The Really Big Expo

I look forward to attending the annual Southeast Petro-Food Marketing Exposition in Myrtle Beach each year.  It's an opportunity to get a glance at new technology, spend sometime with some of our business partners and possibly meet some new friends.  The show also offers trade seminars,  a variety of food samples and an occasional celebrity sighting.


Back in the day we took a day to visit the show in Charlotte and run through the show floor glancing at vendors.   The show and missions have changed to include a golf tournament fundraiser, many meetings and a chance to take in a couple of beautiful Myrtle Beach sunrises.

About the show: 
The nation’s largest regional petroleum and c-store show continues the spring date started in 2001. Approximately 1500 buyers attended last year from throughout the southeast. Each year more than 400 exhibit companies offer equipment, products and services to petroleum marketers and convenience store owners and managers. Of course, the latest in products and services will be on display.

The twenty-ninth annual Southeast Petro-Food Marketing Exposition is sponsored by the following organizations:

North Carolina Petroleum & Convenience Marketers
South Carolina Association of Convenience Stores
South Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association
Virginia Petroleum, Convenience & Grocery Association

These four associations boast membership of over 1200 members operating over 10,000 convenience stores and service stations.

Sometimes I have to take a detour.

I enjoy visiting new places even for a brief period of time.   Following our recent ski trip to West Virginia I wanted to see what was in the town of Wytheville, VA.  I've passed by the exit several times traveling up and down Interstate 77.   This year I grabbed a brochure from our hotel and studied a couple of locations that were of interest to me.  The first was Skeeters.  According the the brochure and web Skeeters was a local restaurant famous for their Skeeterdog.  After a large breakfast it was doubtful that I was going to be able to sample a Skeeterdog, but paid a visit anyway with hopes of getting some ice-cream.  Unfortunately Skeeters doesnt sell ice-cream during the winter months.  "It's just sits in the freezer and gets freezer burned." is what we were told.  A couple of other locations were suggested, but I was willing to take a chance due to the second part of my mission in Wytheville.  I entered the location, Big Walker Lookout and my GPS directed me to the top of a mountain approximately 20 miles away from Wytheville.   This was a bit farther off our main route than I had planned to go, but i still wanted ice-cream and wanted to see the 100 foot tower that was showcased in the brochure.   We finally made it around the winding road to a small country store with a tower that appeared to be 1000 ft tall.  The view from the parking lot was decent enough for a few scenic shots of the mountains.  As we walked around inside and finally enjoyed some ice-cream I decided to take a chance and climb the tower.   The base of the tower is built on a 20 ft platform beside the parking lot.  This was plenty high enough for me, but I had already purchased a ticket and we started walking up the stairs.  The higher we climbed the temps got cooler and the wind got stronger.  I stopped when I felt like I was 100 ft and contemplated continuing.  After realizing that I wasn't going to talk myself into finishing the climb, I made my way back down.  After we spent a few minutes on the swinging bridge and shooting a few more pics, we loaded back into the car for our trip back down the mountain.  At least I can say that I've been on the tower.

 

Copyright - Jimmy McDonald Photography