/IMG_7191.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Plaid!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErq3gThQ1ST5phhcOFDVE9wuzVrvfu1khvS7vgWItZ-gRYhOCEiTiGRQTi6qQcEw7ZzlZGP4Xuu03OBFf6JaRZTzX-5X1meFMbDg4m45dg7YhGlN2WgvPceMePoWg0-9lWct6Ar1beYZ8/s1600/IMG_7191.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
When my dad and I got back to the cars, Tara let us know we were moving. In true Power Tour fashion, Tara scouted for a better parking spot and found some right in front by the vendor area. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFwfd17c6opvIE1bY07Xl9zAz8DOqM9Hp_QRAJ1GVDJ66BqPqw5BPY6LY8vOGvmPd8VEJ8A-55UaVZ9berhzGzq3rDCj_-LWrNGfP99tohUHyYVG6i78E87Z6F6H2DAcLARJWWodbB_dd/s1600/IMG_7212.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFwfd17c6opvIE1bY07Xl9zAz8DOqM9Hp_QRAJ1GVDJ66BqPqw5BPY6LY8vOGvmPd8VEJ8A-55UaVZ9berhzGzq3rDCj_-LWrNGfP99tohUHyYVG6i78E87Z6F6H2DAcLARJWWodbB_dd/s640/IMG_7212.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skipping up front</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuIWU2ACapI2MvhXWCQnSKOLUeSW5ptxM6COXm0YI5R8Kem-OAVQpuKMY8Dq7k0n2u_wrJzZVxCd7FieEFWLYAwSaFCKI3ei3HpX3vwiAtgKcN-dgRyn0Ihkz1ZCDCcbmto5JXF4I-iUI/s1600/IMG_7196.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuIWU2ACapI2MvhXWCQnSKOLUeSW5ptxM6COXm0YI5R8Kem-OAVQpuKMY8Dq7k0n2u_wrJzZVxCd7FieEFWLYAwSaFCKI3ei3HpX3vwiAtgKcN-dgRyn0Ihkz1ZCDCcbmto5JXF4I-iUI/s400/IMG_7196.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Once we settled into our new space and were deciding on what to do for lunch, Chuck, Sr. and Manny from Church Boys Racing stopped to check out the Acadian. Church Boys Racing makes suspension parts for Novas. Chuck, Sr. has owned Novas for 49 years and he and he and his son, Chuck, Jr. decided they could do some things better than the factory. They built parts for their cars and then other people started asking them to make some for their cars and, voila- Church Boys Racing. Chuck, Sr. and Manny asked if we had any of their stuff on the Acadian. And, of course we did. After wearing out a set of front tires halfway through our first Power Tour in 2011, Don did some research and found Church Boys' lower control arms. Since putting those on the car, we haven't had any issues with the alignment. Tara even did an interview for them about our experience with their parts while Chuck, Sr. took a look at the front end for "quality assurance."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihr8HNjaZIAw1JwFfs-Bbsdqc4UHLtEdRbOTBw149iSJBLvQGKbABpHxy1DrwWpYl0xRSO1POv0uB_sMzdY2OTIeAPLMOzZRxor_U4yoMLAJARRcE3fmmNnhdyDhqy-UaACLyLoptX_8G4/s1600/IMG_7203.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihr8HNjaZIAw1JwFfs-Bbsdqc4UHLtEdRbOTBw149iSJBLvQGKbABpHxy1DrwWpYl0xRSO1POv0uB_sMzdY2OTIeAPLMOzZRxor_U4yoMLAJARRcE3fmmNnhdyDhqy-UaACLyLoptX_8G4/s400/IMG_7203.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuck, Sr. making sure his parts are still good after 7.14 Long Hauls</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilowfFRQJuuB_j8Axg9s9QHmJ3fc-b9VzkMUhgTXLUmlCnVcI5jh9dbmxVj9IBX5-NUdGH0UAihw1-9SiLd3H253x7uEET4XnCPtAmwpwxrdvbPAe52Eay-dIX8ClsuR2bX0TeLx3F5sJN/s1600/IMG_7204.HEIC" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilowfFRQJuuB_j8Axg9s9QHmJ3fc-b9VzkMUhgTXLUmlCnVcI5jh9dbmxVj9IBX5-NUdGH0UAihw1-9SiLd3H253x7uEET4XnCPtAmwpwxrdvbPAe52Eay-dIX8ClsuR2bX0TeLx3F5sJN/s400/IMG_7204.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MvOYQ-AziD7K8Ooq98B4oYgIpJEA7DA0sd7u-XEohkkVvYsnHyS8mNCy0bU61pqBZbNmWUv7MAIkcuJS_yYAL3nQZg3-FRDh92Q3x5CER8-l1g9wgRUIx8wgRUoeu3YMwq_wpV3Qk3KZ/s1600/IMG_7223.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MvOYQ-AziD7K8Ooq98B4oYgIpJEA7DA0sd7u-XEohkkVvYsnHyS8mNCy0bU61pqBZbNmWUv7MAIkcuJS_yYAL3nQZg3-FRDh92Q3x5CER8-l1g9wgRUIx8wgRUoeu3YMwq_wpV3Qk3KZ/s400/IMG_7223.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Church Boys' own Nova.</td></tr>
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Lunch at the venues can be challenging. Today looked like it would be no exception. There was the track concession stand, a Bojangles chicken trailer (huge line), a hot dog/hamburger truck and a food truck that had nachos, pork sandwiches and fries. Tara and I ended up splitting chicken nachos and were surprised at how good they were. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0fdNvpLiTLyMdNHXYzLOwMjzc6Xg-_Oi32Z7JqM4GK0iabpNn2dMuHDKSX8N-SJz_mWj8XBucLmf19hAOVNXC0wKyinUUx6kfMAwUQ21L8PHxVqcIHYiXayGRFswhe6735ywWd9BrsLA/s1600/IMG_7194.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0fdNvpLiTLyMdNHXYzLOwMjzc6Xg-_Oi32Z7JqM4GK0iabpNn2dMuHDKSX8N-SJz_mWj8XBucLmf19hAOVNXC0wKyinUUx6kfMAwUQ21L8PHxVqcIHYiXayGRFswhe6735ywWd9BrsLA/s400/IMG_7194.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the only acceptable ways to trailer a car on the Power Tour</td></tr>
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<br />
After lunch we walked around and checked out more cars. No matter what type of car you like, it's probably on the Power Tour. From classic Mercedes SL's (V8 powered now) to OLD Ford panel vans to off-road Challengers:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjac2pHb5xH7bC2Uqw0fBWVJnV2_jtqekvZfPwlbuiOyxPJS0_vX1fXx-anTnlBMViJAuIdxuQmnApsmdJ8lopHfy8H3QQA-YCq5Zx6tg3vKrpdLLP421Fh11m7DDoVnc3obl5cyGD-qgJc/s1600/IMG_7187.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjac2pHb5xH7bC2Uqw0fBWVJnV2_jtqekvZfPwlbuiOyxPJS0_vX1fXx-anTnlBMViJAuIdxuQmnApsmdJ8lopHfy8H3QQA-YCq5Zx6tg3vKrpdLLP421Fh11m7DDoVnc3obl5cyGD-qgJc/s640/IMG_7187.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ze aristocrat's hot rod</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZtSTwl31FmAHhDoGEWmOiDDWgSNqjdju24eRcm7N-UYR9mRbmW1ZdMTVBf2gENEBp-wqq0CEa8pgTtsUhGWth1puSmhqPQ_OeTBxCHd1_vnvts3oWJbuTt1L0uq5OVTquXtFMJLqx4px/s1600/IMG_7218.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZtSTwl31FmAHhDoGEWmOiDDWgSNqjdju24eRcm7N-UYR9mRbmW1ZdMTVBf2gENEBp-wqq0CEa8pgTtsUhGWth1puSmhqPQ_OeTBxCHd1_vnvts3oWJbuTt1L0uq5OVTquXtFMJLqx4px/s640/IMG_7218.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of ventilation for the driver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0.5px; margin-right: 0.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lGdLBZeJlCDMfwydL1ZN_idj1L2mAltP9ND5VduNETxSfbRdaUxU9op5XVz0I3pN6IjAz3KzPuDkuCR8wed5PxDWqBLO8pfmtrDANg4Ug0huWojqRAgOW87XvjTzgUBYJx4fx_tR8UxE/s1600/IMG_7217.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #b00000;"></span><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lGdLBZeJlCDMfwydL1ZN_idj1L2mAltP9ND5VduNETxSfbRdaUxU9op5XVz0I3pN6IjAz3KzPuDkuCR8wed5PxDWqBLO8pfmtrDANg4Ug0huWojqRAgOW87XvjTzgUBYJx4fx_tR8UxE/s640/IMG_7217.HEIC" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">For when you can't decide between a Jeep and a Muscle Car- This Challenger is "Trail-Rated"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
One of my favorite sights at the drag racing venues are the people who empty their cars to lighten them before racing. Some folks, like this Plum Crazy Challenger went even further and swapped out their front street tires for "skinnies." <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwmcUHDde7qPLR6vcZvWXveAaJHZUMiafCD6dhZ6V-5QGJa30REzx1SVlkqYjqVr29lWzO7mtE5MJxu2PolEQ3Ik4DjxLskQeSWEfR0LWKqnzFha2YlldLkqm-o3xHhFq9FLrzF23rdqWH/s1600/IMG_7228.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwmcUHDde7qPLR6vcZvWXveAaJHZUMiafCD6dhZ6V-5QGJa30REzx1SVlkqYjqVr29lWzO7mtE5MJxu2PolEQ3Ik4DjxLskQeSWEfR0LWKqnzFha2YlldLkqm-o3xHhFq9FLrzF23rdqWH/s400/IMG_7228.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
We ran into our friends from Texas, Ted and Lori. In addition to their GTO, their son Kyle and friend Bob were along in Ted's just finished 1973 'Cuda. They barely had time to break in the 'Cuda's 440 motor before heading out. Kyle found out that while idling in traffic, the 'Cuda's alternator doesn't turn fast enough to charge the battery and support the electronic fuel injection and A/C. This would normally be easily solved by shifting into neutral and giving it a little gas, but Kyle only found out about the issue with a nearly empty tank and in a massive traffic jam.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksCDGkKm0yNHD-Tx4dETbiVtHx66-vUDuMxRe6if4WUD4ZKNvRFwa82vx5ZVGz4i0v9pnywNcTNC2h22R55taJMg5vLZAAtvM0NjK98LxclYyrnViJ2ojZXgwELlZL3M9pqIVDBD_BhzW/s1600/IMG_7231.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksCDGkKm0yNHD-Tx4dETbiVtHx66-vUDuMxRe6if4WUD4ZKNvRFwa82vx5ZVGz4i0v9pnywNcTNC2h22R55taJMg5vLZAAtvM0NjK98LxclYyrnViJ2ojZXgwELlZL3M9pqIVDBD_BhzW/s640/IMG_7231.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Texas Twosome</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The storms that they forecasted for round noon today never materialized. It seems the weather stalled out over Atlanta and, instead of raining on our Power Tour, messed up my sister's flight to Arizona. <br />
<br />
We headed back to the hotel around 3:15 to freshen up before the hotel happy hour and then our dinner reservation at the Speedway Club. The Speedway Club is in the Charlotte Motor Speedway and membership is limited to people affiliated with NASCAR. When we stopped in Concord back in 2012, they opened it up for Power Tour Long Haulers and we managed to snag a reservation. Since then, we've been lucky enough to get in each time we come here because our friend and Hot Rod Logistics Coordinator, Lori's cousins Bob and Carol are members. Tonight we had a reservation for 20 (plus Bryson).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU43LfmfI_N47_tdFohYIfXae5eASswnyujgEiK7JlU_UQ1wgLOSvidFoA8VQWn0qMj0UNKK2BZBxet6e5CnHXLzcmmyBBK2eDT0_I_VgmcKeAyAgVcLlkJu0rSZSV51xOpLmK3zxVwcIm/s1600/IMG_7243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU43LfmfI_N47_tdFohYIfXae5eASswnyujgEiK7JlU_UQ1wgLOSvidFoA8VQWn0qMj0UNKK2BZBxet6e5CnHXLzcmmyBBK2eDT0_I_VgmcKeAyAgVcLlkJu0rSZSV51xOpLmK3zxVwcIm/s400/IMG_7243.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best view in Charlotte</td></tr>
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<br />
For the first time in the 4 that we've been to the Speedway Club, there were cars racing under the lights. Nothing like dinner and a show. The food was great as always. We all piled into the hotel shuttle and headed back to the hotel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1fUzSkHm95CsSKUhnTaB40dx_QgojW0cUOcRf4FBksKLB1wUyPMBDZw9yxThYTlLWqFeCAKP3qxhQ09gqJdAWMuz7osI0soI5o4N7yNuxhy7xMa2c_oxf-DA8lz-0ZrZKoynDZdHB3xE/s1600/IMG_7242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1fUzSkHm95CsSKUhnTaB40dx_QgojW0cUOcRf4FBksKLB1wUyPMBDZw9yxThYTlLWqFeCAKP3qxhQ09gqJdAWMuz7osI0soI5o4N7yNuxhy7xMa2c_oxf-DA8lz-0ZrZKoynDZdHB3xE/s640/IMG_7242.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A restaurant with the best view in Charlotte</td></tr>
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The weather held as long as it could and it started raining tonight. Before calling it a night we spent a few minutes under the hotel awning watching a supercharged Chevelle get brand new windshield wipers installed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6_BmL3gBu0T258DBRY-p3aqJW0SAVGH28mDZ77rd-NcDK1BSlDzAWrk_kaFSGtIzzYPcgV-4rR70Mwxz7dCCt_UHjeWMh7XpB40gR6R6zfmcyNo44pcY_yzbb1M3Nb4trH0OZ-877xZt/s1600/IMG_7239.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6_BmL3gBu0T258DBRY-p3aqJW0SAVGH28mDZ77rd-NcDK1BSlDzAWrk_kaFSGtIzzYPcgV-4rR70Mwxz7dCCt_UHjeWMh7XpB40gR6R6zfmcyNo44pcY_yzbb1M3Nb4trH0OZ-877xZt/s640/IMG_7239.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little drizzle</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOTSAT1b73mmBNDhbtqGQUmQdymMfzB-iPE8ICm5oCQ4FKB_tWK2dQS6QEWYgbPUYf6qo1edVYyjw3nLWf-XGlfkJsmWB4hiIxqlhzfPZ25jwO5eZFD09Eu2-XlDxPl8bYanMNdivsE-n/s1600/IMG_7241.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOTSAT1b73mmBNDhbtqGQUmQdymMfzB-iPE8ICm5oCQ4FKB_tWK2dQS6QEWYgbPUYf6qo1edVYyjw3nLWf-XGlfkJsmWB4hiIxqlhzfPZ25jwO5eZFD09Eu2-XlDxPl8bYanMNdivsE-n/s640/IMG_7241.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess the wipers were an afterthought to the supercharged LS motor. I wonder if they had them shipped to the hotel or brought the wiper set with them</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We called it a night. Tomorrow we drive to Martinsville, VA. In the meantime, h</span>ere are some other pictures from today:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGf6CBTFmykap1x3vFGEQ2K_9DhAnYgSQxBZHY-ZEEKZgfZZs1FXfVZ_N9CsXAMZ6stu_I0htxgXZDg3qWBJ8VP4fbaDHTwPsynRar6Av04w_Y3nJZjzvpg4rcTSfEULvW_UCBtbeK2HU/s1600/IMG_7201.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGf6CBTFmykap1x3vFGEQ2K_9DhAnYgSQxBZHY-ZEEKZgfZZs1FXfVZ_N9CsXAMZ6stu_I0htxgXZDg3qWBJ8VP4fbaDHTwPsynRar6Av04w_Y3nJZjzvpg4rcTSfEULvW_UCBtbeK2HU/s400/IMG_7201.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boss 520?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyYxF5xbbDEdTy50hcwTV0XkHLgR0GrSxKa0xWvMqlptsSAVT0AJEltpHwY26hVCr07Mi4tO1NIZsUQr2YfFuOk8Vi-j9dQDfgBEZwbAOSCkVWlSUEAI9ARb880QY9a8XgrethKFm0dt8/s1600/IMG_7221.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyYxF5xbbDEdTy50hcwTV0XkHLgR0GrSxKa0xWvMqlptsSAVT0AJEltpHwY26hVCr07Mi4tO1NIZsUQr2YfFuOk8Vi-j9dQDfgBEZwbAOSCkVWlSUEAI9ARb880QY9a8XgrethKFm0dt8/s400/IMG_7221.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Custom 1967 Shelby GT350</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-03ylD70dLSbeM0Suhu1MATYgJoDEQfpelkNCg1VebIuHm9nXApyEdKFh9_I3HdENVW4zu6ug8oWMhQ4rZqdIDrhmIB4Ec8eIJTttEcuoID-zEODT0UtJ633bSTK1BhoBPO4ZM8RUQOdx/s1600/IMG_7224.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-03ylD70dLSbeM0Suhu1MATYgJoDEQfpelkNCg1VebIuHm9nXApyEdKFh9_I3HdENVW4zu6ug8oWMhQ4rZqdIDrhmIB4Ec8eIJTttEcuoID-zEODT0UtJ633bSTK1BhoBPO4ZM8RUQOdx/s400/IMG_7224.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
1970 Chevelle SS (updated suede interior- see below)</div>
</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2gMQy8pUpbfegQTXncsYFmgznosCnkCWhUEeKAurM1rb4lZb9azEH5Yk9OZihsECFpYVJuQuDGx-W6fBYhjCEE5FFzCerPTaigd351fWMHP6IKv-QvhVGj7uPRAh8d3aEM1ei64-igdu/s1600/IMG_7225.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2gMQy8pUpbfegQTXncsYFmgznosCnkCWhUEeKAurM1rb4lZb9azEH5Yk9OZihsECFpYVJuQuDGx-W6fBYhjCEE5FFzCerPTaigd351fWMHP6IKv-QvhVGj7uPRAh8d3aEM1ei64-igdu/s400/IMG_7225.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks comfy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde_mKQZy3e3VNt_MvUS2VyVjuzRT-ErJswrwY8MDj9p2MPKxI1uX2gkBrAAhoJ9jIfYo1HDda3AKcvfIAjmvAWGQJmqTtoVLaWzU_pBWqtRhqjw6_Z-nYLzFLvPbPuh0y_8d4imMzigz_/s1600/IMG_7189.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde_mKQZy3e3VNt_MvUS2VyVjuzRT-ErJswrwY8MDj9p2MPKxI1uX2gkBrAAhoJ9jIfYo1HDda3AKcvfIAjmvAWGQJmqTtoVLaWzU_pBWqtRhqjw6_Z-nYLzFLvPbPuh0y_8d4imMzigz_/s640/IMG_7189.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AAR 'Cuda Tribute</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA361qnwFJ4DH20mOeWJr3apzwEilenwF_-N8YSSYKdoTbIO1upMnA8d2R9cc1O4b8yYS9WCBnrsS58OBglRAxscAqncoZ-S3N7I69_C-hgpvx8L0YF5qwVRnZ5cIcIWPXhkqJ5tNFynE1/s1600/IMG_7229.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA361qnwFJ4DH20mOeWJr3apzwEilenwF_-N8YSSYKdoTbIO1upMnA8d2R9cc1O4b8yYS9WCBnrsS58OBglRAxscAqncoZ-S3N7I69_C-hgpvx8L0YF5qwVRnZ5cIcIWPXhkqJ5tNFynE1/s640/IMG_7229.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blown Nova</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnTLDq7lSz_8Rp635vlZSj3FWj9fJB2HSptXEwf_AIamobcPUv1uof7TbK8MdeRuX4ee4gcwXwFAJyEc8S9VlY_6BFWmNM1z8wDuIriFudM4gaBWdOw8H_FqsYymcBLzNfOQRfnpEX4QJ/s1600/IMG_7222.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnTLDq7lSz_8Rp635vlZSj3FWj9fJB2HSptXEwf_AIamobcPUv1uof7TbK8MdeRuX4ee4gcwXwFAJyEc8S9VlY_6BFWmNM1z8wDuIriFudM4gaBWdOw8H_FqsYymcBLzNfOQRfnpEX4QJ/s640/IMG_7222.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1967 Dart GT Convertible</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKAuPiU1X3K6Wv9A-S5cxLDE31jEgQh9yo058dXsoIOQz7ep2UJzbujaE631O8ULtvXCXIFrntOo-1vYiMCq_I8hmbcuBhwNs-PurEvt3a2Rqj1VWMsMs60F0X9dhLvtZ79alpfyyRXsH/s1600/IMG_7227.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKAuPiU1X3K6Wv9A-S5cxLDE31jEgQh9yo058dXsoIOQz7ep2UJzbujaE631O8ULtvXCXIFrntOo-1vYiMCq_I8hmbcuBhwNs-PurEvt3a2Rqj1VWMsMs60F0X9dhLvtZ79alpfyyRXsH/s640/IMG_7227.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't let the sparkles fool you, this Camaro sounded evil!!</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-18126615283767150702019-06-05T13:24:00.002-07:002019-06-08T04:07:33.789-07:00HRPT 2019 - Gettin' There: June 6-7- Orlando, FL to Concord (Charlotte), NC (981 miles)Our Power Tour excitement started the day before we left when Don finally diagnosed and eliminated the Acadian front end squeak we've been chasing for more than a year. It was a bad front spring perch. Fortunately, since Don just recently restored a 1967 Nova, he had a new one on his shelf and swapped it out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsGQJ-leFmXEbnPPQsD7a8-Vab0WLUzW7guY_ilx3WzD9l884BOKuGtSj4lLgWtmavj_6X3lY53bXNhzsHtWQiGFXgG6nO0Z5zeK5Uhsq2j57hso-aaPZ4Uv3ey9jrM9Td-nbKXHYpiCT/s1600/IMG_7125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsGQJ-leFmXEbnPPQsD7a8-Vab0WLUzW7guY_ilx3WzD9l884BOKuGtSj4lLgWtmavj_6X3lY53bXNhzsHtWQiGFXgG6nO0Z5zeK5Uhsq2j57hso-aaPZ4Uv3ey9jrM9Td-nbKXHYpiCT/s640/IMG_7125.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last tweak to end the squeak</td></tr>
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<br />
Even though the Power Tour starts in Charlotte and is a day's drive, we hit the road bright and early on Thursday, June 6 with a plan to visit close family friends near Burnsville. Tara, my parents and I met up with our friend and famed automotive photographer Russ Muller and his 1971 Pontiac Grand Prix and headed out of town. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp3HU9wh16K3HI5LCOru4uEmgmjdh2djKx3feggiZCalq9g_bd-iSN-4CJrkzagVDnJf3AhJeT7m5cYmJIKPMTS5m2sgNPQyxmxt6F-Z6ZgERmUwi0cKX3acw5uhDSHmyNmJCgCN-OhQ5/s1600/IMG_7127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp3HU9wh16K3HI5LCOru4uEmgmjdh2djKx3feggiZCalq9g_bd-iSN-4CJrkzagVDnJf3AhJeT7m5cYmJIKPMTS5m2sgNPQyxmxt6F-Z6ZgERmUwi0cKX3acw5uhDSHmyNmJCgCN-OhQ5/s400/IMG_7127.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. John's Sunrise</td></tr>
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<br />
We managed to beat Jacksonville rush hour traffic before making our first of nearly countless gas stops. The Acadian averages about 15 mpg and the gas gauge reads about 3 gallons low, so how far we can actually go ends up being part gas gauge, part logic and a lot of "yeah, I think we can go 20 more miles before we stop." That plan's worked for the last 8 years why change. This year's a bit different since we took I-95 rather than I-75 like we've done on the majority of Power Tour trips. I had the gas stops down to a science all the way to Chattanooga.<br />
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After the first gas stop, we hit Cracker Barrel for breakfast. This should be the only stop at a chain restaurant. From here on out, it's all one of a kind dining adventures. With a few limited exceptions, the "no chain restaurants on the Power Tour" rule has served us well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvF27p2xFbP9eBLDfxDBSYqQl2H5fRPWUUCJNWEoYTsKtBZwo6uAI-OoMdZ2IXK5Ueg2pCv2-b5P9okPxfAQijFCEM1nEcgmjcs5z5KqeZy8gWQgIWJ4RNqw1SyBrtSMWxszvce6R7OxT/s1600/IMG_7129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvF27p2xFbP9eBLDfxDBSYqQl2H5fRPWUUCJNWEoYTsKtBZwo6uAI-OoMdZ2IXK5Ueg2pCv2-b5P9okPxfAQijFCEM1nEcgmjcs5z5KqeZy8gWQgIWJ4RNqw1SyBrtSMWxszvce6R7OxT/s640/IMG_7129.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once we got back on the highway, we picked up a late model yellow Camaro who honked and gave us the thumb's up. He followed us to our next gas stop and we found out he was on his way to Charlotte for his first ever Power Tour, but was visiting friends in South Carolina first. He joined our modest 3-car group and stuck with us until we split off at I-26. We split with Russ a little further down the road and headed west to Asheville.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggcBqIJy06KI66q70_K1_-I5JZ7xc7UaXK55XRi5Vk4kd08m05KK1eDFFyTHzFz5FQSNg-fhloppwWDBQZnHDq3AHe6wGZxFfbDA6eV4SN7qgSZN8AcTT9Epq2rgdzZj5vSnoydbas1-4/s1600/IMG_7128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggcBqIJy06KI66q70_K1_-I5JZ7xc7UaXK55XRi5Vk4kd08m05KK1eDFFyTHzFz5FQSNg-fhloppwWDBQZnHDq3AHe6wGZxFfbDA6eV4SN7qgSZN8AcTT9Epq2rgdzZj5vSnoydbas1-4/s640/IMG_7128.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Y'all better get used to the "rear view" camera angle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
For dinner, we stopped at the Sierra Nevada Brewery Taproom. I had heard it was a neat place and it certainly did not disappoint. The drive into the brewery is beautiful. It's lined with rock walls, has a wood bridge and is very tranquil. At the brewery itself, the Taproom is huge and there's a wide open back porch and patio. It was an ideal spot to have dinner, a beer, and walk around for a bit. Tara, of course, found the gardens in back and even spotted a type of butterfly she'd never seen before.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQg_L32HoNoYH7YZ8wAB_3OZFh8-zsZKTGJ7-D0XCFO5EbqK7zg3I55O3QNaVmVp-493XEycUZmOkjftnXRmOoNNcb-7NYiN_VrggDkSQ9WpN7tSAOda2ZuVBdlUtq0Rnq5QZzXuOgU8K/s1600/IMG_7132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQg_L32HoNoYH7YZ8wAB_3OZFh8-zsZKTGJ7-D0XCFO5EbqK7zg3I55O3QNaVmVp-493XEycUZmOkjftnXRmOoNNcb-7NYiN_VrggDkSQ9WpN7tSAOda2ZuVBdlUtq0Rnq5QZzXuOgU8K/s640/IMG_7132.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beer, Glorious Beer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDD59opvQYd1j2k-bwVIaLFmccTGCRyZoisqv-B3VYGmuNYf_unWHyVDL16qyfmMAVU_lDr8VkKyPemHQ56huYEcUGMEm6P4k4K5wV8sBdbs3n-5N_9NQrnfWku_rD6U0bViWt6hnefub/s1600/IMG_7122.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDD59opvQYd1j2k-bwVIaLFmccTGCRyZoisqv-B3VYGmuNYf_unWHyVDL16qyfmMAVU_lDr8VkKyPemHQ56huYEcUGMEm6P4k4K5wV8sBdbs3n-5N_9NQrnfWku_rD6U0bViWt6hnefub/s400/IMG_7122.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRn1l10HfcBg4arK14mrLru6DtJh5TSkksUcYEuX8Y5RHJ9ZwtQJuuFzwLUVwXBVWtUaY_DzfpitrYcbaNf_5YuzFZbYI14A9-L1M8ac0ekowb_RTRmZ8N04EvrwDnX5wrdGABnSoXfbQ/s1600/IMG_7131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRn1l10HfcBg4arK14mrLru6DtJh5TSkksUcYEuX8Y5RHJ9ZwtQJuuFzwLUVwXBVWtUaY_DzfpitrYcbaNf_5YuzFZbYI14A9-L1M8ac0ekowb_RTRmZ8N04EvrwDnX5wrdGABnSoXfbQ/s400/IMG_7131.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's called a Diana Fritillary (we looked it up). This one's a male, the females are black and blue and completely different.- [This concludes the nature portion of this blog entry...sort of]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had managed to avoid ugly weather all of Thursday, but out luck ran out this morning. It was gray and rainy. Instead of trudging to the cars, the hotel shuttle took us to and from our breakfast spot. We ate at a restaurant called the Cornerstone. The food was great and freshly made in-house. My dad had the "build your own" omelet with extra Chorizo. It was the most expensive breakfast ever. His bill was over $1,000. Apparently, the first Chorizo is $0.50 and the second helping was $999.00. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk0bnKSBG0QM-H5aEpeDgRJPOnVDDdTtc5kUTsszc3RYiUmcYp2LDfWj0bO4xsiLsbB-Tdf8_p0in8Y0V-3M8dsDerBO2TmWv_-flnBPrhWhILCkkWQ1FrSZ60aGsSY_SbGHK4nZoMRd4/s1600/IMG_7124.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="975" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk0bnKSBG0QM-H5aEpeDgRJPOnVDDdTtc5kUTsszc3RYiUmcYp2LDfWj0bO4xsiLsbB-Tdf8_p0in8Y0V-3M8dsDerBO2TmWv_-flnBPrhWhILCkkWQ1FrSZ60aGsSY_SbGHK4nZoMRd4/s640/IMG_7124.HEIC" width="387" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seems reasonable.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After getting the bill corrected, we went back to the hotel, loaded up the cars and drove into the mountains near Burnsville to visit family friends the Petersons. The weather cleared up and we spent some time catching up. Nick drove us up the road a bit and showed us a waterfall right near the road that, had he not told us it was there, we would have missed it. There was a rope swing, but Tara stubbornly refused to demonstrate. Nick also mentioned the water was about 40 degrees. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoPXIOY453Un72EdYXzCZ3vOw9KkgRE3iiFY2D5R_uLr-dXEB7MRebQvLFgDI_kWEP5LiGrNmzkE6swmxgoO6bydzACAobnMA-P_7GhdO4hHovjONO6ms84dJDmEhdFRrHUZkQk2iMKqN/s1600/IMG_7134.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoPXIOY453Un72EdYXzCZ3vOw9KkgRE3iiFY2D5R_uLr-dXEB7MRebQvLFgDI_kWEP5LiGrNmzkE6swmxgoO6bydzACAobnMA-P_7GhdO4hHovjONO6ms84dJDmEhdFRrHUZkQk2iMKqN/s400/IMG_7134.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little more nature</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our planned gas stop in Burnsville didn't work out (the BP gas station's pumps were shut off and they had a small old pump with just 87 octane). We managed to make it back to the highway and a bigger gas station with high octane fuel. The Acadian will run on 87 octane (last year I found out it'll also run on part diesel), but my Corvette needs 93 octane.<br />
<br />
We stopped for dinner at The Trailhead in Black Mountain, NC. The food was great. I had a jerk chicken sandwich with some of the best onion rings I've ever eaten. Tara pretended she was a healthy eater and ordered a grilled kale salad. <br />
<br />
Our luck with the weather didn't hold and we drove most of the way from Black Mountain to the hotel in Concord in some pretty heavy rain.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKDVmC1_b4Vx6fHOgeJtykY8JX09YjzaQd1z8vmig_jeh8dAc_oJYJYdKC1o_2AxpKnCyGa3noF3B2E_cP39nLMdAZjBElhMktL7MttqFdP-QAlMVbbwK1HtoRfFbm4aDlquMQ-6_lUim/s1600/IMG_7180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKDVmC1_b4Vx6fHOgeJtykY8JX09YjzaQd1z8vmig_jeh8dAc_oJYJYdKC1o_2AxpKnCyGa3noF3B2E_cP39nLMdAZjBElhMktL7MttqFdP-QAlMVbbwK1HtoRfFbm4aDlquMQ-6_lUim/s400/IMG_7180.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two hours of this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When we finally got to the hotel, the parking lot was slammed. In addition to the Power Tour, there's a Republican Party meeting or convention going on. They have set up "hospitality" suites on many of the floors and everyone in the lobby, elevators, and in the halls had at least one drink in their hands. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now I know why they call them political parties.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We managed to find a spot under the hotel awning and right in front of our friend Lori's Monte Carlo. Tomorrow, we have to pick up our credentials and then on to the ZMax Raceway for Day 1.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4VQz0vJanttzIYlK6MwcfqKKfLyJ_JFV26L81gg6cxsVZ8H5ccZVw6rFi5rDLL77Vyuhfd3Lu1W4fOyk5DaYw17TEckdHch2qD4l3Sfexs0Ra-ow85Qs4igELotd96oaZp3ZhVHOxPkV/s1600/IMG_7183.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4VQz0vJanttzIYlK6MwcfqKKfLyJ_JFV26L81gg6cxsVZ8H5ccZVw6rFi5rDLL77Vyuhfd3Lu1W4fOyk5DaYw17TEckdHch2qD4l3Sfexs0Ra-ow85Qs4igELotd96oaZp3ZhVHOxPkV/s640/IMG_7183.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All tucked in for the night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-56764584801459442692019-05-30T07:51:00.002-07:002019-06-08T03:57:45.003-07:00FROM THE ARCHIVES--HRPT 2014 - Concord (Charlotte), NC to Wisconsin Dells, WI (1563 miles)<div class="_5pbx userContent _3ds9 _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_1uo">
<div class="_5pbx userContent _3ds9 _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_43a">
<b>June 6 - Orlando, FL to Charlotte (Concord), NC-- 541 miles</b><br />
<br />
Finally, after a year of waiting and counting down days, it was time to
leave for the 2014 Hot Rod Power Tour. Tara and I (in the Acadian) my
parents (driving my Challenger) met up with our friends Ken and Kathy
Lockwood and their '36 Ford Cabriolet at 6:00 a.m. at the Longwood I-4
rest area to begin the trek to Concord, NC.<br />
<br />
The trip up was
uneventful. We managed to miss a small rain shower that passed over
Savannah and we had great weather the entire drive. It was cool enough
in the morning that we didn't even need the A/C until South Carolina.<br />
<br />
Sticking with our Power Tour Guru, Lori's rules (Rule #1: No chain
restaurants), we made our lunch stop at Duke's BBQ in Orangeburg, SC. It
was featured on the show "the best thing I ever ate." Contrary to its
name, it was not really a barbecue place, but rather a low key southern
cooking buffet. They had pitchers of sweet tea on the tables and the
fried chicken was excellent!!<br />
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<br />
We arrived in Concord around 4.
Amazingly, except for a '64 Malibu convertible that passed us in GA, we
did not see any other Power Tour cars until we left the highway.<br />
<br />
Once we were checked into the hotel, we threw some water on our faces,
changed clothes and met up with the rest of our Florida crew to take
advantage of the hotel's complimentary happy hour.<br />
We had a few
drinks, did some catching up, and then took the Hotel's shuttle vans
over to Charlotte Motor Speedway where our 20 person group had a
reservation for dinner at the Speedway Club. The Speedway Club is an
exclusive restaurant with a spectacular view of the entire race track.
The food was as good as the view.<br />
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<br />
After stuffing our faces (All
You Can Eat prime rib and crab legs was the special), we shuttled back
to the hotel and spent an hour or so checking out the cars in the hotel
parking lot and meeting many new people who were taking advantage of the
cool evening. Among the highlights in our parking lot was a 55 Chevy
gasser (appropriately named BlaspHEMI due to its non-GM powerplant), our
friend Fred's custom 56 Chevy, a gorgeous '57 Nomad, several Chevelle
and GTO convertibles. There was even a '59 Convertible with a
Kennedy/Johnson bumper sticker.<br />
<br />
Saturday June 7th, the Tour officially begins at the ZMax Dragway.</div>
<br />
<b>Power Tour Day 1: Concord NC- 0 miles</b><br />
<br />
Today officially started the Power Tour. Tara, Ken, Kathy, Jerry and
Lisa got an early start wiping down and shining up the cars in the cool
morning weather. We left the hotel and immediately knew we were on the
Power Tour when we were in a mile long turn lane full of Hot Rods,
classics, muscle and performance cars waiting to get into the ZMax
Dragway.<br />
<br />
Picking up our credentials and registration packets
required a bit of creative parking because the registration lot was just
a bit smaller than the number of cars that needed to register. Getting
in and out was a real-life version of "Parking Mania." <br />
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<br />
Once we
were registered, we got parked and started getting the full Power Tour
experience. First things first, we got our credentials punched at the
time clocks and walked the sponsors' midway and picked up all our free
swag. Kathy was in slight shock as she quickly became loaded down with
T-shirts, hats, coozies, bottles of Mothers Quick Detailer spray, and,
of course, MSD's daily Power Tour magnets. <br />
<br />
It's hard to explain
the sensory overload that comes with seeking show cars in every
direction as far as you can see. None of us could avoid drooling over a
custom '69 white/blue Camaro with a LSA motor and the brightest white
interior I have ever seen. Even the carpet was white. Tara, being
Tara, took the time to check out every box Nova at the venue. They
ranged from a virtually stock '66 that reminded her of her little 6
cylinder, to the supercharged black '67 we parked next to last year in
Charlotte.<br />
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<br />
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<br />
It never ceases to amaze me that with the hundreds, if
not thousands of cars on the Power Tour, we usually manage to quickly
run into friends from Florida-- Hollywood Howard and his green Monte
Carlo, Richard and Lisa Spain in their Dart Sport, just to name a few.
My aunt, uncle and cousin also made the trip over from Greensboro and
were in awe of the experience. <br />
<br />
Even though there was a good
breeze, it was hot. So, after a few hours, some of us went to the hotel
to relax poolside or in the A/C and others of us rolled down to Quaker
Steak and Lube to quench our thirst and grab a quick snack before happy
hour and our BBQ dinner at Jim 'n Nick's.<br />
<br />
Dinner was great and we
all over-ate. After dinner we spent a few hours tailgating in the
hotel parking lot and enjoying the "mini" car show in the parking lot.
Tara met 2 guys with a kinda original/kinda protouring '67 Nova on their
first tour. They are going to run with us tomorrow.<br />
<br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent _3ds9 _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_29l">
<b>Power Tour Day 2: Concord, NC to Knoxville, TN (233.3 miles)</b><br />
<br />
Our morning started a bit early. 12:30 a.m. to be exact. That's when
Tara's phone rang with someone wanting to buy our Acadian for Sale.
Apparently, Tim and Lori put a "for sale" sign on the Acadian as a
little payback for Tara writing "Mopar or No Car" on Tim and Lori's
Bowtie Barn mirror last Christmas. Too funny.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5eGgMvN1jTKFjDY0KMMWoCWYTyUGS7KlAOhNOoZqiV3bx2Lj6OBpQMl2gTAGrqGUuawBCEO9bnf8T6UIIcmjaqGIh0spIUXAzAlAnZ4gXwC_X8b6PDkxanlfBmkYx1WMUn_YM2Sq9Sqz/s1600/20140608_073407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5eGgMvN1jTKFjDY0KMMWoCWYTyUGS7KlAOhNOoZqiV3bx2Lj6OBpQMl2gTAGrqGUuawBCEO9bnf8T6UIIcmjaqGIh0spIUXAzAlAnZ4gXwC_X8b6PDkxanlfBmkYx1WMUn_YM2Sq9Sqz/s320/20140608_073407.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once the sun came
up, we rounded up our caravan and hit the road for Knoxville. On the
way out of Concord, the NC State troopers set up a speed trap and got a
few of the heavier footed drivers.<br />
Once we were out of Concord,
the route was another of my favorite types of Power Tour Routes-
two-lane winding and twisting mountain roads. I kept hot on the heels
of a 2014 Stingray and even closed the distance with him on a couple
tight turns. I was about to pat myself on the back for my great
driving, until I realized a pickup truck was slowing the Vette down.
Check out the snapshot of part of the route with the rest of the
pictures in the albums section.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHZHBiL4fbOYgxU9Vd6xXid3Uw0-K8V80qrloQen7rEdwiMN32ARF-ubRSajga1_IjsA87Y8OKKJ-FqJ4UXFY-ICDbD9HhTqfR5fw-TbF098Bs6eIbPgvTY9llVqaxtXejPeluzOtugqi/s1600/20140608_083843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHZHBiL4fbOYgxU9Vd6xXid3Uw0-K8V80qrloQen7rEdwiMN32ARF-ubRSajga1_IjsA87Y8OKKJ-FqJ4UXFY-ICDbD9HhTqfR5fw-TbF098Bs6eIbPgvTY9llVqaxtXejPeluzOtugqi/s320/20140608_083843.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As usual, every town we went
through had people sitting on the side of the road waving and taking
pictures of as the Power Tour cars rumbled by. Some even held cardboard
signs asking for burnouts. From the marks on the pavement, more than a
few people answered the request.<br />
<br />
Tara had us all pull over at
the Flowering Bridge in Lake Lure, NC which was very scenic. It was
made more scenic with the V8 powered monster cars rumbling down the road
behind it.<br />
Next, we drove up to the entrance of Chimney Rock
State Park, but passed on visiting the place<br />
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</div>
because the elevator was
out of order, plus we were all getting pretty hungry. Tara hit up the
Yelp app on the phone and found a place called "The Local Joint" it was a
restaurant featuring fresh local food. It was also attached to a gas
station. The food was excellent and we were able to fill the tanks as
well as our bellies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8E-1IhhONoN4qjy57a2KcWIqzGAe52vX0PmGKJzfnITZzQLOg5ZikBuh5EXNlUTRKhV7d5BWq-TmHZ_o1yJhJn_LszCZUytFAHSpXE8EVX_jlXTu97KUz8GuHo-V7Vww-avWAva7KXuS/s1600/20140608_112046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8E-1IhhONoN4qjy57a2KcWIqzGAe52vX0PmGKJzfnITZzQLOg5ZikBuh5EXNlUTRKhV7d5BWq-TmHZ_o1yJhJn_LszCZUytFAHSpXE8EVX_jlXTu97KUz8GuHo-V7Vww-avWAva7KXuS/s320/20140608_112046.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-MhbkHDstg5Kez-xhRUDluo-T4iWe_9sJWHxTr4sJchSvJj4EsERYkCUNnlM915EZmFu88gGCB4nQtAX2rqo8sUnGZLGQdjzu8REKSObxqG1sP-gsYZtrkJYuOtATpp2HVHNi1EQgNmu/s1600/20140608_112418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-MhbkHDstg5Kez-xhRUDluo-T4iWe_9sJWHxTr4sJchSvJj4EsERYkCUNnlM915EZmFu88gGCB4nQtAX2rqo8sUnGZLGQdjzu8REKSObxqG1sP-gsYZtrkJYuOtATpp2HVHNi1EQgNmu/s320/20140608_112418.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
On the way out, Jake's truck backfired and managed
to ignite his air filter and carburetor when he restarted it. Tim got
the flames out and using a well known mechanics' trick- "hit it with a
wrench" he managed to dislodge some debris that was causing the carb to
spit fuel. Then it was back on the road.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WvpjMUHAvj2V6Nm1j6VCJZtjYMc_nWImKtORgbBhGCxzcQRTeCc29f5dk1Gab5RQU7T7Ztpea_sYvJAjbG9AdI2CQxPvhg4hkADs0zcKLo0ep-2C7kICQKK8diZ-UHZjdfjydeHMBPuK/s1600/20140608_132418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WvpjMUHAvj2V6Nm1j6VCJZtjYMc_nWImKtORgbBhGCxzcQRTeCc29f5dk1Gab5RQU7T7Ztpea_sYvJAjbG9AdI2CQxPvhg4hkADs0zcKLo0ep-2C7kICQKK8diZ-UHZjdfjydeHMBPuK/s320/20140608_132418.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<br />
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</div>
We had heard there was
bad construction on I-40, so Tara found a detour that saved us at least
an hour of sitting in dead stopped traffic. We made it to the venue
around 4:00 and snagged some parking in a grassy area with shade trees.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcOtgFTZAoOBnjZ4NQdUFznSKnms4rBqnmO_sjsLmhMEg-7raROYTGpN85h1xKXvgWh1gq1DJNSDUlLayOdSCnF154gPOUisGqziRp3rPTVdKnyRrw8NbuRyanbyTyI1UZXvjD5or15oo/s1600/20140608_113901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcOtgFTZAoOBnjZ4NQdUFznSKnms4rBqnmO_sjsLmhMEg-7raROYTGpN85h1xKXvgWh1gq1DJNSDUlLayOdSCnF154gPOUisGqziRp3rPTVdKnyRrw8NbuRyanbyTyI1UZXvjD5or15oo/s320/20140608_113901.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Turns out, we were some of the earlier arrivals. People kept
pouring into the venue through at least 5:30 and the line to punch in at
the time clocks was one of the longest I have seen in 4 years of Power
Touring. The GM Motor Medics were working hard fixing cars. One
Chevelle had their transmission completely out of the car<br />
<br />
Checking into the hotel was a bit of a process, there is a very small
drive way and a very large number of cars trying to use it. Part and
parcel of traveling with hundreds of cars. We found a neat restaurant
in downtown Knoxville for dinner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOzzzlj1UrZob5A6a7swXNLtMVQBt5KggjkDw-DaQCAjpMrlZUPNSznEECzWlOXkPwjFSkRd9VNp18-4nibZmJka31VdGBDdfKynzH04g9CQHkp7c4JYRZU_sfiUhxRg-VCnI4paW8BWg/s1600/20140608_101517-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOzzzlj1UrZob5A6a7swXNLtMVQBt5KggjkDw-DaQCAjpMrlZUPNSznEECzWlOXkPwjFSkRd9VNp18-4nibZmJka31VdGBDdfKynzH04g9CQHkp7c4JYRZU_sfiUhxRg-VCnI4paW8BWg/s320/20140608_101517-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Afterward, we took advantage of
the cool weather and Lori's portable bar and had some drinks on the
hotel patio before calling it a night.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow we are off to
Charleston, WV and it's going to be an early morning because the route
is one of the longest of the Tour (301 miles).<br />
<br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent _3ds9 _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_2rf">
<b>Power Tour Day 3: Knoxville, TN to Charleston, WV (301.3 miles)</b><br />
<br />
We hit the road early this morning since this was one of the longest
legs. It also was probably one of the most fun routes we have run in 4
years of Power Tour. Where the route from Charlotte was full of tight
twisting roads with hairpin curves and switchbacks, today's route was
full of sweeping banked curves with breathtaking views. If it hadn't
been for the greenery on the rock sides of the road, I could have
imagined we were in a Roadrunner cartoon. It also felt like the road
was reserved for Power Tour cars because we made up 80% of the vehicles.
