America's Backroads: Pal's Sudden Service and a Wicked Plant Store

Today I wanted to showcase two local chain stores in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee, which are likely unknown to anyone living outside of this location. First we visit Pal's Sudden Service, a small fast food chain with good food and fast service, as the name suggests. After eating outside on the grass and refueling the Morgan we head to the Wicked Plant Stores, a pair of family-owned nurseries that have a wide selection of super cool plants! Since collecting plants is a hobby of mine, I thought I'd take you along with me and show you some of my favorites. P.S. If you liked this video please help by hitting the like button, or leaving a comment, or subbing or any combination what you would like. It will help the channel a lot.

[@ExAnimoPortugal]

The story about Pals was fascinating, but I was just in awe with that car. It's so elegant and simply beautiful.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Morgans are very cool.

[@southernbiscuits1275]

I am really enjoying these back roads videos. I think it's great you're traveling with your dad. Also fun to see you get excited with the plants. Really great!

[@robertwood5299]

Awesome 👌. Backwoods trip to Cades Cove.. that would be cool..

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

That would be cool!

[@cautioussteve]

I love that you are sharing these longer videos on the channel. The extra time really helps to get into the areas you are visiting. Thanks.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

We have some very interesting ones coming up as we are out of state recording new episodes.

[@JeeWeeD]

I get visions of you wearing gardening gloves and a big straw hat, humming the piano piece you are "fighting" at the moment X-D

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

That might happen.

[@LarryOdham]

Wow James. You and your father drove right past the street I live on. Boone Avenue. How cool is that! I am just now seeing this video. Usually I follow your piano adventures quietly, but I had no idea you had took to the roads, er, or the roads in my neighborhood anyway! Gosh. It is a small world. You mentioned the Tri-City Airport; I used to work for one of the people that was on the board and helped organize the airport, W. Hanes Lancaster Jr. He was the station manager at the local TV station that I worked at downtown. Nice guy. He was an old Army Air Corps veteran from WW2. I hope you liked the Johnson City-Upper East Tennessee area. Its a wonderful place to live. I will pay closer attention to your videos from now on! 😁bests, Larry Odham

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

So cool!

[@southerncrescent1401]

I live in southeast Tennessee and travel to Bluegrass Festivals in the area but have never noticed a "Pals" restaurant. Even in my travels through Johnson City. But I drive a 40 foot diesel pusher motor home with a toad and pretty much keep my eyes on the road. Even though I am in a hurry to "jam" with other "pickers", I should enjoy the journey instead of just the destination. I still have a lot to learn. Thanks for showing this video.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Great to have you along.

[@ianwalker4628]

Love the fact that you have a car with proper style ;-)

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Thanks! 🙂

[@amascia8327]

Style for sure. Unfortunately, British sports cars have a nasty reputation regarding unplanned maintenance. How's yours so far, JP?

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

@@amascia8327 This one was purchased from Morgan West in Santa Monica and is in near perfect condition. The gas gauge is not working so we ran it out of gas once, but otherwise fantastic condition. I think when you purchase a rare limited production car you should expect a few simple things no matter what.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

@@peterkelley6344 It's our car, we are both on the title.

[@amascia8327]

@@americasbackroadswithcharl7688 May it last forever. 👍🏼🤠

[@jenniferestep798]

You’re awesome!!!

[@davidmckinney6577]

Hello James and dad you are so lucky to still have your dad that is so awesome I wish my daddy was still here with me my daddy has been gone a little over ten years now it doesn't seem real.. I've never heard of that restaurant I live in Kentucky and here we have a restaurant called burger barn and it's the best burgers around and they have extremely good ice cream they make it homemade and they sell a lot of it especially now with the hot weather.take care and God bless you all my friends 🙏

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Sounds like a nice place to eat and not far from Tennessee.

[@richardsorey8611]

Once again I am astounded at the variety of subjects that your knowledge base consists of. Very much enjoying this series of videos.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@davidmckinney6577]

That is a very neat car buddy the hood is long on it I like a long hooded car I got a 1978 Cadillac coupe DeVille I inherited from my great uncle I've had it in the garage since he passed away in 1996.its got a long hood on ..I like plants and shrubbery I love the outdoors..I love begonias I have them planted in concert planters

[@The_Smith]

watching you eat dinner before I've even had my breakfast . . . no wonder my tummy is growling . . .

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Their food is really very nice for fast food.

