This is Paul Mullet, President of Hustler Turf Equipment. I’d like to thank everyone for your support of the Mow for Victory Tour and for making it an unforgettable experience fornot just Josh and Spike and Gloria, but all Hustler employees and dealers, the other sponsors, and countless people across America. It has truly been an honor to be involved in this event.

But, it is not over yet! Even though the tour itself has ended, we are running a contest amongst our dealers to encourage fund raising for the camp. This contest ends at midnight on August 31, 2005. So, if you are able to contribute to the camp please do so and help your local Hustler dealer earn a nice prize.

This is an authentic Super Z lawnmower. This Super Z has been custom-painted to resemble Richard Petty’s #43 Dodge NASCAR race car. The mower was used to promote the “Mow for Victory Tour.”

Auction will take place Thursday, June 17 at 7:00 pm thru 7:00 pm CST on Sunday, June 26, 2005. Bid early and bid often to get this very unique, collectible Richard Petty artifact.

Features:
• At 15 mph, the Hustler Super Z is the fastest production mower you can buy
• SmoothTrak™ steering system features zero-degree turning and an automatic park brake built into the steering levers
• 27-hp Kohler a/c engine with 60” deck
• Lifetime warranty on the leading edge of the deck and the tractor frame
• 14-gallon fuel capacity with built-in sight gauge

This auction is being conducted by the manufacturer and all factory warranties, manuals, etc. are included. Super Z will be shipped to the nearest Hustler dealer to be picked up by buyer. Buyer will be responsible for bid amount and local taxes (if applicable), only. Hustler will cover shipping costs.

If there are any questions, call Ken at 620-327-1321 or email kraney@excelhustler.com.

All money will go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, NC to help children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses attend summer camp free of charge.

 

May 28th, 2005 Partaking in a successful open house and press conference finale, the time had come fore the conclusion of the tour at the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

Scoping out the details and also taking another tour of the camp on Friday with Holly Ferree, left us confident and prepared to conclude the run across America.

Saturday morning we all woke up with excitement in our walk, knowing this was the finale, but we also knew this meant the end of a long journey, which was sad to see end too.
 
Strapping up the gear one last time and unloading the Petty machine, we started our trek from Greensboro to Randleman (VJGC). Covering about twenty miles of pavement I made it to the gates of the camp with Spike and Gloria still backing me up in the truck. Going down the long stretch at the camp entrance I was overwhelmed at the administrator building with all the VJGC staff members. They all were clapping with cameras in hand while directing me where to “mow”.

    Taking a sharp turn I headed into the heart of the camp through the Victory Tunnel. As soon as I exited, there was another large group of supporters, some being the Hustler Turf Equipment crew and family, as well as all the camps counselors for the summer sessions. Besides the group of cheering fans was the feathered hat and sunglasses smiling towards me, Richard Petty. I did a circle where the main camps facilities are located and came rolling by everyone with a checkered flag awaiting my 20mph finish.

Once I stopped, Richard cut off the engine and immediately congratulated me on my mowing skills. Along with Richard, I had Fox channel 8 cut in to get some footage of me explaining my experiences cutting across the wide country on the Petty machine. After handling the press, all the counselors of the camp chanted and welcomed Spike, Gloria, and I with open arms and much love.

Ken Raney immediately gave a short opening speech summing up what we just accomplished at that moment, along with introducing us and opening up questions to the huge group.

With more of the same questions being asked, as we have had throughout the three month tour, I still was thrilled to answer them, but this time I had a smile plastered to my face while answering the questions, knowing we finally did it.

After answering questions we got another warm applause followed by getting to talk to some of the individuals that would be counseling throughout the entire summer with only one week break. I couldn’t help thanking them as well for what they undertake. So once we received a nice final applause and getting to steal some more of Richard Petty’s much demanded time, the tour was officially over, which probably hasn’t set in yet since this was my whole life for three months, taking the place of heavy college books.

Once things wrapped up at the camp we thanked everyone and Holly for getting the details together, then as soon as we made our way into the camp it was time to head back home to adjust to the regular routine.

With everything said and done now, I believe the tour was a complete success. We accomplished what we set out to do and personally I think more. Even though I took a break from school, this tour in itself was an education. I couldn’t have asked for a better pit crew, Spike and Gloria Hostetler, who were always there backing me up not only on the mower, but the entire trip as well. I gained a great set of friends with Spike and Gloria, as well as with all the great people we met along the way that went out of their way to support us and the cause. I would also like to applaud Hustler Turf Equipment and everyone on board there for their continual efforts, making this possible and trusting me enough to represent them and for their fine company. Also big thanks to everyone who followed Spike, Gloria, and I across the country on the web and your support.

In conclusion after we traveled the country we tallied up 2,500 miles of mowing time on the Petty machine. Throughout the entire journey the only problem encountered was a bloomed tire and ruined gas tank, so the Petty machine and I stayed on good terms throughout the jog across America, even though I was anxious to get back in the seat of a normal vehicle. Also I believe I broke double digits on the amount of autographs I dished out with my Sharpie marker, which I think officially ranks me up there with Richard Petty or near it at least. The tour was a blast and I came away from it with more than I could have imagined. If anyone has any questions about how to become a professional lawnmower driver or any other questions, please feel free to email me at color_blind46@hotmail.com .

May 26th, 2005 Waking up Thursday morning we unloaded the Petty machine to see how it would handle right outside the stomping grounds of Richard Petty’s place. With more pit crew along (Ken, Larry, and Fred) I was ready to make way to Central Carolina Farm & Mower dealership.

Arriving at Gary’s dealership we were greeted by him and his wife April, along with a few men from his crew. As soon as we planted the Petty machine for the open house a few people came in to check it out. The story remained the same throughout the morning and lunch time. Most of the people coming in had a good relationship with Victory Junction Gang Camp already, meaning they have been supporters since it was formed. Being in Richard’s back yard, we found a lot of support for the tour.

While all us Hustler Turf Equipment guys stayed busy with customers outside, April took charge on the show room floor with a table set up with tour merchandise, which we gave away for donations for the camp. Every person that came into the dealership, even if they ignored the tour stuff, April got their attention, along with some nice sized donations. By the end of the afternoon April got a fish bowl full of donations for the camp, while Gary and our big crew talked about the tour with the frequent crowds that stopped by.

By 2:30 we loaded up the equipment and thanked Gary and April for their help and support with the tour. So with a bowl full of donation money and some new and old support, we started our drive to Charlotte for another/final press conference.

After making our way to the Lowe’s Speedway we got some credentials and unloaded by the media center. Getting there early we got to watch a major press conference that took place before ours. We watched Rick, one of the Speed channels hosts, along with some major NASCAR drivers. It was celebrating the Truck Series and Craftsman still sponsoring it.

After they were done, we moved into position, beforehand though I got to meet with Rick from Speed , although I didn’t get any camera time with Speed network. As soon as I finished meeting with Rick, Richard Petty came in with his trademark smile. He approached me right away and remarked that I looked pretty good for going clear across America on a lawnmower. Shooting the breeze with Richard and the Hustler fellas for a few minutes, we got the conference underway. It was smooth and painless, since this was my third time to do the NASCAR press ordeal, I was now finally comfortable.

