Loop Life with Greg and Reenie: TENNESSEE RIVER

How are Y'all doing?

We both like the South, although sometimes it feels, tastes, and sounds as if we are in a foreign country!

We traveled about 50 miles along the TENNESSEE RIVER, from Pickwick Landing State Park to Florence, Alabama. Florence is in the Northwest corner of Alabama. It was a pretty day with light winds, and big white cumulonimbus clouds.

We docked for a week at the Florence Harbor Marina. The Marina has a favorable weekly rate for Loopers. We were also a little nervous about the remnants of hurricane Nate, and decided to stay at port for the week. The first couple of days in Florence were very fun, we arrived on the towns monthly First Friday celebration, and then watching a parade on Saturday morning.

After a couple of days in Florence, our weather reports indicated that hurricane Nate wasn't going to effect us much (except lots of rain). We decided to secure Thistle and rent a car for a few days and visit Nashville. We wanted to visit Nashville and it was a good excuse to avoid the rain.

Nashville was so much fun! We totally enjoyed ourselves for three days:) Nashville is the Capital of Tennessee. It is also home to The Grand Old Opry House and The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The Old Downtown part of Nashville features Honky-Tonks with live music! The music starts everyday at noon and continues until the wee hours of the morning. We listened to great music all three days! It is a tradition that no place of business charges a cover. There are 1,000's of tourists and locals walking from Honky-Tonk to Honky-Tonk enjoying live music of their choice (the people watching is pretty amazing too!). The new area of Nashville is called The Gulch, with many fantastic restaurants.

Missing Thistle we headed back to Florence to finish our week at the Marina.

Florence was incorporated in 1826 and us known today as Alabama's Renaissance City. The city is very proud of its diverse history. There is an Indian Mound (largest of its kind in the South) and Museum. It is a Indian ceremony area called Wawmahona, built circa 500 AD. Popes Tavern is a renowned historical stop in Florence, it served as a hospital for Civil War soldiers for both Union and Confederate armies. The W.C. Handy Home and Museum is dedicated to Florence's most famous son. Handy is known as the "Father of Blues" and was born in a log cabin in 1873. Every summer there is a large music festival here in his honor. We enjoyed our time back in Florence, especially visiting with fellow Loopers at Stanfields River Bottom Grill at the Florence Harbor Marina.

After a nice week, weather permitting, we are heading to Rogersville, Alabama tomorrow morning. We will attend the annual America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association Fall Rendezvous ....

Looper Tip: Many of the Marina's along the river system offer Loopers a great weekly rate! We really liked Florence and all it had to offer :)