Canadian Buffoon's DISmeet vacation - 09/14 - Bowled Over

[vamassey1]

Some of that I knew...
And some I didn't.

It's amazing what we learn from each other on these boards.

Really! Well, hi there
fellow Canuck.

I'm very familiar with that.
My Dad does too.

What was his first language?

I'm sorry that he didn't too.

You do????
I had no idea!

I guess I just assumed that
if you live in a southern State
that Spanish might be more
common as a second language course.

Spanish is very big here as a second language course. Since we have lots of people who speak it as their first language it's very popular. LSU has a French department. Danielle considered minoring in French but changed her mind.

Well, I did have a thing for Ginger Spice
back in the day...
but I was never a big fan of their music
and I turned off their movie about
half way through... maybe less.

What no love for Posh?

 

[pkondz]

It's amazing what we learn from each other on these boards.

I have a list of things
to do/see/try that I keep
updating from things
I've learned on the DIS.

What was his first language?

German.
He didn't speak a word of English
when he came here.

Spanish is very big here as a second language course. Since we have lots of people who speak it as their first language it's very popular. LSU has a French department. Danielle considered minoring in French but changed her mind.

What changed her mind?

What no love for Posh?

Nope! Too hoity toity.

 

[pkondz]

A Grand Ole Time


After my little mishap
with the pet crate,
I re-entered the highway
a little shaken,
and not just a little apprehensive.
But... What else could possibly happen?

I settled in and prepared to continue
my drive to Knoxville,
where I would overnight.


I found out later, that the area
I was driving through was known
for having some pretty dense fog.


Fog would've been nice.


As the sun set, and headlights
came on a light rain began
to dampen my windshield.
Not a lot... just enough to
occasionally flick the wipers
on and off.

As it got darker out,
the rain fell harder.
Soon my occasional on/off
turned into intermittent.
Intermittent turned into on.
Which turned into high-speed.
The rain came down in torrents.
In buckets.
A veritable flood.


Visibility dropped to next to nothing...
and then it got really bad.

Soon I could no longer see the road
that I was driving on.
The GPS seemed to indicate that
I was still on course, so I at least had that.
I followed the SUV in front of me
and hoped that he could see
where he was going.
I could barely make out his tail-lights
a short distance in front of me.

Every now and then, I would catch
a glimpse of a white painted line
which let me know that I was indeed,
still on a highway.
Otherwise, I couldn't see the road.
My wipers couldn't keep up
with the deluge and my hands
turned white from gripping
the steering wheel as tightly
as I could.
At one point, I realized that
if the vehicle in front of me
were to drive off a cliff,
I would follow right along
behind it at sixty-five
miles per hour.

This continued for...
About the next four hours.
Four hours of driving about
sixty-five... and not knowing
what was more than ten feet
in front of me, while not
being able to see where
I was going.
Many times, I was taken by
surprise as the SUV in front of me
started a turn, following a bend
in the road.
I could only trust that was
what he was doing and he hadn't
suddenly driven off the highway
due to some unforeseen event.

Eventually... eventually!
Betty told me to take the next exit.
I breathed a sigh of relief
as I steered off the highway
and slowed down.
The reduction of speed
accompanied by the lights
of Knoxville improved the visibility.

I could see again.


Just another five minutes or so
brought me to my hotel.
I pulled up in front of the door...

And couldn't let go of the steering wheel.

It felt like my hands were glued in place.
With a conscious effort,
I released the steering wheel.
First the right hand, then the left.
It was then that I noticed how much
my back was aching.
I'd been hunched forward
over the wheel for hours.
I leaned back and grimaced.

I sat in the car for a few minutes,
just listening to the rain and
collecting my thoughts.
i.e. I tried to calm down enough
so that when I checked in,
the clerk didn't think I was some
crazed lunatic........
Well, more crazed than usual.

I probably come across that way
usually anyway.


Once I checked in
(and the clerk stopped screaming)
I was directed to park in the back
and use the rear door.

I don't know if the clerk was new
or figured people checking in
wouldn't have luggage.
I went to the rear door and...

No. I am not lugging my bags
up stairs to get inside.
I rolled my bags back around front
and re-entered the hotel there.
The clerk didn't give me a glance.
I may have given him a glare.

I was perhaps not in the best of moods.
I'd smashed into a pet carrier
and driven blindly at high speed
for four hours.
I was most definitely not in a good mood.