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_HzW0Z3mtEUJ4znG-5fq4qWVxuEqJqlv1YIOhUPeDwwOnSSoSUB0ZXW2u0Z8ql2pf_9yVfvfkqSYWQ7s1HfOoCLGYHxNq5B2in6pXCfbIC8PCCaOcn0gn9jzdimsmR1dxFcANt_8Bq4y/s1600/20140609_114927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_HzW0Z3mtEUJ4znG-5fq4qWVxuEqJqlv1YIOhUPeDwwOnSSoSUB0ZXW2u0Z8ql2pf_9yVfvfkqSYWQ7s1HfOoCLGYHxNq5B2in6pXCfbIC8PCCaOcn0gn9jzdimsmR1dxFcANt_8Bq4y/s320/20140609_114927.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We grabbed lunch at Dairy Cheer in Pikeville, KY. It was a
fast food burger place that had been there since at least the '60's and
was most definitely not a chain. I am willing to bet that with our cars
plus one of the nicest Mavericks I have ever seen and a few other Power
Tour cars, the parking lot looked the same as it did in the late
60's/early 70's.<br />
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<br />
Post-lunch, we hit the route again and caught up
to some interesting vehicles (a 6 cylinder '73 Javelin, a Chevelle
convertible pulling an old camper trailer, and many others). I would
also wager that no oad work was completed, nor were any kittens rescued
from trees today because all of the road crews and a few fire trucks
were stopped along the route watching the Tour roll by.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDMLWb7p0eCsYf9BGtEFHjHzfT0bCgjIz9pEdSRxiZDye07rCxXzigQnHnjKHTDJUzKGeyx1fO4VWQw_WMuYGos4gsytceHUOhjnZ_NsVm8gsgGKOEqM5uWtYBucmY70GxsCA-FrrsbS6/s1600/20140609_120401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDMLWb7p0eCsYf9BGtEFHjHzfT0bCgjIz9pEdSRxiZDye07rCxXzigQnHnjKHTDJUzKGeyx1fO4VWQw_WMuYGos4gsytceHUOhjnZ_NsVm8gsgGKOEqM5uWtYBucmY70GxsCA-FrrsbS6/s320/20140609_120401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We
finally reached Charleston. Due to a navigational dispute, Tim, Lori
and Jake ended up with prime parking in front of the Edelbrock trailer
while I, Jerry & Lisa, and Ken (not of Ken & Kathy) ended up
sitting for an hour in traffic. Tara took the opportunity to jump out
of the car and spend time checking out a flower garden at one of the
older homes in the area. She had time to meet the owner, plant a tree,
watch it grow and pick the fruit before I was finally able to get
parked. Fortunately, the weather was perfect (in the 70's and breezy, so
I was comfortable idling away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwTnpvvlvZMsKJOc6xLk9MSLV9S5Mlr8jqiCTKIdf6YuxHeRyVWBof4xdDDb6JMhN47V2yuwOahz0R7kvW9i_fXGyYUTxqfnVz3zEuNRFF0S0JUemRa4Wx-9JC6pZCX1hKtNuFngmBFX2/s1600/20140609_144048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwTnpvvlvZMsKJOc6xLk9MSLV9S5Mlr8jqiCTKIdf6YuxHeRyVWBof4xdDDb6JMhN47V2yuwOahz0R7kvW9i_fXGyYUTxqfnVz3zEuNRFF0S0JUemRa4Wx-9JC6pZCX1hKtNuFngmBFX2/s320/20140609_144048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Words do not begin to describe
the show scene. The show venue was along Kanawha Avenue on the river.
It covered 4 miles and there were 4 rows of cars parallel parked down
the divided roadway. It was like a 4 mile Downtown Longwood Cruise.
This was one of the first times that the cars were all lined up along
one road. I tried to estimate the number of cars and, best guess was
over 2,500 (I'll show you the math). Among the cars at the show was a
Boss 302, a gorgeous black/red '69 Firebird Convertible, Hemi 'Cudas,
and a 1937 Chevrolet Coupe Pickup (check out the picture). <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlojdlut-6TKZVcx5fJ-IOMVBsZBhtCOzxmEjQQp0QmSMGm1PZUFSaM_7-28G6uLUbpppskDEWWZ2K2bofVf4CNHjpmkk1ll66tDpjRPdAUsTR5cMbc2YpO8rjIVV7ubjnBU7MxXkz2T7N/s1600/20140609_164013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlojdlut-6TKZVcx5fJ-IOMVBsZBhtCOzxmEjQQp0QmSMGm1PZUFSaM_7-28G6uLUbpppskDEWWZ2K2bofVf4CNHjpmkk1ll66tDpjRPdAUsTR5cMbc2YpO8rjIVV7ubjnBU7MxXkz2T7N/s320/20140609_164013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The
tour was not without some casualties, this time, our friends from the
Tampa Area, Rich and Lisa and their Dart Sport, were sidelined for a few
hours before finally getting to town at 6:45. Glad they made it
safely. Tour ON!!<br />
<br />
While I walked the miles to get our
credentials punched in and collect our freebies, Tara took time talking
with everyone about the Acadian and our experiences so far. <br />
<br />
We
pulled into the hotel and lucked into premium up front parking for both
the Acadian and my Challenger. We had some drinks at the complimentary
happy hour and then took the hotel shuttle to the Bluegrass Kitchen.
They focus on fresh local ingredients and the food was great. Even Don
Bonser, a vegetarian had an overwhelming number of options from which to
choose. At dinner, a local woman asked if we were part of the Car
people, we said yes and she excitedly told us that she got stuck in
traffic 3 times and enjoyed every minute of it because of the great cars
to look at all around her.<br />
<br />
Even as I type this, our lullabye
music is the sound of 8 cylinder muscle cars announcing their presence
throughout the streets of downtown Charleston.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, we head to Norwalk, Ohio.</div>
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<b>Power Tour Day 4: Charleston, WV to Norwalk, OH (blog missing)</b><br />
<br />
Welcome to Ohio<b> </b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b> Power Tour Day 5: Norwalk, OH to Crown Point, IN (325.4 miles- sort of)</b><br />
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We skipped running the Hot Rod recommended route today so that we could
go to the Dusenberg Museum in Auburn, IN. Also, the Hot Rod Route went
WAAAY into Michigan only to double back to Indiana. Accordingly, we
made our own route. We hit some rain along the way which completely
undid the cleaning I gave the Challenger before leaving town.<br />
<br />
We
got to the Dusenberg Museum a little after 9 am, but it wasn't due to
open until 10. Fortunately, the National Automobile and Truck Museum of
the U.S. was right next door (in the Auburn factory buildings). They
had 190 or so cars and trucks on display. They featured some really
unique vehicles: the FIRST '70 Hemi 'Cuda, a prototype rotary engine '65
Mustang, and the Essex Cobra race car. <br />
<br />
After whetting our
appetites in the NATMUS, we headed into the Auburn Cord Dusenberg
Museum. The Museum is in the old ACD Showroom and executive offices
(opened in 1930). It was breathtaking. Not only were the cars works of
art, but the columns, ceiling and floor were tasteful, but reflected
the opulence of the brands on display. My mom was in 7th heaven!!! <br />
We also snagged a great photo opportunity at an old Sinclair station and then grabbed a bite to eat before leaving Auburn. <br />
<br />
On the way to Crown Point, we were on a 2 lane road for most of the
trip. When the road went to 4 lanes, a Chevy diesel truck pulled up
alongside us and asked us to pull over. It turns out he was a Chevy II
builder and was out getting gas when we passed by in the Acadian. He
and his buddy followed us for 25 miles before they were able to get us
to stop. He told us it was the first Acadian he had ever seen and would
have followed us all the way to Crown Point if that was what it took to
see the car.<br />
<br />
The Tour stop at Crown Point was the Lake County
Fairgrounds. It was one of the prettiest venues we have been to yet.
Instead of a parking lot, field, or downtown streets, the venue was
grass and hilly with shade trees everywhere. Though the place was
packed with cars everywhere, we were able to find 2 spaces right next to
each other for the cars.<br />
<br />
As with every stop, the number and type
of cars is beyond belief and there are always new cars at each stop.
Today, we met a guy with a 1966 Nova that was fairly stock appearing
until you took a close look at the motor. He had disguised a built fuel
injected LT1 as a mild looking small block car). In addition to the
nova, there was a satin black '64 Continental with black wheels and
black badging that made it look extra sinister. <br />
<br />
Once it was
time to leave the venue, we headed to the hotel and parked in a special
area the adjacent hotel set aside for Power Tour vehicles, it was a car
show in itself and people were out and about. There was a Chicago style
pizza place across the street, so the plan was to grab a pizza and eat
it in the parking lot. Unfortunately, nature threw a wrench in that
plan as it got really cold and drizzly. It was in the low-mid 60's.
So, we had the pizza at the hotel and decided to make it an early night.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, we head to Bettendorf, IA. While we are leaving early, we gained an hour by driving into the central time zone.<br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 6: Crown Point, IN to Bettendorf, IA (251.8 miles)</b><br />
<br />
All roads lead to Bettendorf. Today we all left the hotel and took
various routes to the Isle Casino in Bettendorf, IA. Using some on the
fly navigation by Tara, she, Don Bonser (2004 Ute) and I, took a
modified version of the Hot Rod Recommended Route- we took a surface
road to avoid the Chicago highways that are parking lots. Our route then
took us on Illinois Route 2 which wound alongside the Rock River and
was a really scenic and fun road. All along the way, there were people
parked alongside the road waving as we passed by. There was even a
Superbird parked on a corner. Tara also continued her new favorite game
of texting pictures of every Plum Crazy purple Challenger we see to Jim
Landi and seeing if his head explodes. There may have been one or two
duplicates, but there are bunch of on tour. <br />
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<br />
My parents took a
route recommended by the Mo-Power Tour and ran with a number of other
Mopars. Their route was completely different and included a lunch stop
at Magnum Restorations. I got reports of a gorgeous black '68 Charger
with a 528 Ray Barton Hemi, many modern Challengers and a blue '69 GTX.<br />
<br />
Lori & Tim, Ken & Kathy, and another Ken and his family went
straight out I-80 and made a stop at the American Pickers HQ on their
way. I heard it was a blast.<br />
<br />
Tara also managed to avoid a miles
long bottleneck going into the Isle. We shot down a side street,
through a gated warehouse lot and ended up on a dirt road that took us
right up to the show stop. It is impossible to describe the scene at a
Hot Rod show stop and it was magnified today. There are eight different
parking lot areas and all of them are FILLED to bursting with show
cars. It would be impossible to see them all. Among the highlights for
me today were a black Boss 429, a '70 Cuda with a 572 Hemi and a pair
of Pintos (one of them had a truly '70s orange plaid interior. Tara even
found another Nova with headreasts (they are super rare).<br />
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We are
staying at the Casino and it's probably going to be a late night of
Blackjack for me and my dad. Don Bonser played for a bit and did well.
Even Tara is got in the action and played penny slots with Kathy. Tara
won $19.30, so breakfast tomorrow is on her. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow, we make the final driving leg to Wisconsin Dells.<br />
<br />
<b>Power Tour Day 7: Bettendorf, IA to Wisconsin Dells, WI (203.3)</b><br />
<br />
Our friend from previous long hauls, Scott Shanks, caught up with last
night at the hotel. He opted not to do the long haul this year,
something about the transmission in his SRT 6.1 powered '70 Challenger
eating an input bearing and a first grandchild being born 11 days ago. I
guess one of those is a valid excuse. <br />
<br />
For the final driving
leg of the Power Tour, we all (Tara and I, Ken and Kathy, Tim and Lori,
Scott, and my parents) all started on the Hot Rod route together. The
weather was perfect for driving. It started at 51 degrees w/ a high of
72 and there wasn't a cloud in sight. We cruised up and down the
rolling Iowa and Wisconsin countrysides.<br />
<br />
The first part of the
route took us down a rural highway that, with the exception of a semi or
two, looked like it was reserved for Power Tour vehicles. We then went
through Maquoketa, IA and the people went all out. They lined the
sides of main street and "Welcome Power Tour" and "Lite 'em up!" signs
were prominently posted. Despite Tara shaking her head at the
ridiculousness of the attempt, I tried to get the tires to spin on the
Acadian, to no avail. My dad, however, had no trouble satisfying the
crowd by breaking the Challenger's tires loose for the crowd.<br />
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After nearly a week of driving through dust and rain and not having a
good opportunity to wipe down the Challenger, it was in need of cleaning
and was beyond a wipe down with quick detailer spray (Mothers gives out
full size bottles at the beginning of the Tour). Accordingly, we made a
brief stop at a car wash gas station to wash the Challenger and top off
the Acadian's fuel. Then it was back on the route.<br />
<br />
A few
minutes on the road and we passed a new Camaro on the side of the road
after it hit a deer (there wasn't anything else around to have caused
the damage to the car.<br />
<br />
The rest of the route was uneventful.
The people of Dodgeville were also out to watch the Power Tour roll by.
We were behind RK Motors' (a Charlotte, NC dealer of high end
classic/muscle cars) '67 GT500 with a 528 motor and 6 speed. They
treated many stop signs as an invitation to create a little tire smoke. <br />
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<br />
When we reached the Dells, we couldn't help but make the comparison to
I-Drive. The main street is lined with amusement parks, water parks,
and other roadside attractions. There was even a giant Trojan Horse.<br />
<br />
Traffic going to the Chula Vista resort (our hotel and the final tour
stop) was starting to back up significantly. We heard people were stuck
for over an hour. Tara deftly used the iPhone's map and traffic
display to find a back entrance to the venue. Thanks to a tip from Ken
& Kathy, we were able to get great parking spots right near the
Edelbrock display trailer. <br />
<br />
The resort is really impressive. The
"rooms" were bigger than some houses. They were two-room suites with
full kitchen, living room, electric fireplace and even a jacuzzi in the
living room. The hotel has an on-site water park and other amenities
(we plan to take advantage of those tomorrow if it warms up).<br />
<br />
As
the day wound down, we met everyone for dinner and drinks at the
margarita bar at the hotel. They were overwhelmed and when our initial
waiter got in the weeds, Scott threw another waiter $20 to take care of
us. The second waiter threw $10 of it to the cook and got our food
bumped to the front of the line. We spent the last official Power Tour
night eating fajitas and putting away margaritas and tropical drinks.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow is the "Long Hauler ceremony" which marks the end of the tour.
The week has flown by. But, we still have to get home and are
basically doing our own two car Power Tour with stops in Champaign, IL,
Nashville, TN, Cherokee, NC and Atlanta. I plan to post a recap of the
return trip by June 23rd.<br />
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<b>Hot Rod Power Tour: Recap/The Return Trip (Wisconsin Dells, WI to Orlando, FL)</b><br />
<br />
We decided to stay in Wisconsin Dells after the Long Hauler Ceremony in
order to experience the Dells. We first hit the indoor water park, but
the weather was too nice to be inside. Instead, Tara, Don Bonser and I
decided to take a boat tour down the Wisconsin River. Again we had
great weather and the trip was very relaxing. It was nice to be able to
sit back and let someone else do the driving and navigating. We also
did one of the super-touristy attractions- "WizardQuest" which was kind
of an interactive scavenger hunt. It was tacky, but fun. We then had
dinner at Tara's new favorite restaurant, High Rock Cafe.<br />
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<br />
We left
the Dells and headed for our next destination- Bowling Green, KY.
After a week of driving in packs of muscle cars, hot rods, and modern
performance vehicles, it was weird being the only two Power Tour cars on
the road. When we arrived in Bowling Green, we took a tour of the
Corvette assembly plant. The efficiency and technology involved in a
modern assembly line is truly amazing. After watching a number of 2014
Sting Ray's ripping up and down the roads and hugging the curves, and
then seeing them being built, I think I know what my next car will be.
Once the tour ended, we grabbed a quick lunch and then we went to the
National Corvette Museum. The Museum itself is impressive. Some of the
most important Corvettes were on display. And, of course, we were able
to see the sinkhole and the 8 cars that it swallowed (they are now
being called the "Great 8"). For now, the cars are being displayed in
the condition they were in when pulled out of the hole, but the Museum
and GM have committed to restoring all eight. Considering how mangled
some of the cars were, I can't imagine the amount of work this will
take, if it is even possible.<br />
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From Bowling Green, we made our way
to Cherokee, NC and stayed at the Harrah's Cherokee Casino. The hotel
was beautiful and we had a great view of the Smokies from our window.
We freshened up, grabbed dinner and then hit the tables for some more
blackjack. Even Tara got into the game for a little bit. We did some
more sightseeing in NC before heading to Atlanta for dinner with family
friends. Finally, it was time to drive home. Both cars got home safely
and without incident. All told, we drove 4,288 miles and passed
through 14 different states (many twice).<br />
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Now it's time to kick back and count down until it's time to leave for next year's Power Tour.</div>
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-11710650429926471292019-05-30T06:43:00.002-07:002019-06-08T03:57:56.612-07:00FROM THE ARCHIVES--HRPT 2012 - Detroit, MI to Arlington (Dallas), TX<b>Travel Days Monday, May 28 - Wednesday, May 30, 2012</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSYO2PXgkHDS9iptb2hPNf9tMJ7utsaR7esympP48mw8KngFIpq9liwm7aOstMCXGKPV-HPx8iMeu8qrQB8qQmhJKZTDymURGk3nvQwpusddaAvblIQc7Z_aMO7DCJSPj2d8kDivStZAL/s1600/2012-05-23+18.04.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSYO2PXgkHDS9iptb2hPNf9tMJ7utsaR7esympP48mw8KngFIpq9liwm7aOstMCXGKPV-HPx8iMeu8qrQB8qQmhJKZTDymURGk3nvQwpusddaAvblIQc7Z_aMO7DCJSPj2d8kDivStZAL/s320/2012-05-23+18.04.07.jpg" width="320" /></a>We had to get the cars to Detroit in order to even begin the adventure. We decided to ship the Acadian to Detroit and drive up in my Challenger. After all, the Challenger is a brand new car and will be able to handle the miles without issue. Needless to say, as tedious as driving from Orlando to Detroit might sound, it was not without its share of excitement. <br />
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We met up with Tim and Lori (91 Blazer) and Fred and Kim (49 Sedan Delivery) as we planned to run together until Tara and I were to split off in Atlanta. Shortly after passing Ocala (in a tropical depression), we had our first part failure and it wasn't on the older cars that were on their maiden voyages. Instead, the driver's side wiper blade on my Challenger fell off the arm and was hanging limply. Fortunately, the windshield had a good coating of RainX and we made it to breakfast in Gainesville where I was able to put the blade back on the arm and we were off again. <br />
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In Georgia, Fred decided it was necessary to confirm that his fuel gauge was reading accurately. It was, and E meant E. We coasted to a stop on I-75 about 1/2 mile from the planned exit. Tim and Lori were well prepared for this contingency (I saw a picture of them on the side of the road putting fuel in Fred's car during last year's power tour). They tapped into the spare gas cans and we made it to the nearest station. After that, we drove through off and on rainstorms. <br />
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The next day, we left Atlanta for Columbus, OH. The trip was uneventful (for us anyway), but punctuated by more rain. Then, today, it was up early and on to Detroit. <br />
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We checked into our room (427-which we took as a good omen) and saw posters of a '57 Bel Air and a first generation Corvette, both of which made Tara feel right at home. We all washed the cars and are ready to explore the Museums of Detroit and hit Woodward for a night cruise. <br />
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<b>Day 1 Pre Tour - Detroit Tourism Day</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08mNW8nPZGSwPGjGBqNkOTqWqJx0XcXtBmFPNd-gHmDTLs0HJtdaeiGAuPPX8J7zfPYwIWhaSbxV_ADeerqAracKO-CljZMnxkkZIJsrgDtjmQrmB_LozhWo7pG019oMZDmVeJeSa-tdz/s1600/2012-05-31+13.42.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08mNW8nPZGSwPGjGBqNkOTqWqJx0XcXtBmFPNd-gHmDTLs0HJtdaeiGAuPPX8J7zfPYwIWhaSbxV_ADeerqAracKO-CljZMnxkkZIJsrgDtjmQrmB_LozhWo7pG019oMZDmVeJeSa-tdz/s320/2012-05-31+13.42.48.jpg" width="320" /></a>We met up with Central Florida car show regulars Don B and Dwight at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. We got there before it opened and stayed until they practically threw us out. The Henry Ford is not a car museum, but it certainly has its share of cars. I would best describe it as a "Museum of American Industrial History." <br />
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There was a Titanic exhibit that was very impressive. They gave us boarding cards with actual passenger names on them and at the end, we could look our people up and see whether they survived. <br />
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The Museum's collection of cars included the First Mustang off the line, which was <br />
accidentally sold by a dealer and Ford had to buy it back from the owner by promising him the 1,000,000th Mustang custom built to his own specs, plus an undisclosed amount of cash. There was also an early RED Model T (apparently before the assembly line got to full speed and again in the last 2 years of production, you could actually get a Model T in a color other than black). Many other interesting milestone cars (Dusenberg, Bugatti, Chrysler turbine, 1955 Corvette, Ford Lotus race car) and some uninteresting ones (Taurus, Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, Dodge Caravan) and Don B's favorite, a mid/late 1970s Chrysler Newport were also on display. <br />
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We ate lunch at Lamy's Diner an authentic old fashioned roadside diner which was INSIDE the museum, but continues to function as a diner. After Lunch, we toured the section of trains, including a monstrous Allegheny class Locomotive that dwarfed Tara and I. There were also many milestone airplanes, including a Ford Tri-Motor, Ford Flivver (Henry Ford's vision for a Model T of Airplanes-they built 3 and stopped when the test pilot died in a crash), Sikorsky's first helicopter and replicas of the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis. We also got to check out many industrial revolution era steam engines, power plants and mechanical marvels.<br />
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After the museum, we took the Acadian out for a spin and headed over to famed Woodward Avenue for a night time car cruise. Unfortunately, the weather decided not to cooperate. Although the rain only lasted for a little bit and was mainly a cold mist, it chased many of the less die hard cruisers away. There were some great cars, including an AMC Marlin, the Dodge ACR Challenger concept car, complete with Manufacturers' license plates, and a beautiful 56 Chevy wagon, also from Florida. <br />
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On the driving portion of the cruise we got to be entertained by Detroit's finest having a $364 chat with a Mustangs who decided to get a little frisky.<br />
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Tomorrow we hit the Chrysler Museum, pick up some more long haulers (my parents) at the airport, and then head to Warren to get our registrations for the Tour. Then the real fun will begin. <br />
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<b>Day 2 Pre Tour - Chrysler Museum and Kickoff / Cruise</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhtH98xuQqQh5-y9kdG7OKwE-a-GcbBt9AwbggIEW_b60_izJtq2EFoxCD789N02HGxzKsgbzaaXi3ijgz58fMnAYQGO8fVHhM2HAhbCUHUL5v7GSJusXB-985QLpRBIMMblB1soLQBrV/s1600/2012-06-01+09.40.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhtH98xuQqQh5-y9kdG7OKwE-a-GcbBt9AwbggIEW_b60_izJtq2EFoxCD789N02HGxzKsgbzaaXi3ijgz58fMnAYQGO8fVHhM2HAhbCUHUL5v7GSJusXB-985QLpRBIMMblB1soLQBrV/s320/2012-06-01+09.40.32.jpg" width="320" /></a>The day started out cold and rainy. We dropped the Acadian off at our new hotel in Warren, Michigan and hit the road to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. The museum was impressive, but as the tour guides pointed out, "this is a car museum, unlike the Henry Ford Museum, you won't find any tomato pickers or sewing machines." What they did have was pretty cool. We saw a 30 cylinder tank engine which was made up of 5 Chrysler 6 cylinder motors with a common crankcase. There were also a number of milestone Chrysler products (the 1st Chrysler, a turbine car, Hudson Hornet, and, of course, a Hemi Cuda).<br />
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After the Chrysler Museum, we ate at a diner called Lucas Coney Island. The food was pretty good (gotta love the Yelp App for iPhone). We then took a scenic route through Birmingham, MI to the Airport. We had some fun when two traffic lights at a 4-way intersecting went on the fritz. It was the wild wild west. Somehow, no one crashed and we got out of there as fast as could be. <br />
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Next, we were off to Warren to pick up our Power Tour registration packets and meet the rest of our group for an early Italian dinner. Then on to Downtown Mount Clemens for the Kickoff Car Cruise. There were over 100 cars at the cruise and there was certainly something for everyone. A Packard Sedan converted into a sleek boattail racer, lots of hot rods, a 50s Rat Rod with a fresh VIPER V10 Motor under the rust and a real Buick GNX (#488). The night was capped with a pro-street 69 Camaro who chose to do a nice burnout and accelerate to 80 or so right in front of 3 sheriff's cars. Needless to say, they took exception to such a display and pulled him over "to discuss his inappropriate, and likely expensive application of throttle." The temperature was in the low to mid-50s with a ton of wind and we hit the road back to the hotel before anyone turned to popsicles. <br />
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Tomorrow starts the Power Tour off in earnest with the opening day event at the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, MI. <br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 1 - Detroit, MI </b><br />
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GM Proving Grounds The Power Tour officially started today at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. Despite some fairly pessimistic weather reports, the day ended up with nearly perfect mid-high 60s and a gentle breeze. There were probably close to 3,000 cars of every shape and size. As with most power tours, tricked out wagons were prevalent. There were a significant number of classic muscle cars with present day muscle under the hood in the form of the various LS motors. GM performance had their concept Hot Wheels Camaro (it's the real life version of the toy with Green Chrome paint). <br />
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We punched our credentials at the official time clock and picked up our freebie stuff (Mothers' Quik Detailer, GM Performance hats and shirts, and the ever popular daily cruise magnets offered by Royal Purple, MSD and Stabil). At the Royal Purple tent, we caught up with our friend Scott Shanks from Kansas with his 1971 Challenger convertible powered by a modern 6.1L Hemi and 6-speed Tremec transmission. He's one of their feature cars. He was featured in last year's Hot Rod magazine and was again singled out for a photo shoot. <br />
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Tara spent a while explaining her Acadian to tons of inquisitive people, right until she met up with an Acadian guru who brought his wife's 1965 Acadian Beaumont with a 4 speed transmission and ultra rare L79 350 hp 327. They only made 23 of them that way (this couple had 2, plus a few other GM of Canada cars). He and Tara talked Canadian for quite a while.<br />
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Though it was a newer car, my Challenger garnered a lot of interest, including the <br />
attention of a former SRT engineer with who was impressed with my shaker hood (they tried to convince Dodge to make a factory shaker, but couldn't get the budget). In his opinion, the hood and other tweaks I had made to the car were "right." <br />
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After spending nearly a full day going into sensory overload checking out all of the cars, we headed out of the Proving Grounds. BUT, we did not just drive out the door. Instead, they set up a special exit path which took us through the Proving Grounds' straight away test area and down into part of the road course which included a pretty steep banked turn and several other twisties along the way. <br />
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We returned to Warren just in time to catch a post-show cruise in right next to the hotel, but when the weather began to look ominous, we grabbed dinner at an excellent local Thai restaurant. Then it was back to the hotel lobby where we met Lori and Tim and the rest of our group of friends for drinks, witty (and sometimes not-so-witty) banter and tales of Power Tours past. I learned that car detail bags make excellent portable bars when they are not filled with car polish and cleaners. <br />
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To my knowledge, everyone made it to Milford and back without any issues. Well....except for our buddy Scott who managed to run out of gas on the way back from his Hot Rod Magazine photo shoot. Fortunately, he was able to rely upon his roadside assistance program (his son-in-law, James, who ran 1/2 a mile to and from the nearest gas station). We were all mature enough not to pick on him relentlessly. <br />
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Next stop- Downtown Muskegon, Michigan!!! <br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 2 - Detroit, MI to Muskegon, MI (215.4 miles)</b><br />
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At 8:00 a.m. we met 100s of other cars at the Warren City hall for the opening drivers' meeting. They give information about the route and get participants psyched up (as if we needed it). This is a Power Tour must for anyone who hasn't experienced the Tour, not so much for the information, but more for the experience of traveling in an almost endless caravan of muscle cars, hot rods, and specialty vehicles. The Warren Police shut off the cross streets and waved us through red lights to keep us all flowing together. <br />
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One would think that 215 miles in a day is no big deal. The Power Tour route is a mix of highway and 2 lane rural roads through many small towns. Most of the time, it's 60-70 mph, but when we hit a one small town traffic light or rural stop sign, traffic tends to back up quite a bit. This is especially so when everyone chooses to use the stop sign as an impromptu cue for smoky burnouts. We certainly saw our share in the nearly 7 hours of driving. The experience is certainly something to see.<br />
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Residents of every town line the streets and parking lots or sit at the ends of their driveways and wave as the cars stream past. Many locals with hot rods and muscle cars either have their own mini shows along the way or just drive the cars to the foot of the driveway to give the rest of us some fun scenery. At one point, Tara wanted to turn around and look at a 1980 something Olds 442 that was for sale on the side of the road. After it was brought to her attention that she would have to be the one to drive it all the way back to Florida if she bought it, we decided to keep on driving.<br />
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The Acadian drove great. The new suspension parts Don put on the car were a major improvement over the way the car rode last year. The tires aren't wearing prematurely and the car is almost nimble. We started out as a group of two cars, but a 2008 Charger R/T decided to stick with us all the way from the Drivers' Meeting to Muskegon. We picked up and lost some other cars along the way as everyone made different pit stops. <br />
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It's hard to describe the scene in downtown Muskegon, but the WHOLE City is car crazy. They shut down the entire downtown area and every field, side street, and parking lot for over a mile is jammed up with amazing cars. It's impossible to even attempt to see all the cars. Relying on our knowledge from last year's Muskegon stop, we were able to sneak into two prime spots to park the cars. While Tara jumped to wiping off the day's collection of dust and bugs, My dad and I made sure to get our credentials punched to make our arrival official.<br />
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After the show, we checked into the historic Shoreline Hotel. The hotel is amazing and the decor is late 19th/early 20th Century. It feels like traveling back in time...until you look and see Vic Edelbrock's Z06 Corvette parked under the awning directly in front of the lobby.<br />
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As with all stops, the hotel parking lot becomes its own self-contained nighttime show. Lori broke out the mobile bar and we had a great sunset tailgate party.<br />
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It was in the hotel parking lot where we discovered the most amazing Power Tour story so far. As we pulled in to the hotel, we saw a 1970 Chevy C10 pickup truck which was being feverishly worked on. Apparently, as they were driving along at 50 mph, a deer jumped in front of the truck and they hit it head on. The owners had a sense of humor and wrote "the buck stopped here" on the massive dent in the hood. The fact that the truck was driveable is amazing, but what was more amazing is that at 10:00 p.m., they were installing a new hood!!! In an incredible stroke of luck, a random guy on a motorcycle came by, saw the damage and told the truck owners that he had a hood for their truck and only lived 10 minutes from the hotel. Needless to say, the owners of the truck went and got their "new" hood. They described the guy's place as similar to a scene from American Pickers- rusty cars and car parts everywhere. Sure enough, he had a hood for their truck. Using the lights of the hotel's main driveway, they had the hood swapped out in 20 minutes.<br />
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Tomorrow, we are off to Champaign, Illinois. <br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 3 - Muskegon to Champaign, IL (317.4 miles)</b><br />
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We hit the road at about 7:15 for one of the longer distances of the Tour. The weather couldn't have been better. Cool temperatures and bright blue skies. Tara and I led the group in the Acadian. Along the route, there was a "hospitality stop" at Lane Automotive. Lane is a huge speed shop in a tiny Michigan Town. They had an open house and the parking lot was packed with hundreds of show cars. After a quick pit stop, and a few minutes of Tara and I explaining the Acadian to many curious people, we were back on the road to the destination at the University of Illinois. <br />
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When it got close to lunch time, Lori (whose first rule of Power Tour is "no chain restaurants") used her GPS to find an "old school" drive in restaurant in Kentwood Illinois called Don's Drive In. The place probably hasn't changed in 50 years. We had to order with the speakers and chose to eat at picnic tables rather than the cars.<br />
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After lunch we continued on our way to Champaign. The trip was going smoothly until one of the roads was blocked due to an accident. You really haven't seen anything until you see 15 cars do 3 point turns on a two lane road all at once. Using some quick GPS work (and following the other Power Tour cars) we got back on track and, despite catching a little rain, we made it to the show stop without any further delays. One car we followed for a bit of time was a convertible transformed into a Radio Flyer red wagon. We laughed when it hit its brakes to slow down for a concealed trooper. I couldn't help but imagine what that radio call would have been: <br />
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Officer: "Dispatch, I just pulled over a Radio Flyer Wagon doing 90 mph." Dispatcher: "And how fast was the little boy that was pulling the wagon going?"<br />
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We also laughed hysterically at a billboard claiming one small town as "home of the cornjerkers" in honor of the local high school's mascot. In fact, as we left town, there was a sign that said "now leaving cornjerker country." <br />
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The Acadian drove great and we pulled into the almost completely full show. The show venue was at the University of Illinois' basketball arena. There was a gigantic parking lot which surrounded the whole arena and nearly every space was filled. Two intrepid builders built hot rods to resemble an F-117 stealth fighter and an old WWII fighter plane. There was also a 2010 SRT Challenger with one of the most incredible paint jobs I have ever seen. My pictures don't do it justice. The owner told me it was originally Hemi orange like Tara's car, but he ran into it with a golf cart and decided to repaint it. The paint job took 6 months. <br />
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The weather was so nice, we stayed at the show for hours before going across the street to our hotel parking lot and watching the cars do burnouts as they left the show. As a side note, I now have video of Don B's 1975 Caddy doing a burnout in his hotel parking lot last night. Apparently the hotel management gave the cruisers a hose and bottle of bleach, and the fun was on. <br />
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We all got together in the hotel restaurant for dinner and drinks. Tara had a HUUUGE peach flavored tea from Long Island. Then it was back to the parking lot for a bit more socializing and car talk before everyone turned in for the night. I even ran into Vic Edelbrock and his family in the hotel elevator. Too cool!!!<br />
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Tomorrow we head for Madison, Illinois (basically St. Louis, MO). <br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 4 - Champaign, IL to Madison, IL (174 miles)</b><br />
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Today was the shortest of the driving legs. Even so, we got a bright and early start to the day. Of the 174 miles, Hot Rod's recommended route included only 30 highway miles. The rest of the trip was rural 2 lane roads through several small towns and down part of Old Route 66. Tara and I lead the way for our little group. <br />
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In Sigel, Illinois, we found an old gas station/hot rod shop that advertised itself as a "Power Tour photo op." We doubled back and got some cool pictures of the Acadian at the pump with our friend Scott's 71 Challenger behind it. Hot Rod Magazine even took a few pictures of the cars (they are featuring Scott's car, so who knows, maybe we'll make the Magazine by association). While we were at the little gas station a friend of the owner pulled up with his twin 4 cylinder dragster, appropriately named "Eight the Hard Way."<br />
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Mid-America Corvettes in Effington, IL hosted a hopsitality stop and their massive facility was overrun by cruisers. We met up with two of Scott's friends (a SRT10 Viper and a 1970 Satellite convertible with a Superbird nose and wing grafted on). Being mostly Mopars, we elected to head a little farther down the way and stop at a Mopar shop for some great hospitality and BBQ. We were one of 2 GM vehicles in the parking lot, which was jam packed with drool inducing Mopars, including a true 1970 Hemi GTX.<br />
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After leaving the hospitality stops, we continued to our destination and were entertained by Scott and the SRT10 Viper racing down the highway. My parents left a bit after us, but caught up while we were at a fuel stop. We picked up some other cars in our caravan and finally arrived at Gateway Motorsports Park (a big oval track and drag strip). The Acadian is holding up great and we are really enjoying all of the attention that little blue car brings. <br />
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When we got to the track, we parked near the end of the 1/4 mile and watched cars rip it up on free fun runs. I always get a kick of seeing the empty parking space full of luggage, chairs, and anything else that can be dumped out of the cars in order to take their cars drag racing. Some people even ran their cars with passengers in them. A green street rod ran 11's and Scott's convertible ran 13.3 with a speed well over 110mph. Then we moved further into the showfield. Once we got our credentials punched and collected all the additional giveaway stuff, we decided to head to the hotel in downtown St. Louis. <br />
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Our hotel is directly across the street from the Gateway Arch, so Tara and I dumped our bags and rode the tram all the way to the top (630 feet up). The tram cars looked like they were straight out of a science fiction movie and are not for the claustrophobic.<br />
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Finally, we ended the day at our hotel's happy hour and dined on a smorgasbord of delight from Pappy's Barbecue (featured on Man vs. Food). Lori called in and picked up the monstrous Order and we made short work of some of the best brisket, ribs, pork, beans, and slaw anywhere. It's worth a trip to St. Louis just for Pappy's. <br />
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Tomorrow is the longest leg: St. Louis to Miami, Oklahoma. Due to the length of the route, it's going to be a bright and early departure, but should be full of interesting sights. The route is going to take us down more of Route 66!!! <br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 5 - Madison, IL to Miami, OK (355 miles)</b><br />
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Today was the longest run of the tour so we started out extra early. Due to the distance, the Route was mostly highway today. Since we were trying to keep the Acadian's speed reasonable, Tara and I led our group again. Two of our friends ended up forging ahead in their 2001 Z06 Vette since "his comfort speed is 86 mph," but we picked up Scott's friend in the lime green Satellite convertible with the Superbird treatment and he stayed with us until lunch. <br />
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For lunch, we stopped at Lambert's "Home of the Throwed Rolls" in Ozark, Missouri. The place was great!! It was founded in 1942 and serves southern comfort food. In addition to your meal, which comes with two side vegetables, they throw rolls and have "pass arounds" that the staff just brings to the table and piles on your plate. Today's pass arounds were: macaroni and tomatoes; fried okra; black eyed peas; and potatoes and onions. The portions were huge and everyone stuffed their faces. Tara even took some okra for the road.<br />
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After lunch we made a detour down historic Route 66. There was a minor navigation mutiny between Tara and Lori over whether to go right (Tara) or left (Lori)[We went with the mutineers- turned left then made a U-turn-thus taking back control of the ship.] Some of the fun stopping points on Route 66 were the Route 66 Drive In theater in Carthage, MO and a small old gas station in Galena, KS that was the inspiration for Tow-Mater and Radiator Springs in the Pixar movie "Cars." In fact, the little gas station is in the movie. We took pictures in front of the pumps and met the guy with the 11 second green street rod I mentioned in yesterday's post. (he told us the car usually runs 9.90s, but he didn't push it yesterday). He rode along with us all the way to our destination: the Buffalo Run Casino and Hotel in Miami, OK.<br />
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At the venue, we wiped down the cars. It was brutally hot, but the chore was necessary. Both cars were dusty and caught some "fallout" from a cow trailer that was in front of us on the highway. The Challenger also managed to take a direct hit from the only sprinkler in 800 miles. As usual, I finished cleaning the Challenger first because, as soon as Tara got out of the Acadian, she began fielding questions from all of the quizzical spectators. We punched in at the time clocks and then, since it was pretty hot and toasty outside, kicked back took a look at the cars that were either near us, or drove by. If anyone knows the couple with the yellow and black mid-70's Nova hatchback that goes to Old Town, let them know I found an original tent for it!!! The only catch is that they have to buy the car that comes with it ('74 Nova 6 cylinder w/3 on the tree). Based on what little I know about the rarity and limited numbers of surviving tents, it may still be a good deal. <br />
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The day is not quite over, but I decided to write this post early since I plan to play some blackjack tonight and, if the cards run well, it may be a late night. <br />
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Tomorrow we head to Stillwater, Oklahoma down a scenic Route along the Ozarks! <br />
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<b>Power Tour Day 6 - Miami, OK to Stillwater, OK (237.6 miles)</b><br />
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During yesterday's show, we were informed that due to the torrential rain that hit Oklahoma, the venue for today was being changed from Kicker Audio's headquarters to Oklahoma State University a few miles down the road. <br />
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We got up bright and early and hit the road to meet up with over 30 power Tourers at a local breakfast place down the road from the hotel. Pulling into the restaurant, was like a time warp back to the 1950s-60s especially after we packed the parking lot full of Power Tour Cars. Our friend Bruce (another Central Florida car show regular) made reservations for 30+. The restaurant was ready for us and had a special dining room set aside for the Power Tour.<br />
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After breakfast, we backtracked to the Hot Rod route. Oklahoma has one of the oddest toll systems I have ever seen. Even though we were only going a few exits, we had to pay the full toll as though we went the entire way. Then, when we exited, we presented the tollbooth with our receipt and received a refund for the portion of the toll we didn't use. <br />
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Our timing was perfect and we hit the Route along with the cars which were coming from the drivers' meeting. Today's route took us up into the hills and then down a scenic, winding and, extremely curvy road that followed the Illinois River. I once heard that fun in a car begins at the limit of the tires' ability to hold the road. In a supercar like a Ferrari or McLaren, that's somewhere around 150 mph. In the Acadian, on this particular road, it was 40-50 mph. We had tons of fun. For a little blue box, the Acadian was surprisingly nimble (likely due to the new suspension components installed since last year's Power Tour). The rest of the route consisted of rural roads that took us through Muskogee, some small towns and many cattle ranches.<br />
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<br />
When we arrived at our destination at Oklahoma State University, we found the entire campus had been appropriated for the Power Tour. Every parking lot, side street, and "no parking zone" was full of cars and people kept coming in. The weather was perfect and we saw some more great cars, including a Hudson with the Twin H Carburetors and a fully custom interior. <br />
<br />
We left the show early and, in accordance with Lori's "no chain restaurant" rule, Tara hit the Yelp! and Urban Spoon apps to find a place for dinner. Boy, did she find something fun. It was a tiny restaurant called Tokyo Pot. It was a Japanese restaurant that featured a Chinese style of cooking called Shabu Shabu. The style was invented by Ghengis Khan's army. Our table had several camping stoves set into it and pots of heated broth. We dumped in vegetables and cooked thinly sliced pieces of meat and dipped them in various sauces. Tara even took a stab (literally) at eating with chopsticks. The food was very good and it was certainly a unique experience, made more unique by the vivacious owner of the restaurant who entertained us throughout the meal as he demonstrated how to eat the meal. <br />
<br />
After dinner, we went back to the hotel and watched the cars cruise up and down the street. There were spectators in lawn chairs on the corners coercing drivers to do burnouts. Unfortunately for the owner of a 1969 Buick GS, he chose to do his burnout just as a police officer was passing him in the opposite direction. They had a little chat on the side of the road. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow we head out for the last stop on the Tour- Arlington, TX. <br />
<br />
<b>Power Tour Day 7 - Stillwater, OK to Arlington, TX (267.2 miles) </b><br />
<br />
It was another early morning and we were on the road to Arlington. Covercraft (manufacturer of car and seat covers) hosted a hospitality stop at their headquarters in Paul's Valley, OK. They provided us with lunch, where I had my first casualty of the trip- my sneakers. Apparently, they were inundated with 6" of rain in less than 2 days and the field where the food was went from firm grass to soggy swamp in one step. I barefooted it over to Wal-Mart and bought an emergency pair of shoes and we were back on track. <br />
<br />
Just as Tara began to comment on how flat and boring the Route seemed to be, we climbed another fun twisting road up into the Arbuckle Mountains and passed by Turner Falls, the highest waterfall in Oklahoma. We found a great place with a scenic overlook to stop and take a few pictures of the car before heading on to Quick-Trip Stadium in Arlington. As we neared Arlington, we hit some traffic and finally kicked on the A/C to avoid melting to the seats.<br />
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When we arrived at the venue, we got parked and I went to get our credentials stamped. Little did I know that the vendor area and main stage where the time clocks were located was a mile away. Once I finished my hike, I later learned that there were air conditioned trolleys to shuttle people to and from. The highlight of today's show was the burnout competition. It started off slow, our friend Scott gave it a shot in his 70 Challenger, but the burnout plate wasn't hot/soapy enough for him to really smoke the tires. BUT, after Scott, the real fireworks started. A guy in an 86 Buick T-Type utterly roasted his tires in a beautiful spectacle of billowing white smoke. He was followed closely by a '55 Chevy and an early Suburban with a supercharged 6.0L motor.<br />
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<br />
<br />
After the burnout contest, we decided to head back to the hotel and get out of the heat. <br />
<br />
It's hard to believe that this week is almost over. Tomorrow is the Long Hauler's ceremony and the long drive back home. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Power Tour Final Day</b><br />
<br />
Long Hauler Ceremony and trip home Saturday started off fairly well. We arrived at Quiktrip Park and got our long hauler gifts-Hot Rod Power Tour backpacks! We said our goodbyes to our friends, old and new, and left the ballpark to start the 1,100 mile trip home. But first...breakfast. My mom found a place on Yelp that was a few miles from the ballpark. Little did we know that it was featured in Paula Dean's magazine. While my dad and I were parking the cars, Tara went in to get a table. She asked another customer "whether it was seat yourself or wait" and he seemed shocked she had never been to the place. She explained that we were from Florida and were in town for the Power Tour. Breakfast was great and to our surprise, the guy Tara spoke with secretly paid our check. The waitress simply said "He told me to tell you, 'welcome to Texas.'" <br />
<br />
The drive home started off fairly uneventful. We were making decent time heading east and planned to stay overnight in Biloxi. Tara and I killed time talking about how great it was that the cars made the tour without any issues. We even came up with a list of "Rules/Adivce for Power Tour" based upon our experiences in the last two years: <br />
<br />
1. Avoid chain restaurants- find a local joint and explore 2. Don't rush to the Venue- driving there is just as much a part of the tour. 3. Bring lots of spare parts- if you have them, you won't need them. 4. Pack light- I bought each day's "participant" shirt to wear the next day. 5. Put sunscreen on your driving arm (the one that hangs out the window) 6. Give the car a good shakedown cruise before the tour. 7.Just because it's new, doesn't mean it won't break (thinking of the wiper on the Challenger). <br />
<br />
For dinner, my Mother found another neat restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. My dad managed to book two hotel rooms at the Grand Casino in Biloxi and we were back on the road. <br />
<br />
At about 9:30 pm, we were 80 miles east of Biloxi when one of the cars lost motor, and it wasn't the Acadian. In confirmation of Rule 7 above, the 2010 Challenger shut down at 70 mph. I called AAA and had to have the car towed to the hotel. To say the least, everyone was completely dumbfounded.<br />
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Sunday morning, Tim and Lori met up with us at the hotel to take a look at the Challenger. By then, Lori had had 9 hours to stop laughing. I arranged to have the car towed to the local Dodge dealer near Biloxi first thing Monday and my dad volunteered to stay in Biloxi with the car in hopes that it could be fixed that day and he would drive it home. I would later learn that the timing belt tensioner failed and one of the timing belt links snapped in two. [Fortunately, I have a lifetime warranty and the repairs are covered- I am still awaiting a final determination on the extent of the repairs]. <br />
<br />
Tara, my mom, and I piled into the Acadian and, with Tim and Lori blazing the trail (sorry, couldn't resist the bad pun), we continued our arduous journey home. Had I known what type of weather we were going to drive through, we would have stayed in Biloxi. We drove through about 5 hours of torrential rain. Tropical Depression Beryl had nothing on the weather we hit in the Panhandle and then at night on the turnpike and to my house in Orlando. But, we all got home safely (three of us by car and my dad by airplane). <br />
<br />
In all, despite the difficult journey home, the trip was great and everyone really enjoyed themselves. I'm counting down the weeks until Next Year's Power Tour!!! Arlington to ????? <br />
<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-25698149132120103352019-05-29T14:22:00.000-07:002019-06-08T03:58:28.326-07:00FROM THE ARCHIVES-- HRPT 2015 - Madison, WI to Gonzalez (Baton Rouge), LA (1478 miles)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
3-5 Orlando, FL to Madison, WI (1,320 miles)</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, after nearly a year, at
6:00 am June 3, it was time to leave again for the Hot Rod Power Tour. Tara and
I in the Acadian and my dad in my 2014 Corvette. This is the Corvette's maiden
long haul and all I can hope is that it fares better than the Challenger did.
