Spirit of Place: Asheville, NC to Nashville, TN

Instead of going to Louisville, KY as planned, hopped on the I-40 and zipped over to Nashville. The ride started out amazingly beautiful with clouds hovering in the mountains.  The cool mist made riding a joy.  Constant curves and tunnels through the mountains.  When I got to Knoxville, TN it became congested and hot/humid.  Nashville freeways are not my idea of fun - felt on edge and dehydrated.

Visited my friends Marc-Alan Barnette and Tina who had invited me to spend the night.  Another couple, Tom and Sydney were there and we had a BBQ, played music, and chatted. 

Marc & Tina with Dixie


Me with the Dog Next Door

Woke up this morning at 5:30 CST to roaring thunder, lightening, and tons of rain.  It was wonderful.  It will clear up soon and I will be off for points north - either to Louisville, KY or Bloomington, ID.  I am falling behind on schedule - the only commitment on time is for my visit to my daughter Katie in Iowa City, and visiting friends in Sioux City, IA the following day.  So, I have to consider drive times between Nashville and Iowa City.  I will end up tonight where I end up.  I will probably miss the Bourbon run, but I had too much last night as it is.

I have this nagging feeling like I am missing something.  The cultural changes, different attitudes, style of people, change in terrain.  The Spirit of Place.  What impact does a specific place have on the people?  American Indians had a keen sense of the land and spirits residing there.  In South Florida, on the coasts, the people are mostly transplants - unknowingly bringing their culture spirits with them.  Their culture is superimposed on a tropical landscape - at war with the residing spirits of the place.  What should be slow, becomes fast; New York/New Jersey of the south.

I am enjoying the differences.  The storm has stopped and headed to Kentucky and, possibly, Indiana.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reality Check Tour 2022: Contrast in Cultures: Florida to Vermont

Image
  It has been one week, today, since I left Boca Raton, Florida.  Driving up to Sanford (Orlando area), Florida to catch the Amtrak Auto Train to Lorton, Virginia, the heat was almost suffocating.  I thought the heat was bad in Florida, but nothing topped the heat from Lorton to Damascus, Maryland - especially in bumper to bumper traffic in 98 degree weather. A sea of humanity in metal cages (i.e., cars) on Highway 15 from Leesburg, VA to Frederick, MD.  I used my "motorcycle card" by zipping past miles of standstill traffic via the shoulder.  I justified it by a legitimate rationalization: I am exposed to heat without the luxury of air conditioning that was enjoyed by those in cars.  A typically 1.5 hour ride took me 4 hours.  I arrived in Damascus to attend Janis' family reunion - a great first 2 day stop filled with fun and human interaction. Amtrak Tamara, my host while on the Auto Train.  She has three boys; the oldest is 29 years old and who...
Read more

Reality Check Tour 2022: Laramie, WY to Breckenridge, CO; Photo Gallery

Image
Dillon, Colorado - With Janis, Bob & Nancy Levy - E-Bikes The first leg of my tour is at a close; 6000 miles in a month.  I drove from Laramie, WY to Steamboat Springs, CO, then to visit the Edelmans in Beaver Creek, CO, and then to Breckenridge, CO where I will stay until October 1, 2022.  The second leg for my tour will begin on October 1 - when I will travel through New Mexico, Texas, the deep South, ending back to where I began in Florida. I want to thank Reed & Cathy Edelman for their hospitality while in Beaver Creek.  One other highlight of my trip from Laramie to Breckenridge was Seedz Restaurant in Steamboat Springs: my favorite place to eat in Colorado.  If you are in that neck of the woods, you must stop for either lunch or dinner; or, in my case, dinner & lunch :). Google it! Since this is my last tour post until October, I thought I would add a few photos that did not make it into the blog thus far: Acadia from Lincoln Mountain, ME Acadia, ME...
Read more

Emptiness Tour 2021: Only In Texas: White Sands, NM to Marfa, TX

Image
  Outside Valentine, TX 33 Miles from Marfa I explored White Sands National Park and ran across a BBQ party in the middle of the Sands: It was getting late (around 11:30 am), so I hightailed it out or White Sands and headed to Marfa.  I took the long route over the mountains to the east so that I could take a look at a resort called Cloudcroft, NM.  Here is a video of what I saw on the way to the mountains: I stopped in Cloudcroft for lunch, and I met a fellow biker, Scotty Gordy, a City Commissioner from Lovington, TX.  We talked about economic development and what could be done in his fair city.  We then road together to Artesia, NM, where I headed south on my way to Marfa. The ride through the Guadalupe Mountains, in Texas, was thrilling.  I never knew these mountains existed: As I got near Marfa, TX I noticed a group of people standing next to a building - as it turns out this was the famous Prada store in the middle of the Texas desert: The two in the ...
Read more