Our initial plans had us staying in or near Memphis and then Nashville to explore the Volunteer State.
But as we approached, we called an audible. Over the past few years, we had spent time in both cities (our daughter spent a summer in Memphis during college; I took a golf trip to Nashville).
So we shortened our stay, but decided to make our first distillery visit as we headed toward bourbon country in Kentucky.
We picked Samuel T. Bryant, a small distillery in Jackson, which was close off Interstate 40 east of Memphis.
This is a Harvest Host location, and a unique one: they allow up to ten RVers at a time, compared with one or two at most. And most spots were filled. It gave us an opportunity to meet some fellow travelers.
We arrived in time for a tasting. They distill moonshine, then turn it into a lot of stuff and offer other beverages – gin, creams, and more. It was almost too much. It was hard to tell if any of it was special. But Karen took a sip, and now claims to like bourbon. We bought a small bottle.
At the tasting bar, we met two other RV couples.
One was from Eerie, Penn. They grew sick of the snow, so sold their house, bought a huge 5th wheel, and are travelling for 5 years as they decide on a state to call home next. Their main criterion: No income tax. They’re considering Florida and Texas, but aren’t thrilled with either. When they pulled out the next morning, we saw their insta handle on their RV: @the_wandering_hartleys. We follow them now. I’m not sure they’ve reciprocated yet!
The other couple was from Kentucky and were heading to a big SEC football game for the weekend, just for the hell of it.
They were each helping the other with maintenance issues: a dead battery for the Hartleys that needed a jump; a faulty generator for the other.
Karen’s dad, a lifelong boater, said that every time you take a boat out, something goes wrong. The cost: one boat unit. The same might be true for RVs.
We unpacked for a picnic dinner, and the father of the distillery owner, Pete, wandered by for a lovely chat. He is caring for two dogs, five cats, and an ailing wife. It’s a lot. We truly wish him well.
The next morning – we got our run in just by leaving the driveway and taking a left. It was serendipity. We had a lovely, energizing run in cool temperatures, down beaucolic farm roads. It made our day.
The distillery opened at 9 – who knows why. They graciously let us plug in and do a bunch of work, before we packed up and bid farewell to Tennessee.
Technical notes
Life is easier when you just drop the stabilizers and don’t unhitch, like at this Harvest Host site.
However, even my effort at “straight back” to create a bit more room before heading around a big circular driveway and out was a pretty dismal failure – but not a catastrophic one.