Sharing some stories and things we encountered along the trip, we concluded the press conference after getting some photos with Richard. He was his usual humble self and very appreciative to us. We thanked the media and more importantly Richard for coming out.
 
Before departing back to Greensboro, we got to stay and watch Kyle Petty and Jeff Green qualify for Sunday’s race. While most of us were watching the qualifying laps, Larry “lost” the keys to the rental van. To make a long story short, we found the keys in an obvious spot, so if you ever talk to Larry Holman just ask him if he has the keys.

 

May25th, 2005 Concluding our weekend and open house in Kernersville, Wednesday we made our way to Greensboro for our final open house of the tour. Arriving on Wednesday we met back up with some familiar faces from Kansas. Ken Raney and Fred Schmidt, as well as Larry Holman flew into N.C. to conclude the tour with us. Once we reconnected with the gang we decided to get a bite to eat with the owner of the dealership, Gary Hardee. We found a nice Brazilian steakhouse, Diablo, to eat with Gary and his nice wife April. Now this was my first time at a Brazilian steakhouse so I didn’t quit know what to expect.

First off we started with a unique salad bar with a variety of foods and sides that I could not pronounce. Then instead of ordering a meal the waiters told us to flip a little coin shaped pad by our plate to green of red to signify if we wanted food or not, of course we all flipped it to green, “go”.

Before we knew it a variety of platters with cuts of meat was brought out to us, all of which was cooked to perfection. After about three different meats came out I was satisfied, but they didn’t stop there. The restaurant ended up bringing out eight to ten different cuts of meat/chicken, which I couldn’t turn down.

Before to long everyone had flipped the green, “go”, to red, “stop”. I stayed strong though and tested out the taste of all their varieties of meat. After I thought I conquered the joint with my eating skills, the waiters began to bring out seconds, offering the variety of meats again. I was forced to fold and give up; I was already stuffed and officially considered a glutton.
By the time we left we walked out, while I did more of a waddle. We had a good talk with Gary and April at dinner with high hopes for the upcoming open house.

 

May 24th, 2005 Before starting the last week of the tour, Spike, Gloria, and I spent our final weekend in Kernersville, NC. We stayed at your usual hotel with your usual rooms, but this time we had some unusual hosts. We met with Sheryl and Mary, who both work for the hotel and took a great deal of interest in our tour. So much in fact, that they demanded some autographed tour t-shirts from us. They treated us like first class and attended to all of our needs.

While relaxing over the weekend we decided to take out the clubs and check out our golfing skills. With Gloria along as our caddy we were set for a day of driving, chipping, and putting. Even though our golfing skills may not be the best, the weather for the afternoon was, so that eased the frustration of our performance.

Tuesday morning we strapped up the gear for another open house in Kernersville at Farmers Feed and Seed. Driving the lawnmower from the hotel to the dealership we introduced the Petty machine to the town. Once we arrived we already had spectators waiting. We met with a group that just came out to see the lawnmowers and sign up for a chance to win one. A couple with the group was actually from the L.A. area and were in town visiting family, so we attracted some of our old West coast friends.

After hooking the group up with some Mow for Victory Tour hats and shirts we introduced ourselves to some of the Farmers Feed and Seed crew. We met Rex and Joe Idol, owners, along with Michelle and Christy, counter-sales. They of course took a gander at the mower then smiled and shook their heads in disbelief.

During the morning we connected back up with Eddie Wilson, along with more curious on lookers. Most were already aware of the camp so the questions were just about the Petty machine and our trek out here. We landed numerous prospects with Eddie attending to their needs, along with several donations. We even had one guy, Melvin Dawson, who stopped by to donate and who also mentioned he saw us on the Rick and Bubba Show. We talked with Melvin for awhile, along with his seven month old companion (dog) and enjoyed hearing about how he became a big Richard Petty fan.

Eating some subs for lunch we drew in some more attention to the tour, with the Petty machines that is, not the subs. After Eddie treated us to some grub, some off and on showers passed through during the afternoon, which in turn slowed down the crowed coming in.

With a nice show up in the morning and gaining some more green bills for the camp, the open house at Kernersville turned out pretty good, considering the frequent rain, which can always put a damper on things.

 

May 20th, 2005 Overcast and cool was the name of the game at the open house in Salisbury today. We found ourselves at OPE (Outdoor Power Equipment), where we met with Trish and Dick Starrett, owners of the dealership. We also gained another crew member ourselves, Eddie Wilson, North Carolina Sales Representative. Getting familiar with the people at the location we set-up the tour equipment and got out the gear for donations.

People scooted into the dealership off and on during early afternoon to take a look at the fancy mowers. Darren, one of the guys that worked at OPE, especially took interest in our tour and got the full story. After talking about mowers, he mentioned he used to race go-carts avidly before children came into the picture and he had to put the hobby aside. Darren was supportive of the tour and even donated some good money to get a signed Richard Petty hat and Hustler Z model replica.
 
Other than people coming in and showing interest, we also had Dick’s dog interested in our Petty machine, or should I say front tires of the mowers. Thor, the name he went by, had his favorite chew toy in his mouth the entire day, which just happened to be a leading tire off a lawnmower. He was more attached the tire than I was attached to the Petty machine that I’ve been riding for the past three months.

By early afternoon the crowd slimmed and Dick and Trish decided to take us by a miniature race track used to race go-carts. The track was small alright, when we got there it was sight to see, since I’m used to seeing where the big boys play. The track was put there by Bobby Labonte, NASCAR driver, so kids between 5 and 15 can get a jump start on their driving skills and become the next NASCAR star. What was also interesting was the track uses Hustler lawnmowers to mow the grounds around the track. Hustler Turf Equipment donated some lawnmowers to the Bobby Labonte track to show off yellow line and their longevity.

Gaining more insight on the track and thanking OPE crew for the open house; we loaded up and called it a day at Salisbury.

 

May 19th, 2005 Thursday we hooked up with Leon again to head to the Hickory open house that was just added to the tour a week before, like the Rutherfordton stop at Ace.

Arriving at Mt. View Home & Garden Center in the morning, we were welcomed by the fellas from the dealership. We introduced ourselves to Gene and Darrell Brittain, owners of Mt. View Home and Garden. They were pleased to set-up an open house, even though it was short notice.

Once we showed off the Petty machines to the dealership crew, we immediately began to introduce them to the customers rolling in.

The majority of the people who came by were already familiar with the camp and didn’t hesitate to give some money for the cause; in return we hooked them up with some tour merchandise.

With lunch time nearing catered food was brought in; guess what it was? You're right, BBQ and cole slaw, the same meal we had the previous couple of shows. Leon mentioned that BBQ and sweet tea is the big thing down in the Southeast, and each place has their own special recipe to give their BBQ an edge over the other, which this particular BBQ did have some flare to it.
 
Munching down, Spike, Leon, and I visited to random people about the tour, while they dished out the green.

At one point we met some nice southern boys that were brothers, Vic and Anthony Misenheimer. Both of them made their way to the open house just to see the Petty machines and contribute to the cause. Vic and Anthony already knew about us (tour crew) because they have been following us on the web. The two also were already familiar with the camp, and Vic actually has volunteered to aid the VJGC on numerous occasions.

