The Papa Sheep: Southern States Tour '25 week 1

I've been thinking about touring the south of the US since I visited New Orleans back in 1999, and Amy Sheep and myself have been mulling it over for a decade at least. Now we've done it!

Day #1....Travel day. We set the alarm for 4:30 am, took a shuttle to San Francisco airport, and caught a flight to Nashville, TN. There we picked up our rental car and drove the three hours to Townshend, TN at the foot of the Smoky Mountains. By the time we got there and checked in to our accommodation it was dinner time.

From the air, the USA is just a massive farm

A sunset in Tennessee

Dinner in Townsend, TN

Day #2....After a well-deserved and extended lie-in, we hit Elvira's in Townshend for an outdoor brunch. We spent the rest of the day hiking in the Smoky Mountains and then we had another dinner out in Townshend. This time of year is "shoulder season" which is perfect for being outdoors; in the summer it is too hot to venture more than a couple of feet from an air-conditioned space.

Breakfast at Elvira's

On the Alum trail.

Day #3....Ahh, another lie in! Once packed, we grabbed breakfast at Townshend Pancake House and hit the road back to Nashville. The first stop was filling up our ~~rental~~ clown car with gas. Seriously, the car was perfect for this trip: small, great fuel economy and decent get-up-and-go. It's a nice change from renting people carriers. Gas prices were also around half of what we are used to in California.

After fueling up, we headed back to Nashville, TN, found somewhere for lunch and then checked into our new accommodation. After a quick rest, we went for an early dinner at 60 Vines and then walked over to the legendary Ryman Auditorium, allegedly "one of the most celebrated venues in modern music" for the Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear show. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge reggae fan, but both bands were absolutely fantastic, and Ziggy's material stood up next to the Bob Marley covers.

Burning Spear

Ziggy Marley

At the Ryman

Day #4....Today we got breakfast at Another Broken Egg in Nashville; this was the first meal on our trip that warranted photographic documentation. The food and service were so good, I was moved to post a quick review on Google.

Eggs Benedict with Cheesy Gritts

Deluxe French Toast

We staggered back to the hotel after breakfast, picked up our car, and drove across town to Cooter's Place. This was the only part of our trip where it rained.

If you're not familiar, Cooter's Place is the one and only Dukes of Hazzard Museum and Shop, operated by none other than ol’ Cooter himself, Ben Jones. The museum features pictures, props, costumes, and memorabilia from the beloved hit television show. Also displayed are Daisy’s Jeep, Rosco’s Patrol Car, and a General Lee, the 1969 Dodge Charger which has achieved iconic status among fans of the show. Ben Jones retired earlier this year at the age of 84; prior to that he could be found in the store several days each week, signing autographs, chatting with fans and submitting to selfies.

The cases of memorabilia extend for yards and yards and yards...

Next was a drive out to Lewisburg, TN for the Jack Daniels distillery tour. There was a strict "no-photos" policy inside the distillery buildings, but outside in the grounds was fair game.

The office used by Jack Daniel himself

The distillery has always had an in-house Fire Department and retains two vintage fire trucks. The REO Speed Wagon in the first picture has been restored to running condition and is featured on Wikipedia. The vehicle in the second photo has a hand crank and has not been fired up in many years; this is said to be the first motorized fire truck the company owned.

REO Speed Wagon

"Jack Daniels Engine Co. 1"

There was also a vintage delivery vehicle which has been restored to operating condition:

After the tour, we drove back to Nashville, dropped off the car and walked over to Broadway, otherwise known as "the strip." It was, by design, a Tuesday night, but every bar was throbbing to the beat; on the weekends it's tough to find a space to step into.

Broadway, Nashville, TN

Rippy's Honky Tonk, Nashville, TN

Nudie's Honky Tonk, Nashville, TN

Day #5....We had a late start due to the pervious evening's indulgences, so we had to grab breakfast at a coffee shop and pack up in a frenzy to make our 11:00 am checkout time. With that accomplished we waved goodbye to Nashville and headed south. This was the first bit of driving that wasn't on the interstate highways, and it was much more what I expected of the south: cotton fields and vegetation everywhere and very underpopulated.

Crossing the Tennessee River between Florence and Muscle Shoals, AL

We pitched up at the Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals just in time for the 2:00 pm tour (Note: It's best to buy tickets in advance). This was one of the highlights of the trip which deserves its own post.

After the tour we drove over to the neighboring town of Tuscumbia, AL and got a very late "lunch" at what is now The Palace Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop. In the 1930's it was common for the pharmacy in a small town to double up as a cafe or a "soda fountain" as they were known. The pharmacy is long gone, but the interior retains a number of the original fixtures and fittings, and the bathrooms have been wall-papered with original handwritten prescriptions from the 30's.

original "The Palace" mirror

Pharmacy delivery bicycle

Hot Fudge Sundae x2

The rest of the afternoon was spent driving back across the state line and on to Memphis, TN. After checking in to the next hotel we were eager to walk downtown, get some ribs and hear some music.

B.B. King Blvd at Beale St

Club Handy, 200 Beale

Day #6....Today was very definitely Elvis Day. After another coffee shop breakfast, we drove across town to Elvis Presley Blvd. and did the Graceland tour. (Note: Something else that is best booked in advance). This was another highlight which spawned posts on the house and the car collection.