The next morning, I was pleased
(thrilled... overjoyed)
to see that it was not raining.
Even if it had been, it was still
bright enough to see.
It turns out that being able
to see when you're driving
is a very good thing.
This may surprise some of you.

I checked out of the hotel
(using the front door
to roll my bags out thankyouverymuch)
and loaded up the car.
I set out.
Today would be a much shorter drive.
My next destination was a mere
three hours away.
For me... practically right next door.


I am not a country music fan.
At. All.

Yes, there is the odd country tune
that I like...
But those are very few and far between.
But I have heard of the Grand Ole Opry
for as long as I can remember.
And when in Nashville...

I parked the car and immediately
was surprised at the size of the place.
It was huge!
I was so surprised... I didn't take a photo.
It was only when I went inside
that I remembered to start taking photos.

This Dale Chihuly glass sculpture
immediately caught my eye.
I love glass sculpture.
And Chihuly is one of the best at it.

I mean... that's just insane, right?

I spent the next couple of hours
just wandering around taking photos.
(I told you the place was huge.)

And I guess it wouldn't be
right to not include
a ginormous guitar
for no apparent reason.

There was some kind of festival
going on so there were these
plastic lit flowers all over the place.

I didn't mind, but...
they seemed out of place.
And, well... superfluous.
The place was amazing enough
on its own. It didn't need more.

I popped into this spot
to grab a bite to eat.

And... total fail...
I have no photos,
and no clue what I ate!

So... imagine something
and pretend it was that.

Eventually, I decided that
I'd seen my full and
eaten my full and
waddled back out to the car.

I drove an hour north until
I arrived at Bowling Green, KY.

I had one last site to see
and one last DISmeet
before I made my way
back North and home.

My vacation was rapidly
coming to a close.



And in case you didn't see it...

My name in lights...
as it should be.

Did you see it in this chapter?

Coming up: Dinner is served.

Chapter 7. Bowled Over​

 

[QueenJen]

Love reading about your road trips. I hope to visit Nashville someday. Please tell me you stopped at the Corvette Factory in Bowling Green and we get to see pics in the next chapter.

Did I see it? Why would anyone need to wear a helmet to view a garden?

 

[pkondz]

Love reading about your road trips.

Thanks!

I hope to visit Nashville someday.

I didn't see much of it...
Just not enough time.

Please tell me you stopped at the Corvette Factory in Bowling Green and we get to see pics in the next chapter.

Guess you'll just have
to wait and see!

Did I see it? Why would anyone need to wear a helmet to view a garden?

 

[happymommy]

At least I made it on to page 4!!!
Here's an easy recipe for butter mochi, which is popular in Hawaii, it's a chewy type of dessert with essence of coconut, vanilla and butter.

Hawaiian Butter Mochi

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter melted
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 16 oz mochiko flour 1 box (sweet glutinous rice flour found in asian markets)
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 can evaporated milk 12 oz
• 1 can coconut milk 14 oz

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Mix the melted butter and sugar until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla. Pour in the mochiko and add the baking powder. Stir until mostly combined. Stir in the evaporated milk, stir in the coconut milk. When batter is totally smooth, pour into pan and bake for one hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Remove from pan and cut into little square sized pieces on a cutting board.

I know this is from a while ago, but THANK YOU for this recipe! I have bought butter mochi before but never made it (lived for a few years on Oahu & go back at least every two years).

 

[pkondz]

I know this is from a while ago, but THANK YOU for this recipe! I have bought butter mochi before but never made it (lived for a few years on Oahu & go back at least every two years).

to the TR!

 

[natebenma]

Oh, wow! I can't believe the conditions you were driving under. Super scary!!! I'm glad that the SUV in front of you did not lead you astray, or over a cliff.

Thanks for sharing the pictures of the Grand Ole Opry. I have never looked into visiting and had absolutely no idea what to expect that you would see there, but I didn't really imagine anything even close to the pictures you showed. Looks kind of neat.

I'm not sure a trip to Nashville is ever in my future, but if it was, seems like there would be worse places than this to hang out.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Just another five minutes or so
brought me to my hotel.
I pulled up in front of the door...

And couldn't let go of the steering wheel.

It felt like my hands were glued in place.
With a conscious effort,
I released the steering wheel.
First the right hand, then the left.
It was then that I noticed how much
my back was aching.
I'd been hunched forward
over the wheel for hours.
I leaned back and grimaced.

Wow, that must have been rough. I kind of know the feeling. I had the same experience in Orlando a couple weeks ago on the I4, but it was only for about 20 minutes (driving from the outlet mall on International Drive back to All-Star Music). I did not enjoy it for that short time. I can only imagine what four hours of it must have been like.

