Summer Vacation 2021

We had a narrow window to take our family vacation this summer, between Albani finishing 7th grade and the Ibbetson Farms farmers market produce sales starting full swing, so our trip started not long after my Tobacco Road Marathon race-cation.  We left home on May 28 and returned on June 2.  Below is what we did, including what I ran each morning.  I included a few photo highlights in this post, but a photo documentary can be viewed here.  

May 28:

• The Drive
• Lunch from Steak & Shake on the road (Albani’s choice earned by good grades)
• Wickliffe Mounds
• American Archaeology (the American Pickers Store)
• Marathon Mercantile 
• Dinner at Greek Gyros, which was across the street from our hotel 
• Ran 16 miles with a couple of faster miles at 5 a.m. in Missouri before we left 

May 29:

• Cheekwood Mansion
• The Nashville Parthenon, in Centennial Park
• Lunch at Pho Ann Vietnamese
• Belle Meade Plantation
• Dinner at Greek Gyros again (very convenient and delicious!) 
• Ran 9.2 easy hilly miles in Nashville  

May 30:

• Nashville Farmers Market
• Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
• Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
• Lunch at El Toro Loco 
• Dukes of Hazzard Museum
• Willie Nelson's General Store
• Albani had McDonalds for dinner, Jon was too full from our huge late lunch, and I ate some food from our food bags/snacks stashes
• Ran 8.3 easy hilly miles in Nashville 

May 31:

• Lost River Cave Boat Tour, hiking, and butterfly habitat exhibit 
• Hidden River Cave walking tour
• Lunch at Bucky Bee’s BBQ
• Hotel pool time
• Dinner at Drury Inn (so convenient - we will stay at this hotel chain again!)
• Ran 10.1 miles (3 warm up, 3 x 3’, 2’, 1’ fartlek, 3 cool down) in Nashville 

June 1:

• Dinosaur World 
• Onyx Cave walking tour
• Lunch at Mammoth Cave National Park
• Mammoth Cave walking tour
• Ran 10.2 easy miles in Bowling Greene, KY

June 2:

• Drive home (by far the least interesting day, hah!)
• Ran 8 miles easy in Paducah, Kentucky

Then on June 3 I went to Kansas City for work, plus to my niece's graduation in the evening on June 3 and to the Hospital Hill Half Marathon the morning of June 5.  Whew!