Hockey Night in Smashville!

We did our first NHL game here in Nashville as the Nashville Predators took on the San Jose Sharks.

Again, free parking is located next to LP Field (where the Titans play) and it was a short, scenic walk across the pedestrian bridge and the Cumberland River of about 15 minutes.  There was a $3pp shuttle that we chose not to do.

Bridgestone Arena is located right in the heart of the Broadway District, which means you get the chance to have a dinner and a few adult beverages before the game -- which we did.  Had a great lager brewed here in Nashville, Hap and Harry's at the Broadway Brewhouse.



It was chilly in the arena, and had a great minor league baseball feel with the entertainment for the fans during breaks, and during the period intermissions.  The sound of the puck hitting the stick in the arena is terrific, plus you can just see the entire game instead of just the small box on TV.

Great times here in Nashville.

Rafting on the Cumberland River

Had the pleasure of taking advantage of the beautiful (mid-80's and sunny) October weather here in Nashville by rafting to downtown on the Cumberland River.  We loosely used the charts on the Corps of Engineer's site, mainly to make sure we didn't end up like we did in Oklahoma City where we put in, travelled about a mile and came upon a lock that was only able to be accessed by the tour boat that came by it.

It took us about an hour to travel to downtown and another hour back.  Our ramp was close to the Port of Opryland where two paddle wheelers do day cruises and dinner cruises.

  It would be a beautiful ride when the leaves are turning.  So hard to believe this river could get out of its banks and produce the kind of flooding it did in 2010.

We only saw three pleasure boats (one was being hauled out) along the ride, but did see the General Jackson Paddle Wheeler steaming along from Opryland to downtown.

As we approached downtown, we could see the "Batman Tower" in the distance. Then the full skyline appeared at the bend behind the bridges.  There is a beautiful ampitheatre along the West Bank of the River, with the Tennessee Titans' LP Stadium on the East side.  We were a little disappointed there wasn't any public docking or restaurants that catered to boaters.

After getting close to the ramp at Old Lock and Dam Number Two Park, we went "Tom Sawyer" and just floated.  The current we didn't realize until we turned the power off was amazing.  And.....the silence.