Day Sixteen : Memphis, TN - Nashville, TN

The ride to Nashville is another day of Interstate. I get in at a reasonable hour and check into a very trendy, convenient and clean hostel I believe called Downtown Hostel (it was centrally located). It was full of backpackers who I get chatting to before checking in. I suss the place out and am told it's nice to stay there so I book in and I'm allocated Room 309 / 'Bob Dylan'. All the rooms were named different artists; I was only three or four rooms off Jimi Hendrix but more than happy being in Bob Dylan for the night. I guess this helps drunk tourists find their room when they stumble into the front desk at 4 in the morning (guilty ('Excuse me, can you tell me where is Bob Dylan??')). 

Photo was actually taken in Memphis but I just had to share.
This was a one-way system where the goat would walk
up the spiral and down the otherside and so on.
I explained to the Americans that 'Irish diving goats' don't exist.

This is the most 'youthful' of backpackers I've seen yet, I guess I'm getting more central in America and people are from further afield. Until now it's been mostly Americans and families I've met travelling but now there are more Europeans in particular. Nashville has similar offerings to Memphis but not to the same degree. I went out for the night to check out the music scene for which it is also famous. I had some mediocre ribs (with poor service) but saw some pretty cool music. I think I'd decided at that stage that I prefered Memphis (sorry Nashville)....

My beautiful Shadow

The music was more tourist friendly and modified to suite same, cliche cover songs, requests and such but I befriended some really talented musicians and have kept in touch with them since.  I meet a Mr. Dustin Martin who quickly introduces me to his band, the Ramblers, Adam and Ryan. We enjoy some beers together (whilst discussing them) and they ask for the lowdown on my trip so far). They are excited about the Irishness which is always welcome. We are a loved and proud people and I believe I represented us abroad with relative dignity. They asked me if I'd come back and check out their set in an hour or so, at this stage I still had lots to see for my one night in Nashville but luckily I returned to see this band as they were great. In the interim, I quickly check out some other bars which Dustin had mentioned. I had explained to him I prefer the blues and some rock and roll so he points me in the right direction. As we say in Ireland, Dustin and the Ramblers were 'sound' (cool/nice/down-to-earth). Months later, Dustin will end up putting me in touch with a singer from Tennessee, Erica Lee. Erica ended up crashing with me for few nights in Dublin so connections continue to be made and the world continues to grow smaller. 

Dustin Martin and the Ramblers playing in the Silver Dollar Saloon. Note couple on left (I like this photo)

Wild Bill Young

I also meet Wild Bill Young, a really nice guy who told me after his gig that he dreamed of going to Ireland, and Africa, both of which I could tell him a bit about. Bill doesn't go unnoticed as he's about 6 and a half foot, he has the deepest voice in the South and one of very few black country singers. We spoke briefly about the politics and some of the negative feedback he'd receive for being a black man singing country. In reality, he notes that country music and black people singing country music have been around as long as each other. He goes on to explain to me that some of the old greats were black. What makes Bill stand out most of all was his voice. Deep and soulful, he sounds like a well tuned tuba, played by a great tuba-ist (word?)

Music speaker just visible above vent

The street's fuse boxes are all allocated a particular artist and they play music from a small speaker on the side of the fuse box. In my inebriation I sat on the little ledge that supported the fuse box and sat listening to B.B.King for 20 minutes whilst I wolfed down yet another hot dog. I then went back to my hostel looking for Bob Dylan. Next stop KENTUCKY!! 

Street Performers, Broadway, Nashville

In the morning I try and nurse myself with a milkshake from the famous Mike's Ice Cream on Broadway. I hang out with some homeless people by the river and talk about tattoos and tobacco. Again they ask about my bike which is parked across the road and now loaded with all my bags (2 saddle bags, tank bag and my main duffel bag) for the next leg of my journey. At this stage, I have mastered loading up my bike. The saddle bags are easy to re-attach if I've taken them off for the night, they get added support from bungees. My duffel bag gets folded very specifically and a flap from the bag tucks between the two seats. Two large bungee cords to strap everything down and carefully placed behind my back, my goose down blanket provided for me by the kind lady in the spring baths of Joyful Journey. Rolled up between me and my duffel bag, this blanket provided great back support and was also adjustable!

Lessons; 
The odd homeless and trainhopper I'd meet were often filthy but usually some of the most down to earth, honest and friendliest people I'd meet.

Last man standing.....