Index
Day 1 - Nashville
Day 2 - Corvettes
Day 3 - Mammoth Cave
Day 4 - Tail of the Dragon
Day 5 - West Virginia
Day 6 - 50 states done
Southern US: September 2020
Morning trek to Mammoth Cave National Park, the largest cave in the world. Due to COVID-19 they're only running one route/tour, the Extended Historic Tour, but it's 2+ miles of incredibly massive underground cave, completely with plenty of history from many years of human use. At least for a first-time visitor, it was extraordinary; some of the currently closed areas are supposedly amazing too, but I can't say I felt like I was any less in awe.
The above-ground trails don't get their fair share of attention at Mammoth Cave National Park. Unfortunately I had a schedule to keep (or thought I did...), so off it was.
Lunch, then a stop at Dueling Grounds Distillery in Franklin, KY. Not a huge bourbon fan, but the employees were very knowledgeable about the whisky and the history of the area, which is extensive. And the bourbon, un-aged bourbon, and the KY Apple Pie, the last made with un-aged bourbon, weren't bad. The fruit liquers were good too, although the raspberry's subtlety really only showed through after you tried some of the other flavors.
Several hundred miles and several hours of driving later, combined with fact that Cousin Matt and his friend Ted were running a bit late, it was time to stop by for the obligatory meal at Waffle House. Their country ham is still too salty, but the Waffle House experience remains intact despite plexiglass sheets and social distancing. And it was kind of random to find a well-stocked butcher section at Food City.
Tackled Tail of the Dragon just as darkness hit and the rain started to fall, so kept things to a reasonable pace. 318 turns in 11 miles in the dark is definitely an experience. Not nearly as challenging as expected, but then I didn't have any passengers to worry about either. And finding the AirBnB deep in the woods was a process in itself.