Is this place weirder than Austin?

So Stinker and I arrived in Nashville today after 10 hours of driving. She got her way and did all the driving while I was the DJ and napped sporadically throughout the trip. No fights to report yet (sorry, Amy Gordon).

The extra hour gained in Nashville was great. We were downtown by 6pm and after doing some exploring, hunkered down at Rippy's for some outdoor BBQ, beer and live music. We made some friends from Wisconsin and soaked up the sun. They taught us about a loaded corona, which consists of pouring out the neck of the beer and filling it with Bacardi lemon.  Brilliant idea.

We did some great people watching. At one point, after seeing a guy in his 50s wearing a t-shirt that said "She wants the D," Stinker asked me, "Is this place weirder than Austin?"  She has not been to Austin yet. My answer: "No." Although Nashville has a lot more "free spirits" than the DC metro area, it still doesn't compare to Austin. Plus, downtown is probably not a good representation of those who live here, as the majority of people out downtown on a holiday weekend are probably tourists. But still...

Leaving the townhouse today was tough. I have lived in DC since 2001 (with a one year break back in Buffalo). I love DC, my home, my friends and family. But as my friend Bill Groh, who made a similar move a few years back recently told me, its like when you are high up and they tell you not to look down. Thanks Bill. So I am going to just keep looking forward.

Tomorrow the adventures continue with more car fun from TN to OK. It will take at least another 10 hours.

Here is Stinker's collage from Nashville (she is the photog of the family).