The weather played some serious tricks on us today. We came out of the hotel to sunshine and dry roads, yet found the roads wet a mere two blocks later. When we arrived at the Wal-Mart parking lot for the driver’s meeting, folks were drying-off their cars.

This is the new Kentucky Waterblade, not to be confused with the original California version, which I am sure is protected by copyright and trademark laws.

Yet, we never saw a drop of rain. To confuse us even more, Jim — who had left two hours earlier in the truck — called to tell us he was pulling-over to wait for the rain to stop so he could see the road.

Walking the lot, I saw a familiar car from last fall. This ’65 Nova SS won the “Mothers Show and Go” award at the My Classic Car Festival in Evansville, Ind. It’s a sweet car that the owner did all the work on, except for the paint.

I also saw my new favorite — the ’66-’67 B-Body Mopars. This ’67 is a GTX Belvedere. One of these days. . .

Ken was able to beg and plead to get the two of us rides in the new Mercury Marauder. All we had to do was sign one simple little form. . .

and pick our poison.

I told Ken to pick the black one. Ken suggested we pick a number to see who got to go first, and who would ride with Gary in the ’59. I picked lucky number 7. Ken, who was in charge of writing the number down, managed to pick the exact number — 4,713. So, he got to go first.

Just my luck. He jumped-in and waved a quick goodbye while I watched Doc Riley wave the Chevrolet concept cars off to strains of “Wagons, Ho!”

Forget that Horace Greely “Go west, young man” stuff. We’re going north.

While waiting our turn to leave, I saw the Hot Rod TV’s ’62 Galaxie convertible with a unique repair job.

It seems a rather large truck went by in the rain yesterday, at a rather high speed, and sucked the top off the car. Those are staples holding that top on now. Bet they hope it doesn’t rain.

On the freeway, we found the Hot Rod TV guys again, this time shooting digital film.

I gotta get one of those great electronic toys so I can do cool stuff like that. Of course, before I invest in new toys, I might want to learn proper photographic techniques, like rolling-down the window before I inadvertently include my reflection in the picture.

With Gary’s help, we managed to catch-up to some of the earlier cars, including Mike Kent of Weld Wheels.

Mike’s wife let him drive her two-toned and flamed PT Cruiser on the Tour again this year. We saw them back in 2000 when we were driving our Inferno Red PT. Mike designed those great looking billet rims on his car.

Speaking of great looking and Chrysler, this mid ’50s Chrysler 300 was one of the first luxury/performance cars made by Detroit.

In the middle of nowhere, my phone rang. Ken was on the line, asking if I was ready to drive the Marauder. “You bet,” I said. I put my foot over Gary’s to speed-up, causing him to spill coffee all over his shirt

but causing me to get to Ken before he changed his mind.

In no time at all I was tooling down the freeway in a yet to be sold to the public full size American muscle sedan.

What can I say — it was big, powerful, quiet and FAST! (So I’m told. I never once went over the speed limit. Promise. I just had the cruise and stereo on, and discussed the car with the Mercury guys who have serious passion for this creation.) Look out Germany, there’s a new bully on the block.

With my superior driving skills, and a sheet of directions, we arrived at National Trails Raceway, home of the Spring Nationals. I really hated to turn-loose of the keys, but there were lots of Marauder guys, and only one of me. Ken wasted no time in curing his lonesomeness by kissing the first female he saw. Unfortunately, she had four legs.

She doesn’t look too happy, does she?

Jim was afraid of PETA picketing our trailer, so he grabbed the P6 and headed for the track. Here you see the first ever run of a six-cylinder PT Cruiser down a quarter-mile strip.

I spent my time looking for cool cars, like this ’72 Ram-Air Trans AM

and this ’66 big-block Nova.

Both are sweet rides in their own way. The Nova by virtue of the quality of the work, and the T/A because of its cleanliness and stock condition.

I headed-up to the stage for my daily giveaway of the “Bucket O’ Wax,” and spotted my friends Thelma and Louise of Baer Brake fame. They tried to ply me with offers of candy and chocolate for the “Bucket O’ Wax,”

but I held fast to my promise of an entrant winning it.

Up on stage, Doc Riley helped me pick a winner before Thelma and Louise could make-off with the goodies.

One of my newfound friends qualifies as the ultimate long hauler. Mikael Forsman flew over from Finland last fall to speak with me at the SEMA show in Las Vegas about attending the Power Tour. He said he’d be back with a car and some friends. Well, he made it.

Mikael flew into Los Angeles with Kirsi, and bought a Turbo Beetle, which he then had lowered and repainted just for the Tour. They’re seeing America like few Americans have. Unfortunately, they couldn’t figure out which way home was. Come to think of it, none of us could actually point our way to Finland.

We finally decided on, “Drive East until you hit the Atlantic Ocean, and then take a plane while shipping the car.”

Ken-the-short-timer was all too happy to leave us after a short day-and-a-half. He had some lame excuse about a wife and two children, and a plane in the morning back to L.A.

We’ll miss you, Ken. Too bad you can’t stay while I fly home.

We packed-up and headed for the hotel, since Ken had to buy us dinner for bugging-out early. In the lobby, Ken found some old friends from the 1998 Power Tour, Bill and Sheila McNab, and their friend Rose Cox. They hail from Michigan, and Ken spent most of one night in their room at a hotel in Springfield, Illinois uploading a day’s story when the phone line in his room wouldn’t work.

It must have been some time if they remembered him after all these years. It’s a small world, after all, isn’t it?