Day 165-167- September 28-30

  DAY 165

September 28
Nashville, TN

Paul felt the Goose could use a few days of rest, the Captain too, so he rented a car and we drove to Nashville instead of taking the boat.


First stop, lunch at a Barbeque Honky Tonk.

Bill and Sue, fellow loopers, from Soul Shine.  We gave them a lift to Nashville.  Hopefully they will return to Kentucky Lake to continue their Loop.  Meanwhile, they are back in Florida dealing with a couple of houses that were inundated by the Helene.

Let the Nashville experience begin!  Not really knowing what to expect, being on Broadway, the heart of honky tonk, came as a real surprise.  I didn't get the memo that Nashville is a premier Bachelorette Party destination, where short shorts and cowboy boots are required. (although on some, not really recommended...)
Block after block of bars, people and party buses.
After lunch we dropped our friends off at the airport, checked into a hotel and took a nap to get ready for our night out on the town. We did see a few interesting things on the walk downtown.

Of course it was raining at times so we ducked into this covered mall area.

The US Post Office had a presence in this covered mall.

Hmmm? Not sure, but someone put some work into painting it on the building.


Legends Corner is one of Nashville's more famous classic dive bar experiences that provides live music. Well, actually, EVERY bar has live music. Sometimes 3 different bands on their 3 different levels of the bar.


We scored seats in the corner of the front window (no glass) which provided us unlimited entertainment. The stage and band for the music, and people to watch. Neither disappointed!

Da boots, da hair... it deserves pictures.

The bachelor parties were on the manly party buses.

The laid back, ok, high folks were on the cannaBus.

The stage.

Buck McCoy was entertaining the crowd. These up and coming entertainers didn't want people to forget who they were so their names were on their guitars, or on plaques hanging on their microphone stands.

I wanted you to experience the whole honky tonk scene.

Lots of impressed young women.

Another of the many party buses that went by.

"Mom, I said stay at least 10 feet away, not 5. I'm going to be fine." 

Our Hop-On/Hop-Off tour guide told us that to qualify as a Honky Tonk, you needed to sell booze seven days a week and have live music seven days a week.  And in this town there is no shortage of aspiring musicians to fill in every time slot, from 10Am to 4 AM every day.

These bachelorettes need fashion counseling.

If you look closely you will see the bride-to-be in the white with the veil.

Amongst all the bachelorette parties we saw many hockey fans. The Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators hockey team was across the street.

Like I said earlier, I want you to really experience it all.

Several of these sidewalk shots were taken from the prime seats we found at the Legends Corner Bar.

No, I didn't pay for this picture.
I stealthily took it from a distance and cropped it.

The next band and a new group of sashed bachelorettes arrived. Every 4 hours, with 15 minutes for tear down and set up, you get new entertainment.

A blushing Bride to Be enjoying the solemnity of contemplated matrimonial bliss. I would have paid good money to see what Sunday morning looked like at her hotel.  Assuming that's where she ended up.  (Of course she behaved, mother hen was right there with her.)

Found this in the women's restroom.

Legends Corner, fun place.

Our new best friends who let us share the front row seats

People and more people!

Where do you go to get a bite to eat that isn't no busy?
The non-cowboy honky tonk, Margaritaville.

  DAY 166

September 29


Just another day in Nashville...

Ryman Auditorium

Where the original Grand Old Opry show was held.  I think it started out as a church, like a lot of the music venues in town.

Music City Center is a huge convention center.

The Country Music Hall of Fame.

Excellent museum with too much to see.

The costumes were very impressive.

Who knew that Michael Nesmith was such a country person outside of his stint with the Monkees?

The display of Gold and Platinum Albums was astounding.

Elvis's Gold Plated Cadillac


Another of Nudie's Rodeo Tailors suits.

Webb Pierce's 1962 Pontiac Bonneville convertible

Three in one instrument.

Union Station

Former Customs House

Columbia Records and Studio A

Looks like another beautiful old building, but wait...

It is the Rothschild College Vanderbilt University built in 2021.

Nashville has a Parthenon too!

This is where some of the most popular first cars were made, by hand, 

until Henry Ford introduced the assembly line.

The building was restored by Mike Wolf of American Pickers.
He houses one of his two stores here, Antique Archaeology. 

The Batman Building!!
Also know as the ATT building.

Being right on the Cumberland River, Nashville is subject to flooding. 

This aerial photo shows the floodwaters 

around the riverfront area of downtown Nashville in 2010.

Decisions, decisions... But wait!  I forgot my short shorts!

  DAY 167

September 30
Back at the boat but still have the rental car so it was time for a quick drive.

Hmmmm, rain, again?

Got this incredible rainbow after the rain. 

Popped into Patti's 1880 Settlement for dinner.

Health food

A few of the 800,000 lights they put out for Christmas.

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