My parents made an "In Memoriam" poster that they are proudly
displaying on the Vette's dash.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzNEvx_L70eR2Nygxlhw7tNeR4GlaSSZjqyLV6fei9Gg40AH7m6hlAuptmXd6rxGrgw3IW0RSToY-G6FB6yhmfXGwmmjI52ck77cz9qYqy2AGavCFIsVYLAMwvxuUPGUhIqu0eCYddj-M/s1600/11415567_495044090651043_3029271546063802124_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzNEvx_L70eR2Nygxlhw7tNeR4GlaSSZjqyLV6fei9Gg40AH7m6hlAuptmXd6rxGrgw3IW0RSToY-G6FB6yhmfXGwmmjI52ck77cz9qYqy2AGavCFIsVYLAMwvxuUPGUhIqu0eCYddj-M/s320/11415567_495044090651043_3029271546063802124_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyhow, we met my sister for
breakfast in Gainesville and continued en route for Nashville, TN. Of Course,
we had to eat, so we stopped for a very late lunch at the Marietta Diner. The
food is good, and the desserts are works of art. The building is cool and made
a great backdrop for a photo of the Acadian.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTPlPJnc03AyXKknPYQXM-cW0dckZqpIn5KrSqX80nSx1UEuQnDb5b6_pFv4ZGoXbwICeWK9mJ0Gsml2tglj2PIy2zu2K-qus_0DYJykWGpv_B22ZxVLNkUUdmyasOk4dhE1SbgdaIRPt/s1600/11417762_495043823984403_4563748160950409319_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTPlPJnc03AyXKknPYQXM-cW0dckZqpIn5KrSqX80nSx1UEuQnDb5b6_pFv4ZGoXbwICeWK9mJ0Gsml2tglj2PIy2zu2K-qus_0DYJykWGpv_B22ZxVLNkUUdmyasOk4dhE1SbgdaIRPt/s320/11417762_495043823984403_4563748160950409319_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We made Nashville after 15 hours on
the road. It's only 12 or so actual driving hours, but when you have to stop
for gas every 2 hours or so, it adds a lot of time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The next morning, we left bright and
early for our next stopover, Bloomington, IL. We all learned something;
Illinois is like the Napa Valley of the Midwest. Apparently, there are over 200
wineries and vineyards. Tara found a really nice one called Blue Sky where we
stopped for an early lunch (and wine tasting). We pulled into our hotel in
Bloomington and discovered that there was a charity "wine, cheese and
chocolate" event in the hotel ballroom. Of course, we bought tickets and
ate our fill of gourmet cheeses, Italian food and chocolate, not to mention,
sampled some more Illinois wine. After all, it was only a three-hour drive to
Madison.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5r8-NIGxyW4AlXSw7OeMa7KSvVAIUQQJXtvIBfmJnZhyKZcsHSZc0Qb_1Sw1DsleDgshN_tmSr31T54LhclMFnN53mowEd1e4Lajvgz7tTGj18OQE1uhFyP98zjQZIakDFqnKqOU89J6E/s1600/1075337_495044013984384_8732167001934832862_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5r8-NIGxyW4AlXSw7OeMa7KSvVAIUQQJXtvIBfmJnZhyKZcsHSZc0Qb_1Sw1DsleDgshN_tmSr31T54LhclMFnN53mowEd1e4Lajvgz7tTGj18OQE1uhFyP98zjQZIakDFqnKqOU89J6E/s320/1075337_495044013984384_8732167001934832862_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After driving through 6 states in
two and a half days we reached our destination at 10:30 am. We had enough time
to wash both cars before picking my mom up at the airport in Madison. We then
ate at Ella's Deli. You couldn't miss this place. It had a huge carousel
outside and inside was full of mechanical toys and characters hanging from the
ceiling and moving on a pulley system. We always try to avoid chain restaurants
on the Tour. Often, we try to find places that have been featured on a Food
Network show, like Diners, Drive ins, and Dives. This time, we were a bit
early. Turns out, the Food Network was shooting for a future feature. They
would not tell us what show, but after confirming it was not Kitchen Nightmares
or Restaurant Impossible, we decided to stay for lunch. Our table had a working
model train embedded in it and Mighty Mouse flew back and forth over our booth
as we ate. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4co9ihUyfUH56SNjVQp37IXMSj1kwMhrAexJPKGY_Yi_QobCaQDSToOC1Dg5VGidVTd5AF4IQcyky-r0uvzrUNZ54nC370D3oxNGHz3UFESUk2UuYU-XgmP-CWmynGzDNqKNCDDWXTfG/s1600/20150605_132611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4co9ihUyfUH56SNjVQp37IXMSj1kwMhrAexJPKGY_Yi_QobCaQDSToOC1Dg5VGidVTd5AF4IQcyky-r0uvzrUNZ54nC370D3oxNGHz3UFESUk2UuYU-XgmP-CWmynGzDNqKNCDDWXTfG/s320/20150605_132611.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXB5ZLbX7YVkr3pDUlGefzaFjsKpLuC_Rscix4ahvL4zM7_A1IrJutxfBnpRkWzzNhEJfnn-c3aDnG2oLeHkzCgL18KrQ2ws65XtP9qW6cNUIWPWt0gUwA8uscxmRWw-6DXHAmiIoJzvLR/s1600/20150605_121105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXB5ZLbX7YVkr3pDUlGefzaFjsKpLuC_Rscix4ahvL4zM7_A1IrJutxfBnpRkWzzNhEJfnn-c3aDnG2oLeHkzCgL18KrQ2ws65XtP9qW6cNUIWPWt0gUwA8uscxmRWw-6DXHAmiIoJzvLR/s320/20150605_121105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwhxLVPIR8brFk2sD3KL75KPvbDr1FwFOiDCbRi2WmSnzegMSMtA6ANfarNDFcBBdk3uxZwLUKp38ZZ4i4Z4HJJRo59vp-Lh-MHudEJ6q-P4dkW3zn572DQ3OXLKP_wdzBCp6HpD1mtpT/s1600/11099389_495044147317704_103510410922819747_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwhxLVPIR8brFk2sD3KL75KPvbDr1FwFOiDCbRi2WmSnzegMSMtA6ANfarNDFcBBdk3uxZwLUKp38ZZ4i4Z4HJJRo59vp-Lh-MHudEJ6q-P4dkW3zn572DQ3OXLKP_wdzBCp6HpD1mtpT/s320/11099389_495044147317704_103510410922819747_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Afterward, we went picked up our
registration packets at the Aliant Center and checked into our hotel. We got a
prime spot for the Acadian right in front of the Hotel and it got pictured on
Hot Rod's website. My dad found a perfect spot for the Corvette. Right between
supercharged ones by Magnuson Performance and Lingengfelter. We caught up to the
rest of our crew Tim and Lori (1957 Chevrolet "Buck Baker tribute"),
Jake (1967 Chevrolet Truck, now sporting a big block 396) and Fred (1955 custom
Chevrolet) in the hotel bar. Somehow between there and dinner, Tara managed to
get pooped on by a bird-at least it was only a small bird. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Can't wait for all that Day 1 has in
store. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
6 Madison, WI (0 miles)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The first day of Power Tour is
always exciting and today was no exception. The weather was nice and cool most
of the day. This morning it was in the 50's-- IN JUNE!!! The sun was out, and
it warmed to 76. We had no issues getting into the venue and getting parked. It
was conveniently located across the street from our hotel. We got parked and
ran into Jacob (Pontiac G8) another of our group from Orlando. This is his
first Power Tour so, we walked with him to the vendor's midway and main stage
to punch our credentials get some of the freebies that come along with being a
Long Hauler. We even ran into Hollywood Howard (In his words: "Bright Ass
Green" Monte Carlo) Then it was back to checking out the cars.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVFnrJD7QCVNFRbCGoXYXLQpPKVefivSbFEjLRO6FBUsggvBbk5zt_AWU8EtLmbp1J9nmZHKfp3ypYI4pCyE2k953j-VSls7w1kJeiqol0OafcAHW12lulpmkThqSkpNhSmOFU7DQSpZI/s1600/11337027_495051280650324_331069333137915116_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVFnrJD7QCVNFRbCGoXYXLQpPKVefivSbFEjLRO6FBUsggvBbk5zt_AWU8EtLmbp1J9nmZHKfp3ypYI4pCyE2k953j-VSls7w1kJeiqol0OafcAHW12lulpmkThqSkpNhSmOFU7DQSpZI/s320/11337027_495051280650324_331069333137915116_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My dad
mentioned that there seemed to be fewer cars than at other Tour stops- then we
found out there were another thousand or so cars on the other side of the venue
that we couldn't see. Rumor has it there were 5,800 cars. It's hard to describe
the spectacle. Every car you can imagine, even a Tucker!!!, and some you
probably couldn't (check out the pictures of "Tow Mater"; the 88 door
1957 Chevy; the "upside down" F150 and the GMC truck with the vintage
V12 in the pictures) are on display and many are planning to make the full run
to Baton Rouge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tara and I left the venue for a bit
to fill the tank and cruise around Madison. But we didn't get far before the
smell of burning brakes hit us. We were already heading back to the venue, so
we pulled into a spot and realized there was an issue with one of the rear
brakes. It was 5:00 p.m. and we must leave for Champaign tomorrow!! Lori
reminded us about the GM Motor Medics. I've written about them in previous
years' blogs but this is the first time we've had to visit them. They are from
GM Performance who work tirelessly to repair participants' cars. If you bring
them the parts, they have all the tools you can imagine and will do the labor
for free. They had already worked on 40 cars before us and it was only Day 1.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We got the Acadian up in the air removed the wheel and the drum and the brake
shoe had completely disintegrated. Great....now what? We can't drive the car
and we still needed brake shoes. Fortunately, Autozone is one of the vendors on
tour and has arranged with the local store to make parts deliveries every
thirty minutes. I ran over to their display semi-trailer, ordered as set of
brake shoes, and they were delivered to us in 20 minutes. The Motor Medics got
everything buttoned back up and we were good to go in about an hour total. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After getting the car fixed up, we
headed to Salvatore's Tomato Pie for dinner with a bunch of our friends. The
pizza was great. Then it was back to the hotel to enjoy the evening in the
parking lot and check out more cars. That's when we met Matt from Milford, MI
and his buddies with their modified GMC Sonoma in the air and the transmission lying
beside it. They were changing their clutch slave cylinder and throwout bearing
in the parking lot (the truck couldn't get to the Medics). Another guy in
another truck had his valve covers off and was adjusting an issue in his
valvetrain. TOUR ON!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tomorrow we leave bright and early
for Champaign, IL</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
7- Madison, WI to Champaign, IL (239 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This morning's weather started the
opposite of what we had yesterday. Instead of blue skies and 70-degree
temperature, it was cold and rainy. Due to a bicycle event closing the road in
front of our hotel, our group of Tim & Lori, my mom and dad, Jake, Jacob,
Fred and the guys from Gibson performance in their 900 hp gold/black 2015
Mustang left at 6:30 this morning. Our breakfast stop was a great place in
Janesville, WI called the Citrus Cafe. Leave it to Floridians to find a place
with fresh squeezed OJ in Wisconsin. The food was great, and we ate more than
our fill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After the brief breakfast detour, we
joined back up on the scheduled route and the weather started to clear up, or
so we thought. It rained off and on through most of the run. Despite the
weather, many people still lined the roads to wave and watch as the Power Tour
came through. We went through some quaint towns and through Lake Geneva, where
there were some awesome lake houses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The first half of the route was
mostly backroads and a long stretch of 45 mph surface street. The most scenic
route was along the Kankakee River. It was also at a sharp right turn that I
realized I can drift the Acadian. I went into the turn a little too hot and
with the slightly wet road and wet brakes, I managed to do a nice slide around
the corner. Of course, It would have been better had I meant to do it. Between
the weather and traffic lights, it took 5 hours (including breakfast and 2 gas
stops) to go halfway. But, the second half of the route was mainly highway with
clear skies, so we made up the second half in short order.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As we approached the venue at
Parkland College, we met up with our frequent long-haul buddy Scott in his 1970
Hemi Challenger Convertible. Basically, to quote Jake Blues, "We're
putting the band back together." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The venue itself was packed with
cars in 5 or 6 segmented parking lots when we arrived, and we were some of the
first Long Haulers to get there. The venue was great. It had lots of shade and
grassy areas. We grabbed an end spot where the majority of our group could park
together. Lori of course used her "schmoozin' and shmearin'"
technique and scored an upfront spot near the vendors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We got clocked in and picked up our
second day freebies before grabbing a bite to eat. One thing that never seems
to fail is that there are never enough food vendors and the lines can get long.
We went with the shortest line- a taco truck. The food was very good, but they
couldn't seem to get anyone's orders right. It was a spectacle. Some people got
so frustrated that whatever came out the window was "close enough."
Somehow, Jacob, my dad and I all got what we ordered. We brought the food back
to the cars talked to people and watched the cars roll in. It was even more fun
watching them leave. Most everyone did a burnout down the street in both
directions. Some of the best smoke came from a Bandit Trans Am with a big
blower, slicks and wheelie bars. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once the crowd thinned a little, we
took the Acadian on a driving tour through the parking lots to try and see more
cars. We saw a purple 1970 Charger that someone converted into a Daytona, I'm
not sure why they would do it, but it was kinda cool. We also saw a barn find
AAR 'Cuda. It's amazing how many classic hot rods and muscle cars are on the
Tour. We passed a row of Chevelles from 65 through 72 and even saw a 75 Road
Runner (not a good year). Of course, there is also plenty of modern muscle. Not
surprisingly, there are a lot of 2014-2015 Corvettes (in my unbiased opinion,
it is one of the best cars to drive). There were also lots of new Mustangs,
Camaros, and Challengers, including several Hellcats. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKMZ8_LGlJPVJ55Bl-PNbhY2LjG17102q679-fwtwWSdlQwwSP3_UxlgUtZ898LPI6QetU-NsdluI3VBuDCZKbVuNBJAkl0xD4LSPRUDzQXRZcyStZZewvM3aE1xLP_ROHV6N-4-n4JNN/s1600/11056595_495506890604763_6776070492956305039_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKMZ8_LGlJPVJ55Bl-PNbhY2LjG17102q679-fwtwWSdlQwwSP3_UxlgUtZ898LPI6QetU-NsdluI3VBuDCZKbVuNBJAkl0xD4LSPRUDzQXRZcyStZZewvM3aE1xLP_ROHV6N-4-n4JNN/s320/11056595_495506890604763_6776070492956305039_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, we had dinner at Houlihan's
in the Ihotel at the University of Illinois. While it seems counter to the
"no chain restaurant rule", this particular Houlihan's is different
from others. Plus, Tara has apparently been jonesing for another of their peach
Long Island Ice Teas since we were there three years ago. Another perk was that
they took a reservation for 14. The food and drinks were good, as was the
company. We were even joined by Elana Scherr, a writer for Hot Rod (she did a
ride-along with Scott a few years ago when his car was featured). Vic Edelbrock
and his family were also at the restaurant and Tara met the whole crew as she
was walking back to our table. They have similar tastes because they were also
at the pizza place we ate at in Madison.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">While we ate and drank, the weather
got even worse and poured while we were eating. Many of the iPhone's got flood
warning alerts. Amazingly, it stopped raining just long enough for us to get to
the cars and back to the hotel. On the way, I missed a fork in the road and
ended up driving through a puddle deep enough to worry an Amphicar. The Acadian
sailed on through and we made it back to the hotel right before the really hard
stuff started.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidn3ojWjhsGDlFPxtfwC-p27U5hyphenhyphenGG8hLAuOWB-fMqQViwdRIBYzwy6Bq2VEtmqNL_hZBIs5i9zq3uTzM05A3lowMJkjqVXzZ2ZaS1Nq9eIf8taem__TQ2CP-g5LuDus0hEb1fHPOuGkXq/s1600/11390318_495507250604727_6251799881461778166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidn3ojWjhsGDlFPxtfwC-p27U5hyphenhyphenGG8hLAuOWB-fMqQViwdRIBYzwy6Bq2VEtmqNL_hZBIs5i9zq3uTzM05A3lowMJkjqVXzZ2ZaS1Nq9eIf8taem__TQ2CP-g5LuDus0hEb1fHPOuGkXq/s320/11390318_495507250604727_6251799881461778166_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tomorrow we hit the road for St.
Louis, MO. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
8- Champaign, IL to St. Louis, MO (190 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last night's torrential downpour let
up, but it was still wet and drizzly at 6:30 when we went down for breakfast.
Fortunately for everyone in our group, our windows all worked. Apparently,
there was a car in the lot with windows that didn't. I can't imagine how
uncomfortable a ride that will be. Ron, Dennis and Rory from Gibson Performance
Exhaust and Scott and his daughter, Cody met us at the hotel. Then, it was onto
St. Louis and sunnier skies. Today's route took us through farm country, but
first we had to work our way out of Champaign and its infinite traffic lights
that seemed timed to break up our group of cars. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We all were able to regroup and fill
up at a gas station before leaving civilization. One of my favorite sights on
the Power Tour are the gas stations packed with show cars. I tried to get a
good picture of all of our cars, plus a red GTO, Ford GT and even a Panoz
something-or-other.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJbduqqwV7PChjkr5wmSenR-uI9XFk3yu3CCVnYiTwYANKLuQkV1lv3vqqKf22KXLt4Wh9Hb7pyn1Q9Bkv4Gh_VBRCKq2OkBRiGJ8znbGLdRSklfdDWAxsQD6aajN-57Vz_9hQxUx6FRM/s1600/11401449_495926047229514_647495794954270300_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJbduqqwV7PChjkr5wmSenR-uI9XFk3yu3CCVnYiTwYANKLuQkV1lv3vqqKf22KXLt4Wh9Hb7pyn1Q9Bkv4Gh_VBRCKq2OkBRiGJ8znbGLdRSklfdDWAxsQD6aajN-57Vz_9hQxUx6FRM/s320/11401449_495926047229514_647495794954270300_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheP6A-rw-7-tvwaeaCjVgiJG1oF9q6rZBaGQcMRyBycIu2bksNwL7EaOQxKVT4mK-PNhCnshYJQKoLILtaApnsyNpIRNWFgU_k_PjMZo8HzTngpSqVZS5sAevUxCgbhR5k0hAun-KZ0gO4/s1600/11336866_495926127229506_1675536236778453311_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheP6A-rw-7-tvwaeaCjVgiJG1oF9q6rZBaGQcMRyBycIu2bksNwL7EaOQxKVT4mK-PNhCnshYJQKoLILtaApnsyNpIRNWFgU_k_PjMZo8HzTngpSqVZS5sAevUxCgbhR5k0hAun-KZ0gO4/s320/11336866_495926127229506_1675536236778453311_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We wended our way along some huge
cornfields and, in case anyone was worried, there does not appear to be any
shortage of corn this year. We passed a small town that had a "Chevrolet
Hall of Fame" museum. Even though the museum was supposed to be closed on
Mondays, Lori called, and I think the phone was routed to the curator's house.
She may or may not have woken him up. He was willing to open the museum for us,
but by the time we had called, we were already well past it. So we were stuck
with more corn. Since the scenery was nothing to write home (or a blog) about,
Tara tested her skills taking pictures using the Acadian's side the rearview
mirror.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When it came time to plan a lunch
stop, our reliance on Yelp failed. It turns out, Staunton, IL does not have
many Yelpers or foodies. Subway got 4 stars. Ever the resourceful one, Lori
called city hall and asked them where we should go. We were directed to R &
B's. The food was great, and the portions were huge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By the time we finished lunch, the
sun was shining, and the forecast was clear. Scott and Cody, Tara and I, and my
parents decided to backtrack to a self-service car wash to clean the mud and
grime off our cars. We weren't the only ones with the same idea. It should come
as no surprise to anyone, that a mean sounding Chevy wagon with Florida plates
knew Tara. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We arrived at Gateway Motorsports
Park. Traffic control for all these venues so far has been great and we were
able to cruise right in. Inside the venue, was a bit more disorganized. When we
realized they were going to park us a mile from the stage and drag strip, we
passed up that space and worked our way out to better parking right near the
vendors and the drag strip where everything was going on. To get there, we had
to go a quarter lap on the oval which made for some good pictures.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPFl1zDOnjJUWCy_eDrnN8shgiAzkARnc9CijoYA-4e4IF4dvT7raBEcM6Ki8upDsMFNPflD0LwAshJISFnhobz8n5R8ybCoeR7fAoBK0M-CBJilBRBvS_JNjFjnJUEWuqlIBXBy7p_Dj/s1600/11393783_495926353896150_4754752067501048216_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPFl1zDOnjJUWCy_eDrnN8shgiAzkARnc9CijoYA-4e4IF4dvT7raBEcM6Ki8upDsMFNPflD0LwAshJISFnhobz8n5R8ybCoeR7fAoBK0M-CBJilBRBvS_JNjFjnJUEWuqlIBXBy7p_Dj/s320/11393783_495926353896150_4754752067501048216_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We got parked and punched in and
collected our freebies. Then Jacob and I decided to take some fun runs down the
dragstrip and Tara got premium parking and shade in front of the Gibson
trailer. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7y_crBZk5FmtQtPsnNruIlbIiU8sSCcdDUKbAAMBXEfQmHP_rqj6BBUHiSpdEvLRLn7TA9b9nYokLTXRL0kPb8eX_qitqibqB1VBAnVEUvuayvnpQ90CIF4Zy0jY_JM8Bn97RapVb61No/s1600/11406437_495926330562819_8338001807391376846_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7y_crBZk5FmtQtPsnNruIlbIiU8sSCcdDUKbAAMBXEfQmHP_rqj6BBUHiSpdEvLRLn7TA9b9nYokLTXRL0kPb8eX_qitqibqB1VBAnVEUvuayvnpQ90CIF4Zy0jY_JM8Bn97RapVb61No/s320/11406437_495926330562819_8338001807391376846_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As I was going into the staging
lanes, I made a girl named Ashley's day by saying "yes" when she ran
up to my car and asked if she could ride with me down the strip. She made me
call Tara and make sure it was OK. Tara laughed her head off an came and took
pictures. (Tara went with me on the second run. This was the first time I have
ever been on a dragstrip and I got lined up against a AMG turbo V8 Mercedes
that Ashley told me had been running 11's in the quarter mile. I hadn't even
unloaded the trunk. My only goal that first run was not to red light and embarrass
myself. The AMG was a full second and a half faster than me, but I finished
with a 12.961 at 112.17 mph. My second pass (this time with Tara in the car)
was against a bare steel Chevrolet pickup with a radical sounding motor. I
shaved a quarter second off my time and hit 112.91 mph. VICTORY!!! The truck
ran 13.856. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was going to take my dad on a run, but they shut down the track
for the burnout contest. We didn't see the contest, but Hollywood Howard from
Sanford texted Tara afterward to say he blew up the rear end in his car. The
winner was a turbo LS powered S10 that blew his tire in dramatic fashion. Here
is a link to video: <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QYmRgLTqVmw">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QYmRgLTqVmw</a> I'm still looking
for video or pics of Howard. Good thing the prize for winning is a new set of
tires.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIOZ-OFkKWry_4rFDCRv5XpXdHFlkBAC5nRw1VTLevJnm6Z30YgI3rp-LyenYODUFlrKSg-egCKAFeI74K4aUU0h0ZK6vDQQ-do-Mb6b1B-rInqCk48z2uC29jpCa-fBK_dIlAQwCpQkP/s1600/11412242_495926390562813_2034605935011299738_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIOZ-OFkKWry_4rFDCRv5XpXdHFlkBAC5nRw1VTLevJnm6Z30YgI3rp-LyenYODUFlrKSg-egCKAFeI74K4aUU0h0ZK6vDQQ-do-Mb6b1B-rInqCk48z2uC29jpCa-fBK_dIlAQwCpQkP/s320/11412242_495926390562813_2034605935011299738_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We left the venue and checked into
the hotel. The Drury Plaza across from the Arch. We stayed here three years ago
during the Detroit to Dallas Power Tour. The hotel is great and has a free
happy hour with food. It also has the parking garage from hell- you have to
make a sharp left at the entrance, then a sharp right to go up a 45-degree ramp
with a snap right turn at the top. I can't imagine driving up it with manual
transmission (at least not without hill assist). We decided to make it an early
night since the route to Memphis is one of the longer runs. Here are some pictures,
including a custom Turbo 4-cylinder Nova built by GM Performance which they
unveiled on the Power Tour.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNxgd5qvtJ4kDT7opqlGan_8a6DJNDwQqBt9Ck2OkJM-ECdxZLabIawhuUHEokW2WfhKO_0Dg0Ejv056OJWw4Wh8sEjwIY3O9JFeubBmZ1ClAvzcirocTtliPBgWiGI62mHGVug60wbDk/s1600/10409677_495926583896127_2197582585057453200_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNxgd5qvtJ4kDT7opqlGan_8a6DJNDwQqBt9Ck2OkJM-ECdxZLabIawhuUHEokW2WfhKO_0Dg0Ejv056OJWw4Wh8sEjwIY3O9JFeubBmZ1ClAvzcirocTtliPBgWiGI62mHGVug60wbDk/s320/10409677_495926583896127_2197582585057453200_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPKlj-YeI7lgjIxpg_04vGumNRrpMi_8Y6sDMT_SmOmr7SxsyoRRw8Vp3nPKLyaEqN78M3mFSoazEw2CdLPehff4eFRsZKOVE25PsioeXrsaBSPoJrJH6silxVXne8Ms1W3N0zyBmwGJJ/s1600/11427792_495926580562794_1781796567211226478_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPKlj-YeI7lgjIxpg_04vGumNRrpMi_8Y6sDMT_SmOmr7SxsyoRRw8Vp3nPKLyaEqN78M3mFSoazEw2CdLPehff4eFRsZKOVE25PsioeXrsaBSPoJrJH6silxVXne8Ms1W3N0zyBmwGJJ/s320/11427792_495926580562794_1781796567211226478_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoxXK5G9oa4kOYR6KkHo3rd8M_3knKcoStj2P5fDLEau9snGRTV0ExNt6m4U9BJv06fmhgZx6nQKihaRwBvUhcpU2EIh9r3782e1F2zrUat2xcQoNMnvXbbzjED3tmxJU08K8pbF4dD7C/s1600/11040177_495926070562845_7276148741705192247_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoxXK5G9oa4kOYR6KkHo3rd8M_3knKcoStj2P5fDLEau9snGRTV0ExNt6m4U9BJv06fmhgZx6nQKihaRwBvUhcpU2EIh9r3782e1F2zrUat2xcQoNMnvXbbzjED3tmxJU08K8pbF4dD7C/s320/11040177_495926070562845_7276148741705192247_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
9- St. Louis, MO to Memphis, TN (311 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today was the longest run of the
Power Tour, but also the most scenic. And, we had perfect weather to boot.
Finally, blue skies and sun for the whole day!! We left earlier than usual, but
due to a bad address, our rendezvous with the Gibson Performance crew was
delayed a bit. But, sitting in a gas station in Cahokia, Illinois along the
Power Tour route isn't too bad because awesome car after awesome car cruised on
by. Once our group was gathered, we turned right out of the gas station. Almost
immediately, things got interesting. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHo8S-9UbmU1_ZwQUACo8U1hpRAY8HEZwXZPLsZk7KiaKA-_PdoblqgYk2yi0fsYFJuSwurIQT9TmU7Es8ZJ2EEf7y76xTXkv9gNeKYUPh1Y9kOxC2oYHRu4BwgvtiGFwxTtKE2LlEy2t/s1600/20150609_082607%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHo8S-9UbmU1_ZwQUACo8U1hpRAY8HEZwXZPLsZk7KiaKA-_PdoblqgYk2yi0fsYFJuSwurIQT9TmU7Es8ZJ2EEf7y76xTXkv9gNeKYUPh1Y9kOxC2oYHRu4BwgvtiGFwxTtKE2LlEy2t/s320/20150609_082607%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Suddenly, blue and red lights began
flashing. My dad and Ron Gibson, both driving flashy, powerful cars both began
the "don't be me, don't be me" mantra. It wasn't them though, it was
Jacob, in the inconspicuous 4 door G8. It seems he turned out of the gas
station and accelerated a little too aggressively and his car slid a little
sideways as he was changing gears. The officer was cool though. He told Jacob
he didn't need to see his license, warned him to save that type of driving for
the track, asked a few questions about the car, which he said he loved the car,
and told Jacob to "like him on Facebook." So, whoever and wherever
that Cahokia PD officer is, WE LIKE YOU!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The first town we came through after
Cahokia was Red Bud. It was a small town, but they love their cars. I'm pretty
sure the Mayor declared our transit through town a holiday. Everyone was on the
side of the road taking pictures, waving and there were a number of banners
welcoming the HRPT to Red Bud. There was also a scenic classic gas station full
of Red Bud's local Hot Rods and down the way, "Mr. Chevy" had his '57
Chevy gasser atop his matching '57 Chevy Truck hauler. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42nd1ccC8xZumdbpKjJ_LuEFKGcBr7QzQCHcsKbxeVLQHdn8lAGbgFm9L4cM_xEYX4NGYMoBPat0aU21dWuAvvxfzQo_BukhoiRlXjB9Yr9GsnPvRMXBHH4EZMXzfPWP3lmn6i8_EJrv2/s1600/20150609_082756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42nd1ccC8xZumdbpKjJ_LuEFKGcBr7QzQCHcsKbxeVLQHdn8lAGbgFm9L4cM_xEYX4NGYMoBPat0aU21dWuAvvxfzQo_BukhoiRlXjB9Yr9GsnPvRMXBHH4EZMXzfPWP3lmn6i8_EJrv2/s320/20150609_082756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We also went through Chester, which
it turns out is the home of Popeye. There are statues and murals of Popeye
characters all over the town. It was like a scavenger hunt trying to take
pictures of them. It also was a major crossroads for coal hauling semi-trucks.
At one particular stop sign, it was Hot Rod vs. Semi. We had the numbers, but
they had the size and, every so often one would muscle its way into our line of
cars. Fortunately, they turned off at a barge dock a few miles down the road.
Then it was clear riding along the Mississippi River and Shawnee National
Forest. Most of the way we had a 427 powered '69 Camaro behind us. The car was
badass and sounded awesome. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwugsLsJSVdJztuy7ovELof140leTFm8ISZlfFHK7uYcOKtmo6IQmbU5dwGbrDa61b9QAYydHzEvNLMW9c4p1BigTo9tovcsKaGZyH_YIhdQBYIu7NHsbc3d5rDpIMhMW6R-QK3qLysGC/s1600/20150609_085852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwugsLsJSVdJztuy7ovELof140leTFm8ISZlfFHK7uYcOKtmo6IQmbU5dwGbrDa61b9QAYydHzEvNLMW9c4p1BigTo9tovcsKaGZyH_YIhdQBYIu7NHsbc3d5rDpIMhMW6R-QK3qLysGC/s320/20150609_085852.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">At one point, when the road in front
cleared up and we were able to get some speed, Ron Gibson came over the radio
and reported he was happy to finally shift into 6th gear. I pointed out that
Tara and I were doing 70+ mph and still in 2nd gear. We grabbed a quick lunch at Chubby's
BBQ in Caruthersville, MO. Go Yelp! The food was delicious. My dad thought the
brisket was too fatty, but I loved it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The rest of the route ran us 60
miles down Route 51 which was a 4 lane road full of traffic lights. I was over
it after 20 miles and more than happy to turn off when we got to our hotel.
Since the Comp Cams cruise on Beale Street was limited to 100 cars and we could
only get passes for the classic cars we left the Corvette at the hotel (which
was a brand new Hampton Inn that was a bazillion times nicer than the shithole
where we stayed 2 years ago). My mom smartly decided stay at the hotel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My dad, Tara and I jumped in the
Acadian and headed on to the day's destination, Memphis International Raceway.
At first, they wanted to park us in the back 40. I tried to get closer parking
by the track and told the guy we were with Gibson and our VIP passes were at
their trailer. He didn't bite. So, I went past him about 10 feet and was able
to make a U-turn and sneak past him. I parked the Acadian next to what can only
be described as Hot-Rod-a-Saurus (pictures below- for scale my dad is
6'1"). It was built on a Chevy 2500 chassis that was stretched 2 feet in
each direction. The body was custom made from steel that was formed using an
English wheel. It took 5 years for the owner to build it and it weighs 9,000
pounds. A Cummins engine drives the 4-wheel drive behemoth down the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It was brutally hot, and we clocked
in, purchased our daily "participant" shirts and got our freebies as
fast as possible before hiding under the Gibson tent until it was time to line
up for our police escorted ride to Beale Street. I know it must seem like I am
shamelessly plugging these guys, but they have been awesome and a fun group to
run with. They are really laid back and are enjoying the drive with us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, after sweating off 10
pounds in the heat, it was time to make our police escorted drive to Beale
Street in downtown Memphis. Tara decided she would drive. It's an unnatural
thing to blow through red light after red light and there were a few times when
the light turned yellow in front of Tara and she let off the throttle out of
habit. After a bit of a mix-up (the police took us the wrong way onto Beale, we
got parked. First stop was Wet Willie's for some super cold frozen alcoholic
beverages. Then off to dinner at Pig on Beale. I'd never been to a BBQ place
with a bouncer before today. Once we finished eating, we enjoyed the music and
relatively cool night on Beale and talked to tons of people about the car and the
experience of long hauling. Many people recognized us (mainly Tara and the car)
from previous years. Check out the pictures below.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5zOyMIe22LU-TuD5OYZ59vQuOsTqVoFDOXWos7P1bJwoOTi1cp1Rt5Uzcw2NRgEjjdUQw9iR4ugqOQEPso2OitH62ex2mPMjIv5HHp8EQvfC78wGmiKN05M7pYRLMsmpaxa_822uvuPH/s1600/1012964_496532443835541_5334996430231826461_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5zOyMIe22LU-TuD5OYZ59vQuOsTqVoFDOXWos7P1bJwoOTi1cp1Rt5Uzcw2NRgEjjdUQw9iR4ugqOQEPso2OitH62ex2mPMjIv5HHp8EQvfC78wGmiKN05M7pYRLMsmpaxa_822uvuPH/s320/1012964_496532443835541_5334996430231826461_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As an aside, Hollywood Howard let us
know he got his car fixed and he "finally made the big time." His car
and burnout were pictured on Hot Rod's Instagram. Tara went and watched the
world record simultaneous burnout to see whether Howard was participating or
had learned his lesson on doing prolonged burnouts a thousand miles from home.
Looks like he did. Tour On Howard!!!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
10- Memphis, TN to Hoover, AL (270 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After an hour delay getting out of
Memphis due to construction, we met up with the Gibson Performance Exhaust guys
and hit the route. We had to do some synchronized driving to get all 7 cars out
of the gas station. Jacob pulled out and blocked traffic so we could all turn
and keep in line. Once we were on the route, it took us through rural road in Tennessee,
Mississippi and Alabama before a final 60-mile highway run to Hoover
Metropolitan Stadium.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On one of the Mississippi back roads
we saw some police lights and a bright red second generation Corvette off the
road in a ditch after a blind curve going down a dip. We all began speculating
-did he go too fast?, did his brakes or steering fail? The actual answer is
"only in Mississippi..." The guy following behind the Vette posted
the explanation and a picture of the culprit. [that photo is included below]. A
local stopped his truck in the road to pick up a roadkill squirrel for dinner.
When the Vette came around the curve, he had nowhere to go but right- into the
ditch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoaqUUQQC5-A8WaaXAkEi7vToo76G3iOzFAuPD1YOz9zbIRzVP24HF1DBq_nysdtBF5aZN52pC3HSUMwcFO5_8aGWh7dBbU6aieeQTY9triokVGYPCZdipnhyF1T667oZtgjWatrUiQgNL/s1600/11426760_497026877119431_3286604588674411126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="960" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoaqUUQQC5-A8WaaXAkEi7vToo76G3iOzFAuPD1YOz9zbIRzVP24HF1DBq_nysdtBF5aZN52pC3HSUMwcFO5_8aGWh7dBbU6aieeQTY9triokVGYPCZdipnhyF1T667oZtgjWatrUiQgNL/s320/11426760_497026877119431_3286604588674411126_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oyMUGIgQC0p0PDCnJFMRbCa86fjHCNGREL4LtUJSBJnVa6pAFTUGei6tVxRWIesxojK-TUW5DFNjDKTSYPHtWoJ5IHGgmA6ZysxyvWh4eKqPE6JoM0h898ZI_tt8F4YwsVzenXbyv-g1/s1600/11266593_497026973786088_8692926964206793411_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oyMUGIgQC0p0PDCnJFMRbCa86fjHCNGREL4LtUJSBJnVa6pAFTUGei6tVxRWIesxojK-TUW5DFNjDKTSYPHtWoJ5IHGgmA6ZysxyvWh4eKqPE6JoM0h898ZI_tt8F4YwsVzenXbyv-g1/s320/11266593_497026973786088_8692926964206793411_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeb0aU4ElK2PVqw_JQm4DhiQB6EKUaCOgwXiWddUo7NmvLMJWXDpt2LG8euoBSksoUz8mNyn5YXxkTUhWnOvucyK9zMMlPkhfxwnMffJzrKX4dQuKWobIlwXYgwxvhkLbs7iG73_crPPg/s1600/11402475_497027237119395_5999202419157674522_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeb0aU4ElK2PVqw_JQm4DhiQB6EKUaCOgwXiWddUo7NmvLMJWXDpt2LG8euoBSksoUz8mNyn5YXxkTUhWnOvucyK9zMMlPkhfxwnMffJzrKX4dQuKWobIlwXYgwxvhkLbs7iG73_crPPg/s320/11402475_497027237119395_5999202419157674522_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We then got stuck in a 20-minute
traffic jam due to 3 traffic lights in Amory, AL. It was brutally hot again and
we had to shut off the AC because the Acadian's temperature began to climb from
idling so long. I can't imagine what it was like when the bulk of the Power
Tour cars began to roll through. Often a single 4-way stop sign or short turn
arrow can cause an hour-long jam. Once we were clear of that mess, we made our
lunch stop at the Happy Days Cafe in Sulligent, AL. It was in an old row of
shops a block off the main road and facing the railroad tracks. I can only
assume the building was there before the road. Other than a lighted
"Open" sign above the door, there was no way you would know from the
outside that the place wasn't out of business. Inside, it was a different
story. The place was full of locals. We had our choice of a cafeteria style set
up or ordering grill items from the counter. The food was decent. I played it
safe and had 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and fries.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0vzBKtDN56MMLbvws3e5wOiCnpusWmtgK7BIKQ2v69EjSGCNIuLcQ-XeTLqPjiiw_H1KHSmf5Fs0YlcduZYHEm6KIm_t4krWHZGvN9DznVkxzUrfv-tAPm-xEzM6LNAVXKlOY2B8aknX/s1600/11403455_497026753786110_8703419768963232902_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0vzBKtDN56MMLbvws3e5wOiCnpusWmtgK7BIKQ2v69EjSGCNIuLcQ-XeTLqPjiiw_H1KHSmf5Fs0YlcduZYHEm6KIm_t4krWHZGvN9DznVkxzUrfv-tAPm-xEzM6LNAVXKlOY2B8aknX/s320/11403455_497026753786110_8703419768963232902_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We got back on the route and it was
smooth sailing until Tara got her left and right confused. Our group and a
whole line of Power Tour cars just following behind us had to make a left turn
from a middle straight-ahead lane. We made the move so quickly and there were
so many of us that the regular cars in the actual turn lane couldn't go. But
this is Power Tour and sacrifices have to be made. We hit our final snarl at a
left side gas station (we usually try and only use ones on the right side of
the road and this one proved the reason for the rule. It was a big Flying J
station, but there was only one way in and one way out. Between car trying to
turn left into the station and trying to turn left out of it, not to mention
cross traffic, it was a total cluster. Someone finally held up traffic and let
a bunch of cars out before making their own turn. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Up until today, it was relatively
smooth getting into the venues. Today, they unnecessarily shut the main parking
lot claiming "it was full." They diverted us into a lot that was not
really part of the show. To say the least, we were not happy. It was made worse
by the fact that the entire stadium parking lot was dark blacktop. It was
roasting. Fortunately, we borrowed a set of VIP vendor </span></div>
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credentials from some
"friends" and were going to use them to get past the barricade with
the cars. We ended up not needing them though. By the time we exited parking
lot purgatory and circled back, they had reopened the main lot and let us right
in. Yet another Power Tour rule- "Perseverance pays when parking." We
parked in the first row near a grass berm with a shade tree. It was at least 30
degrees cooler. Jacob and I wasted no time getting clocked in and getting our
freebies and buying our daily shirts so we could get back to the shade trees.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even with the heat, there were
thousands of cars, some of which were only around for the day. Lots of Mopars
showed up, including a Superbird and a pro-touring early 60's Dart with a
Magnuson supercharger. Those Darts are some of the ugliest cars to come out of
Detroit, but this one was an exception. The color, wheels, stance, and custom
work really made it look sweet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, we couldn't take any more
sub-Saharan temperatures and left for the hotel. Tara, Jacob, Dwight (53
Lincoln Capri- though he's driving a rental Mustang to preserve marital
harmony) and I had an early dinner at a Japanese steakhouse by the hotel before
calling it a day. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
11- Hoover, AL to Gulfport, MS (299 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today's route was probably one of
the prettiest so far. It started out highway, but we exited onto a two-lane
road that paralleled it. It had some small winding patches and was shaded by
trees on either side. There were also some cool looking bayou/swamp areas on the
side of the road in one patch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A few hours into the drive while
trying to plan a lunch stop, Tara and I were startled completely out of our
minds when an oncoming train blew its horn and barreled head on past us on
tracks hidden by the woods. It was so fast and loud I thought for sure that a semi-truck
I somehow didn't see was about to smash us to bits.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsX5hyphenhyphenIP82Pku_YLn6OG2G82U0sihKeofWR-r3lJHiWpvNzeKl8TZSCS_l04Tefm3zdwWwlfkcK0c2LmzedVKlMtrHY1PA81yP_Eg2aBhTR4PyqLRhT3Cy2y011UOrJyJaU24zDltEEXO/s1600/20150611_073843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsX5hyphenhyphenIP82Pku_YLn6OG2G82U0sihKeofWR-r3lJHiWpvNzeKl8TZSCS_l04Tefm3zdwWwlfkcK0c2LmzedVKlMtrHY1PA81yP_Eg2aBhTR4PyqLRhT3Cy2y011UOrJyJaU24zDltEEXO/s320/20150611_073843.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once our heart rates went down to
normal, we rejoined the radio discussion about where to stop. The group decided
on lunch at Charlie's Catfish House. It took us a bit to get there because we
missed one of the turns on the route. When we stopped to get our bearings, a
local guy offered to escort us back to the route.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLoENrbJzS2b9EApNFxbYriHDurhckB-ImcOZ2FD06dYbK81yhfsg4z3_k-kQw__vs4V67psa5aGBF9eV48sTGxk8pDaPZ75ZscMQNeTiDJvsRkVu9TCBAp68Uv4pILfSRdfixbYZinO9/s1600/11143309_497611677060951_3082290954449509034_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLoENrbJzS2b9EApNFxbYriHDurhckB-ImcOZ2FD06dYbK81yhfsg4z3_k-kQw__vs4V67psa5aGBF9eV48sTGxk8pDaPZ75ZscMQNeTiDJvsRkVu9TCBAp68Uv4pILfSRdfixbYZinO9/s320/11143309_497611677060951_3082290954449509034_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Catfish House was frozen in
time. The "menu" was on the wall and consisted of 6 options. The
Gibson crew, this time with Summer Gibson in tow, are from California and were
at a bit of a loss about what to order. They settled on either fried shrimp or
a burger. Tara went for the catfish and was not expecting whole fried fish-
tails and fins included. I had to fillet them for her. Overall, the food was
pretty good. The hushpuppies, coleslaw and fries were served family style.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLRbYBw3REDvQzrkMw9SyGxwIczHGUbuNTYKUrl6BPM5UzZmmyhJ89Mj5oU-4uOBAJrrP6ocmFk0C2QKBnsJh0nhneVIejdSvJIrfAkqxDo8prqL4BS68b9t4CzCY96hOAJvWCVu5zwz2/s1600/10440746_497611563727629_5861736198635177805_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLRbYBw3REDvQzrkMw9SyGxwIczHGUbuNTYKUrl6BPM5UzZmmyhJ89Mj5oU-4uOBAJrrP6ocmFk0C2QKBnsJh0nhneVIejdSvJIrfAkqxDo8prqL4BS68b9t4CzCY96hOAJvWCVu5zwz2/s320/10440746_497611563727629_5861736198635177805_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After stuffing our faces, it was
back on the route to Centennial Park in Gulfport, MS. Traffic into the venue was
getting bad, so Tara used the phone GPS and a little local knowledge from her
time Cruisin' the Coast to get us around the back way. From what we heard, just
going around the block like we did may have saved us an hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The venue setting was great. It was
a park with several abandoned buildings and lots of shade trees. Apparently, it
was built in 1916 solely to celebrate Mississippi's centennial, but WWI broke
out. The property was given to the VA and after Katrina, the VA gave it back to
the City. It has been sold to Holiday Inn to build a resort, but so far, nothing’s been
done. We clocked in and then had some beers and watched the never-ending stream
of cars roll by. There were some good looking cars. A '73 Super Duty Trans Am,
tons of Camaros and Chevelles and the Power Tour staple: suped up station
wagons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jacob, Tara and I ate dinner at
Shady's in Biloxi. Tara and I had been there before and recalled it being a
good Cajun place. Either our memories were false, or this place has gone
downhill. It was very disappointing, and the menu had little that was Cajun.
The name says it all. In hindsight, we should have braved the long wait and
eaten at one of the places overlooking the Gulf.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I'm doing this post early because we
are in Biloxi and going to play some blackjack. Hopefully I can get back the
money I left here when my Challenger snapped it's timing chain on the way home
from the 2012 Power Tour. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
12- Gulfport, MS to Gonzales, LA (169 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today was the last and shortest
driving leg of the Tour. This was fortunate since last night was a late night
in the casino. A few members Tara, Jacob, my parents and I decided to sleep in
a little. Lori and the rest of the crew, including the Gibson folks who decided
to drive their badass C/10 pickup as well as the Mustang were an hour ahead of
us.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE80m-SVKhFkwsBcvGbvnfJWpVCpJwHpGHPmfxvfaTm6heBYeX1tG84mBAVZsDpIBkpoLjClBDZz5tUVq4gaXd32SWkpYZtN0-Hkfns49qzDw_S815EtzU-Bv6tq4wfMlHeKFmLTksk2-/s1600/11429798_498223593666426_7326745281053093895_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="960" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE80m-SVKhFkwsBcvGbvnfJWpVCpJwHpGHPmfxvfaTm6heBYeX1tG84mBAVZsDpIBkpoLjClBDZz5tUVq4gaXd32SWkpYZtN0-Hkfns49qzDw_S815EtzU-Bv6tq4wfMlHeKFmLTksk2-/s320/11429798_498223593666426_7326745281053093895_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The route took us out of
Biloxi/Gulfport along the Gulf of Mexico on Beach Boulevard before turning
inland. We passed through Kiln, MS- the home of Brett Favre. The driving
directions recommended in capital letters "ENJOY THE CITY OF PICAYUNE,
MS." The town had arranged for what looked to be a big deal event in the
park for the Power Tour cars. There was a stage and some local vendors setting
up in the historic downtown area. But someone failed to communicate with the
Police who were directing traffic. They must have been told to keep traffic
moving, but not where to send it. They directed us right past the downtown area
and out the other side of town. I began to wonder if the driving directions now
included sarcasm. We turned around and headed back to the route. On our way
back into town, the police officer told us he was directed to send us a
different way (through downtown). We did a quick lap of the area and rejoined
the Power Tour route. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The middle part of the route was not
exciting. There was lots of local traffic (regular boring cars) and it began to
rain. Then, Jacob told us he needed to pull over because his "check
engine" light came on. We pulled into a parking area and he grabbed his
scanner and read the code. It was for a faulty O2 sensor- no issue- Tour On!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We had initially planned to skip
lunch and eat at the venue. But, as traffic got worse in one spot and the day
got later, we knew a lunch stop was in order. Lori told us they ate at Paul's
Cafe in Ponchatoula, LA and it was great. We decided to follow suit.
