Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

Six Thousand Miles of Back Roads Part2

Above all traveling six thousand miles on backroads across 15 states in sixty days is a mega trip and I’ll tell you all about it in Part 2 of this series. Details in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136.

Florida

Firstly we’ll start in Florida.

Where the most compelling evidence for over crowding and over development is getting kicked out of a state park…

Of course not to mention the traffic…

And expense of the so called Sunshine State.

Secondly take Florida off your travel list in season.

Undoubtedly Florida is overdeveloped.

However there are less populated and more quaint parts of Florida worth visiting and spending time.

Georgia

Hence we move on to Georgia

Certainly the Saint Simons Cumberland national seashores are beautiful.

For example Jekyll Island, Saint Simons, and the rest of the Georgia Coast has a lot of history.

South Carolina

Then in South Carolina I discovered some great dusty beach towns.

But I am not going to name those towns because I don’t want to see them ruined.

Otherwise they are there.

North Carolina

Subsequently the North Carolina coastline was fantastic

For example highway 179…

and Ocean Isle Beach, Oak Island on out to the Carolina Beach.

Finally the Ferries are low cost and so much fun.

Thereafter-Emerald Island, Atlantic Beach and the rest of the Outer Banks.

Ocracoke Island

Especially Ocracoke Island.

In due time you get on Route 12 which goes all the way up to Kill Devil Hills.

All in all The national Seashores keep these areas from being over developed.

The Old Dominion

Afterward I headed to Virginia on some personal business.

Most importantly here is the fact that I lived in the Old Dominion State for ten years at one point.

And Virginia has some great back roads.

Eventually I left Richmond headed up 460 to Bristol, Virginia.

Tennessee

Presently I left Bristol for Tennessee. Details again in Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

By all means the best of the latter parts of this trip was the navigation.

Using GPS Doesn’t Make A Road Trip

It must be remembered that most people enter a location on their GPS.

Eventually hitting start and driving on the Interstate until the GPS tells them they have arrived.

All things considered using GPS on the Interstates just isn’t any way to travel for me.

Maps

To this end I love maps.

And navigating with maps.

Nashville

In short I navigated to the Nashville area without all the traffic.

Because Nashville is booming.

Civil War History

Equally important is the amount of Civil War history in this part of the country.

Death and Destruction Monuments

That is to say it is food for thought considering popular culture these days.

Kentucky Does Not Like Shoulders

Accordingly I moved onto Kentucky which does not like shoulders on its roads.

Illinois

Then Southern Illinois.

As an illustration of the superiority of maps over GPS it’s easier to make changes in your travel plans.

Because you pull out a map and look for a route to emerge to a new destination.

Thus I headed North to the Chicago area to see friends.

Navigation

At this point another tremendous feat of navigation coming up on 51.

Cairo

On this occasion I came across Cairo, Illinois.

To begin this town is so beat down it was actually shocking.

In fact there’s a reason. Listen to Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136.

(Editor’s Note: Some might blame flooding for the problems in Cairo but there’s more to the story.)

Neenah Wisconsin

In time I came straight up through Wisconsin to Neenah.

In conclusion much of this experience has been and is like a dream and now it is onto Western Wisconsin and rest!

And I wouldn’t have it any other way

Six-Thousand-Miles-Backroads-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1136

Sponsored By 36LYN The Independently Owned And Operated Refueling Station

 

Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134

Birthplace Of Country Music Museum

Firstly this podcast is about music and specifically the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Bristol Virginia earned that title way back in 1927. Learn more in Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134

Walk and Talk

Secondly we’ll walk and talk through the Birthplace Of Country Music Museum.

Musical and Historical

Most importantly much of the museum is musical and historical.

And it is focused primarily on audio.

Featured Sounds Headphones On

So those sounds are featured in this podcast.

How Did Bristol Earn The Birthplace Of Country Music?