As a matter of fact, he has ridden with Kyle Petty for 8 years on the charity ride, which is a motorcycle ride that goes clear across the country raising donations and awareness for the camp. Vic volunteers to help out with the ride and in return he gets to join the charity ride free of charge.

    Anthony has ridden a few times just joining the group midway through or so, because to join the Kyle Petty Charity Ride and cruise with these high profile guys is a steep price, but for a good cause. After talking with Vic and Anthony for a good amount of time, they both donated more than enough towards the camp, taking home a handful of tour supplies for them and their family.

By the end of the afternoon we loaded up our equipment to get ready for our next stop. Before leaving, Gene and Darrell donated a hefty amount for the camp, we thanked the Mt. View crew for their support and moved on out.

Leaving straight from Hickory we got on the outskirts of town and put the Petty machine back on the street for some road time. The ride was smooth and sweet. We got about 20 miles in before rush hour hit and the street we were traveling became chaotic, so we put the mower back in the trailer until we reached Salisbury.

 

May 18th, 2005 Wednesday morning we arrived at Ace Equipment in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Even though it wasn’t originally planned as an open house on our route, Larry and Leon Randle, North and South Carolina Representative, got it scheduled since we would be passing through the area with the lawnmower anyway.

At the Hustler dealership we met Ron Whiteside, asst. manager, and his brother Robert, vice president. Both guys were pleased we made the time to stop by with Petty machines and show them off, especially since it was a big NASCAR town.

Getting to know a few of the guys at Ace we started to get to know some random people coming to check out the commotion. The entire morning NASCAR fans pulled in and admired the handy work of the Petty mower. We filled everyone in on our journey thus far and in return most of the supporters donated to VJGC.

At lunch we had BBQ on the menu and the free food didn’t hurt the crowd that already was plentiful. While eating, I was interrupted by Mary and Chad, both from Channel 13 News. While Chad handled the camera, Mary asked me a few basic questions about the tour. Satisfying her curiosity, Mary and Chad headed out.

Right after the TV crew stopped by, the local newspaper came in. Angela Wyatt, photographer and reporter for the day from The Daily Courier, took notes and some shots with her high dollar camera for the story.

By early afternoon we received a good amount of attention and donations for the day. One of the gentlemen that stopped in was a big Richard Petty fan. I could tell he was a fanatic before meeting him, just because of what he pulled up in. He had a little Toyota truck painted up like Richards’ old racing theme colors and decals covering the truck from top to bottom. Avery Dimsdale was enthusiastic about our tour and was glad to hear we hooked up with Richard Petty to do this Mow for Victory Tour.

By early afternoon we thanked the crew at Ace Equipment for taking us on at the last minute. The open house was well worth the stop, we gained enormous amount of support and donations for the cause.

Straight from Rutherfordton we unloaded the Petty mower once again and decided to put on a few more miles. The roads were similar to the previous day, but with less traffic, at least for the first few miles. After covering about thirty miles of terrain we reached our next stop, Hickory.

 

May 17th, 2005 Waking up at the Dillard hotel, with the horses galloping outside of my window, it was time to leave the unique place. We started directly from Dillard heading north towards N.C. (Nortmh Carolina), the last state we will travel in this mowing extravaganza.

The weather up in the lush mountains was rough on the body, but the scenery was easy on the eyes. The entire way on the ride we were winding from left to right crawling up and down mountains. The traffic was pretty heavy, so it was as if we were playing the game snake, gaining length as we went on. Before too long we reached the border and crossed into North Carolina.

Although we were in a new state the vehicles still stayed long and strong. We were forced to pull over on the side of the road numerous times throughout the day, because of the long traffic we held up. I don’t understand why we would hold up traffic? Going on the winding roads it felt like I was cruising at a nice steady speed, I guess not.

We encountered a lot of small towns along the way with high class houses and private golf courses. I was tempted to go out and mow a strip on the immaculate golf courses to leave my mark, but I didn’t want to dirty up the Petty machine, so I withheld the urge. Stopping at a few of these towns, we gained some new supporters, as well as people who just laughed at me.
By lunch we stopped by a Dutch café to get some grub. It was some decent food with your average menu. After filling the mid-section we continued onward in the new state. As the afternoon grew older the traffic grew bigger. We made the decision to load the lawnmower outside of our goal for the day and trailer it the remaining few miles.

By early evening we arrived outside of Rutherfordton, where we had an open house scheduled the following morning.

 

May 16, 2005 Before getting comfortable on the road, Sunday we enjoyed a day at the drag strip. John Christopher hooked Larry, Spike, and I up with some nice seats at the Southern National races at the Atlanta Dragway. We found ourselves at the drag strip early Sunday morning to get used to our surroundings and check out the merchandise. As soon as we got there it was overcast with showers. The only thing we could do was to wait out the rain and see if the races would still be on.
 
While we waited we checked out the different booths and what they were selling, as well as the pit areas of the dragsters to see occasional work on their vehicles. After waiting a few hours we got motivated to do something and decided to see if I could get an interview with ESPN. John and Larry took charge taking us through some restricted access areas, where we did get in with some convincing and found a connection. We talked with a cameraman that told us to find and chat with Dave Reef. After pulling a few more strings we did eventually meet with Dave Reef, who was the broadcaster for the event on ESPN. He was very nice/personable guy and said he would see what he could do and get a hold of us if it came through, which unfortunately never happened.

Still waiting for the spit (rain) to cease, we watched the pit crews work on the top fuel dragsters. After seeing some monstrous engines being adjusted, I grew impatient wanting to see some action. Just as I was becoming impatient the rain started to stop and pit crews and the drivers began to fire up their engines to give them a test. On the outskirts of the track, where the pits where located, the atmosphere began to rumble and vibrate from the massive power that these dragsters possess.

At one point we got so close to a top fuel dragster, that we received a mouthful of the nitrous the dragster expelled. Let me tell you what, after a few seconds of inhaling the gas all of us started to cough with tears running out of our eyes. We got out of the area quick to recover. Once we did we knew the race was about to begin since all the drivers started to rev up their engines.

Once the race did finally get underway it was a sight to see, as well as feel. These cars or should I say machines, could get up and move baby. In a quarter mile the top fuel and funny cars could run it in between 4 and 5 seconds. They would reach the speed of 100mph in the first second. By the end of the quarter mile they would be up  to speeds past 300mph. The fastest top fuel I witnessed climbed up to 329mph by the finish line. Besides seeing the top fuel and funny cars run, we also watched the pro stock cars and bikes, which both ran about 200mph. Just as we were enjoying the races another front moved in and the rain poured down. At that point we saw some good races and decided to head back and watch the rest of the dragsters race in the comfort of Larry’s dry home.

Getting the speed out of our systems, Monday it was back on the highway going the amazing speed of 20mph (where’s the nitrous when you need it?).  Before heading back on the streets, Larry and Dottie took Spike and Gloria to the Cabbage Patch headquarters in Cleveland, where they actually make the dolls. Spike and Gloria said that there was a hospital within the Cabbage Patch building where a nurse delivers Cabbage Patch babies through a head of cabbage and they actually got to witness one being born. Even though it sounds quite interesting, a doll coming out of a head of cabbage, I stayed behind at Larry and Dottie’s house to catch up on some writing.

