Writing About Nothing: Nashville and Kentucky

Monday, June 22, 2026

Nashville and Kentucky

Mark and I got up before the sun and flew from Provo to Nashville. I was exceptionally happy to see Adam. He had been gone for 10-11 days. He took us to his office and showed us around. It was nice to meet several people he works with and everyone was very kind to us.

We drove to a park where there is an art museum that is a replica of the Parthenon.

The art museum was closed, but I posed with my sister suffragettes.

I learned that Tennessee was the deciding vote to allow women to be able to vote. One of the state representatives had been opposed to women getting the vote, but his mom wrote him a letter to "be a good boy" and change his mind. He cast his vote and now I can cast mine.

We went to the Opryland Hotel and walked around. It was beautiful.

We ended the (long, but good) day at the Grand Ole Opry.

I used to be more of a country music fan than I am now, but we had a fun time. There were lots of same world different universe moments in Nashville. Lots and lots of groups of young women were there, in cowboy hats, fringe, mini-skirts and boots for bachelorette parties. Lots! I don't really get it, but it is obviously a whole thing. At one point, Adam said something about a bridal party and Mark happened to see a neon sign of a bucking horse at the same time and he assumed Adam was talking about a bridle party and they were going to be horseback riding. So from then on we called the groups Cowgirl Quinceañeras, which didn't really make sense, but had alliteration going for it.

Saturday we went to Kentucky with the intention of going to Buc-ee's. We realized we were close to Mammoth Cave National Park and the National Corvette Museum, so we decided to do those things also.

It was fun to introduce Mark to the wonder that is Buc-ee's.

We are shameless super fans.

While we were there, Adam's boss texted him a story about a German tourist discovering Buc-ee's, because she knows Adam loves it. Adam texted back this picture and asked, "Why would you think I'd be interested in a story about Buc-ee's?"

I hate caves and the very idea of caves. Adam talked to the Mammoth Cave National Park people, like he does, and they said that they were "wide open." I went for it. They were wide enough, but the ceiling was low and I did not like it. I told Adam that listening to the people at the visitor center was like the time I asked one of my students if the spicy chicken sandwich at the school cafeteria was very spicy. He said no and it was very spicy and I should have asked a white student who is wimpy about spice like I am. I think Adam should have asked a claustrophobic person....

I survived it and it did open up when we got further into the cave and I could appreciate how beautiful and remarkable it was, but I was happy to leave.

I thought we were going to the National Corvette Museum because Mark likes cars, but when I saw the beautiful Corvettes from the early years, I decided I like Corvettes! So shiny and pretty!

Mark drove a race car simulator and Adam went along with him.

There were two cars and a kid who was about 14 or 15 was in the car next to Mark. He kept crashing into the wall and I was glad that Mark didn't, since he has a driver's license and all. It made me feel better about him driving around in the world.

Sunday we went to church and drove around the countryside surrounding Nashville, including Franklin. It was beautiful and exceptionally green. Franklin was a charming (though they did love the Civil War) little town. We walked around a tiny bit but then Adam shepherded us back to the car in the nick of time before an absolute cloudburst.

I guess that's why it's so green....

We had another early flight on Monday morning to Chicago. We flew Contour Air, there were 21 people on the plane. They took out every other row, so we had plenty of leg room.