How did I not meet Doris until today? After I planned my route for the day and as I was checking out, I got to chat a bit with Doris.  She told me that her title is Conference Concierge of the Scarritt Bennett Center.  I was sharing my excitement about the historic buildings throughout Nashville and Doris told me that I just had to see the Chapel. I wish I had words to describe and the talent to photograph the beauty of the interior of that building.  No longer used for church services, the Chapel was voted best place to have a wedding in Nashville.  It is truly breathtaking!

Doris also gave me two Scarritt Bennett magnets, each one with a picture of one of the buildings on the campus.  I’ll tell you what – it’s the people who put the finishing touches on great trips!

As I rode out of Nashville, I realized that I had just barely scratched the surface of this city.  I’ll definitely be returning!

I decided to knock out a quick 50 miles on I40 heading east, mostly to avoid multiple stop lights while getting out of town.  Traffic was not bad and I felt no un ease on that 8 lane highway.  As I had entered Nashville on Wednesday, I couldn’t help but notice a series of signs that announce the number of fatalities that have occurred on Tennessee highwasy (“please don’t be the next” it reads).  On Wednesday the sign showed the number 598; as I rode under it today it read 603. Sure makes you think …

I had planned to take 70North to start my ride to Knoxville but was having difficulty finding the access point. When I stopped to check my directions, a group of guys at the store told me that I was wrong, that it was 70E, not 70N.  I kept insisting that it should be North but they assured me it was East.  Against my better judgment, I got on 70E.

Next time I’ll trust myself and my map. I was on the wrong road.  I didn’t need to do any backtracking but the mistake did add some extra miles.  Then again, if I had not taken the wrong road, I wouldn’t have driven through the historic downtown of Watertown.  What a lovely little place … cafe, newspaper, bank, grocery store … THIS is why I stay off the interstate.  Not only do back roads make the ride prettier and more interesting, they allow for little surprises like Watertown.

And then there are the big surprises that occur whether you ride big roads or small ones.

I saw the storm clouds gathering and I knew that I was trying to out race them.  70N took me through tiny towns, across beautiful farm lands, over mountain passes, past horses and cows, and along constant curves.  Absolutely beautiful … even in a downpour!  I was drenched, but able to keep riding.  As the rain let up, I came through Cookeville and stopped at Moogie’s BBQ for some much needed lunch and a bit of drying off.

I was glad that Moogies had outside seating as I was soaked!

Unfortunately, once I was back on the road, the rain (and thunder and lightning) came in earnest and I was soaked to the skin. I pulled over for the first time and sat under a covered gas pump.  The owner of the place was kind to let me stay there without purchasing gas and expressed great concern over my safety.  His kindness was a bright spot in the rain.  When the storm seemed to be lightening up, I got back on the road.

Well, what I thought was hard rain before, became even harder and I could not even see the road.  I had to ride another 5 minutes before finding a place to pull over (again, under a covered gas pump).  My clothing and boots felt like lead and I was a bit discouraged.  I went into the gas station and called Michael, knowing he would be the right friend at the right time.  I needed his brand of “it’s all part of the deal, LD”.  Down to earth, matter of fact – “just wait it out and you’ll be fine, but call if you need anything”. I guess what I’m saying is that I needed someone who would share concern but mostly just let me know, hey this happens, be safe and smart and you’ll be fine.

And he was exactly right.  After about 30 minutes, the rain did let up and I was able to get back on the road to finish the trip to Knoxville.  Thankfully, I only had another 45 minutes or so to travel.  I was cold, wet and ready to be done.  Funny though, I was still able to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding countryside.  I wish I could have stopped at a few places – like Frozen Head State Park (where on earth did that name come from?), the Obed Wild and Scenic River, and Oak Ridge Laboratory – but I had to keep riding.  Hopefully I’ll get back that way again someday.

I finally arrived at the home of Jen and Justin and their daughter Eli.  How wonderful to be able to come in, strip off all the wet clothes and do a huge load of laundry.  In borrowed t-shirt and sweat pants, I was warm and comfortable.  Being able to catch up over pizza and beer made for a really nice evening and I really enjoyed having a good long chat with Jen.

