2017 Power Tour – Day 06 Gallery

2017 Power Tour – Epilogue

If memory serves, Oscar Wilde said, “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” Or maybe it was a plucky Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface. Whatever the case, I’m a firm believer that too much of a good thing leads to even better things. Why go to a garden variety nightclub, when you can have a night out that’s altogether more excessive. The sort of club that involves membership fees, a phone number to get the location, masquerade masks and an appetite for adventure. You know what I’m talking about. No? Okay then, let’s just forget I brought it up. In the case of the Power Tour, some believe that one does not simply show up and long haul. For these excessive types, it isn’t enough to trip over 1,336.2 miles (plus 13,000-plus steps each day for Shane) in a mere six days. No, for these hearty souls, the Power

2018 Power Tour Introduction

Seems like only yesterday (or 2017) when we were rolling into Bowling Green, battered and bruised, but not altogether beaten, like some sort of Johnny Cash character, on the cusp of redemption, knowing full well that we were once again, Long Haulers. With all due respect to Bowling Green and the incredulous Corvette fans, who are, no doubt getting their 1953 Corvette step and repeat pattern boxers in a bunch right now, it’s about the journey, not the destination. We live that life with each and every Power Tour partly because it is such a trip, and also because our own Forrest Tosie will probably be taking us to the birthplace of the person attributed to this quote (complete with mandatory gift shop visit!). This year’s journey is our 24th. That’s right, we’ve been on every Power Tour since its inception, making us the longest of the long haulers (at

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

2018 Power Tour – Day 00 Gallery

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.

2018 Power Tour – Day 0 Gallery

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

2018 Power Tour – Day 01 Gallery

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