Nashville, Tennessee (Oct. 3-5, 2024)

Visit with our friends Erin & Greg, whom we met on post in Moscow, Russia, 2020

Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, A.K.A. Music City, founded in 1779 and named after a General of the continental army (Francis Nash) during the American Revolutionary War

Home of the Grand Ole Opry (est. 1925)

Population: 689,447 as of 2020

Downtown Nashville on Broadway Street
(pic from internet off www.whiskyadvocate.com)

Greg and Erin graciously picked us up at the Nashville airport and brought us downtown Nashville to enjoy the atmosphere of Broadway Street. We had a nice, casual dinner at The Stillery while listening to some live music and then we did a bit of bar hopping and drinking along the strip. There was such a vibrant energy down there and practically every bar/restaurant had live music playing. We enjoyed a good sing-a-long with a few bands and then headed towards the Murfreesboro area where Greg & Erin live (about 45 minutes outside of Nashville)

It was SO awesome to see these two and spend some time with them!

Lots of cowboy boots and hats for sale along Broadway Street in downtown Nashville! Good thing I didn't spend anymore time there or I would have wanted to buy some!

Look at all them boots! 🤠
 
...and hats!

Craig thought that the signs were funny... "Lucky Bastard Saloon, Nudies Honky Tonk & Losers Bar & Grill"

We did not go into the nudie bar! lol 

I have no idea which bar this was, but they had an awesome band. This is where I did a LOT of singing along to the country songs and we saw quite a few of these beautiful, young ladies in their tight tops and miniskirts. I'm the best wife ever for capturing this shot! Love the sign "Proud to serve those who serve"! The US is great for supporting military members.

There are a ton of celebrity bars here

The good'ole Redneck Riviera!

Band on display in the bar window...they'd often interact with the people on the street...probably trying to draw them into the bar

The next morning we headed towards Lynchburg to visit the Jack Daniel's Distillery for a tour. Marketed world-wide as a product of a city with just one traffic light. Population: 6461 (2020)
Funny enough, Moore county, where this distillery is located, is a DRY county!?! Our guide at the distillery said they get around these laws...they sell you the bottle, it just happens to be filled with Tennessee whiskey! lol

Before the distillery tour, however, we enjoyed a lovely, Southern, family-style lunch at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House and Restaurant (built in 1867). We were hosted by Jim, a 91 year old descendent (I believe) of the Bobo's. They purchased the home from Dr. Salmon, in 1908 where Miss Mary operated the boarding house until her death in 1983, just shy of her 102nd birthday! Sadly I didn't even think to take pictures of where we ate and the dinner table. It was a very unique experience that we were so thankful to have experienced. Thank you Greg & Erin! 😘

Inside the Jack Daniel's Distillery and  waiting for our tour to start



The story of how Jack Daniel's whiskey came to be

Our tickets! Thank you Greg and Erin for organizing our awesome day!

They even make their own barrels on site...basically nothing goes to waste either after production. Barrels are sold for various uses as well as a lot of other by-products of making whiskey. The "stillage" is sold to farmers as livestock feed. A company is also finding a way to turn it into a renewable natural gas!

Cool motorbike in the lobby at the start of the distillery tour

Other than the fact that hornets & wasps that were very attracted to our slushies, they were much enjoyed. I just wish I could have another! Mine and Erin's is a lemonade slushie (with Jack Daniel's, of course) and Greg and Craig's are with coke. Yum! 😋

Craig testing out the charcoal used in the "charcoal mellowing" process when making Jack Daniel's whiskey. It's a very tried and true process made from sugar maple wood. It's also called the Lincoln County process (after the county that was once Jack Daniel's home)

The burning of the sugar maple wood to produce the charcoal that mellows the whiskey (actually, she said it was bourbon before it's mellowed by charcoal).

Our lovely guide spraying our hands with a product of the whiskey making process - she said it makes for a great hand sanitizer (before they allow us in the actual plant area where the whiskey is processed)

Cheers! Some of their buildings and machinery in the process was VERY old...the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality when it comes to using what originally was used to produce Jack Daniel's whiskey!
 
The natural spring water cave where they get the water to make Jack Daniel's whiskey! Hopefully it never runs dry or they're screwed!

Craig posing with the life-sized statue (except his feet, they had to be made bigger so the statue would remain standing) of Jack Daniel. 
Facts about the man:
1. His real name was Jasper Newton Daniel, but friends and family called him "Jack"
2. He was 5'4" tall and wore a men's size 4 shoe
3. He died because of the safe pictured below. Normally Jack's nephew opened the safe each morning, but one particular morning, Jack came in early. He apparently was having trouble with the combination and kicked it in frustration, breaking his toe! An infection set in and Jack eventually lost his leg, but still died of blood poisoning from the injury. In Lynchburg, they like to say that the moral of the story is "never go to work early"!

The main ingredients (along with water) that make whiskey

The infamous safe that inevitably took Jack Daniel's life (see story above the corn, barley & rye picture)

Walking around the ancient distillery plant

Tools used in the barrel making process

The forbidden barrel picture - they say a spark from our cell phones could set off an explosion from the fumes in the air

Finally, the taste testing part. They would not, unfortunately, allow us to give our samples to anyone else (because, apparently, they'd be over the limit if they did). I did do the "on the tip of my tongue" kind of taste testing, but it was just WAY too strong for me!

The flight of Jack given to any guest over 21. We found it SO hilarious that every single person is asked for ID in Tennessee when ordering an alcoholic drink. Good thing I had a photo of my passport in my phone or I wouldn't have had any ID on me!


On our last day we went for a beautiful hike on the Machine Falls loop near Tullahoma. Lovely area. A little challenging in the heat, but was a wonderful way to spend our last day!


The beautiful Machine Falls...such unique rock formations

Craig loves the "hold up the tree and save your friend" picture! You're SO strong Baby! 


Thank you Greg & Erin for a fantastic visit! You planned it out perfectly and we truly appreciate your hospitality and your friendship! Thank you also for your generosity with the activities we did and for graciously hosting us in your beautiful home!
You're always welcome to come visit us!
Big, big, Canadian hugs!
Until we meet again!