The Great American Road Trip Day 21; Nashville, TN to Dayton, OH

 

Scene from the National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Ky

www.dennismook.com

Our road trip is starting to wind down.  We will end part of it tomorrow and the remainder will come to a close on Wednesday.  Sad, but it is time to bring this most excellent adventure to a close.  More on that at the end of today's post.  We are already reminiscing and thinking about a future road trip.  We have had thoughts of following the Lewis & Clark Expedition to the Columbia River or maybe New England or maybe a north/south trek.  In this great country the possibilities are endless.

Today was a day to visit a couple of interesting venues.  We walked from our hotel to the section of Broadway in downtown Nashville that has all of the bars, restaurants and other touristy venues.  We walked this area last night, but didn't have our cameras.  It would have been nice to get some photographs of these establishments with their neon signs fully lit, the crowds on the sidewalks and capture the flavor of the area.  Lesson:  Even if you don't think you will use your camera, take it!  Do Not Leave It! 


Broadway, Downtown Nashville, TN

Broadway, Downtown Nashville, TN

After making a few photographs, we toured the Ryman Auditorium.  The Ryman was the home of the Grand Old Opry for many, many years.  We chose a guided backstage tour and it was worth it to hear our guide, Art, tell some very interesting stories.  We were taken to the make-up rooms, backstage as well as through the building that the public normally has no access.  The guided tour and the tour we took without guidance, lasted about an hour and a half.  Even if you are not a fan of country music, this was a very interesting place to visit.  For example, the auditorium was originally constructed as a tabernacle by a riverboat captain.  Hence the name Ryman, named after him.  The seats are church pews. 

From backstage at the Ryman Auditorium

From Nashville, we drove north to Bowling Green, Kentucky and stopped for a few hours to visit the National Corvette Museum.  As a former Corvette owner, I found it fascinating.  The history of the Corvette is a reflection on American culture and the automobiles, technology and displays were fascinating.

 

The photograph at the top of this post is from a display inside the museum of three late 50s model Corvettes.  Highly recommended for any automobile enthusiast.

 

From Bowling Green, we headed north through Louisville and Cincinnati and to the southern edges of Dayton, Ohio.  We drove about 420 miles today. 

 

Tomorrow, the TGART ends for Vance as we will reach his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  I will transfer my stuff to my car and head east, planning on stopping to see my sister in western Pennsylvania before heading home on Wednesday.  Enjoy!

 

Thanks for looking.

Dennis Mook