Throwing the cabbage aside we headed back to Georgia Power Sports and Equipment to start the journey back up. We thanked Larry and Dottie for taking us in for the weekend and showing us a good time. Before we knew it we had another police escort to take us out of town.  
As soon as we reached Helen (next town) we lost the police and headed on by ourselves. Before we made the stretch through town, we stopped to check out the unique city. Helen is a tourist town because every building within the limits has a Swedish theme to it, or at least that is how I would describe it. Even the fast food joints had the Swedish style, with the unique structure build and dull two colors of a light tan and dark brown. After doing a little shopping and Gloria coming out of the town with a new quilt, we were on our way.

Before too long we had to do some trailer action because the traffic was so heavy with no shoulder. So we made good time making a stop point for the night at the town of Dillard. We found the Dillard House and hotel not too far from the town up in the lush mountains. Larry recommended we stay there because of the atmosphere and the unbelievable food they serve.

It definitely was far from your average hotel, believe me I would know since I’ve been staying in hotels for the past two and a half months. The Dillard hotel was a secluded area up in the lush north Georgia mountains that included a pasture of horses grazing outside of our rooms, which you could enjoy the view from some rocking chairs. If being on your own rocking chair wasn’t close enough to the horses then you could take a step closer and go horseback riding.

Beside the horse stables was an animal zoo, that included a wide range of animals you would find on a farm, sorry no exotic animals. Getting familiar with the surroundings we decided to go get some home cooked food from the Dillard House. Since Larry recommended it and we decided to stay there for the night, it gave him an excuse to make the short trip up from Cleveland to join us at dinner.

We didn’t have to order at all, the waitress just began to bring out a variety of foods on different dishes. When they seated us, there were dishes of cantaloupe/honey dew, relish, cucumber/tomato salad, cold slaw, and strawberry jam on the table.  And then they started bringing the real food including; chicken, fried and baked, BBQ ribs, smothered steak, country ham, scalloped potatoes, collard greens, creamed corn, lima beans, cabbage casserole, creamed onions, fried okra, asparagus spears, corn bread, rolls, biscuits, acorn/squash soufflé, and for dessert your choice of chocolate pie, coconut pie, or strawberry cobble with ice cream. After the table was completely covered with a wide range of food we dug in like it was Thanksgiving meal.    It had to be one of the best, if not the best meals I’ve had on this trip, which is a lot to say since we eat out every night. By the end of it, food was still scattered on the table, but I didn’t have any more room to stuff it down. Larry said that if anyone wants to try out the Dillard House that he would take them there for a small fee.

Spike and Gloria visited Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia, and walked through the Cabbage Patch, where the dolls were being formed. They witnessed the birth of a little Cabbage Patch boy which was named by the audience. They met a young couple on their honeymoon who adopted a Cabbage Patch baby because the bride had wanted one since she was a little girl.

 

 

May 14, 2005 Saturday morning Spike, Gloria, and I woke up in the comfort of Larry and Dottie's home. Larry is Hustler Turf's Eastern Sales Manager. We enjoyed a nice full breakfast before heading to our first Saturday open house, which was in Cleveland (where Larry and Dottie reside). Before going straight to the dealership, we went to the county line, outside of Cleveland, to drive the lawnmower into the Georgia Power Sports and Equipment. Besides just Spike following me, we also had the Sheriff to guide us to the dealership. We met with Ricky, the local sheriff, who works part time for Georgia Power Sports and Equipment and the rest of his time enforcing the law.
 
Driving into Cleveland city limits traffic was heavy, but since we had flashing lights in front of us (sheriff) there was no need to stop. In fact some vehicles saw us coming by and pulled over on the side of the road, where ten to fifteen cars would line up at a time just to stop and wait for us to go by. In the heart of Cleveland we made a couple of rounds around the court house and the city buildings. The intersections were busy and we ran into red lights, but with Ricky in front of us we ignored the rules and became number one on the road. I felt as if I was the president making a grand entrance (not quite, but hey… I can dream).

After about seven miles of holding up traffic and making a big scene, we arrived at Georgia Power Sports and Equipment. There we met with James Allison, owner, and the fellas that worked for him. Everyone at the dealership was nice and lively, and we could tell they had been preparing for the open house for quite some time. Right when we pulled up there was a big group of unfamiliar faces welcoming us in, as well as a radio crew.

Once I met with the dealership crew, Bud Bartels pulled me aside to get a quick word over the radio about my adventure. He was very relaxed and having a good time with the interview that I didn’t even feel like I was talking over the air, but just talking with Bud. He came out from WCON 99.3 to get the down low on our tour.

Finishing up a little interview I went inside the dealership to look around. Right when I came in I was overwhelmed with more southern hospitality. Becky Allison, James wife, got me some sweet tea and made me feel right in place. As I was looking around at all the four wheelers they had to offer, as well as the endless line of Hustler lawnmowers, I bumped into Braden, James and Becky’s son, who is just over two. He was running around the whole day trying to drive anything and everything.

Braden would get up on, whether it is the Hustler lawnmower or a four-wheeler and try to turn it on and run it. He would have gotten every piece of equipment running if there wasn’t a key missing in them Becky said, because he drives them all the time out at their place. Well it just so happens they forgot to lock down one miniature four-wheeler and he revved the baby up and even took it forward before Becky caught him and scolded him. Braden just simply smiled and ran on to the next machine.

Before too long, lunch came around and we had barbeque at our disposal. It was so good that I had to go back for seconds and yes, thirds. While eating, Bud Bartels (radio broadcaster) interviewed Spike and Larry. He also interviewed some little cute twins, Jenna and Jessa, James and Becky’s twin girls. They both were about five and had enough energy for everyone combined at the show. I even found them on the Petty machine trying out two-way communication system.

During the afternoon some more excitement pulled in. Channel 32 WNEG came by to get a short story on the Mow for Victory Tour. I met with Heather Jensen, reporter, who asked me a few questions about the tour. After she got what she needed, she headed on to the next story.  
I however stuck around talking with some more people about the tour. Before too long we had a good portion of Larry’s and Dottie’s family come out to the open house to check out the lawnmower that Larry has been talking about. I met some of their grandchildren, children, brothers/ sisters, and even Dottie’s mother, Susie. I talked with Susie for awhile; she was very supportive of what we have been doing for the past two and a half months. I also met with Dottie’s Brother Leon Randle, who happens to be the North and South Carolina representative for Hustler Turf Equipment. He was excited for us to get into his territory next week and enjoy some open houses before the conclusion.

As the day winded down I met with one of the biggest Richard Petty fans, Dave Rothermel and his nice wife, Mitzie. They traveled down from South Carolina just to come and see the Petty machines. Dave actually isn’t a stranger to us; he was in our company’s monthly newsletter, The Grapevine, where there was an article about Dave and his memorabilia of Richard Petty. He has a complete room devoted to Richard Petty. His wife doesn’t share quite the same obsession, but she goes along with it as long as they go out to a movie once in awhile. It was a nice talk with the big fans and to see their excitement about the tour.

