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Road Trip: No plans, no destination

By | October 31, 2012 | Print This Post
 

This is the first installment of a series of stories documenting a recent trip I made with my wife.

Most of us make travel plans very meticulously.   Where are we going and where will we stay when we get there?  But have you ever just packed a bag, get in the car and just drive?   With no particular place to go?  My wife and I did just that this past weekend.  We were going to see the country from the back roads, passing through all of the little towns along the way, and we would stop and visit wherever we darn well wanted.  So,we packed for an overnight trip and took off.

Our first stop was in Elizabethtown Kentucky.  “E-town” as they call it.   We drove straight into their historic downtown (as we always like to do) and noticed a crowd of people standing around the city square.  I told my wife that it looked like a parade was coming.  She rolled down the window and asked one of the locals what was going on.    “Nightmare on the Square” was the reply.  “They’re about to have the coffin races.”

“Park the car,” said the boss.

The Coffin races in Elizabethtown Kentucky

The Coffin races in Elizabethtown Kentucky

So we grabbed the camera and off we went.

Similar to Clarksville’s “Fright on Franklin,” Elizabethtown has “Nightmare on the Square.”   Vendors were set up with food, balloons, face painting, trinkets and music.  But the highlight of the event was the coffin race.  Four teams participated, and ran a 100 yard dash through the streets, pushing a coffin, complete with “live” cargo,  to the finish line.  Fastest team wins.  The weather wasn’t the best, but I would guess there were over 100 people there.  One of the local radio stations was there broadcasting.  It was cool.  It was different.

We met some of the nicest people.  Everyone we met was just amazed that we had stopped.   We spoke with a couple who was about to start their retirement, and some young people just looking to have a good time.   We also met a young lady who’s father lives in Clarksville, (forgot the name, dang-it) but she was familiar with OUR community.

It is a small world.

Elizabethtown is very similar to Clarksville.  They have a military influence nearby (Ft. Knox), and they’re growing.  We say a stretch of highway that looked much like our Wilma Rudolph Blvd.  There was new construction, and growth.   But the impression we got of this city was from the people we met.  Friendly, courteous, welcoming.  We were only there for maybe an hour, but they made a great impression on us.

I only hope that when visitors are just “passing through” Clarksville, they get the same impression we got in “E-Town.”

Tomorrow, our visit to the Jim Beam Distillery, and we land in Louisville for the night.

Photo Gallery

 


About Hank Bonecutter

    Hank Bonecutter

    Hank Bonecutter spent forty years in broadcasting as a talk-show host, journalist, writer, and producer.  He is president of Bonehead Promotions an advertising consulting and media firm.  He owns www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com, and is a contributing author/journalist for Clarksville Online.

    Hank is former owner/general manager of Wjzm radio, Clarksville TN, and produced the longest running morning radio talk show in Clarksville, “The Bone Show.”

    Hank is also a stand-up comedian, having performed at some of the top comedy clubs in Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia.  He produced a series of Clarksville comedy shows called “Comedy on the Cumberland,” that raised money for Clarksville area charities.

    You can follow Hank on Facebook and Twitter, @bonecutter01 and @boneheadnews.

    Web Site: http://www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com/
    Email: hbonecutter@clarksvilleonline.com

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