2025 June 21, 2025 Nashville Day Trip with BackRoads Tours, LLC

My husband and I stopped for breakfast at Jack's in Athens on Highway 72. 

I ordered a single gravy and biscuit, as well as two peach pies, for later. 

Hubby ordered the big breakfast. 

We traveled to Madison to catch our ride at Gabe's. 

We loaded onto the bus.

To our amazement, the seat where Hubby sat was broken, so we moved a few seats back. 

We heard someone else say their seat was broken. We had a full bus and needed every seat. 

The driver (Floyd) said I could run up the road and catch a different bus.

There were still about six passengers missing, so our group leader said I would stay here while you and the other passengers went to get the other bus. 

Ardmore Rest Area 

Our first stop was at the Ardmore, Tennessee, Rest Area. 

After about an hour, we arrived at our destination (after getting turned around at the Opryland Hotel. 

We finally arrived at the  General Jackson loading dock. Our group leader went to get everyone's tickets. 

There were two bus loads, one from Scottsboro and one from Madison.

Our bus group was going to the show and dinner at 1:30, while the first group's time was at 12:30.

Around 12 P.M., the General Jackson Showboat began traveling down the Cumberland River toward downtown Nashville. 

Hubby and I sat outside where we enjoyed a virgin Pina Colada. 

View of Nashville from the boat 

The Nissan Tennessee Titans Football Field view from the boat. 

I took pictures of the buildings downtown in Nashville and the Nissan TStadium, home of the ennessee Titans FFootball Team 

On the bank of the Cumberland River, we saw Canada Geese and Kakaik's.

We also saw sites where the homeless lived. We saw lifts from people's homes and businesses leading down to the river below. 

At 1:30 P.M., the second group walked to the dining room on deck one. 

We enjoyed a buffet meal that consisted of chicken, BBQ, macaroni and cheese, carrots, salad, rolls, and apple pie. 

BBQ, Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Carrots, roll, and Apple Pie 

We were entertained by music and songs from the Tennessee Legends. 

Next, we loaded onto our buses and rode to the Opryland Hotel. 

Several people from both buses rode the Gaylord Opryland boat inside the hotel. 

The scene from the boat ride at the hotel. 

The waterfall at Opryland Hotel 

At the Bravo Gelato, I ordered an Oreo ice cream Waffle cone.

Hubby ordered a Mt Dew and a cookie.

Everyone had to be back on the bus at 5:30 P.M. 

We began our journey home. 

The Tennessean Travel Stop Fire Truck

We stopped at The Tennessean Travel Stop, where several enjoyed a meal and others just bought snacks. 

We ate our peach pies and drinks that we had brought with us. 

On our ride home, we saw several rainbows and the sunset.

Sunset 

The Rainbow 

Everyone loaded into their vehicles and began their journey home. 

We stopped at Krystal's and bought burgers and fries togo. 

We stopped at several Dollar General Stores for Mt Dew. 

There was a sale on drinks, and several of the smaller stores were out of stock. 

We arrived home around 10 P.M. 

Photos 

9443-9451 @9:01 A.M. Ardmore Rest Area

9452-9457 10:33 A.M Opryland Hotel outside

9458-9464 @12:18 P.M. General Jackson

9468 @ 4:51 P.M. Opryland Hotel 

690-720 General Jackson downtown Nashville 

722-733 Hotel Boat Ride

9476-9481 @6:51 The Tennessean Travel Stop 

9485-9472 Sunset and Rainbow @6:20-8:16 P.M.

  

 

2023 Jan 7, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Event

 Yesterday, Hubby and I went to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, an event with Joe Wheeler State Park. 

There, we meet up with a group from Oak Mountain in Birmingham. 

Groups were coming from several other places.

There were so many cars that the park ranger had to direct traffic. Many parked along the side of the road, and many parked across the highway. Next week is the big event for Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, and I'm glad we went today. 

Hubby and I walked to the new observation building, where we saw the five Whooping Cranes with my new scope.

We also saw thousands of Sandhill Cranes, Ducks, and geese. 

Cypress Trees 

Next, we took the Cypress Tree Trail, a walkway across a wooden bridge surrounded by Cypress Trees.

We could loudly hear Blue Jay calling out to each other. We heard White-breasted Nuthatches (what we call upside-down birds). We heard Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starlings, and Eastern Phoebe, and we saw and heard a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

We walked to another observation station and saw no cranes, but we saw several Robins hopping around looking for food.

Hubby returned to the car, and I walked to the two-story Observation building that offers a fantastic enclosed view of our winter surroundings.

View of Sandhill Cranes, Ducks, and Geese from the Observation building

I met several members of a Gatlinburg photo club there. They said they would set up a booth at Gatlinburg's Wildlife Week and told me to look for them if I went that week. 

I saw a small boy enjoying kicking and picking up gravel as his family walked to the Observation building.

We returned to the car and rode across the road to see more cranes.

We only saw a few but met several women from the Birmingham Area.

They were taking pictures. We did see a couple of white egrets.

Our next stop was a target to pick up a couple boxes of Skinny Popcorn. 

For lunch, we stopped at Whataburger, where I ordered a #1 Hamburger with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, mustard, and pickles with fries.

It was an overcast day with rain hanging in the air.

Later that night, Hubby and I enjoyed dinner with my sisters and brother-in-law. After the meal, we girls played UNO and dominoes.

Had a wonderful day.

To my Hubby, my life, my eternal Valentine❤️❤️❤️❤️

This is to thank you for being by my side

For comforting and caring when I was all confused inside.

This is for the phone calls you make every day

Just to tell me “I love you” every minute of the day.

The way you take my hand in yours

For all the world to see

That this is the woman

Who is most special to me.

You always seem to know

When I need a hug, kiss or smile…

You never cease to amaze me

When you say, “I'm here…let's talk for a while.”

In decades past we've had our share

Of ups and downs and problems galore

But you are the one who remained at my side

Never thinking of walking out the door.

I adore the way you tell me,

“You are my forever best friend,”

I love the way I believe in you…

And that you will be there till the end.

Thank you for all the time you give me

And for saying, “It's never enough…”

Thank you for listening as I ramble on…

When things become rather tough.

We are in the best years of our lives

Twenty-three years on our journey together

I want to grow old with you…and you with me

I want to love YOU---FOREVER.

JoMarie Grinkiewicz