The Southern Express
My next Road Feast trip: The Heritage Invitational, Southern cooking, and YOU.
Well, it’s official, gang.
I told you that I had some really amazing news to share.
Early yesterday morning, I was awarded media credentialing for the 2026 Heritage Invitational, which is an insane three day event of some of the finest automotive community action down in Charlotte, NC.
Translation: (1) This is a very big deal and (2) I literally have to leave shortly after the snow clears out. Mere mortals don’t get this sort of press access, and I was frantically packing all day yesterday and now have to leave wicked fast. It is now Tuesday, and I now have to make the drive down from Boston to Charlotte by Thursday evening. The event formally kicks off with a wicked fancy gala dinner, and I’ll be photographing that for starters. (I’ve been busy prepping the car, so that’s why I smelled like motor oil on Sunday evening.)
At Heritage, we’re not talking just a concours d’elegance (think the fanciest of the fanciest car shows in the world) on Saturday, but also an insane track day on Friday that includes motorsport legends, who will be racing vintage and modern cars.
It’s WILD.
I’ll even have to wear a safety vest as I’ll be so close to the action.
Giggity-goo.
Some of you may know that I do pro photography to cover various concours events for Food Biker, and now, Road Feast. Late last year, I covered both Audrain Motor Week (Newport, RI) and the Hilton Head Concours and Motoring Festival (Newport, RI) in very quick succession last October, and I'm stupidly grateful for such opportunities. Meanwhile, I’ve been so damn busy getting Road Feast off the ground, that I haven’t even begun to post those and many more photos from a few months back — but stay tuned as all that and more are definitely coming your way.
Unlike so many people who immediately dump crap content on social to appease the algorithms, I want to ultimately do my coverage justice, the honest and the real stuff that standard social media alone simply can’t capture.
The strength of one’s work isn’t about how fast you can post it.
It’s about curating each photo and phrase to matter.
Y’dig?
Even if you’re not a car person, the beauty and passion of a concours, let alone the cars themselves are all just stunning. Unlike a lot of car photographers, I try to capture the human elements as well, not to mention some of the glamour. It’s great fun to see the people who totally style things up for the occasion.
Road Feast is about exploring all of America—not just inside my bubble. I’m that guy who travels to red and blue states alike, quietly listening to everyone. If you’re reflexively tuning out the other side, we’ll never fix our broken America. Wouldn’t you like to step outside your world, and join me on what amounts to better than what the most expensive front row seats money can buy, and learn why a part of the country is f&^%ing glued to NASCAR? Come on—I’d do it too. There’ll be plenty of pretty and fast cars to look at. Hang with me, yo. This should be an incredible experience.
But this gets MUCH better, and things are happening. FAST.
Last fall, I drove my 2010 Porsche Boxster 2.9L “Cherry” with over 265,000 miles on it on a 4,250-mile trip from Boston to South Florida and back. It was mind-blowing for cars, cuisine, and community. I still have stories to tell from that journey. Now, this Road Feast trip is next and somewhat unexpectedly, which will likely and directly involve my posse.
Which means YOU, dear subscriber.
With food finds as a high priority, my game plan will to be to reach out to multiple people in Road Feast posse on the East Coast, to see if there’s any interest in potentially meeting up IRL — assuming I can make some of these visits happen in conjunction with travel logistics. I may be a bit over-optimistic here, but that’s how my trips tend to roll. Hopefully, some Substack shenanigans will ensue.
TBH, I used to do this sort of thing with my motorcycling riding buddies I first met online and then in IRL, and that was some serious community building some nearly 20 years ago. Hell, many a fellow rider wound up feeding me and put me up for a night during my Food Biker adventures, and I’m always grateful for such. You can bet that I’ll have my knife roll with me, and will be ready to spring into culinary action, wherever the action may be. If all goes to plan, I may be in Philly tonight.
So things work out, I will hopefully connect with some culinary pros in person (which always seems to happen) for Substack stories, or even to just grab coffee and a quick hello. Especially as things are so much in flux, I can’t promise much right now, but put all this in your mind and let it simmer. Maybe something might work out.
This means, I’m finally opening the Road Feast chat for the first time for this journey. It’s organic, and I’m excited to see where it goes. Maybe you know of a great food spot that I just can’t miss. Even a few positive words will do me good.
Also, if you feel like throwing some cash my way (especially as these trips are becoming increasingly expensive), I won’t say no and just click the link below. I really appreciate it.
One final thing, dearest gentle reader. As I will literally be driving vast distances and expect to be quite slammed, unfortunately I won’t be able to regularly check in and do all the intentionally positive Substack stuff I like to do on a regular basis. Usually I’m pretty wiped out by the time I reach a motel, grab a bite, and briefly try and figure out my next day’s route. This will be the first time I’ll be doing this with Substack in full force, so please bear with me and I’ll try do my best to check in at the end of each day. I’d rather be offline while my eyes are glued to the road.
My dear Road Feast posse, you are the best. Let’s hit the road. - Seth ✦
Seth- There is a kind of honesty in the way you approach this, especially in how you resist the pressure to produce quickly and instead focus on capturing what actually matters. The line about curating each photo and phrase carries weight. It reflects a discipline that a lot of platforms quietly work against. Your intention to move beyond your own bubble and engage with people and places as they are, not as they are often framed. That kind of curiosity is rare, and it is what will make this journey more than a trip. It becomes something connective. I am looking forward to seeing how this unfolds on the road. Plus, I think a VA stop is warranted.
Have a great time 🫶