A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL
Winchester, TN.
 Spring can mean a lot of different things here in Middle Tennessee. We know there will be some more cold weather or winters and we like to refer to them. When the Redbud trees bloom, well, that’s Redbud Winter. Same is true for the Dogwoods and Dogwood Winter, Locusts give us Locusts’ Winter when they bloom and the final ‘Winter’ of the spring comes when the Blackberry’s (the edible kind thank you very much) bloom. Can you guess what that cold snap is called?
Between these 'winters' we are blessed with some of the best days you can imagine. We’re able to get out enjoy highs in the 70’s and even some days in the 80’s with clear, cool nights that will remind you that old man winter is on his way out.
It is the same all around the country though. Spring is a time for re-birth and new beginnings.
One of the ways folks in Middle Tennessee know its spring is Winchester’s Annual High on the Hog Bar-B-Que Cook-Off. Held each year at Winchester City Park, which just so happens to back up to Tims Ford lake, the High on the Hog Bar-B-Que Cook-Off is one of those events that provides a little something for everyone while helping out those that need a hand.
This year it was my pleasure to participate in Winchester’s High on the Hog Bar-B-Que Cook-Off Poker Run. Proceeds will be donated to the Winchester Children’s Fire Safety Program and, to a true Tennessee Treasure, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. With prizes donated by local businesses and great weather it was an all around good event.
 This was one of those ‘Self Guided’ Poker Runs which means you take the map and navigate your way around the route they have picked out. Part of the fun is riding with others through scenic Middle Tennessee so I was able to make this ride with some friends of mine. This ride took us through some of Middle Tennessee’s best back roads through Lynchburg and Tullahoma.
Leaving from Winchester City Park we made our way to Lynchburg, home of a fairly well know whiskey maker and, Judy’s Leather.
 Located on the southwest corner of the square in Lynchburg, Judy’s Leather has become a destination for motorcyclists from across the globe. Their web site has pictures of riders from as far away as Germany! Just goes to show how great products at reasonable prices combined with friendly service make for a winning combination. With an inventory of products every biker wants and needs, Judy’s Leather is the place to purchase everything from ‘T’ bags and helmets, chaps and vests, and jackets and patches. Visit them online at www.judysleather.com for a listing of their inventory. Whether you ride a bike or not, if it’s leather apparel you’re looking for you can find it at Judy’s Leather on the square in Lynchburg. Be sure to let them know if you have any club affiliation and they’ll discount your purchase.
Middle Tennessee is a great place to ride motorcycles. With a lot of good ‘country roads’ that make for a great ride and awesome scenery, its easy to forget that there are hazards to be dealt with along the way. With gravel driveways and even some gravel side roads, everyone has to be on the look out for loose gravel that’s made its way out onto the road. Of course with warmer riding weather comes the need for keeping the lawn mowed. Nothing like the look of a well kept lawn, right? As motorcyclists though, we have to be constantly aware of those fresh grass clippings out in the roadway. Hey, that stuff can be SLICK! Plus, out on those same country roads you can sometimes encounter other slick stuff. You know, those hard working folks that provide the beef and dairy products we Americans enjoy so much need to move their livestock from one place to another from time to time. This can be done either by trailer or by simply opening one gate and allowing the herd to cross the road to enter another gate. Either of these methods can leave certain ‘byproducts’ in the road that can be hazardous. Not nuclear waste type of hazardous but extremely slick and messy. A word to the wise should be sufficient, don’t you think?
The exact route we took is available by following this link:  . For all you GPS’ers it is our intention to re-ride the route and mark all the turns. This should alleviate any fears anyone has of getting turned around out in the country.
