Kanawha Falls – West Virginia
We’re going to be getting off the Interstate Highway system as much a possible in order to enhance our RV experience. This gives us the opportunity to see wonderful wonders like the Kanawha Falls which is located on the Kanawha River alongside US 60. The falls is only 15′ high, but it is very wide. The falls is broken into a number of distinct sections, and the water levels were beyond the high water mark as you’ll see in some of the photos. Note the handicap parking signs that are virtually covered with water! Here are some photos of the Kanawha Falls.
Quilt City USA – Paducah, KY
We killed two birds with one stone when we visited Paducah, Kentucky for 4 nights. Karen got a chance to enjoy a wonderful National Quilt show at Quilt City USA and I met a fellow Wood Pellet Smoker that I have known and communicated on forums for the last 5 years but had never met face to face. The town is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River. The rivers are busy with barge traffic. Here are some photos of the rivers.
We were able to park down by the waterfront all 4 days of our visit. This provided us with easy access to downtown, the river, the National Quilt Museum, and the Quilt show. The “Winnie” parked with the big boys!!
Here are photos of the Paducah downtown area. This is their Christmas cause over 40,000 quilters visit the 4 day show and drop lots of bucks into the local economy. A couple of the streets reminded me of New Orleans. Make sure you check out the old 1936 Ford delivery truck. The Murals on the flood gate walls were really beautifully painted.
Nashville – 2012
Nashville is the capital of Tennessee. It is located on the Cumberland River in the north-central part of the state. It is most notably known as a center of the music industry, earning it the nickname “Music City”.
After attending a concert at the Grand Ole Opry we took a Gray Lines tour of Nashville which included the downtown areas, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and Ryman Auditorium which was the original location of the Grand Ole Opry for decades.
I last visited Nashville in 1984 for a computer conference with my friend Bob Lucena. We stayed at what’s now the Grand Ole Opry Hotel and ate at a new restaurant that specialized in fried catfish called the “Cock of the Walk”. Had us a scrumptious feast back then. You can just image my surprise when Karen and I discovered that the “Cock of the Walk” Restaurant was only a couple hundred yards form our RV park. We relived my past with another scrumptious meal consisting of catfish!
A Little History on the Name “Cock of the Walk”
In the early 1800’s, Natchez “Under the Hill” in Mississippi was a gathering place for the “Keelboatmen” bringing goods and supplies down the Mississippi River on their way to New Orleans. Each boat had its own “champion” fighter and when two boats met it was the custom for these “champions” to fight for the honored title of “Cock of the Walk” the “Best of the Best”. In the late 1970’s some folks got together at that historic site in Natchez on the Mississippi and developed a combination of southern style recipes to compliment their specialty of golden fried catfish. the name of “Cock of the Walk” was reborn—the “Best of the Best”.
Grand Ole Opry – Saturday April 21, 2012
What a special night Saturday turned out to be … Not only did we get great seats at the last minute but the performers and cast were out of this world!! The evening consisted of 4 half hour live broadcast shows with different hosts, sponsors, and acts. The hosts were: Jimmy Dickens, Jim Ed Brown, Riders In The Sky, and Jeannie Seely. The headliners were: Josh Turner, The Rocky Top X-Press, Trace Adkins, and Keith Urban. Keith Urban was nominated by Vince Gill and was inducted as the newest member of the Opry Family. Click to see the photo album of our Grand Ole Opry visit.
What began as a simple radio broadcast in 1925 is today a live-entertainment phenomenon. Dedicated to honoring country music’s rich history and dynamic present, the Grand Ole Opry showcases a mix of country legends and the contemporary chart-toppers who have followed in their footsteps.
The Opry, an American icon and Nashville, Tennessee’s number-one attraction, is world-famous for creating one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences for audiences of all ages. The six-foot circle of dark, oak wood in the Opry House stage is shiny but clearly well worn. Cut from the stage of the Opry’s famous former home, the Ryman Auditorium, this circle gives newcomers and veterans alike the opportunity to sing on the same spot that once supported Uncle Dave Macon, Ernest Tubb, Patsy Cline, and others.
Graceland – Memphis, TN
No visit to Memphis, TN is complete without paying homage to the King. Spent the morning taking a walking/narrated tour of Elvis Presley’s Mansion. It cost him $100,000 in the day to buy this mansion and it is preserved in the state it was when he died. Check it out for yourself. Enjoy the tour!