Road Trip on Tennessee 64

Day 4

Drove 300+ miles today, bound for Chattanooga. First we stopped by Sun Record studios where we were both literally attacked by a small bird, Hitchcock style. I turned my back and chirp! chirp! the little bastard bit me on the ear. After that we took the scenic route all the way out on Tennessee's Route 64 through the farmland. The local counties are about as rural as you get out there and are very beautiful. One county in particular, McNairy (notice the bullet holes in the sign), caught my interest as it is the home of the legendary sheriff Buford Pusser, who used to carry around "The Buford Stick." By the time we got through there we headed for Lynchburg for none other than the Jack Daniel Distillery for the tour. H & I are on the right side of the group photo. Our tour guide, Bruce, was hilarious and made the trip a lot of fun. Best part of this visit was that I was able to get ahold of a couple of special commemoritive bottles of the Tennessee whiskey, both of which are autographed by the master distiller himself, Jimmy Bedford. Priceless! Okay, by now we are still starving and between the churches there's still nothing to eat. Jump off the interstate just outside Chatanooga and find a Hampton Inn, which was much nicer than both the Radissons and a lot cheaper. Headed downtown for a long-awaited meal at the Mount Vernon Restaurant. On the way back to the hotel we made a wrong turn and found ourselves at the Chattanooga Choo Choo which is the city's train depot turned Holiday Inn. The main waiting area of the former train station is now the lobby; behind the check-in counter is the old train schedule, just like at the old Union Station in Nashville. I found a New Jersey shot glass in the gift shop, go figure!