🚙2017 June 13, Tuesday, Day Trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky

We left home around seven, it was a great day for traveling.
Hubby and I traveled north on Highway 43 to Murphy's in Lawrenceburg, TN, where we filled up with gas.

We stopped at Cracker Barrel in Spring Hill, where Hubby ordered a big breakfast, and I ordered two slices of sourdough toast, one scrambled egg, and two pieces of bacon with iced tea to drink.

Leaving Spring Hill onto I-65 north, traveling through Nashville to Bowling Green.
You can see the Corvette Museum and Car Plant from the interstate.

We arrived at the Corvette Museum a little before 11AM, stopping outside to take pictures of the Michelin Man, Air Tank, and Corvette on display at the entrance.

Designed especially for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA

Michelin Man, Coats Air Gage Tank

Hubby parked, and we went inside the museum, stopping to view a few Corvettes on display before going to the ticket counter.
We were given armbands, and then we were told the plant tour was across the highway.
Our scheduled time to tour the plant was 11:30AM.
Hubby let me out near the entrance and went to park the van.
I walked up the long corridor to the entrance, and once inside, I got in line for tickets.
I already had our tickets, and I asked for a wheelchair.
The tour is about an hour long and a lot of walking. They recommended using a wheelchair if you are having problems walking. (So I said yes)
I was wheeled inside and given a yellow time card and told them hubby was on his way.

Bowling Green Plant outside (no electronic devices allowed inside)

We watched a video, and the 11 15 tours were called.
When the 11:30AM tour was called, we lined up.
We had two tour guides, one in front and one at the end of the line.
Before we went inside, we were all given safety glasses to wear.
We followed our guides and were told to stay behind the yellow lines.
We stopped along the way for the guides to tell us about the assembly of the Corvettes.
The tour took about one hour.
We then rode back to the Corvette Museum.

Entrance to Corvette Cafe 

Entrance to Corvette Museum 

Inside the Corvette Cafe, we ordered a bowl of Strawberry Ice Cream from Chaney's Farm, which we shared.
We ordered a Peanut Butter cookie full of peanut butter chips and healthy toffee.
We ordered one Oatmeal Cranberry full of plump cranberries, buttery oats, and Heath toffee.
We also ordered one Snickerdoodle Cookies butter cookie topped with Saigon cinnamon, all came from Christie's Bakery.

Eating Strawberry Ice Cream from Chaney's Farm 

Snickerdoodle Cookie & Strawberry Ice Cream

Inside the Corvette Museum building, there was the Corvette Cafe, Corvette Archives, Corvette Store, and the Corvette Museum.

What a perfect ride

Our picture was taken driving or standing next to a Corvette before we went inside the museum.
We took our time to view the Corvettes (many on loan from individuals).

Picture inside the Archive's 

Mini-Corvette inside the Archives

Our next stop was the Woodland Cemetery in Nashville,  where several famous people are buried.
Hubby took a picture of me in front of "The Possum" by George Jones.
He stopped loving her today.  Around 4:00PM

"The Possum" by George Jones
"The king of broken hearts"
He sang of life's hardships and struggles, in a way, somehow lightened our own.
His voice was effortless and unforgettable.
He brought unsurpassed emotional eloquence to every song he sang. 
He was and is the soul of country music. No one will ever fill his shoes. 
He is at rest, but his music is alive and ageless. 
He gifted it to all of us, the joyful and broken 
"Walk Through This World with me!"

Driving through Woodland Cemetery, we stumbled upon the Carper Homestead and the Hospital Water Source.

Hospital Water Source 
Because of the Generous, pure water supply available this spring, the area surrounding it was selected as a hospital site for the treatment of soldiers wounded in the Battle of Nashville, which took place during the War Between The States.

Water Source for the Hospital 

Carper Homestead
Known to be one of the oldest houses remaining from the early American era. Originally located on Cane Ridge Road in Antioch, Tennessee. The materials were removed piece-by-piece and rebuilt exactly as they stood when occupied by the Carper Generations. 
Donated to Woodland Memorial Park for Historic Preservation by the children of William Washington and Susie Black Carper
William Herman Carper
Ruth Carper Chasteen
Estella Carper Quest
Louella Carper James
Thelma Carper Ellicott
Kathleen Carper Huddleston
Irene Carper Chahoc
Mary Carper Pulliam 
Dedicated 1969

Carper Homestead

We stopped at Panda Express in Spring Hill, Tennessee, around 5:00PM.
We ordered Cream Cheese Rangoon, Egg Rolls, Broccoli Beef, and Honey Walnut Shrimp.
We stopped in Lawrenceburg at Mapco to fill up with gas.
We were home around 6:30PM.

Another great day of adventures.

🚗2012 ~December 18-19, Eighteen hour drive home from Hartford, Connecticut

Day 1: Tuesday, December 18, 2012

We left the house at 3:15 A.M. and headed to Nashville; TN arrived at 5:15 flight left at 6:15 A.M. I checked in on flight 2315, I sat next to the window and a young black man sat in the middle seat. We talked, and he said he lived in Nashville but was looking to move to Virginia. He had a couple of small children and his mom was a school teacher of special needs children.

The morning sunrise in Maryland

We landed in MD, and the young black man got off the plane.
I moved a couple of seats up and an older couple sat down beside me. The man sat in the middle and his wife in the end (I think she was the boss of the two) he talked my head off. He said he sold hospital equipment and he was having a Christmas party when he arrived home. He asked me if I wanted to go to his party, I said that we were leaving Hartford as soon as we landed and that my daughter and I were going to New York. The plane landed I said goodbye to the couple and I walked to baggage claim to collect my luggage. My daughter was late as usual picking me up. 

We filled up with gas at BP 3500 Conner St Bronx NY 10475 (I remember this station because the last time we went to NY my daughter used the restroom here).