Undoubtedly Bristol earned this title in the summer of 1927 when record producer Ralph Peer arrived in town to record 19 artists from Appalachia.

Greater Impact

Equally important is the fact that the so called Bristol Sessions had an impact far greater than anyone could have predicted in 1927

This Museum Is A Gem

Thirdly my listeners know I like to roll through places rather than stop. But I made an exception for this. Above all this Smithsonian museum in Bristol is a gem.

Influential Recordings

Because recording what was called Hillbilly music then has proven influential in so many music genres today.

Arrived Through The Mist Of Time

Another key point is how this music made its way to these hills.

And the songs go back to the Lowlands of Scotland, Wales and England.

Bristol Boom

Significantly Bristol was booming back in 1927

It was unquestionably a very active town of railroads, new industry, agriculture, retail commerce and logging.

Big Bang

Scholars call the Bristol Sessions analogous to the Big Bang.

Johnny Cash

Accordingly Johnny Cash called the Bristol sessions the single most important event in the history of country music.

Resonates

With this mind this subject resonates with me because music, history, and radio are brought together here.

Carter Family

From the Carter family with their photographic memories and in effect revolutionary style of playing..

All The Original Stars Of Country

To the already reigning stars of the genre in 1927 such as Earnest Stoneman.

Radio History Too

Of course by 1927 The Big Barn Dance was already on WLS from Chicago…

And the Grand Old Opry on WSM aired regularly on WSM in Nashville.

Therefore a brand new radio and record industry were just beginning to change American Culture forever.

Time Changes Everything

Finally the small towns have become cities the enclaves have become suburbs.

On The Crooked Highway The Past Is Present

But every now and then the traveler can still see places that people back in 1927 might have called home.

Up to the present time the best place to see it is The Crooked Highway.

That is to say Highway 58 Virginia which takes the traveler to Bristol, Virginia…

But, we’re all lucky they made the trip in 1927.

Sponsored by 36LYN The Independently Owned and Operated Refueling Station and Convenience Store

Birthplace-Of-Country-Music-Museum-Bob Davis Podcast 1134

 

 

 

Road-Less-Traveled-Trip-Bob Davis Podcast 840

Streaming The Road

I get a big kick out of myself once and a while. Join me on the road In this most noteworthy podcast a stream of consciousness trip through Southwestern Virginia on the way to Tennessee. Learn more in Road-Less-Traveled-Trip-Bob Davis Podcast 840.

Back Roads Only Take 2

This road trip started with rolling from Minneapolis and Saint Paul to Western Virginia to see family. You know I love the back roads. Even more, I have now made a permanent commitment to travel only on the back roads.

Only Car On The Road

These days on America’s old national highways and state roads when I say it’s the road less traveled I am not kidding. Especially relevant, most of the time I am the only vehicle on the highway.

History

In addition there’s a lot of history. From the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s in Pikeville Kentucky, to passing General Lee’s Headquarters on a dingy street in Petersburg, Virginia. A rainy drive at dusk, on an empty road, took me through Appomattox, where the Civil War ended.

Here’s the Path

This podcast opens at Pikeville, Kentucky on the way to Virginia. The main focus is Route 1 South to US 58 West. 58 is a twisting and turning snake through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Heading through Danville, Martinsville, Damascus, South Boston Virginia and more. We end in Bristol, Virginia, the Birthplace of Country Music. I did a podcast on Bristol a few years ago. Learn more by clicking here. By the way, I kept calling it Bristol, Tennessee and there is part of Bristol in the Volunteer State, but country music was born on the Virginia side.

Heading To Tennessee

First of all, thanks for all the donations I have received for fuel. Second, from here it’s onto Tennessee, a corner of Arkansas, and up through Missouri to the Ozarks and Highway 61 through Iowa, on home to Minnesota.

Good For The Soul

In conclusion, travel is good for the soul. Consequently the road less traveled can only be great for the soul.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Road-Less-Traveled-Trip-Bob Davis Podcast 840