Weekend in Tennessee (JOURNAL)

Got free from work just after 7 and rushed home. I had not packed the day before, instead choosing to run errends in the morning and then sleep until it was time to go to work, knowing thursday would be a long day of driving and walking. I was packed and ready by the door at 7:40, sent Caroline a text alerting her to by excitement and preparedness. However I had forgotten she runs on Kenyan Time, also known as "I will just be a minute but I really mean after I take a nap, shower and pack". At 8:40 I was advised to take a nap, she would be over around 10, being wide awake though (I had only woken up 9 hour before) I caught up on HIMYM, and Big Bang Theory. 11 am Beautiful arrived, I tossed by bags in the trunk, went to the bathroom one more time (I had had coffee that would come back to haunt me in an hour) and with a quick prayer for safe travels, hit the road, immeadiatly taking a turn toward I-75/64.

This was wrong, I needed to go the the Bluegrass Parkway and head to I-65 if we were to make Nashville in any reasonable sort of time. Caroline quickly got me turned the right direction and we were off. It was a beautiful day for driving and all was well until I had to exit the highway for an emergency pit stop in Podunk Ky, my fault, should not have had the coffee... Back on the road again we began to plot a place to have a late lunch, after missing the exit for Mammoth Cave (GPS said we were going the right way but the exit numbers were not matching) we stopped in Bowling Green and ate at the Corvette Cafe, attached to the National Corvette Museum. After lunch we took the tour, well worth the $6 apiece (student discount), and learned about the history of the Corvette and some of its racing heritage.

Back on the road again we drove thru light rain and passed many hot rods and antique cars, guess they are headed to Nashville for the car show, (its on MY list of things to do/see). At 5 pm we pulled into the hotel and with a little sweet talking the young lady at the desk got checked in and advice on where to go and what to do that night. Which would be dinner at Roteir's and a walk around the Parthenon at dusk.

Roteir's was very good (reminds me of Columbia's in Lexington, same sort of eternal existence and agedness with excellent food that has been the same since it opened in 1946?). I had the Ruben and sweet potato fries, both were great, the ruben was sauced with a sweet mustard instead of 1000 Island and very good. Caroline had the pulled pork dinner with green beans, hashbrown cassarole, and cornbread and was full after half of it (thank goodness for a fridge in the room for leftovers just in case). We sat and watched a little bit of the Miami Heat's historic loss to the Pacers, Pacers 94-Heat 75 final score. After dropping back by the hotel (it was accross the street) to put the leftovers away we strolled down the street to the Parthenon. It is huge! We circled it, took pictures, laughed at little kids, prom attendees getting their pictures taken, sat pond-side and swung on a swing as the sun went down. Back at the hotel we called it an early night celebrating being out of Lexington with a bit of bubbly and then were asleep by 11.