2017 Power Tour – Day 05

Hello, Power Tour. It’s me, nads. Sadly for you, Forrest’s substitution was short-lived. Now that I’ve got a doctor’s note clearing me for duty (as well as an ointment, clearing me of that rash), I’m back in control. And by control, I mean control of the Daily Power Tour Posts, not my love life, career, destiny or impulses. I still have no control of any of that. After a long Day 04 in the saddle, some of our crew took in a Cards game at Busch Stadium, until a rain delay put a damper on their fun. Rain delay? Rain delay?! You’re telling me 18 multimillionaires can’t hit a ball with a stick in the rain? The Power Tour doesn’t stop for rain. In fact, the Power Tour stops for nothing – except maybe gas (hot rods burn a lot of fuel), and food (gotta eat), photo ops (our Instagram

2017 Power Tour – Day 05 Gallery

2017 Power Tour – Day 06

This is it – the final countdown. Today’s Day 06 leg marked the final push into Bowling Green, Kentucky. The last leg of Power Tour is always bittersweet. Much like the last day of school before summer break (HAGS KIT!). Not high school, mind you. No one’s sad to leave that mess behind. This is more like an elementary school summer break. When your classmates were your ride or die homies and before the eternal sunshine of your spotless mind was crushed under the weight of four-pound textbooks and standardized testing (making you stay within the lines to fill in each bubble completely is how they keep you down). What is Speed? It could be the voracity in which our own Jim Holloway pounded his venti coffee. Immediately after I snapped this pic, Jim crushed the cup (bare-handed, no less) and spiked it on the driveway of the Courtyard by

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