Ponchatoula had a cool old downtown area and Paul's Cafe was in a corner
storefront. We got a table up front where we could see the Power Tour cars come
through town and ordered lunch. The food was authentic Louisiana cooking and
incredibly reasonably priced- an entree with dessert was $5.35. One oddity were
the restrooms. I think the more correct term is water closet. They were so
narrow and small; you literally did not have room to turn around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One of Ponchatoula's big crops is
strawberries and every place in town sold daquiris among other strawberry
goods. Tara bought 2 bottles of strawberry wine and Jacob an I each bought a
bottle of "Strawberry Lightning", a strawberry infused whiskey.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-A-zoaIGHczwa8qZHnOMc7k5wuEt6F4i9AOB011rVHL11mgilom_iy7qzlqftgTHAmGkRQoOunqZy-6I5F63T9osgSfooyiLZKrUH_Gobos7Oun76YUy-iJ600c2nde34JNlm-yomgjZ/s1600/10926809_498224016999717_674369949234220426_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-A-zoaIGHczwa8qZHnOMc7k5wuEt6F4i9AOB011rVHL11mgilom_iy7qzlqftgTHAmGkRQoOunqZy-6I5F63T9osgSfooyiLZKrUH_Gobos7Oun76YUy-iJ600c2nde34JNlm-yomgjZ/s320/10926809_498224016999717_674369949234220426_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After leaving Ponchatoula, we ran
into the Gibson C/10 being loaded on a flatbed. We found out they had been
having issues all day- fuel pump overheated, there was an issue with a belt. But
the final straw was when the teeth on the flywheel broke off. WELCOME TO THE
POWER TOUR!!! As a result of the issues with the truck, we were now only a few
minutes behind Lori, Jake and Fred.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It started raining again so, we left
Rory with the tow truck and continued on to Gonzales. The route took us down
the best stretch of road of the whole Tour. It followed a river and was full of
twists and slight banked turns. I really wished I had the Corvette rather than
the Acadian to carve the corners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The venue for today was the Lamar
Dixon expo center. It consisted of a paved parking lot, a large grassy area
where the stage and exhibitors were, as well as many large covered livestock pavilions.
We immediately made for the shade of one of the pavilions. It was a good thing
too. The rain turned the grassy area into a swamp and more rain was coming. We
hurried to get clocked in and back to the cars. Boy did the rain come. It was
preceded by strong wind which blew sand from the pavilions </span></div>
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<br />
everywhere. We went
from swamp, to desert sandstorm, to pouring rain in the span of a few minutes.
However, because of the covered pavilions, we could still enjoy the show, We
broke out the strawberry wine and Lightning and waited out the rain. While walking
around, I noticed a 50's Cadillac with twin spark plug flamethrowers in each
exhaust tip and "FYR MKR" for a license plate. When he went to leave,
I asked him if he would use the throwers. Unfortunately, the flamethower fuel
tanks were empty. Hopefully, we catch him tomorrow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1hPMzqv2lWGyQUlqZT5eWmkaNu_1rbQS20aYymHZrVejGzFIumMXrFtJqQxqnGV6eN6s0WPENZ7xBM3_bLcdsN1WkOHHAFYK0M8GJjkMNf8ZDfzwXXxTuM-fggVjdbBHIGVWysp3Wvu8/s1600/11393280_498224113666374_8714924705134158623_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1280" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1hPMzqv2lWGyQUlqZT5eWmkaNu_1rbQS20aYymHZrVejGzFIumMXrFtJqQxqnGV6eN6s0WPENZ7xBM3_bLcdsN1WkOHHAFYK0M8GJjkMNf8ZDfzwXXxTuM-fggVjdbBHIGVWysp3Wvu8/s320/11393280_498224113666374_8714924705134158623_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All of the restaurants near the
hotel were packed, so we went to "The Cabin" restaurant which was one
exit up the freeway. It had 4.5 stars on Yelp. It was made up of several
140-180 year old buildings. We ran into our friends Bruce and Harry and the
rest of the Bangshift Forum folks and tagged along on their guided tour of the
property from the Chef. I'm certain our waiter thought we bailed on him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After dinner, we spent some time in
the parking lot which was packed with show cars. We swapped Power Tour stories
from this trip and years past. Then some people started doing burnouts on a
side street right in front of our hotel. It had been going on for nearly 2
hours and is music to my ears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tomorrow is the Long Hauler ceremony
and then the long drive home. I can't believe how fast this week has gone by. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June
13- Long Hauler Ceremony and trip home (708 miles)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As I woke up Saturday, June 13, I
couldn't believe we had been on the road for 10 days. It seemed like we had
just left Florida. I wasn't ready for the Tour to end. I certainly wasn't
looking forward to the drive home along the most boring road in the USA: I-10.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fortunately, before the drive home,
we had the Long Hauler Ceremony. It's not much of a ceremony and more of a
farewell to all the Long Haulers. There were 2,042 Long Haul vehicles this
year!! We all gathered at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center where Clarence an Jeff,
the MC's on stage for the entire Tour entertained the crowd one last time. Jeff
is new to the Tour this year, but Clarence has been a staple for far more than
the 5 years we have been Long Hauling. What they do is amazing. They put on
what is essentially a 7 hour improv stage show every day regardless of weather,
crowd size or venue. I watched them play to a crowd of 4 people and about 20
empty tailgate chairs during the heat of the afternoon in Gulfport. It must be
grueling, but they clearly enjoy it. Even after the show ends, they are
"on" at the hotel. They talk and greet everyone. Every year we run
into Clarence somewhere along the way and he tells Tara how much he loves
stumping the magazine guys who "know everything" with the Acadian. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The drive home was far better than
when we left Dallas three years ago. First, my car didn't destroy its motor.
Score one for the Chevrolet guys who built it! Second, we didn't have to drive
home in a hurricane. Seriously, the weather 3 years ago was the worst I ever
drove through. New Power Tour rule- when the pool deck chairs fly past the
windows, don't drive home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What never ceases to amaze me is how
quickly 2,000 cars scatter to the winds after the Tour. After spending a week
surrounded by Power Tour cars, it seems odd not to see any on the road. We saw
a few cars here and there and nothing after New Orleans. Chet in his blue C7
caught up to us around the Florida line and ran with us for a while until we
stopped for a gas stop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After eleven hours on the road and
some deft detouring around Mobile, AL traffic by Tara and Jacob, we made it to
my house at 11:30 last night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Only 357 days until next year's
Power Tour. I'm pretty sure it will start in Baton Rouge and hope it will work
back toward Virginia or somewhere in the Carolinas. Lori and Scott already have
their Baton Rouge hotel rooms booked.</span></div>
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-66894591831991724372019-05-29T11:23:00.001-07:002019-06-08T03:58:47.492-07:00FROM THE ARCHIVES--HRPT 2013 - Arlington (Dallas), TX to Concord (Charlotte), NC (1452 miles)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<br />
<b>Power Tour Adventures: Part I: Pre-Power Tour (May 26-May 29)</b><br />
<br />
Part of the fun of going on the Power Tour is just getting to the starting
off point. After all, the TSA looks at you funny if you try and check a 67 Acadian
as luggage or try to carry it on the plane, plus the baggage fees are
outrageous.<br />
<br />
<b>Day 1 (Orlando to Pensacola)</b><br />
<br />
We left Orlando early Sunday morning and headed for our first stopover,
Pensacola. We made Tallahassee in time to meet our friends Will and Amy for
Lunch. They live about an hour outside of Tallahassee and, likely due to fuel
cost, decided to leave their Lincoln Continental convertible at home. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlB-gmn7jAxlxTClfowCf73UcIfgPvwuOOYlEm3eBzftbtO4xvNOd4OooYIgyuGCB8ZaDLDHpOCLpiDD86qqoLyzZN2kMoOUsCs8acwfzTHCpbZe2ZsWBtttFD4praWqPJfVA9u4F3bLcl/s1600/970257_10200214582307591_2035842858_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlB-gmn7jAxlxTClfowCf73UcIfgPvwuOOYlEm3eBzftbtO4xvNOd4OooYIgyuGCB8ZaDLDHpOCLpiDD86qqoLyzZN2kMoOUsCs8acwfzTHCpbZe2ZsWBtttFD4praWqPJfVA9u4F3bLcl/s320/970257_10200214582307591_2035842858_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After lunch, we decided to backtrack and check out the Tallahassee
Automotive Museum. The place was amazing. Not only did they have some amazing
cars (from the early days of motoring, the 30s, 40s, 50s and of course muscle
cars and even a TUCKER), but they also had collections of well...<br />
everything.
There were over 70 vintage outboard motors, die cast cars, motorcycles,
BATMOBILES (they have the largest collection), golf clubs, knives (including
the world's smallest pocket knife), pianos and on and on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83yNN7vzL-zPvfvNCRfVIVTwM4hYG6dFLxE7TudYV-1He69i1wog5gUwyJxfVJB5ZRIvODnFBecIeTFx78xHpFSB-S4urY06moqjMSK-Z2aDKl4wTr6wB6akZOftldNccFSvBbE_gZOri/s1600/20130526_134417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83yNN7vzL-zPvfvNCRfVIVTwM4hYG6dFLxE7TudYV-1He69i1wog5gUwyJxfVJB5ZRIvODnFBecIeTFx78xHpFSB-S4urY06moqjMSK-Z2aDKl4wTr6wB6akZOftldNccFSvBbE_gZOri/s320/20130526_134417.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOBgwwYlqaLzwtPl8jGI73VwmR5l74tLNKBQIom0hXxKGYte4BQAUVTW-zPOfNvhr4FmlJrSnMfgx9Ydp8iUJaptuo_jTDyZf6Yo8CYLYCSKKp2Yuek7MiSpO7QroZbaGc1kY_5uuHddR/s1600/20130526_135139.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOBgwwYlqaLzwtPl8jGI73VwmR5l74tLNKBQIom0hXxKGYte4BQAUVTW-zPOfNvhr4FmlJrSnMfgx9Ydp8iUJaptuo_jTDyZf6Yo8CYLYCSKKp2Yuek7MiSpO7QroZbaGc1kY_5uuHddR/s320/20130526_135139.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PtEKk0YTq5d7kWrxzR9mspKFJ6LY_CyNajtkcsRDhyiXL94E9X5pBfVXJx7mRsCAum2IZ7jTvSpgxbCRbP3FRUGVwctr4oF9wlryX-_vn1PNYBI5p2t7NCEmlej7ICYJqmXR94R6qhwx/s1600/20130526_144438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PtEKk0YTq5d7kWrxzR9mspKFJ6LY_CyNajtkcsRDhyiXL94E9X5pBfVXJx7mRsCAum2IZ7jTvSpgxbCRbP3FRUGVwctr4oF9wlryX-_vn1PNYBI5p2t7NCEmlej7ICYJqmXR94R6qhwx/s320/20130526_144438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Once we had our fill of sights at the museum, we went on to our destination
for the night- Pensacola.<br />
Once there, we headed out to Pensacola beach and had
some great drinks and outstanding seafood on the outside patio of the Grand
Marlin.<br />
<br />
<b>Day 2-3 (New Orleans)</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlRqRgEUbwvSYLyolHLtoAl2qZmEp8Iu0-pFgc65aTBzoyuxpZiVrSemoy26Lw1pYnYvj5HfGCSybA0OgYcxJLUiqpik9x6nlKYp-Xb24yRUEG7w5sTxHpUdSfMY5gn9SujCd0I0Q8ESN/s1600/575782_10200214584947657_1746338318_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvlRqRgEUbwvSYLyolHLtoAl2qZmEp8Iu0-pFgc65aTBzoyuxpZiVrSemoy26Lw1pYnYvj5HfGCSybA0OgYcxJLUiqpik9x6nlKYp-Xb24yRUEG7w5sTxHpUdSfMY5gn9SujCd0I0Q8ESN/s320/575782_10200214584947657_1746338318_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Tara had never been to New Orleans, so we decided to spend 2 nights in the Big
Easy. the weather couldn't have been better. We crammed as much as we could
into the brief stay. First we took a scenic drive along the Mississippi River
and toured Oak Alley Plantation. We had our first sampling of Cajun Cuisine at
their onsite restaurant- the Gumbo was great. Once the tour was done, we headed
on to Ashton's, our Bed and Breakfast just outside the French Quarter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxJV6kCxMmw1L_BhL6qOas21fSjqf-4juX9rwMdrBJXvq3Putw3BDx7REsweCQOx28CsuWuXbohMxUHKFBnpqEDtu23iGdgE7XZRHkvvllg8OABMUrHEZ2vQ_zy77GCfmmvVgPiUva53m/s1600/981758_10200214585227664_915980095_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxJV6kCxMmw1L_BhL6qOas21fSjqf-4juX9rwMdrBJXvq3Putw3BDx7REsweCQOx28CsuWuXbohMxUHKFBnpqEDtu23iGdgE7XZRHkvvllg8OABMUrHEZ2vQ_zy77GCfmmvVgPiUva53m/s320/981758_10200214585227664_915980095_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After checking in to the B & B, we walked down to Frenchmen Street and
had dinner and beverages at Snug Harbor, a Jazz bistro. Then it was on to the
French Quarter. We found a great bar called the Old Opera House with a
Blues/Rock Cover band and even got a sampling of some Zydeco music before
calling it a night (or morning based on the clock).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YSp47PRQ2AANY2tbHSM7y7yTS_oGfslYv45vqWIVLQJmQfAZSunUfidlWHO7j9DJiXBh6NqJSaFvD3Jsc1Qfdy_c9YGyuYAKfESZaV4tQT75QXFKiF12-GSAut0hch0pMBz6vOaIRiP6/s1600/20130528_124202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YSp47PRQ2AANY2tbHSM7y7yTS_oGfslYv45vqWIVLQJmQfAZSunUfidlWHO7j9DJiXBh6NqJSaFvD3Jsc1Qfdy_c9YGyuYAKfESZaV4tQT75QXFKiF12-GSAut0hch0pMBz6vOaIRiP6/s320/20130528_124202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tlOJQ7c9SB-99GXtbWjbCn8UqG2nKz5K2MiCaH43we8lyEWYtkK1GNpro96I2ONLZhwHdIMwE2bK5QEXXK-b3dgFZg34ki5lcY9jPmM3zui9afvtO38uyY89u0bcrxvhlOCWSZFN0wkq/s1600/20130607_110007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tlOJQ7c9SB-99GXtbWjbCn8UqG2nKz5K2MiCaH43we8lyEWYtkK1GNpro96I2ONLZhwHdIMwE2bK5QEXXK-b3dgFZg34ki5lcY9jPmM3zui9afvtO38uyY89u0bcrxvhlOCWSZFN0wkq/s320/20130607_110007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObUMCSLHZgNdC6BjoNSvVn_jUt4F_ROP2unl8xzi9qp2thKoLPlRUNof13BxuNm1norwLWzkSRt0mfkMu4deqyHeJUaE2mzj6RNwN59lFInY-AoBMDQpIOtou8wnXRASZ5uUTrbSj3284/s1600/20130528_124521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObUMCSLHZgNdC6BjoNSvVn_jUt4F_ROP2unl8xzi9qp2thKoLPlRUNof13BxuNm1norwLWzkSRt0mfkMu4deqyHeJUaE2mzj6RNwN59lFInY-AoBMDQpIOtou8wnXRASZ5uUTrbSj3284/s320/20130528_124521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo2AF4KEKIwZE33JPZ0CsbCyx8ffMc0l8XRcqj5uzfLvT5ecGrTMSXugukSHgeO0HkJpSGJgux4FfdySdj1WpzeDWQe7_OuhlPUB-ThOuMHZv-veK3tcgUMGX4fo2sLBbFANA-5lqIvcS/s1600/477833_10200214590387793_1203543669_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo2AF4KEKIwZE33JPZ0CsbCyx8ffMc0l8XRcqj5uzfLvT5ecGrTMSXugukSHgeO0HkJpSGJgux4FfdySdj1WpzeDWQe7_OuhlPUB-ThOuMHZv-veK3tcgUMGX4fo2sLBbFANA-5lqIvcS/s320/477833_10200214590387793_1203543669_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBPHjiXTfzR34NbJGzu2B7Oe0Rw36UkrLDhBizqief7Rgamca9hU2d9jd2SQMEjT4ZnEtdnTB9ngvnpOKgmn4LatbGRstiB96MH4QsXlwas2PLho5ZLtzabBDPf50iWsNxall-dKQzspY/s1600/382747_10200214596507946_369349382_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBPHjiXTfzR34NbJGzu2B7Oe0Rw36UkrLDhBizqief7Rgamca9hU2d9jd2SQMEjT4ZnEtdnTB9ngvnpOKgmn4LatbGRstiB96MH4QsXlwas2PLho5ZLtzabBDPf50iWsNxall-dKQzspY/s320/382747_10200214596507946_369349382_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Early the next morning we had breakfast (stuffed french toast with praline
topping). After stuffing our faces, we walked the Garden District, toured an
old cemetery, shopped the boutiques of Magazine Street and rode the St. Charles
Street Car line from end to end, and all before lunch. We then had Jambalaya,
Muffalettas (traditional New Orleans sandwich) and Hurricanes at an outdoor
cafe in the French Market. We also stuffed our faces with Beignets and cafe au
lait at the world-famous Cafe Du Monde. We also toured the oldest building in
New Orleans, a convent- to our surprise, there was a pair of old Pontiac
droptops in the parking lot- the Le Mans was sold by a dealer named
"Bishop-Criste"- so maybe it's not so odd to see it at a Church.
Since the Big Easy is also a gambling town, we spent some time at Harrah's
before calling it a day. The next morning, after adjusting our seatbelts to
account for our widened waistlines, we made the trek to Arlington, TX. We just
checked into the hotel.<br />
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<br />
Tomorrow, we are planning on touring Cowboy Stadium
and hitting Six Flags Over Texas on Friday.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>May 30th: Part I Pre-Power Tour Continued- Tooling around Arlington/Dallas</b><br />
<br />
Today was the start of our exploration of the Dallas/Arlington area. But,
before we did anything, we had to get a few hundred miles worth of bugs, dust,
dirt and grime off the Acadian. Fortunately, our friends, Jake, Brenda, Lori,
Tim, Fred and Kym had already arranged for a mobile detailer to come to the
hotel first thing this morning and thoroughly wash the cars.<br />
<br />
Once the Acadian was clean, we head<span class="textexposedshow">ed into the
arts district of Downtown Dallas and met one of my client contacts for lunch at
a new restaruant called "Lark on the Park." The walls of the
restaurant are covered in chalkboards that have large murals drawn on them by
local artists. Every three months, the boards are wiped down and a new batch of
artists comes in and creates a completely new set of drawings. There was a
really cool picture of a classic roadster ripping down a windy road. In
addition to the semi-permanent art, the food was excellent. Everything was
fresh and they offered a basil lime cooler, which really hit the spot.</span><br />
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<span class="textexposedshow"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5uPZMguePtyqaBUHt6i0cGh-eDztDxq_bex7pr8RhwML9gimMJCkTYI6O99I3Oaqwm3kGgJQfPQDV_LzaPeNaGCH8AUFbq0CUOh4ZnruE_NyILhxAaI3IEOQcWUkQlzTm0xb3e0WFp-D/s1600/5383_189469094541879_902117777_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5uPZMguePtyqaBUHt6i0cGh-eDztDxq_bex7pr8RhwML9gimMJCkTYI6O99I3Oaqwm3kGgJQfPQDV_LzaPeNaGCH8AUFbq0CUOh4ZnruE_NyILhxAaI3IEOQcWUkQlzTm0xb3e0WFp-D/s320/5383_189469094541879_902117777_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<br />
After lunch we decided to add a bit of culture to the trip and took in the
wide range of works at the Nasher Sculpture Center. There were works by Rodin,
Gaugin, among others. Our particular favorites were a giant typewriter eraser
and a scupture made of small bars of aluminum that were welded together and
formed a figure in a cloud of metal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2Jlaz15f57f94fP5s2vGsS3BapO74gBbcrmxVOmISJ2APqiy4Hc1e0NcxywMq8pA8mtX-ZNhQDSZSExkS8fmVCOOLzeYxN2tqCINJNxFgnmHnjWA82o8BGYnzFa5d32mUCtEzceWtocH/s1600/943301_189469057875216_452146701_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="717" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2Jlaz15f57f94fP5s2vGsS3BapO74gBbcrmxVOmISJ2APqiy4Hc1e0NcxywMq8pA8mtX-ZNhQDSZSExkS8fmVCOOLzeYxN2tqCINJNxFgnmHnjWA82o8BGYnzFa5d32mUCtEzceWtocH/s320/943301_189469057875216_452146701_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Our final stop was Cowboy Stadium. It is truly a marvel of engineering.
Without belaboring the trivia, the jumbotron screen is nearly 12,000 square
feet- enough area to park 48 cars. The VIP tour was excellent. We got to see
one of the skyboxes, Jerry Jones' viewing "perch", the Cowboys'
locker room and the Cheerleaders' locker room, PLUS we got to walk on the
field. The scale of the place is unfathomable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pAixmUoWlcqIbAiBxKtHWaoeJ-GShbzfZIO39Q3OL6me1hPSpCOJSaBfshd7ktco4sle8JW1w8zdGIf5_D_KgIrgn3GE9EzsQYfEeqjgGLUqO94FMjOBv2Azn9sY58Uw3NKJLpF3cM11/s1600/464569_189469064541882_19591259_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pAixmUoWlcqIbAiBxKtHWaoeJ-GShbzfZIO39Q3OL6me1hPSpCOJSaBfshd7ktco4sle8JW1w8zdGIf5_D_KgIrgn3GE9EzsQYfEeqjgGLUqO94FMjOBv2Azn9sY58Uw3NKJLpF3cM11/s320/464569_189469064541882_19591259_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALO4E4nlnYAlSEW2jny0CL_zAWNtjz2Red9dEYRZxmgcawy6ufvUwziwEQKv5QE1x1wL1BFCZ2NzdJ66UXZm_LHOorsRzsmDh8UO2ssu4Ib_TJn5IItyHFU5D7DV7tjgDPw87C94n7ppc/s1600/705124_189469067875215_407699553_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALO4E4nlnYAlSEW2jny0CL_zAWNtjz2Red9dEYRZxmgcawy6ufvUwziwEQKv5QE1x1wL1BFCZ2NzdJ66UXZm_LHOorsRzsmDh8UO2ssu4Ib_TJn5IItyHFU5D7DV7tjgDPw87C94n7ppc/s320/705124_189469067875215_407699553_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately, the Tour claimed its first minor casualty. Apparently, some
lady cut between Tim and Fred and accelerated into the back of Fred's '96
Impala. Fortunately, no one was hurt, the car is driveable, and the damage
"doesn't look that bad." Tour On!!! Besides, dents add character.<br />
<br />
<b>May 31: Pre-Power Tour- Final</b><br />
<br />
Today was the last day before the Power Tour officially starts. Tara and I took
the trolley from our hotel right to Six Flags' doorstep. We certainly made the
most of our time at the park. We got there as soon as it opened and didn't leave
until they made us. Tara was a trooper and rode a few coasters that were
outside her comfort zone, including one called Pandemonium which looked like a
mild coaster until we realized that the upper part of <span class="textexposedshow">the car is on a "lazy susan" and rotated independently
of the rest of the ride. I rode everything that was open.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYiHbUnZwHV4ZxldOrvil-ZCOsuhCM_z6P4KfwoA04E5TTIpczosgfQdRG50G6TYXhvFJ2Vpz13p6OO723SvQJW6ttWhnS_VXXfsIf5TN4_fyFBJZPMkyBU1UWdYEZvczoXf-khDnJ4Ia/s1600/603060_189883147833807_2139078836_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYiHbUnZwHV4ZxldOrvil-ZCOsuhCM_z6P4KfwoA04E5TTIpczosgfQdRG50G6TYXhvFJ2Vpz13p6OO723SvQJW6ttWhnS_VXXfsIf5TN4_fyFBJZPMkyBU1UWdYEZvczoXf-khDnJ4Ia/s320/603060_189883147833807_2139078836_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="textexposedshow">The coolest two rides
were the Titan (the tallest coaster in TX) and Mr. Freeze's Reverse Blast (I
posted some pictures, but you have to youtube it to get the full effect!!!).
It's a mag-induction coaster which shoots you BACKWARDS from 0- to Really fast
in 4 sec. It then goes straight into what can best be described as a 90-degree
vertical hairpin, then around a bend and up a vertical track until it loses
momentum and does the entire thing again- this time forward. I rode the front.
We also rode the antique cars that were part of the park since the 60s. It was
really a lot of fun.</span><br />
<br />
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<span class="textexposedshow"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSL8riONattarlvKBqpOqX_6NRPzZVDanTLfyPBNa48mX9HzQxa08jvfpJ_Z3tLVjUAexCeBFQpYfAWjnFmwsWspdjG6FSx7m-7hi0_EJDZN4GsJ2xZ6u9FSO5iKWUlsahyphenhyphengHMfenVlMS7/s1600/964768_189883154500473_181050006_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSL8riONattarlvKBqpOqX_6NRPzZVDanTLfyPBNa48mX9HzQxa08jvfpJ_Z3tLVjUAexCeBFQpYfAWjnFmwsWspdjG6FSx7m-7hi0_EJDZN4GsJ2xZ6u9FSO5iKWUlsahyphenhyphengHMfenVlMS7/s320/964768_189883154500473_181050006_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
After leaving the park, we met the rest of our group for dinner at the Trail
Dust Steakhouse. It's walking distance from the hotel and the desk clerk gushed
over it. It was decent, but the company we were with made it great. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWFwfm_RrBQgIRN-786-_PYuEyBB6TW5usDXcVP5-TG9S65ZGSKtWBxvHAW3bft4KbvsFn2607LhxT03ff3E8KiWbpPn5lhZ2dn7RUTTAGy9hA-uV3Qp0dB_zCIQ5C25vv0QhYOTW2XqZ/s1600/983882_190266411128814_961282789_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWFwfm_RrBQgIRN-786-_PYuEyBB6TW5usDXcVP5-TG9S65ZGSKtWBxvHAW3bft4KbvsFn2607LhxT03ff3E8KiWbpPn5lhZ2dn7RUTTAGy9hA-uV3Qp0dB_zCIQ5C25vv0QhYOTW2XqZ/s320/983882_190266411128814_961282789_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>After dinner, Tara and I took the opportunity to walk through the nearby
hotels' parking lots. On the eve of the Tour, with cars rolling in all day, the
lots all look like car shows. In just a few spaces we saw a 72 Cuda with a 512
CI six pack, a '68 GTX, beautiful custom 66 Nova, and two gorgeous LS powered
cars- a 40ish Willys owned by Canadians we met back in 2011 and and a sweet
black/red 67 Camaro. We even got a chance to catch up and swap Power Tour
stories with people we saw on the 2011 Tour. The best tales that come with
Power Tour are usually of catastrophic failures (trust me on this one) but
coupled with amazing local people who come to the rescue and go above and
beyond!! <br />
<br />
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<br />
Tomorrow we head to UT Arlington to kick off the show!!<br />
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">June 1: Power Tour Day 1- Arlington,
TX (University of Texas at Arlington)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We spent the morning getting the
cars ready for the first day of Power Tour. For Tara, that meant wiping down
the car with dry wash and a bit of underhood cleaning. For Tim it meant
swapping the radio in the Monte Carlo before helping Jake tackle a header
gasket and pesky exhaust leak. Jared got a quick wash from Benny, the mobile
detailer. I'm not sure about the "shortcut" they must have taken to get
here in time, he had more hay in his grille than a stable. Once everything was
squared away, we made the short trip to the UT Arlington Campus. Registration
was a breeze and once the 2013 Long Hauler stickers were in place, we went on
to be part of the spectacle that is the Hot Rod Power Tour. </span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There were over 1,500 cars coming
and going throughout the day. Tara got a great spot by a grassy area with a big
tree for shade. Fortunately, before it got too hot out, we got a small rain
shower that brought the temperature back to bearable. After clocking in at the
timeclocks, Jared, Jerry and I walked the manufacturer's midway and collected
all the excellent "freebie" stuff for long haulers: hats, tote bags,
posters, t-shirts and enough coozies to insulate a 12 pack.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKl1M_zorxNlsWrZbic8cmUCdZyKlJRH18BLBzDLig2bWIcmTTaAWFE9Kfc6CAFt8b4XX20LBgrS9mMU9JcCl-IQp1mnH_IrzdDNf3dCUNJwPlODH7B6vEbqS3uzJe-T9rYn566SEYsc8/s1600/977323_190266894462099_553854358_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKl1M_zorxNlsWrZbic8cmUCdZyKlJRH18BLBzDLig2bWIcmTTaAWFE9Kfc6CAFt8b4XX20LBgrS9mMU9JcCl-IQp1mnH_IrzdDNf3dCUNJwPlODH7B6vEbqS3uzJe-T9rYn566SEYsc8/s320/977323_190266894462099_553854358_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One of the most fun things about the
tour is seeing the variety of cars. There is definitely something for everyone.
From the third Hang 10 Dart I have ever seen to a diesel powered Chevelle SS
(rumored to have over 500 hp and 1,000 lbs of Torque). There were Camaros that
were restored back to factory condition as well as some that had modifications
to every aspect of the car (check out the picture of the blue Camaro and the
close up of his "inset" door handles). People really go all out to
bring some unique cars. We even saw 2 Pintos, and both a Gremlin X and a Pacer
X.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PcMBhn5UENLIpyZrSCaQTm9Y7Pcb5Al7yJVz0AIhztDZtqVk6bPTH8oRYFveKLWSxoVb4KZTCNuMHOSyoZoWy1N54mG1yGJmtWRyo7PEmp6VKT-63jd4LvGiXR3cqzDnd1AwmSdbSGPn/s1600/7279_10200232311870819_1912867540_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PcMBhn5UENLIpyZrSCaQTm9Y7Pcb5Al7yJVz0AIhztDZtqVk6bPTH8oRYFveKLWSxoVb4KZTCNuMHOSyoZoWy1N54mG1yGJmtWRyo7PEmp6VKT-63jd4LvGiXR3cqzDnd1AwmSdbSGPn/s320/7279_10200232311870819_1912867540_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAM4CM2oEuw9_pg6YaR6iLMvYVV7-MjnS6kWL3ASam_e_6Sp91jgOBTPmrd21ZMxBFjSX5myv-0CvAIC7z6O9Egaw7dvP_526S4nlj_47oC0otJLcpr4S3YAMF-Of3lA7Gm0Vbx22WzEX/s1600/964793_191825104306278_1198771048_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAM4CM2oEuw9_pg6YaR6iLMvYVV7-MjnS6kWL3ASam_e_6Sp91jgOBTPmrd21ZMxBFjSX5myv-0CvAIC7z6O9Egaw7dvP_526S4nlj_47oC0otJLcpr4S3YAMF-Of3lA7Gm0Vbx22WzEX/s320/964793_191825104306278_1198771048_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite it being his first Power
Tour, Jared jumped right into the mix and seized the opportunity to have his
Challenger Dyno'd. He managed a respectable 334 rwhp (not bad considering he
was running 87 octane at the time). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After spending a few hours talking
with tons of car crazy people including a few familiar faces from home: Rick
and Lisa with their green Dart Sport and Larry with the black 396 Nova, plus a
few others, we headed back to the hotel, but the day was far from over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We did a quick shower and clothes
change and were back on the road to the Coyote Drive In theater in Ft. Worth
for a special showing of "American Grafitti." Much to my surprise,
the theater was not some old relic from the 60s, but a completely new facility
with 3 screens, a pretty gourmet snack bar, and even a few food trucks. We
pulled up right alongside the resto of our group. The weather was perfect, and
it was a sight to see all of the classic and performance cars watching one of
the most iconic hot rod movies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tomorrow, we hit the road for the
first leg of the Tour: Arlington to Texarkana. </span></div>
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<b>June 2: First Leg- Arlington, TX to Texarkana, AR (231.2 mi.)</b><br />
<br />
We hit the road early this morning. The weather was amazing. It was in the mid-70s
for the duration of our run. I know it seems that I am harping on the weather a
lot, but that's mainly because I expected to be roasting the entire trip, but
so far, it's been great.<br />
<br />
Today's route consisted of about 30 miles of highway driving and the rest on
rural 2 and 4 lane roads through a number of small Texas towns. Texans are
extreme and the speed limits on most of these roads was 70. We caught up with
the 512 Six Pack 'Cuda and '68 Coronet we saw in Arlington and followed them
for a few miles. Eventually, tired of the "you know what Mopar stands
for..." from Lori over the radio, we passed them and continued along. We
then ended up alongside a Mustang Gasser named WarHorse. Tara and I had no
choice but to lay the hammer down. The Acadian's tires didn't spin once and I
jumped out in front of him by a pretty good length (Really... I have proof look
at the picture from our rear window). <br />
<br />
Our group of five cars eventually picked up a few others as we went and
managed to grow to a pretty good size caravan. We even had a 70 Trans Am stick
with us after he lost the rest of his group.<br />
<br />
We drove through some scenic towns with narrow streets and storefronts that
looked straight out of American Graffiti. After a few hours, we decided to
start planning for a lunch stop. However, cell service was spotty at best, so
Lori's restaurant App was out of commission and the GPS didn't see far enough
ahead to be helpful. We ultimately decided to turn into the nearest place we
saw with parking for everyone. At 70 mph, this is easier said than done. At the
command of "Turn, Turn, Turn, I snapped the Acadian up the driveway of
Tommy's Bar B Q, a family run place just outside of Linden. Tommy was there at
the door to greet us. He explained that food is served "like the high
school cafeteria- take your plate and tray and order." However, the food
had nothing in common with the stuff served by the lunch lady. The brisket and
greens were amazing. <br />
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<br />
After filling our bellies, we filled the gas tanks and made our way to our
destination- Four States Fairgrounds. Lori managed to get us some primo spots
along the front row and right next to a shaded porch. I clocked us in and Tara
and I walked the whole showfield. Pictures do not do justice to the insane
amount of cars and people at the venues. There were thousands of cars entering
in a steady stream throughout the day. We ran into the 70 Trans Am guy and he
showed us pictures of the how the car looked when he got it (it was a planter).
Other highlights included a Lingenfelter LS powered Nova, Vipers, a truck with
twin blowers and, the holy grail of Mopar performance, a real R code 1971 4
speed Hemi 'Cuda.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WJarYlnK8kgPUJmREY5G3ZtQv9IblJT3a-N1_80qGsDQHdho5hZSsBueHzsVSJ5ORSgKWztz9iM6jiCk2KxCImUDFIhkPtjQP-AKdZEC1ajlhyphenhyphenoZwAEpo1xFaoJMdnGmy_GA7z-MakJ9/s1600/980503_10200232310950796_24547557_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WJarYlnK8kgPUJmREY5G3ZtQv9IblJT3a-N1_80qGsDQHdho5hZSsBueHzsVSJ5ORSgKWztz9iM6jiCk2KxCImUDFIhkPtjQP-AKdZEC1ajlhyphenhyphenoZwAEpo1xFaoJMdnGmy_GA7z-MakJ9/s320/980503_10200232310950796_24547557_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Jared, Jerry, Tara and I left the show around 6:00, checked into the hotel
and then met our friends Don, Dwight, Carol for dinner. The first two places we
planned to go were highly recommended on Yelp and were both closed on Sunday.
We ended up with Plan "C"- Carino's Italian. It's a chain, but not one
we have in Florida, so we figured it fell within the no chain rule. It was very
disappointing. Olive Garden is more authentic. On top of that, it took over two
hours to get served and it looked like they put Ketchup on the spaghetti.<br />
<br />
The night got better once we returned to the hotel. The night was cool and
clear and between our hotel and the one right next to it, there were over 100
show cars to see and people to talk to while enjoying the night air. Tara spent
most of the time answering questions about the Acadian. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow we head to Little Rock, AR.<br />
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<b>June 3: Second Leg: Texarkana, AR to Little Rock, AR (178.6 miles)</b><br />
<br />
Today's run was one of the most fun ones we have done in two and a half
Power Tours. The morning weather was 67 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The
run was mostly two and four lane rural roads through the foothills of the
Ouachita Mountains. The route primarily consisted of twisting, turning winding
roads up and down the hills. FUN!!! Tara took a great picture of the row of
cars that comprised our small group reflected in the passenger side mirror as
we climbed. <br />
<br />
The route took us through Hot Springs, AR. Lori decided to call the Hot
Springs Chamber of Commerce and find out what sights were worth seeing.
Initially, the Chamber had a difficult time because they were not familiar with
the road numbers Lori was giving them for our route. Once she hung up with Hot
Springs, SD, she called the right Hot Springs' Chamber and was told of the Hot
Springs mountain observatory tower just off the main Power Tour route. The road
up to the tower was super fun. It was a short climb, but it was full of sharp
hairpin turns, wider banked turns and several blind curves with elevation
changes. All along a densely wooded mountain. I certainly took full advantage
of the performance front suspension Don installed after the 2011 Power Tour.
Jared came over the radio and said it was one of the most fun roads he had
driven (I may have to suggest that he detour from the Chattanooga to Charlotte
route and drive the Tail of the Dragon). Once at the top of the mountain, we
took in the great view of the valley below and mountains in the distance. Then
we all agreed to take another lap. This time Jared installed his GoPro and got
some good footage as we whipped up the mountain again.<br />
<br />
Second lap completed; it was time to get back on the route. We left Hot
Springs and started looking for a lunch stop. We came across "Molly
O'Brien's" and the parking lot was full of locals and a few Power Tour
Cars. We knew it would be worth the stop. As one would expect from a place
named "Molly O'Brien's" the specialty of the house was pizza and
ribs. They had a $6.99 pizza, soup and salad buffet that was excellent!! We sat
on the patio and piled empty plate on empty plate as we watched Power Tour car
after Power Tour car roar down the road. Even after seeing thousands of cars at
each venue and driving alongside these guys for hours, it's still impressive to
see and hear classic muscle cars, hot rods, ZR1 Vettes and assorted other cars
roar by.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXT0ImlWd7oJLSvf4Kr_36c2VTHGjCdulzQgSXqLSfUlQpSj8CfTuoGUnLLsvai0dy4XJ77iLhhIAsk-rl7a1aW8_2wiZJvJsK_SpcwWrI74NPMt8DtD-Gmacbv7mp6YmnZPlpI68tctg/s1600/992951_191058771049578_1252393023_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXT0ImlWd7oJLSvf4Kr_36c2VTHGjCdulzQgSXqLSfUlQpSj8CfTuoGUnLLsvai0dy4XJ77iLhhIAsk-rl7a1aW8_2wiZJvJsK_SpcwWrI74NPMt8DtD-Gmacbv7mp6YmnZPlpI68tctg/s320/992951_191058771049578_1252393023_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>After lunch, we headed to the State Fair Grounds to clock in, pick up some
more daily freebie stuff and check out the cars. Again, Lori worked her magic
and got us a great spot up front and near a shade tree. I clocked in and then
showed off the car to the Comp Cams guys and scored one of the limited parking
passes for their Beale Street night cruise. Having accomplished the required
stuff, Jared, Jerry and I walked the entire show field and drooled over some of
the local cars that had not been on the previous leg. Among my favorites were a
1970 440 six pack Limelight 'Cuda, a Buick Wildcat convertible with cheetah
print seat inserts (I saw this car at night in Arlington, but today it had the
top down in full sun). There were also four white Trans Ams, one of each
generation...sort of-look closely at the pictures of the '69). <br />
<br />
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We left the venue around 4:00. Even then, cars were streaming in. Our hotel
which was perfectly located right along the riverfront in downtown Little Rock.
The hotel had an underground garage with some fairly tight and angled spaces,
but I found a perfect one right against an equipment room so could back
straight in with the regular car in the next space angled away from us. <br />
<br />
We met everyone for happy hour in the concierge lounge. We heard a rumor
about a car show at River Front Park and the hotel shuttle dropped us off, but
there was nothing going on. Jared and Jerry went for Pizza. Tara and I, having
had more than our fair share of pizza for lunch, decided to walk back to the
hotel since it was another perfect weather night. We didn't get very far. We
stopped at the Marriott and talked cars with Brian, the owner of the Orange 512
six pack 'Cuda we have seen so many times. I finally got to see the motor:600+
rwhp on 87 octane and it has AC. He and his buddy with the '68 Coronet
convertible are from NC and shared some moonshine as we swapped Power Tour
stories.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow we leave even earlier than normal and head to Memphis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>June 4: Third Leg, Little Rock, AR to Memphis, TN (201 miles)</b><br />
<br />
We decided to leave the hotel early and get breakfast at a small breakfast
place in Cabot, just outside Little Rock. Since it was Jerry's birthday, Lori
called ahead, and the restaurant made him a short stack of birthday pancakes
complete with candle.<br />
<br />
Today's route is the traditional Power Tour route that includes lots of
cornfields. We passed a crop duster in action and the entire line of cars slowed
down to 35 in order to watch this guy drop to ten feet off the ground, hit his
sprayer, climb a second before hitting the tree line, and then whip around <br />
in a
tight banking turn for another pass. A few miles down the road, we passed three
of the crop dusters on the ground by their hangar. We decided to get gas and
then turn around for a photo opportunity. Apparently, the 50 cars that were
running in that particular area all decided to swarm on this particular Citgo
and it was an instant car show. In the blink of an eye, the station was out of
supreme and mid-grade, and was getting low on the cheap stuff too. They even
called their supplier in an effort to reroute a tanker.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXSEIKdYkTxr_shcqjosy-z1F8shGkyHNz-3Noynts8hS2ugEXAfQ8xeivmlPg0xpCqlLff9RlW1wL1RDqboDp5vcCe4EN3_Bfd0MZe8cr3W8fR9akXdABZMDVGhOs0GpANaqd2_TePnq/s1600/20130604_094330.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXSEIKdYkTxr_shcqjosy-z1F8shGkyHNz-3Noynts8hS2ugEXAfQ8xeivmlPg0xpCqlLff9RlW1wL1RDqboDp5vcCe4EN3_Bfd0MZe8cr3W8fR9akXdABZMDVGhOs0GpANaqd2_TePnq/s320/20130604_094330.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
After getting gas, Tara and I split off from our group to go get some
pictures with the cropdusters. I think they may be my favorites of the ones
taken so far. We followed the Hot Rod route. This one required a lot of
navigating by Tara because most of the roads were not on the map. It wasn't
until after we successfully navigated the route backed to a marked road that we
and realized Hot Rod sent us 40 miles out of the way only to double back.
Regardless, we found the racetrack, got parked, clocked in and watched a few
races. While the run on the route was breezy, it was hot at the drag strip,
mostly due to the fact that the venue was on asphalt and there were no shade
trees. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau6juGDYy2Ibjvvul05LvEicwNp0F5EZJm71Z8_8mGT7d4AmRGk-LqkLGGTyUMNw7xOSxGtUELVqbI02J8dT_WfYahT1JZyOaSv9sFXQyY3JVLSfpy-ehQWfs6Kj-a-60GoB2MgVdAE3S/s1600/292569_191467131008742_496654602_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="717" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau6juGDYy2Ibjvvul05LvEicwNp0F5EZJm71Z8_8mGT7d4AmRGk-LqkLGGTyUMNw7xOSxGtUELVqbI02J8dT_WfYahT1JZyOaSv9sFXQyY3JVLSfpy-ehQWfs6Kj-a-60GoB2MgVdAE3S/s320/292569_191467131008742_496654602_n.jpg" width="239" /></a>After about an hour at the track in the heat, we had our fill and decided to
head to the hotel, freshen up and meet back up with the rest of our group
(Jake, Brenda, Jared and Jerry went to Graceland).<br />
<br />
Our friend Scott Shanks met
up with us, sans his highly modified and awesome '70 Challenger convertible.
It'll be fun to run with him again, even if he's in his brand-new Charger. <br />
For the evening activities, Comp Cams set up a cruise night on Beale Street
and gave out 100 passes for vehicles to park on Beale, our group accounted for
four of them. Not only did we get premier parking, we were given a police
escort from the drag strip to Beale. It took a little longer than planned, but
it was a cool experience. It's not often you get to run red lights with
impunity. <br />
<br />
Once we got to downtown Memphis, we got the car parked, found Lori and the
rest of our group and headed to "Charles Vergo's Rendezvous", a world-famous
Memphis BBQ place. It's tucked away in an alley, but you can't miss the smell
of the smoke. They accepted our reservation of 16, which we later expanded to
19 by adding the guy with the 512 'Cuda and some of his buddies. They really
appreciated the invite since they were planning on BBQ and would have missed
the BEST!! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBmrDGkzVXXrQXBz7y5AtBtSZg4lUmFL4PY5fsXs21srq8FEOCEODAgf4Kz2ubyJ-hjI_oZO-3CJyG9gkHi7WtoDXBQuE9B21_k2nPm42xjn6JVlP6wSehNQwDEhjwRTesnto_Tz8wkF1/s1600/467546_191467384342050_1525792669_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBmrDGkzVXXrQXBz7y5AtBtSZg4lUmFL4PY5fsXs21srq8FEOCEODAgf4Kz2ubyJ-hjI_oZO-3CJyG9gkHi7WtoDXBQuE9B21_k2nPm42xjn6JVlP6wSehNQwDEhjwRTesnto_Tz8wkF1/s320/467546_191467384342050_1525792669_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After gorging ourselves on some of the best barbecue ever, Tara and I spent
the rest of the night walking Beale street, having a few drinks and talking to
tons of people, many of whom we had met on previous Power Tours. Another
Orlando cruiser, Don Bonser, managed to work his way onto Beale with his Holden
Ute. He was instantly mobbed. In fact, when security told us the party was over
and we had to leave the street, it took him over 20 minutes to get into his car
due to all the people asking him about it. He even met a couple from Australia
who happened to be in Memphis and own a Ute of their own back home.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sywMp4GqkM9yoZ-MPZxzjP4TZvEpLtkSSc0juB41GvsOHpenycqBTpGuEMRLJ0-yNIKPaH6ZK9TjMYElDlYwz-I6QIMrOibhK4p-CxBI24gni9AFgyWWZKfvzXv8cjXr7f7_jFROKklT/s1600/424661_191467457675376_1845403008_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sywMp4GqkM9yoZ-MPZxzjP4TZvEpLtkSSc0juB41GvsOHpenycqBTpGuEMRLJ0-yNIKPaH6ZK9TjMYElDlYwz-I6QIMrOibhK4p-CxBI24gni9AFgyWWZKfvzXv8cjXr7f7_jFROKklT/s320/424661_191467457675376_1845403008_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Tomorrow, it's on to Birmingham and the midpoint of the Power Tour.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>June 5: Memphis, TN to Birmingham, AL (296.4 miles)</b><br />
<br />
After a fairly late night on Beale St., we got up early and hit the road for
Birmingham. Lori and Tim, along with Jake and Brenda, took the direct route
because Tim was scheduled to be in the Comp Cams engine builders' challenge.
