Day 81–Jellystone Park Camp Resort, Grand Ole Opry Show, Nashville, Tennessee

It was another overcast day and we spent much of our time organizing and trying to figure the next leg of our journey home. The weather has been an issue so we have to be aware of which routes we take.

We left early for the show  because we wanted to see if we could get better seating. Luckily, we were able to change our nosebleed seats for middle floor seats about  7 rows from the stage. The tickets were $12.00 more per seat but well worth it.

We still had  90 minutes before the show so after changing our seats we went to the Opry Mall to walk around. The place was even more of a mob scene then yesterday. It is a huge mall with a really pretty carousel in the  middle.

 

 

I was amazed at the number of stores and specialty shops available to shoppers as well as the  wide variety of restaurants. We both thought the Easter Bunny venue was very pretty.

   

 

                                                  

 

Back at the Grand Ole Opry we took our seats and waited patiently for the show. We aren’t familiar with the performers so hoped we would enjoy the show. The last time we were here the headliners were Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and Scotty McCreery and all were country singers we really love. 

Well the show turned out be incredibly wonderful and we enjoyed every minute of it.

Kelly Skidmore is a young singer song writer who has written songs for the TV series – Nashville.

Another singer that really pulled on our heart strings is Holly Williams. Her grandfather and father were singers so she is carrying the torch for the family. She wrote a song about her grandparents was incredible. She sang with so much emotion I felt like crying.        

 

All of the performers were great but these two women were exceptional. Then there was  Chris Janson. He came on stage and  really made an impact and got a standing ovation.

 

 

The very best instrumental was done by the bluegrass band, Steep Canyon Rangers. Nicky Sanders on the violin was beyond belief and when the  group finished there program it was a wild and loud standing ovation for them!

All the performers were great and put on a magnificent show. I guess we really do like country music!

Day 80– Jellystone Park Camp Resort, Nashville Tennessee, Grand Ole Opry Tour.

It was a very quiet night at the Flying J and we slept soundly. This morning I made reservations for three nights at the Jellystone Park Camp Resort one mile from the Grand Ole Opry. Luckily it is a Passport America CG so half price at $30.00 a night.

We were assigned our site and when we arrived there was a Jeep parked in the site. I had to get the people to move their Jeep so we could get in. The sites here are very tight and their 45 foot MH just fit with no space for their car. We just fit with our car partially hanging into the road.

We set up and then took a ride to the Grand Ole Opry to try for tickets to the Friday  night show. Neither one of us is really a country music fan but we do enjoy the Grand Ole Opry!!!!

There were only a few tickets left so we got best available in the upper balcony. The venue isn’t that large so just  minor nose bleed seats. LOL We inquired about the back stage tour and decided to book it. I was shocked when Ron agreed and paid the $140.00 for the tour and show without batting an eyelash!!!!!! Who is this man!

                         

 

                                                

 

We had  45 minutes to to kill before the tour so walked around the grounds and over to the Opry Mills Mall across from the theatre.

 

They have an interesting restaurant called Aquarium and inside you are surrounded by aquariums. Looked like an interesting place to eat but there was nothing on the menu that appealed to us so we opted to try something else after our Backstage Tour.

 

                             

               

The Backstage tour began promptly at 12:30 pm. Our tour guide was very nice but not very enthusiastic. We watched a brief video on the history of the Grand Ole Opry then were taken to the back entry used by the performers. At he desk is the Grand Ole Opry Post  Office where each performer picks up fan mail.

 

Each entertainer is assigned a dressing room. There are 18, each decorated quite beautifully.

 

  

                                      

            

 

There is a dressing room specifically used for performers outside the country music world. The Grand Ole Opry stage is a venue that many performers want the honor of performing on so they set aside a dressing room specifically for those performers.

 

 

We stopped in a backstage area of the Opry  that is used for several different venues including the filming of He Haw back in the 70’s. There is a display set up for the TV show Nashville with the itsy bitsy dresses the female leads wore on the show’s debut. I swear they are really miniature people judging by the size of the dresses.

 

The green room where the performers wait with their families is very nice and not green at all. Looking at the wall on the left is a black metal bar that indicates how high the flooding was inside the Opry back in 2010.

   

 

You can see the water line stain on the mural that hangs on the wall in the green room.

 

                                    

 

Part of the history of the Grand Ole Opry is that it is not a concert hall but a radio station that broadcasts three evenings a week. So during the show the announcer actually does commercials. In it’s eighty-nine  year history the Opry has never missed a broadcast, not even during the flooding of 2010. The radio show was broadcast from the Ryman Theater while the Opry was being repaired.

On stage there is a circle of hardwood flooring that was brought form the Ryman designating where every performer from the Ryman once stood before a performance. Today we were able to go on stage and stand in the same spot of all the present and past performers.

 

                                                          

 

 

                                                          

 

.Of the twenty or so people in the group we were the only two people that have been here before, have seen a show and will being seeing another show. No one else plans to see the show this weekend I guess.

 

                                         

Walking  over to the mall we stopped to admire the daffodils that were in full bloom throughout the area.

Although it was overcast we enjoyed walking around outside knowing we didn’t have to deal with snow and ice.

