Friday, June 10, 2016

We stopped at Mammoth Cave National Park this morning and signed up for the tour.  The ranger told us, before we got on the bus, that there are 500 stairs on the tour, some places are only a little over 5 feet tall, and some places are only about 18 inches wide.  She emphasized that if you have claustrophobia or are afraid of heights you will be uncomfortable on the tour.  No one opted out.  The group has 110 people in it.

We set off.  When we got to the door of the cave, I picked out the largest man in the crowd to follow thinking that if he could make so could I.  He was a very large man, 6'3 or a little taller and about 300 pounds.  He had his daughter with him who looked to be about 10 years old.  She warned him about all the low spots and narrow spots but he got through it all and so did we.

The cave is mapped at 405 miles but is thought to be bigger.  It has a lot of bats and other creatures living in it.  It's made of limestone so there isn't a lot of color to it.  I'd recommend it, it's certainly something to see.  No flash photography is allowed.  The transfer reamed out the group twice about that before the message got across to a few people.

The next stop was Nashville.  Traffic was flowing fine until it took us about 45 minutes to go the last few miles to the exit we wanted to take.  Only as we turned on the exit did we realize that CMA Fest was going on at the stadium where the Titans play football.  Thousands of people were there, streets were blocked off for pedestrian only areas, cops were directing traffic, it was a mess.  I wanted to go to the Hard Rock Cafe to pick up some pins and, of course, it is located in a prime spot across the street from the stadium.

We decided on a plan.  I'd get out and dash down the street to the Cafe, get my pins, and Stella would pick me up.  Sounded great until we implemented it.  I managed to find the HRC okay, got the pins, and went back to where she dropped me off thinking she would drive around the block until I showed up.  I waited a couple of minutes and she called me.  Now I'm standing a block away from the stadium.  There is so much noise from it, all the bars with outdoor patios and bands, and the tourist noise that I can't hear a thing.  I tell her that and hang up.  She calls back.  All I can hear is "blah blah blah third street" so I walk to the corner of Broadway and third street.  Third street is one way.  I'm looking and looking for her but can't see her.  She calls again.  This time I get "I'm on Third street" so I tell her I am too.  I hang up and look some more.  I finally see her about two blocks away coming toward me but I'm on the wrong side of the street.  It looked like the traffic cop was going to stop the traffic so she'd be the first in line but, no. He waves her on.  She's barely moving which is irritating all the cars behind her I could tell.  I dashed across the street in between traffic, chased her down, opened the door and leaped in.  And we headed for the freeway out of town.  We ended up staying in Fayetteville tonight.  Went on some back roads to get here but the scenery was great.  We even saw some deer in the fields.