Later in the afternoon we started to pack up everything to head out and catch another stunt that dealt with the tour. Before we headed though, I ran into Fred Warthun, who drives a crotch rocket (motorcycle). He showed me a few tricks on the street where he attempted some wheelies, which he has down to a fine art.

With all the excitement and energy of the people at Cleveland’s open house, it was hard to go, but it had to end sometime. We thanked James and his crew for all the effort and time they put into the open house before we packed up and left.

Once we were on the road again we headed for the Lanier National Speedway, where we had planned some fun with Alex McKenzie who works for Lanier. Alex was the gentleman we ran into at the Fun Wheels open house and invited us to come down to the races and do a couple of laps on the Petty machines on the track during opening ceremonies.

Right when we got there we could tell it had rained a good amount, and sure enough we got a call from Alex saying the race had been cancelled a few minutes before we arrived. So my victory lap on the race track didn’t come through because of Mother Nature. I didn’t stay down about it too long though because everyone decided we should go out and get something to eat, and food always cheers me up. So with Spike, Gloria, John, Leon, Larry, Dottie, and her mother, Susie, went to a Japanese restaurant to see and enjoy some food cooked before our eyes.

 

May 13, 2005 Coming off a good open house the previous day, we came full throttle for the show at Terry’s Tool and Equipment Rental in Cumming today. The night before, we arrived in Cumming to drop off some Hustler units with John, as well as drop off the Petty machines by Terry’s dealership. As soon as we arrived late that evening Terry Nixon, part owner, and Nathan Miles, counter sales, welcomed us with open arms and a can full of excitement. Terry, as well as Nathan, said they have been following the tour closely on the internet and been enjoying the adventures we’ve encountered.
 
Before getting some rest for the open house at Terry’s the next afternoon, Terry took us to eat at a local country cooking restaurant to help us sleep, which it certainly did. So getting to Terry’s Tool and Equipment Rental early this morning we were greeted by Terry and Nathan once again, as well as some hot East coast weather. We also met with some of Terry’s crew, Jamie Bennett (service manager), Colley Jones (referred to as the Rocket Scientist), Mike Bell (part owner), and of course most important Debra Nixon (Terry’s wife) who came out for the day to operate the food.

Getting comfortable and meeting the friendly southerners, a few more came in during the morning to check out the Petty machines. The radio also made their way to the open house in the morning to get up for some good country listenin’ and to broadcast live to promote the tour. I introduced myself to Larry Wood and Rick Morris, broadcasters of Gold 104.3 Real Country. They were wired to the core and ready to get things underway for the show.

As the radio crew was setting up, Debra fired up the smoker and grilled out some burgers and dogs. People showed up and lined up for free food. As I was eating I met more people and talked with them about the tour. I met one outgoing gal, Miss Cindy (Mike Bell’s wife), who gave me a hard time here and there about my lawnmower and me. Cindy was very supportive of our tour though; I would say she is a genuine Georgia peach full of southern hospitality.  
Talking with Cindy and some others, Rick and Larry pulled me away to do a live interview over the radio. They were a lot of fun kidding around with me, but still got out the word. Rick and Larry also interviewed Nathan and Terry from the dealership, as well as Larry Holman. Every time one of us got some air time it was for a long period of time and helped get awareness out about the camp and Hustler Turf Equipment.

Finishing up the broadcasting with Rick and Larry, I headed over to the local Polaris dealer in Cumming, where Jeff Whaley also had an open house for his Victory motorcycles. Jeff is good friends with Kyle Petty and has ridden his hog with Kyle on several occasions, so he helped push the tour at his place and hooked them up with some tour merchandise to give away to supporters. Jeff also had 101.5 Kicks radio station broadcasting from the Polaris dealership to attract attention.

Driving back to Terry’s Tool and Equipment Rental things had started to wind down. John Holman and John Christopher had sold a lot of raffle tickets for the four-wheeler they brought down, which eventually would be a drawing for the 4x4 later in summer. All the proceeds for the four-wheeler go to assist the Victory Junction Gang Camp. It was donated by Artic Cat, Georgia Power Sports & Equipment, and Hustler Turf Equipment. We also got a good amount of donations for the tour hats and t-shirts.

Before too long, Dottie Holman (Larry’s lovely wife) stopped by to deliver some signed Petty hats, along with getting acquainted with Spike, Gloria, and I because they would be taking us in for the weekend to get a break from the hotels.

 

May 12, 2005 After waking up in Marietta, suburb of Atlanta, we headed straight to Fun Wheels Outdoor Power Equipment, where our open house was scheduled. Arriving at the dealership we were welcomed by the crew of Fun Wheels. We met up with owners Ron and Patti Loveless, along with Matt Johnson, Jacob Clark, and Wes Brown, who all also worked at the dealership.

After meeting with everyone we hooked back up with John Christopher and Larry Holman to get things underway. We immediately knew it was going to be a great day by how much effort Fun Wheels put into advertising the whole deal and the amount of items they donated for purposes of raising donations for Victory Junction Gang.

Besides having the usual Mow for Victory Tour hats, t-shirts, and Hustler scale models for door prizes, which people receive if they donate, they also had a wide scale of other items. Ron and his guys donated some sweet electric bikes, which anyone could own if they donated a hefty amount. It was a win/win situation for the person(s) who contributed the money for the bike, because it was well under the sale price, which made it a deal in itself, but more importantly the money went for the camp. There were several people who took the electric bikes for a spin during the day, mostly us Hustler guys (on more that one occasion), and once they rode it and felt the ease of not having to pedal, the bike sold itself. So a lot of donation money came in from some of the units of the electric bikes being sold.

Another item Fun Wheels had was some Richard Petty NASCAR tickets. Ron got a hold of some unreachable tickets, usually not offered to the public, and had several available to raffle off. All you had to do was contribute a small donation, which automatically entered you in for the raffle to win the NASCAR tickets that were valued at $380 bucks. That attracted a lot of attention from the NASCAR fans that dropped in during the day. The fans didn’t hesitate to contribute a few bucks for the entry of the grand prize, which were the Petty tickets.

Those are examples of what Fun Wheels contributed for the open house, now all we needed was to get the crowd to come in. The way they did that was by having a live remote from a big country station in the area. Eagle 106.7 came out for a few hours during the open house to promote the cause and to also give away prizes of their own. They too gave away t-shirts, hats, tickets, and signed merchandise from various NASCAR drivers.  So with radio backing us up and getting the word out about our open house and all the prizes, we had no problem attracting attention to bring in the waves of people.

We got to meet numerous die-hard NASCAR fans and share our adventures about the lawnmower journey with them throughout the day. One of the fans we met was Peggy; she is a big Kyle Petty fan, as well as a fan of the camp. She mentioned to us that she volunteered to help out the children at Victory Junction Gang this summer during a camp session. It was great to meet with someone that had the same motives as us, to help out the children at the camp, but she would be doing it from a whole different standpoint.