We ate at the Macaroni Grill for lunch and got way more food then we needed. So much food that we could only eat half of the meal. Ron and I decided we need to start sharing meals. The good news is that we have left overs  for dinner on Friday. Despite the lack of sunshine we had a very nice day and are looking forward to Friday nights’ show.

Day 79 - Travel Day–Flying J Truck Stop, Fairview, Tennessee

We left Little Rock at 10 am in overcast, cold weather. Ron felt like driving so our planned destination - Nashville, Tennessee 350 miles east.  I-40 is a heavily traveled truck route – never saw so many trucks on the road.

It was stop and go in some places and when we decided to stop for lunch the rest areas (small rest areas) were full to capacity with tractor – trailers. I found a Wal Mart just off the highway so we were able to take a lunch break there.

By 5 pm we were undecided if we would continue on or stop for the night. We stopped for gas at the Flying J in Fairview, Tennessee, about 37 miles from Nashville. It was very quiet in the RV area and it had warmed up  so we decided to spend the night.

  

There was one other RV parked to our right and surprisingly  no other RV’s pulled in for the night. Usually there are 5-6 parked near-by but not this time.

                                                

     Love the Sign in the Window.                     

We enjoyed a nice dinner at Denny’s and then watched the weather channel.  We would need to spend at least three more days in this area to avoid the forecasted snow along the route we’re  taking.  Winter, please go away!

Day 78–Downtown Riverside RV Park–Little Rock, Arkansas

Once again we opted to stay another night here on the Arkansas River. The sun was shining and the expected temp today in the high 70’s. We are dragging our feet going home and thought  getting a little sunshine and warmth would be good for the soul.

Not much to say just sat by the river reading and enjoying the good weather – finally. Wednesday the weather  will get cold with rain so we will be heading out.

After the light show the bridges glowed green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

 

Hopefully the above video will work!

Well. it’s been nice here in Little Rock, Arkansas and we got some warmth and sun but it is time to get home (at least for me). Not sure how all this will play out – keep watching the weather and it seems like the winter from hell will never end!!!!!

 

Day 77 Downtown Riverside RV Park–Hang Around Day

We decided it would be a nice idea to spend another night so I went to the office  hoping to secure the same site. Nope, we had to move because another rig was coming in for a one week stay. Since we had to close up and move I asked for a waterfront site.

After breaking down and moving we were glad to have riverfront access. It is very nice here and the office staff told me that most people come for one night but end up staying 3-4 nights.

 

Initially we thought about going back into town for the day but after some discussion we decided to stay at our site and enjoy the weather. Before going out to sit I opened all the windows and cleaned the MH.  Ron set out our chairs so we could eat lunch overlooking the river. The sun was shining brightly and our  weather spirits were up.

When I got outside to sit, not 3 minutes later heavy cloud cover blocked out the sun. WHAT! Yes, then the wind picked up and it got very cold! Then to make matters worse I felt raindrops on my hand – OH! Not rain drops but bird poop!!! This wasn’t going as planned. LOL

 

All day the sun was  shining and then it wasn’t. We planned our time outside by the appearance of the sun. Despite that we enjoyed the day and met two nice couples  from New York. They had dogs so Jewel had  a grand time playing with  them.

 

Of course Ron had to get his sunset picture!

 

Later that evening we were entertained by one of the city’s newest attractions – River Lights in the Rock – a  $2.4 million project featuring  three LED – illuminated  downtown bridges that have bright light shows each hour. We could see all three bridges from our camp site.

The lights on this bridge looked like they were  were passing through a tube with different colors and the bridge to the left of it and the Clinton Memorial Bridge are coordinated so the colors match. It is really very cool to watch.

 

It was another good day here in Little Rock, Arkansas. Who knew!

Day 76–Downtown Riverside RV Park, Little Rock, Arkansas–William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum

Today we took a walk across the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge  ( was once a railroad bridge) adjacent to the CG that took us to the Presidential Library. 

 

                   

 

 

The library didn’t open until 1 pm so we took a walk around the park. There were lots of people outdoors taking advantage of the beautiful day.

 

                               

The library looks like something out of a Sci-Fi movie –  a very modern shiny building  with  sharp lines and edges. The presentation of President Clinton’s tenure is very well done and addresses all of the positives  as well as negatives during his time as president. . I always liked him as president, just didn’t agree with his personal choices in his private life. Despite his shortcomings in that area and a failed impeachment attempt by congress he was well respected in world politics and did improve the overall well-being of our country and foreign relations while in office.

                               

                                           

 

Bill’s Saxophone's

    

One of the two Chihuly Christmas trees commissioned for the White House  during the Clinton administration. This one was donated to the library and stands about 7 feet tall.                           

 

After completing our tour of the library we took the one mile walk through town to the old State House Museum  that gained world-wide  recognition when it was used as the setting for President Bill Clinton’s   election night celebrations in 1992 and 1996.

 

 

          

                                           

 

It was nice to see that this old building has been maintained and is being used for different displays and concerts.

On the way back to the CG we stopped for “World Famous” fried chicken at Gus’s.

  

                                                                

 

The chicken was very good and very spicy!

Did I mention there were a lot of stairs to climb!

           

There was no end to the stairs!

In the Presidential Library there was a Snoopy exhibit – so of course Ron had to get a picture. .

 

 

We had a very nice day and were happy to be back at the CG enjoying our time on the Arkansas river watching the sunset.