I am not a country music fan.
At. All.

Yes, there is the odd country tune
that I like...
But those are very few and far between.
But I have heard of the Grand Ole Opry
for as long as I can remember.
And when in Nashville...

I don't listen to a lot of music, but when I do, it's often country. I just can't listen to most of the music on the radio besides country.
Looks like a pretty nice place. I've often though about taking my wife there.

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

Oh man, what a trek for those 4 hours! I don't know how you kept driving for so long! I know I would have had to stop for a break!

Chihuly! I had never heard of him. Then this past July we went to Asheville, NC and checked out the Biltmore Estate. He has an installation all over the gardens of the estate. Stunning. Now everywhere I look it seems some kind of glass display and they are all done by Chihuly!

 

[Pluto0809]

Four hours of driving about
sixty-five... and not knowing
what was more than ten feet
in front of me, while not
being able to see where
I was going.

Yikes! That whole bit just made me nervous. I am not a fan of driving in the rain, I think I would have had to pull off till it stopped.

But I have heard of the Grand Ole Opry
for as long as I can remember.
And when in Nashville...

Beautiful pictures. We've driven up to Nashville a few times but have yet to see that. We did visit the outlets next door where there is an awesome Disney outlet. There is so much to do in Nashville, I'm sure we will be back again sometime.

Did you see it in this chapter?

Took me a few times through. There's definitely something alien on that bridge.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

But... What else could possibly happen?

I thought you had just told me to never ask questions I don't want the answer to.

As it got darker out,
the rain fell harder.
Soon my occasional on/off
turned into intermittent.
Intermittent turned into on.
Which turned into high-speed.
The rain came down in torrents.
In buckets.
A veritable flood.

Oh, that's the worst. No fun at all. Good thing those storms usually only last a few minutes or so.

At one point, I realized that
if the vehicle in front of me
were to drive off a cliff,
I would follow right along
behind it at sixty-five
miles per hour.

Did you ever give any thought to slowing down a bit so you could see?

This continued for...
About the next four hours.
Four hours of driving about
sixty-five... and not knowing
what was more than ten feet
in front of me, while not
being able to see where
I was going.

Four hours... I'd be a wreck by the end. Maybe even literally.

And couldn't let go of the steering wheel.

It felt like my hands were glued in place.
With a conscious effort,
I released the steering wheel.
First the right hand, then the left.
It was then that I noticed how much
my back was aching.
I'd been hunched forward
over the wheel for hours.
I leaned back and grimaced.

That sounds awful. I can't believe it went on for so long. Your poor back!

Once I checked in
(and the clerk stopped screaming)
I was directed to park in the back
and use the rear door.

I don't know if the clerk was new
or figured people checking in
wouldn't have luggage.
I went to the rear door and...

No. I am not lugging my bags
up stairs to get inside.

He probably had a bet with another co-worker to see how many people he could get to go in that way.

The clerk didn't give me a glance.
I may have given him a glare.

I was perhaps not in the best of moods.
I'd smashed into a pet carrier
and driven blindly at high speed
for four hours.
I was most definitely not in a good mood.

I hear ya. Just go to bed and start over.

It turns out that being able
to see when you're driving
is a very good thing.
This may surprise some of you.

I can see where that would be underrated.

I am not a country music fan.
At. All.

Yes, there is the odd country tune
that I like...
But those are very few and far between.

I'm not big into it, either. It doesn't send me screaming from the room like other people. I just think most of the songs sound the same.

But I have heard of the Grand Ole Opry
for as long as I can remember.
And when in Nashville...

Hey, I was in Nashville for a business conference and did the same thing!

This Dale Chihuly glass sculpture
immediately caught my eye.
I love glass sculpture.
And Chihuly is one of the best at it.

Gorgeous!

I didn't mind, but...
they seemed out of place.
And, well... superfluous.
The place was amazing enough
on its own. It didn't need more.

Agreed. It was a pretty amazing building/setting all on its own.

And... total fail...
I have no photos,
and no clue what I ate!

So... imagine something
and pretend it was that.

Dude! I never figured you for a tofu casserole kinda guy.

Did you see it in this chapter?

Took me a while. You hid him in the shadows this time.

 

[Self_resqing_princz]

If you think this is amazing, you need to stop at the Indianapolis Children's museum and gawk at their ceiling.

and this:

I found Marvin!

