– Checking in with Tara and Steve while they finish up the Hot Rod Power Tour of 2013
June 1: Power Tour Day 1- Arlington, TX (University of Texas at Arlington)

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.

June 2: First Leg- Arlington, TX to Texarkana, AR (2

31.2 mi.)

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.

June 6: Fifth leg- Birmingham, AL to Chattanooga, TN (194.3 miles)

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.

June 7: Final Leg- Chattanooga, TN to Charlotte, NC (352.4 miles)

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.

Head on over to Tara and Steve’s Hot Rod Power Tour blog to read the full blog while they travel across the South Eastern part of the country.  Also check out their facebook page with a ton of cool pictures