"This weirdly colored raisin is giving me the heebie geebies."

We are writing from a little spot called Bongo Java, a coffee shop local to Nashville.

We left Louisville yesterday after eating Ramsi's for the second time. Coffees in hand, Steve took to the wheel as he complains of boredom when not driving. We made it about an hour down the road on 65 South before seeing a giant orange and black striped T. Rex. next to a sign adverstising "Dinosaur World". The cries of "DINO WORLD!!!" that came from Gina made it clear that we were stopping. We decided to forgo the thirteen dollar tickets and instead roamed the gift shop, where G found miniature dinosaur figurines and dinosaur erasers. Quite the finds? Regardless the exit was the same for the Mammoth Caves so we drove across the street to a place called "Olde General Store". Inside were the truest of southern novelties- dreamcatchers, hundreds of old glass Coke bottles, Redneck T-Shirts, beer coasters, swicth blades, turquoise jewelry, moccasins, useless antique tools...you name it. A few more like-minded shops later and we somehow made it out alive and with our funds in tact. (some details others may not think of while traveling is the change in landscape... as 65S continues on through the midwest, once out of louisville the trees start to grow more lush and it seems more apparent that this pathway has been carved out of the earth for us to mosey on along. all things aside, farm lands are still stinky as accents grow thicker.)

Once we made it into Nashville we navigated our way to a record store named Grimey's. Steve browsed for a while and then we decided to head to dinner so we swooped by Mickey's and picked him and his girlfriend Jade up. We went to a place called Woodlands, which had Indian veggie food. Delicious. (where the heck is the wall with the johnny cash mural!!!???)

Afterwards we made it back to their apartment and decided we would go towards downtown Nashville, where there is a block-long strip of famous country-western bars. We planted ourselves at a place called Robert's. Gina, Steve and I were in genuine awe. True cowboys! True country! Before arriving Mickey had joked about how being on the strip is fun at first and then you begin to realize that all the people are for real, that they take country and the whole shtick very seriously. He was right. A rockabilly band set up...two girls on upright bass and drums and a dude that played guitar and sang. Man were they into it. He was rocking the whole get-up of slicked back hair, white Tee, cuffed blue jeans and traditional bandanna hanging out of his back pocket. Welcome to Nashville.

After two beers we decided to check out and headed to a place called Springmill that Mickey's friend had suggested. Tuesday nights are karaoke night so he swore up and down that it would be a trip. We witnessed a barely-averted bar fight, countless renditions of radio songs done by a birthday girl and then managed to stick around for a run-of-the-mill looking dude who nicknamed himself "Psycho" singing his own free-style version of "Lollipop". It was oddly impressive. (hey! don't forget about mickey's number one performance that stemmed from a joke hip hop group in the nineties mainly about being vegan! saint mic rhymed while driving the streets of nashville while we cracked up and begged for more)

We all fell asleep watching some cult classic movie that Mickey loves, but its name is slipping my mind. Forgive me Mickey, I know you can recite it by heart...

Today was great. We woke up and went to a breakfast spot called Fido and enjoyed some good eats. After shopping for a little and buying cheap books, we settled on going to a place called Burgess Park that the same friend who mentioned the karaoke bar had suggested in the same conversation (jonny corndawg!). After Springmill we figured he knew what he was talking about. So we went back to the apartment and put on our bathing suits and took off.

An hour plus later we found ourselves in quite possibly one of the most beautiful places any of us have ever seen. The park had three waterfalls, one being almost 300 feet tall. One of the park rangers informed us as we were headed to the base of it that a kid had died there the week before. The closer we got to the sound of the rushing water the more excited we became until finally, the trees broke and I can only describe our reaction as a chorus of gasps. Eventually we worked up our nerves and swam in the water, which was absolutely incredible. The mist from the fall carried out almost as far as it is tall. We swam for about an hour until climbing back out and following the rocky trail back to the car.

For dinner we had cheap Chinese dishes but it hit the spot. We're all exhausted but completely satisfied with our stay in Nashville. Mickey and Jade have been amazing the past few days, they really showed us how to do Nashville. Thank you, your postcard is coming.

It's amazing what stepping outside of your hometown does for you. Realizing the millions of other lives unfolding, the landscapes you couldn't have imagined. It's worth every cent and uncertainty along the road. We've got our Atlas, our friends and an openness to whatever we come across. For now, we've got it all.

love,

a & g


p.s.
for your viewing pleasure, some of our favorite posters mickey has done (www.kangaroopress.com)