Tennessee-Alabama-Arkansas, September 14-18, 2010

This is the conclusion of this blog of our three month journey to 21 states, District of Columbia, and 3 Canadian provinces. From Arkansas, we traveled on to Fort Worth and Houston, Texas to visit friends and relatives, before returning to Alabama. We were blessed to have good weather, good health, and a safe journey, (Thank you God), but we are so looking forward to parking and staying put for a while! We hope you enjoy our pictures.


Arkansas State Capitol Building, Little Rock

Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock

Looking down on fountains in front of Library from inside

Replica of Cabinet Room, Vern at end of table (not a replica)

Oval Office

Presidential Limo

Old railroad bridge by Library

Old Choctaw Route Station (beside Library)

Quapaw Bath House - one of eight old, turn of the century, landmark bath houses on Bath House Row in Hot Springs. Quapaw and Buckstaff are the only two still in operation. Quapaw Bath House is where we celebrated the official end of our journey with a mineral bath and a massage, and a nice Italian dinner afterward.
NOTE: There are 47 hot springs that surface near the foot of west Hot Springs Mountain. About 1 million gallons of 143 degree water pour out of the springs each day. The water fell as rain about 4 thousand years ago (according to carbon dating tests), and percolated deep into the heated areas of the earth's crust, and rushes rapidly to the surface. (Wikipedia) In the past, it was thought to be pure water, but recent tests reveal it contains a few harmless bacteria.

Looking down on Hot Springs from West Mountain

Baileys Dairy Treat (used to be Polar Bar, where a young Bill Clinton frequented and worked part time - it was owned by his friend's parents). We had lunch there.

Park Place Baptist Church, Hot Springs (Bill Clinton was baptized there). We went to church there.

One of Clinton's boyhood homes (in Hot Springs)

Welcome to Arkansas

On September 14, we left Lebanon, TN, headed for Arkansas, but after hearing a strange noise coming from our diesel engine, we decided to swing southward through Red Bay, Alabama to have some repair work done. We stayed the night in the Tiffin Campground and had an engine/turbo hose replaced the next morning at Bay Diesel, then continued our trip back up through Memphis and on to Hot Springs, Arkansas to J and J RV Park

Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame, September 14, 2010

Country Music Hall of Fame

May the Circle Be Unbroken (Theme song of the Grand Ole Opry)
Gallery of brass plaques of members

Porter Wagner

Gold Records

Tootsie's (famed bar across alley from backstage Ryman where many stars slipped away between shows to have a few drinks, and many times entertained there).

Well, we just had to do this.

The Confederate Gallery - The Ryman had this second floor gallery built
in the late 1800's to accomodate a reunion of Confederate soldiers.

A picture through a window on the stairs of the alley behind the stage,
where stars would slip out and go through the backdoor of Tootsie's Bar.

The Ryman Auditorium built in 1892.
(Took 7 years to build and cost $100,000.)

Bronze of Jimmy Acuff and Cousin Minnie Pearl

Nashville, downtown

The Ryman Auditorium (looking down from the top of the parking garage).

The Ryman Auditorium

We were also going to visit the Grand Ole Opry at Opryland, a few miles away, but it had flooded in May of this year during a freak rain event (18 inches of rain in 12 hours), and was in the process of being restored. They weren't letting people through the gate.

Tennessee/Kentucky, September 11-12, 2010

Coming into Nashville from northwest - I don't think I've ever
seen such a deep cut through limestone to build a highway

Harvesting tobacco

Hanging tobacco on racks

Collection of hand carved barrel lids at
Beachaven Winery in Clarksville, TN

One of Beachaven Winery employees hand carves these barrel
heads. Each one is different - there are dozens of them.

We came across this tobacco barn in Kentucky

Tobacco barn, drying tobacco

Archway and fountain in Bowling Green's historic square

We had lunch here at a patio table. I had Kentucky Hot Brown
just to see what it tasted like. Not that great.

1953 Corvette - first year they were made. All
of them are white with red interior.

1963 Corette with divided back window - very rare

Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Corvettes have been made exclusively in Bowling Green since 1981.

Welcome to Kentucky

Driving through Tennessee on September 12.

Tennessee on the road.

Chimney Rock and Area, September 11, 2010

Another wise man - house on rock

Vern standing on Chimney Rock. It started raining right after
we got there, so we went inside the little gift/snack shop and had lunch
and watched it rain.

Top of Chimney Rock

Tunnel to 26 floor elevator to Chimney Rock

View from top

Chimney Rock Gift Shop

Chimney Rock - about 25 miles south of Asheville, NC

Mountain stream

Picturesque little cabin on way to Chimney Rock