By following the map you will end up in Tullahoma at the Kawasaki Dealership on Lincoln St. You’ll find the folks there to be true Southerners and Tennesseans. Hard working and happy to get you what ever you may need for your bike. They have a little bling, a little leather, a good parts department and service area and some very knowledgeable folks on staff. Terry Adcock, the owner, has been working on motorcycles for more years than both of us would like to admit and is one of those guys that’s ridden his motorcycle all over the country and then some. The shop is full of folks that love to ride and do so at each opportunity. When you need something for your bike give them a shout. If they don’t have what you’re looking for they can get it for you. If you’re thinking that its time for a new or used bike, stop by and check out their inventory of two wheeled transportation. We bought Jayne’s 650 VStar from them and were very pleased with the entire transaction. Once again, here are folks that understand that they’re in the service business. They will treat folks fairly and work to make your entire experience as pleasant as possible.
 To have your ‘Knees in the Breeze’ in no time at all stop by and see them. Plus you’ll find a nice selection of ATV’s, Scooters, Dirt Bikes and PWC’s. Kawasaki of Tullahoma – a great place to shop for whatever you need for your bike.
We left Kawasaki of Tullahoma and made our way back to Winchester City Park to find out who had the best and worst poker hand and to see who could win all that swag that had been donated. The Winner of the Worst Hand had been called away so his nephew agreed to take his new helmet to him. (Man I hope this guy was really his nephew!)
 The winner of the best hand is a guy that we all would like to go to Las Vegas with on the next trip out. Mr. Lucky won the poker run with 4 Aces! ! !
Congratulations to all winners but it is easy to see that with the great weather, great country roads, and the awesome Tennessee scenery we were all winners. When you can spend the day with your knees in the breeze and end it with lots of laughs with good friends PLUS help to support kids that really need a hand, well, you know it’s been a good day and that “a good time was had by all.”
See you out and about in the 3 States of Tennessee –
doc
TENNESSEE TOURISM RELEASES 2009 VACATION GUIDE Official Tennessee Travel Journal
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) - The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has officially released the 2009 Tennessee Vacation Guide. New to this year’s guide is a special Great Smoky Mountain National Park feature highlighting the 75th anniversary of the park. Another new feature is our delectable culinary tourism section which incorporates local cuisine from across the state.
For the first time in Tennessee Vacation Guide history, our beautiful cover is an oil on canvas painting by Knoxville resident, Jim Gray titled “Autumn Breezes. Gray’s passion for painting the Great Smoky Mountain National park has helped raise public awareness of the park since he began painting the park in the 1960s.
“Featuring “Autumn Breezes” on the cover of this year’s vacation guide, which celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is the perfect way to honor two of Tennessee’s priceless gifts,” said Commissioner Susan Whitaker.
The 2009 Vacation Guide provides an enhanced reader experience with a number of unique advancements, which directly correlate with the department’s Web site, tnvacation.com, and advertising campaign. These include tips and instructions on creating your own video itinerary and posting your Tennessee story online.
The glossy magazine-style guide, which features over 200 pages and highlights the state’s three grand regions, divided into nine distinct sub-regions, is free to Tennessee residents and visitors and is Tennessee’s most comprehensive and accessible printed resource. The new guide is packed with hundreds of colorful photos, feature articles, and descriptions of the state’s attractions, lodging, historic locales, entertainment venues, golf courses, outdoor adventures and more.
More than 500,000 guides are available for distribution at the state’s 13 Welcome Centers and to tourists requesting the publication via tnvacation.com and 1.800.GO2.TENN. The guide is Tennessee’s primary vacation planning publication and marketing publication for domestic and international tradeshows.
Be sure to check out the
tennesseetourist.com - Online Bookstore brought to you in association with Amazon.Com. You can search
Amazon.Com's extensive database of titles.
Look for
our recommendations for reading all about the 3 States of Tennessee. |
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A Tennessee Adventure always begins with good friends and destination in mind.
I think hanging around Barbara Doss Brewer, Stardust International is a Tennessee Adventure in itself. She certainly knows the country music business. A couple of weeks ago she took off to Franklin, TN to a place called Mickey Roos. You can find them online @ www.mickeyroos.com. I tagged along. Mickey Roos is a Texas Style restaurant and lounge serving Texas style Bar-B –Que filled with southern style hospitality and live music. Their ribs are dry rubbed and slow cooked, they also have chicken, brisket, tacos and wraps. Bar-B-Que is a personal thing. Some people like dry rub ribs and some like wet ribs. It's a matter of personal preference. They offer a children’s menu and have a great lunch special consisting of a meat and two sides. The atmosphere is perfect for checking e-mail and getting something great to eat.