Tara, Jared/Jake, Scott and I drove the Power Tour's suggested route. It was
another beautiful morning (66 degrees and sunny). The route took us along some
more hilly roads through small towns in Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. At
one point, we ended up stuck behind a truck hauling a large piece of equipment
and going 30 mph. While it slowed us down, it also stacked up the power tour
cars behind us into a solid line of show cars. Eventually, he pulled off the
road and we were back up to speed. Along the route, we passed many locals who
blew the day off of work to watch and wave at the cars as they passed. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJVYcv0FYZvy5tbjZoZc5EmAZTIqLzEVomjhLN26dWruMILp8wc4QLfHvRH9DUkGbu53Be__paPO5bvIECxWxBnVec6k2WdgQYRMlOunyAPqr5bpZ6bVA4LeRSVhjUdT0pYbFatPl_8Qm/s1600/983728_190266984462090_2000765297_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJVYcv0FYZvy5tbjZoZc5EmAZTIqLzEVomjhLN26dWruMILp8wc4QLfHvRH9DUkGbu53Be__paPO5bvIECxWxBnVec6k2WdgQYRMlOunyAPqr5bpZ6bVA4LeRSVhjUdT0pYbFatPl_8Qm/s320/983728_190266984462090_2000765297_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We took a minor detour to check out the Pickwick Dam on the Tennessee River.
It was built in 1935 and has a working hydroelectric power plant. We got some
pretty good dam pictures before a healthy rain shower hit. We got back on the
route and eventually out of the rain. Tara found a cool steakhouse (right next
to the stockyard, so you know the beef is fresh) and we had lunch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rUT9uYytJHy2-jk4tjdVzRkKOc8KVSRtPizVGcNz2exEO9yOwteI-8Az_9Rz7U0hto9agRy0NAAw9PzyEQiac1VgcwtALBiQz-7OjRPm6OOQCv4LfePtydKR6ARR-xH1hjdA1uzycTuq/s1600/20130605_131708.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rUT9uYytJHy2-jk4tjdVzRkKOc8KVSRtPizVGcNz2exEO9yOwteI-8Az_9Rz7U0hto9agRy0NAAw9PzyEQiac1VgcwtALBiQz-7OjRPm6OOQCv4LfePtydKR6ARR-xH1hjdA1uzycTuq/s320/20130605_131708.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After lunch, we came across a car enthusiast's playground-- an antique car
junk yard. When we pulled up, only a few other people had stopped, but by the
time we left, there were almost as may show cars along the road as there were
relics in the yard. The owner was an 81-year-old guy who had been collecting
for a while.<br />
<br />
The cars were sorted by make and were all pretty solid looking
bodies. I was particularly taken with a 58 Chevy Yeoman wagon. The patina on
the car was awesome and I had visions of how it would look with a LS9 under the
hood. I took a closer look in the back only to find a factory under dash A/C
unit for a 66-67 Nova. Initially, the only way the guy would sell the unit was
if we bought the whole car. It was pretty tempting, given that I was already
considering how cool it would be to own the wagon. The only problem is that we
had no way to get it home. [If anyone happens to be planning to pass near
Moulton, AL with a truck and trailer in the near future, let me know.] After a
little work and some tweaking by Scott, the guy decided to sell Tara her prize
and we were on our way. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04i-DrUI2Xz91VkrxQoB7dp3rNRfr2zg1r-wUGvN2YEUZwX_59LOLteaC2nNtUAV0ok3NiI5OzBzKDJPJRBZ6o0j01Rstnuu8gVw0MbCctduAMGX0qEuWrsHD39g4vo9llMsTLExelwY4/s1600/20130605_134652-1-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="624" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04i-DrUI2Xz91VkrxQoB7dp3rNRfr2zg1r-wUGvN2YEUZwX_59LOLteaC2nNtUAV0ok3NiI5OzBzKDJPJRBZ6o0j01Rstnuu8gVw0MbCctduAMGX0qEuWrsHD39g4vo9llMsTLExelwY4/s320/20130605_134652-1-1.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnEZT6Vlv5u3DCl1ho5O7WLHCK7SdxLKEz2iAcZpbPaAf22g1B74gABUVTchmE4-H0z-YflMc1d4mCqQvlm6LQLRP8i_foUtHeo2lAgDCjfWCCimhjgPmxdRWkGkwJMHJXTxtuCkBobeg/s1600/image-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnEZT6Vlv5u3DCl1ho5O7WLHCK7SdxLKEz2iAcZpbPaAf22g1B74gABUVTchmE4-H0z-YflMc1d4mCqQvlm6LQLRP8i_foUtHeo2lAgDCjfWCCimhjgPmxdRWkGkwJMHJXTxtuCkBobeg/s320/image-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>By then, the rain we had outrun caught up to us with a vengeance. We ran the
last 40 or so miles in pouring rain- the weather feature of our walkie talkies
even warned of potential for flash floods. To our amazement, despite the heavy
downpour, the venue itself was clear and stayed that way. Best yet, the cloud
cover kept the heat down. We got to see Tim and his partner take second place
in the engine building competition. Jared tried to enter his car in the
autocross event but missed the entry deadline by five minutes.<br />
<br />
As always there were some amazing cars, including some local ones that we
had not seen before. There was a modern Challenger with a supercharged 426
stroker motor that was over 700 rwhp and 800 lb ft of torque. It also had
custom paint that was top notch, if not a bit over the top. Tara ran into
Hollywood Howard, a Sanford car guy from way back. Having recently had his
prior Monte Carlo totaled, he found and built another just to run the HRPT. We
even caught a quick glimpse of a "Mac's Stage 3" Camaro with
Wisconsin plates that was built by our friend Scott McElroy at Horsepower Ranch
in Geneva. I'll have to try and get more pictures of it if I see it again.<br />
<br />
We left the venue and hit the hotel for happy hour and Taco night. The rain
hit for the rest of the night, so we decided to stay in and hang out in the
hotel. Once happy hour ended, Lori brought the porta-bar down and the party
kept going. Jared showed us a few of the pictures he got with his real camera
and Lori showed off the Hot Rod video (youtube) from Texarkana which included
snippets of the Acadian and Lori's Monte Carlo. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow is going to be another early day as we are heading to Chattanooga
and Tara wants to make a few side trips along the way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>June 6: Fifth leg- Birmingham, AL to Chattanooga, TN (194.3 miles)</b><br />
<br />
Before departing, we took an opportunity to wipe last night's rain off the
cars. We also discovered that the Acadian still has a water leak somewhere near
the firewall. Oh well, it will dry out.<br />
<br />
Amazingly, the foul weather we encountered yesterday was nowhere to be seen.
We had another uneventful cruise through the mountains of Alabama, Georgia, and
Tennessee. It was another great road full of ups, downs, <span class="textexposedshow">and twists. Tara found a small BBQ place called Thatcher's
just past the Georgia state line. The food was quick and delicious. Then, it
was back on the road to finish our run. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi872DYdvECHd-Orb3MUDSqwDKhMpROppPCFnwk99t5vX6KMq74zL7ygj37PNXMyi5VYD5ZRuC1L1vJdO-Ah0KQ86nAQuJ1qaa9vihIMwfxdwdcLPqeo5qPauEZo5NH4NuM96lWc-H0QQ1A/s1600/20130604_092809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi872DYdvECHd-Orb3MUDSqwDKhMpROppPCFnwk99t5vX6KMq74zL7ygj37PNXMyi5VYD5ZRuC1L1vJdO-Ah0KQ86nAQuJ1qaa9vihIMwfxdwdcLPqeo5qPauEZo5NH4NuM96lWc-H0QQ1A/s320/20130604_092809.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="textexposedshow">Tara, Jared, Jerry and I split from the
rest of our group and toured Ruby Falls and Lookout Mountain. It was also
worthwhile to give the brakes a chance to cool- When we pulled into the parking
lot, you could smell the brakes after heading down the twisting and winding
mountain roads. </span><br />
Ruby Falls was pretty neat. We took an elevator 400 feet down into the
mountain and then walked another 700 or so feet down to the falls. Inside the
cavern, it was 60 degrees. Along the way, there were a number of unique rock
formations. <br />
<br />
After our tour, we were back on the route and arrived at the venue,
Chattanooga State College with enough time to get clocked in, collect our
freebies and spend a few hours talking with more long haulers and a few locals
who were out for the day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CdNizjuACLL-B_Vx2U-N0RFTPs740aqB4AVpxlhYctOxRfDTbSmuQxP007L0rM1dVSiEwx-5uPFZChKowQbH-CuFGqNeEkzJHGGItIh4IuVPHbXnLmdKbN53rvyM88ehd85XDnrKBs2U/s1600/960008_192186840936771_1855824687_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CdNizjuACLL-B_Vx2U-N0RFTPs740aqB4AVpxlhYctOxRfDTbSmuQxP007L0rM1dVSiEwx-5uPFZChKowQbH-CuFGqNeEkzJHGGItIh4IuVPHbXnLmdKbN53rvyM88ehd85XDnrKBs2U/s320/960008_192186840936771_1855824687_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We headed out of the venue and straight to Coker Tire and Honest Charley's
Garage where they had an open house. The roads were closed, but we were able to
sneak down an alley into the main area. Tara then jumped out and found an
incredible parking spot directly in front of Honest Charley's. We got to tour
the Coker museum and shop and see them unveil a new hot rod they built. There
were some good food trucks and we grabbed a bite to eat. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uHBtjrM-lKzvg-cC3-LAo56gUICdRl4mPu-JkAvImxJtOwBko0lcWCOXORd0ScAaP2emb3yAp5m3e8SEQ-tgl7rdP3mV6NT67BAA98zpqs5e3cXZe3Ov77RBzUoZUP33rqDqbfaMcvcW/s1600/920949_192187204270068_502108175_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uHBtjrM-lKzvg-cC3-LAo56gUICdRl4mPu-JkAvImxJtOwBko0lcWCOXORd0ScAaP2emb3yAp5m3e8SEQ-tgl7rdP3mV6NT67BAA98zpqs5e3cXZe3Ov77RBzUoZUP33rqDqbfaMcvcW/s320/920949_192187204270068_502108175_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
We got to talking with Honest Charley's new upholstery guy Greg and he gave
Tara, Scot and me a private tour after they had closed the doors. We even got a
chance to pose for a picture with Corky (the MAN of Coker) and the other Greg
who runs Honest Charley's. It was excellent. As we were leaving, we ran into a
guy with a 1958 Chevy Yeoman Wagon!!! I told him about the one we found, and he
said it was a steal...maybe I need to make a trip back out to Alabama.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Tomorrow is our last and longest driving leg of the Tour, so we are leaving
extra early. Now that we are back in the Eastern time zone, it's even earlier!<br />
<br />
<b>June 7: Final Leg- Chattanooga, TN to Charlotte, NC (352.4 miles)</b><br />
<br />
This was the longest route and one of the most beautiful. To our surprise,
we woke to a bit of fog, but clear skies. We hit the road at 6:15 a.m. After
some brief highway time, we took a scenic road through the mountains and along
the Ocoee River. We stopped along a small waterfall for some quick photos and
then hit the road in search of breakfast. We ended up stopping at Waffle King,
which locals said was one of their chief hangouts. The food was good, but
nothing special. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWu8D2-RMdfKc_xRGAnMsBpWiGJE5Q9FCFmXuJXfL6tIiF1vu9yruCr55vgRo7tENHEkRdhEfoa1wqZ4JEwk4xfDSZSERxPDFLUIE08P6LvR0xHQ8fefE_P0eU4e_lMDkuAuBZAWhtFa6V/s1600/20130607_074200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWu8D2-RMdfKc_xRGAnMsBpWiGJE5Q9FCFmXuJXfL6tIiF1vu9yruCr55vgRo7tENHEkRdhEfoa1wqZ4JEwk4xfDSZSERxPDFLUIE08P6LvR0xHQ8fefE_P0eU4e_lMDkuAuBZAWhtFa6V/s320/20130607_074200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Once back on the road, we had a few more miles of winding road on the Great
Smoky Mountain Parkway. Instead of the tight twisties, this road had sweeping
S- curves down the mountain that were real fun at 55 mph. Unfortunately, after
that, we had 150 plus miles of nothing but straight highway to our destination.
We ran into some light rain, but it was not bad. <br />
<br />
Roush-Yates held an open house and served as an official Power Tour lunch
stop. The place was a madhouse and, although we fought traffic to get there, we
all decided to get back on the road rather than wait forever for a hot dog.<br />
<br />
Tara masterfully navigated our way out of the cluster and out to our
destination- ZMax dragway. This is by far the nicest and largest dragstrip I
have ever seen. We got parked quickly (we got a spot right next to a gorgeous
67 Nova. Lots of people enjoyed the opportunity to do the side by side compare
and contrast. Jerry and I went to get clocked in and pick up our freebies,
while Tara got the road grime off the car and Jared went to get his Challenger
Tech'd so that he could take a few runs down the quarter mile. Unfortunately,
our weather luck didn't hold out. We had about 10 minutes of torrential
downpour which put an end to the day's racing before Jared could get down the
track. This was also one of the first venues in three years where we could get
an aerial view of the cars. Even from the top of the grandstands, I couldn't
get more than 1/2 of the cars into the frame. The number and types of cars on
the trip is truly mind-blowing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGcmnw3-34m-X7Q8IKe-NAWB4tZdARWYV0zbq1LpjmnEfrcqwSFbLGv8CsEFt24rE9C9HQaJ1Kq4OV563FMro_I5CSvOTuJreedtNtDUEeRuvmNXk44_UsZghRTs09ZR2fJ0_1rM3gt4t/s1600/5551_10200256177187437_2005355613_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="717" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGcmnw3-34m-X7Q8IKe-NAWB4tZdARWYV0zbq1LpjmnEfrcqwSFbLGv8CsEFt24rE9C9HQaJ1Kq4OV563FMro_I5CSvOTuJreedtNtDUEeRuvmNXk44_UsZghRTs09ZR2fJ0_1rM3gt4t/s320/5551_10200256177187437_2005355613_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Since this was the end of the week, there were some big giveaways. One guy
won round trip transportation for his car to and from the Power Tour from Pilot
Transportation. Also, throughout the week Comp Cams gave out 25 "Golden
Tickets" to people who showed off their Comp Cams spirit. From these 25,
Comp selected one winner to receive a $10,000 Comp Cams shopping spree. Lori
got a ticket for her Sandwich Board and Mickey gloves and Don Hess, another
member of our band, won one for his panel wagon- Don won!!!! Maybe, he'll cut
Lori in on the prize since she booked his travel. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNyQezEjRCrhlEWot0kAJUtJK9ccaCN7Q11H5VxTfh7iSMpkMoDrGMXLB6rQGA-gESII-RsKbIDB6uC1ZvMHTwnnnNyBFlmwNmA1hB4huOAY1_alG5vZ45tbnw54HkKnY4Hz0vBs_M3gJ/s1600/964838_10200256164187112_1777398238_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNyQezEjRCrhlEWot0kAJUtJK9ccaCN7Q11H5VxTfh7iSMpkMoDrGMXLB6rQGA-gESII-RsKbIDB6uC1ZvMHTwnnnNyBFlmwNmA1hB4huOAY1_alG5vZ45tbnw54HkKnY4Hz0vBs_M3gJ/s320/964838_10200256164187112_1777398238_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After the giveaways, everyone met at the grandstands to watch 74 volunteers
line both sides of the drag strip in order to brake the world record for a simultaneous
burnout. The previous record was held by Australians at 69 cars. At the sound
of a horn, all 74 cars, including Don Bonser, lit their tires and kept em
smoking for 30 seconds!!! It's probably a little salt in the Aussies' wounds to
know that one of the record breakers was a Holden Ute. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcZzRiWLuuiuxf8lOn4TLhICYtqcDbxoP0QyUtj_H3lIojTbTmt4SVAfeY3fS8cBF-_nxWREp4nkaiD5l3FJ37A1_EuqiBejdiOJbIcSWEJKT8RsL9Fwh-CP_OcNh8cqYB3t34pp3he0Y/s1600/970991_192553904233398_1654299601_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcZzRiWLuuiuxf8lOn4TLhICYtqcDbxoP0QyUtj_H3lIojTbTmt4SVAfeY3fS8cBF-_nxWREp4nkaiD5l3FJ37A1_EuqiBejdiOJbIcSWEJKT8RsL9Fwh-CP_OcNh8cqYB3t34pp3he0Y/s320/970991_192553904233398_1654299601_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>Jerry, Jared, Tara, and I capped the night and the week off with dinner at
the Speedway Club at Lowes Motor Speedway across the street from the drag strip.
The Speedway Club is an exclusive restaurant on the club level of the Speedway.
It is ordinarily only open to Members (NASCAR and other racing bigwigs).
However, for tonight, Power Tour participants could enjoy fine dining with the
most spectacular view in Charlotte. The food was top notch and was a perfect
way to finish our week.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Tomorrow is the Long Hauler Ceremony and then we make the trek back home to
Orlando.<br />
<br />
<b>June 8: The End- Long Hauler's Ceremony and Ride Home</b><br />
<br />
It's hard to believe that two weeks have come and gone already. Today marked
the end of the Power Tour. We had breakfast and then it was back to the
dragstrip for the Long Hauler's Ceremony. It was a bit drizzly out, but the
parking lot was packed with cars. We'll have to wait for Hot Rod's final count,
but there looked to be close to 2,000 cars in the parking lot. <br />
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<br />
The Long Hauler's Ceremony essentially consists of a<span class="textexposedshow"> farewell from Hot Rod's editor, presentation of some GM
performance gift certificates to contest winners- it is an online contest, but
6 out of the 8 winners were Long Haulers. We also took a group photo in the
grandstands before heading out to get our Long Hauler Certificates and gifts
(metal Long Hauler signs).</span><br />
<br />
Tara and I said our goodbyes to old and new friends but decided to hang
around a bit longer and watch cars navigate the world's coolest traffic jam.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, we hit the road around 11. Hot Rod took a picture everyone's car
in front of the Power Tour bus as they left and will post it on the website. We
also snapped a few quick pictures of the Acadian in front of the dragstrip
entrance. Once the photos were done, it was time to make the drive home.<br />
<br />
The return trip was uneventful except that the A/C belt started to slip, so
I had to tighten it down. Eight and a half hours and three fuel stops later, we
pulled in to Tara's house. This was the first full long haul for the Acadian
and, except for a windshield leak and the A/C belt slipping a little, the car
performed excellently. <br />
<br />
Overall, we drove 3,178.4 miles, and traveled through 10 states. We saw some
amazing scenery, drove on some awesome roads, saw thousands of show cars and
met tons of great people. After three Long Hauls, Tara and I have learned there are a few Power Tour
Constants- it will rain, you will drive past corn fields, dragstrips are always
near an airport and have no shade and regardless of what happens you end up
with some great stories.<br />
<br />
We must give a big thank you to Lori our unofficial Power Tour travel
agent. Her hotel booking skills are without rival and her travel booklets are
great. <br />
<br />
Hot Rod has not yet announced the full Tour, but it starts in Charlotte, NC
and ends in Wisconsin. We are already counting down the days until next year!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-29568120769462060442018-06-17T07:58:00.000-07:002018-06-17T07:58:01.166-07:00HRPT 2018- Drivin' it Home: June 16- Concord [Charlotte], NC to Orlando, FL (550 miles)As far as return trips from Power Tours go, Charlotte to Orlando is a pretty easy one. We slept in a bit and joined our group for a final breakfast before everyone departed for home. It always amazes me that there are 3,000 cars on the Tour, but on the way in and out, we only see a few cars. This year was no different. From Concord to Orlando, we saw maybe 5 other Power Tour cars. It's all interstate driving and not much to take pictures of along the way.<br />
<br />
We went through three different slow downs and there was no road construction, accident, disabled vehicle or other justification for them. As best I can tell, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">South Carolinians seem to enjoy slowing down and creating traffic jams for fun. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
Forget gas mileage, the Acadian gets about 2 hours driving per tank of gas. This, coincidentally, is about how long one can go drinking Gatorade and water before needing a restroom break. <br />
<br />
My dad still hadn't really gotten his barbecue fix, so Tara found Sweatman's BBQ in Holly Hill, SC. It was only about 15 minutes out of the way and open only Friday and Saturday, so we figured it was now or never. The place is an old farmhouse in the middle of a cornfield. They started in 1959 and have been continuously doing barbecue since 1977. They specialize in whole hog smoking and use a mustard based sauce. Food was served buffet style and was pretty good. We noticed that "smoke" is not as prominent a feature of Carolina barbecue as it is with Texas or Kansas styles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0DsKNNcXfJytcIelZyY2mMdwuFuzHLff2y-U1SOhPgaVRYcN07FGyMokIlni7SGCdbuN45GdjrWGpTOTz5Q_yXXYEdfuaTyJB1EoX3uSI4IMosGOK35Th0wQOPmHZQVJ6atRIfaXgZNJ/s1600/IMG_5917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0DsKNNcXfJytcIelZyY2mMdwuFuzHLff2y-U1SOhPgaVRYcN07FGyMokIlni7SGCdbuN45GdjrWGpTOTz5Q_yXXYEdfuaTyJB1EoX3uSI4IMosGOK35Th0wQOPmHZQVJ6atRIfaXgZNJ/s640/IMG_5917.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always face away from the corn in case so that you can run from the Children of the Corn if needed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWGBpgxp4pLd7m7wJbKSfFfl-FebJcy1ohlc6EzM46rx4jg-Pmbxot2BXd6-AVOxXOhh4WtLCc9DFguMFmLh32aKlJ-eZs6VmEXoxO357ayDAo7bctOMLATrePVFjAFeVkNIzgPXIqBNa/s1600/IMG_5916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWGBpgxp4pLd7m7wJbKSfFfl-FebJcy1ohlc6EzM46rx4jg-Pmbxot2BXd6-AVOxXOhh4WtLCc9DFguMFmLh32aKlJ-eZs6VmEXoxO357ayDAo7bctOMLATrePVFjAFeVkNIzgPXIqBNa/s640/IMG_5916.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this is a restaurant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGbKVADP6vVNokEyRkIFeo4TrBYCS3DH3gUW2L63voB0v9eRlI9dDnTL82epdu15m2B92kXdEsNkdJirSBKYQlAMDDsqDt5WZaYD-5P9yLiggo4EdSTKICHijaCjrCSNtpLIQ7pdD6usb/s1600/IMG_5909.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGbKVADP6vVNokEyRkIFeo4TrBYCS3DH3gUW2L63voB0v9eRlI9dDnTL82epdu15m2B92kXdEsNkdJirSBKYQlAMDDsqDt5WZaYD-5P9yLiggo4EdSTKICHijaCjrCSNtpLIQ7pdD6usb/s640/IMG_5909.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't look, but I think the pig is checking us out</td></tr>
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<br />
It was hot out, so we ran the A/C most of the way home. We went through some heavy rain as well. When Tara pulled up the radar app on her phone, it seemed the only rain was over those few spots of highway, at least until we hit Florida where the rain was everywhere. <br />
<br />
We pulled into my driveway around 7:15 p.m. In 10 days we drove a total of a little more than 2,900 miles with detours and around town driving. As usual, we have a small punch list of minor items to address with the Acadian and both it and the Corvette need a good detailing. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Overall, it was another successful long haul with no major incidents. </span><br />
<br />
Only 355 more days until we leave for the 2019 Tour. They won't announce cities for quite a while, but we expect it will start in Charlotte.Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-90980453842371591102018-06-15T20:07:00.002-07:002018-06-15T20:07:37.099-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 7: June 15- Raleigh, NC to Concord [Charlotte], NC (181.2 miles)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I can't believe how quickly the week has blown by. Today was our last day of the Power Tour. Following our routine, we left the hotel at 7-ish and hit the route. It was pretty simple: right turn out of the hotel, first right turn onto the highway on-ramp and follow the signs to 64 West. Somehow, with those simple steps, we still managed to lose my parents and Ted and Lori in their newly repaired GTO. Tara and our original Lori worked the cell phones and two-way radios to make sure that the lost lambs were pointed in the right direction. </div>
<br />
The route was another nice one. There was very little interstate driving and we were primarily on two lane roads through farms and a smattering of small towns. About 50 miles into the route, I was following a pack of Long Haulers and completely missed a sharp right turn. Three of our group and about 25 other cars went down a straight road with no turn around option, except for some folks' driveway. Lori and the rest of the group behind us made the turn and were out ahead. As we backtracked to the turn about 15 more cars made the same error we did. <br />
<br />
Petty's Garage hosted a welcome party with a hot dog lunch. Unlike other similar stops on previous Tours, this one was worthwhile. They had plenty of parking for the cars and there was a lot to look at. The Petty Museum was open as were the shop, NASCAR memorabilia garage and the original garage and race car owned by Richard Petty's father. We toured the place, but passed on the hot dogs.<br />
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Pit Stop</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YgqByv3xcBs7gQDwywbyR7j6w2rojxxJPm6BY070_WwuaVTZM1lekVy2HPAeBf9F_SHYi2o188rcvKY8gKcMALf40g15UbnMpjIGFigwynS1sANHnXDQEiVaA9iXX3pkePTDqkt73JxA/s1600/IMG_5871.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YgqByv3xcBs7gQDwywbyR7j6w2rojxxJPm6BY070_WwuaVTZM1lekVy2HPAeBf9F_SHYi2o188rcvKY8gKcMALf40g15UbnMpjIGFigwynS1sANHnXDQEiVaA9iXX3pkePTDqkt73JxA/s640/IMG_5871.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He seemed taller on TV</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I didn't realize Richard Petty collected limited edition guns until we saw the museum which was packed with custom rifles, revolvers and shotguns with intricate engraving. Of course, each one in the collection was #43 of however many were made.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ckaY6_fOJIqFQ73GgAelVYKiUffDi_hTjcFo-mmHZ6MteNRESQ4L3LUsHGd-dSOum6oNSlVVCXrMMwHKRSKHvsbo1UjKzp3fp_qmouQO5GedKq9LnbodnPA2XIWOOamx7kkyh6FuY69u/s1600/IMG_5887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ckaY6_fOJIqFQ73GgAelVYKiUffDi_hTjcFo-mmHZ6MteNRESQ4L3LUsHGd-dSOum6oNSlVVCXrMMwHKRSKHvsbo1UjKzp3fp_qmouQO5GedKq9LnbodnPA2XIWOOamx7kkyh6FuY69u/s640/IMG_5887.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They're all #43</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was funny to see that instead of a replica Superbird from Petty's racing career, they had a replica of "Mr. The King" from the Pixar movie Cars. There was a also a replica of Mrs. The King", which was a 1969 Ford Station Wagon. There was an explanation that Lynda Petty drove a 1969 wagon to the races and fed the racers out of the back. She sold the car and Richard later bought it back and restored it. When Pixar asked what kind of car she wanted to be in the movie, she said a 1969 Ford Wagon.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0.5px; margin-right: 0.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxiyLsgwPEruGCQYcQi8x4g-ENmH1a0cK3NQjfxEev_YiymjP7mKWvhYGZ1NuN6S4FQnnknSY2m2ezjA-Rtbn82A5yl965aU5jK8b_ZF6oXy_f7_FW3l8Dpy4d2ViY4zUzAEPfGZ_X26e/s1600/IMG_5889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxiyLsgwPEruGCQYcQi8x4g-ENmH1a0cK3NQjfxEev_YiymjP7mKWvhYGZ1NuN6S4FQnnknSY2m2ezjA-Rtbn82A5yl965aU5jK8b_ZF6oXy_f7_FW3l8Dpy4d2ViY4zUzAEPfGZ_X26e/s640/IMG_5889.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Mr and Mrs The King are tucked in the back</td></tr>
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In addition to the museum, there was the Petty's Garage shop where they upgrade Mustangs, Challengers, Camaros and Chargers as well as do full restorations. They have the ability to do just about everything in house and we got to walk through and around the whole place. It was really impressive.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmypVNp5L_JX_Lx1PaJWeCVrp0KfX4Hd53GsGJt6zJFQ0hNotrijttJLHTb4Hg31-nvkSbj4k9RjD69FBUiQRN1ilOF41hYFLE1Q-_lu8ln5iM-iuFhHP6xf6bTQIpdy-z8uxCPBwv0cRa/s1600/IMG_5891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmypVNp5L_JX_Lx1PaJWeCVrp0KfX4Hd53GsGJt6zJFQ0hNotrijttJLHTb4Hg31-nvkSbj4k9RjD69FBUiQRN1ilOF41hYFLE1Q-_lu8ln5iM-iuFhHP6xf6bTQIpdy-z8uxCPBwv0cRa/s400/IMG_5891.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where fast is made faster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3F-pg19A2bUVL7yCzLpQVdfdj5kDpaJTMQEqLpCuGt_DpT4G1xvfy9NLZX5jwrKtBsBZA8KPkdwP7qbpt06ytEmFrlzM5Iz57J7oLvknneFsXxa3ZLaIurW34i9oiwGOeGNQW2p2i9du/s1600/IMG_5892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3F-pg19A2bUVL7yCzLpQVdfdj5kDpaJTMQEqLpCuGt_DpT4G1xvfy9NLZX5jwrKtBsBZA8KPkdwP7qbpt06ytEmFrlzM5Iz57J7oLvknneFsXxa3ZLaIurW34i9oiwGOeGNQW2p2i9du/s640/IMG_5892.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NASCAR History</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wFdeXUJmDYy4AZoNxQhiDb-_ZLQMAdoYbBLmx9CZQwyZ7UGByQVkvjmrD6zFXv6g95_1ncEIfprg4LlW430BxC8QDpAgPjaWXQh0U-p1dhoxeA1gJLmnYQEGAHlurVbAOO_4i5m0sfsy/s1600/IMG_5893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wFdeXUJmDYy4AZoNxQhiDb-_ZLQMAdoYbBLmx9CZQwyZ7UGByQVkvjmrD6zFXv6g95_1ncEIfprg4LlW430BxC8QDpAgPjaWXQh0U-p1dhoxeA1gJLmnYQEGAHlurVbAOO_4i5m0sfsy/s640/IMG_5893.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not NASCAR History- Cole Trickle's Daytona 500 winning car</td></tr>
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We were all able to regroup at Petty's and then hit the road together again. Those of us who didn't have hot dogs, or who do not consider hot dogs at 10:00 am to be lunch (Jake) stopped for lunch at the Famous Toastery in downtown Mooresville, NC. We even snagged a parking spot right in front. We took our time eating because none of us were in a big hurry to get to the venue because we knew it was going to be really hot out. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4j6au_15wUhQvfeFuUXhj5LXKllKhQ0RM3uOWInzChOjMHckAK8LtM1QEbFLi57N5bkE9_fVd0FpVAd7T4jMI5GLmBoxjopJLukqO5spCopzJaayYyXA11681yeeSj9cj_VMbX0tw3OO/s1600/IMG_5899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4j6au_15wUhQvfeFuUXhj5LXKllKhQ0RM3uOWInzChOjMHckAK8LtM1QEbFLi57N5bkE9_fVd0FpVAd7T4jMI5GLmBoxjopJLukqO5spCopzJaayYyXA11681yeeSj9cj_VMbX0tw3OO/s640/IMG_5899.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rockstar parking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After lunch, we passed the Dale Earnhart Museum (or something like it), but it was 2:15 and they closed at 2. We got a good picture of the lobby though:</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR6F8DDwu0F9Q4z_uRwvt7FJlTIGJFxFSSxUBKbgoKfMDlpbFZSp0rC5f7SlHo_-2tp8khAtgQmKh4_IUj4moCx0BGwYqgdJZU9ukE9qcnDDt4n_m3MzvLBjBBD5EKMk4GUNP87UoFf0p/s1600/IMG_5900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR6F8DDwu0F9Q4z_uRwvt7FJlTIGJFxFSSxUBKbgoKfMDlpbFZSp0rC5f7SlHo_-2tp8khAtgQmKh4_IUj4moCx0BGwYqgdJZU9ukE9qcnDDt4n_m3MzvLBjBBD5EKMk4GUNP87UoFf0p/s400/IMG_5900.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
Our Venue was the ZMax Dragway across the street from Charlotte Motor Speedway. It's a 4 lane NHRA race track with plenty of room for all of the cars. What it lacks are trees or any real semblance of shade in the parking areas. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDE64DT9tcGMFFHQvgsdF46kdvnpE6ECq3lqsd5uIsCQfW3F0wpbBfrZN7krts4dfm8sAD_NqMJNfoEnEdILqZUopxeR63MlFYbUgOM-rgYu65ubryNudLuTTnNJfBMq9uU4hfeLdKWZD/s1600/IMG_5901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDE64DT9tcGMFFHQvgsdF46kdvnpE6ECq3lqsd5uIsCQfW3F0wpbBfrZN7krts4dfm8sAD_NqMJNfoEnEdILqZUopxeR63MlFYbUgOM-rgYu65ubryNudLuTTnNJfBMq9uU4hfeLdKWZD/s400/IMG_5901.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It's pretty much blacktop. According to the guys in the tower, it was triple digits in the staging lanes of the track. We left my mom in the shade of a Pilot Transport semi truck that was parked near the tunnel to the Vendor's midway while we went to punch in and get our last day's magnets and T-shirts. It was a mob scene at the vendors. The T-shirt place was out of a lot of sizes by mid-afternoon. We talked with Clarence for a brief moment and then tried to get out of the heat. My parents went to the hotel, but Tara, Scott and I stayed until it was time to pick up our Long Hauler Certificates and signs. We realized that the Pilot Truck was actually shadier and cooler than anywhere else at the venue, Tara snuck the Acadian in behind it. Scott was able to snag an open space right across from it. Guerilla parking at its best. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguR-Q1W8naK_94QkeU3Zw2HDZVbAWJ4O87DCR_HXXt1zUJOUefOnIlZLPsVCJ2xTDXDcBxLZIIPQxbfvhMTQGemeI-fbDxJfuYKaA5XXP-mE88GZavh67IyCL_H3paljfhrjmOOV6UsbG/s1600/IMG_5876.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguR-Q1W8naK_94QkeU3Zw2HDZVbAWJ4O87DCR_HXXt1zUJOUefOnIlZLPsVCJ2xTDXDcBxLZIIPQxbfvhMTQGemeI-fbDxJfuYKaA5XXP-mE88GZavh67IyCL_H3paljfhrjmOOV6UsbG/s400/IMG_5876.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Look, shade"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHxRxBlEKcCeWlSwLKO5PNKVttvvx0UKKtr4ov3c7tKpvJU7Z2QZcosw9qpKu6BUOiVsol3VoHNvPikvtoCw7QVgiyM5LGQ7B6zUZ4UyuvAFuxnEwOVWkHeBCEvgGxQXujqNXhmgo_vaz/s1600/IMG_5881.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHxRxBlEKcCeWlSwLKO5PNKVttvvx0UKKtr4ov3c7tKpvJU7Z2QZcosw9qpKu6BUOiVsol3VoHNvPikvtoCw7QVgiyM5LGQ7B6zUZ4UyuvAFuxnEwOVWkHeBCEvgGxQXujqNXhmgo_vaz/s400/IMG_5881.HEIC" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3d9aZSv-j2i1RbBrDnwe2vOulVE31THI7A86uJNmT2GnVP6fW0esaX_IZv2IkiG5KTxlCYhTcf4OqxravykB6TshUnJuDR0-J9QUFetXA5YDbQZGmPdztaiiGUaburMROzveL-DjtZuv/s1600/IMG_5883.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3d9aZSv-j2i1RbBrDnwe2vOulVE31THI7A86uJNmT2GnVP6fW0esaX_IZv2IkiG5KTxlCYhTcf4OqxravykB6TshUnJuDR0-J9QUFetXA5YDbQZGmPdztaiiGUaburMROzveL-DjtZuv/s400/IMG_5883.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better Shade and a primo parking space</td></tr>
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Finally, it was time to pick up the Long Hauler sign and certificate. The line was really long, so we decided to wait for a bit. When we got in line, it was still pretty long, but moving. It was moving until they ran out of signs and certificates. They said they ordered 800 more than last year and still ran out. This means that there were at least 3,100 Long Haulers that got signs and probably another 300 that didn't. According to the Hot Rod guy who had the misfortune of making the announcement, this was a record crowd. They took everyone's name and contact info and promised to ship us our signs. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBVsF0HGbyhGanLdxn6_J3mDHK-INZ16Z36L6LzRFIohJ40GBam5SsZR_KEA4BxdAro_mljshqLGVOeEO_CSnYJ5iO6hpyf1pQTP8UoB8S1uEvqVWB6pD8VXabmlBLDwJtr9_jRelwjuQ/s1600/IMG_5884.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBVsF0HGbyhGanLdxn6_J3mDHK-INZ16Z36L6LzRFIohJ40GBam5SsZR_KEA4BxdAro_mljshqLGVOeEO_CSnYJ5iO6hpyf1pQTP8UoB8S1uEvqVWB6pD8VXabmlBLDwJtr9_jRelwjuQ/s640/IMG_5884.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last traffic jam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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At some point, I started a tradition with Tara to take a picture with our signs and the car. Since we didn't have our own, we borrowed some from a couple of people. We then drove around to find the Hot Rod Power Tour bus to get our picture taken (they post it on the website in a week or so and it's a good picture and another tradition Tara and I have).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_q5QVbcvvegWmHWizv5eDg_Ybkft3IxfiCqyV64C4UnNCQbCb9f39bXP-LCh2yTgCu8ywHr1IoyZbHLtzZEwdD1f0DeCY2vYInsj0ZQs4eLYHebqGukEN6BpEhB5K67ts1r2SUZkBAWi/s1600/IMG_5903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_q5QVbcvvegWmHWizv5eDg_Ybkft3IxfiCqyV64C4UnNCQbCb9f39bXP-LCh2yTgCu8ywHr1IoyZbHLtzZEwdD1f0DeCY2vYInsj0ZQs4eLYHebqGukEN6BpEhB5K67ts1r2SUZkBAWi/s640/IMG_5903.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it</td></tr>
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We had just enough time to get to the hotel, change our clothes and throw down a complimentary cocktail before taking the hotel shuttle to the Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway for dinner. Lori's cousin Bob is a member and made reservations for our whole group and his wife Carol. The food is really good and the view of the speedway is awesome.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6i2PBJHK2SIpBFADBPWUWkbtX5jARTO3rYgsnVNEgkrwhdwSYDEQvrUb5_UwGuLKabX1BxCUCYBti3rsI0ITa2VJCK4sESTeUoSBvETNm4n4GSlLwCz1LACt2NM_FoQKIAi4sakNZyrD/s1600/IMG_5904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6i2PBJHK2SIpBFADBPWUWkbtX5jARTO3rYgsnVNEgkrwhdwSYDEQvrUb5_UwGuLKabX1BxCUCYBti3rsI0ITa2VJCK4sESTeUoSBvETNm4n4GSlLwCz1LACt2NM_FoQKIAi4sakNZyrD/s400/IMG_5904.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billed as the best view in Charlotte</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1wFeD5JKXtk-5cgKUpAR2V-b5H2j9MO8eEnw_FEljOF8dTsCREvul0ze1rvCPigtAhHmwVU80oTULWL436sEr0pUsPuRi0-p8FC8INuLF1T_vdYZU8MAS17ra-fOeJ8ODd5Ic7fdjAMu/s1600/IMG_5906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1wFeD5JKXtk-5cgKUpAR2V-b5H2j9MO8eEnw_FEljOF8dTsCREvul0ze1rvCPigtAhHmwVU80oTULWL436sEr0pUsPuRi0-p8FC8INuLF1T_vdYZU8MAS17ra-fOeJ8ODd5Ic7fdjAMu/s320/IMG_5906.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow we are sleeping in a bit and then heading back to Orlando. It'll be weird not to see hundreds of show cars on the road, in every gas station and parking lot from here to there. Here are some more pictures from today:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAP0xAG6SkdbsbuD1t3Kc4C57cM6y8EDFmKgduWOFAw1Rst2P0CxoP9OA3rLqqSrgdxI0lRSoc-iPUiFHZDCu0H7IjPKQpxamypckJtiXZqxHQoOD7c49LGTILMOywGggHf_75WjpTt3qg/s1600/IMG_5902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAP0xAG6SkdbsbuD1t3Kc4C57cM6y8EDFmKgduWOFAw1Rst2P0CxoP9OA3rLqqSrgdxI0lRSoc-iPUiFHZDCu0H7IjPKQpxamypckJtiXZqxHQoOD7c49LGTILMOywGggHf_75WjpTt3qg/s400/IMG_5902.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Rod Milk Truck</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6fek8zm1scNSvKpY_av5v-zEXEqUwarLwIlLg3TwBqwo_WKF5zYAB7nFhwY5nooyiC7G-008EAG4t2gpYIrz2pA-DVkPz1r6aKLZE88GVafK7URNHR49gznl_uM3JSE5JqVvCaO81ZD1/s1600/IMG_5898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6fek8zm1scNSvKpY_av5v-zEXEqUwarLwIlLg3TwBqwo_WKF5zYAB7nFhwY5nooyiC7G-008EAG4t2gpYIrz2pA-DVkPz1r6aKLZE88GVafK7URNHR49gznl_uM3JSE5JqVvCaO81ZD1/s640/IMG_5898.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parking at Petty's</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8yW0N765IppoHmZxNKTlp6dw1lhFkp_ZeTdqAJC7X2Y4Pl0Xas-Kfhz6mgQ488EAZtrJlh-5qF5RNwc9rG1SkdkXiQR3qiW44aD9cqImUeDT7Gaa9NWqI7RV8n-7G-j8jft9zLqPuXit/s1600/IMG_5880.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8yW0N765IppoHmZxNKTlp6dw1lhFkp_ZeTdqAJC7X2Y4Pl0Xas-Kfhz6mgQ488EAZtrJlh-5qF5RNwc9rG1SkdkXiQR3qiW44aD9cqImUeDT7Gaa9NWqI7RV8n-7G-j8jft9zLqPuXit/s400/IMG_5880.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare color RoadRunner</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunHIQLwooz02wmODEQaA4hXukDvbRyPa8QWZ8LvS7cY0iOWUmkQsTMIkqqtFkEoHK-rGUIvZyfN_OCnS95W6gbM8SLBZ8CdPSzIL2zQ0NezLINTpq6WeVnwv10NQiLQuw14Izd67WxMLF/s1600/IMG_5878.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunHIQLwooz02wmODEQaA4hXukDvbRyPa8QWZ8LvS7cY0iOWUmkQsTMIkqqtFkEoHK-rGUIvZyfN_OCnS95W6gbM8SLBZ8CdPSzIL2zQ0NezLINTpq6WeVnwv10NQiLQuw14Izd67WxMLF/s400/IMG_5878.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1963 Nova Convertible</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-29648286120480755102018-06-14T19:14:00.002-07:002018-06-14T19:14:47.770-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 6: June 14- Darlington, SC to Raleigh, NC (186.4 miles)We hit the road again around 7 am. Today's route took us through farm country. First it was a peach orchard in South Carolina and then the tobacco farms of North Carolina. On the way, we passed through Cheraw, South Carolina- the hometown of Jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie. They really rolled out the welcome mat and had the fire truck with a the flag hanging over the road, police directed traffic through the intersections and there were a bunch of spectators on the sides of the road waving as we all rolled through town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI3H63xkNRLkjL3pWv7guNxeSiVqtP_UubHdF81etRT_mroLWPXQ6iS97E4Ha0_z5gvAXxu9kxAE1oiVG1C1ku0Wo5Oz26R5XTnt-7dbt0fOhKHML0COM5CB3gD4mWKfgY1kpIkzogmo3/s1600/IMG_5863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI3H63xkNRLkjL3pWv7guNxeSiVqtP_UubHdF81etRT_mroLWPXQ6iS97E4Ha0_z5gvAXxu9kxAE1oiVG1C1ku0Wo5Oz26R5XTnt-7dbt0fOhKHML0COM5CB3gD4mWKfgY1kpIkzogmo3/s640/IMG_5863.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Cheraw welcome wagon</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQup2URiN8aumZ_iWCgLhn5FjRWBQOvvU9saiXzdxcbAg7c4QZBtp2YOx0kHPaKhshXDDGVl0eNgG5QnneNa7S3G0Q20HPmPzgItoHuvz0fbcOH6q4p1Kjj0wzCBzlRGbVxxctDUjp1Dex/s1600/IMG_5862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQup2URiN8aumZ_iWCgLhn5FjRWBQOvvU9saiXzdxcbAg7c4QZBtp2YOx0kHPaKhshXDDGVl0eNgG5QnneNa7S3G0Q20HPmPzgItoHuvz0fbcOH6q4p1Kjj0wzCBzlRGbVxxctDUjp1Dex/s400/IMG_5862.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzeiQsoyZVtUX4jE1cc3_dtjkkX91orZK6N0uf8E6unlCaANBC6PphHpAF-MpLZixvDZITDifnLij4N2VBZNrclQqKLUiivn-VJI6v6GuFuZr0F2Ha6oZUegvwyHP1_lViEPv5zdCEBB7/s1600/IMG_5859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzeiQsoyZVtUX4jE1cc3_dtjkkX91orZK6N0uf8E6unlCaANBC6PphHpAF-MpLZixvDZITDifnLij4N2VBZNrclQqKLUiivn-VJI6v6GuFuZr0F2Ha6oZUegvwyHP1_lViEPv5zdCEBB7/s640/IMG_5859.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas stop photo op</td></tr>
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Continuing our NASCAR scenic tour, we passed by Rockingham Speedway. Though it's no longer an active NASCAR venue, counting Charlotte Motor Speedway which we'll see tomorrow, we'll have been at 4 NASCAR tracks in 7 days. We could detour to drive by Daytona and make it 5.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvgaCcNT1wVEXJVKV989b4Y-oqFeKYB15tANXF9sV_UJIDe9_yS3A78RXcwn3wFxdazvlgevgJNuOym1R3EIW5ANRza7JGUUvPeD3aeUwb4SkXsCt92ARL8rVJ2K_ZSFaqwfpwD23nqig/s1600/IMG_5861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvgaCcNT1wVEXJVKV989b4Y-oqFeKYB15tANXF9sV_UJIDe9_yS3A78RXcwn3wFxdazvlgevgJNuOym1R3EIW5ANRza7JGUUvPeD3aeUwb4SkXsCt92ARL8rVJ2K_ZSFaqwfpwD23nqig/s400/IMG_5861.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Rock"</td></tr>
