Nashville, TN Pt.1

We left Graceland on May 28 and headed east to Nashville. We were approaching the end of the month and for us retirees that means the next check is around the corner but until then the budget is blown. We decided to camp on the cheap. The best deal going is Doreen's access pass. The access pass is a federal program giving the holder free admittance to any national park, a 50% off rate for camping on any federal and in most cases state parks. We discovered recreation.gov where you can book a site at a national park or an Army Corps of Engineers park. We had booked four nights at Long Branch Recreation Area about 60 miles east of Nashville. That was the only thing available so we had to take it.

The recreation was created when the engineers built a dam on the Caney Fork River. The dam rises 696 feet above sea level.

No internet; no cable TV, barely a cell signal. It is a great spot if you want to canoe or kayak but not much else around. We decided we would only make one trip into Nashville so that meant doing something synonymous with the town. That means the Grand Ole Opry. We ordered tickets for the Friday night show. They have live shows on Fridays and Saturdays only which I didn't know. I was totally unfamiliar with the Opry. For those of you that are ignorant too the Opry is a live radio show. So if anyone was listening to Sirius/XM satellite radio channel 56 last Friday we were in the audience. The Opry is the longest running radio program ever. It has been broadcasting on Fridays and Saturdays continuously since 1925.

The Opry is not really in Nashville proper: it is in a northeastern suburb. I didn't know that either. We decided to get there early and pick up our tickets and maybe ride into town for a few hours then come back for the 7 PM show.

  Well that didn't happen. The Opry is adjacent to the Opry Mills Mall and that is where the parking is. I asked the girl in the gift shop about drive time into the city and parking. She said half an hour each way plus finding a place to park if we didn't want to pay $20. We didn't feel like rushing so we agreed to just hang at the mall and go into town the next day. Plus we had such a peach parking spot at the mall close to the front doors of the Opry.

  The mall is on the site of the former Opryland Theme park. The theme park and the Opry House were built in 1972 and 1974 respectively in what was then a rural area of Nashville. I think the theme park went of business in the late 90's. Anyway you know it is time for a history lesson. The original radio broadcast took place in Nashville on WSM radio at the National Life& Insurance Co. building and was called WSM Barn Dance in 1925 until 1934. The broadcast moved to several different locations in and around town and finally settled in at the Ryman Auditorium on 5'th Ave. in Nashville in 1943. The show drew large crowds and the Ryman became obsolete by the early 70's. The current Opry house was opened in 1974.

  Doreen found that the mall had a VF Outlet so that is where she was for a couple hours. I walked around the mall and stopped in Dave & Busters for a cold one (or two) then it was off for some dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grille. We headed over to the Opry and got to our seats.

The show opened with the traditional group Riders in the Sky:

A nice big video monitor is behind the stage: 

The show runs for about two and half hours with a short intermission in between. Some of the performers I knew while others I did not. We didn't see any current big Country stars but it was still a fine show.

Kathy Matttea- 18 wheels and a dozen roses:

Rickey Scaggs:

And this guy who's name I can't remember:

Marty Stuart

And several others. Also giving a performance was stand up comic Henry Cho. He was hilarious. For about $50 a ticket you get your money's worth. I would love to go back for a major performer some day. The venue is very modern with rich acoustics and numerous concession stands. It is an ideal place for concerts. We had a long ride back so it was straight to the truck and on the road back to the campground.

Miles this leg: 283.1

Total miles: 3160.05