August 2

We head out of Washington DC  towards Las Vegas.... our next place to rest our heads  was NASHVILLE!!!!!!  and what is in Nashville????? Nothing but the GRAND OLD OPREY!!! Now we were not able to go see the Ryman theater.... but I settled for the new place!!!  Now many of you many not know this  but I am just in LOOOOOVE with Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline.  I am sure it's has to do with the Coal Miner's daughter and maybe it's really Sissy Spacek's performance nonetheless, I just get all warm and fuzzy when I hear them sing and stuff.  --- here is some history on the The Grand OLD OPREY~~~ The Ryman Auditorium, a former religious meeting house built in 1892 by riverboat shipping magnate Captain Thomas Ryman for traveling evangelist, Reverend Samuel Jones.The Opry stayed at the Ryman for nearly 31 years. Many of the show's legends spent most of their Opry runs there. (Only in late 2004 did the Grand Ole Opry House pass the Ryman as the Opry's most enduring home.)
The popularity of the Opry shows was star driven. Until 1938, the show had emphasized instrumental performances. Any singer was subordinate to the band. All that changed when young Roy Acuff joined the cast that year. His performance of "The Great Speckled Bird" his first night forever changed the Opry.Roy Acuff ( far right) points to a boardannouncing the expansion of the Opry’sPrince Albert Show network broadcast on NBC.The show's popularity also was enhanced after the NBC Radio Network began carrying the show in 1939. Sponsored by Prince Albert Tobacco, the network show featured Opry stars Uncle Dave Macon, Acuff, Deford Bailey, and Hay. In October 1943, the Prince Albert Show segment, with Acuff hosting, began airing nationally on more than 140 NBC affiliates.
Throughout the '40s, Opry stars spent weekends performing on the show in Nashville and weekdays traveling around the nation, performing first in tent shows and later in auditoriums. Artists and musicians crammed into automobiles and later buses as they became ambassadors for country music and the Grand Ole Opry.
Ernest Tubb took a group of Opry stars to New York's Carnegie Hall in 1947. Another Opry group played Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., that same year. The Opry's first European tour in 1949 took Red Foley, Acuff , Minnie Pearl, Rod Brasfield, Little Jimmy Dickens, Hank Williams, and others to U.S. military bases in England, Germany, and the Azores. And in 1961, an Opry troupe including Patsy Cline, Grandpa Jones, Bill Monroe, and Jim Reeves played Carnegie Hall a second time.
The touring tradition has continued. In 1991, the Opry conducted a 10-city Grand Ole Opry Tour to celebrate the show's 65th anniversary. In 2004, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Del McCoury, and others reprised an Opry tour. And the Opry's 80th anniversary festivities included a return trip to Carnegie Hall and a visit to Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center.

Two fun things happened during this leg of the trip........ unknowingly we got to partake in history in the making.... we hit Chick Fil A--- we have never eaten at this place--- why? I have no idea.... but we stopped and as it turned out... it was the controversial day out!!!!!  We really enjoyed it! AND the Food was good too!--- The other thing was the RAIN OMG!!!!! I actually had to pull over and let Rick drive because I couldn't see anymore.... not that this picture does it any justice.... but whew!!!! It was crazy

 after a rider switch we headed west!!!! Next up! Hurricane Mills TN!!!!  Loretta Lynn's Kitchen!! Yup you got that right!!! Rick stopped and humored his wife!!!  Now what is this place you say?  Well it's owned by Friends of Loretta and well this review says it all

The obvious draw to this place is that, well, it's Loretta Lynn's. The food is pretty standard Southern country home cookin' fare: lots of casseroles, vegetables boiled to the point that they've lost all possible nutritional value, and gigantic glasses of sweet tea.

I wouldn't suggest eating here unless you're a Loretta Lynn fan and want to experience what is allegedly a carbon copy of her family's cooking. It's nothing special, especially if you're used to your Mammaw, Meemaw, or Neenaw cooking the same type of food but about a billion times better. The real draw is the gift shop. It's not as awesome as one might expect, but it's pretty good. There are tons of country singers represented here, which is weird but fine by me. Also, lots of Tennessee (Nashville, mostly) memorabilia.

I helped myself to some bottled water.... and her moonshine jelly!!! Which is actually pretty good! I am a sucker for Jelly and Jams from regional areas.... My Zia and Zio can tell you about Montana and Huckleberry Jam!!! !!!!

 Much to my sadness  I was not able to drive down the road and go to the ranch.The Ranch--- Rick just would not go.... So that just means another summer road trip will take us this way AGAIN!!!! I am plotting my return!!!

Road trips always make you feel like you are almost going to die..... watching this Truck move into our lane was one of those moments...... another was eating at this Waffle House!!!!  HOLY TOOTHLESS WONDER COOK!!!!! Never again NEVER!!!!!!!! This was in Arkansas---- need I say another word about that?! Nope didn't think so!

Which is why one must top the evening off with one of these!!! Whew!!!