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We caught some traffic on the way to Pinehurst, North Carolina when we hit yet another repaving project where the road was reduced to a single lane for both directions. On the side of the road was a group of cars doing some field repairs on a Camaro. One of the guys recognized the Acadian from the Chattanooga stop on the 2013 Power Tour. He was parked near us at the Coker Tire party in Downtown. He's driving a 1970 Chevelle with flames painted on it. In fact, it seems that the majority of cars on the Tour seem to be Chevelles and a majority of those seem to be 1970s. Not that that is a bad thing. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5N6Z0Xbfr5jf1btOrHoJ49nHNAMBQacewJCtQBtspSZb7-rDjnL2Ow1WLdpLyvPexfDNXPb4jTJMtik7Y2OMTgItQPgGJKN0p61uPobjC61qiCq8Q793_J8Z1en7j9nOgHIs0tPhHurg-/s1600/IMG_5856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5N6Z0Xbfr5jf1btOrHoJ49nHNAMBQacewJCtQBtspSZb7-rDjnL2Ow1WLdpLyvPexfDNXPb4jTJMtik7Y2OMTgItQPgGJKN0p61uPobjC61qiCq8Q793_J8Z1en7j9nOgHIs0tPhHurg-/s640/IMG_5856.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You three fix the car, we three will watch traffic."</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP94QJsmJrPMhx13BeS1HldfZu_HmlreB4yWW_VkXQySN-sh8vgXNJGDBIUPBma7o4i1po1SQoBEKNVaF2O0Pa8h1tjvrbNPaiww_dItE1eVOFI8f2clQsl1TjCWzma0uKELZTKsrU6u-/s1600/IMG_5857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP94QJsmJrPMhx13BeS1HldfZu_HmlreB4yWW_VkXQySN-sh8vgXNJGDBIUPBma7o4i1po1SQoBEKNVaF2O0Pa8h1tjvrbNPaiww_dItE1eVOFI8f2clQsl1TjCWzma0uKELZTKsrU6u-/s400/IMG_5857.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Tara and I took a quick detour to grab a quick photo in front of the Carolina hotel Pinehurst Resort and Spa. It was opened on New Year's day, 1901. At the time it was the largest frame building in North Carolina. Tara looked it up while we were in traffic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkr5ptS7lUWpdD2oEsdC4J7eMkrucxvbBbjs7UT7GQkrqiJFMWxeSjkO22k7a_zyiWb_Va31mpqYHRWTtdIcDJcCfPYJRRyzblmgEPauIz-XBRE5nysasTJESnN1DeQQGvsN_RdwlWzDq/s1600/IMG_5855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkr5ptS7lUWpdD2oEsdC4J7eMkrucxvbBbjs7UT7GQkrqiJFMWxeSjkO22k7a_zyiWb_Va31mpqYHRWTtdIcDJcCfPYJRRyzblmgEPauIz-XBRE5nysasTJESnN1DeQQGvsN_RdwlWzDq/s640/IMG_5855.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just dropped in for a picture</td></tr>
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We caught up with our group at lunch at Mermaid Point in Lillington, NC. It's a tiny seafood place on the Cape Fear River. Instead of bread or rolls, they brought us some really tasty hush puppies. They also had pimento cheese macaroni, which I am definitely going to try and recreate at home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-UAxZypEj8aQiVdw69LgBujNtWAI4n_O9NK9tVeYK4MLu7K3BbtYq-mLleQ8jtu6KernSLYlaSNeGk-NRQDcrEWX-YwOoV07rQUNCKsLTzpopFX83Xe9JrNWS6OTekZeQ_Tmsx7h9d_3/s1600/IMG_5843.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-UAxZypEj8aQiVdw69LgBujNtWAI4n_O9NK9tVeYK4MLu7K3BbtYq-mLleQ8jtu6KernSLYlaSNeGk-NRQDcrEWX-YwOoV07rQUNCKsLTzpopFX83Xe9JrNWS6OTekZeQ_Tmsx7h9d_3/s640/IMG_5843.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, it was on to the venue PNC Arena at NC State in Raleigh. For part of the way, we followed a Caterpillar Hot Rod- it had a semi truck chassis and Caterpillar diesel engine. It was insane. At one point, there was a bit of traffic, so Tara found a short cut that would have worked except we got caught behind 3 dump trucks. We still ended up 4 cars in front of where were, so I guess it worked. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifi0Tz_QbSMc5tyVIBeHriqoGbJURsVh47K3ThiihU4W98uItJfnf_TKgYYQuWyrjCFOjQ-jOQhwmH89S60AGFevotLvZ_j0ZHGLKNROkxyv18tKP7RHnLENYo4xs4ydCUvfdmUN-aPwwl/s1600/IMG_5854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifi0Tz_QbSMc5tyVIBeHriqoGbJURsVh47K3ThiihU4W98uItJfnf_TKgYYQuWyrjCFOjQ-jOQhwmH89S60AGFevotLvZ_j0ZHGLKNROkxyv18tKP7RHnLENYo4xs4ydCUvfdmUN-aPwwl/s640/IMG_5854.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CAT Powered!</td></tr>
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The PNC Arena was definitely the easiest venue to get into and there was zero traffic. We, my parents, and Ken and Nancy circled the parking lot for a bit until we found 2 spots on a curb near some shade trees. Ken took one and we took the other. We were only there for a few minutes when the space right next to the Acadian opened up so we moved the Corvette right next to it. The mulch and shade was a saving grace because the black asphalt was at least 10 degrees hotter and it was certainly humid out. My dad and I braved the heat and walked to the stage to get punched in and collect our magnets. Then it was back to the car. We picked a different way back so that we could see more cars. There were at least 4 separate lots full of cars and there's no way anyone could see them all. Pictures, even aerials, don't really do it justice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbhyORLj_8N36w2Tudm1CyCfc6armNtd1h6EbOI7UykhVQnMe7q7QGbmvcrJrYVf7VR4k6oztyVHR-r6oO3J8PIYMrCKuHvRA9m8YbiYvMRxvflkYWsHcpJxilLRudkOFRFTPkrO-nwS-/s1600/IMG_5844.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbhyORLj_8N36w2Tudm1CyCfc6armNtd1h6EbOI7UykhVQnMe7q7QGbmvcrJrYVf7VR4k6oztyVHR-r6oO3J8PIYMrCKuHvRA9m8YbiYvMRxvflkYWsHcpJxilLRudkOFRFTPkrO-nwS-/s640/IMG_5844.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Oasis in the blacktop desert</td></tr>
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On the way back we passed 1970 Chevelle and 1969 Camaro side by side and both red with white stripes. Both cars were pretty incredible. The Chevelle had a 454 and the Camaro had a modern LS motor. It wasn't until I got close to the Camaro that I noticed that the white stripes also had subtle pearl ghost flames in them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEOnjYnmNDycRLXfIAmr7Odmv3NDrIlXb3w9-FBxOjIXtsxoO3i4J2DcgpW0N7O-HbxwmFpAZJVSNA6ySzj6nrPL1GewMqJyHEpkFhv6H7cZcJJ36G9niwDWg4H_gUwecxbk8cF0IUvkS/s1600/IMG_5848.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEOnjYnmNDycRLXfIAmr7Odmv3NDrIlXb3w9-FBxOjIXtsxoO3i4J2DcgpW0N7O-HbxwmFpAZJVSNA6ySzj6nrPL1GewMqJyHEpkFhv6H7cZcJJ36G9niwDWg4H_gUwecxbk8cF0IUvkS/s400/IMG_5848.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A subtle touch</td></tr>
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My dad wanted to find the Caterpillar Hot Rod. My mom said she saw it in the next parking lot over, so we headed out. It was right where she said it'd be. Which is impressive, because I don't think she left her spot by the tree. As crazy as it looked on the road, it's even crazier up close. Despite all the modifications, the interior still looked original to the body. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXyowOBoqYpcuF5Gx_0GGb-zme5EDEHQ4hwLZ2KJIkpM59CEQxYtiTmtWYV06k2TUgTMn_8s2uDON8oi0Q4765E9SwFmpkVvjUNtPcfW5xssgWVMyA7MJu2h4bZzMfXzUele1fXyD4qr4/s1600/IMG_5851.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXyowOBoqYpcuF5Gx_0GGb-zme5EDEHQ4hwLZ2KJIkpM59CEQxYtiTmtWYV06k2TUgTMn_8s2uDON8oi0Q4765E9SwFmpkVvjUNtPcfW5xssgWVMyA7MJu2h4bZzMfXzUele1fXyD4qr4/s640/IMG_5851.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found it!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nv0G7oxcdgF3BToil5Cyu1b4JFzzC_P6_bG0ju8pmTlwxcdESYuvdHlGZOCpPfp9NjtfZAnG3uixoeK0j8-JTzpP1MYa2m-LP_767-Eo00fA3_w_MM_wPkCPpdCxvXH2o69U0-4dybu0/s1600/IMG_5852.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nv0G7oxcdgF3BToil5Cyu1b4JFzzC_P6_bG0ju8pmTlwxcdESYuvdHlGZOCpPfp9NjtfZAnG3uixoeK0j8-JTzpP1MYa2m-LP_767-Eo00fA3_w_MM_wPkCPpdCxvXH2o69U0-4dybu0/s640/IMG_5852.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Having accomplished our mission, we headed back to the cars. We passed two station wagons that we've seen just about every day with external "air conditioners":<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF8zDMeboASmhLREwcaIi1OtXX-8BZaVJ_cQ8CpWyw3-M-Aknm1nHNOfhGf0rqUj7hkSnSLh5n3WpsKL4_jRqGl1Hij0x6DXsrnbLQEX_rAJ68BXiZCsDY78PGoMsstnKUN5G0lUyRjSu/s1600/IMG_5853.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF8zDMeboASmhLREwcaIi1OtXX-8BZaVJ_cQ8CpWyw3-M-Aknm1nHNOfhGf0rqUj7hkSnSLh5n3WpsKL4_jRqGl1Hij0x6DXsrnbLQEX_rAJ68BXiZCsDY78PGoMsstnKUN5G0lUyRjSu/s640/IMG_5853.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just add ice</td></tr>
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The cars started thinning out around 4:30, so we headed to the hotel. It's a Hampton Inn, but one of the nicest I've seen. They renovated the rooms and lobby area. It even has its own gas station out front. Because it was hot and we wanted a shower, we decided to fill up the tank after dinner instead of before checking in. That turned out to be a somewhat costly mistake. The station mispriced the premium gas at $2.43 so that it was 50 cents cheaper than regular 87 octane. Tim, Tim and Scott took full advantage, but by the time we found out after dinner, they had changed it to what it should have been: $3.42. Given how many show cars are in our parking lot and how many run premium fuel, it could have been a fairly expensive mistake.<br />
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We did dinner in downtown Cary, North Carolina at a place called Pro's Epicurean Market. The best way to describe it is Italian/French with sandwiches too. The food was really good. We got in just in time to get our orders placed before the North Carolina British Car Club took over the restaurant with their party of 30. They weren't even part of the Power Tour, it was just their regular meeting or a social.<br />
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After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and cleaned up the cars a bit. We had planned to hang out in the parking lot, but it was still pretty warm and humid, so no one was really out. There was a gorgeous 1969 Camaro RS in our parking lot with beautiful black paint that was, as Tara puts it: "stunning."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ciaLVIa9y_ans6eN23VgJL0nsXLEF9kbry-4e4w70P287KcwBCiyajTTaqbsu4igqoDGscilLQj-DfCHKTTEatQFp2B7JrHAT47TH3vL3uvlcCmm9OIwVdlprXcFhyn3_uGjxCLp_3Je/s1600/IMG_5865.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ciaLVIa9y_ans6eN23VgJL0nsXLEF9kbry-4e4w70P287KcwBCiyajTTaqbsu4igqoDGscilLQj-DfCHKTTEatQFp2B7JrHAT47TH3vL3uvlcCmm9OIwVdlprXcFhyn3_uGjxCLp_3Je/s640/IMG_5865.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep Black</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-26833466232939295922018-06-13T20:13:00.000-07:002018-06-14T18:05:29.074-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 5: June 13- Hamption, GA to Darlington, SC (295.5 miles)<br />
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It was another early morning for everyone since today was our longest run of the Tour. Again we had cool weather as we left the hotel and headed for Darlington Raceway. Bryson wanted to ride in the Corvette. so my mom hitched a ride with Scott in the G8 which is probably the most comfortable car in our group.<br />
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The first third of the route took us on two lane roads through some small towns. I defy anyone to drive through Butts County, GA and not snicker. We passed through the center of two small towns. We ended up behind a farm pickup truck hauling melons and I tried to get Tara to jump out and buy some while we were slowly passing through town. We later saw the guy at a highway rest stop selling the melons.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxSO0L8nUJ1GHWuhvJu93t-RXxg8xxaAm43ZBOTie-nUwDu6fAutAj9g71dKGA79ZJk3Hpz8mvZjnqlr47b1j1h7G_ppaDv8Y2G0qkCmpUl9h4zqLAOWhqfcJ2z81FRWIHrImfKe91jKr/s1600/IMG_5820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxSO0L8nUJ1GHWuhvJu93t-RXxg8xxaAm43ZBOTie-nUwDu6fAutAj9g71dKGA79ZJk3Hpz8mvZjnqlr47b1j1h7G_ppaDv8Y2G0qkCmpUl9h4zqLAOWhqfcJ2z81FRWIHrImfKe91jKr/s400/IMG_5820.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Courthouses have some of the best architecture</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5SvsuZxEQCLTgF0huZsoB9NNxRM414SwM3ZN0uqRhkUom3Q6mo2FRNQbHltwLbtUjRYw1gVks7u85dEVcQiDKk9U6YbHJe885grI_K_cMKKedcNMERBZDMRf_95yMVR8kqDtcsrEmoCs/s1600/IMG_5826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1315" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5SvsuZxEQCLTgF0huZsoB9NNxRM414SwM3ZN0uqRhkUom3Q6mo2FRNQbHltwLbtUjRYw1gVks7u85dEVcQiDKk9U6YbHJe885grI_K_cMKKedcNMERBZDMRf_95yMVR8kqDtcsrEmoCs/s640/IMG_5826.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bet they have bumper stickers that say "I love Beautiful Butts"</td></tr>
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We hit a pretty decent snarl when we were on a two lane road that was being repaved. They had it down to a single lane and were flagging cars through a few at a time. They also weren't getting much work done as most of the crew just watched the cars and even took photos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKc3GQjeKTF1XoL9fn8QxukYIzrtbGbiSPRrqasm0K-NU0n9eV0EO6gA3GUGCYl3OdD3p7r07GyK9yuNfjVZtkywjnh56o1r-XOgIdUmKaJDItgprIufk9xV0DVRFsHaiIMvjv-REYNjYb/s1600/IMG_5831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="960" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKc3GQjeKTF1XoL9fn8QxukYIzrtbGbiSPRrqasm0K-NU0n9eV0EO6gA3GUGCYl3OdD3p7r07GyK9yuNfjVZtkywjnh56o1r-XOgIdUmKaJDItgprIufk9xV0DVRFsHaiIMvjv-REYNjYb/s640/IMG_5831.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flashmob car show</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much roadwork's gonna get done today</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DYJFQPoapqLmNGizJuTqZi7L3nftOpyZrpXQvbyQZDlNo1q9DWUdXW7oU57IlxoQNwab_wtMxYjZWmXTslwUY3HiHvKAsp8sQttDFvlpVgOw-HMWkLDwGvvl-XCpGrzDgI_lh7uPTMJG/s1600/IMG_5822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DYJFQPoapqLmNGizJuTqZi7L3nftOpyZrpXQvbyQZDlNo1q9DWUdXW7oU57IlxoQNwab_wtMxYjZWmXTslwUY3HiHvKAsp8sQttDFvlpVgOw-HMWkLDwGvvl-XCpGrzDgI_lh7uPTMJG/s640/IMG_5822.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Needless to say, when there are a thousand cars on their way through, it's going to cause delays. We got through after only a few minutes, but it was certain to be a major issue as the day passed on. Indeed, we ended up parked across from an orange third generation Camaro that came over a rise at 70 mph to find traffic in front of him at a standstill. He cut the wheel to avoid rear ending a Nova and instead went sideways into the rear of a late model pickup truck. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ouch!!!</td></tr>
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We made a gas stop just before we were supposed to get onto I-20 for a long highway stretch. Lucky for us, we started talking to the guys parked next to us who told us that there was a really bad wreck involving a semi truck and I-20 was shut down right after were we were supposed to get on. Tara found a detour that spit us out a few miles past the wreck. <br />
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When we saw the route directions, we were not looking forward to the highway leg. Usually, we get pretty spread out on the Interstate and it just feels like any other day. But this stretch of I-20 was only 2 lanes in each direction and it was full of Power Tour cars.<br />
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Our lunch stop was at the Little Pig Barbecue just east of Columbia, SC. Lori called ahead and they had tables reserved for our group. It was a buffet style service and the entire town must have been there. They had 2 giant pork butts (the cut is actually the shoulder) at a station where you could basically do your own pulled pork.<br />
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We hit a bit more traffic on I-20 after lunch. As we snail-crawled along, another group was on the same walkie talkie channel as our group. After some cross-chatter, they realized that they were caught in traffic with Tim, Lori and Scott yesterday on the way out of Newnan. We entertained ourselves by talking with them until we cleared the traffic.<br />
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At our next gas stop, there was a big family that had just stopped for gas and a snack on their way to wherever they were headed and a young boy and his dad excitedly ran up to the Corvette (the kid ran, the dad was close behind). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">He excitedly explained that it was his favorite car. </span>The kid actually had a 1:18 scale diecast model of a 2014 white Corvette with red interior with him (I have the same one in my office). Of course we pulled the car up so that he could sit in it and his family took a bunch of pictures. It clearly made the kid's trip. My dad also gunned the engine a few times for good measure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVEMZXHbB-dpb3kc-fehL79xC5e0OwZniWGtdQ1tbNYTskQFObmio0NeJ8nxasY3Jt6Dwory9XMj2UM0zk_SRtOB9HS_Xjw46bLJP0t9M2StTdazkS6H2J9jgOf6FLTHQ5kXp7hDTAfmu/s1600/IMG_5809.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVEMZXHbB-dpb3kc-fehL79xC5e0OwZniWGtdQ1tbNYTskQFObmio0NeJ8nxasY3Jt6Dwory9XMj2UM0zk_SRtOB9HS_Xjw46bLJP0t9M2StTdazkS6H2J9jgOf6FLTHQ5kXp7hDTAfmu/s640/IMG_5809.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He even opened the door of the model to match the picture</td></tr>
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Traffic really began stacking up on the road into Darlington Raceway. We tried to bypass the long line by going past the entrance, making a U-turn and coming back from the other direction. It had worked well at Chattanooga and on other Power Tours. This time, it was a total bust. The line coming the other direction was even longer and it seemed that the officers directing traffic let way more right turning cars in than lefties.<br />
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We eventually got onto the property and went through the tunnel into the infield. On the walls of the tunnel were murals of NASCAR history. Darlington is the second oldest track still in use on the NASCAR circuit. It held its first race in 1950. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rTM0RPFK07Ge5lWbSdB9wve607R9A621vkzN9jAe7MuiR2QoftBcFryGCfzmqpNLtneF_Y8Rz34fRn8R7KjKqrseEAx-Clh8bQkcWtDZJaXEv8qFgQESUsakhjIwt5fJTDwitKgBJrd7/s1600/IMG_5829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rTM0RPFK07Ge5lWbSdB9wve607R9A621vkzN9jAe7MuiR2QoftBcFryGCfzmqpNLtneF_Y8Rz34fRn8R7KjKqrseEAx-Clh8bQkcWtDZJaXEv8qFgQESUsakhjIwt5fJTDwitKgBJrd7/s640/IMG_5829.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was also a venue where we had better parking than the Gold/Platinum VIP people. We got a spot on some grass right near real bathrooms (no porta potties) and a short walk right to the main stage and punches. It was fairly warm out, but not too bad. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL40YtYinDT9uKFPLG7BmfccYuYYfevQ6Cr8FL9YElePKVrCzZ0wncxrv_sddhVmSyVv5lbA9M3SXn2wVaFR5TcnlcRDfimOK5wW7-OSwIYwQG5YuMA15tU7QH-frFXA7BGDDTQvzrw5Ix/s1600/IMG_5810.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL40YtYinDT9uKFPLG7BmfccYuYYfevQ6Cr8FL9YElePKVrCzZ0wncxrv_sddhVmSyVv5lbA9M3SXn2wVaFR5TcnlcRDfimOK5wW7-OSwIYwQG5YuMA15tU7QH-frFXA7BGDDTQvzrw5Ix/s640/IMG_5810.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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We got clocked in, got our magnets and I then spent some time talking to Clarence, one of the MCs who spends the entire day on the stage riffing with the crowd, introducing sponsors, entertaining Long Haulers and generally having a good time. I'm amazed about his ability to remember people. He's been doing the Power Tour for far longer than we have, but he immediately recognized me and asked if we brought the Acadian again. It's become one of his favorite bits of trivia ever since he saw the car in Muskegon in 2012. I stuck around and played a game of "Clarence Says" to try and win a set of tires. I ended up going out in 3rd place. Lori made it to 2nd.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIVQHAzG5GtPfdx1Dw16z3TRqNnpRvpxq5IRu3SfTNxkh4oeLhjHnRKsE_B6WnFSX8Dn4CobHf1rHwzL72PMAg9zYQxTKy7c6B_iqeqC6C0PScgnMsxTOoUjM_oVTyuh5tfoctN_Xm5Xs/s1600/IMG_5812.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIVQHAzG5GtPfdx1Dw16z3TRqNnpRvpxq5IRu3SfTNxkh4oeLhjHnRKsE_B6WnFSX8Dn4CobHf1rHwzL72PMAg9zYQxTKy7c6B_iqeqC6C0PScgnMsxTOoUjM_oVTyuh5tfoctN_Xm5Xs/s640/IMG_5812.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People stake out their spots early and just sit and hang out.</td></tr>
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I briefly walked the showfield near where we were. Without having to go very far, there were some amazing cars. I particularly liked this black and orange truck:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTCnb7s5-JTVTm0164Gjf18LJ40bMREzcWUfyQOW4sFDYzB3Nq_tURohW4Kz0UTjBjaKcLfh9vB04w3yTL3czsxZDAK_EIPgM_QbPidSahX1P2q1ydaJmOV3Bq9P9YpeRIknLYljISfNV/s1600/IMG_5814.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTCnb7s5-JTVTm0164Gjf18LJ40bMREzcWUfyQOW4sFDYzB3Nq_tURohW4Kz0UTjBjaKcLfh9vB04w3yTL3czsxZDAK_EIPgM_QbPidSahX1P2q1ydaJmOV3Bq9P9YpeRIknLYljISfNV/s400/IMG_5814.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div>
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We ran into the guy with the Gold 1970 Chevelle that we saw at the car wash the first day and was at our hotel last night. Last night, he was McGyvering a cooler, some hose fittings and tubing to make a cooling system for his fuel. Apparently, the high volume fuel pump which is intended for running wide open for short distances was struggling with cruising or sitting in traffic for hours. It was pumping more fuel than the car needed. It went back into the tank via the return line, but was heating up and causing the car to vapor lock. To fix the problem, he made a coil from the tubing and connected his fuel lines to the coil and filled the cooler with 3 bags of ice. As the fuel cycled, it went through the coil and was cooled by the ice. Pretty ingenious if you ask me. It's based off an old racer trick, but they used a coffee can.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmNl1q5cOVtsQjTlvo9wHqRAHmUKEWJZeTtMS35hAkoTbK5Yxz3dqp7uun_sVoGRGTnDvddDVPXV2BOa38BMyPm-L8rdAqR-_dUpZ1ilTz15NRdqmi8ARyPgX-vJlpDOLb9RW2JdFsuH4/s1600/IMG_5811.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmNl1q5cOVtsQjTlvo9wHqRAHmUKEWJZeTtMS35hAkoTbK5Yxz3dqp7uun_sVoGRGTnDvddDVPXV2BOa38BMyPm-L8rdAqR-_dUpZ1ilTz15NRdqmi8ARyPgX-vJlpDOLb9RW2JdFsuH4/s400/IMG_5811.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeps fuel cool and also holds beer</td></tr>
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In the "it's a small world" category, we've now seen 2 cars that were built/customized by Orlando area shops. The first was the 1969 Camaro that we saw Friday before the Tour started that was done by Ultimate Auto. Today, we saw the second- this big Chevy that was done by Street Metal Concepts in Sanford.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfg8RIaQ89UA60MeBwTzbCN2BKG4tNgBXPQrVMBViBowuNzCKED5KNqcPsu2LTj9A6jCsMQgmRe9yqutBmsW40ZqKFkC4EAd3WPzgGfz6KhUozTfjC6ugUKAYFYjBguG210xjzz7qjegg/s1600/IMG_5833.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfg8RIaQ89UA60MeBwTzbCN2BKG4tNgBXPQrVMBViBowuNzCKED5KNqcPsu2LTj9A6jCsMQgmRe9yqutBmsW40ZqKFkC4EAd3WPzgGfz6KhUozTfjC6ugUKAYFYjBguG210xjzz7qjegg/s640/IMG_5833.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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T<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">he "Factoryish" sticker is a dead giveaway. Z</span>ip and his guys have done a lot of work on my Chevelle. <br />
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We had dinner at the Starfire Grill in Florence, SC, which was OK. Our hotel is on a road with 6 or more other hotels and the parking lots are packed with show cars. While Tara took advantage of the cool night air to wipe down the Acadian, my dad and I talked to 2 guys with a 1962 Studebaker wagon that had a sliding rear roof and a ladder step (I thought Ford invented that for the F150). They build the wagon specifically for the Power Tour and it had a 383 stroker motor with a Tremec 6 speed transmission. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqfxoKV_sSz39Zq4Aap6MMcNaIuUJNDNPhns7thzco8a1G0EKClpad9r4x7jLIEZYuMTv3zI44GBGMFxg3MnDZKQtrvdqYIhxAJm7UxSWkcXLAU7iIIZbKLa2KDYBW7AXHNLTex08JkfF/s1600/IMG_5835.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqfxoKV_sSz39Zq4Aap6MMcNaIuUJNDNPhns7thzco8a1G0EKClpad9r4x7jLIEZYuMTv3zI44GBGMFxg3MnDZKQtrvdqYIhxAJm7UxSWkcXLAU7iIIZbKLa2KDYBW7AXHNLTex08JkfF/s640/IMG_5835.HEIC" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's like a swim ladder on a boat.</td></tr>
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We then all walked around to the other hotel lots to look at the show cars now that the heat of the day had passed. Across the street we heard and saw the result of one guy doing a pretty good burnout.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlOdwzndUYsb4rufmZrmFllx-9cg3C92igKAUb087aM-NucTpfldRuK-u-2_BYx7ms7QQK-QEcmz4hk_C_qnYCxjge1J-_1mkWO5B5u4XIvruuG4nbi5DAV8QJCfiRh1P_UWi0Wd3Rc7D/s1600/IMG_5837.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlOdwzndUYsb4rufmZrmFllx-9cg3C92igKAUb087aM-NucTpfldRuK-u-2_BYx7ms7QQK-QEcmz4hk_C_qnYCxjge1J-_1mkWO5B5u4XIvruuG4nbi5DAV8QJCfiRh1P_UWi0Wd3Rc7D/s640/IMG_5837.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">440 Powered Humpback</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMaBWNsrchLSjDyraHRfjBJshaRbVmrGmW0wiRI9bIW7tR43xVh20BJSwszySfXQ1IdvEpoNLTzl34kFtkiH28o36VRjxN9fustxX8snPPTVaXBLckuBv8KSqDviqf1KmlbQzKPuE2hZa/s1600/IMG_5836.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMaBWNsrchLSjDyraHRfjBJshaRbVmrGmW0wiRI9bIW7tR43xVh20BJSwszySfXQ1IdvEpoNLTzl34kFtkiH28o36VRjxN9fustxX8snPPTVaXBLckuBv8KSqDviqf1KmlbQzKPuE2hZa/s640/IMG_5836.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because Mom needs a 454</td></tr>
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All in all, it was a really good day on the Power Tour. Here are some other cool cars I saw today:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAQ5_DbJ26F4btplSA6Vh8sqhao56a3uTYi5_cV9R80r5arhZNa_j3O9KvNXw6xVgSJxuXQ-z8OFI89b_ghK4nSC__m523qZbRqMf7TxQpFZxap38W-IEjR-WQrmt7HcCMiwcQlhXwhTq/s1600/IMG_5827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAQ5_DbJ26F4btplSA6Vh8sqhao56a3uTYi5_cV9R80r5arhZNa_j3O9KvNXw6xVgSJxuXQ-z8OFI89b_ghK4nSC__m523qZbRqMf7TxQpFZxap38W-IEjR-WQrmt7HcCMiwcQlhXwhTq/s640/IMG_5827.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the understudy for my buddy Scott in Kansas who couldn't make the trip with his '70 Challenger convertible.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4xcdJwrmMNWgJxIGTRi1bbz6QayK9uxjuGF6q-f_5otX_5fV1jsvTGRM-8iKQDZ3-_mTgrPrOIRMrsTVfI-VLhV9uCYD0s6rUVHHDX5SzjFbG8uAqCNdBaoFfvJfm4aRpHwb2Nk4sCOA/s1600/IMG_5834.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4xcdJwrmMNWgJxIGTRi1bbz6QayK9uxjuGF6q-f_5otX_5fV1jsvTGRM-8iKQDZ3-_mTgrPrOIRMrsTVfI-VLhV9uCYD0s6rUVHHDX5SzjFbG8uAqCNdBaoFfvJfm4aRpHwb2Nk4sCOA/s640/IMG_5834.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1969.5 Dodge 440 Six Pack Superbee</td></tr>
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It's hard to not post pics of all the great Mopars. But, here are some GM cars I liked:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZp0OCJYM18XlpiGEcz8nvJ_NUIWQrQlFgRs6JXCTZtgt4V7BqVbdhPtptImzf3K5t2RNY3j30sKQ-iL8IQyUTKgD30ilE8Qt_-_6nQ6AEYzsdZGttSJ8No6rPOClEvjCKJlMlZJpLwPk/s1600/IMG_5817.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZp0OCJYM18XlpiGEcz8nvJ_NUIWQrQlFgRs6JXCTZtgt4V7BqVbdhPtptImzf3K5t2RNY3j30sKQ-iL8IQyUTKgD30ilE8Qt_-_6nQ6AEYzsdZGttSJ8No6rPOClEvjCKJlMlZJpLwPk/s640/IMG_5817.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nova Gasser with a nostalgic looking paint job.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPV7Cmi9osIhWJ4rTFg_uDXfW8IUFHmoKcCgn0XBbPif6Pppu3c_kG2utMcnI43Qdy4DjJIzQ9LYscsArqAqDQowf1U12WexpWASrq5QV-YGQGQHX_nlwho9mxCkJGCFytJzhGCRzqMr7/s1600/IMG_5815.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPV7Cmi9osIhWJ4rTFg_uDXfW8IUFHmoKcCgn0XBbPif6Pppu3c_kG2utMcnI43Qdy4DjJIzQ9LYscsArqAqDQowf1U12WexpWASrq5QV-YGQGQHX_nlwho9mxCkJGCFytJzhGCRzqMr7/s640/IMG_5815.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pontiac Safari</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-59228731392409165022018-06-12T21:09:00.001-07:002018-06-13T20:14:05.584-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 4: June 12- Hoover, AL to Hampton, GA (197.0 miles)At night we fall asleep to the low burble of V8s coming into the parking lot after a night of cruising around town for dinner and various tours through the other hotel lots. In the morning, our alarm clock is the sound of those same V8 cars firing up in the hotel parking lot. We leave at 7 am which is plenty early in the morning, but there's always a contingent that leaves even earlier.<br />
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Today's route was another really good one. We wended our way alongside the Talladega National Forest and the hill country of Alabama and Georgia. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXstLYjEzZ6UVMhfXckpKruH9LE6Frol6TYgDT6225h3ghw3Ljm-cxI129YB6AV2fVCj-WkJXP1T6HDDwxdYh3CJhgzGyGSi_Wxo9bCAfytL-s3HTkyu9wXCahvi4pG_AYu9ov9NKxxM03/s1600/IMG_5803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="1600" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXstLYjEzZ6UVMhfXckpKruH9LE6Frol6TYgDT6225h3ghw3Ljm-cxI129YB6AV2fVCj-WkJXP1T6HDDwxdYh3CJhgzGyGSi_Wxo9bCAfytL-s3HTkyu9wXCahvi4pG_AYu9ov9NKxxM03/s640/IMG_5803.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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For the most part, traffic was light. We had some Power Tour induced traffic at one left turn, but it only took a few light cycles for our group to finally get through and we were able to regroup at the end of a nice winding two lane road and head to a gas stop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDK4g0reqQCszjQy_v-765zYbgkj2RX_KaN_B4KrslWUBj4fiS7X_9457lGG75e1X3Ll7Yt4HKFgbemKKNpD1RZ0WOPyEz5TtEim_cJbAu14Ws3A5c5DWj2wLjD6c0cLX3_2t_9np0FyH/s1600/IMG_5805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDK4g0reqQCszjQy_v-765zYbgkj2RX_KaN_B4KrslWUBj4fiS7X_9457lGG75e1X3Ll7Yt4HKFgbemKKNpD1RZ0WOPyEz5TtEim_cJbAu14Ws3A5c5DWj2wLjD6c0cLX3_2t_9np0FyH/s640/IMG_5805.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just about every gas station along the route has a car show- these 2 1960 Impalas had serious motors by the sound of them</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After a crowded gas stop at the only 2 gas stations in sight, Tara and I let Tim and Lori take over the lead and cruised along at the tail of our group. It's a little pressure relief not being in the lead. You're always questioning whether you are going too fast or too slow for the group, whether you should change lanes or stay together. Worse yet, the fear of missing a turn and taking the group and often a bunch of other Power Tour cars off the route with us. This happens a lot because people figure if they are in a pack of Power Tour cars, they can just follow along. When we detoured into Newnan, GA for our lunch stop, about 10 other cars followed us off the route and into downtown traffic.<br />
<u><span style="color: #000120;"></span></u><br />
Before getting to lunch, we passed a Haunted Chicken Ranch, which had a bunch of hearses stacked up on the side of the road. We also ended up on a great twisty stretch of scenic byway, but were stuck behind a Prius that puttered along at 35-40 mph and slowed down more for the curves. Each time we hit a passing zone, a few of us were able to pass him with extreme prejudice. We really felt bad for the 6 brand new Corvettes that were stuck behind him with us. This would have been a great stretch of road to open up and carve through the corners at what proper people call an elevated speed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKox21VRo-VNdKDErbcEWR5etm8_Un93AfFZxbJSxkj32eJXzASG700W0Z201ip5-JqrpY7-ycM1E1ATgh-oLbYXsksYRfRAW855re54dKTyFhonRNXYbu6oTQee2yX5d8kmsQhI1NjGgU/s1600/IMG_5804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKox21VRo-VNdKDErbcEWR5etm8_Un93AfFZxbJSxkj32eJXzASG700W0Z201ip5-JqrpY7-ycM1E1ATgh-oLbYXsksYRfRAW855re54dKTyFhonRNXYbu6oTQee2yX5d8kmsQhI1NjGgU/s640/IMG_5804.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too clucking scary for me</td></tr>
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<br />
We stopped in downtown Newnan for lunch. It's a neat town and they have some art project where there are painted barnyard animals on each corner. It reminded me of the geckos or whatever they were that were put up in Orlando. There were a bunch of restaurants on the square around the courthouse. Some of our group ate at Mother's restaurant which was a soul food place down an alley. I, Tara, Tim, Timmy, and my folks ate at Meat and Greet which was a really good burger place, with several other options. Tara's still raving about her food.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD_mlYJ68je6dgufsFdMi3CfAd9CjOC0i7fxbphEcrdLZcbOu6DlLZgUl99-0_IMD0Q9AcqhTlHV3ul3GjzvxpABPNuzyJ2C67RX3pGzANrhDrsIc-2Qbt3sV4VhaboDyc82dAIfE1aLI/s1600/IMG_5801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD_mlYJ68je6dgufsFdMi3CfAd9CjOC0i7fxbphEcrdLZcbOu6DlLZgUl99-0_IMD0Q9AcqhTlHV3ul3GjzvxpABPNuzyJ2C67RX3pGzANrhDrsIc-2Qbt3sV4VhaboDyc82dAIfE1aLI/s400/IMG_5801.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newnan's Art Scene</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuj7EYVCC34JAjmm3pc1goK8apmwPsnGtcOzquT9-E5aOqtfPowKj1X2snwqX5K2MN8uh2QoV5vC5PB0Sr53aKbcoR8BDZR7IK7koo0m7iMUJZFfGwnrWi-qHsVWtcLToSPbsQLTgVksi/s1600/IMG_5802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuj7EYVCC34JAjmm3pc1goK8apmwPsnGtcOzquT9-E5aOqtfPowKj1X2snwqX5K2MN8uh2QoV5vC5PB0Sr53aKbcoR8BDZR7IK7koo0m7iMUJZFfGwnrWi-qHsVWtcLToSPbsQLTgVksi/s320/IMG_5802.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy as a pig in flowers.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnW-57wR10gxP7fiVRvXPDbSIXLjFeyX09KWwaDZBx82MENaUkChMRHGPuMxRW2IqPIqz2hXFQV3uRoVfJs3Mvdh89ZvnN2MUz411R5GVmYarfk9pBeDKQpmJtHvCOmkNDwseIU6XDUp_/s1600/IMG_5774.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnW-57wR10gxP7fiVRvXPDbSIXLjFeyX09KWwaDZBx82MENaUkChMRHGPuMxRW2IqPIqz2hXFQV3uRoVfJs3Mvdh89ZvnN2MUz411R5GVmYarfk9pBeDKQpmJtHvCOmkNDwseIU6XDUp_/s400/IMG_5774.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pollo de Los Muertas</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEi-yTybGGnacngrluKYpqQBeVeS8yGoGRzFIOwWMsXszxbwsQ1a_ibONK0ze7i4kUPorcjmzgBLpKdlsx2JYi5Enp76Yie4Z14Ep6mKhUorYVWi6YsKOx-S1Pg3NIpwyyOzHoP_mn9PrE/s1600/IMG_5773.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEi-yTybGGnacngrluKYpqQBeVeS8yGoGRzFIOwWMsXszxbwsQ1a_ibONK0ze7i4kUPorcjmzgBLpKdlsx2JYi5Enp76Yie4Z14Ep6mKhUorYVWi6YsKOx-S1Pg3NIpwyyOzHoP_mn9PrE/s320/IMG_5773.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street frontage is overrated </td></tr>
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<br />
Once we finished lunch, Tara found a way back to the route that avoided having to backtrack through town. It's a good thing she did. When she checked the Power Tour Facebook page to see if there were any issues along our path, she read accounts of a police officer outside of Newnan who was sitting by a very short left turn arrow and ticketing any Power Tour cars that "blocked the intersection." In a lot of the towns we go through the cops are helpful and will actually control traffic to keep the Power Tour cars from stacking up and snarling traffic. This officer decided to be a jerk rather than help. <br />
<br />
Our venue today was the infield of Atlanta Motor Speedway. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T0Cv8U0TM4e9yBW6oLDH3gqvW9U-EKzSwwJHgV7XZX1rpK8cDHMz8efQRd2eR7sZ6sOcG6gOgWRN5c53kIaHcboPz_FSfmUVDy3D3QybQ29p58_0Q8zv1ot94G636vHIc6hPJHp5mLuN/s1600/IMG_5800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T0Cv8U0TM4e9yBW6oLDH3gqvW9U-EKzSwwJHgV7XZX1rpK8cDHMz8efQRd2eR7sZ6sOcG6gOgWRN5c53kIaHcboPz_FSfmUVDy3D3QybQ29p58_0Q8zv1ot94G636vHIc6hPJHp5mLuN/s400/IMG_5800.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zzWGJiOnIWWErtYNsTXSR6fFeU4QXE4zqxZ220Q78lDpz-n6beZNje0rEnnw5k_mOQflqx_4dDjPHhcmonSOe5fv_xRBgEf8T56EBf7wr9GvpREN75MnHQdNmhL1jXV9TvjPaiibjExE/s1600/IMG_5799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zzWGJiOnIWWErtYNsTXSR6fFeU4QXE4zqxZ220Q78lDpz-n6beZNje0rEnnw5k_mOQflqx_4dDjPHhcmonSOe5fv_xRBgEf8T56EBf7wr9GvpREN75MnHQdNmhL1jXV9TvjPaiibjExE/s640/IMG_5799.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There was no traffic getting inside and we went straight to the Motor Medics to get the ball joints replaced. We even ran into our buddy Hollywood Howard and his green Monte Carlo being checked out by the Medics for a vibration at higher speeds. They adjusted his pinion angle and found he had a bad wheel and tire, but after rotating the tires it reduced the vibration some.<br />
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At this venue, the Motor Medics were <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">right by the entrance to the Speedway. So, w</span>hile we waited for them to have an open spot to work on the Acadian, we sat out front and watched the cars roll in. My dad picked up our credentials and got us clocked in and picked up our magnets for us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAAV2o03Cx-SUk-bd8jhILDdu6xmhUcoYZzihV1_okPfmUB-hZ2t7rgPxvke3yHH3EpG6EPGN_y7FpmWWd2TIrptAhV57p9h0ykxqWI9a4IgLW_-s6Y29lx_v4YuoT8RBlPGSuHZsHzwi/s1600/IMG_5775.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAAV2o03Cx-SUk-bd8jhILDdu6xmhUcoYZzihV1_okPfmUB-hZ2t7rgPxvke3yHH3EpG6EPGN_y7FpmWWd2TIrptAhV57p9h0ykxqWI9a4IgLW_-s6Y29lx_v4YuoT8RBlPGSuHZsHzwi/s640/IMG_5775.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqDmVmK4f6gl6CJXJeSqOJdCF5-1IALladrZ2bM8RMVmKPL1MrCfGrDtQxdkhnCLby_3aAOUVJFQESQYoe7uHnac_xtUIfHzbZBKHjL28Y8yEdI6AUxIdGwAAtdtME45JTJ3HutqsgRtQ/s1600/IMG_5780.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqDmVmK4f6gl6CJXJeSqOJdCF5-1IALladrZ2bM8RMVmKPL1MrCfGrDtQxdkhnCLby_3aAOUVJFQESQYoe7uHnac_xtUIfHzbZBKHjL28Y8yEdI6AUxIdGwAAtdtME45JTJ3HutqsgRtQ/s400/IMG_5780.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hellcat powered 1970 Challenger</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUX-lXufs0mWTpvg2HLmB8MHd_GeYw-QkwoUYD8Zt0KRQQhqtl8o2aE70hnddh713KKKOw7R3UQPBHqKoKimkwFwI74l4o-7HHpHYbl8X9W55DiGiX45d8qTAVV_fl6G9tZwHS7QkPNvq/s1600/IMG_5779.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUX-lXufs0mWTpvg2HLmB8MHd_GeYw-QkwoUYD8Zt0KRQQhqtl8o2aE70hnddh713KKKOw7R3UQPBHqKoKimkwFwI74l4o-7HHpHYbl8X9W55DiGiX45d8qTAVV_fl6G9tZwHS7QkPNvq/s400/IMG_5779.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lead Sled</td></tr>
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Once they got the Acadian wheel off the ground, they made short work of replacing the passenger side upper and lower ball joints. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRtMYAgFupKekPdqQUbFbjcP8ULbKKn1zFJWk-MioMDvYmwQTv5mgPZ6lAk6fHsQpy5nwwgEm1jNYCFIsBrnePVO4ORsXWiSu8H8fO1jAWaMjAUgeEwjxKuh1-98E4St7r9n_ZpUr_v_N/s1600/IMG_5798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRtMYAgFupKekPdqQUbFbjcP8ULbKKn1zFJWk-MioMDvYmwQTv5mgPZ6lAk6fHsQpy5nwwgEm1jNYCFIsBrnePVO4ORsXWiSu8H8fO1jAWaMjAUgeEwjxKuh1-98E4St7r9n_ZpUr_v_N/s400/IMG_5798.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once they had it all buttoned back up, we headed into the show field and the squeaking and creaking was gone. We parked with Scott (Orange G8) and Jacob, a Power Tour regular with his white G8 who couldn't take the week off of work but came up from Orlando just for the day. There wasn't any shade to be found, but we parked on the grass and there was a decent breeze, so it was comfortable. We picked a good spot to just watch the show roll past as the cars either left the speedway or got in line for the "parade laps" on the oval. Unfortunately, we missed the chance to sign up. On the other hand, while the laps looked fun and some people really pushed it, the line waiting to get onto the track was well over an hour and I was glad not to be sitting in it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohUY9L_ha4eOCvgpkzFDXVG7LIwQZR_-0oG_dEmXGaw3OF1slTWcYzNuHP27-O4K9VnYUBBMr902x2G8tvHBfm41Xvpe3EGkJUHW5kphLbU7MkVMv_WF0QNvfKWUbm4hY_35kKfn88PzS/s1600/IMG_5797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohUY9L_ha4eOCvgpkzFDXVG7LIwQZR_-0oG_dEmXGaw3OF1slTWcYzNuHP27-O4K9VnYUBBMr902x2G8tvHBfm41Xvpe3EGkJUHW5kphLbU7MkVMv_WF0QNvfKWUbm4hY_35kKfn88PzS/s640/IMG_5797.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our friends Rick and Lisa on the Parade Lap</td></tr>
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I was in the mood for a good pizza so, we left the venue, collected my dad and Scott (Convertible <br />
Nova) and the 6 of us went to Graffiti's Greek Taverna and Pizza. Jacob ordered a calzone that was massive. Tara and I split a pizza and it really hit the spot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyE2BJC_M98g1ef13JQtOHagFKASoy5enO0kpG5GwZlkHrTE6Ul4jr-awJXfj4wMuvHFZx0nFAAFIfvTWK10T6UnshyphenhyphenrWKvYWxnHb3BnRX2tKhegwEcSeIgWkklG6hkSWCgDxxoSR0okjQ/s1600/IMG_5789.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyE2BJC_M98g1ef13JQtOHagFKASoy5enO0kpG5GwZlkHrTE6Ul4jr-awJXfj4wMuvHFZx0nFAAFIfvTWK10T6UnshyphenhyphenrWKvYWxnHb3BnRX2tKhegwEcSeIgWkklG6hkSWCgDxxoSR0okjQ/s320/IMG_5789.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This thing is huge!!</td></tr>
