TheSouth2011

Day 6

Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Nashville, TN to Shelbyville, TN
59.4 miles, 4h56m, 12.0 mph
Elapsed Time: 6h48m, Max speed: 27.6mph
Total Climbing: 2052ft, Max elevation: 882ft
Total mileage: 422.9

I rolled out of Nashville at 8am after a traditional Holiday Inn Express breakfast. Things got weird as I headed south.

I really don't know what to say about this.

Then, suddenly, I had the music business all around me.

Look! There's BMI! The big performance rights management organization!

And look! Right across the street! It's ASCAP! The other giant performance rights management organization!

And over there! Oh, wait. It's only SESAC. The other (and much smaller) performance rights organization.

And then I was into the suburbs. Lots of McMansions, McMegaMansions, and even some real mansions.

And mega-churches.

I spent a few miles on a bike path, which resulted in the day's only historic site. Boilings Springs School. Yup. It's an old brick building. I decided to take a picture of the outhouse and the Mound out back. It was nice.

Boiling Springs School outbuilding and mound.

Eventually I reached the country and just cruised along. As usual, I stopped at almost every convenience store and gas station whether or not I needed anything. At one point, with 12 miles to go, I was carrying four bottles in my trunk-bag cooler, plus two water bottles. I've had an obsession with hydration ever since that long, dry day in Louisiana all those years ago.

Speaking of my '08 trip. At a place called Atkinson (or something like that) I crossed paths with my route from that trip. No recollection whatsoever.

You can't carry too much refreshing liquid.

I stopped for lunch at a supermarket in Eagleville or Unionville (I forget). I had strawberries. When it's hot I really don't like to eat solid food. I also tried a drink called Cheerwine, which is some kind of cherry soda. I didn't finish it. I ate most of the berries though.

The bear just needed to get in a photo.

I guess I'm still on target for Rock City.

From what I've seen of Shelbyville, Springfield ahs nothing to worry about. But then, my motel is in the fast food and auto parts district.

Originally I planned an 80-mile day tomorrow--all the way to Scottsboro, Alabama and its famous Unclaimed Baggage Center. But with these temperatures that ride would be too long and too hilly. So instead I will ride to Winchester via Lynchburg. It's much shorter, and it will give me a chance to stop and smell the whiskey.

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