Now … time to sleep.  225 miles today … not sure how many were ridden in the rain.

Debbie turned me on to the coolest place to stay in Nashville! The Scarritt Bennett Center “was organized in 1988 as a non-profit conference, retreat and educational center, committed to empowerment through cross-cultural understanding, education, creativity and spiritual renewal”.

That sounds like pretty heady stuff, doesn’t it? All I know is that it is perfect for the person traveling solo. $50 gets you a twin bed and a bathroom. What more could I want?

The center was initially founded in Kansas City, Missouri, and was established for the purpose of training young women missionaries. It moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1924, where it became Scarritt College for Christian Workers. Scarritt Hall, Bennett Hall, the Tower and the Chapel, known collectively as the Belle Bennett Memorial, were built between 1924- 1927 (just a little background history for you). The center is now owned by the United Methodist Women.

I was up early, walking the campus and of course taking a bunch of pictures! The gothic architecture and beautiful grounds made for great photo ops and a lovely morning walk.

Not surprisingly, I soon got hungry and decided to walk off campus in search of a local place for breakfast. I passed on Starbucks, Panera, Hardees and Bruegers before I saw it – Noshville! A Nashville institution! I sat at the counter and enjoyed an omelet while listening to Crystal (my server) tell me all about this city. She got right into my desire to find funky/fun places to visit. She also brought me a sampler of the restaurant’s famous pickles as well as one of their Black and White cookies. Evidently, when they run out, folks get a bit irritated. I can see why – shortbread cookie with a not too sweet frosting – yum!

After a drenching rain, with plenty of thunder and lightning, I set off to explore downtown. I was of course aware that Nashville is known for it’s music scene, but I was ignorant about it’s history and the city’s many beautiful old buildings. Nashville should advertise that more … Or perhaps they do and I just haven’t paying attention.

I walked the entire length of Broadway (21 blocks), even though the front desk staff warned me that these are “city blocks”. As opposed to “country blocks”? 🙂 Whatever kind of blocks they are, I sure worked off my breakfast!

I walked inside the lobby of the Union Station Hotel, the original passenger rail station, built in 1901 and now a Historic Hotel of America. It was also designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and is stunning. “The barrel vaulted ceiling is made of 128 pieces of stained glass” and the entire building reminds us that “railroad was once King and artistic craftsmanship was the mark of a distinction” (from the hotel history).

I also toured the Ryman Auditorium, home to the Grand Ol opry for over 3o years.  How very cool to see that famous stage, and to read about the history of the building and the musicians and actors who performed there.

I very much enjoyed my flight of microbrews, along with the shredded pork/pineapple salsa tacos at Big River Grille. Thanks to a cooling breeze and a prime spot on the patio, I had great opportunity for people watching.

From there I wandered down to the river and then walked across the Shelby Street Bridge.  The bridge was originally constructed in 1909, was rehabilitated in 2003 and now is primarily a walking path across the river.

A visit to Buck Wild Saloon on 2nd Ave was definitely in order (mostly because Andrew seems to have picked up that nick name … can’t imagine how). There’s something fun about seeing karaoke in full swing at 4p in the afternoon. Even better was when the whole bar crowd (including me) joined in to sing Sweet Caroline at the top of it’s lungs!  I enjoyed the company of my new friend, Raynell, the bartender, who served me ice cold beer as we talked and laughed together.

I talked to an 18 year old girl, recently arrived from Kentucky, who is hoping to make it big in Nashville. I wonder how many young people come to this town every year with that same dream?

I met up with Debbie’s niece, Tina, for dinner at the Flying Saucer, which has a most amazing beer selection – hundreds and hundreds to choose from. The restaurant is located in the historic train station and the walls and ceilings are covered with thousands of decorative plates.

After dinner, we drove to the Parthenon … yep, the Parthenon.

Who knew that Nashville has an exact replica of the Greek Parthenon? Not Me! Originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition, “this replica of the original Parthenon in Athens serves as a monument to what is considered the pinnacle of classical architecture”. It was an amazing site to see, especially against the evening sky.  Do you see me standing there?  That structure is massive and stunning to see!

