Wednesday 8May19 Nashville Pantheon
Woke at 7:30 and worked on the journal. Discovered a small water leak on one of the outside shower fittings. I attempted to push the line on the fitting further but made the leak worse. Ultimate I pulled the line completely off and cut about an inch off the line and reattached.
Had the usual breakfast minus the grapefruit, apparently I ate the last half the previous morning. Started the water heater and took the dogs for a hike then took a shower.
Drove to the Pantheon downtown Nashville.
It is dimensionally the same as the original one in Greece. It was built for the 1894 Exposition along with many other buildings, structures and statues. The main purpose of the exposition was to bring business to Nashville. Many other large cities around the world held similar events during this period of history.
Inside the Pantheon is an art museum as well as information and photos of the Exposition.
The Pantheon is in the center of an amazing park. The lake was built for the disposition as well.
The original buildings including the Pantheon were made out of wood and plaster. They were only intended to last through the exposition and all but one building and the Pantheon were demolished afterwards. There was great interest in keeping the Pantheon intact and through great efforts it remained somewhat intact but at some point it was beyond repair with it's currently structural materials. In 1917 they began to replace the wood and plaster with a type of cement. The peojct was completely in 1931. Amazing!
I returned to the RT and prepared lunch and ate on the grass in the park.
After lunch I drove by the Ryman Auditorium.
This was a big tourist area and I would like to have spent some time there but it was very hot and suitable parking was not to be found.
I made my way back to I65 and headed towards Louisville Kentucky. Not far out of town I stopped for fuel and dumped the holding tank and filled the fresh water tank at a nice campground next to the service station. I inquired and was told it cost $130.00 a week for a 30 amp site. There was a big office store combination and a nice deck. I spoke to several of the campers, one had been there for 8 years.
Back on the road and made it to Mammoth Cave National Park in time to get tickets for the 10 am historic tour of the cave in the morning. Camped the night in site 102 of the National Park campground.