 

[thumper*]

I was perhaps not in the best of moods.
I'd smashed into a pet carrier
and driven blindly at high speed
for four hours.
I was most definitely not in a good mood.

Can't guess why, that sounds like a miserable afternoon of driving. UGH

I love glass sculpture.
And Chihuly is one of the best at it.

I've had the opportunity to stay at Opryland Hotel a few times and it is beautiful. I'm thinking this sculpture is new since we last stayed there.

I didn't mind, but...
they seemed out of place.
And, well... superfluous.
The place was amazing enough
on its own. It didn't need more.

They are gaudy IMO

The bar/lounge in front of this water fall use to revolve around until the flood. Sat drinking many glasses of wine enjoying this view.

 

[Steppesister]

At one point, I realized that
if the vehicle in front of me
were to drive off a cliff,
I would follow right along
behind it at sixty-five
miles per hour.

Maybe 40 mph would've been better?

This continued for...
About the next four hours.

I think I'd have not continued.

I breathed a sigh of relief
as I steered off the highway
and slowed down.
The reduction of speed
accompanied by the lights
of Knoxville improved the visibility.

Amazing what shaving off a bit of speed can do.

I am not a country music fan.
At. All.

Because you are listening to the wrong music.

I had one last site to see
and one last DISmeet
before I made my way
back North and home.

Yay!

 

[orangecats2]

So I saw that you're driving to Toronto. What are your dates? Can you stop by me? We're still going to be at Disney World the 22-29. Let me know.

I've been following along, just not commenting.

How was your recent trip to WDW? What did you do?

 

[Tracy161]

What else could possibly happen?

Never ask that question. The universe will surely show you when you do.

This Dale Chihuly glass sculpture
immediately caught my eye.
I love glass sculpture.
And Chihuly is one of the best at it.

Yay! I see you're properly prepared for your visit We have a pretty cool one in our admissions lobby and I've cataloged some preparatory drawings of his, too (note: I might be able to sneak you in the backdoor if you'd like a peek... )

And I guess it wouldn't be
right to not include
a ginormous guitar
for no apparent reason.

Wouldn't be right at all.

There was some kind of festival
going on so there were these
plastic lit flowers all over the place.

Glass flowers would have been better. But I'm with you, the place is just so darn beautiful, they almost detract from that.

I see the Jungle Cruise got off course...

My name in lights...
as it should be.

Did you see it in this chapter?

Do I ever?!

 

[pkondz]

Oh, wow! I can't believe the conditions you were driving under. Super scary!!!

They were not the best
I've ever driven in.

I'm glad that the SUV in front of you did not lead you astray, or over a cliff.

I'm kinda glad too, actually.
Then again.... if I had,
you wouldn't have to read
through this drivel!

Thanks for sharing the pictures of the Grand Ole Opry. I have never looked into visiting and had absolutely no idea what to expect that you would see there, but I didn't really imagine anything even close to the pictures you showed. Looks kind of neat.

I really didn't expect it either!
I was completely taken
by surprise.

I'm not sure a trip to Nashville is ever in my future, but if it was, seems like there would be worse places than this to hang out.

 

[pkondz]

Wow, that must have been rough. I kind of know the feeling. I had the same experience in Orlando a couple weeks ago on the I4, but it was only for about 20 minutes (driving from the outlet mall on International Drive back to All-Star Music). I did not enjoy it for that short time. I can only imagine what four hours of it must have been like.

I've driven through weather
like that before a few times.
But... not quite that bad
for that long.

I don't listen to a lot of music, but when I do, it's often country. I just can't listen to most of the music on the radio besides country.

I hardly ever listen to
new stuff on the radio.
I usually look for stuff
that I already know.

Looks like a pretty nice place. I've often though about taking my wife there.

Now you know!

 

[pkondz]

Oh man, what a trek for those 4 hours! I don't know how you kept driving for so long! I know I would have had to stop for a break!

I think at first I thought
it would only last for a minute.
I mean... come on.
It's gonna rain like this
for more than a couple minutes???

Chihuly! I had never heard of him. Then this past July we went to Asheville, NC and checked out the Biltmore Estate. He has an installation all over the gardens of the estate. Stunning. Now everywhere I look it seems some kind of glass display and they are all done by Chihuly!

Oh, I'm so envious!
I saw that there was a display
at the Biltmore Estate
and was considering stopping.
But... the website I looked at
said that most people spend
a day or even two days visiting.
I could maybe spend... an hour.
Not enough.

I will reluctantly have to skip it.