Westbound Day 1: Lansing to Nashville/Memphis

We drove southbound, with a storm on our tail and the rising sun on our shoulder. I left home [Grand Rapids] around 4am. Thanks to my many years of working at the Grand Rapids Press, I was well acquainted with being up this early and driving. After meeting with Casey in Lansing and shooting south towards Indiana, the sun was just starting to creep over the horizon. I remember having the dopiest grin as I met the sunset, as I have many times while working, but this time as a free men. I was up with the first light of the day because I made a terrible decision to get going this early wanted to!

Fast forward a lot of banter between Casey [CB Handle: Manifest Destiny] and I [CB Handle: Heisenberg], and we arrived in Tennessee. Casey and I were both meeting up with separate people, so parted ways just outside Nashville for the afternoon. I hung out at the Soda Parlor on the south side of Nashville. For those who know of his work, the Soda Parlor was a collaborative effort to open a communal space/merch shop by Youtuber Olan Rogers and his friends. I got a delicious rootbeer float made with Jeni's Ice Cream, and picked up a great t-shirt.

In Nashville I met with the infamous Danny Walen for a quick hour and a half jaunt including two bars and a visit to the Nashville Parthenon. I received a delicious reuben sandwich, a couple beers, and some great music recommendations.  Afterwards Casey and I met back up and were hosted for dinner by Olive and Ben Kann. It was a delicious dinner with a delightfully honest conversation. Olive and I have been friends for a while before she moved down to Nashville, where she met and married Ben. Though Ben and I do not each other very well, we were able to have very frank and open conversation involving faith and our own journeys. This has often been myl experience when meeting other people who have a sincere faith in Christ, and I love the fellowship with new people based on this commonality.

We arrived in Memphis to stay the night with my brother-in-law Greg. Casey immediately crashed and I followed soon after, though I stayed up with Greg to edit photos and watch @midnight. Naturally.

Here's to soda parlors and unconditional camaraderies.
-Patrick


P.S. Louisville, I love you, but does your entire greater city have to be under construction?