LA/XC DAY TWO: NASHVILLE, TN
Today’s mileage: 666
Total LA/XC mileage: 968
Road Music: CNN on XM Radio (missed the President’s speech last night; felt guilty; had to get caught up); ESPN Radio; “The Highway” (new country); playlist from Mikey Ice, featuring Black Keys and My Morning Jacket (thanks, Mike — loved “Off the Record”), and then NOTHING BUT COUNTRY FROM MY iPOD! (I mean, what city are we driving to, FCOL!!)
Weather leaving Alexandria (9 AM): 72 and raining steadily
Weather arriving Nashville (8:30 PM): 73 and dark
Today’s state tally: 2 (Virginia, Tennessee)
New states today for Beagle Man: 0
We rolled into Nashville, Ricky and I, at 8:30 PM. Instead of checking into our hotel, we headed straight for Broadway. Talk about taking a town by storm! As soon as we turned the corner from Fourth Avenue onto Honky Tonk Row, the oohs and ahs were deafening. With a background soundtrack of country tunes blaring out of Legends Corner, Robert’s, and Tootsie’s, it was, “Oh, look at that beagle!”, and “Is he a puppy?”, and “Come on baby, give me a kiss.” (Never underestimate the power of a handsome beagle as a chick magnet.) Girls wanted to snuggle him. Guys wanted their picture taken with him. Honestly? I’ve never seen anything like it.
And it was the same thing all over again when we checked into Loews Vanderbilt, uptown. Ronnie, the bellman, was all over him; Anela at the front desk told him that a goodie bag was waiting for him in the room — and that he deserved it.
All this was a nice reward after a long day in the Acura: 12 hours, and 666 miles. And endless battles between me and the pooch. During the entire time I drove — and I mean the entire time, Ricky slept like an angel. But whenever we stopped and I ducked out of the car for even a second, Ricky tried to wrangle his way through the maze of crates and duffel bags to the farthest reaches of the way-back, where his food is stored in an airtight, fortified container that no other living creature could possibly smell through. Time after time he slithered his way through the cargo space, and time after time I hauled him back up to his
shotgun seat, with some pretty stern reprimands, to boot. Guess he really took it to heart.
Another very positive development today: Exited I-81, hit I-40 — and we’re finally heading freaking west! Yesterday (driving to Alexandria) felt more like my destination was FLA than L.A.
And finally, some of today’s road trip highs and lows:
Best name of a town in the state of Virginia: Chilhowie
Worst street address: Dismal Hollow Road
Attraction I most wanted to stop for today, but didn’t: Davey Crockett Birthplace State Park
Attraction I least wanted to stop for today, and didn’t: Settlers Museum of South Virginia
Runner-up: American Museum of Science and Energy (Knoxville)
Best revelation while driving: If you put a towel over your left side, the seat belt won’t be able to cut your shoulder to shreds
Runner-up: If you stay at a motel rather than a friend’s house, you don’t have to worry about your dog peeing on the carpet. (Sorry, Jeff!)
Stupidest driving mistake of the day: Getting off I-81 South at exit 1B in the wrong state (Virginia, instead of Tennessee). No wonder I couldn’t find I-40! Reminiscent of the time I exited I-91 North in Springfield, MA instead of Springfield VT — in a driving snowstorm, on New Year’s Eve — on our honeymoon!!!
Most brilliant country lyric heard today: “I’m so miserable without you / It’s almost like you’re here” (Billy Ray Cyrus)
Hey Ricky! How’s it going? Hank keeps writing about your cool trip from his perspective. I’d like to hear about it from yours! Is it as great as I imagine? Long naps interrupted only by a few random pats? Non-stop adoration from complete strangers? Yummy food and treats accompanied by tantalizing new smells? Please write! Love, Winston the Golden Retriever
Dear Ricky, I’m certainly glad I’m not having to make the Bataan Death March of car rides. As you may remember, I NEVER sleep in the car, am stuffed in the wayback, and can’t wait until it’s over. I would like the meeting people-part, but not in Nashville. Is Nashville something to eat? I’m still spending my days dozing on the porch on Cape Cod and enjoying the view. Hope you’re getting some good smells! Brodie the Golden Retriever (via Lang)
Ricky, how excited are you for Oklahoma?!
Hanky! You mean you brought all that dog paraphernalia and you didn’t buy yourself one of those soft wrappy things to put around your seatbelt and fasten with velcro so the seatbelt doesn’t cut your neck? We have two–soft sheepskin–so I have one when I’m the passenger, too. A towel?? Come on. Stop in a well-stocked car wash, look past the scented pine-tree dangly things, and get yerself a nice soft neck protector! Congrats on heading west.
Hi Hank. I didn’t realize you were on your trip you told me about this summer. Good for you! Love the pic of you and the stranger. He looks friendly, maybe too friendly…almost looks like he’d run away with Ricky. Careful. Hey I’m on the cover of Poets and Writers this month, well me and 25 other MFA students. PW launched a call in July looking for students and grads for a cover photo shoot in Central Park, so there I am.The entire issue is about the pros and cons of MFAs. I’ll save you a copy. Check me out: http://www.pw.org/magazine
Have a great trip. Love the blog. I’ll be checking in to see how you and Ricky are doing. My Ricky is doing well. Just got a hair cut, so adorable!!! Bye for now.
Christine