2018 Power Tour – Day 00
Welcome to the 2018 Power Tour. There’s something to be said about a journey of a thousand miles starting with a single step, and if that’s the case, I’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. We haven’t even started yet and I’m already slacking. I would have totally written this post, but I got caught up binge watching Suits (Harvey’s just so dreamy!). As usual, my bestest buddy and our longest hauler of them all, Forrest Tosie has my back with today’s post. Hey, Forrest, don’t tell Shane you wrote this one, and um, don’t let him look at the Internet for a while. I’ll leave you with this pic of Charley Lillard’s 953hp LS9-powered Mark Stielow-built pro touring Camaro for attention. Take it away, Forrest. One of these days, John. You’re going to learn. As usual, Shane and I decided to goof off for a couple days do some
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2018 Power Tour – Day 0
Like a fighter dancing around before the bell, a little dog about to go on a walk, or even me about to sip on my first drink of the night (or, let’s be honest, the day), we’re champing at the bit with the prospect of kicking off yet another Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour. Before we could head to the kickoff party venue, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Well, that is to say, Forrest and I enjoyed a hearty breakfast, while Shane did his Whole30 body good with an overpriced Cold Brew and some fresh fruit. I had fresh fruit too, I just put mine atop a stack of buttermilk pancakes. At least, I think I had fresh fruit as it was tough to make it out under the dollop or six of whipped cream. My idea of the Whole30 diet is to pack on thirty pounds during the Tour.
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2018 Power Tour – Day 01
This is my eighth Power Tour of duty and while I haven’t racked up the impressive stats (or successful careers, loving families, and ability to make good choices) of say, Forrest or Shane, this ain’t my first rodeo (that was decades ago and the clowns really frightened me). Every year the Tour may, on the surface appear to blur into the next, where hot rodders from all walks of life routinely devour the miles on a daily quest to reach the next stop. Coming into Day 01 of this, the 2018 Tour, I couldn’t help but wonder if it would be a deja reboot of 2017, like some sort of Oceans installment that even the impossibly plucky Sandy Bullock can’t save. It turns out that couldn’t be further from the truth (although I could totes enjoy a proper dinner and a movie date night about now). Each year the Tour
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2018 Power Tour – Day 02
Ever wake up and wonder if all of this is worthwhile? Day in and day out, where life’s relentless demands can get to be too much and then Shane starts to yell, “John, you need to post a Tour blog entry!” Uh, not talking about me, only asking for a friend. But if I had one piece of advice to give my “friend,” I’d say, when things are getting out of control, take a deep breath, and buy new underwear. Nothing rivals the feeling of fresh undergarments. However, today I did let something get between me and my off-brand Calvins, and that something was a most welcome detour. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the Tour, and all of its delightful eccentricities, but sometimes it feels so good to get a glimpse at the upper end of the spectrum. Thanks to Jonathan Goolsby and his crew at Goolsby Customs
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2018 Power Tour – Day 03
You know what the best part of Power Tour is? Well, besides the countless hot rods and daily Starbucks Double Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg breakfast sammies, that is. The best part of Power Tour is the escape. Escape from the mundane reality of your pointless life. A monotonous existence where you drag yourself out of bed each morning, look yourself in the mirror, and say, “you’ve got this, John.” And for the record, that name is purely hypothetical. For instance, today we took a 200-mile open road trip, with some amazing stops, all on a Tuesday. Most people are going about their business and going to work on a Tuesday. Maybe their job involves putting down those orange cones on the highway or perhaps even building the digital presence for the leading maker of organic children’s clothing. Either way, we thank you for your service. If it wasn’t for
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