Oct.11,2010 Natchez Trace

Today we left Nashville and got on the Natchez Trace.This scenic road is 444 miles long and begins in Natchez and ends in Nashville. We are starting in Nashville.Along the Trace the colors were changing and it was a beautiful day.

Our 1st stop for the night was at Merriweather Lewis Memorial and campground. 

The campground was nice although there were no hookups.

Oct.9,2010 Grand Old Opry

We are in Nashville staying at the Moose lodge for a few days while we go sightseeing.Today is the Opry,s 85th birthday and they are  having some of the superstars there tonight.We went over to see the Opryland Hotel but is was still closed from the flood in May.At the Opry house pavillon today they had music playing all day so we sat around and listened to the bands.I was very fortunate to get tickets to the opry tonight as they are all sold out for their 85th birthday.Sam and I left to go have dinner at Caney Fork before the show and it was very good.

Jim Ed Brown and Jimmie C. Newman

Some of the big stars tonight are:

Trace Adkins

Dolly Parton

Taylor Swift

 

Happy Birthday ! 85 years and still going.

Oct.8,2010 Bourbon and Music

On Friday we left Louisville and headed to Nashville. Along the way we were close to some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries so we stopped at Jim Beam’s.There are many distilleries in this part of Kentucky.Jim Beam’s white label is the #1 selling bourbon.We took the tour and sampled some of the bourbons afterwards.We had been here back in 02 and had samples Beam’s best uncut bourbon called Bookers.They weren’t sampling that this day so Sam ended up buying a bottle of the Bookers.This is pure sipping whiskey.

Jim Beam family home

Booker Noe with his dog.He was the grandson of Jim Beam.

They have lots of warehouses where they store their whiskey in barrels many stories high.The outside of the buildings are black from the charcoal that is on the barrels.

Next stop Nashville

Oct.7 2010 Louisville Slugger

We got up this morning and headed back into Louisville to see the Louisville Slugger Museum.In 1884 J.F. Hillerich had a wood turning factory in Louisville making Bedposts,Butter churners amongst other things.The story goes that his son was an amateur baseball player and while working in the shop he made himself a baseball bat.His friends wanted one and he made them for his friends.The 1st bat was supposedly turned for Pete Browning by Bud.Pete played for the Eclipse and broke a bat. Bud made him a bat and the next game he had 3 hits and was nicknamed the Louisville Slugger.Thus name for the bat.The name became a registered trademark in 1894. In1905 The Flying Dutchman Honus Wagner was the 1st player to sign a contract and endorse a bat.During the war they produced M-1 Carbine stocks,billy clubs and also still made bats.Today Pro Ball players still have their bats made here.They also make softball and baseball gloves as well as golf and hockey gloves.125 years old and still going. Babe Ruths bat.The nothches carved on the bat show all his home runs.

Sam the Slugger at Bat.

It starts with a piece of wood.

And ends with a bat.

Oct.6,2010 Louisville

We left this morning and headed to Louisville and stayed at the Moose Lodge in Sellersburg.It was only 10 miles into Louisville and we had lots of room with 50 amp and water. 10 dollars a night,you can't be that. After we arrived we hopped into the car and headed to the visitors center and Churchill Downs.


Chuchhill Downs is known as site of the greatest two minutes in sports. The Run for the Roses. Can you imagine Derby Day with the horses,hats and Mint Juleps.The first derby was in1875 and the one that won was Aristides,ridden by black jockey Oliver.

Oct.5,2010 On our way

After being in Elkhart for a month we were ready to get moving on down the road.We left around 10 this morning and the first thing was to get a spare tire for the RV.Back at the beggining of the month we had a blow out and we needed to get a new tire.After getting the tire put on we found the back brake pads were down to nothing. 2 years ago we had all new brakes and rotors put on and this shouldn't of happened. After getting the new tire put on we went to have new calibers put on(a recall) had new brakes and 1 rotor put on. Expensive day. Finally we were on our way and spent the night in Ft. Wayne at the Elks Lodge.

Oct.2,2010 New Floor

We checked out of the Staybridge Inns this morning and went to see if our new floors were done. Not quite but we could spend the night in the Rv.They finished up on Monday. We're pleased with the job and it looks very nice. No more tracking dirt in on the carpet. Makes it look like a new RV. Here's some pictures of the process.Old carpet and floor and new floor. Stripping old floor