Road Trip Day Thirteen: Golden Nozzle

 Non-driving day spent with family.  The warm day was a stark contrast to yesterday and it facilitated two meals with two families.  Essentially, my daughter’s in-laws.  We would need a white board and a half hour to diagram out all the people with whom I became reacquainted or met for the first time.  Everyone was welcoming and gracious.  The meals were cooked and served outdoors.  My daughter and I talked a lot and we watched my grandson do eight-year old stuff. 

Between the early brunch and afternoon dinner, I left Grace and Justin to their last minute errands for their trip south.  I tried to get the oil changed.  No go.  Charlie’s KIA in Augusta, Maine is only accepting appointments.  Despite the service bays being completely empty, there was no room for a walk-on customer from California.  I was too tired to be frustrated.  Figured I would get the car washed, at least.

I haven’t seen a California Style car wash where they actually wash your car since I left California.  I’ve looked.  They are all some configuration of an automatic wash.  However, just inside Augusta, I saw a sign for a “Golden Nozzle” car wash.  Well, I have never had a Golden Nozzle.  When in Maine……

As I drove up the drive into the parking lot of the Nozzle I had to drive past a quick oil change type place.  There were three twenty-something oil change guys smoking at the corner of the building.  They looked in my direction as I began to drive toward them and they started motioning me to stop.  They were insistent that I stop; I thought maybe some part of the car was falling off.  They had never seen a Kia K5, they had only read about it.  We popped the hood, the trunk, opened the all the door.  They climbed all over the car and had great time. 

I drove up to the Nozzle tunnel and the guy asked me what I wanted.  While there are no people to wash your car, this long dark tunnel with its lights, mists and soft cloth brushes is controlled by a real human being who dials in your every wish, for a price.  I paid for hot walk, rim cleaning, underbody rinse and the soft cloth special. After all that, you have to do your own vacuuming. 

I worked out rewinding.  The highlight of which will be a visit to the Truman Library. 

Tomorrow, when Justin and Grace leave for New York City, we are going to meet up and caravan (they have two cars to transport).  My grandson will ride with me as far as Hartford, Connecticut and then we will put him in Grace’s car and they will continue south while I turn west.