"Bill's Excellent Adventure!"

3/19/07 Mon. The weather reports keep fooling me. Supposed to have thunderstorms today that didn't materialize, so I opted for yet another day doing little. I did go to the Opry Mills Mall next door to the Grand Ole Opry. This is quite an amazing mall...they must get a terrific volume of traffic through this mall. Many individual stores within it must have between 10,000 and 20,000 sq ft, I swear. With my slow browsing it probably took me two hours to get through the thing...and my feet felt like it.

There is a multiplex theater containing 20 movies and an Imax right next door. There are some rather unusual restaurants like the Aquarium, where you sit among or under huge fish tanks. Of course I am not prone to paying $10 for a hamburger, and $20 for a luncheon entry, so I passed on that.

One of the most interesting stores to me was the Gibson Guitar Store. Inside they have a workshop where their craftsmen produce guitars and banjos. One entire side of the store is the workshop with expansive windows for people like me to stare at the craftsmen applying their trade. Guys doing light sanding, fine chiseling, and finishing components...really quite fascinating. Big belt sanders and lathes like I have never seen before. I plan to go back there with my camera and take some pics. I checked some prices on some of their instruments and they seem to begin around $350 and go all the way up to $7,000 for a banjo! I guess what I am coming to see, is that I really like to see quality workmanship and this store has it.

If you are into knives, there is a Case Store, which besides knives sells other household products. The case knives, the buck knives and the Victorinox knives displayed all represent again high quality workmanship, which was a pleasant detour while on my walk. A limited edition Buck Ceremonial knife was displayed at almost $600! It was 80 of 100 limited edition. Personally, I will never pay big bucks for a knife, but again, a pleasure to see the quality.

Once again, it's supposed to rain tomorrow but, like today, the temps should be pleasant.

Oh yea, one other thing I've noticed traveling around here. For every police or fire person, or military local that has died or been killed in the line of duty, they erect a sign dedicating that stretch of road or bridge, even small bridges, to a "fallen hero". It's really quite moving.

We'll see what tomorrow brings!

See ya!
Bill