Nashville

I went to Nashville for a professional conference a week or so ago. Six days, five nights in the south, in June. Wasn't as humid as it could be, but the thunder rolled a few days. Gully washers. I ran a bit, but mostly I worked sun up to sun down, afterwards making it downtown a few times.

Nashville is a blast. Calling itself Music City, the bands there play all sorts of stuff, though mostly country and whatever will earn a tip. I suspect they'll never get too far from the Appalachian roots. I think I heard seven different versions of Old Crow Medicine Show's Wagon Wheel. Alabama's Mountain Music, Devil Went Down to Georgia, and anything by Jason Aldean seemed en vogue. I realize some would call this the fourth circle of Hell. They'll sing about that too. For a tip.

I'm told the Red, White and Blue trails at Percy-Warner Park are the place to run. Didn't get out there, regrettably, but I'll blog about them anyway. The terrain and flora seem similar to Virginia and the mid-Atlantic, though warmer. I thought the country was beautiful. Really regret not having a car, as I wanted to run the RC/Moon Pie Festival 10 miler, but it was some 50 miles away on a day where I had to be in conference. There is a local running club, for group runs.

Everyone recommends Jack's Bar B Q downtown for eats, and a trip through Robert's Western World and Tootsies Lounge are said mandatory. Learned a lot about barbq on this trip--hit Jack's twice, favor the Carolina Sauce. Toured the Ryman, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and wandered the streets. Popped into Gruhn's Guitars, a favorite of musicians. Caught a night at the Grand Ol Opry, with Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan and Craig Morgan, contemporary stars.