2012 Monday, October 8, Traveling North on Natchez Trace to Nashville, Tennessee

2012 Monday, October 8, Traveling North on Natchez Trace to Nashville, Tennessee

Monday, October 8, 2012

We left the house about 10:30 A.M. it had rained the night before, so everything was still damp and gloomy. 

We traveled north on highway 43 through Lawrenceburg, stopping at CVS for restroom break; diet drinks and twenty dollars in folding money.

Driving on the Natchez Trace

We took highway 64 west to the Natchez Trace Parkway where we travel all the way to Nashville.  

We stopped at Meriwether Lewis National Park to use the restroom.

We did not stop again until after we passed the detour, where they were repairing the overpass bridge.

The fall leaves were just beginning to turn, around every corner was a new color.

We stopped to see the waterfall at Fall Hollow. 

There was still a chill in the air and my new pink vest felt great. 

It was a short, and slippery walk across two bridges to the overlook. 

It turned out to be a gorgeous day with lots of puffy clouds in the sky. (Cumulus clouds.)

We stopped in Hampshire Tennessee along the trace to visit a barn full of drying tobacco.

Drying tobacco

Drying tobacco

Inside the Tobacco Barn

Tobacco Barn 

Marker described the Tobacco process.

On this model farm, Burley tobacco is grown and air-cured. It is a hard crop to rise; acre requires about 250 hours of labor. (Wheat is only three hours!) William Coleman has been growing tobacco her for over 40 years. 

Listen as he describes how it is done.

Marker described the Tobacco process

Tobacco Farm - Old Trace Marker 

This barn was built for Mr. Leland Greenfield in 1959 from timber grown on this farm. Mr. Greenfield first grew tobacco here in 1932. 

The Greenfield family had owned the land for over 100 years before the state of Tennessee purchased and deeded it to the Natchez Trace Parkway in 1977.

Tobacco Farm 

Inside the barn was a marker about The Tennessee Tobacco Barn, which said:

Burleys Tobacco must be air-cured for four to six weeks in the barn before it is ready for the marker. Listen. Burley is a light brown, aromatic tobacco used chiefly in cigarettes. A small percentage is used for pipe and chewing tobacco. Fall is the tobacco-curing season. However, a little tobacco is left in this barn all year for you to see.

Just a few miles away there was a marker telling about the family farm? 

Working in Harmony with the Environment

As we looked past, the marker to the land below we could a farmer harvesting hay for the winter. 

Working in Harmony with the Environment

Around every curve was a new site of orange, yellow, red, and green leaves.

We stopped at Natchez Trace’s Scenic Trail Highland Rim Section and as we looked below we could see fields of trees with multicolor leaves, farmhouses, a pond, barns and many other pictorial sites.

Traveling on the Natchez Trace 

In Williamsport was stopped to visit the Home of the Gordon Family. 

The house is still standing:

Home of the Gordon Family

The marker read:

One of the few remaining buildings associated with the Old Natchez Trace is the house of ferry operator John Gordon. Built in 1817-18, the Gordon House was one of the first brick homes in this area. In the early 1800s, Gordon settled here as ferry operator, trader, farmer, and Indian fighter. Because military expeditions kept him away from home, his wife Dorothea supervised the building of the house. Gordon died shortly after it was completed, but Mrs. Gordon lived here until her death 1859. In 1978, the National Park Service restored the house to its original appearance. A ten-minute walk beginning here leads to a section of the original Natchez Trace and the Duck River ferry site. The 450-mile (725 km) Natchez Trace Parkway roughly follows the route of the old frontier road.

Old Natchez Trace is the house of ferry operator John Gordon

There were also plaques telling about other sites along the Natchez Trace and a restroom.

Tennessee Valley Divide

marker honoring the soldiers of the War of 1812 

Our next stop was at the Tennessee Valley Divide it was near James TN. 

The marker read:

The high ground you are on is part of a long ridge that divides central Tennessee. Streams south of the divide flow to the Duck and Tennessee Rivers, while streams to the North empty into the Cumberland River. Travelers in the early days of the Natchez Trace were more conscious of the divide. Moving on foot or on horseback, they noticed changes in elevation and stream direction. Going north toward Nashville, Tennessee, the Valley Divide marked the edge of the frontier — the end of Chickasaw Indian Country.

Just a few feet away there was a marker honoring the soldiers of the War of 1812 that were buried along the Old Natchez Trace.

Nashville Tn

Eating at Joe's Crab Shack 

Eating at Joe's Crab Shack

 Joe's Crab Shack

Joe Knows Nashville Music City the USA

We finally arrived at Joe’s Crab Shack where we enjoyed a bucket of Dungeness Crabs.