[@cliffmcsparran3390]

If y’all ever make it out west you should visit Marfa, Texas. Mystery lights, where the movie “Giant” was filmed and the Paisano Hotel. Beautiful area.

[@davidmckinney6577]

I use to have agave plant it was huge it was so big I use to pack it indoors in the winter and I packed it out too early and it froze out on me...I'm definitely subscribed to your channel James

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Thanks for sharing, and for subscribing too of course! :D

[@moldenburg909]

Nice! I didn’t know you love euphorbia’s (I hope this the right word in English) and cacti. My parents had a couple of huge euphorbia’s who blooms every couple of years. Now in some countries that is normal but not in here. So that’s funny. I love seeing more of your hobbies and of course more nice and funny places and stores. Thank you for sharing.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

You are welcome.

[@moldenburg909]

😁

[@Modeltnick]

You’re creating great memories that will be much treasured in the future! Thanks for your response on the other channel!

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Our pleasure!

[@johnweller1423]

“Memories”, love the travels and cool places you and your dad visit. What amazing team. 😊👍

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Thank you so much.

[@rikspector]

James, Back in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey near where I grew up, we have round leaf Sundew and pitcher plants and bladderworts. If you ever get up to the Acadia National Park in Maine, north of the park is an area of swamplands full of thousands of Pitcher Plants. I remember standing on the Arizona desert and seeing all those varieties of pot grown cacti much larger than myself. I felt like a Lilliputian from Gulliver's Travels, but my favorite was Saguaro. Just amazing ancient plants! Thanks for the tour! Cheers, Rik

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

I am looking forward to expanding my range of travel for this series.

[@pamelaarescurrinaga8201]

Haven't watched a video of yours in a while. This one intrigued me when your dad mentioned it was on a new channel you started up. I am not a musician but I really enjoy your videos of your visits to piano stores and the reviews of regular pianos and other instruments. The electronic evaluations are great for today's musicians - but, again, I'm not one. Good to see you on the back roads.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Welcome back!

[@amascia8327]

Great day for flowers: the overcast sky gives you a whiter light which (in my opinion) allows colors to stand out more. [Also, much more dramatic for driving photography... plus no shadows.] PS: "dirt"... Aargh... Dirt is what you wash off your hands before you go to any keyboard. Plants live in *soil* ... which the Morgan still wouldn't like, I'll grant you.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Fair enough.

[@mlm1088]

What badges are on the Morgan? Can't make them out. Also, LOVE Pal's. It's like the In and Out of the east.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

The badges were placed on the Morgan by the former owner and are the Morgan Sports Car Club, 100 Years of Morgans and the Morgan Plus 4 Club.

[@georgeman5284]

If you had to pick one piano piece as a background piece to go with your driving like in the movies what would you choose.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Good question. I think I would have to give that one some thought.

[@amascia8327]

The car makes most of the music. Microphone placement in the machinery would be fun... then mixing the vid would be even more of a project. Could become classic. 👍🏼🤠

[@robertreidman9545]

James, I discovered your channel, PianoForever, while searching for the history of the the piano, cuz you have reviewed historic pianos .Above all, I enjoy your beautiful music, but the background stories and the instrument reviews are fascinating. Your intelligence shines through in all your videos. Your road trip vids reveal your other interests, and they feel like a trip with one of my friends. It's a delight to discover we share many of the same interests.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Wow, thank you!

[@hsimpson6581]

Now that Your Dad is talking it is nicer .

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Dad is always in the background helping out, but we thought it would be nice if he was a bit more active in this series.

[@angieadams6339]

I live in East Tennessee. Pals is the first restaurant to receive the prestigious Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award. It's the cleanest store you will ever see inside, they even clean the inside of the air condition ductwork, not to mention, they scrub the outside pavement with cleaner. Their employees also have strict uniform guidelines for appearance and cleanliness. Just a little tid bit I thought might be interesting. lol

[@hankguichelaar]

Does the Morgan really run that quiet?

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

It runs pretty quite at an idle, but if you bring up the rpm it starts to roar. We just tend to tootle around and enjoy the scenery.

[@hankguichelaar]

@@americasbackroadswithcharl7688 Well, it's impressive. And speaking of tootling; the short segment of the Tri Cities airport brought back memories. I spent many years in corporate aviation and we flew into there many times for Eastman Chemical. Oh, and I now a want a carnivorous plant, too. Darn it.

[@americasbackroadswithcharl7688]

Plants make a great hobby.