Having a party? Well, they have a Hoss’s Tailgate that will serve 8-10. Maybe the family special is all you need, it severs 4. At night the place livens thing up a bit with live music. The open-air style gives a lighter feel then some places I have been. Combine the lightness of the room with the laughter of good friends and good music and it's a place I want to return to. In the summer they have a garage door that can be opened giving the place a whole new feel. How great is that! Check out: Mickey Roos to see if your favorite band is playing and plan to have a great time.
MICKEY ROOS
509 HILLSBORO ROAD
FRANKLIN TN 37064
PHONE 615-599-5993
FAX 615-599-5998
 I hope to see you there when the weather is warm and the bikes are out. Here’s a big shout out to the Mickey Roos Family,Mickey, Kala, Buddy, Laura, Tresa, April, Morgan, Jessica, Debbie, Candice, Shaunna and Cayla
Now you have an idea of the location Barbara, Monta and Josh the Stardust crew were headed. We were off the see a gentleman play named David Ball. David Ball was born in South Carolina and of course he came from a musical family. I guess it was only natural that he learned to play guitar. He also learned to play the piano and bass fiddle, playing everything from classical to bluegrass. In the late “70’s David moved to Austin, TX with Uncle Walt’s Band. It is worth going to the web site to see the pictures. The group featured David Ball, as well as the late Walter Hyatt and Champ Hood. They created their own style of music by blending a Texas folk with an acoustic sound that can be enjoyed everywhere today. Back in the day this was a new twist to an old style of music.
They were pioneers in the music business.
It could have been the 70’s hair that was also a tribute to their popularity.
 A record deal brought David Ball back to Nashville. After
three records with R.C.A. were less than striving he signed with Warner Brothers
in 1993. For those who are remembering “Think’ Problem” made number 2 on the
charts of Billboard country in the states and number one in Canada. It has been
quoted that from CMT that “ The title track, "Look What Followed Me Home" and
"When The Thought Of You Catches Up With Me" were the best examples of this
material, which placed him firmly within the Hank Williams tradition of resigned
but evocative country balladeers.” David Ball - Riding With Private Malone (Youtube of
'Riding With PrivateMalone')
The smash hit Riding With Private Malone" from the 2001 album
'Amigo'. The album 'Freewheel' followed in 2004. ”Heartaches by the Number” was
released on the Shanachie lable on 3/27/07. D avid has toured with some of the biggest names in country music: Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, Dwight Yoakum and Toby Keith. Now it is time for him to take the lead and take his own band on the road a again
What’s new in 2009?
 David
Ball has put together an all-star band and is
hitting the road again. It is worth the trip to enjoy some great music. Some of
their venues are small as seen here at Mickey Roos. www.mickeyroos.com Some are
larger. I may have heard of David before
but this is the first time I have seen him play. The other band members were
lead/backup vocals - Troy Cook
Jr. -, Steele Guitar - J.R., bass - Billy Pierce, drums - Scott Metko and Acoustic Guitar- lead
vocals - David Ball. I love when Artists play
smaller venues. They work the kinks out of new shows and it is the best time to
see them. Each of these band members has their own style and personality. The
blending of styles is what makes a show so great. This is the best time to go
out and have a little food and see this band go to www.davidball.com for up coming locations. They already have a following so you might want to reserve a table. You never know who is going to be in the audience either in the smaller venues.
 On this day at Mickey Roos Bobby Chitwood stopped by to hear
old friends. Bobby was just signed to Universal and will have a new album out in
the spring. Personally, I'm looking forward to it. You can see more of
Bobby Chitwood at www.myspace.com/bobbychitwood .
We all know there are trying times everywhere you look or listen we are reminded. Here is the opportunity to go our and for a small price see a great show.
