My husband and I take a trip each year during harvest. Our busy season of keeping the farmers engines up and running during corn season has slowed down, and we take the opportunity to catch our breath. This year, we took a trip to Nashville, TN…and no, I did not schedule a race while we were there. Surprising, I know. We did the touristy things like the Johnny Cash Museum, the Redneck Comedy Bus Tour, downtown Broadway scene, and even checked out Antique Archaeology.
We generally stay in a condo with a kitchen so we can prepare at least some of our own meals. We had lunch at Panera the day we arrived…so, a loaf of sour dough bread was in order. One of the first things we do when we hit most cities is take a trip to a grocery store. If given a choice, I go for Trader Joe’s. They just have some really fun finds I can’t get at home. We stocked up on breakfast foods, salad (with a dressing pack included), a pre-marinated chicken that I could cook in the oven, and some sweet potatoes…water, we always buy a case of water. Super easy meal and super delicious after being out all day sight seeing. Saves us a little cash and gives us some down time to actually spend with one another, and not 1500 other people in a crowded restaurant.
So, I cooked breakfast in the room each morning. We had what was supposed to be a picnic lunch on one day, and we ate one dinner meal in our room. This certainly saved us some money, but most importantly helped us to better control what we were eating.
The first day we spent downtown checking out the craziness that is Broadway. Lots of live music and great people watching. Day 2 was the Redneck Comedy Bus Tour. Funny, crazy, a little loud, and certainly NOT family friendly. But, fun and history of Nashville sites all rolled into one. We also toured the Johnny Cash museum. By day 3 I had about all the craziness this small town girl could stand, so I looked up some state parks and we set out on a road trip. We hiked a 5 mile trail in the Cedars of Lebanon State Park. Beautiful. We planned to head to another state park that was about an hour away, but it started pouring down rain. So, we drove in the rain for a while. Then it got so hard, we could barely see. We stopped at a little grocery store for some ham and mustard, because I did not buy that on day one to go with my sourdough bread. So, instead of a cute little picnic, we ate on our laps in the car. Still fun and gave the rain a chance to let up a little. Since it was still raining, we opted not to drive to the next state park, that was the direction the storm was heading. So, we took a little detour to a distillery…waaayyy back in the woods of Tennessee. Like a little bit scary back woods. Then we arrived at this beautiful little restaurant/distillery with rocking chairs on a wrap-around porch and out buildings where they make Short Mountain Moonshine. Beautiful and peaceful…secluded for sure. The last day was spent traveling back to reality.
So, how does all this fit into a Healthy Lifestyle? First of all, time away with the human most important in your life is good for your marriage, which is good for your mental fitness. Being able to escape daily responsibilities and demands helps you reboot and connect in a way that is tough to do when we’re just doing life together. Choosing to eat healthy and move our butts even though we could have just run amok is good for our physical fitness…of course. It’s so easy to get off track when you take a trip, then feel guilty, then say, “forget it”. I try to practice the 90/10 rule. 90% of the time I eat the things I know I need to fuel my body and keep me healthy. 10% of the time, I eat what I want. So, purposing to eat healthy and exercise even while on vacation helps me keep my 90/10 in check. Taking the time to drive through the countryside and hike in the forest just made us appreciate God’s beautiful creation. I love to see the diverse trees and colors. The rolling hills and types of rocks, the deep caverns and flowing rivers. I’m Texas Panhandle born and raised ya’ll. This is exciting scenery!! Seriously. It’s good for my spiritual fitness. Allowing me to slow down and just take in all that He has to show me. I am humbled that God gives Steve and me the opportunity and means to travel, connect with one another, and to see all the amazing parts of creation I don’t get to see at home.
Happy Travels Friends