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Having finished dinner, we went back to the hotel and spent a few hours talking with the other Long Haulers, some of whom we had met over the past few years, others over the past few days. It seems that at least 3 or 4 other cars have the same tastes in hotels as we do. A couple people were cleaning their cars, others doing some last minute repairs while their buddies drank beer and "advised."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2u2oV4FZWLC1-0JCwyYT0ul56KoGnTiGGnB8WlWByIqZefDlr43JDWIAcvSmPj19rNFls-BbblOhs64Pj4GOV6u29ex6Nj31QOhyphenhyphent5KDmuV-BR2oN_slrW7ZPcbHvZgxjBMQmD9NrM5r/s1600/IMG_5795.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2u2oV4FZWLC1-0JCwyYT0ul56KoGnTiGGnB8WlWByIqZefDlr43JDWIAcvSmPj19rNFls-BbblOhs64Pj4GOV6u29ex6Nj31QOhyphenhyphent5KDmuV-BR2oN_slrW7ZPcbHvZgxjBMQmD9NrM5r/s640/IMG_5795.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess it beats watching a car repair TV show.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmI8rBELCEQI20zTLnrVpofCG05Aw2tkzsrZdi6uqtSYFlY2GEAMmF6Jk9vl6RiRsOcZHijg9UnfZJAkoDJYP2Ip1K-a-KX2sBPVZ5Mf3sYe3GS0RFV33x6LJ8QDSgUVZYAyvwHiPiVZX/s1600/IMG_5793.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmI8rBELCEQI20zTLnrVpofCG05Aw2tkzsrZdi6uqtSYFlY2GEAMmF6Jk9vl6RiRsOcZHijg9UnfZJAkoDJYP2Ip1K-a-KX2sBPVZ5Mf3sYe3GS0RFV33x6LJ8QDSgUVZYAyvwHiPiVZX/s400/IMG_5793.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radical Pro-Street Chevelle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAFVIe-ELhaN5mIDwHyD8i08Rdu84SYV318_erCA_3HM684fn7PNgEC4wa53fW9Lo-krxY9xnQr9k792qLqRm11LcZ5rkqJQnB5PBxNcEekBxBzBzvVKVbCxOP0rAup1n7yUnlrX8MitL/s1600/IMG_5790.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAFVIe-ELhaN5mIDwHyD8i08Rdu84SYV318_erCA_3HM684fn7PNgEC4wa53fW9Lo-krxY9xnQr9k792qLqRm11LcZ5rkqJQnB5PBxNcEekBxBzBzvVKVbCxOP0rAup1n7yUnlrX8MitL/s640/IMG_5790.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PBR anyone?</td></tr>
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Tomorrow is our longest leg and includes over 200 miles of interstate. Tara spent a while trying to find a scenic detour, but nothing was workable, so we're just going to run the normal route. <br />
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-13278949465327856852018-06-11T20:20:00.002-07:002018-06-13T20:13:53.567-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 3: June 11- Chattanooga, TN to Hoover, AL (200.0 miles + a detour)We left Chattanooga bright and early at 7 am eastern for Hoover (Birmingham). Our<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> group initially consisted of 10 cars: us, Tim and Lori (1980s Monte Carlo), Tim and Timmy (1957 Chevy), Scott (1962 Nova Convertible) [Janice flew home to go to work], my parents (2014 Corvette), Ted and Lori (2000s GTO), and Jake (1960s pickup) . Scott with the G8 met us at a gas stop. [Yes, I know we have a lot of duplicates- there's usually another Scott too, but he couldn't make it this year]. Somehow, we left Ken, Bryson and Nancy at the hotel. What can I say, we are not the Marine Corps.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>The morning weather was nice and cool again which is a plus compared to the last few years of heat all day, every day. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Today's route was another really nice one and somewhat on the shorter side. We also gained an hour traveling back into the central time zone, so we were most of the way through the route by 10 am.</span><br />
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First we went through the Chickamagua military park, which was a few mile stretch of 2 lane road with cannons and civil war markers and statues. There were clear fields and wooded areas. It wasn't hard to imagine the cannons firing and troops charging each other's lines.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS73KWqfOKB_x6-X-ksv1h98Z38qytiQBa_camnNQTaBBMwG_9AVv4khiAEcvi2FYE0IrEp8E0PmcUJIrl2OTGzaB8-MJSFWvOVdDmWsQhx1AHc3Jwe6z5lKr-uN87HojYqYrcEGSzAIF/s1600/IMG_5767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS73KWqfOKB_x6-X-ksv1h98Z38qytiQBa_camnNQTaBBMwG_9AVv4khiAEcvi2FYE0IrEp8E0PmcUJIrl2OTGzaB8-MJSFWvOVdDmWsQhx1AHc3Jwe6z5lKr-uN87HojYqYrcEGSzAIF/s400/IMG_5767.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideB3uYQ9Uh1feiWYG91_cAMVW41MQjYqlhyphenhyphen8uX8lFomMwCcNC4taipMots9pFUCHW5UG5a0rXATC7sxTJhujX5f1bWh7SU2fZFT8AguFr-75g4CVDQc00w7MS_ZNVRYGn1Sg6ln1CHb95/s1600/IMG_5768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideB3uYQ9Uh1feiWYG91_cAMVW41MQjYqlhyphenhyphen8uX8lFomMwCcNC4taipMots9pFUCHW5UG5a0rXATC7sxTJhujX5f1bWh7SU2fZFT8AguFr-75g4CVDQc00w7MS_ZNVRYGn1Sg6ln1CHb95/s400/IMG_5768.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HcL3YTgO_ZTdxQMgcKLaz3hDHUP0G0aIsA3_UVdGXs8IknlU43q6kmxd18ST7FBuLI6ITQYsKLhe6qjXXA1o-uns3egDmH7muhQQlctkmcy7mJjYZlj1G9VEgzf99zOxMdIoBOd9C22D/s1600/IMG_5769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HcL3YTgO_ZTdxQMgcKLaz3hDHUP0G0aIsA3_UVdGXs8IknlU43q6kmxd18ST7FBuLI6ITQYsKLhe6qjXXA1o-uns3egDmH7muhQQlctkmcy7mJjYZlj1G9VEgzf99zOxMdIoBOd9C22D/s640/IMG_5769.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The rest of the route was through hilly country of Georgia and Alabama. We crossed some rivers and lakes and skirted along the Talladega National Forest. During the trip, Ted and Lori broke an axle in the GTO. Amazingly, Ken had a buddy in Huntsville who had a replacement rear end for the car, so they transported it there and spent the day fixing the GTO and it's good to go. Tour on!<br />
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At a fork 3/4 of the way through the route, we, my parents and Scott with the G8 peeled off to head to the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum. It's normally closed on Mondays. Even though our friend Ron called and confirmed that they would open, Tara called too. "Trust but verify." <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 120.5px; margin-right: 120.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxMJP5J7ZKpHRJjeYvcjZqoYuoc3qMI89386MujMgJuC3T6ROh5k273weuaSIwwGHWTqgMAqZZlkGfZR5PSK3BCAEKkYILobP7u3RhyphenhyphenkE3t3v55qLEFDoRQaAoMDboioa82lY07O8K43u/s1600/IMG_5766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxMJP5J7ZKpHRJjeYvcjZqoYuoc3qMI89386MujMgJuC3T6ROh5k273weuaSIwwGHWTqgMAqZZlkGfZR5PSK3BCAEKkYILobP7u3RhyphenhyphenkE3t3v55qLEFDoRQaAoMDboioa82lY07O8K43u/s400/IMG_5766.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">This slice of Mopar Heaven used to be a Chevrolet dealership.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UjwTQE2lSzrWM-05HEpwhb1BdHfMPO7su1xZ3ehKelt7LmXzb9Xo2yexYeKILI88n0DUBg8OYKTcaDwlRqgiJTUgknulSNGorJDDtpPniTSkYIHPs4_Ou5o6cG4kUrsxEC-5ko9y6jLZ/s1600/IMG_5735.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UjwTQE2lSzrWM-05HEpwhb1BdHfMPO7su1xZ3ehKelt7LmXzb9Xo2yexYeKILI88n0DUBg8OYKTcaDwlRqgiJTUgknulSNGorJDDtpPniTSkYIHPs4_Ou5o6cG4kUrsxEC-5ko9y6jLZ/s400/IMG_5735.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"How are we the only ones here?"</td></tr>
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The Wellborn was incredible, even for non-Mopar people. Still, we figured it would be a 45 minute- "look at the cars and go" stop. Boy were we wrong. Alton, the caretaker/mechanic of this most impressive collection of high end, rare Plymouth, Dodge, and even a Chevy and Pontiac, met us, locked the door and gave us and 3 other guys a private tour. He took us through the history and significance of most of the cars in the museum. He then took us through their parts rooms stocked floor to ceiling with NOS (New Old Stock) parts, most were in their original boxes. It's hard to describe the collection as there were many extremely desirable cars. There are 3 1971 Hemi 'Cudas worth well over $1M each, a 100 point perfectly restored 1968 Hemi Charger and original Mopar dealer neon signs. One of the most interesting things was a 1970 'Cuda that they dubbed the "paint chip 'Cuda. Half of the car was wrapped in white and then strips were painted of each color that was available for 1970. The other half was left the original green. We were there close to an hour and a half. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01XfTef30rZYhKvZpFvwsQRXw4TlzMXSlm9b4wyBN7nOZ5rdD3_9kMtHbX51i_gMRll8q7wq0C8xNtlI_owAcJn8vPUgfVQsXavJucDgp0zNChEcb7zC2xrny95Noyyumebl57Fu4vFbg/s1600/IMG_5765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01XfTef30rZYhKvZpFvwsQRXw4TlzMXSlm9b4wyBN7nOZ5rdD3_9kMtHbX51i_gMRll8q7wq0C8xNtlI_owAcJn8vPUgfVQsXavJucDgp0zNChEcb7zC2xrny95Noyyumebl57Fu4vFbg/s640/IMG_5765.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alton giving the Tour.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2clXy_XQHf0GfhJv7e9mVudZjZSJ2xy698S-HzroWPDYux-yR_PCiWh8aBGaBxYuqrwbP9HQS32Q-Rex3Ll-ezt0KRW6O3GZ65NJncIqIeUn3Is-lQIBAB5kpUazPf7_3tdHSEpYDj0dG/s1600/IMG_5745.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2clXy_XQHf0GfhJv7e9mVudZjZSJ2xy698S-HzroWPDYux-yR_PCiWh8aBGaBxYuqrwbP9HQS32Q-Rex3Ll-ezt0KRW6O3GZ65NJncIqIeUn3Is-lQIBAB5kpUazPf7_3tdHSEpYDj0dG/s640/IMG_5745.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Paint Chip 'Cuda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNQeMoXtNHeDAkafLOn0Iu7Z2TJvhWOfLCM_dDxzYbobO-qdaX9l6kwkQb_dSm3lOcPa93v3yvFbQA-GAQIIZylVbMSaQUqOf0MkGKbBySnsq7a3ZmbBXQ-AV-KI0fQkv5IlesIYyQwRO/s1600/IMG_5749.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNQeMoXtNHeDAkafLOn0Iu7Z2TJvhWOfLCM_dDxzYbobO-qdaX9l6kwkQb_dSm3lOcPa93v3yvFbQA-GAQIIZylVbMSaQUqOf0MkGKbBySnsq7a3ZmbBXQ-AV-KI0fQkv5IlesIYyQwRO/s400/IMG_5749.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A NASCAR 1969 Dodge Daytona and the "consumer version"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU4DxpE7B53nJATG1FHzLMY0DysNXOqjhCsKEUvRwOkdrYz4UFo9oh-QiYvFCuGGHICyJSOO3nCbRRhGrNMHfYlbxj_1YrlIgNonerQcIbfdwKhUVXmvAA1w_M5EzF2aZNflBf-nlbjvq/s1600/IMG_5742.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU4DxpE7B53nJATG1FHzLMY0DysNXOqjhCsKEUvRwOkdrYz4UFo9oh-QiYvFCuGGHICyJSOO3nCbRRhGrNMHfYlbxj_1YrlIgNonerQcIbfdwKhUVXmvAA1w_M5EzF2aZNflBf-nlbjvq/s400/IMG_5742.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$5M worth of 1971 'Cudas.</td></tr>
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Once we finished feasting on the Mopar magnificence, we asked Alton for a lunch recommendation and hit Big Bs BBQ. In the parking lot, there was an AMC Pacer that was, for lack of a better word, adorable. It was also for sale, but I think it'd be kind of like those novelty T-shirts in Key West that seem like a good idea in the store window, but you know you'll likely never really wear it. The couple who owned it were Mopar fanatics from Eastern Alabama and we talked with them a bit about a show that Tara has been dying to go up this way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0NFLR50ZJa3MGqNEBLjl_N9JHVdCbm5h7VCsF6Nd2BtCi5scDBm40YlSSm3BuK1O59iRDw843uUYycLxWpAUU6LjMhcnN7d2syA_chvPijUnD21OwSKpmKWbEUKT-0A0iJYU6hSF1e5L/s1600/IMG_5763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0NFLR50ZJa3MGqNEBLjl_N9JHVdCbm5h7VCsF6Nd2BtCi5scDBm40YlSSm3BuK1O59iRDw843uUYycLxWpAUU6LjMhcnN7d2syA_chvPijUnD21OwSKpmKWbEUKT-0A0iJYU6hSF1e5L/s400/IMG_5763.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's sooo cute.</td></tr>
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After lunch, we zipped back up 280 to the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. As we got there it looked like it was going to pour and the temperature dropped, but the clouds broke up and it ended up being really nice. We got there around 3:30. On our way in, we saw many cars leaving, but there were plenty still at the venue and more coming in on a fairly steady basis. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IhLG4jwESGaYN8o4QyPxKZJbFLJ3nn9N3q0VoKIQ5oibQmQ8T3TGEnxvwNMqEo0k_3pZjnx6zHBmS-nfJt1FAoSUvwm4yEira3owkl71z8x2V9V4LIqFUKsr1HZwYKixnzRumRdzU9B3/s1600/IMG_5770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IhLG4jwESGaYN8o4QyPxKZJbFLJ3nn9N3q0VoKIQ5oibQmQ8T3TGEnxvwNMqEo0k_3pZjnx6zHBmS-nfJt1FAoSUvwm4yEira3owkl71z8x2V9V4LIqFUKsr1HZwYKixnzRumRdzU9B3/s640/IMG_5770.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aerial view of only part of the venue. Courtesy of someone on Facebook</td></tr>
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We got parked and while my dad, Scott and I got clocked in and picked up the day's magnets, Tara headed over to the GM Motor Medics to have the ball joint in the Acadian looked at. The Motor Medics are GM engineers from Milford who take the week to travel with the Power Tour and help diagnose and fix cars that otherwise might be sidelined. All you need to do is bring them the car and the parts and they'll install them for free. It's really cool. They helped us with a brake shoe issue back in Madison on the 2015 Power Tour and one of the guys remembered the car. We had hoped it would just be a ball joint needing grease, but it looks like a lower ball joint is bad and putting stress on the upper ball joint. They offered to fix it tomorrow. All we need are the parts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxeb2Km4PbuDQ7SJVou2uD6oACojBMUvWEcYugyqpZHtqRH2O9aAIHYrqcA-rLgEvoTuvFwJ80sv_fnjrSqgcc0aXRjWxdVRudNP4YswDuT5ErUVP5q2-G4SMP5GbEo3RLfcn7w1TPoN7/s1600/IMG_1398.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxeb2Km4PbuDQ7SJVou2uD6oACojBMUvWEcYugyqpZHtqRH2O9aAIHYrqcA-rLgEvoTuvFwJ80sv_fnjrSqgcc0aXRjWxdVRudNP4YswDuT5ErUVP5q2-G4SMP5GbEo3RLfcn7w1TPoN7/s640/IMG_1398.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once we had a diagnosis, we spent some more time checking out the cars, talking to people and wiping the Alabama clay dust off the cars. Before we knew it, it was time to head to the hotel for the free wine and beer happy hour. We got a great spot for the Acadian at the hotel, so we hopped in my Corvette and it was off to Advance Auto Parts to buy two ball joints to take with us to the Medics. For dinner, Tara and I met up with Ron and Dustin with the 1969 RoadRunner.<br />
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Two Pesos, the Mexican restaurant they picked for dinner, was conveniently located literally around the corner from the parts store. The food was good and we talked cars until well into the evening. Then it was time to head back to the hotel and gear up for tomorrow's run. We snagged the last parking space in the hotel lot.<br />
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Here are some other interesting pictures from the day:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg44FC33qzcMX-bcqkfgK2XeA_0QSXSyeDbnd5z8OxKeFScmtWe-TlRB4tO4dSpSheceHGFXljHxmoaR3100Cg1iiCuQW4qsIqjlY3FbYcQ-ueYKQ9PBOWekDYSKHIiny5FQuFxvZvVjk/s1600/IMG_5757.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg44FC33qzcMX-bcqkfgK2XeA_0QSXSyeDbnd5z8OxKeFScmtWe-TlRB4tO4dSpSheceHGFXljHxmoaR3100Cg1iiCuQW4qsIqjlY3FbYcQ-ueYKQ9PBOWekDYSKHIiny5FQuFxvZvVjk/s640/IMG_5757.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseless carriage. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdo3CLFvxEzJz8L7MGpIah6RclA3xH9i6gLHuz7ZqxYJscmfohOKsf8B_tS7lJYjQUqTSsR_3nY3Ghwjt1CJtZ43-hobJnEAA2WAjTQ3g3mB9PAcp6QK8WccFwzYyyxLyIOk76pg-TaiA/s1600/IMG_5758.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdo3CLFvxEzJz8L7MGpIah6RclA3xH9i6gLHuz7ZqxYJscmfohOKsf8B_tS7lJYjQUqTSsR_3nY3Ghwjt1CJtZ43-hobJnEAA2WAjTQ3g3mB9PAcp6QK8WccFwzYyyxLyIOk76pg-TaiA/s640/IMG_5758.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You should always have a road flare in case of emergency</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjTBZFhEGpBMP1QsvrPKObwOBZfglQn_732XWJW9zpB3mB9oMwI3rR4AejR2kLuvr9DUuuVZtQJyy1aAVhdHKFHrRG28Jtoln9wzCFm91TdiwrVWDBKnet2dcfmGalDIahL2VwVZ6FXPY/s1600/IMG_5756.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjTBZFhEGpBMP1QsvrPKObwOBZfglQn_732XWJW9zpB3mB9oMwI3rR4AejR2kLuvr9DUuuVZtQJyy1aAVhdHKFHrRG28Jtoln9wzCFm91TdiwrVWDBKnet2dcfmGalDIahL2VwVZ6FXPY/s640/IMG_5756.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no idea what this is, but I like it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ztpWIC4nOtUYZ_ik0LSLNdI0pU_QNnGzT2RMEb5wsJR0cT_nO2wpJDQDZ85Pbn08S_rxGj4zx8325XAEFp5K0WhsjuJe3dl-W3Ua_hdlHRqnsbuEUD2QRc12n7mZvwLjPxg4_BmYwKU3/s1600/IMG_5741.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ztpWIC4nOtUYZ_ik0LSLNdI0pU_QNnGzT2RMEb5wsJR0cT_nO2wpJDQDZ85Pbn08S_rxGj4zx8325XAEFp5K0WhsjuJe3dl-W3Ua_hdlHRqnsbuEUD2QRc12n7mZvwLjPxg4_BmYwKU3/s640/IMG_5741.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1970 GTO Judge Ram Air IV Convertible, one of the few non-Mopars in the Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAPCMUPJ9ZP5NcxC-AMmqgCnhtoCln-FIMtomkBH2eyqfbAHqgQdQS5h8TintCvbkfCfmAMBBwng8xettYvbR_eLL7_1wNB96f4m6ozeIPOpjS6KtoCghAGF2ZsX6N6q3G9B3gTI0PD6o/s1600/IMG_5743.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAPCMUPJ9ZP5NcxC-AMmqgCnhtoCln-FIMtomkBH2eyqfbAHqgQdQS5h8TintCvbkfCfmAMBBwng8xettYvbR_eLL7_1wNB96f4m6ozeIPOpjS6KtoCghAGF2ZsX6N6q3G9B3gTI0PD6o/s640/IMG_5743.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"In Violet" 1971 Hemi 'Cuda at the Wellborn</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-51539949025771832052018-06-10T19:44:00.001-07:002018-06-10T19:44:50.965-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 2: June 10- Bowling Green, KY to Chattanooga, TN (201.7 miles)We left the hotel about 8 am this morning, which is a later start than usual. We were joined by a Kendra of the "Cruisin with Kendra" blog and her photographer. They rode with our friends Scott and Janice in Scott's custom 1962 convertible Nova. It didn't take but 5 minutes for us to miss our first turn. We left the hotel without really doing a radio check and many of our group's 2 way radios were on sub-channels which meant some of us could hear, but not communicate with each other. We got that resolved pretty quick and were on the route.<br />
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Today's route was a great one. At first we wound through 2 lane farm roads with some wide curves and small hills. The weather was cool and the views were nice. Some of the trees formed a canopy tunnel covering both sides of the road. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YTgAN1Uc3t6xyvMJMNgabgwPqm6uuw93-TmePyY2JrJeXB-doii0pfpckz6YPIsj-JPXP01tA6JF7XmKZooYAs3HcyCDfEOhNVrqAfC8eKDdJMQQAnH97QkzHsBSO6HseyWJ-cYH2fEr/s1600/IMG_5731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YTgAN1Uc3t6xyvMJMNgabgwPqm6uuw93-TmePyY2JrJeXB-doii0pfpckz6YPIsj-JPXP01tA6JF7XmKZooYAs3HcyCDfEOhNVrqAfC8eKDdJMQQAnH97QkzHsBSO6HseyWJ-cYH2fEr/s400/IMG_5731.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YTgAN1Uc3t6xyvMJMNgabgwPqm6uuw93-TmePyY2JrJeXB-doii0pfpckz6YPIsj-JPXP01tA6JF7XmKZooYAs3HcyCDfEOhNVrqAfC8eKDdJMQQAnH97QkzHsBSO6HseyWJ-cYH2fEr/s1600/IMG_5731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>As always, people were along the route on the side of the road just watching the cars and waving. A Hot Rod magazine guy walked across our path with his camera. Maybe we made the magazine or at least the website.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPYS7RSF_NO5XAZ6oEgDCoBieyu6hyphenhyphen_n3xh1V8Owf3OGJMoCLCl_1fK0zpQj55OCg5wVSFFhlIc1k2N8bnblvt1kXCg2D9aXpjzdLSxxf5qXLIybRIt5XdXVEeIDwPZi18lmsDi3FYe5L/s1600/IMG_5724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPYS7RSF_NO5XAZ6oEgDCoBieyu6hyphenhyphen_n3xh1V8Owf3OGJMoCLCl_1fK0zpQj55OCg5wVSFFhlIc1k2N8bnblvt1kXCg2D9aXpjzdLSxxf5qXLIybRIt5XdXVEeIDwPZi18lmsDi3FYe5L/s400/IMG_5724.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYg2ceIwk1pkbKiSlyPr2nEZTRiSu3r_6nBzqXZOWZ8-CAP8-yKDRbomPHqGcdLn_lOf1AOTMA5BGRWxouhQTM63x82inj2YZbcRyS4e8w9KighQp-Wwec2FsxUPb-2cCGddukWMa9El6_/s1600/IMG_5725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYg2ceIwk1pkbKiSlyPr2nEZTRiSu3r_6nBzqXZOWZ8-CAP8-yKDRbomPHqGcdLn_lOf1AOTMA5BGRWxouhQTM63x82inj2YZbcRyS4e8w9KighQp-Wwec2FsxUPb-2cCGddukWMa9El6_/s400/IMG_5725.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We hit our first Power Tour induced traffic snarl about an hour into the route. We all had to make a left turn at a 4 way stop in Scottsville (Home of Dollar General...for real). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zC5WMwulH_HJorkSUj6A0eMSX53EoqZtU6B1KvmQk62YESD3kQWNP3A6PNcJuvwvD7LNbMr7N_r6FDxKD1K8iwbQwWI7ixAlGRY4xikV6chl0xA55jmtYn2SsK3846r-Fbk52-rmfoZe/s1600/IMG_5728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zC5WMwulH_HJorkSUj6A0eMSX53EoqZtU6B1KvmQk62YESD3kQWNP3A6PNcJuvwvD7LNbMr7N_r6FDxKD1K8iwbQwWI7ixAlGRY4xikV6chl0xA55jmtYn2SsK3846r-Fbk52-rmfoZe/s400/IMG_5728.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unusual? These things are everywhere</td></tr>
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With hundreds of cars coming through, a 4 way stop can, and did, lead to at least a 45 minute snarl. We watched as Lori and Janice made a beverage exchange by Lori putting drinks on the side of the road and Janice picking them up as traffic slowly rolled by. Pretty entertaining, and convenient too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb9-8iZ3344TdPc8uYk_4gx6QGBcPNZALcdBex_V_ljQHc-DbrpdxGroSg1z3xC63-4wb89AjD35Y6vDfjyHdLstUsNEmuUwkKY-MGHmJtQRlVnGNMqRzsl9SyzIZ9Pr9tYRRiam2VfBi/s1600/IMG_5729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1106" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb9-8iZ3344TdPc8uYk_4gx6QGBcPNZALcdBex_V_ljQHc-DbrpdxGroSg1z3xC63-4wb89AjD35Y6vDfjyHdLstUsNEmuUwkKY-MGHmJtQRlVnGNMqRzsl9SyzIZ9Pr9tYRRiam2VfBi/s200/IMG_5729.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The drop off</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxtOvgXDwzK6zorJV3LPDPLM0WAsM7XXUVrjDG11fCc179oBRqMgLMhx5DXktqJf9y22UWNgcE3PWEPc2h45To0Mt0jTklXwyU85B4_bK4qZuv6gce6uUyQw2R7e3-DHU9yAWXbOSFkkI/s1600/IMG_5730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="1600" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxtOvgXDwzK6zorJV3LPDPLM0WAsM7XXUVrjDG11fCc179oBRqMgLMhx5DXktqJf9y22UWNgcE3PWEPc2h45To0Mt0jTklXwyU85B4_bK4qZuv6gce6uUyQw2R7e3-DHU9yAWXbOSFkkI/s200/IMG_5730.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pickup</td></tr>
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After getting through Scottsville, we began snaking through the mountains. There was a small rain shower that dropped the temperatures even more and it seemed like it was in the 60s most of the way. I love the mountain roads and all of the curves. Even at normal speeds, they're a lot of fun in a blue box with 50 year old suspension technology.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ42cntY2AxHSJ-o0sHNEqtXovnfZeH_XacNYylzdm_1pT7KoN8JZRnR0qwHAl7QdoYUMsbnkFR9ISri0eLzCE5j0x4fFSaeovk58gJ_KlGdOFRUxJqrZLZR8T4izUnqTjayXhY96F7B8K/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ42cntY2AxHSJ-o0sHNEqtXovnfZeH_XacNYylzdm_1pT7KoN8JZRnR0qwHAl7QdoYUMsbnkFR9ISri0eLzCE5j0x4fFSaeovk58gJ_KlGdOFRUxJqrZLZR8T4izUnqTjayXhY96F7B8K/s400/IMG_5723.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wet mountain roads are slightly less than fun.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOk93dR3SkoR_0ai0_xT7wcHMJQ-tf6NbBnGNlMFHaI3kKYXtUBk-QsowUyEkTEfE7_T9gK1ffVUUyI48Zw2APPgLCFff0nmXGjIxzZX1F4UcE37LrcOPCxnyxkH2cW-c_wbrj50XeEZx/s1600/IMG_5718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOk93dR3SkoR_0ai0_xT7wcHMJQ-tf6NbBnGNlMFHaI3kKYXtUBk-QsowUyEkTEfE7_T9gK1ffVUUyI48Zw2APPgLCFff0nmXGjIxzZX1F4UcE37LrcOPCxnyxkH2cW-c_wbrj50XeEZx/s400/IMG_5718.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "rear view mirror shot" is a Power Tour staple and Tara's getting pretty good at it</td></tr>
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Our lunch stop was in Baxter, TN at the All American Diner. It was a restaurant in a steel warehouse. It didn't offer much for décor, but the food was excellent. There were several locals eating there and assured us we couldn't go wrong with whatever we ordered. Since we passed a catfish farm, Tara decided to get catfish. She said it was excellent and, unlike the place we stopped at a few years ago, it was already filleted. <br />
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After lunch, it was back on the road. We had to make a detour because the road ahead was closed due to a regular truck rear-ending an Orange 1973 Camaro and pushing it into a gold Dodge Dart. The car was smashed up pretty good. From news reports, it sounds like none of the Power Tour folks were hurt. They were both at the gas station with us a few miles down the way. If it hadn't been for a long bathroom line, we could have been in the thick of it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZn19s1k_aAKmjqDMueU1dFcZvjEKmQlxjsTGXf-6pnc8uYHyXNeS2XzcY-LepOvHlhLRceyqsYbbXQHMUKFMXTv-_dlRBRBOrkTz80-eSe0jF4QD7MN4aftO_kkZ-9ZGspimPFL7J1xi/s1600/IMG_5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZn19s1k_aAKmjqDMueU1dFcZvjEKmQlxjsTGXf-6pnc8uYHyXNeS2XzcY-LepOvHlhLRceyqsYbbXQHMUKFMXTv-_dlRBRBOrkTz80-eSe0jF4QD7MN4aftO_kkZ-9ZGspimPFL7J1xi/s400/IMG_5721.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas stop. The orange '73 Camaro is on the right. Tara was standing next to the Dart.</td></tr>
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Once we were back on the route, we had some more mountains to climb.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucUxid4u0Vu3H-iLAbLiVW2Fd5OvKrYWC-Rz1bZZcoF7EEYA9ocCGt56hd1MlAaKoPtcVr7LyKIKC0Q8JkuUUeKNYXVoIKYov_bWOLuB7fUW352VOBlFSicCLmP4h2LHJfSVA7KULZoH8/s1600/IMG_5717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucUxid4u0Vu3H-iLAbLiVW2Fd5OvKrYWC-Rz1bZZcoF7EEYA9ocCGt56hd1MlAaKoPtcVr7LyKIKC0Q8JkuUUeKNYXVoIKYov_bWOLuB7fUW352VOBlFSicCLmP4h2LHJfSVA7KULZoH8/s400/IMG_5717.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going Up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdQjtEQwHG2Rc2yimb_7jYEUL2VeQfqgMI8aaIzCxDnhxO0iwSueVQ8LmFvhcXnFWWhzXb0KXoA45pQaIIPUZX94yJ1mp_KFw_qiEGT3dMRTRV-fub56Af6euBgfmp8f2hv11_i5camNl/s1600/IMG_5720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1523" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdQjtEQwHG2Rc2yimb_7jYEUL2VeQfqgMI8aaIzCxDnhxO0iwSueVQ8LmFvhcXnFWWhzXb0KXoA45pQaIIPUZX94yJ1mp_KFw_qiEGT3dMRTRV-fub56Af6euBgfmp8f2hv11_i5camNl/s400/IMG_5720.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going Down!</td></tr>
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We pulled off at a really cool scenic overlook that was chock full of Power Tour cars. Tara saw it at the last minute and we, and most the group were able to slow down enough to get in. My parents were in the left lane, so we just met them a little farther down the road. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPI2OFmIyVY4_SMDXedbaNk1yiOgECrHUVbBM7Z_32RkWcmnffWax1x-0miH1gxLYm4myVhL7lSj1b2ybdvhtUFPe43M1_uQxHDhOjN5ub8R0PTIaDwHGHZ9dDgvRlgQhMHXzSZq8xq7Ev/s1600/IMG_5714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPI2OFmIyVY4_SMDXedbaNk1yiOgECrHUVbBM7Z_32RkWcmnffWax1x-0miH1gxLYm4myVhL7lSj1b2ybdvhtUFPe43M1_uQxHDhOjN5ub8R0PTIaDwHGHZ9dDgvRlgQhMHXzSZq8xq7Ev/s640/IMG_5714.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding Power Tour scenery to a scenic overlook</td></tr>
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It was a really nice trip, right until we got to the off-ramp and turn into our venue: Chattanooga State Community College. Traffic was stacked up and it was not moving. We also lost an hour by re-entering the eastern time zone and it was nearly 4:30. After sitting for 20 minutes in a left turn lane, we skirted back onto the road, went right, hung a U-ey and went straight across the street into the venue and even more traffic. They were trying to merge 4 lanes of show cars into a single meandering lane with nowhere to go. Cars (and people) were overheating like crazy. The 1970's Corvette in front of us stalled out and wouldn't restart, so I switched seats with Tara and got out to push. The Acadian engine temp began to climb to worrisome levels, but I popped open the hood a decent amount and it cooled down a lot.<br />
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Traffic into the venue was so bad that after another half hour, I ended up jumping out grabbing our and my parents' credentials and running down the hill to make sure we got punched in and get our magnets. This year they have done away with the punch clocks and instead are using different shape hole punchers each day. They are trying to cut down on "cheaters", but it's ridiculous and I'm certain there are going to be some pissed off Long Haulers if they got so stuck in traffic getting into the venue that they missed a punch. There are already plenty of frustrated people who had trouble getting into both venues so far. <br />
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I missed the Holley tent to pick up my magnet because I was so distracted by the gorgeous B5 Blue and white 1969 Charger Daytona, a super rare and amazing car. I don't know if it's making the long haul, but we saw it going down the road in Bowling Green.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3L7g3EcpIHhh_249PIFnfUhMjX9RIUuZSjL3BB0LbnvwbxiIuimUUrpDJzl1yrai8gKlUr5Qz_A_YuqSvKIGHrpovads-4ZzpUR-4WmRjY5XnApi6c6doB_bhmK7S0wmbYO_nG03wpir/s1600/IMG_5703.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3L7g3EcpIHhh_249PIFnfUhMjX9RIUuZSjL3BB0LbnvwbxiIuimUUrpDJzl1yrai8gKlUr5Qz_A_YuqSvKIGHrpovads-4ZzpUR-4WmRjY5XnApi6c6doB_bhmK7S0wmbYO_nG03wpir/s400/IMG_5703.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Petty drove for Ford 1 year because Plymouth didn't have one of these.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJB4F7XpuUSb02voDnADSgGziYJaJ5DYWIWkCLFmSWUMbgUY57-ex_r6E2ZJHppPlzZHZvYg0kdZrbTo3q4kcwPlx3V4qdvoDV4PsYC97uUT-OZtxc_TSk_RxJGGoRn6djPivKBjcm9fW/s1600/IMG_5704.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJB4F7XpuUSb02voDnADSgGziYJaJ5DYWIWkCLFmSWUMbgUY57-ex_r6E2ZJHppPlzZHZvYg0kdZrbTo3q4kcwPlx3V4qdvoDV4PsYC97uUT-OZtxc_TSk_RxJGGoRn6djPivKBjcm9fW/s400/IMG_5704.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a lot like my GTX, but rarer and wilder.</td></tr>
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Tara and my dad finally worked their way into the venue and found guerilla parallel parking along the river and with shade and picnic tables. When they pulled up, the place was wide open, but once the parked, everyone else jumped on the bandwagon and it filled up fast.<br />
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This venue wasn't a great one to walk around and see cars since they were scattered over many different parking lots throughout campus. Instead, we looked a the cars near us and then sat and watched the cars slowly roll by. You can actually see a lot of the Power Tour by sitting along the entrance or exit and where we were parked was basically in the middle of both.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhdaqkYbsj492fwif26p8XkBqIldE9YQa1JNUpk1pl9KYnEJwOl8k1kEezUD4Zt0tz-C8drzdxtM6RyFLcjlVOk1EcLyQEdizb_ig3IKdQzqD7GAZ7r5hrqDmiyXZAoUJjdkn_YNlPbGo/s1600/IMG_5708.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhdaqkYbsj492fwif26p8XkBqIldE9YQa1JNUpk1pl9KYnEJwOl8k1kEezUD4Zt0tz-C8drzdxtM6RyFLcjlVOk1EcLyQEdizb_ig3IKdQzqD7GAZ7r5hrqDmiyXZAoUJjdkn_YNlPbGo/s400/IMG_5708.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1969 Z/28 Camaro</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepG4120GgzjJwL6rW8bOpFNAoYMRorKNTuptHkW3oZs2fh-JwNGkt7T89HeAZbxWAr12_Y82Sff3peO2GxD1UcF-KzCak19fSrLX6rZaKyGh8yi_HKsTKLH10o2qkJG-xcFIlIjvhr7dL/s1600/IMG_5710.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepG4120GgzjJwL6rW8bOpFNAoYMRorKNTuptHkW3oZs2fh-JwNGkt7T89HeAZbxWAr12_Y82Sff3peO2GxD1UcF-KzCak19fSrLX6rZaKyGh8yi_HKsTKLH10o2qkJG-xcFIlIjvhr7dL/s400/IMG_5710.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1956 Chevy drive by</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNaty8XXB9cNRZdm7DgBlYqKL026cciMHxOrnts21f6Xb7tS1l42TaNk7E4QLy47whobtqIObkjdvmesrBzdny0FIZIK93M9jSRBxRUeyIv7sle_Fkc_jJe1KTLQIjAwfleIU_6LZ9gs2/s1600/IMG_5705.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNaty8XXB9cNRZdm7DgBlYqKL026cciMHxOrnts21f6Xb7tS1l42TaNk7E4QLy47whobtqIObkjdvmesrBzdny0FIZIK93M9jSRBxRUeyIv7sle_Fkc_jJe1KTLQIjAwfleIU_6LZ9gs2/s400/IMG_5705.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Magnuson Camaro that was ripping up the track yesterday.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXulv9KJGMs0pKmD6bqxCFUUZoJsDLykgWQGnrVjW6Db805EOL0AVKOxkj8ZXFiIYh_tXfmUCjuvaNnqdCHnPIMhm0yW71Gk3z-DPBIrFT9Tp1WjoSLkkc_FRJC6Fw7JrtD-mOyUqimX8/s1600/IMG_5711.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXulv9KJGMs0pKmD6bqxCFUUZoJsDLykgWQGnrVjW6Db805EOL0AVKOxkj8ZXFiIYh_tXfmUCjuvaNnqdCHnPIMhm0yW71Gk3z-DPBIrFT9Tp1WjoSLkkc_FRJC6Fw7JrtD-mOyUqimX8/s400/IMG_5711.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy must be from Texas! </td></tr>
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We left the venue around 7 and headed to our hotel in Downtown Chattanooga. It's a Sunday, so not much was going on, but we had a great dinner at Hi Fi Clyde's, a big bar and music venue. While we were there, we ran into Ron and Dustin with the 1969 RoadRunner that we met in Bowling Green and also some guys with a 1967 Nova that saw us back in 2012 and recognized the Acadian. Their Nova didn't make the trip (hole in the radiator), but they were there.<br />
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After dinner, we parked at the hotel and jacked up the Acadian to see if we couldn't address a squeaking ball joint. We couldn't do much in the parking lot, but are going to run it by the Motor Medics and see if we can't get it off the ground a little more and squeeze some more grease in. It's not a big issue, but the creaking is bugging the hell out of Tara.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd14ldnsZXFcwVrOxkI5VonKCdbcTN8fUFvG1J1o-qk15UkGzc9NJn7TQUSCE6HgLRfO40kORYcqRzs4O_Ixa5-wLr_zI45YgwYY4OxfzYnABEdij53ClqTBM1B1gpSRs5S5a7o2XGMrFn/s1600/IMG_5713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd14ldnsZXFcwVrOxkI5VonKCdbcTN8fUFvG1J1o-qk15UkGzc9NJn7TQUSCE6HgLRfO40kORYcqRzs4O_Ixa5-wLr_zI45YgwYY4OxfzYnABEdij53ClqTBM1B1gpSRs5S5a7o2XGMrFn/s640/IMG_5713.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posing in front of Honest Charley Garage in Chattanooga</td></tr>
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It's an early night tonight since we lost an hour and are planning to leave by 7 am for Birmingham. We are going to detour off the route at Gadsden City and head a bit out of the way and check out the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum in Alexander City, AL. It's a Mopar Fanatic's heaven and since we are this far, what the heck. Ron even called and made sure they'd be open since they are usually closed on Mondays (We'll double check on the way).<br />
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-86784322664185912952018-06-09T19:40:00.003-07:002018-06-09T19:43:09.045-07:00HRPT 2018- Day 1: June 9- Bowling Green, KY (5.5 miles)The first day of the Power Tour is always the easiest, just a simple cruise down the street to the venue. Today's venue was the Beech Bend Raceway/Amusement park. There's only one way in down a winding 2 lane country road. For a simple, in-town drive, it was actually one of the prettiest. Fortunately, we got to the venue right when it opened. It didn't take long for traffic to back up for miles. According to posts on the Power Tour Facebook page, people were stuck in traffic for over an hour. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdvA-1HOiCOweKqYzRAs_tx97LB2t5ceQ5xHl0xM6hJ7bGJaVnZFpT4k2nzGN-9TfnXe0_Hd3l3y4j06fHGVgEDKmB9_tUtdfvNWxtmYEHVZoLiMDhZ80FXwfx7gCClrLnHJ4LUlVPL81/s1600/20180609_090404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdvA-1HOiCOweKqYzRAs_tx97LB2t5ceQ5xHl0xM6hJ7bGJaVnZFpT4k2nzGN-9TfnXe0_Hd3l3y4j06fHGVgEDKmB9_tUtdfvNWxtmYEHVZoLiMDhZ80FXwfx7gCClrLnHJ4LUlVPL81/s640/20180609_090404.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a pretty place for a little traffic</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragstrip and a Roller Coaster!!!</td></tr>
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Once in the park, we made a bee line for the trees along the river and got a nice shady parking space.<br />
We were quickly joined by Ron and Dustin a father and son in their 1969 4 speed Roadrunner. This was their first Power Tour. We spent some time talking and then headed to the vendor midway to get punched in and pick up our Long Hauler freebies. As usual, Mother's gave away bottles of their dry wash spray.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwtWj0gS3j8ryfVIfBneqJpg-5ArTwBGoTyFi9SzRMshURPEjkQtIdx2Ys68BGYbkSxbHQXSZwPIavQ-Jh3GGOm4zPXwplpM-GW3oQcSuy-Yz-1pZMhohXpmmiqwvecsKhhvqKj1n9p0i/s1600/20180609_120434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwtWj0gS3j8ryfVIfBneqJpg-5ArTwBGoTyFi9SzRMshURPEjkQtIdx2Ys68BGYbkSxbHQXSZwPIavQ-Jh3GGOm4zPXwplpM-GW3oQcSuy-Yz-1pZMhohXpmmiqwvecsKhhvqKj1n9p0i/s400/20180609_120434.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shade is a wonderful thing on the Power Tour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoN8vktHEMoUlRZqTCXuUcKNSllVJ_KjPaYfrKsx-45rE5GmzrkV-MnBdlPF_zb6mFbmcL2YgzG6EAK-tU2G9h0TS-wBnCMaLBoq6Y4PJIZfhKZs0t5XL6qE-gexWJfoai3fBI9pNolre/s1600/20180609_140849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoN8vktHEMoUlRZqTCXuUcKNSllVJ_KjPaYfrKsx-45rE5GmzrkV-MnBdlPF_zb6mFbmcL2YgzG6EAK-tU2G9h0TS-wBnCMaLBoq6Y4PJIZfhKZs0t5XL6qE-gexWJfoai3fBI9pNolre/s320/20180609_140849.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys put sunshades in their T-Tops to stop the greenhouse effect</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Edelbrock, Continental Tire and GM gave away hats. The GM performance tent had a 2019 Indy Pace Car ZR1 out front, in addition to some other high horsepower display pieces. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvByxO4aKJPf3WWyCQw0fb7yXgghAykhcjZCuYz-inzXBW_KJesegtmmrG-42pgkx2H27p06qMvfu7_WRh8zs5MIvuvtdjsId_t0h8VYvKb6JW_EBS7Baj_694zswgr1dENZMLoskAh7F/s1600/IMG_5678.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvByxO4aKJPf3WWyCQw0fb7yXgghAykhcjZCuYz-inzXBW_KJesegtmmrG-42pgkx2H27p06qMvfu7_WRh8zs5MIvuvtdjsId_t0h8VYvKb6JW_EBS7Baj_694zswgr1dENZMLoskAh7F/s400/IMG_5678.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really want one of these!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the most unusual items was a vintage looking Prestone Anti-freeze can. They are kind of cool, but take up some serious space in the car. We'll see whether those make it home. Prestone also had their custom, supercharged AMC Javelin on display. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6KKDcXA909n8Z7lfgJG4z0BfOWzRu_Mr6Y8y3-b5PvgZ6sSct_Y2JnTM-WBPzfrHOwuFjXSxo1FzbmloybG0A2AQv1KQC4gDUcBCIIKyGG6NPOOlQ4JZ_yBPrk4dMg2aWRmHzO5GDdtI/s1600/20180609_105609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6KKDcXA909n8Z7lfgJG4z0BfOWzRu_Mr6Y8y3-b5PvgZ6sSct_Y2JnTM-WBPzfrHOwuFjXSxo1FzbmloybG0A2AQv1KQC4gDUcBCIIKyGG6NPOOlQ4JZ_yBPrk4dMg2aWRmHzO5GDdtI/s400/20180609_105609.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the color is called "Anti-Freeze</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ceq329YUkOoEQgeLxb3Btct7LwbbJ_KmGUekf_9sYOq847yClzvSWUp792yH2RYFXXlWIGZFuV8ng3s14O3QzHYuCUqfK153Hq8WhAl9FoNvOe8njYmRKISP3d5DHke5PkKHeNfryqqu/s1600/20180609_105643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ceq329YUkOoEQgeLxb3Btct7LwbbJ_KmGUekf_9sYOq847yClzvSWUp792yH2RYFXXlWIGZFuV8ng3s14O3QzHYuCUqfK153Hq8WhAl9FoNvOe8njYmRKISP3d5DHke5PkKHeNfryqqu/s320/20180609_105643.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This supercharged hemi was nice and tidy under the AMC's custom hood</td></tr>
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<br />
We ran into our Mopar friends Rick and Lisa from Tampa.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GuMaMBbhuH9NTvLvL8Ms_Jg6bttc2Zmg6pBNPq75mkEYPPoxjznrcyEwj_uj8-NhiQSVTrPQ2fE3DZaOGmorSKmNtU_57UX4uhHxmqzDszIj9bKjCVLADCAgwXGBWtLOnvoKuuZlTqeb/s1600/IMG_5682.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GuMaMBbhuH9NTvLvL8Ms_Jg6bttc2Zmg6pBNPq75mkEYPPoxjznrcyEwj_uj8-NhiQSVTrPQ2fE3DZaOGmorSKmNtU_57UX4uhHxmqzDszIj9bKjCVLADCAgwXGBWtLOnvoKuuZlTqeb/s320/IMG_5682.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa from Tampa with us in front of the Power Tour bus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Of Course, we also got our Holley/MSD magnets, which after collecting one each day, make a full image. While we were there, they were swapping out a dual 4 barrel carb setup for their Sniper EFI fuel injection system.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa7ObUKtprTg_IYYMhYZEUrO8-3peqLwD5nTd2PKNnk1ijwudh_zSswR2DzUl-q9U-5Tp_PHEqVe5qQqeqFCKaGM5qpBfs77L9QBk_3mZCmNtMrU4wtshcEU4Naz7jQ2JIovcG6PDy9hQ/s1600/IMG_5673.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOa7ObUKtprTg_IYYMhYZEUrO8-3peqLwD5nTd2PKNnk1ijwudh_zSswR2DzUl-q9U-5Tp_PHEqVe5qQqeqFCKaGM5qpBfs77L9QBk_3mZCmNtMrU4wtshcEU4Naz7jQ2JIovcG6PDy9hQ/s320/IMG_5673.HEIC" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It must be easy if they can swap it under a tent</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also bought today's shirt that'll be my t-shirt for tomorrow. Our seasoned Power Tour travel coordinator Lori pointed out that, if I buy each day's shirt and wear them the next day, I can avoid packing a week's worth of T-shirts. This, of course, leaves extra room for all of the stuff we'll collect along the way.<br />
<br />