What an incredible day this has been! Of course there was music and food, but the history, buildings and people were a wonderful surprise. I’m ready to get back on the bike tomorrow, but I sure have enjoyed this layover day in Nashville!  Next time, I’ll stay more than 36 hours!

Friends have heard me say that I don’t use GPS; I use MAPS. I just love a map, and my large print map of Tennessee has been the perfect guide on this trip.

I also like to stop and ask locals for directions and for tips on good places to get a meal. What I find interesting is that a lot people don’t know the general area in which they live. I guess some just aren’t lucky enough to be able to travel far from their own county and state roads.

Yesterday, after I was given incorrect directions to a post office in Cosby, TN, I stopped to talk with an elderly gentleman sitting outside a store in that tiny little town. After confirming that I’d been told wrong, we discussed whether I should back track or head on to the next town. He looked me in the eye and said “do you just want to get it done and get it off your mind?” Well, yes I did! So back track I did and was glad of it. It’s funny how we remember the smallest of exchanges with people. He was in the right place at the right time and essentially said “just do it; don’t sweat the small stuff”.

I got to chat briefly with another gentleman today. I’d guess he has easily seen his 80th year. He was chuckling at me because I was sitting at a stoplight in Etowah,TN taking a picture of the downtown buildings on Main Street (which reminded me a bit of Radford). From car to bike, across the lane of traffic, he told me how to correctly say Etowah and wished me well on my journey. I adore these brief connections with people along the way.

Which makes me think of another thing I’ve noticed about Tennessee. Everywhere I go, I see folks chatting in groups of 2. Outside stores, walking along roads, standing in parking lots, and even through the window of a tractor through to the window of a car alongside the highway. I know … you’re probably thinking “that’s really not so interesting, Laurie”, but it’s something I keep noticing. These look to be significant conversations between the people involved – on the sidewalk, in the field, along the road. Maybe it’s just me but I like that folks are stopping to chat and connect … and not a one on a cell phone.

Today was a wonderful day to be on the bike and Tennessee has beautiful roads to ride on. I took 411 to the Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park. Once there, I parked the bike, got down to the river to take pictures and promptly got wet up to my calves. Yep that’s me! See a body of water / get in it. But this time I did not PLAN to get wet. Thankfully, riding the bike serves as a great dryer for boots and jeans.

I highly recommend riding RT 68 to Rt 70 to Rt 96, part of the Tennessee Scenic Roadway system. I saw incredible scenery – mountains, rivers, lakes, rock outcroppings, a nuclear plant – yep, a nuclear plant. It was quite the surprise to ride up on that plant, out in the middle of what seemed like no where.

The ride through the Cumberland Mountain area was beautiful and fun – lots of twisty roads, up and down the mountains, with the road constantly changing from 2 lanes to 4.

Rather than waiting to get to Nashville, I stopped in at the Bumpus HD store in Murfresboro, TN. I’m so glad I did! Everyone there was great! They took the bike right in, found the problem (pinched fuses and a couple other things) and convinced me I needed a new tire (something I already knew). One of the employees (an older gentleman – hmmm – I see a pattern) said “if you were my girlfriend, I’d want you to have a new tire”. I almost laughed – I thought he was going to say if you were my daughter I’d want you to have a new tire!! Yes, it was an unexpected expense, but I feel better having the problems fixed. Phil really checked the bike well and came out and talked with me about all that he’d found and what needed to be done. The guys at that store could not have been more helpful and they were fun to hang out with, too. They even helped me figure out how to get into the city while avoiding rush hour traffic.

After dinner at a local sports pub (again, average food but the Molson Golden was ice cold and hit the spot), I rode on into Nashville. The view of the skyline from the highway has me excited and ready to explore!

While in Nashville, I am staying at the Skerritt/Bennett Center (details tomorrow).  For $50 bucks, I get a bed and a bathroom – how great is that?  The gothic style buildings are gorgeous and I’ve got the camera battery charging in anticipation of some early morning photography!

I rode 250 miles in this jam packed day! I am truly, happily exhausted!