As the day pressed on, so did the people. The crowd never lightened up, so when the lunch bell rang it just got more chaotic with people stopping in for the free food. Fun Wheels brought in some catered food from Cajun Heat Company. Although the food was free to the public it brought in numerous donations for the camp, so that tells you the southern food melted in your mouth.

While enjoying some good Cajun food an interesting character showed up at the dealership. He was a very outgoing individual that approached anyone at anytime with no fear. Once he ran into me he introduced himself as “John the Baptist”. I smiled and nodded and introduced myself as “Josh the Lawnmower Man”. It didn’t take long for him to start in on some interesting topics. First, it somewhat biblical talk then it transitioned into war. After putting in his two cents worth on each subject he would immediately move on to another topic or another person, He definitely added excitement to the day.

“John the Baptist” danced to the music being played by Eagle 106.7; along with contributing his own gifts to the prize give away, which were some stuffed animals and wigs. He would leave for a short period of time, then show back up out of the blue with these items to give away. After chit chatting with numerous people at the open house he left for a short period again. “John the Baptist” came back with a wig on his head and a stuffed lizard on both of his shoulders. He then proceeded to walk out into the busy street onto the median between traffic. He pulled out an American flag and waved it like he was the proudest American to the oncoming vehicles. “John the Baptist” also saluted every once in awhile just to show he was committed to what he was doing.

You might wonder what he was doing, but he actually was trying to bring in more people for our open house at Fun Wheels, although he might have gone about it the wrong way and might have scared some people away. I know he might have caught some people off guard, but his intentions were good and I do respect him for that. After “John the Baptist” continually tried to bring in people, he did finally give in and headed out for the day. I found out later from Matt, that he is a regular in the area.

The rest of the afternoon at the dealership was spent talking with more supporters and giving them the details of the tour. I got talking with the radio broadcasters and ended up meeting Alex McKenzie with Lanier National Speedway. After shooting the breeze for a while he invited us out to the speedway the upcoming Saturday evening to come see some stock cars race on the 3/8 mile track. Alex not only invited us out to see some races but to also be part of the festivities. He thought it would be great if we could drive the Petty mower around the track before the race then we could stick around for the rest of the evening raising more awareness for the camp and donations. We of course took him up on the offer and thanked him for his support.
 
Meeting a great deal of people and adding numerous supporters to list, the day winded down. We thanked Ron and his crew for going over the top for the open house and the amount of items they contributed. Before we headed out though, Spike took a spin on the electric bike again. After getting off, he whipped out his checkbook to contribute money for the camp and loaded up the electric bike. As we were loading, Ron rolled another electric bike up to our trailer and asked me if I liked them. Before I knew it, he offered and gave me the bike. I was taken off guard and very appreciative of his generosity. Once Larry Holman saw Spike, Gloria, and I had one he was pressured in, so he contributed and got one as well. So we headed out of Fun Wheels with the two Petty mowers and two electric bikes in the trailer.

 

May 11, 2005 Heading out from downtown Atlanta, Spike, Gloria, and I met with John Christopher, who works for the distributor: Southern Turf Equipment. We introduced ourselves to John outside of Atlanta in Covington, were we planned to stop by a dealership there so they could get a feel of the Petty fever. Although we didn’t have Covington planned on our route, it was in our path onto Marietta, so we decided to stop by to pay a visit at Monroe Power Equipment.

On the outskirts of Covington we unloaded the mower to mow our way to the dealership. John led the way, while Spike was on my tail shedding the Atlanta traffic. Before too long we were in the middle of Covington at the town square going by the courthouse. Just down the road we arrived at the dealership and met with Jerry Roseberry, the owner and some of his guys.  

Right after meeting with Jerry we were interrupted by Taylor Smith from Covington News. He got the goods on the tour, as well as SueAnn from the Newton Citizen. After talking with the two local papers, they requested that I to go around the town square once again to get a picture, because the first time I went by going to fast. I was pumped that someone thought I was actually going too fast.

Making another run at it and slowing down, the two media crews got their shot and headed out to their next story. I on the other hand went back to Jerry’s to show off the Petty machine. We set up our equipment and stuck around for a few hours.

A few people showed up here and there to come see the commotion at Monroe’s. Jerry even fired up some hotdogs for the afternoon for everyone to enjoy. Not only did he get some dogs to feed us, but also he gave Spike and Gloria a 25lb bag of some special grown onions. I thought that was a nice gesture, but you can keep that bag as far away from me as possible. The sight, smell, or taste of a fresh onion makes me hurl, but if you cook em’ then we can start talking business.

After spending a portion of the morning and some of the afternoon at Monroe’s, we thanked Jerry for letting us stop by and for the media coverage. We were off with John to our next stop, Marietta at Fun Wheels Power Equipment.

 

May 10, 2005 Before preparing for the next open house I got to watch some games at the ballpark over the weekend. Spike and Gloria headed home for a couple days, while I stayed behind in downtown Atlanta by the Braves stadium, Turner Field. Larry Holman hooked me up with some tickets (courtesy of Turner South) for the ball games on Saturday and Sunday. Both days the Braves put a pounding on the Houston Astros. Saturday they won by three or four and Sunday they won by sixteen, five of which were homers.

When Tuesday morning arrived I gathered my belongings and headed to the scheduled open house in Atlanta at Parkway Lawn and Garden. Before getting to the dealership I met up with Charles Knowles and his brother Gene Knowles (owners of Southern Turf Equipment) to get supplies for the afternoon.

Arriving at the open house I met back up with Spike and Larry Holman. I also introduced myself to Jerry Stubbs, owner of Parkway Lawn and Garden, and his son Steve, sales manager. We immediately set up some tents and a line of Hustler lawnmowers for the day, along with firing up the grill to fill up on some Ballpark Franks.

The morning offered us a mild crowd, but by lunch things picked up and the people came rolling in. We met a lot of new people and informed them of our trip across the US. One of the guys we met worked his own lawn service, but what was interesting was he used to play professional football. Talking with John Gilliam I found out he was the first one to score a touchdown for the New Orleans Saints on a kickoff return. He also played several years with Minnesota. For the duration of his career he played as a wide receiver from the late sixties to the mid seventies. He was good enough to be a pro bowler and also make it on John Maddens All Time Madden team.

I was pumped to meet a once big time football player and get to talk with him about some of his games when he used to play. One story he told me was when he played for Minnesota he wore one of  the helmets with a single bar and got his nose broken during the first half. He didn’t realize it was broken until half time, when the players got a warm bowl of soup. He apparently was eating directly from the bowl and when he dipped his nose in the warm soup and blood just rushed out, the reason was it was so cold outside that his nose was numb and apparently numb to the pain.

While we were serving up the dogs during the afternoon we had many other people come in to check out the tour and Hustler lawnmowers. One gentleman even purchased one. If the guys that came in weren’t in to check out any of our products or Parkway’s then it was to see Jerry’s souped up classic Chevy. It was once a wrecker that was completely restored and had the (sorry to say) John Deere theme. I’m not kidding; the entire car was yellow and green from the paint job to the upholstery. He even had a 352 under the hood just to add to the bells and whistles. The only adjustment he needs to make is changing the rest of the green to yellow and changing the Deere decals to Hustler then we would be talking.