(The Bucket of Dungeness Crabs was 1 1/4 lbs) 

The crabs are mild, tender, and easy to eat. 

All crab is served with new potatoes and a fresh ear of corn.

Today is Hubby's birthday and Joe’s Crab Shack had sent Hubby a birthday gift for an appetizer.

We ordered Crab Stuffed Mushrooms as the appetizer.

We snapped a few pictures inside and outside Joe’s Crab Shack.

Tennessee Titans Football Stadium

Hard Rock Cafe 

After leaving Joe’s we rode to Opry Mills to see if any of the stores had opened since the flood.

Opry Mills had been closed because the Cumberland River had flooded all the stores and the mall was shut down.

The mall had reopened we walked inside.

At the Ghost Armor booth, I had purple Ghost armor wrapped around my iPhone.

We walked over to the Opryland Gaylord Hotel and strolled through the gardens.  

Opry Mills 

Opryland Hotel 

Rainforest Cafe 

Rainforest Cafe 

For supper, we stopped at Taco Bell in Springhill Tennessee

We arrived home about 10:00 P.M.

We had a wonderful day!

🚗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. I arrived at 5:15. The flight, which left at 6:15 A.M., was 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 mother was a schoolteacher for 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 sat at the end (I think she was the boss of the tw;o); 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, and I said goodbye to the couple. I then walked to the 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, Bro,nx, 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, and Stamford, CT, and crossed into New Jersey at Fort Lee. We then crossed the New Jersey Turnpike on I-95, crossing back into NY. We were going to stay at 310 Wild Wood Ave, 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 Mike's Unicorn Diner, 2944 Victory Blvd, NY.

Eating a salad at Mike Unicorn Dine, Staten Island, NY

Mike's Unicorn Din, er Staten Island, NYMike's

Kes Unicorn Diner, Staten Island, NY 

Mike's Unicorn Dine, Staten Island, NY 

At Mike's Unicorn Diner, we ordered water with lemon. We shared a plate of fried filet of sole, salad, rolls, green beans, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, cheesecake, pasta, and beets, accompanied by 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, D.C. 

We took I-278 over to I-95. It took us 3 hours and 16 minutes to get from New York to Maryland.

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

The entire block was decorated for the Christmas holiday, featuring movable, indoor, and outdoor displays.

 People were scurrying up and down the block. 

Christmas lights, Miracle of 34 S,t Hampden, Baltimore, Maryland 

Christmas lights Miracle of 34, St. Hamp,n Baltimore, Maryland 

Christmas lights, Miracle of, 4 St. H, Hampden, Baltimoreee, 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,n located at 141 E 15th 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 I,nn Royal Frontt VA 

Day 2: Wednesday, December 19, 2012

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

For breakfast, we had orange juice, oatmeal with apple cinnamon, a banana, and an oatmeal cookie from the tank in the back of the Inn.

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

I bought a senior lifetime pass for $10.00, which allowed both of you to enter 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 to explore the Luray Caverns.

Luray Virginia Park 

Luray Virginia Park 

Luray, Virginia, a Park Caverns

Lur, ay Virgi,nia Park Caverns

We paid $ 21.00 to visit Luray Caverns, which included admission to the Car and Carriage Museum and the Luray Valley Museum. 

The Luray Caverns offers 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 features 140 cars, carriages, coaches, & costumes dating back to 1725.

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

Car and Carriage Museum

Car and Carriage Museum 

Car and Carriage Museum 

We ate lunch at Gathering Grounds Patisserie Café, 55 E. Main S, 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 a half sandwich for $6.96, and a Coke for $1.99, totaling $8.95.

(540-743-1121) The ticket stated Table 16, 2 guests, server Melissa at 4:15 P.M., ID: 0081319.

Gathering Grounds Patisserie Café 55 E. Main St, Luray VA

Gathering Grounds Patisserie Café 55 E. Main St, Luray, VA

Town of L, Uray, VA 

We tried to return to Shenandoah Valley National Park, but by the time we arrived at the area where we could access the park, it had closed at 5:00 P.M.  

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

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

They had a subway and a station.n I bought two glasses of water for $2.00, one 20-oz drink for $1.35, and at Subway, I purchased one 12-inch Veggie Sub for   $5.00 and some chips for $0.99, spending a total of $6.57.

I also bought some lottery tickets.

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

We arrived at home about 3:30 A.M. 

My husband was asleep, as 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 for 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 couldn't 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 at Baltimore, Maryland, at International Airport (BWI)

Depart Baltimore, Maryland, the International Airport  |(BWI)

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