November 9, 2021 Country Music Hall of Fame and Broadway

(Picture Intensive!)

The shuttle picked us up right in front of the campground and dropped us off at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum where we spent the next few hours.  The museum contains displays, videos, movies, pictures and so much more.  According to Wikipedia it “is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amassed one of the world's most extensive musical collections.”

We decided to take the audio tour – it was well worth it.  We started on the third floor which took us from the beginning of folk and country music.

This is the third floor.  On the right are the collections and also where research is done.  On the left are the display cases with even more artifacts.  There are also rooms off to the left.

Closer look at the research area:

Looking down from the third level:

The wall of printed advertisements and promotions:

I just love her

and her hat:

Oh My Dolly!

and Patsy:

and Johnny:

Tootsies back door and the Ryman side door face each other.  It was rumored that many a star from the Grand Ole Opry would slip out and get a drink before the next set (or even before the show).

Elvis’s Cadillac:

There were many clothing displays.  Check out the embroidery on this one.  Beautiful!

The wall of gold and platinum records:

Willy’s outfit:

This is the Hall of Fame Rotunda.  The room is round to ensure that every Hall of Fame member has a place of equal importance.  The plaques are set up to resemble musical notes.  Hard to see in the picture but when you stand in the middle and just look around, you can actually see the notes.

It was so interesting to hear about the beginnings of country music and the history throughout the decades.  Plus learning little tidbits of information along the way.

For more information:

https://countrymusichalloffame.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_Music_Hall_of_Fame_and_Museum

By this time, we were hungry and made out way to Broadway and the famous Tootsies Orchid Lounge.  Many of the venues on Broadway have a couple floors with singing artists on most floors.  This was the second floor.  We decided to have an appetizer and eat dinner later.  This band was great.

We continued down the street.  I have to stop here and tell you that every place we passed, there were bands, duets, or solos singing and playing (instruments).  For me, it was just awesome!

This is Miranda Lambert’s place.  It was closed for a private party (Miranda, maybe?)

So we headed to Ole Red – Blake Shelton’s place – where we enjoyed listening to this Johnny Dailey and his band.

This is the top floor of the restaurant.  Across the street to your left is Kid Rock’s place and to your right is Luke Bryan’s place.  The music was happening on all the floors.

Another view:

What a great sunset!

Our last stop was at Rippy’s for some barbeque – Yum!

Ole Red:

One final look before we headed home:

We had such a great time today.  We will be heading downtown tomorrow again so stay tuned.  The shuttle was a great idea – no driving.

Small side note:  Compared to where I live – food was relatively the same price.  Drinks..about 3-4 times as much.  It was sticker shock but, hey, we are on vacation!

Enjoy today!

 

 

November 8, 2021 Travel to Nashville

We left our little spot in Park City, KY and headed south.

Past farms:

And Fields:

And changing leaves:

Into Tennessee:

We arrived at Two Rivers Campground in NE Nashville where we will be for the next week.  On one side is Camping World and the other side is Gander RV.  Both are owned by the same company and are well known for displaying these HUGE flags – isn’t this one beautiful!

This campground had weekly entertainment but this has been discontinued for the winter… –

We took a ride downtown, found a parking meter, put in $5.00 and then the meter failed…BUMMER!  We just wanted to stop at the visitor center but parking was crazy.  We found out that the CMA awards will be here (downtown) on Wednesday so streets are starting to be shut down.  Oh my – maybe we will see some stars…. 

Back at the campground we found out that they run shuttles downtown every day so that is on our agenda for tomorrow. 

Stay tuned and enjoy today.

Miles Traveled:  96 Miles

Routes Traveled:

Kentucky:  Mammoth Cave Parkway; I-65

Tennessee: I-65; SR-155, McGavock Pike; Music Valley Drive

November 5 - 7, 2021 A Short Reset

Every once in a while we need to stop, do laundry, clean up, reorganize, etc.  And that is what we have been doing the last three days.

On Friday, we left Big Bone Lick State Park and headed south.  We arrived in Park City, Kentucky early afternoon.  Both Andy and I worked on a couple little jobs that needed to be done around the motorhome.

Miles Traveled:  183.8

Routes Traveled:

Kentucky: KY-338; KY-42; KY-338; I-75; I-71; I-265; I-65; Mammoth Cave Parkway

Saturday was spent doing laundry – there was a great place in Cave City.  Very clean but a little pricy.  When we got home, I found that one of the kitties had been sick – over the afghans and blankets.  So off to the laundry again!  While I was out, I stopped at the local Walmart – busy and all the shelves were packed.  I have not seen that in a long time.  Stopped at the gas station on the way back – $2.98 per gallon. 

The rest of yesterday and today (Sunday), I spent getting caught up on bills, mail and reorganizing.

On Friday, we crossed over to Central Time and had to set the clocks back.  On Sunday, we set the clocks back another hour to standard time.  Sooo we are also getting use to a 2 hour difference.

My kitties (who do not understand time changes):

Bella – my little one that is always eating:

Dusty and Gray (with the white markings) – doing what they do best:

AWWW.  Aren’t they cute!

Some day I may do a blog on each of them.

Tomorrow we are off to Nashville for a week so stay tuned.

Enjoy today!

 

 

November 4, 2021 Big Bone Lick State Historic Site

When we first made reservations here it was because it was halfway between the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum.  After going back and forth the past few days, we decided to find out why this was historic and special.

Well there are a couple of reasons why this park is important:

- Salt Springs – The salt springs for the last 10,000 years have attracted wildlife, then became kill sites for Paleolithic hunters then because a resort where people came to bask in the area’s “mineral waters.”

- Bison – The park maintains a small bison herd as a living link to the park’s prehistoric past.

- The park is part of the Lewis and Clark Trail.

- Today it still is a place of research and discovery for paleontologists, and archaeologists.

Yes, I copied that but I do have pictures.

We started out at the Visitor Center and Museum where we saw this Giant Sloth:

And the Bison:

Information on the Salt:

From there we took the trail to the Pleistocene Megafauna Diorama.  The animals came to the springs for the water and the salt.  Some times they went into the mud and did not survive.  Other times, they may have been killed for food.

We followed the trail to the salt springs:

And then followed the trail to the Bison Herd.

On our way back, we had three of these beautiful deer walk near us.

Tomorrow we head south so stayed tuned and enjoy today.

 

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