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.

  

 

2021 Jan 14, Day trip to Gadsden and Covered Bridges of Alabama

Today, the Hubby and I traveled US 72 to I-65 to 67 east to Priceville, stopping at Morgan County Memorial Park where they had a Hurley helicopter, a T-34 Mentor Plane on loan from Pensacola, FL, and an M60A1 Tank. There were several tall war memorials representing soldiers who had given their lives for our country.

 Morgan County Memorial Park, Priceville, Alabama 

We stopped at Jack's in Blountsville for lunch. Ordered a kid's chicken finger meal and a blueberry cream cheese pie. Saw a carved statue in the trees outside Jack's.

Swann Covered Bridge

We traveled to the Swann Covered Bridge, built in 1933, located on Swann Bridge Road in Cleveland, which spans the Locust Fork River.

 Easley Bridge

Our next stop was the Easley-covered bridge built in 1927. It was located at Easley Bridge Road in Oneonta. We met a couple, the man was in the car, and the woman was taking pictures. I asked them if they had been to the Swann Covered Bridge, and they said they hadn't been there today. We rode to Horton Mill Covered Bridge, built in 1934, which crossed over the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River.

Noccalula falls

Horton Covered Bridge 

We filled up with gas at Love's in Sneed. Then we rode another thirty minutes to Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, where we met a man on a motorcycle.  I asked him if he knew where the covered bridges were at the park. He said you're asking the wrong person. I'm from New York, and I'm enjoying this warm weather, but I said it gets cold here in north Alabama. He told them to enjoy their day and rode off. We walked around taking pictures of the roaring falls. The water was too rough for any waterfowl to be present. We started for home, the sun was going down and staring us right in the face, which didn't last long. Before we knew it, it was dark. We came home through Decatur, and the traffic was Heavy. It had been a beautiful day for traveling.

Traveling home

2016 July 23, Saturday, W.C. Handy Festival Actives

Started the morning by going to the car show at Wilson Park 
Lots of different car styles, year models, and a wide variety of colors
I saw people I had not seen in years. 
By the time I had seen most of the cars, I was dripping wet and could not wait to get inside the Library.

Ford

1960 Volkswagen Beetle

1970 Hemicuda Plymouth 

Inside the Library, I joined several of my friends and we all enjoyed listening to Andreas interview Peanut Montgomery, Donnie Fritts, Scott Boyer, and Mickey Buckins.
Peanut was very funny he could talk for hours
Andreas said he should interview Peanut alone because he had so much he wanted to tell 
And it would take more than an hour for him to tell his stories. The interview ended with a Q&A at 12:30PM.
These songwriters started out as young men with a dream and over many years wrote a variety of songs. 

Donnie Fritts, Scott Boyer, and Mickey Buckins.

I had adequate time for lunch and to fill up with gas. 
I stopped at Jack's where I ordered a Kid's meal of chicken fingers and green beans.

Jack's Kids Chicken finger meal. 

Immediately I rode to Kangaroos in Sheffield to fill up.
I arrived just in time for the introduction and to pay for the trolley ride. 
A historical experience about black historical sites in downtown Florence called, Up from Slavery.
We rode past the St Paul AME Church 1878-1965, & the St Marks MB Church 1901.

WC Handy Cabin 

We rode into the parking lot and turned around at WC Handy's home and museum. We rode past the Burrell Normal School 1903-1960. We listened to the history of WC Handy's grandfather, and the story of Bessie Rapier Foster. We rode past the Dred Scott marker on Pine Street.

Dred Scott in Florence

If it had not been so hot the trip would have been enjoyable. 
The trolley was supposed to be air-conditioned but it was a long hot hour ride. The lady sitting across from me looked like she was going to pass out. 
My clothes were wet by the time the trolley arrived at the visitor center.

The Visitor Center was very inviting with cold air blowing from its vents so I found a good place to sit where I could see & listen to Mark Narmore, Mitch Mann, and Andreas entertain me for a couple of hours. 
I listened to, "That's What I Love About Sunday", "A Song About Neal Young on the Prayer List", "Moon over Georgia," "More Than I Could Ever Show", "Saint Louis Blues" and many others. 
The group started at 2:30 and ended at 4:40 p.m. 
The entertainment room was small and every seat was filled, and people were standing up. 

Mark Narmore and Andreas Werner jamming 

Texted hubby and said I would be late, to stop at Taco Bell and pick up supper. 
It has been an entertaining day.