The performers of all genres know this. I am hoping in the
future to see David Ball and the group perform again. Best to Bobby Chitwood we
will be looking for you in the future as well. I hope to see you out and about
Mickey Roos, Legends, The Stage good food good friends, good
music.
TENNESSEE TOURISM ANNOUNCES WHAT'S NEW FOR 2009
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) - The year 2009 brings several significant additions to the tourism industry and some important historical milestones. This is an exciting time for new exhibits, attractions, hotels, restaurants and experiences in Tennessee.
One of the most important milestones is the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many major events are being held both in the park and throughout the gateway cities to commemorate this monumental event. For more information on the park and events, visit www.greatsmokies75th.org.
Another important 2009 milestone is the 100th anniversary of the Chattanooga Choo Choo. The highlight of the year-long festivities includes a special big-band concert by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, whose original band members put the Terminal Station on the map with their recording of “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” For more information, visit www.choochoo.com. Below, find a brief summary of what’s new in 2009..
East Tennessee –
Belle Island Village, a $114 million, 26-acre, themed development with retail, hospitality and entertainment venues, is projecting a spring 2009 grand opening. Featured at Belle Island Village will be the world's largest private collection of Hollywood memorabilia - preserved by Debbie Reynolds. Also featured is the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience, which highlights the career of one of NASCAR's most beloved drivers and lets you experience the look, feel, and overwhelming sensations the racers feel. www.belleisland.com.
Dollywood launches Imagine by Le Grand Cirque, a show that will headline the park’s Festival of Nations spectacular in the spring. Imaginé presented by Le Grand Cirque will amaze audiences at Dollywood with their athletic ability, lavish costumes, dynamic lighting, mesmerizing music and breathtaking feats. Visit www.dollywood.com for more information.
The Tennessee Aquarium and Hunter Museum of American Art team up to bring a special exhibition to Chattanooga in May, 2009. Jellies: Living Art showcases jellyfish, some of the most mysterious creatures on Earth, alongside breathtaking glass sculptures inspired by nature. This award-winning exhibit was the highest-rated gallery in Monterey Bay Aquarium’s history. Works of art will be featured at both the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Museum. Visit www.tnaqua.org to find out what else they have in store for 2009.
Middle Tennessee
Frist Center for the Visual Arts will host “Medieval Treasures from the Cleveland Museum of Art,” February 13-June 7. The Cleveland Museum of Art possesses one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of early Christian, Byzantine and medieval European art in the world. You can find out more by visiting the Frist Center's web site @ www.fristcenter.org
There will soon be a lot more to love at the Loveless Café in Nashville. The Loveless Barn is scheduled for completion by January 2009. It will be an exciting new venue space located on the historic Loveless Cafe property. (While your there don't forget the biscuits!) Find out more about the Loveless Barn online @ www.lovelessbarn.com.
The James K Polk home in Columbia, Tenn. will have a new museum. Polk Presidential Hall will be an exhibit and program hall hosting four exhibits per year, some from the Smithsonian. A resounding endorsement if there ever was one! www.jameskpolk.com/new/.
West Tennessee –
The Casey Jones Home & Museum in Jackson, Tenn. is adding a brand new museum in spring 2009 featuring extensive architectural design elements that will create a truly authentic train station experience and allow for greatly enhanced exhibits. There will be a theatre for viewing the story of Casey Jones, expanded exhibits, a traveling exhibit hall and a gift shop. You can learn more about the Casey Jones Museum @ www.caseyjones.com.
Memphis Zoo will open a new four acre exhibit featuring grizzlies, timber wolves, elk and trumpeter swans in summer 2009. Memphis Zoo was voted the number one zoo in America on TripAdvisor’s top zoos and aquariums. More about the Memphis Zoo by visiting them online @ www.memphiszoo.org.
HRH Vineyards & Crown Winery is scheduled in to open in Humboldt in spring 2009.
There many great things to do and see in the 3 States of Tennessee! We'll see you out and about enjoying YOUR Tennessee Adventure™!
Help Support A
True Tennessee Treasure
St. Jude Childrens' Research Hospital |