My flight arrived in Hartford at 10:40 A.M., and my daughter and I left Hartford, CT  driving to Staten Island NY. 

Traveling through New York 

Traveling through New York 

We took I-95 south through Meridian, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, CT, and crossing into New Jersey at Fort Lee went across New Jersey Turnpike on I-95 crossing back into NY. We were going to stay at 310 Wild Wood Av Staten Island but the rate was $150 a night and there was no shuttle on Tuesdays to the Staten Island Ferry. 

We asked at the desk of  Wild Wood AV Staten Island Inn where we could find a good local place to eat that is nearby?  They suggested West Shore Inn Steakhouse, but it was closed for a Christmas Party. The other place they suggested was Mikes's Unicorn Diner 2944 Victory Blvd NY.

Eating a salad at Mike Unicorn Diner Staten Island, NY

Mikes Unicorn Diner Staten Island, NY

Mikes Unicorn Diner Staten Island, NY 

Mikes Unicorn Diner Staten Island, NY 

Mikes Unicorn Diner, we ordered water with lemon and we shared a plate of fried filet of sole, salad, rolls, green beans, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, cheesecake, pasta, and beets, with bread, it was more than enough to feed two people. After we finished eating, we decided not to go back to New York, so we headed toward Washington DC 

We took I-278 over to I 95 it took us 3 hours and 16 minutes to get from NY to Maryland.

We stopped at 702 W 34th ST. Baltimore, Maryland to see the Christmas lights on Keswick Rd and Chestnut Street.

The whole block was decorated for the Christmas holiday, they were movable, indoor, and outdoor displays.

 People were scurrying up and down the block. 

Christmas lights Miracle of 34 St Hampden Baltimore, Maryland 

Christmas lights Miracle of 34 St Hampden Baltimore, Maryland 

Christmas lights Miracle of 34 St Hampden Baltimore, Maryland  

Christmas lights Miracle of 34 St Hampden Baltimore, Maryland 

Then we drove on I-66 for another two hours from Maryland to Royal Front, VA. 

We stopped at Cool Harbor Inn located at 141 E 15 Avenue Royal Front VA. 

We checked in at about 12 P.M. ($65 for a king bed in a first-floor conference room).

We were so exhausted that we slept until 10 A.M. the next day.

Cool Harbor Inn Royal Front VA 

Day 2: Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The next morning we both took a show, packed our bags, and checked out of the hotel.

For breakfast, we had orange juice, oatmeal with apple cinnamon, a banana, and a donut at the  breakfast nook in the back of the Inn

We were not far from the Shenandoah Valley National Park.
From Cool Harbor Inn my daughter had to drive to Sky Line Drive to get into the park 

I bought a senior lifetime pass for $10.00, which got both of us into the park. 

Shenandoah Valley National Park

Shenandoah Valley National Park

It was about 11:33 A.M. when we entered Shenandoah Valley National Park and we stayed inside the park until we reached Luray VA, where we exited the park to explore the caverns of Luray.

Luray Virginia Park 

Luray Virginia Park 

Luray Virginia Park Caverns

Luray Virginia Park Caverns

We paid 21.00 dollars to visit Luray Caverns, which included a visit to the Car and Carriage Museum and The Luray Valley Museum. 

The Luray Caverns is a guided tour that lasts about an hour, after the tour you are on your own.

The Luray Valley Museum. 

The Luray Valley Museum. 

We walked down to the Car and Carriage Museum, which has 140 cars, carriages, coaches, & costumes that date back to 1725.

Next, we went to The Luray Valley Museum, which housed Shenandoah Valley artifacts from the 1750s to 1920s. 

Car and Carriage Museum

Car and Carriage Museum 

Car and Carriage Museum 

We ate lunch at Gathering Grounds Patisserie Café 55 E. Main St Luray VA 22835 (Patisserie is a type of French or Belgian bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets in both countries)

I ordered a cup of soup Du Jour and half sandwich for $6.96 and Coke for $1.99 total of $8.94.

(540-743-1121) The ticket said Table 16 2 guest server Melissa at 4:15PM ID0081319.

Gathering Grounds Patisserie Café 55 E. Main St Luray VA

Gathering Grounds Patisserie Café 55 E. Main St Luray VA

Town of Luray VA 

We tried to get back to Shenandoah Valley National Park but by the time we got to the area where we could get to the park, the park closed at 5:00 pm.  

From Luray Virginia, we took 340 down to Stanley Va., then to I-81 from Virginia to Knoxville, TN.

We stopped at Pilot Store 051 11190 Bailey ton Rd Greenville, Tennessee at 22:50:35 A.M.

They had a subway and gas station I bought two glasses of water for $2.00, one 20 oz drink for $1.35, and at Subway I bought one 12-inch Veggie sub at $5.00 and some chips .99 spent $6.57.

I also bought some lottery tickets.

We drove through Knoxville, TN on I-40 N toward Nashville, TN taking 840 to I-65 S to 360 to 31 Spring Hill to Columbia TN, turning onto Highway 43 and 43 all the way home.

We arrived at home about 3:30 A.M. 

My husband was asleep and he had to work the next day, so Lora slept on the sofa and I slept in the recliner.

When my husband got up to get ready to go to work the next morning, both Lora and I got into bed.
The next morning after my husband left for work, my daughter and I climbed into bed but I could not sleep because I could hear it was storming outside, so I got up and lay on the sofa.

End of another long trip

December 18, 2012, Flew

Depart 6:15 A.M. from Nashville International Airport (BNA)

Arrive Baltimore Maryland International Airport (BWI)

Depart Baltimore Maryland International Airport  |(BWI)

Arrive 10:40 A.M. Hartford International Airport (BDL)