Once we got all of the "trick or treating" done, we went back to our cars. Along the way, we saw three classic muscle cars with serious modern firepower under the hoods. Check out this 1967 Nova with a 660 HP LT4:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEBsT0VKwzDkZhyphenhyphene2gcQiBziz1FS2CwbjFYvXYtbCtVF4eTNuX2D-h154Z6Rc-lA_hSd3chWo2GGy6FFxeGIRHub0YVjd3AbpxzzGi3emlxaSEghjucsmoXL3829tDEbAPAIxJclhu7Je/s1600/IMG_5687.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEBsT0VKwzDkZhyphenhyphene2gcQiBziz1FS2CwbjFYvXYtbCtVF4eTNuX2D-h154Z6Rc-lA_hSd3chWo2GGy6FFxeGIRHub0YVjd3AbpxzzGi3emlxaSEghjucsmoXL3829tDEbAPAIxJclhu7Je/s400/IMG_5687.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It fits and is FAST. </td></tr>
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This 1969 RoadRunner had a SRT 6.1 lurking under the hood:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxSPmuhAP8Z89l5ir0m58kngCs3DgQKCV4qtI08cj9obY07YsLB393lw34mPYOK1ex9wazTS4sewg1H6MggReO92kKB6Srx0VUueqnBf_tPTfPHk05Oq9feQ7W7X2xvwx8j-y_rBhQO5o/s1600/IMG_5686.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxSPmuhAP8Z89l5ir0m58kngCs3DgQKCV4qtI08cj9obY07YsLB393lw34mPYOK1ex9wazTS4sewg1H6MggReO92kKB6Srx0VUueqnBf_tPTfPHk05Oq9feQ7W7X2xvwx8j-y_rBhQO5o/s320/IMG_5686.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, it's got a Hemi!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Once we regrouped and offloaded our swag, my dad and I decided to take the Corvette out on the dragstrip. I need to work on my starts, but with luggage and a passenger, ran 11.8 seconds a 118.6 mph. That was only .2 seconds slower than one of the Demons. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42ydTD2Rby1l6M3vUMI8Ci7eu2okAv3CC9htDizXpcoaC38rg5oO4NKKcxtBggXfZJNxgkBXCHe83dDvSL3QGw6O0-trU9zeSaz7qK-EUnexP5sF4JDdwAQNDxC9goI1LQI3Ft8F3iKaE/s1600/20180609_113435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42ydTD2Rby1l6M3vUMI8Ci7eu2okAv3CC9htDizXpcoaC38rg5oO4NKKcxtBggXfZJNxgkBXCHe83dDvSL3QGw6O0-trU9zeSaz7qK-EUnexP5sF4JDdwAQNDxC9goI1LQI3Ft8F3iKaE/s400/20180609_113435.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the best picture Tara could get--The white blur is us.</td></tr>
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<br />
The real highlight of the dragstrip was Magnuson's monster supercharged Camaro. When it screamed down the track, everyone stopped what they were doing and took notice. It's easily a 9 second car, but ran 10s today. Another guy ran his Dodge 100 SUV(?) and it was fast. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLyKjqR_tV69GMgfWB9PyC63CcLFx4ZJRlqGZFU2xzSIo7QN4l5WBXtjcnmNQ8Bdx2iQRhlYbZDFn73zUmGqNZNpEBxtR77un3uzbF5Xnc3-CKzUwIWmdhiONDJrm5MsVbCiQ2VQy9_xF/s1600/IMG_5696.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLyKjqR_tV69GMgfWB9PyC63CcLFx4ZJRlqGZFU2xzSIo7QN4l5WBXtjcnmNQ8Bdx2iQRhlYbZDFn73zUmGqNZNpEBxtR77un3uzbF5Xnc3-CKzUwIWmdhiONDJrm5MsVbCiQ2VQy9_xF/s400/IMG_5696.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faster than it looks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tara, Scott and I stuck around until late afternoon when the rain came. We had planned to drive around and look at the cars in some of the other areas of the showfield, but at that point, traffic leaving the venue was pretty backed up. When it became clear we weren't going anywhere for a while, we happened to be parked in front of the stage and the autocross course. Clarence and the guys on the stage were entertaining as always, but the real fun was watching the 4 brave souls, including one yellow Lexus IS250 who decided to use the wet autocross course for some impromptu drifting. They were on it to, except for the turn along the wall - they all eased off for that one. <br />
<br />
Once we got out of the venue, we had a few minutes to freshen up before heading out to dinner downtown at Gerard's 1907 Tavern. We met up with Ted and Lori who have run with us on the last 3 Power Tours since we met them at one of the hotels years ago. Bowling Green certainly did not let us down when it came to food!<br />
<br />
After dinner, we took the Acadian out for a cruise through all of the hotel parking lots. Sadly, the clouds opened back up and chased everyone inside. After a few drinks with friends we called it a night.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNkKkrzVFQyIQCJxzZXcRVwnvI-nmWKWOg_fczYuX_GUxPyNQv8NuqHIziSwlGuCGgzYA_39YYe2Q5yA8k_g65n5RgQTLiUs8-uXN5BGlCcqxMyC4uZ89P4Uc9ZzCETDM3yuOBIl_u33A/s1600/IMG_5701.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNkKkrzVFQyIQCJxzZXcRVwnvI-nmWKWOg_fczYuX_GUxPyNQv8NuqHIziSwlGuCGgzYA_39YYe2Q5yA8k_g65n5RgQTLiUs8-uXN5BGlCcqxMyC4uZ89P4Uc9ZzCETDM3yuOBIl_u33A/s400/IMG_5701.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This way she can claim she drove on the Tour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We leave tomorrow morning for Chattanooga. Here are some other interesting pictures from the day:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xSJ_agePXJUWU6dB6LCK742Zo-oVlxQOuAKIdkzG6Mhcz_pvE1iuK11tGsdcp2UW82fIGH61Y6exoeo3M4HlbEMD_mau7bRmnF9xK5vCORB9s9u-OI0uJeP0anIwb3kb65D60ZXDWPxM/s1600/IMG_5699.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xSJ_agePXJUWU6dB6LCK742Zo-oVlxQOuAKIdkzG6Mhcz_pvE1iuK11tGsdcp2UW82fIGH61Y6exoeo3M4HlbEMD_mau7bRmnF9xK5vCORB9s9u-OI0uJeP0anIwb3kb65D60ZXDWPxM/s320/IMG_5699.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1963 Mercedes (There's an LS powered Rolls Royce around too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNBX1duWDzp6uXdwOrxSBLjpKL0cakyz2DPs-o2S5RCg9sRZyrGU_erPsGT9CE9IaIRn31g9XWqbw1Wkdb3I9nV_W7s1m7ib5o8SqKPxoSw16X_CbKva9sdw_XhhVTHy26j4-8DfDz3sC/s1600/IMG_5698.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNBX1duWDzp6uXdwOrxSBLjpKL0cakyz2DPs-o2S5RCg9sRZyrGU_erPsGT9CE9IaIRn31g9XWqbw1Wkdb3I9nV_W7s1m7ib5o8SqKPxoSw16X_CbKva9sdw_XhhVTHy26j4-8DfDz3sC/s320/IMG_5698.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another tricked out Nova SS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfWqVLijT8SA5n52HXC4580bwzgMVFji415oP4MYvoxyiBlSIdJDfqjwylzg0z5dRNudgwEqRtiD8fLrYcuV5Oeaj3jfoIJD1uvsWXtGjwbmjmY-0AF6EioAG5DouE1jYBYE7RKrZXduY/s1600/IMG_5697.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfWqVLijT8SA5n52HXC4580bwzgMVFji415oP4MYvoxyiBlSIdJDfqjwylzg0z5dRNudgwEqRtiD8fLrYcuV5Oeaj3jfoIJD1uvsWXtGjwbmjmY-0AF6EioAG5DouE1jYBYE7RKrZXduY/s400/IMG_5697.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They call the '69 Charger Body a Coke bottle. This one's Root Beer Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwG-60hGzYYm5-POst9O03Sllicsj-ygg9NAo-rhbhOxgAJt496yq1CP3mNDC42csd0RJVWNsW00wn-cXn7n78WFvPP6uE17onWkFl3j8V-HgOTN9YyeINZrepQQY0kqtGzEMRKoc5RiQC/s1600/IMG_5692.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwG-60hGzYYm5-POst9O03Sllicsj-ygg9NAo-rhbhOxgAJt496yq1CP3mNDC42csd0RJVWNsW00wn-cXn7n78WFvPP6uE17onWkFl3j8V-HgOTN9YyeINZrepQQY0kqtGzEMRKoc5RiQC/s320/IMG_5692.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the Ford fans- custom 1967 Mustang</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPiKpXVUnKD8JYv8Q6dItiEgcccn1EfJ8-bRgrjskJou71SfTszUxPa7jyHic-A0-1wGWPYsSDQBm_z5er7KMKWW_54HOYgmmeuXrmltZZkSF6paqglGQutChRbGG_s2k0AcrwVbTVP_t/s1600/IMG_5694.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPiKpXVUnKD8JYv8Q6dItiEgcccn1EfJ8-bRgrjskJou71SfTszUxPa7jyHic-A0-1wGWPYsSDQBm_z5er7KMKWW_54HOYgmmeuXrmltZZkSF6paqglGQutChRbGG_s2k0AcrwVbTVP_t/s400/IMG_5694.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the sick and demented Ford fans- 5 Torinos!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 120.5px; margin-right: 120.5px; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PHxbRVR8LCwixA78_LC_3fASN1UkRNUHN63Mwu353JnynAj30nrxw9oORZSfCmaZtxttuZWdSnjkgJS1sDj7pRR9SAhp1Yy2noVlf6_mGZfRoIwjL5Zhq5DCxDe3YhzpK2r96KBMJL7P/s1600/IMG_5677.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PHxbRVR8LCwixA78_LC_3fASN1UkRNUHN63Mwu353JnynAj30nrxw9oORZSfCmaZtxttuZWdSnjkgJS1sDj7pRR9SAhp1Yy2noVlf6_mGZfRoIwjL5Zhq5DCxDe3YhzpK2r96KBMJL7P/s400/IMG_5677.HEIC" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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1970 GTX- I want one.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODjj6DMeIH9NrxDm9_4ELzLgejO3jXH1RXkXZEzyoRa2xPFHn9F7H82HRUDDKV-KE3bUUy1ZKwlSFW34xJW6SzxpcoDalpyPM8qMc3JTOba9thNM5jdnQ1hOVs4l760-McY5JTatOcFmQ/s1600/20180609_161546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODjj6DMeIH9NrxDm9_4ELzLgejO3jXH1RXkXZEzyoRa2xPFHn9F7H82HRUDDKV-KE3bUUy1ZKwlSFW34xJW6SzxpcoDalpyPM8qMc3JTOba9thNM5jdnQ1hOVs4l760-McY5JTatOcFmQ/s640/20180609_161546.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scratch that- 1970 GTX and 1970 Superbird- I want two</td></tr>
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Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-50117079795569340592018-06-08T19:57:00.000-07:002018-06-12T21:10:27.286-07:00HRPT 2018- Getting There: June 7-8- Orlando, FL to Bowling Green, KY (761 miles)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH36jGkLlci2Cyi37zyFthCTwMhln8GGTNI4-OeZiwS2lknPt78wPbkh7-hwNrC4CK_C4x-GS1GTmsrhZMa35ZvnsWDlWWueHAw6BXSdt4-KuP4iyUBLyea_wXv88UN4gMbgBs3ryli4xu/s1600/IMG_5638.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="803" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH36jGkLlci2Cyi37zyFthCTwMhln8GGTNI4-OeZiwS2lknPt78wPbkh7-hwNrC4CK_C4x-GS1GTmsrhZMa35ZvnsWDlWWueHAw6BXSdt4-KuP4iyUBLyea_wXv88UN4gMbgBs3ryli4xu/s320/IMG_5638.PNG" width="320" /></a><u><span style="color: #000120;"></span></u></div>
Regardless of the starting point, it seems every Power Tour trip begins with us going up I-75 through Georgia into Tennessee. It's gotten to the point where I know where each gas/restroom stop is (at least until we get out of GA).<br />
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This year a new Long Hauler from Orlando, Scott with his Orange G8 met up with us at my house and our three car caravan: Tara and me in the Acadian, my parents in my Corvette and Scott h<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">it the road bright and early so that we could be through Atlanta before traffic got bad. </span>We made a quick breakfast stop at the Cracker Barrel in Gainesville. This is the only time we stop at a chain restaurant and it's pretty much a carryover from when my sister lived there and we'd meet her. On the plus side, there's a gas station right next to it, so it's a two-fer since the Acadian averages 15 mpg.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg0ivi9qc4RCTukw-TVWLpRvQQqg_htNfDdcXvB1XdKPQ0ByqzABQfHkqDFNhbXyxKTCmnelgbAyoFU0RL54rZ8pHSXntaRT2z5H0vvFjQZ77WhtgBY_oiwNcsHmScs9TiujKq6mFEiIc/s1600/IMG_5653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg0ivi9qc4RCTukw-TVWLpRvQQqg_htNfDdcXvB1XdKPQ0ByqzABQfHkqDFNhbXyxKTCmnelgbAyoFU0RL54rZ8pHSXntaRT2z5H0vvFjQZ77WhtgBY_oiwNcsHmScs9TiujKq6mFEiIc/s400/IMG_5653.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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There's not a ton of scenery going up I-75, but we passed this Richard Petty Experience car hauler full of NASCAR goodness.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnoTPX7dfTM_qLlO1JEE-z5dxM_he8haD_-27Z7LYEmz4uHtP2gjTgOtKY8LFMU5tUfsR8idXHN7HDhhCeJdviNONYQp7k05NnDn0yfTWgVT3Ca46KOX7MlP1s05S1wVMjeI4NJUfKziN/s1600/IMG_5656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnoTPX7dfTM_qLlO1JEE-z5dxM_he8haD_-27Z7LYEmz4uHtP2gjTgOtKY8LFMU5tUfsR8idXHN7HDhhCeJdviNONYQp7k05NnDn0yfTWgVT3Ca46KOX7MlP1s05S1wVMjeI4NJUfKziN/s400/IMG_5656.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We got to Atlanta around 3 and still spent some time watching brake lights through Downtown. The payoff was a late lunch/early dinner at the Marietta Diner in Marietta, GA. They have everything you can imagine, from breakfast all day, to sandwiches, Greek food, Italian, you name it, they've probably got it. They also have some amazing desserts. The cakes are at least 8 inches tall. They had a brownie cheesecake that looked like it had whole tray of brownies dumped on top and full brownies in the middle of the cake.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1eznzcijKQ-PMRiToDq0OUIOYM6tVYxwky8DT8068Ppl2e2i_cHkM0AWS0rmmhu5NQYv9qu7QhSdoGnfIjQIzCh3PikyulfG2ejTAiCromYQnh5N4XSEj9nG0hl7G4QAMQ5GLqSEansy/s1600/IMG_5648.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1eznzcijKQ-PMRiToDq0OUIOYM6tVYxwky8DT8068Ppl2e2i_cHkM0AWS0rmmhu5NQYv9qu7QhSdoGnfIjQIzCh3PikyulfG2ejTAiCromYQnh5N4XSEj9nG0hl7G4QAMQ5GLqSEansy/s640/IMG_5648.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of parking- away from regular cars</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0mmEUsXCGXtZS0p88syFlrJez30M5exxv0be4TMRMkZW2EpJUMlQqoirsGtyIUpLIZWPTmEasyI9w3St7gBPgmO7zrwGRlbCQ__VMcN6blikU5p9XoDwS8_qDOsaQ5xi2lIuwPXA3z0n/s1600/IMG_5645.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0mmEUsXCGXtZS0p88syFlrJez30M5exxv0be4TMRMkZW2EpJUMlQqoirsGtyIUpLIZWPTmEasyI9w3St7gBPgmO7zrwGRlbCQ__VMcN6blikU5p9XoDwS8_qDOsaQ5xi2lIuwPXA3z0n/s400/IMG_5645.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, please.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg0ivi9qc4RCTukw-TVWLpRvQQqg_htNfDdcXvB1XdKPQ0ByqzABQfHkqDFNhbXyxKTCmnelgbAyoFU0RL54rZ8pHSXntaRT2z5H0vvFjQZ77WhtgBY_oiwNcsHmScs9TiujKq6mFEiIc/s1600/IMG_5653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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After stuffing our bellies, we slow crawled along I-75 for a bit longer then began the best part of the drive: the twists and turns up and down the mountains of north Georgia and Tennessee. The scenery is gorgeous with the mountains on one side and the river and lakes on the other. Plus, sweeping along winding highways always puts a smile on my face. It was probably a good thing Tara and I were in the lead with the Acadian. The troopers were out in full force along the mountains and it's so very tempting to really rip along those type of roads with my Corvette. My dad did a good job resisting temptation. <br />
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Finally, after 15 hours on the road, passing through 4 states and about 5 gas stops, we pulled in to the Hotel in Bowling Green.<br />
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This morning, we had breakfast at the Corner Bakery Café and then off to the car wash. Apparently, we weren't the only ones with that idea. Every bay was filled with Power Tour arrivals getting the road grime off. There were a bunch of Corvettes, one guy has a matching set of maroon convertibles, one a 1967, the other a 6th Generation), a 1970 Chevelle SS, a really nice 1964 or 65 heavily modified Nova to name a few. Car washes full of show cars is a staple sight on the Power Tour.<br />
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The A/C in the Acadian started making some odd noises towards the end of the drive to Bowling Green, so we hit Advance Auto Parts for some potential supplies, but it looks like it may just be a loose belt. I tightened it down and hopefully, that's that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRM5dreK_aTNOTEzqoLfGgy38sX7NQeHVx3FLpmGwY3bC08lfBacneYKvow5J84Kyt3ftgLffSsRoWPFFRKyM5m71yDkQayaHj7AsDdABq-fFxkfV1xrpmZx5JzPIJ_TfMpc-P5-5YS5MN/s1600/IMG_5658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRM5dreK_aTNOTEzqoLfGgy38sX7NQeHVx3FLpmGwY3bC08lfBacneYKvow5J84Kyt3ftgLffSsRoWPFFRKyM5m71yDkQayaHj7AsDdABq-fFxkfV1xrpmZx5JzPIJ_TfMpc-P5-5YS5MN/s400/IMG_5658.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's never enough room under the hood to work easily</td></tr>
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Then it was off to the convention center to pick up our registration packets and put the "2018" stickers on the rear windows. <br />
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Even with thousands of cars on the Power Tour, it's amazing how small a world it can be. In the hotel parking lot, a guy named Brett comes up to us and introduced himself, but he already knew our names and said his Uncle Moe told him to keep an eye out for us with the Acadian. Turns out, his dad and our friend Moe from Orlando are old military buddies. As a further coincidence, his friend is driving a highly custom and really pretty 1969 Camaro that was built by Ultimate Auto in Orlando.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5uALPFk3tcUJVyhNxitWR_rMifCLPDqNqPTiS45SurPo6CnDPCu9ORK9_ro8iywprfJnAnbMQ3RA7ZN-2XBpDuPEoiM5sdFl2L-qfJrCE5FwzcZ_cuIZ3zxxExvibjfuX9MzYd15F2V-/s1600/IMG_5651.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5uALPFk3tcUJVyhNxitWR_rMifCLPDqNqPTiS45SurPo6CnDPCu9ORK9_ro8iywprfJnAnbMQ3RA7ZN-2XBpDuPEoiM5sdFl2L-qfJrCE5FwzcZ_cuIZ3zxxExvibjfuX9MzYd15F2V-/s400/IMG_5651.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brett, his buddy Scott and a really sick Camaro</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUMRB9CpXy1oWOEJrrElwXppp-j3Hd8WVbpT6zHKTRO3o3NoWRnDKnK1oN0V0PpGa7VhpQxChgQfZhyphenhyphenihp36iUTfayx4BekXebw8Nc-UgukpSIDos-seuox_EjxwA8c94jUJE8fZW4CKy/s1600/IMG_5660.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUMRB9CpXy1oWOEJrrElwXppp-j3Hd8WVbpT6zHKTRO3o3NoWRnDKnK1oN0V0PpGa7VhpQxChgQfZhyphenhyphenihp36iUTfayx4BekXebw8Nc-UgukpSIDos-seuox_EjxwA8c94jUJE8fZW4CKy/s400/IMG_5660.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forget oceanfront, here's the spectacular view from our room </td></tr>
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The folks from Laid Back Garage had a welcome party/car show at the National Corvette Museum racetrack, so Tara and I headed over to see what was going on. We ran into our friends Tim, Lori and Scott, but it was extremely hot and we decided to head back to the hotel after just a few minutes. When we got back, there was a Callaway Aerowagon parked next to my Corvette. Talk about an odd car, it's basically a beefed up Z06 Corvette with a "station wagon back end." I don't know how many they made, but I know there aren't many (I think the reason why is pretty obvious).<br />
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Dinner was at 440 Main in downtown Bowling Green. The food, not so much the service, last year was so good, we definitely knew we were going back. This year, both the service and food were perfect. Everyone raved over the food. <br />
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With our bellies filled, we drove back to the hotel and then walked between the lots of the surrounding hotels to check out the cars. It was especially nice since the weather cooled off significantly after the sun went down. Based upon the cars in the parking lots, the Power Tour is mostly Chevelles, Camaros and Corvettes. Mopars were few and far between. We saw a 1972 Challenger and one really nice 1969 Road Runner. There was a black Demon in one parking lot. With three dragstrips for tour stops this year, my guess is it won't be the only one.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beep Beep</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I like to call him, Mini-Me."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">840 horses- from the factory</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-57043396657443195972018-06-05T15:03:00.002-07:002018-06-08T10:48:11.984-07:00HRPT 2018- REAL Blog Posts Coming Soon!<div>
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We're leaving for Bowling Green bright and early on June 8. The first real post of the 2018 Power Tour Blog will go up on June 8. There should be some great driving routes. Here's the schedule:</div>
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<ul>
<li>June 7-8: Travel to Bowling Green, KY and registration</li>
<li>June 9: Bowling Green, KY</li>
<li>June 10: Chattanooga, TN</li>
<li>June 11: Birmingham (Hoover), AL</li>
<li>June 12: Atlanta (Hampton), GA</li>
<li>June 13: Darlington, SC</li>
<li>June 14: Raleigh, NC</li>
<li>June 15: Charlotte (Concord), NC</li>
<li>June 16: The long ride home</li>
</ul>
Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-64093649387143277692017-06-18T19:33:00.003-07:002018-06-10T18:43:04.787-07:00HRPT 2017- June 17: Getting Home- Bowling Green, KY to Orlando, FL (761 miles)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We stretched our final night of Power Tour as far as we possibly could and went to bed around midnight. As a result, we didn't get the bright and early home start on which we had planned. We said our goodbyes to our friends Ted and Lori who headed back to Texas. Jacob stayed in Bowling Green to see the Corvette Museum and some other sights. Our group was down to four cars Tim and Lori in their '57 Chevy, Tim and Timmy in their '57 Chevy, us in the Acadian and Ken and Bryson, who rode with us as far as Nashville before heading to Alabama to buy a motor.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gassin' up</td></tr>
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The drive home was relatively uneventful. In Atlanta, we caught up to a woman driving a gold on gold 1967 Chevelle SS. She wasn't part of the Power Tour, but it made the drive feel a little more like one. We stopped for a late lunch and discussed whether to stop in Valdosta or plow through and get home in one shot. We opted for the one shot.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The long and lonely road home.</td></tr>
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Everything went smoothly until we were diverted off I-75 in High Springs. We got off the exit, but the onramp across the way was still open. Tara was looking for a detour when Lori saw other cars getting back on the freeway at the onramp across the way, so we went for it. WE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO TARA. The police had shut down I-75 southbound a few miles down from the exit where we got off. They just hadn't gotten around to blocking the onramp. We sat in traffic for an hour and a half to go a few miles.<br />
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We ended up getting diverted off the highway a little further south. Tara found a short route back to the highway that most of the diverted traffic was not taking and this time WE LISTENED TO TARA. We shot down a very narrow two lane road that dumped us onto 441 right by the I-75 entrance ramp. We all made our last gas and bathroom stop at a gas station before the highway and then began the final stretch home. Tara and I rolled up to the house at 1:00 a.m. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have to start a new row next year. Scott gave me a new "2016" so that I can get some more space before the 2017.</td></tr>
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It was hard to believe ten days and over 3,300 miles had passed by so quickly. It's back to work tomorrow and the first thing I'm going to do is block off the calendar for next year's Power Tour. It's only 354 days until we leave again. Bowling Green, KY to ???????Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598673319736710514.post-30383168046004075142017-06-16T22:29:00.003-07:002017-06-17T06:02:57.800-07:00HRPT 2017-Day 7: June 16- Indianapolis, IN to Bowling Green, KY (276 miles)Today's route was the longest of this tour, but also the best. It started in the hills of Indiana, through the Hoosier National Forest and then the scenic Kentucky byway before a 50 mile stretch of highway to the venue. Tara and I hit the road earlier than everyone else in order to ensure we had time to stop along the way. It was a good thing we did. Even though we left nearly an hour earlier than usual and gained an hour traveling back into the central time zone, we still didn't arrive at the venue until around 3 pm. There was too much to see.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSYoPoB2nJgTSz8gVcpjWIUM4AbCPqIhFVou3Vt00t-9TLTalkJA5weKCEYGDQ2A-7M5c1QTAR3LVVydASB1rMHR6_xf3aZD1U5Y-VI0yjGdVsBbKVgNYmauSTmp_ldcctU3mjXQJDILY/s1600/IMG_4938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1600" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSYoPoB2nJgTSz8gVcpjWIUM4AbCPqIhFVou3Vt00t-9TLTalkJA5weKCEYGDQ2A-7M5c1QTAR3LVVydASB1rMHR6_xf3aZD1U5Y-VI0yjGdVsBbKVgNYmauSTmp_ldcctU3mjXQJDILY/s400/IMG_4938.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a view!!</td></tr>
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We couldn't have timed it better. We saw a sign for Cataract Falls and detoured about a mile to check it out. The park opened at 8 and we arrived nearly on the dot. The falls are the largest by volume in the state of Indiana. There was also a covered bridge that was built in 1876 and was in use until 1988 when they built the concrete bridge that is used today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">140 year old bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Falls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ghp3MBVbtE6_HyVGkznWzx41OtRZcx8yjMd62q6xOAG02sJvmZ3uRNJ9kVN_E2SBP1OE8wBTmXSbDtU0OZoY8Pa8Ykd3UNZkycbGa-wAZkZhlqKFX3fye1ogpdkLAauOARbN9pJ_78Qs/s1600/IMG_4932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ghp3MBVbtE6_HyVGkznWzx41OtRZcx8yjMd62q6xOAG02sJvmZ3uRNJ9kVN_E2SBP1OE8wBTmXSbDtU0OZoY8Pa8Ykd3UNZkycbGa-wAZkZhlqKFX3fye1ogpdkLAauOARbN9pJ_78Qs/s400/IMG_4932.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower Falls- right by a sign that says "no fishing from rocks"</td></tr>
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After the falls, we passed through a small town whose name escapes me. The route took us into the roundabout that surrounds the courthouse. We saw a cool old hotel on the backside, so we decided to go all the way around and stop for some pictures. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We pulled up to this old building for a picture and started a trend. A bunch of other cars followed us</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOZd72AdCfD8qTVIiCBUPcBQm_T_1i0J7y_YQN6HrO1o06d0cOfF-lLyzJfhIogu6mfHMNXx41r91dIf-WZGLjF2nbuwGMWEiV_Do-EUL8qhFzZKqe7zV19v8Acb5X8mBUvrsbcr1Y3DF/s1600/IMG_4946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOZd72AdCfD8qTVIiCBUPcBQm_T_1i0J7y_YQN6HrO1o06d0cOfF-lLyzJfhIogu6mfHMNXx41r91dIf-WZGLjF2nbuwGMWEiV_Do-EUL8qhFzZKqe7zV19v8Acb5X8mBUvrsbcr1Y3DF/s400/IMG_4946.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too bad we didn't have Bryson's GTO "Judge" to pose in the picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there, we followed the route along to West Baden Springs, Indiana where we made our next slight detour to the West Baden Springs Hotel. The hotel is the second largest freestanding dome and was built in 1902. It fell into disrepair at some point and underwent significant renovations. The place was indescribably cool. The interior has a massive domed atrium with ornate tile mosaics and paintings. We walked through the dome and out to the garden where the mineral springs used to be back in the day (they were capped). French Lick, Indiana, the adjacent town also had a historic hotel and we swung by it too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwwexUZG_dmC9g5AybmKWjWuSJOYsYV2n5hm7j_KhSQH4Z9ksKJj-t3ANEAypWo2JEdUnTGqJ0pxtWG-Knkxk8ZTj72zWP42dDI6vdtdpt_xdEUMG9z8MLtLbrUnyFz60JJY-utOL04ei/s1600/IMG_4945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwwexUZG_dmC9g5AybmKWjWuSJOYsYV2n5hm7j_KhSQH4Z9ksKJj-t3ANEAypWo2JEdUnTGqJ0pxtWG-Knkxk8ZTj72zWP42dDI6vdtdpt_xdEUMG9z8MLtLbrUnyFz60JJY-utOL04ei/s400/IMG_4945.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We thought this was a really cool hotel...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFHVpLk7l5zSpL2vVxx10ArJXoN6fnFLSKTafun8t-EeAZF6nFLV2azTVDpG_PFDl61qz8F4NgLL5gIwpZem-fTHQC34nYfyILdeBqoz6L5d3M6jZIx4M69PwC0pVS5Sz2F-pE0p7ol2c/s1600/IMG_4956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFHVpLk7l5zSpL2vVxx10ArJXoN6fnFLSKTafun8t-EeAZF6nFLV2azTVDpG_PFDl61qz8F4NgLL5gIwpZem-fTHQC34nYfyILdeBqoz6L5d3M6jZIx4M69PwC0pVS5Sz2F-pE0p7ol2c/s400/IMG_4956.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">until we saw this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTPm3GU04qMwLbp4W6NPATueHs49k9bLZZ5rvke38Xx8fGHRVsWqamET2dko5X5EPr5FbyXot6jRiv1UrhKJBMhbrD66BCUGBfQjhqp351vJv6jh5-tGon0nPZ3lbzHCG_BdCqGSmnY61/s1600/IMG_4949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTPm3GU04qMwLbp4W6NPATueHs49k9bLZZ5rvke38Xx8fGHRVsWqamET2dko5X5EPr5FbyXot6jRiv1UrhKJBMhbrD66BCUGBfQjhqp351vJv6jh5-tGon0nPZ3lbzHCG_BdCqGSmnY61/s400/IMG_4949.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn9PtqYRdy-315uvEV7irjyCTlR8HRD4SJge0wa2xdxpe2BG-LmF1ymFm_v3CGtvf2h7bIy8jOGX61HPVYqVFuLtCksTSfiB2SyV_MhciJecipjVtICcOnNkh7k83Ss1Qu0HO85QYYyON/s1600/IMG_4958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn9PtqYRdy-315uvEV7irjyCTlR8HRD4SJge0wa2xdxpe2BG-LmF1ymFm_v3CGtvf2h7bIy8jOGX61HPVYqVFuLtCksTSfiB2SyV_MhciJecipjVtICcOnNkh7k83Ss1Qu0HO85QYYyON/s400/IMG_4958.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the dome- the picture doesn't give the true scale of the place</td></tr>
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Tara found our lunch spot, a place called the Pour Haus in Tell City, Indiana, but thought it was too far off the route to stop. Then, by happenstance, she missed a turn and we were practically at the place, so we stopped. I'm glad we did. The food was incredibly good. Better than the food were the people in Tell City. When we pulled up it was only street parking. A guy in a Jeep Cherokee told us to hold on and he'd move his car so we could park under a tree. In the restaurant, we met Diane who had lived in the area for 37 years. She was sitting at the table next to us asked if we were part of the Hot Rod Tour. Wegot to talking about cars and the farm truck she and her husband own and how her son skipped out on work to take his 1960s original patinaed station wagon to the route and watch the Tour roll by. She asked to take a picture with us. We were surprised when the waitress told us we had no bill. Diane surreptitiously paid it for us and welcomed us to her town. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4Q7FwgISepX92JNyezxRj9numxU9DjT1WeElabz1PNwsDT_aLKmyY6919S4jGR0Qzy9A-KoaWOEgbH0sqRZ2FE9wSB7zbzxYmj-x8RMuxLIcXv4y7mlhRRxfneEww0WVn9baBi1OZpWP/s1600/IMG_4948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4Q7FwgISepX92JNyezxRj9numxU9DjT1WeElabz1PNwsDT_aLKmyY6919S4jGR0Qzy9A-KoaWOEgbH0sqRZ2FE9wSB7zbzxYmj-x8RMuxLIcXv4y7mlhRRxfneEww0WVn9baBi1OZpWP/s400/IMG_4948.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great food</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina8Lwd66JcduVRcJ8gT_qDheS0WCwcckrH2fowIFleMxuRLTseKX-t4sEtlfCGlLQeAghONd6K-72lagu9PCV78ib3oH4Husr2DsmokrThzpDtL3ik99ieShK-h8X-YyuGp43BGNANzC_/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina8Lwd66JcduVRcJ8gT_qDheS0WCwcckrH2fowIFleMxuRLTseKX-t4sEtlfCGlLQeAghONd6K-72lagu9PCV78ib3oH4Husr2DsmokrThzpDtL3ik99ieShK-h8X-YyuGp43BGNANzC_/s400/IMG_4927.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Parking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFjCel-rVRoudoZx7qyzJgsM_HgZ3HkL3IVR6SXGfPXU7RlU9uuFhbTVuKsPgVeNJimrQREzGusZNeD0bUd3eLa4wKHHs9caUDGA4qL_nAkLFGwS8SXS7pPB7AS9XGdAF577KtDcF_CY9/s1600/IMG_4926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFjCel-rVRoudoZx7qyzJgsM_HgZ3HkL3IVR6SXGfPXU7RlU9uuFhbTVuKsPgVeNJimrQREzGusZNeD0bUd3eLa4wKHHs9caUDGA4qL_nAkLFGwS8SXS7pPB7AS9XGdAF577KtDcF_CY9/s400/IMG_4926.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great people. Thanks again Diane!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We left the Pour Haus and didn't get to the end of the block before I saw this cool building with vintage gas pumps and bright red garage doors. We stopped and took some pictures with the Acadian in front of it. I later got a text from Diane who told us that the building was the body shop where her son works.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9GH21VlU__tOAT1TC7-hB5b-RqHqRpDJPZ6YmFX5MUdJZnWrLjHVvkM3-PMbtrXdAGFTLQVIRqttBBiVUEyePVOWKjpZ9J3pQEj9gt6cuNpi1NootLopnP2IUHY26JNOkz6063uBDyI6/s1600/IMG_4922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9GH21VlU__tOAT1TC7-hB5b-RqHqRpDJPZ6YmFX5MUdJZnWrLjHVvkM3-PMbtrXdAGFTLQVIRqttBBiVUEyePVOWKjpZ9J3pQEj9gt6cuNpi1NootLopnP2IUHY26JNOkz6063uBDyI6/s400/IMG_4922.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diane's son's shop</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPiVDvmFcgq70cqQLDbCc5deV0J7cJGNh5HI1Jl8SAga6ZoaolPPupYepai1p2OspPOtijWE1IWZUJ-P9pEwUuyAJ6fhIvYO-OS-KCP5GWWyroRlUjs-zMHR_6BzVLQwyRCWfAxgJhvFg/s1600/IMG_4923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPiVDvmFcgq70cqQLDbCc5deV0J7cJGNh5HI1Jl8SAga6ZoaolPPupYepai1p2OspPOtijWE1IWZUJ-P9pEwUuyAJ6fhIvYO-OS-KCP5GWWyroRlUjs-zMHR_6BzVLQwyRCWfAxgJhvFg/s400/IMG_4923.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPk5jMvbfgT032WMA0axjKynfHQE7t-1YNFbSN9BDI_hfGe5rWqQEAOjzWatNBOX1wMDik2MXBN34wzaggfgcOSXcTNFsbG0LQoZc4bncF8KWqYOY0mG9t8jZ-dOXvCNo7CwIjnKLm3Xk/s1600/IMG_4963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPk5jMvbfgT032WMA0axjKynfHQE7t-1YNFbSN9BDI_hfGe5rWqQEAOjzWatNBOX1wMDik2MXBN34wzaggfgcOSXcTNFsbG0LQoZc4bncF8KWqYOY0mG9t8jZ-dOXvCNo7CwIjnKLm3Xk/s400/IMG_4963.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what the place looked like before the renovation</td></tr>
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The bridge across the Ohio was under construction and reduced to a single lane for both directions. It created a pretty bad traffic jam between the Power Tour cars and the folks just going about their day. Tara used the traffic app on her phone to find a detour that took us along the river, under the bridge and with two left turns, we jumped to the front of the line. Tara's second shortcut wasn't as good. We detoured off the route in Fordsville to see what might be there and when the answer was "not much", Tara suggested I turn right and go around the block. The road got us where we needed to be, but the intersection was such a steep hill that I felt like I was sitting in the space shuttle on the launch pad. It was also a blind intersection that required Tara to keep telling me when it was clear to the right so that I could watch the gap in the trees to my left for oncoming traffic. I also had to use both feet and both pedals to keep the car from rolling backward.<br />
<br />
The Kentucky Scenic Byway was exactly that and is my favorite type of Power Tour road. It's a two-lane road with lush trees on both sides and lots of curves and hills. Curvy roads in a car that was not designed to carve them is actually loads of fun. It's far more exciting taking a 45 mph curve at 55-60 in the Acadian than the same curve at the same speed in the Corvette. It's not that I wouldn't mind being able to rip down the road in the Vette, but I'd have to go much faster to have the same excitement.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rS4A9UOiTCqPkizRArWihD1wRa_RZkxegJp2Um5NCdd8_GOjGZGdS-3ggjEQk6Ye65Nrr5IBmEKO63IHSow2XBtQUB-Rm5uhEHf0insMoK8RKAMtacmhgOtMf1wgbSU-pkTogTwC29yq/s1600/IMG_4951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rS4A9UOiTCqPkizRArWihD1wRa_RZkxegJp2Um5NCdd8_GOjGZGdS-3ggjEQk6Ye65Nrr5IBmEKO63IHSow2XBtQUB-Rm5uhEHf0insMoK8RKAMtacmhgOtMf1wgbSU-pkTogTwC29yq/s400/IMG_4951.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1969 Road Runner Convertible and 1969 GTX</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Today's venue was an Airport which they shut down for the day. The biggest problem with that type of venue is that there is no shade. However, our good parking karma held and we found a spot right between the Pilot Transport and Comp Cams display trailers behind the midway. The trucks provided all the shade needed to make it almost comfortable. For the last time, I clocked in at the main stage and collected the final magnets. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yP76pIWInAIhcLhcWnyEVBBAsWY2sVUjS7nr-2jeM6yAA12XbCoAHH-JfWtuBlZu4pCqVdCkapOEw-HegvroyT7Z6PhOTTIYOWHNfuHzhHcvwPLuVNlECNi7ADQ-Bq39-dmjERws3qlJ/s1600/IMG_4919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yP76pIWInAIhcLhcWnyEVBBAsWY2sVUjS7nr-2jeM6yAA12XbCoAHH-JfWtuBlZu4pCqVdCkapOEw-HegvroyT7Z6PhOTTIYOWHNfuHzhHcvwPLuVNlECNi7ADQ-Bq39-dmjERws3qlJ/s400/IMG_4919.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our best spot yet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOgb6qOv9cWmvQzwox8J2yNIqUrdiTRuLF3OwwxASdB03NQBULMI6509ROI73gUWBrdbsJI9yjG8Ej5uvPMh9tkT_59b8vz8JtdWc6xQZIdxgPaTePHp-uY2v8ELKLSoBQC_cX9wfgWUs/s1600/IMG_4921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="1600" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOgb6qOv9cWmvQzwox8J2yNIqUrdiTRuLF3OwwxASdB03NQBULMI6509ROI73gUWBrdbsJI9yjG8Ej5uvPMh9tkT_59b8vz8JtdWc6xQZIdxgPaTePHp-uY2v8ELKLSoBQC_cX9wfgWUs/s400/IMG_4921.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a pinch, trucks provide great shade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At the end of the Tour, they give the Long Haulers certificates, metal signs and other such stuff. There's always a long line and this year was no exception. Tara and I took our time watching the cars leave and the crowd thin out before getting in line.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uPgf1-D4xM4ff2I3YoDBgOOE4BYBKcfpxo6i0inJB7KbbbnFQ2e3l9lklXoMP2UpEkBYzxynDiXRBy04cZ3im18t1yUu_Nb_c63aWoGlM4HDPW5mDgs_nJ6yW_1crP7WtvgztB-Tc347/s1600/IMG_4952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uPgf1-D4xM4ff2I3YoDBgOOE4BYBKcfpxo6i0inJB7KbbbnFQ2e3l9lklXoMP2UpEkBYzxynDiXRBy04cZ3im18t1yUu_Nb_c63aWoGlM4HDPW5mDgs_nJ6yW_1crP7WtvgztB-Tc347/s640/IMG_4952.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's official: 7 cities, 7 states, 7 years in a row.</td></tr>
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Tara, Jacob, Ken, Bryson and I had dinner at 440 Main in the historic downtown area. To Tara's dismay it was named for the address and not the MoPar motor displacement. The food was excellent and the executive chef and part-owner, Danny was great and welcoming. It was a good way to end the trip.<br />
<br />
After dinner we went back to the convention center across the street and it was madness. Not only is the Power Tour in town, but the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion starts tomorrow and there are tons of cars in town for that. The roadway between our hotel and the convention center became a burnout zone. One guy ran a full-on dragster down the road. Eventually, the Police came in and shut it down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq9Jc8eVa1iNzWVly9DqVK0SbHyLvadTXFNUOlXn7m6Xl2HDEZQjvOcDwtGjYqZdH3xFduwaxI0q9u-gQoaJwAHmsb3UE6NvnRSY0fNObJNf_toN_K1UNXZo6uLxWXbaavcwO1HeCzZgw/s1600/IMG_4953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq9Jc8eVa1iNzWVly9DqVK0SbHyLvadTXFNUOlXn7m6Xl2HDEZQjvOcDwtGjYqZdH3xFduwaxI0q9u-gQoaJwAHmsb3UE6NvnRSY0fNObJNf_toN_K1UNXZo6uLxWXbaavcwO1HeCzZgw/s400/IMG_4953.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Rod Power Tour meets NHRA Hot Rod Reunion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLYrm4y6kxH1jMCohF7boUXnoBYqLzm3TFCH04I2C655Fk12CfZpozX3X_43hQGHwWXX9Jo5tchvzTuRFO5RMmjS83PnFyLTbRPGwckn3LZD_isxKiQw0_o1ms6qlqqZWP2gh5cIjeY3f/s1600/IMG_4954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLYrm4y6kxH1jMCohF7boUXnoBYqLzm3TFCH04I2C655Fk12CfZpozX3X_43hQGHwWXX9Jo5tchvzTuRFO5RMmjS83PnFyLTbRPGwckn3LZD_isxKiQw0_o1ms6qlqqZWP2gh5cIjeY3f/s400/IMG_4954.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tara cleaning the car, again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglykvwVL1M1cJ3otinsZXO_pshB4c-YI_CBNfxXvAW6qxVICIcEVMh2I4NqgA6wmRouTyGs_lMo0Wc4dsMWLuqThVK_yxbCCE76OrGpBJZSpsPmcQCCNoJh2zOqcZOvD38lbRd3xad3P_y/s1600/IMG_4955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglykvwVL1M1cJ3otinsZXO_pshB4c-YI_CBNfxXvAW6qxVICIcEVMh2I4NqgA6wmRouTyGs_lMo0Wc4dsMWLuqThVK_yxbCCE76OrGpBJZSpsPmcQCCNoJh2zOqcZOvD38lbRd3xad3P_y/s400/IMG_4955.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's about $500 worth of tires on the pavement</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlOh_ldi7fsmD92946KFEyJtcacW2vXPuIEeC86Lub-zTp6LBHhyR7IN2glHkRupEAMo6lVhNRvOQuLZAW9tukDiuLQJEiqsT-UuK9MaFvvjMs4s6DYfmeJV0AwA3wF0ye0QRUeoTqrCL/s1600/IMG_4961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlOh_ldi7fsmD92946KFEyJtcacW2vXPuIEeC86Lub-zTp6LBHhyR7IN2glHkRupEAMo6lVhNRvOQuLZAW9tukDiuLQJEiqsT-UuK9MaFvvjMs4s6DYfmeJV0AwA3wF0ye0QRUeoTqrCL/s400/IMG_4961.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The burnout police (literally)</td></tr>
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Here are some other pictures from today:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XGMxJpfsLCl-2zovJ1qATj_rgKmo4lPCyKpW-vL49wUmw_iE7ZFSFPpuWtV8Vtw4suF2KZ61uDGScJBuOcUEYWmKR4Rpu7wmZv3dcXUPeZsU1VneUA_G_UEQjHGCkceL2_fe-8BpY6KD/s1600/IMG_4918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XGMxJpfsLCl-2zovJ1qATj_rgKmo4lPCyKpW-vL49wUmw_iE7ZFSFPpuWtV8Vtw4suF2KZ61uDGScJBuOcUEYWmKR4Rpu7wmZv3dcXUPeZsU1VneUA_G_UEQjHGCkceL2_fe-8BpY6KD/s400/IMG_4918.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lingenfelter tuned Supercharged Corvette</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gGoMM0oYgaVB-fB2ZctpMNkQbtFFKhv6oSQhsbs9h3ynbgup-OTkfuI2A1P_wHTGOCX-rXSfPJ_XX68cI2ZFl7bm_vT2d5Hlp_BVSdkjQBypnQr0Q18vPUExeCUnpEw5kR4HBLBCTTRj/s1600/IMG_4917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gGoMM0oYgaVB-fB2ZctpMNkQbtFFKhv6oSQhsbs9h3ynbgup-OTkfuI2A1P_wHTGOCX-rXSfPJ_XX68cI2ZFl7bm_vT2d5Hlp_BVSdkjQBypnQr0Q18vPUExeCUnpEw5kR4HBLBCTTRj/s400/IMG_4917.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1970 440 Six Barrel 'Cuda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYb11QKsBzb2MN3SYea5lEz0ZRh0tmlfq1I-b_D04tlPXy1ibrWHwU5sUu1rcZbhNt4ciOuc6B8y_vt5hhAmS6Nq7lL7VhrC2Uwy6DcuADCFsKMRP7i1pLK60zFHffW9MObJ3IaFD2I2xU/s1600/IMG_4915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYb11QKsBzb2MN3SYea5lEz0ZRh0tmlfq1I-b_D04tlPXy1ibrWHwU5sUu1rcZbhNt4ciOuc6B8y_vt5hhAmS6Nq7lL7VhrC2Uwy6DcuADCFsKMRP7i1pLK60zFHffW9MObJ3IaFD2I2xU/s400/IMG_4915.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1970 AAR "Tribute"</td></tr>
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<br />Steve Kleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01542842875387530997noreply@blogger.com0