Ready, Set, GO!

When leaving Massachusetts I had about 1400 miles before I needed to get the oil changed on the car. Knowing that I would be driving in weather that is very unlike the weather in the Northeast, I decided to wait until hitting the South.

On our final day in Soddy-Daisy I took the car to the local Wal-Mart for an oil change.

Pulling up to the service bay, there were 3 young men standing around and not a car in sight. I figured there wouldn't be much of a wait and was right.

The first young man, with short black hair, approached the car and asked me if I was in need of an oil change. "Yep, am I in the right place?" He looked the car over and notice, I'm assuming for the first time, the out of state plates. "You're a long way from home!"

"I know - I'm visiting with some friends before heading West on a road trip. I'd like to get the Premium Performance oil change with synthetic oil."

"Well" said a young man with long blond hair "Do you know what kind of synthetic you'd prefer?"

"Um, since you guys are the experts here, you tell me. I'm going to be driving across Southern Texas, New Mexico and Arizona so the weather is going to be really quite warm. I want something that's going to stand up to the heat."

"Then you need the best!" said the last young man wearing a dirty ball cap.

"Okay, and what would that be?"

"You don't watch NASCAR do you?" he scoffed.

"Um, not really." I laughed.

"Wotchew need is royal purple. It's the official oal of the NASCAR circuit. Yep, royal purple is what you need."

"Well, royal purple it is then."

I thought the guy in the ball cap was going to jump and clap his hands as he ran toward the store to pick out my highly important Royal Purple oil.

(Now imagine this entire conversation in the heaviest good ole boy southern accent possible.)

Anyway this is the reason Meg and I are now referring to our trip as "The NASCAR Circuit or America!"

Royal Purple in deed!