For the remainder of the afternoon we awaited and talked with more newly added supporters and potential buyers. By the end of the day we went through all the Ballpark Franks and covered a lot of ground with people on the tour.

May 6, 2005 Friday morning before Spike and I headed to the dealership we met Dudley Gunter at the local TV station. There we ran up some stairs into a small building that had only two guys inside running the whole operation. We met with Max, anchor, and Jeremiah, co-anchor, of channel 33 in LaGrange. Dudley invited us to go on air with him to promote the tour and the Hustler product line.

At 6:30am we were up and running live on TV. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and an easy-going interview. Spike and I talked on and on about our tour and everything involved with it, while Dudley invited the town to come out and enjoy a day of meeting us and eating some brawts.

Midway through the interview we received phone calls from random people watching the station to ask questions or in some cases to just talk. Like I said before it was a really relaxed TV program, to give you an example: two guys, on separate occasions, called in and sang over the phone.

It was a lot of fun and great to experience a media group that handled their program as mellow as they did. In return Spike and I were comfortable and had a good time with Max and the all the callers who gave us support.

After being on the air for 45 minutes without a break, we finally wrapped things up at Channel 33. We thanked Max and Jeremiah for inviting us on their show before heading to Dudley’s Outdoors for our scheduled open house.

Once we arrived at Dudley’s, Ernie Pearce from Carrol Video Productions, was waiting to interview us. We gave him the goods about our journey and talked to him about NASCAR for a little bit before he had to go catch another story on his video camera.

All during the morning people stopped by to catch a glimpse of the Petty mowers. A big chunk of the supporters who stopped by said they watched us earlier in the day when we were on Channel 33. One of the gentlemen that actually called in and watched the program made time to stop by. Phillip, a very outgoing character, was extremely supportive of our tour and gave a hefty donation for the camp.

By lunchtime Dudley had a line of brats grilling, along with a line of people showing up. There was such a rush that Dudley had his mom and sister to lend a hand with all the people coming in for the grilled food. During lunch the local radio station dropped in to broadcast. After I introduced myself to Coleman, from Eagle 102, he got the story on the tour from Spike and I, along with interviewing Dudley and what his dealership has to offer.

Besides Dudley’s crew and family helping out at the open house, we also had some fellas from Southern Turf Equipment Distribution come out and lend a hand. Charles Knowles, territory sales manager, and Adam, sales representative, both came down from Atlanta to LaGrange to assist and get acquainted with us before we headed up their direction for our open house the next week.

By afternoon, when it finally died down, we thanked Dudley and his crew and family for their support/help with the tour. The open house at LaGrange was one of our best thus far and hopefully they continue to pick up now that we are officially in NASCAR country.

Before we headed out all the guys at Dudley’s Outdoors, including Dudley, tested out mobility of the Petty machine, once they did they didn’t want to stop. After we finally loaded up the machines and said our goodbyes we headed towards the big city of Atlanta for our upcoming show there.

 

May 5, 2005 From Opelika we moved onward towards Georgia. Our goal for the day was to make to LaGrange, GA. From Opelika to LaGrange was only about 50 miles, so the driving for the day would be short and sweet.  
After an hour of driving on highway 29 we entered into the town of Valley. We then headed on to our next destination on the tour and that is LaGrange.

Driving through Valley we got several people looking and reacting like usual, and we stopped to get a bite to eat before we entered into LaGrange.

After eating we took off. Before too long we crossed the state line into the peachy state of Georgia. The road was narrow and windy with no shoulder, so lines of traffic often crowded behind us. We were forced to pull over numerous times to let the vehicles pass and do what they needed to do.

 
While we were pulled over I noticed some more road kill. I figured since I talk about it from time to time I should share the lovely view of the deceased mammal. It was a pretty well preserved armadillo, so since it was in good shape and not too mangled, I thought it would be safe to share the image. Now you can see what I see from day to day, but you still don’t get to enjoy the strong sour aroma of the animal rotting.

A few miles later we ran directly into Dudley’s Outdoors. We stopped and met with Dudley Gunter, the owner of the dealership. He was very helpful and excited about the upcoming open house (tomorrow). He even had some advertisements out front in his lot right by the highway to promote the Petty tour.

 

Apr 26, 2005 Open house time came again and Spike and I headed back to the dealership, Do It Best: Covington County Supply hardware store. Once we arrived Vance was already waiting for us, along with Dale Bachman, sales manager at B&B Distributing and also David Bachman’s brother, who was with us at Brandon. We also met back up with Venn.

After getting things organized for the open house, Gary Vandagrifft, the gentleman we met from Original Tractor Cabs, stopped by for a quick glance at our Petty machines that he’s been reading so much about. Gary also brought some extra supplies in his truck to replace some parts on the canopy his company furnished. After fixing up the canopy frame, Gary whipped out a new canvas cover that matched our Petty yellow. Now I would be cruising the streets with a little extra flair. Once we thanked Gary for his help, he was on his way heading west.

Showering the Petty machine with attention by giving it a new top, people started pulling in to check out the Petty mowers. The same mixed reactions developed from people finding out what exactly I was undertaking, either it being “you're crazy” reaction or “what a great opportunity” response, everyone did support us and wish us well on our small jog across the country.

By late morning the weather turned sour. A front moved in, which created a downpour of rain. With everyone stuck inside, Venn made the initiative to load us up and take us to lunch. We all enjoyed a nice buffet at a local diner called Speck’s. After Dale treated us to a fulfilling meal, we noticed the rain died out and the sun made its presence.

So with a full stomach, everyone became optimistic that the afternoon would attract more people, since the weather cleared. Sure enough, when we got back people were already out in the front of the dealership taking a close look at the Petty machines and the Hustler line. We got several prospects and supporters that we could add to the list.

By late afternoon, after the crowd died down, Spike and I loaded up. The open house at Collins turned out pretty good. With the advertising Venn did in the local paper and the great location they have on highway 49, it was hard not to attract attention.

Apr 25, 2005 Before starting a new week Spike, Gloria, Vance, and I had some free time over weekend. Saturday we all enjoyed a relaxing day doing a lot of nothing. Sunday we celebrated Gloria’s ?? B-day by going out to eat, which was something new for us. We also celebrated by playing some poker over the weekend, but I won’t bore you with the results of it.

When Monday morning rolled around it was time for some serious driving. I had the weekend to regroup my thoughts and focus. Once I was mentally sound, I was ready to take back on the stressful task of sitting back and driving 20mph. We launched on the outskirts of Jackson and headed South East towards our destination, Collins Mississippi. The morning started off brisk on windy two-lane highways. Although I didn’t have constant traffic crowding me, I did have a never-ending stretch of trees following throughout the day.

Just when I got comfortable on the road things turned a bit rough. Spike, Gloria, and I found ourselves back on a rough/windy country road. Dodging potholes and washboards for a while, we landed back on some smooth pavement shortly after.

By lunch we stopped in the small town of New Hebron. We grabbed some food in the only restaurant in town, Yesterday’s Café. The grub was as good as the name of the café.

