A hole in the ground, a cornucopia of aircraft, and rock and roll
I had three days in a row of amazing day trips to three different locations. Each was unique and very enjoyable. A short drive north from Nashville is Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky and given that I rarely have an opportunity to crawl into a big hole in the ground, I stopped to enjoy the excursion. Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world at 680 km (420 miles) that have been mapped so far. Additionally, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. I took a 2+ hour tour into the cave and reached a depth of about 97.5 meters (320 ft) below the surface. Check out some details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Cave_National_Park.
I repositioned after the tour to Dayton Ohio and the following day I visited The National Museum of the United States Air Force. It is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world, with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display. I was in heaven wandering through the four very large hangars and outdoor display and could easily have spent another couple of days exploring. It is a must-see for all aviation enthusiasts. More info can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force.
Finally, after another reposition, my third day was spent at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio. The Rock Hall is filled with an incredible number of artifacts and memorabilia from the past seven decades. This was another fantastic day for me and I wandered the six floors for several hours reading about and viewing the memorabilia, watching several films and listening to fabulous music. I thoroughly loved the experience and highly recommend a visit to all those who enjoy music. More details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame.
For most of my driving over these three days, I was able to take the backroads; the scenery in Kentucky and Ohio was very beautiful and I enjoyed the rolling and winding roads bracketed by incredible, bright green vegetation. The last several days have been a whirlwind for me and that is the reason for the tardy post. I am now back in the homeland and plan to write about the last stretch of my journey in my next post. It’s been quite the adventure!!