Late afternoon we changed up highways, where we found more traffic. The response was heads turning, hands flying, and jaws dropping, which was nothing new. As we got on the outskirts of Collins, Spike notified me on the two-way radio that we had a truck and sheriff following us. The truck ended up being Venn Mathis, the manager of the dealership we had an open house at the next day. He surprised us, along with the sheriff, for a personal escort for the last few miles to the dealership. Once we arrived we met with Venn formally and some of his help. We thanked him for the escort and looked forward to the open house the next day.

Checking into the hotel we ran into another surprise. While Spike was finishing some details up at the front desk a stranger approached him and knew him by his first name. Spike of course was taken aback for a moment, but then the gentleman introduced himself as Gary Vandagrifft. He worked for Original Tractor Cabs, the company that supplied the canopy on the Petty machine. Gary knew all about the tour because he has been following the updates on the website, thus he already knew of us.

Once we all became acquainted with one another, Gary treated us to dinner. We enjoyed some nice food and learned more about each other. He just happened to be in the area for business like us, so it was coincidence that we ran into each other’s paths. After eating, Gary wished us well on the remaining of our tour.

 

Apr 22, 2005 Wrapping up a couple of days of mower driving, it was time for an open house. Before heading to the dealership on Friday, we enjoyed a day off in Jackson on Thursday. Now that Gloria was back, Spike and I got to quit struggling with laundry because she took it over again, which I’m thankful for because I have already messed up some of my clothing when I attempted my poor washing skills. So while I caught up on my journal entries Thursday, Gloria was busy doing the boys laundry. Even though she was stuck washing our dirty clothes again, she was glad she was healthy enough to rejoin Spike and I back on the road. Now she can help Spike navigate again and also catch up on her quilting while spotting me.

When Friday arrived, Spike and I rejoined Vance Truskett, where he would help us at some more open houses. We also hooked up with David Bachman, who is one of Mississippi’s sales representatives. From Jackson we all headed just outside of town into the suburb of Brandon. At Brandon we found Frederick’s Sales and Service dealership, where our open house was scheduled. Going inside the dealership we introduced ourselves to David Frederick, the president of Frederick’s, and his wife Rita. We also met up with Dwight Frederick, David’s dad, who used to run the business. He was an outgoing older gentleman that still helped out at the dealership.

After meeting some new faces, Vance gave Spike and I some new earphones for the headset on the Petty machine, which I mentioned we encountered a problem a couple of days ago. Spike took charge and degutted the headset and reinserted the new pair. After resoldering and putting the components back in its rightful place, the headset was good as new. So I was ready to rock n’ roll and mow some more grass.

Taking care of the minor problem left the rest of the morning and afternoon dedicated to the tour. Frederick’s was constantly having rushes of people stopping by. David Frederick was always tied up helping a customer with the Hustler line, along with David Bachman frequently showing how to operate a Hustler mower.

Vance, Spike, and I stayed busy by the Petty machines explaining the tour. When lunch came in, so did the crowd. While we were eating, a guy walked in decked out in Richard Petty wear. We immediately introduced ourselves to the fan of 43. He went by Ricky and grew up always supporting Richard Petty. Ricky mentioned he was a fireman and got the opportunity to actually work as one for a period of time in the pit area for NASCAR. Ricky signed up for the Petty mower in high hopes he would be drawn as the winner when the time comes. Then he spent the rest of the time outside admiring the petty colors on the mower. Once Ricky headed out, a few more Petty fans wondered in. They too signed up in a jiffy for the mower and were eager to donate for the cause. We even had the paper come out to see the commotion. Marcus Bowers, from RC News Weekly Reader, stopped by to get the story.

The entire day at the Brandon dealership stayed busy. We once again gained new supporters and prospects. But what was more exciting was that we finally ran into some dedicated Petty fans, so seeing their reaction to the lawnmower and tour was exciting.

By late afternoon nasty weather started brewing, so we made the move to pack up and call it a day after we thanked the Frederick crew.

 

Apr 19, 2005 We hitched up and left today from Magnolia, where we had arrived the previous night. Right before we got back on highway 82 East in Arkansas, we made a quick stop at another dealer we had locally in Magnolia. We got to Smith Lawn and Garden early Tuesday morning to meet with Mike Smith, the owner. He was glad to see us and eager to see the equipment we were driving. He took a quick look over the Petty machine and approved. After chatting with Mike briefly, we had to head out so we could put in a full days work.

On the outskirts of Magnolia we stopped at a fuel station to fill up the gas-guzzling mower. As we were filling up, a man pulled up in his truck to check out the bright colored machine. He of course asked the questions and we gave him the answers. After hooking him up with a Mow for Victory Tour hat and t-shirt, he vowed he would follow us on the web. So, yet another supporter we could add to the list.

Once we finally did get on highway 82 the traffic was thick and plentiful. I had a decent sized shoulder most of the time, but other times it was really narrow. When I ran into the places where the shoulder was thin it got pretty intense with the frequent semi’s that zoomed on by me. They got so close to me that not only could I feel the rush of air going by, but also if I stuck out my arm I could have literally touched the big rigs. I never did of course, in fear I would eventually get clipped or mangled, but I guess that could have made for a good journal entry and pictures if that happened. Most of the semis that went across my path were hauling lumber, fresh cut trees. The thought ran through my head multiple times that if one of the ropes holding the tons and tons of lumber would snap, sending multiple trees flying in my path. That would have also made for an exciting story, but I’ll stick to what I got.

As I mentioned about the multiple trucks with lumber, all along the way the side of the roads were packed with trees that never thinned. With the trees we would encounter a creek or a pond from time to time. We also ran across some pretty red/pink flowers in the ditch in certain areas, which I thought would be a good Mother’s Day gift, cheap (free) and got the point across. Knowing my luck though, they would be sacred flowers and would end up getting fined a thousand bucks. It’s the thought that counts.

As lunch neared, we arrived in the town of El Dorado. We stopped initially to find a Radio Shack, because one side of my headset (what I use to communicate with Spike and also get down to music) started to malfunction the previous day. When we struck out at the store on finding a solution, we saw a Cici’s Pizzeria nearby. We decided to take an early lunch and get our hunger out of the way.

While we were eating, the owner of the place or manager, started talking with Spike, Gloria, and I. Mike, the owner, mentioned he saw our trailer and went to the website right then and there at Cici’s. He was very supportive and glad we came in to give them business. As the conversation with Mike went into further detail, we told him of our little headset issue. Mike immediately lent his computer to us so we could get on the internet and see if a local dealer of the headset company, Starcom (one of the tours sponsors), was not anywhere nearby. Even though we didn’t have any luck, we were very appreciative of Mike’s help and hospitality.
The rest of the afternoon was smooth sailing. I got used to the frequent semis and hearing out of one ear. The scenery stayed green and filled with towering trees. The only thing that did change in the afternoon was the weather. It warmed up to a steaming eighty-five degrees. So I felt as if I was back in the desert once again and had to pop open the sunscreen. By late afternoon we covered 110 miles and stopped at a hotel in Lake Village at the East edge of Arkansas. We looked forward to crossing the border into Mississippi tomorrow.

Apr 18, 2005 Josh and Gloria and I hit the road again today to continue our Tour.  We first hauled the mower over the Texarkana, Arkansas, where we had interru